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The terrestrial isopod fauna (Isopoda, Oniscidea) of Abrau Peninsula, north-west Caucasus, Russia
No full textFrom 2001 to 2022, the woodlice fauna of Abrau Peninsula, north-west Caucasus, Russia was examined. The collections yielded 5,581 specimens, which belong to 25 species, 19 genera, and 15 families. The most diverse families are Cylisticidae, Platyarthridae, Trachelipodidae, and Trichoniscidae, each with three species. The most diverse genera are Platyarthrus and Trachelipus. Five species have been noticed to the Russian fauna for the first time: Tylos europaeus, Acaeroplastes melanurus, Platyarthrus caudatus, Buddelundiella cataractae, and Armadillidium cf. marmoratum. The fauna of the Abrau Peninsula is predominantly Mediterranean and with a high percentage of endemics (12%). Further records are expected with more detailed studies of especially the family Trichoniscidae
Representation of medieval climate fluctuations in Central Asia in the toponymic system: Historical and geographical data
No full textThis article considers the nature of climate changes in the Middle Ages of Central Asia and the influence of these changes on the toponymy in the region. The aim of the study is to analyze the manifestation of climate changes in the names of natural objects described in historical data of Central Asia and to study whether the semantic load of toponyms corresponds to the current geographical reality. The spatial identification of toponyms found in medieval historical sources, their etymological and semantic analysis, determination of the correspondence between toponyms and the present geographical nature of objects are carried out in accordance with the aim of the research. Climate changes will lead to changes in soil, vegetation and fauna. The presence of information describing the natural conditions in the period of their appearance in toponyms makes it possible to use them as indicators of landscape changes in historical geography. It was found that toponyms reflect climate changes in Central Asia, and thus they can be used as a source of information in the reconstruction of landscapes of past periods as a result of the research. It was found that the meaning of historical names preserved in the region from the period called “medieval pluvial” or “medieval climate anomaly” (between 900–1300 AD) does not correspond to the nature of the present landscape as a result of climate changes. The research methodology and results can be used in the future on a wider scale for other regions or in historical-geographical studies related to certain time periods
Phylogenomics of North American cybaeid spiders (Araneae, Cybaeidae), including the description of new taxa from the Klamath Mountains Geomorphic Province
No full textThe systematics of humble-in-appearance brown spiders (“marronoids”), within a larger group of spiders with a modified retrolateral tibial apophysis (the RTA Clade), has long vexed arachnologists. Although not yet fully settled, recent phylogenomics has allowed the delimitation and phylogenetic relationships of families within marronoids to come into focus. Understanding relationships within these families still awaits more comprehensive generic-level sampling, as the majority of described marronoid genera remain unsampled for phylogenomic data. Here we conduct such an analysis in the family Cybaeidae Banks, 1892. We greatly increase generic-level sampling, assembling ultraconserved element (UCE) data for 18 of 22 described cybaeid genera, including all North American genera, and rigorously test family monophyly using a comprehensive outgroup taxon sample. We also conduct analyses of traditional Sanger loci, allowing curation of some previously published data. Our UCE phylogenomic results support the monophyly of recognized cybaeids, with strongly supported internal relationships, and evidence for five primary molecular subclades. We hypothesize potential morphological synapomorphies for most of these subclades, bringing a robust phylogenomic underpinning to cybaeid classification. A new cybaeid genus Siskiyu gen. nov. and species Siskiyu armilla sp. nov. is discovered and described from far northern California and adjacent southern Oregon and a new species in the elusive genus Cybaeozyga, C. furtiva sp. nov., is described from far northern California
Telomere DNA in the insect order Dermaptera and the first evidence for the non-canonical telomeric motif TTCGG in Arthropoda
