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Cetoniinae (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae) from the Colombian Caribbean: annotated species list and distribution notes
No full textWe present an updated inventory of flower chafers (Cetoniinae, Scarabaeidae) from the Colombian Caribbean, where knowledge of the group remains limited. Our study combines field collections, literature, and reviews of scientific collections, documenting 12 species across the tribes Gymnetini and Cetoniini, representing six genera. We newly report Gymnetis bajula wollastoni Schaum, 1848 from Colombia and first records for the departments of Cesar, La Guajira, Bolívar, and Atlántico. These results provide updated data on the diversity and distribution of this group in tropical dry forests
Unlocking Mediterranean bryozoan diversity: seven new species unveiled after fixing a neotype for Fenestrulina malusii (Audouin & Savigny, 1826) (Cheilostomatida, Fenestrulinidae)
No full textFenestrulina malusii (Audouin & Savigny), the type species of Fenestrulina Jullien, is among the most widely reported bryozoans globally. Following the loss of the original type material, presumed Mediterranean in origin based on Savigny’s depiction on Sargassum, we designate a neotype from a colony on deep Laminaria blades off Ustica Island (Tyrrhenian Sea). Additionally, seven new species are described from various habitats across the Mediterranean: F. cavernicola sp. nov., from the semi-dark and dark zones of a submarine cave in Lesvos Island (NE Aegean Sea); F. communis sp. nov., from beach-cast plastic near Palermo (NW Sicily); F. foveolata sp. nov., from Ile-Rousse Bank (Corsica); F. granulosa sp. nov., from Posidonia meadows in Dhiaporia (Chios Island, Aegean Sea); F. kalliste sp. nov., from outer-shelf coarse sediments off Calvi (NW Corsica); F. ovata sp. nov., from Trémies submarine cave, near Marseille (Gulf of Lion); and F. variorugosa sp. nov., from Posidonia rootlets off Formica Isle (Egadi Archipelago, near the Sicily Strait). Five of these species are currently known only from their type localities, while F. communis sp. nov. and F. variorugosa sp. nov. occur elsewhere. An additional species with distinct features is described but left in open nomenclature owing to the absence of an ovicell. A comprehensive review of the published images of the 77 species currently assigned to Fenestrulina, with the identification of new diagnostic features, including kenozooids, has led to a revised diagnosis of the genus
Drivers and spatial pattern of post-socialist suburban development: A case of a second-tier Ukrainian city
No full textThis study explores the drivers (explanatory factors) and spatial patterns of suburban development in Vinnytsia, a second-tier Ukrainian city, within the broader context of post-socialist urban transformation. The objective of the paper is to identify the drivers of suburban development of Vinnytsia as a second-tier Ukrainian city at the level of individual settlements and to uncover the general spatial patterns of its suburban area. Drawing on spatial features of suburbanisation including population change, housing modernisation, real estate market activity, and construction permits, the research reveals a distinct centre–periphery structure of the suburban area, asymmetrically distributed along the southwest-northeast axis. The suburban area comprises three quasi-concentric zones, each exhibiting varying levels and forms of suburban development. The first zone, directly adjacent to the city, is dominated by classical western-type suburbanisation, involving the influx of affluent residents and the emergence of low-rise and multi-storey housing. The second zone, stretching 15–20 km from the city centre, is characterised by housing modernisation rather than new construction, with commercial activity concentrated near major highways. The third zone, up to 30 km away, shows only partial transformation, mainly through the renovation of existing homes, which may be equally referred to both suburban and peri-urban development. Logistic regression confirms proximity to the central city as the most influential factor across all indicators, while landscape features and access to highways also contribute significantly. The research identifies asymmetries rooted in both natural landscape preferences and the spatial configuration of the city itself. Notably, administrative reforms have failed to align governance boundaries with functional suburban integration. The study concludes that suburbanisation in Vinnytsia reflects hybrid dynamics of post-socialist development, merging unregulated urban expansion with spontaneous and policy-driven modernisation. The findings offer insights for spatial planning in second-tier cities, advocating for more integrated approaches to suburban and peri-urban governance
First report of Biscogniauxia mediterranea (De Not.) Kuntze on Celtis australis L. in Bulgaria
No full textThis is the first record for Bulgaria of Celtis australis as a new host of Biscogniauxia mediterraneа. Symptoms of the disease (presence of stroma on stems and branches) were found on dried trees in ‘Ayazmoto’ Park in Stara Zagora in the fall of 2024. The route survey conducted in the spring of 2025 showed that out of a total of 140 trees, 21 were completely dry, and 11 were partially dry. Half of the surveyed trees (70) were determined to be healthy. The detailed survey showed the presence of the black stroma characteristic of the genus Biscogniauxia on four dried trees. The results of laboratory analyses give us reason to confirm that the causative agent of European nettle wilt is B. mediterranea
Lysimachia speciosa (Primulaceae), a new species from Central China
No full textA new species, Lysimachia speciosa, from western Hubei Province, Central China, is described and illustrated. The species is morphologically similar to L. deltoidea, especially var. cinerascens, but mainly differs from the latter by the recurved pubescence on the stem, petiole, and pedicel; the rhombic-ovate or ovate-lanceolate leaf blade; the longer petiole, calyx, corolla, stamens, and style; the erose lobes of the corolla; and the hairy ovary and capsule
Study of the linear distribution of absorption spectra at the Ta L3 edge in LiNb(1-x)TaxO3 crystals using X-ray beam spectral-spatial modulation using adaptive X-ray optical elements
