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Unveiled: Prototrichalus from the mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber represents a yet oldest record of Ischaliidae Blair, 1920 (Coleoptera: Tenebrionoidea)
Get PDFThe genus Prototrichalus Molino-Olmedo, Ferreira, Branham and Ivie, 2020 known from Burmese amber was initially attributed to the family of net-winged beetles (Coleoptera: Lycidae) in the superfamily Elateroidea, and soon after transferred to Tenebrionoidea incertae sedis and compared with Ischalia Pascoe, 1860. Here, we examined additional material of Prototrichalus and confirmed it is the first known Mesozoic subgroup of the family of false fire-coloured beetles (Coleoptera: Ischaliidae) in superfamily Tenebrionoidea. This oldest yet available record of the Ischaliidae suggests their at least Cretaceous origin. A re-defined set of the diagnostic features is provided for the family Ischaliidae to incorporate the unique combination of morphological features of Prototrichalus. One new species, P. jingpo Telnov and Kundrata, sp. nov., is described and compared with its congeners. A key to supraspecific taxa of Ischaliidae and an annotated checklist of extinct species of the family are provided.Crown Copyright © 2023 Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). The attached file is the published version of the article.NHM Repositor
The rangeomorph Pectinifrons abyssalis: Hydrodynamic function at the dawn of animal life
No full textRangeomorphs are among the oldest putative eumetazoans known from the fossil record. Establishing how they fed is thus key to understanding the structure and function of the earliest animal ecosystems. Here, we use computational fluid dynamicstotesthypothesizedfeedingmodesforthefence-likerangeomorphPectinifrons abyssalis, comparing this to the morphologically similar extant carnivorous sponge Chondrocladia lyra. Our results reveal complex patterns of flow around P. abyssalis unlike those previously reconstructed for any other Ediacaran taxon. Comparisons with C. lyra reveal substantial differences between the two organisms, suggesting they converged on a similar fence-like morphology for different functions. We argue that the flow patterns recovered for P. abyssalis do not support either a suspension feeding or osmotrophic feeding habit. Instead, our results indicate that rangeomorph fronds may represent organs adapted for gas exchange. If correct, this interpretation could require a dramatic reinterpretation of the oldest macroscopic animals.Copyright. © 2023 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). The attached file is the published version of the article.NHM Repositor
Revisional notes on the genus Microhoria Chevrolat, 1877 (Insecta: Coleoptera: Anthicidae) from the Eastern Mediterranean and Turkey, with new descriptions, an annotated catalogue, and a key
No full textThe species of Microhoria Chevrolat, 1877 from the Eastern Mediterranean including Turkey and Sinai Peninsula, are reviewed, keyed, and catalogued for the first time. Statuschange is proposed for Microhoria rubronotata (Pic, 1896) stat. nov. New synonyms are proposed for Microhoria emaciata (Pic, 1896) (= Anthicus leuthneri var. creticus Pic, 1903 syn. nov.), M. latipennis (Pic, 1892) (= A. leuthneri var. dissimilis Pic, 1897 syn. nov.), M. ottomana (LaFerté-Sénectère, 1849) (= A. tenebricosus Pic, 1897 syn. nov.), and M. rubronotata (Pic, 1896) stat. nov. (= A. humerifer Pic, 1902 syn. nov.). Lectotypes are designated for the following 11 taxa: Microhoria akbesiana (Pic, 1896), M. angulapex (C. Koch, 1935), M. boyadjeani (Pic, 1904), M. corallicollis (Reitter, 1889), M. delagrangei(Pic, 1892), M. emaciata (Pic, 1896), M. inobscura (Pic, 1908), M. ionica (Pic, 1901), M. kaifensis (Pic, 1896), M. rubriceps (Pic, 1896), and M. schmiedeknechti (Pic, 1899). The following ten species new to science are described: Microhoria bremeri sp. nov., M. capreolus Telnov & Degiovanni sp. nov., M. janssoni sp. nov., M. machairodus Telnov & Degiovanni sp. nov., M. punctatissima sp. nov., M. quercus sp. nov., M. walkeri sp. nov. (all from Turkey), M. muehlei Telnov & Degiovanni sp. nov., M. orbitalis sp. nov. (both from Iran), and M. paxvobiscum sp. nov. (Iraq). Taxonomic status of Anthicus terminatus var. latebrunneus Pic, 1901 is discussed. Illustrations of numerous taxa are provided for the first time. In total, 41 species confirmed from the Eastern Mediterranean and records of another six species require further confirmation. In addition, several new faunistic records are provided.Copyright © 2022, The Author. The attached file is the published version of the article.NHM Repositor
A revision of the Asiatic genus Smerinthulus Huwe, 1895 (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae), with the description of three new taxa and notes on its junior synonym, Degmaptera Hampson, 1896