No full textDespite recent advances in telomere research, the telomere DNA organization remains unknown for representatives of several insect orders. In this study, analysis of the chromosome-level genome assembly shows that the telomeric DNA of the earwig Labia minor (Linnaeus, 1758) (Polyneoptera, Dermaptera, Spongiphoridae) consists of repeats of the 5 bp motif TTCGG/CCGAA. This is the first record describing the structure of telomeric DNA in the order Dermaptera. This record expands the spectrum of the known telomeric sequences, since the TTCGG motif has not been reported for insects previously
Predicting roadkill: a regional-scale model for the Northern Tamandua integrating environmental and road characteristics
No full textWildlife-vehicle collisions may be the most visible impact of road networks on ecosystems. It has been shown that roadkill does not randomly occur across space and is distributed depending on environmental and ecological factors, such as habitat suitability and landscape connectivity of the interest species. In Costa Rica, the Northern Tamandua (Tamandua mexicana) is one of the mammal species most affected by road mortality. This study aimed to predict roadkill risk for the species in northwestern Costa Rica, considering habitat suitability and landscape connectivity. Roadkill data was retrieved from a local citizen science project and collected through a field survey. Habitat suitability and landscape connectivity models were calibrated on publicly available presence data. The models were then used as input, including additional road characteristics to calibrate a maximum entropy roadkill risk model. The final model had an excellent predictive performance (AUC = 0.989) and identified 108.7 km of road sections throughout the region as high risk, mainly found on primary roads. The most significant variables in the model were road width, traffic speed and habitat suitability. Landscape connectivity did not contribute significantly to the model. This study shows that road characteristics are the main contributors to roadkill regionally and highlights the relevance of the species’ ecological features, such as habitat suitability, in its prediction. Thus, such variables should be considered in the design of mitigation measures for the impacts of roads on wildlife
First record of Prozercon plumosus Călugăr, 2004 (Acari, Mesostigmata, Zerconidae) from Slovakia
No full textProzercon plumosus Călugăr, 2004, a species of mesostigmatic mite (Acari), is reported from Slovakia for the first time. Our new record, which originates from western Slovakia, extends the known distribution of P. plumosus. We include a key to Prozercon Sellnick, 1943 species that are similar to P. plumosus
Non-consumptive effects of native, alien and invasive alien crayfish on damselfly egg life history and carry-over effects on larval physiology
No full textInvasive alien (IA) predators pose significant threats to native ecosystems, often leading to profound impacts on prey species through both direct and non-consumptive effects (NCE). This study focused on the NCE of predator-induced stress from one native crayfish species, noble (Astacus astacus), compared to one alien danube crayfish (Pontastacus leptodactylus) and two IA crayfish species, signal (Pacifastacus leniusculus) and spinycheek crayfish (Faxonius limosus), on the native damselfly Ischnura elegans. We investigated the direct crayfish cue effect on egg traits as well as potential carry-over effects from the egg stage to the larval stage. We hypothesised that native crayfish cues would lead to more pronounced negative effects on prey traits compared to alien and IA crayfish, due to an evolutionary history of interaction and recognition of these threats. Unexpectedly, compared to native crayfish cues, alien and IA crayfish cues caused significantly higher egg mortality and prolonged developmental times, particularly cues from danube and signal crayfish, while cues from spinycheek crayfish had weaker, yet, still significant effects. Hatching synchrony was reduced and this to the same extent by the cues of all four crayfish species. Notably, cues from both alien and IA crayfish species caused significant carry-over effects, resulting in reduced larval survival, mass and fat content, which were more pronounced for danube and signal crayfish. Native crayfish cues did not induce carry-over effects, suggesting that I. elegans may have evolved a degree of resilience against this predator or that native crayfish produce chemical cues that do not cause a strong antipredator response. Our findings underscore the importance of considering immediate and carry over effects of crayfish on prey traits across multiple life stages, particularly in the context of biological invasions
Underestimated diversity: A new species of the genus Cuneopsis (Bivalvia, Unionidae, Unioninae) from Henan, China
