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Singing on key: An integrative taxonomic revision of barking geckos (Gekkonidae: Ptenopus) with six additional species and keys for morphology and advertisement calls
No full textAbstract Barking geckos, Ptenopus Gray, 1866 are burrowing geckos that occur across the xeric regions of southern Africa. They possess unique vocal abilities, with males producing loud advertisement calls to attract females. The taxonomy of the genus has remained stable for six decades, with three recognised species: Ptenopus garrulus (Smith, 1849), P. kochi Haacke, 1964, and P. carpi Brain, 1962. Within P. garrulus, two subspecies have been recognised since 1935: the nominotypical form (P. g. garrulus) and P. g. maculatus Gray, 1866. A recent phylogenetic analysis of the genus found that it contains eight to ten putative species. We used an integrated taxonomic approach to delimit a total of nine species, including evidence from phylogenetics, ecology, calls, and morphology. Ptenopus g. maculatus is elevated to full species, thereby restricting the geographic range of P. garrulus sensu stricto to the greater Kalahari. Additionally, four new species are named which were previously included in ‘P. g. maculatus’: Ptenopus adamanteus sp. nov. from the southern Namib Desert, P. circumsyrticus sp. nov. from the central Namib Desert, P. kenkenses sp. nov. from the northern Nama Karoo, and P. australis sp. nov. from southern Nama Karoo. As a result, the range of P. maculatus sensu stricto is restricted to the central northern Namib Desert. Furthermore, one new species previously included in P. carpi is named P. sceletus sp. nov. from the Skeleton Coast (northern coastal Namib Desert), thereby restricting the range of P. carpi sensu stricto to a small strip of coastal Namib Desert between the Swakop and Kuiseb rivers. The Namib Desert is the centre of diversity for the genus Ptenopus, containing seven of the nine species including the oldest divergent lineages. Two species-level keys are provided: a morphological key and a unique bioacoustic key to the advertisement calls
Prevalence, risk factors, and safety interventions upon prescription errors in addiction substitution therapy: a systematic review
No full textBackground: Prescription errors in substitution therapy for addiction treatment, including opioid substitution therapy (OST) with methadone and buprenorphine and pharmacotherapy for alcohol use disorder (AUD) with naltrexone, acamprosate, and disulfiram, pose a critical patient safety issue. These errors are a major contributing factor to adverse drug events (ADEs), poor treatment adherence, discontinuation, and severe outcomes such as fatal overdoses. Additional factors such as miscommunication, inadequate training, and complex medication regimens exacerbate the risk. Aim: This systematic review aims to evaluate the prevalence, causes, and consequences of prescription errors in substitution therapy for addiction treatment. It explores the roles of healthcare professionals, system-level factors and their impact on patient safety, focusing on adherence, treatment outcomes, and ADEs. Methodology : A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar for studies published between January 2000 and July 2025. Studies addressing prescription errors in OST or AUD pharmacotherapy, including generic or therapeutic substitution, were included. Data on error types, prevalence, contributing factors, consequences, and interventions were extracted. Qualitative data underwent thematic analysis, while quantitative data were synthesized descriptively. Results: Prescription error rates in OST varied widely, from 1.7% in older adults to 30.3% in overdose reports, with methadone and buprenorphine implicated most frequently. Common errors included incorrect dosing, dispensing errors, and inadequate monitoring, leading to respiratory depression, overdose, and treatment failure. Key contributing factors were miscommunication, insufficient training, frequent formulary changes, and patient-related factors such as cognitive impairment. Pharmacist-led interventions, digital prescribing systems, and standardized protocols significantly reduced errors. Data on AUD pharmacotherapy errors were sparse, highlighting a critical research gap. Conclusion: Prescription errors in substitution therapy pose significant risks to patient safety, primarily due to systemic and human factors. Enhanced training, standardized protocols, and digital tools are effective mitigation strategies. Further research is needed to quantify errors in AUD pharmacotherapy and develop targeted interventions
A reappraisal of the vegetation from the dinosaur-bearing Bahariya Formation (lower Cenomanian; Cretaceous), Egypt