Get PDFThe Asian sphingid genus Smerinthulus is revised and the first illustrated catalogue of all the known species produced, showing the habitus of the adults and the structure of the male genitalia. The current generic circumscription is accepted, that is including Degmaptera Hampson, 1896 but excluding Cypoides Matsumura, 1921. Two species, Smerinthulus arunachalensis Melichar & Haxaire n. sp. and Smerinthulus taiwana Haxaire & Melichar n. sp., and one new subspecies, Smerinthulus diehli pinratanai Haxaire & Melichar n. ssp., are described as new to science. In addition, Smerinthulus paradoxa Kishida & Suziki, 2021 syn. nov. is treated as a junior synonym of Smerinthulus olivacea (Rothschild, 1894), and Smerinthulus schnitzleri (Melichar & Řezáč, [2014]) is synonymized with Smerinthulus mirabilis (Rothschild, 1894) as a subspecies, Smerinthulus mirabilis schnitzleri syn. & stat. nov. Furthermore, Smerinthulus flavomaculatus Inoue 1990 stat. rev., hitherto treated as a subspecies of S. perversa (Rothschild, 1895), is reinstated to full species status.The attached file is the submitted version of the article. You are advised to consult the published version if you wish to cite from it.NHM Repositor
Snail-Related Contributions from the Schistosomiasis Consortium for Operational Research and Evaluation Program Including Xenomonitoring, Focal Mollusciciding, Biological Control, and Modeling
Get PDFThe Schistosomiasis Consortium for Operational Research and Evaluation (SCORE) was created in 2008 to answer questions of importance to program managers working to reduce the burden of schistosomiasis in Africa. In the past, intermediate host snail monitoring and control was an important part of integrated schistosomiasis control. However, in Africa, efforts to control snails have declined dramatically over the last 30 years. A resurgence of interest in the control of snails has been prompted by the realization, backed by a World Health Assembly resolution (WHA65.21), that mass drug administration alone may be insufficient to achieve schistosomiasis elimination. SCORE has supported work on snail identification and mapping and investigated how xenomonitoring techniques can aid in the identification of infected snails and thereby identify potential transmission areas. Focal mollusciciding with niclosamide was undertaken in Zanzibar and Côte d'Ivoire as a part of elimination studies. Two studies involving biological control of snails were conducted: one explored the association of freshwater riverine prawns and snail hosts in Côte d'Ivoire and the other assessed the current distribution of Procambarus clarkii, the invasive Louisiana red swamp crayfish, in Kenya and its association with snail hosts and schistosomiasis transmission. SCORE also supported modeling studies on the importance of snail control in achieving elimination and a meta-analysis of the impact of molluscicide-based snail control programs on human schistosomiasis prevalence and incidence. SCORE's snail control studies contributed to increased investment in building capacity, and specimens collected during SCORE research deposited in the Schistosomiasis Collections at the Natural History Museum (SCAN) will provide a valuable resource for the years to come.This is an open access article, available to all readers online, published under a creative commons licensing (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). The attached file is the published version of the article.NHM Repositor
Interrupting seasonal transmission of Schistosoma haematobium and control of soil-transmitted helminthiasis in northern and central Côte d’Ivoire: a SCORE study protocol
Get PDFBackground - To achieve a world free of schistosomiasis, the objective is to scale up control and elimination efforts in all endemic countries. Where interruption of transmission is considered feasible, countries are encouraged to implement a comprehensive intervention package, including preventive chemotherapy, information, education and communication (IEC), water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), and snail control. In northern and central Côte d'Ivoire, transmission of Schistosoma haematobium is seasonal and elimination might be achieved. In a cluster-randomised trial, we will assess different treatment schemes to interrupt S. haematobium transmission and control soil-transmitted helminthiasis over a 3-year period. We will compare the impact of (i) arm A: annual mass drug administration (MDA) with praziquantel and albendazole before the peak schistosomiasis transmission season; (ii) arm B: annual MDA after the peak schistosomiasis transmission season; (iii) arm C: two yearly treatments before and after peak schistosomiasis transmission; and (iv) arm D: annual MDA before peak schistosomiasis transmission, coupled with chemical snail control using niclosamide.