No full textThe global decline of freshwater mussels and their crucial ecological services highlights the necessity and urgency of developing and guiding conservation efforts for this group. Accurately delineating species and understanding their phylogeny are crucial to the core of species conservation. Here, we integrate shell morphology, soft-body anatomy, and molecular systematics to describe a new species of freshwater mussel from the Shi River in Xinyang City, Henan Province, China, i.e., Cuneopsis celtiosimilis sp. nov. Morphologically, this new species resembles its congeneric species C. kiangsiensis and C. celtiformis in shell size, shape, and sculpture. However, this new species can be distinguished from closely related congeners by the pseudocardinal teeth. For the new species, two pseudocardinal teeth of the left valve join together to form a continuous strip; the single pseudocardinal tooth on the right valve is more squashed and lower; the papillae of the incurrent aperture are shorter, forming a pyramidal shape and arranged in two rows. Molecularly, based on the mitochondrial barcoding gene cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI), the minimum genetic distance between the new species and other known congeners is 4.6% (C. celtiosimilis sp. nov. vs. C. kiangsiensis). Additionally, the complete mitogenome of C. celtiosimilis sp. nov. was also assembled and annotated. Based on the mitochondrial phylogenomic analyses, the results clarify the phylogenetic position of the new species and establish the most comprehensive phylogenetic relationship of the genus Cuneopsis to date, as follows: ((((C. demangei + C. heudei) + C. szechenyii) + ((C. kiangsiensis + C. celtiosimilis sp. nov.) + C. celtiformis)) + C. rufescens). The discovery of this new taxon contributes to the existing knowledge on freshwater mussels in China, and a key to all known species of Cuneopsis is provided to aid the identification of species in this understudied genus
Four new species of Erioscyphella (Leotiomycetes, Helotiales) from southwestern China
No full textErioscyphella is found across various regions and is part of the family Lachnaceae (Helotiales). It is distinguished by its white to orange disc-shaped apothecia, white to brown receptacles, and granulated hairs that contain amorphous or resinous material. These hairs lack swelling apices and crystals. Additionally, this genus is unique for its long ascospores. In the present study, we collected eight specimens from southwestern China. Morphological and phylogenetic analyses based on the combined LSU, ITS, mtSSU and RPB2 dataset showed that our specimens represent four new species of Erioscyphella, including E. ailaoensis, E. baimana, E. gelangheica and E. tengyueica. Here, we provide complete morphological descriptions with illustrations and sequence data essential for future taxonomic and evolutionary research
Global phylogeny of the family Gomphillaceae (Ascomycota, Graphidales) sheds light on the origin, diversification and endemism in foliicolous lineages
No full textFoliicolous lichens grow on living leaves of vascular plants. They are mostly found in tropical to subtropical or temperate rainforests. Many phenotype-based species are considered as pantropical or even sub-cosmopolitan, either attributed to old ages, having existed prior to continental breakups or long-distance dispersal. We built a much expanded, global phylogeny of Gomphillaceae, the most diverse group of leaf-dwelling lichenised fungi. Our sampling encompassed six major biodiversity hotspots: MIOI (Madagascar and the Indian Ocean Islands), the Caribbean, New Caledonia, the Colombian Chocó, Mesoamerica and the Atlantic coast of Brazil. It was based on multilocus sequence data (mtSSU rDNA, nuLSU rDNA and RPB1), including 2207 sequences of 1256 specimens. Species delimitation methods combined with a phenotype matrix identified 473 putative species. Amongst these, 104 are confirmed as described, 213 are classified as cryptic or near cryptic (hidden diversity), 100 represent new species to science (identified on the basis of phenotype) and 56 remain unidentified. Amongst the 104 species with a valid name, 40.5% are distributed across 2–5 continents (lichenogeographical regions) by applying the phenotype-based species concept. However, using the integrative approach to delineate species, this estimate is reduced to 9%. We estimate the global species richness of Gomphillaceae at 1,861–2,356 species. The timing of species-level divergences suggests that the current distribution of foliicolous lichens is shaped more by long-distance dispersal and rapid diversification than by vicariance. The origin of the family and major clades appears to be in the Neotropics, with subsequent numerous dispersal events. Our results support the separation of three major lineages, corresponding to the former families Asterothyriaceae, Gomphillaceae s.str. and Solorinellaceae, which should be recognised at the subfamily level