No full textThe Bahariya Formation of the northern Western Desert, Egypt, is well-known for its plentiful and diverse vertebrate fossil assemblages, especially dinosaurs, and also eminent for its rich fossil macroflora. Unraveling the taxonomic and climatic inferences of this macroflora will undoubtedly provide essential insights into reconstructing this significant ecosystem and understanding plant life in the region during the early Cenomanian period. In this study, a taxonomic revision of the recovered fossil leaves, a crucial aspect of our research, enables the identification of fourteen morphotypes closely resembling those recently recovered from adjacent profiles of the Bahariya Formation. This taxonomic revision significantly contributes to our understanding of the Cenomanian floras from Egypt and their Neo-Tethys counterparts. The results from the current macrofloral record largely confirm previous data regarding the same ancient vegetation preserved in the palynological record. Moreover, sedimentological investigations, including petrography and X-ray diffraction of rock samples from the type section of the Bahariya Formation in the Gebel El Dist profile, a section closely similar to the location where the leaf fossils were recovered—play a crucial role in supporting climatic models, thereby providing reassurance and confidence in the research findings
A new non-native species detected through citizen science: the presence of a Macrobrachium species (Decapoda, Palaemonidae) in the Guadalquivir River estuary (SW Spain), with an overview of its global spread
No full textNon-native species are of global conservation concern. Spain is also facing the same challenge, especially due to increasing marine traffic, global trade, and ocean warming. Herein, we report Macrobrachium cf. nipponense from a local fisherman through a citizen science initiative. This is the first record of any species of the genus Macrobrachium in the Iberian Peninsula and the westernmost record of this genus in the European waters. In October 2024, an individual was fished at the mouth of the Guadalquivir River. Accidental transport via ballast water is a likely vector for its introduction into the Guadalquivir River estuary, potentially facilitated by increased maritime traffic from the Danube River Basin as a result of the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. Our findings highlight the importance of early detection and continuous ecological monitoring, particularly approaches that incorporate citizen science, as effective tools for tracking non-native species. Engaging local stakeholders, such as fishers, can enhance detection capacity and contribute valuable data to inform for future management strategies aimed at preventing the establishment and spread of non-native and invasive species in the Guadalquivir River and other vulnerable aquatic systems
Updating the diversity: three novel species of Triblidium (Triblidiaceae, Rhytismatales) in west Yunnan, China
No full textDuring a survey of discomycetes in Yunnan, China, three saprobic species of Triblidium were discovered on decayed wood and the bark of living oak trees. These species are characterised by black cleistohymenial apothecia with 6–8 teeth-like lobes, which can be either stipitate or sessile, with greyish-white to orange hymenium, a well-developed covering and basal stroma, consisting of carbonised to hyaline angular cells or hyaline hyphae, with a subhymenium composed of hyaline angular cells, clavate, J- asci, with an elliptical or rounded apex and long acicular and ellipsoidal ascospores with multiple septa. Triblidium longisporum, T. stipitatum and T. daliense are described as new species within Triblidium, supported by both morphological features and phylogenetic analyses of the LSU-ITS-mtSSU dataset. Detailed descriptions, illustrations and multi-gene analyses fully support each species
Gap analysis of knowledge about the microstructure of Impatiens Riv. ex L. (Balsaminaceae) seeds using SEM techniques
No full textWe conducted a literature review on the taxonomic importance of seed micromorphology in the genus Impatiens Riv. ex L. (Balsaminaceae), focusing on studies using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Of 47 sources, SEM descriptions were available for more than 180 species, revealing significant gaps in micromorphological data within the genus. Our work provides a consolidated resource on Impatiens taxonomy and highlights the need for further SEM studies to improve species identification and phylogenetic analysis
Potential North American ranges of the invasive crayfishes Faxonius rusticus (rusty crayfish) and Procambarus clarkii (red swamp crayfish) under current and future climate projections