No full textBased on previously proposed approaches for implementing monochromatic X-ray beam rapid spectra modulation method using adaptive X-ray optical elements, a new spatially resolved technique has been developed. This technique was applied to record the tantalum L3 edge absorption spectra linear distribution with 37 µm spatial resolution. This method accelerates the sample's structure study rate by increasing the illuminated area compared to the classical X-ray absorption spectroscopy method and increasing the volume of information obtained relative to X-ray fluorescence. This approach is promising for studying crystalline materials with complex structure used in the microelectronics industry
A new species of Miraphaedusa Nordsieck, 2005 (Gastropoda, Stylommatophora, Clausiliidae) from Guizhou, China
No full textThe genus Miraphaedusa Nordsieck, 2005 is a group of medium to large clausiliid land snails endemic to Guangxi and Guizhou Provinces of China and consists of three species. It is characterised by a slender to fusiform shell with thick apical part, strongly doubled peristome and several short palatal plicae.A new species, Miraphaedusa xihuashida Chen sp. nov., is described from Tongren, Guizhou, China. It is characterised by the fusiform shell with 10.5–12.25 whorls and 24.7–27.5 mm shell height, thick, expanded, reflexed and strongly doubled peristome, weak inferior and subcolumellar lamella and short, lateral palatal plicae
Niphargus Schiödte, 1849 (Crustacea, Amphipoda, Niphargidae) is a new component of the biotic community in the deep pebble beach habitats of the northern Black Sea region
No full textA new species of the genus Niphargus Schiödte, 1849 (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Niphargidae) is described from the deep pebble beach interstitial habitats along the northern Black Sea coastline, revealing a new type of environment for this amphipod genus and providing new insight into the diversity of this unusual biotope. Niphargus primoricus sp. nov. belongs to “stygius–longicaudatus” species group corresponds to a distinct phylogenetic lineage, recently called “tarkhankuticus” ingroup (clade), which currently includes several species from the coastal areas of the Black Sea (Crimean Peninsula, southern Caucasus, and northern coast of the Republic of Türkiye [Turkey]). Molecular genetic analysis revealed that the speciation within this ingroup started in the Pliocene, approximately 5.76–3.6 Mya, and correlated with the Black Sea transgression. The divergence of the “tarkhankuticus” clade from the related European congeners probably occurred in the Late Miocene (~ 11–10 Mya), and is likely related to the separation of the Paratethys into different basins (Euxinian, Alpine and Pannonian). The new species has a wide distribution, currently inhabiting nearly 190 kilometers along the Black Sea coastline, from Gelendzhik to Khosta, and is characterized by a low level of genetic divergence between populations. The deep pebble interstitial coastal biotopes in the area are also inhabited by specific gammarid amphipods, for example, Dursogammarus dromaderus Marin & Palatov, 2022 and Litorogammarus dursi Marin, Palatov & Copilaş-Ciocianu, 2023 (Amphipoda: Gammaridae), whose biology has not been studied, and it is unknown how they spread along the coastline
Assessment of the vulnerability of Spiny Lizards in Central Mexico under anthropogenic pressure: integrating habitat suitability, landscape connectivity, fragmentation and protected area coverage
No full textThe genus Sceloporus represents a diverse and ecologically significant group of lizards within the Mexican herpetofauna, particularly in the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt (TMVB), a region of exceptional endemism increasingly threatened by anthropogenic pressures. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive spatial vulnerability assessment of 17 species of Sceloporus that are present in the TMVB, integrating ecological niche modelling (ENM), habitat fragmentation metrics, land-use exposure and protected area overlap. Binary distribution maps were generated from the ensemble models optimised with biomod2. For each species, we calculated the habitat area, number of habitat patches and mean patch size, synthesising these values into a composite vulnerability index. Land-use pressures were quantified through spatial overlaying of urban, agricultural and pasture-land layers, followed by principal component analysis (PCA) and k-means clustering to generate a multivariate anthropogenic pressure zonation. Species distributions were also compared against those of state and federal protected areas. The 17-species analysis revealed noteworthy variation in spatial dimensions and fragmentation of habitat, exhibiting high spatial vulnerability and high exposure to anthropogenic pressure. Furthermore, our results revealed that the predicted habitats of all 17 species overlap with highly transformed urban landscapes. A bivariate risk assessment identified S. megalepidurus as the only species with both high pressure and high vulnerability, while the species S. anahuacus, S. albiventris and S. minor, currently listed as “least concern” or “not evaluated” by the IUCN, showed alarming risk signals when spatially explicit metrics were incorporated. Our integrative framework underscores the need to revisit conservation assessments by incorporating habitat quality, fragmentation and exposure to land-use pressures, not just geographic range
Microanalysis of Peasant Households in the Era of Modernization: Evidence from the Russian Empire
No full textThe article presents the results of the econometric analysis of microdata obtained from drawing up the budgets of peasant households in five regions – two European (Novgorod province, Simbirsk province) and three Asian (Ural region, Central Asian and Far Eastern) – in the period from the beginning of the Stolypin reform (1906) to the outbreak of the First World War (1914). The purpose of the study is to shed light on the question of whether there was an agrarian revolution in pre-revolutionary Russia. The regression analysis of the production function showed that the main factor significantly influencing the output is the amount of land, followed by the number of horses, with number of workers being insignificant. At the same time, it follows from the stochastic boundary model applied to the production function that there are no technologically special differences between the regions, whereas technologies did not differ much from previous centuries. Study of peasant farms’ embeddedness in market relations demonstrated that marketability in all the regions was approximately 31-37%. It is concluded that during the period under study in Russia, the modernization of the agricultural sector was at an initial stage, that is, the processes that could later lead to an agrarian revolution were just beginning