Methods/design - The prevalence and intensity of S. haematobium and soil-transmitted helminth infections will be assessed using urine filtration and Kato-Katz thick smears, respectively, in six administrative regions in northern and central parts of Côte d'Ivoire. Once a year, urine and stool samples will be collected and examined from 50 children aged 5-8 years, 100 children aged 9-12 years and 50 adults aged 20-55 years in each of 60 selected villages. Changes in S. haematobium and soil-transmitted helminth prevalence and intensity will be assessed between years and stratified by intervention arm. In the 15 villages randomly assigned to intervention arm D, intermediate host snails will be collected three times per year, before niclosamide is applied to the selected freshwater bodies. The snail abundance and infection rates over time will allow drawing inference on the force of transmission.DiscussionThis cluster-randomised intervention trial will elucidate whether in an area with seasonal transmission, the four different treatment schemes can interrupt S. haematobium transmission and control soil-transmitted helminthiasis. Lessons learned will help to guide schistosomiasis control and elimination programmes elsewhere in Africa.Trial registrationISRCTN ISRCTN10926858 . Registered 21 December 2016. Retrospectively registered.Copyright © The Author(s). 2018 Open Access This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated. the attached file is the published version of the article.NHM Repositor
The influence of seabirds on their breeding, roosting and nesting grounds: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Get PDFSeabird species world-wide are integral to both marine and terrestrial environments, connecting the two systems by transporting vast quantities of marine-derived nutrients and pollutants to terrestrial breeding, roosting and nesting grounds via the deposition of guano and other allochthonous inputs (e.g. eggs, feathers). We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis and provide insight into what types of nutrients and pollutants seabirds are transporting, the influence these subsidies are having on recipient environments, with a particular focus on soil, and what may happen if seabird populations decline. The addition of guano to colony soils increased nutrient levels compared to control soils for all seabirds studied, with cascading positive effects observed across a range of habitats. Deposited guano sometimes led to negative impacts, such as guanotrophication, or guano-induced eutrophication, which was often observed where there was an excess of guano or in areas with high seabird densities. While the literature describing nutrients transported by seabirds is extensive, literature regarding pollutant transfer is comparatively limited, with a focus on toxic and bioaccumulative metals. Research on persistent organic pollutants and plastics transported by seabirds is likely to increase in coming years. Studies were limited geographically, with hotspots of research activity in a few locations, but data were lacking from large regions around the world. Studies were also limited to seabird species listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. As seabird populations are impacted by multiple threats and steep declines have been observed for many species world-wide, gaps in the literature are particularly concerning. The loss of seabirds will impact nutrient cycling at localized levels and potentially on a global scale as well, yet it is unknown what may truly happen to areas that rely on seabirds if these populations disappear.Copyright: © 2021 The attached document is the author(’s’) final accepted/submitted version of the journal article. You are advised to consult the publisher’s version if you wish to cite from itNHM Repositor
The SITE-100 Project: Site-Based Biodiversity Genomics for Species Discovery, Community Ecology, and a Global Tree-of-Life