No full textModeling current and future distributions of aquatic invasive species is an important approach for mitigating and preventing invasions in freshwater ecosystems. Two invasive crayfish species of concern in North America are Procambarus clarkii and Faxonius rusticus, which each pose significant biological and economic threats. In this study, we used MaxEnt to model current and future (2050 and 2070) distributions for both species under two climate change scenarios. Our present-day models highlight areas in North America where both species are being under-sampled and likely to thrive, while our future models reveal changes in habitable regions. The future models for P. clarkii reveal general expansion (up to 66.38%) in potential habitat, while models for F. rusticus reveal general contraction (down to -13.62%); however, all future models show northern shifts in potential habitat from the present-day models. Variables related to temperature played the largest role in habitat predictability, underscoring the relationship between climate change and new aquatic invasions. Understanding how different climate change scenarios can influence habitat availability for these two crayfish species can help in targeting management efforts for current populations and preventing future spread
Round goby population differentiation across river barriers in Central Europe
No full textRiver barriers such as hydropower dams and weirs can negatively affect river ecosystems by disrupting connectivity and reducing biodiversity. However, such barriers could also limit the spread of invasive species. Here, we used a spatial population genetics approach to test whether river barriers act as a hindrance to gene flow in the invasive round goby (Neogobius melanostomus Pallas, 1814). We sampled gobies from four different rivers across their invasive range in Central Europe (the Danube, Dyje, Morava, and Rhine rivers), with locations on either side of eight major river barriers. Using microsatellite genotyping, we found that round goby populations were differentiated with increasing number of river barriers and with increasing distance between sampling sites, depending on the river system in focus. We found significant population differentiation across three individual barriers, but no clear indication that this was related to barrier type as barriers were highly diverse. We also found reduced genetic diversity in populations that were more recently established. Our findings suggest that successive river barriers can sometimes slow the spread of round goby. Further research on the features of barriers that hinder round goby movement will help to design barrier passage solutions that will both limit spread of this invasive species and maintain connectivity for the native fauna
Community-driven enhancement of information ecosystems for the discovery and use of palaeontological specimen data: Cyberinfrastructure alignment workshop
No full textA two day cyberinfrastructure alignment workshop was held in May 2025 as part of the "Community-driven enhancement of information ecosystems for the discovery and use of paleontological specimen data" project, which is funded under the United States National Science Foundation (NSF) Geosciences Open Science Ecosystem (GEO OSE) programme. Participants with expertise in informatics, technical cyberinfrastructure development and management and geo- and biological sciences were invited to foster a shared and increased understanding across this broad-community of the needs for palaeontological specimen data. This report describes the activities and outcomes of the workshop and how they will contribute to final deliverables for the grant funded project
Reproductive biology and conservation status of Leopoldia mira, Muscari sandrasicum and M. serpentinicum (Asparagaceae)
No full textLeopoldia mira, Muscari sandrasicum and M. serpentinicum are endemic grape hyacinth species restricted to serpentinous and calcareous habitats in south-western Anatolia, Türkiye. Their pollination types, pollen and seed viability and primary pollinators were investigated through population observations, pollination experiments and various tests. A mixed pollination system was found to be predominant in L. mira and M. serpentinicum, whereas M. sandrasicum exhibited obligate xenogamy (outcrossing). Additionally, all species were observed to be entomophilous. New populations of L. mira and M. sandrasicum were discovered on Eşeler Mountain (Denizli, Türkiye). Their IUCN threat categories were re-assessed using the new data obtained in this study. The threat categories of L. mira and M. sandrasicum, previously classified as Endangered (EN), were retained, while M. serpentinicum should be reclassified as EN, based on criterion B2ab(ii,iii,iv,v)c(iii) due to its limited population size and increasing threats such as grazing, habitat degradation and climate change