Get PDFMost insect communities are composed of evolutionarily diverse lineages, but detailed phylogenetic analyses of whole communities are lacking, in particular in species-rich tropical faunas. Likewise, our knowledge of the Tree-of-Life to document evolutionary diversity of organisms remains highly incomplete and especially requires the inclusion of unstudied lineages from species-rich ecosystems. Here we present the SITE-100 program, which is an attempt at building the Tree-of-Life from whole-community sampling of high-biodiversity sites around the globe. Combining the local site-based sets into a global tree produces an increasingly comprehensive estimate of organismal phylogeny, while also re-tracing evolutionary history of lineages constituting the local community. Local sets are collected in bulk in standardized passive traps and imaged with large-scale high-resolution cameras, which is followed by a parataxonomy step for the preliminary separation of morphospecies and selection of specimens for phylogenetic analysis. Selected specimens are used for individual DNA extraction and sequencing, usually to sequence mitochondrial genomes. All remaining specimens are bulk extracted and subjected to metabarcoding. Phylogenetic analysis on the mitogenomes produces a reference tree to which short barcode sequences are added in a secondary analysis using phylogenetic placement methods or backbone constrained tree searches. However, the approach may be hampered because (1) mitogenomes are limited in phylogenetic informativeness, and (2) site-based sampling may produce poor taxon coverage which causes challenges for phylogenetic inference. To mitigate these problems, we first assemble nuclear shotgun data from taxonomically chosen lineages to resolve the base of the tree, and add site-based mitogenome and DNA barcode data in three hierarchical steps. We posit that site-based sampling, though not meeting the criterion of “taxon-completeness,” has great merits given preliminary studies showing representativeness and evenness of taxa sampled. We therefore argue in favor of site-based sampling as an unorthodox but logistically efficient way to construct large phylogenetic trees.Copyright © 2022 Bian, Garner, Liu and Vogler. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms. The attached file is the published version of the article.NHM Repositor
First British record of Nacerdes carniolica (Gistel, 1834) (Oedemeridae) in Kent
No full textCopyright: © The Coleopterist, 2022. The attached file is the published version of the article.NHM Repositor
What’s the catch with lumpsuckers? A North Atlantic study of seabird bycatch in lumpsucker gillnet fisheries
No full textWorldwide, incidental bycatch in fisheries is a conservation threat to many seabird species. Although knowledge on bycatch of seabirds has increased in the last decade, most stems from longline fisheries and the impacts of coastal gillnet fisheries are poorly understood. Gillnet fishing for North Atlantic lumpsucker (Cyclopterus lumpus) is one such fishery. We collated and synthesized the available information on seabird bycatch in lumpsucker gillnet fisheries across the entire geographical range to estimate and infer the magnitude of their impact on the affected seabird populations. Most birds killed were diving ducks, cormorants and auks, and each year locally high numbers of seabirds were taken as bycatch. We found large differences in bycatch rates among countries. The estimated mean bycatch in Iceland was 2.43 birds/trip, while the estimates in Norway was 0.44 and 0.39 birds/trip, respectively. The large disparities between estimates might reflect large spatial differences in bycatch rates, but could partly also arise due to distinctions in data recorded by onboard inspectors (Iceland), selfadministered registration (Norway) and direct observations by cameras (Denmark). We show that lumpsucker gillnet fisheries might pose a significant risk to some populations of diving seabirds. However, a distinct data deficiency on seabird bycatch in terms of spatio-temporal coverage and the age and origins of the birds killed, limited our abilities to fully assess the extent and population consequences of the bycatch. Our results highlight the need for a joint effort among countries to standardize monitoring methods to better document the impact of these fisheries on seabirds.Copyright © 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)NHM Repositor