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First record of Straw-coloured fruit bat Eidolon helvum (Kerr, 1792) for the Cape Verde Islands
(2010)
On 8 September 2010, at 9:45 AM, a fruit bat was seen flying at a height of ca. 2 m over the sea off Ervatão, southeastern Boavista, Cape Verde Islands (16º 02’ N, 22º 41’ W). After a while, the animal landed in the beach vegetation. When captured, it did not offer any resistance to being handled and it was taken to the nearby sea turtle station, operated by the NGO Cabo Verde Natura 2000. The bat – which proved to be a female – was placed in an improvised cage made of plastic netting where it eagerly fed on the food provided, i.e. tomato, apple and banana. At 16:00 PM, the following biometric data were taken: head width 31.6 mm, humerus 81.1 mm, ulna 121.2 mm, tarsus 49.7 mm. When restrained for taking body measurements, the bat attempted to defend itself with its mouth.
On 31 August 2003, at 11:40 local time, c. 5 nm southwest of São Nicolau (16º33.1N, 024º27.7W), Cape Verde Islands, GT and PLS observed c. 20 Fraser’s Dolphins Lagenodelphis hosei Fraser, 1956 (Fig.1). The sighting was made under excellent weather conditions (sea state Beaufort 2 with sun) from the 39.6 m diesel engine powered oceanographic research vessel Taliarte during a two week cetacean survey conducted as part of the Hydrocarpo project.
Based on both stranding and sighting records, recent data on the status and distribution of whales and dolphins in the Cape Verde Islands are presented, including records of four taxa new to the archipelago, viz. Common minke whale Balaenoptera acutorostrata, Dwarf sperm whale Kogia sima, beaked whale Mesoplodon cf. europaeus and False killer whale Pseudorca crassidens. Distribution elsewhere in the tropical eastern Atlantic and some taxonomic issues are discussed.
Based on newly collected samples and data from the literature, an updated list of the marine bivalves of the Cape Verde Islands is presented. From 2004 to 2006, collections were made at 22 sampling points in the islands of Santiago, São Vicente, Santa Luzia, São Nicolau, Boavista and Maio. Using qualitative and direct sampling methods, 39 species of bivalves, belonging to 20 families, were identified. Families most represented were Veneridae (6 species), Cardiidae (5 species), Arcidae (4 species) and Mytilidae (4 species). Islands with the largest diversity of species were São Vicente (30 species) and Santiago (23 species), probably due to the larger number of sample points (64% of total). Six species not previously reported from the archipelago were collected, i.e. Irus irus, Venus declivis, Timoclea ovata, Diplodonta rotundata, Plagiocardium papillosum and Tagelus adansoni. Corbicula fluminea, supposedly a man assisted introduction, was also collected.
Three families in the superfamily Calopterygoidea occur in China, viz. the Calopterygidae, Chlorocyphidae and Euphaeidae. They include numerous species that are distributed widely across South China, mainly in streams and upland running waters at moderate altitudes. To date, our knowledge of Chinese species has remained inadequate: the taxonomy of some genera is unresolved and no attempt has been made to map the distribution of the various species and genera. This project is therefore aimed at providing taxonomic (including on larval morphology), biological, and distributional information on the superfamily in South China.
Based on a collection of spiders obtained during ecological fieldwork in 2009 and an extensive literature review, we summarize the current state of knowledge of spider biodiversity on the island of Maio. The total number of species reported from Maio is now 46, representing 18 families and including 16 species (35%) endemic to the Cape Verde Islands. The family Dictynidae (meshweb spiders), represented by the saline-adapted Devade cf. indistincta, is reported for the first time from Cape Verde.
The olive ridley sea turtle Lepidochelys olivacea has been recorded in the Cape Verde Islands, but the most recent published data (1998-2000) are of stranded individuals and remains only. This article presents new data on olive ridleys recorded during the years 2001-2011 on Boavista and Sal islands. The presence of this species does not appear to be related to nesting activity. The possible geographical origin of these turtles is discussed. In addition, we propose some studies that could help to reinforce the conservation of sea turtles in West Africa.
The spider fauna active on the bark of trees in forests on eight sites in different regions in Germany was investigated. Trunk eclectors at about 2-4 meters height on living trees were used in different regions of Germany (SW Bavaria, Hesse, Brandenburg) between 1990 and 2003. In Hesse eclectors were also used on dead beech trees (standing and lying). In this study data, mainly from beech (Fagus sylvatica) and spruce (Picea abies), from May to October are compared – whole year samples (including winter) are only available from Hesse. A total of 334 spider species were recorded with these bark traps, i.e. about one third of the spider species known from Germany. On average, each of the eight regions yielded 140.5 (± 26.2) species, each single tree 40.5 (± 12.2) species and 502 (±452) adult spiders per season (i.e. May to Oct.). The 20 most abundant species are listed and characterised in detail. Six of the 20 species were not known to be abundant on bark, three prefer conifers and three beech/broadleaf. Even in winter (December-March) there was a remarkably high activity on the trunks. However, only a few species occur exclusively or mainly in winter. Finally, the rarity of some bark spider species is discussed and details (all known records in Germany, phenology) of four of them are presented (Clubiona leucaspis, Gongylidiellum edentatum, Kratochviliella bicapitata, Oreonetides quadridentatus). The diversity and importance of the spider fauna on bark in Central Europe is still underestimated.
Invasive alien species (IAS) are a major global challenge requiring urgent action, and the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity (2011–2020) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) includes a target on the issue. Meeting the target requires an understanding of invasion patterns. However, national or regional analyses of invasions are limited to developed countries. We identified 488 IAS in China’s terrestrial habitats, inland waters and marine ecosystems based on available literature and field work, including 171 animals, 265 plants, 26 fungi, 3 protists, 11 procaryots, and 12 viruses. Terrestrial plants account for 51.6% of the total number of IAS, and terrestrial invertebrates (104 species) for 21.3%. Of the total numbers, 67.9% of plant IAS and 34.8% of animal IAS were introduced intentionally. All other taxa were introduced unintentionally despite very few animal and plant species that invaded naturally. In terms of habitats, 64.3% of IAS occur on farmlands, 13.9% in forests, 8.4% in marine ecosystems, 7.3% in inland waters, and 6.1% in residential areas. Half of all IAS (51.1%) originate from North and South America, 18.3% from Europe, 17.3% from Asia not including China, 7.2% from Africa, 1.8% from Oceania, and the origin of the remaining 4.3% IAS is unknown. The distribution of IAS can be divided into three zones. Most IAS are distributed in coastal provinces and the Yunnan province; provinces in Middle China have fewer IAS, and most provinces in West China have the least number of IAS. Sites where IAS were first detected are mainly distributed in the coastal region, the Yunnan Province and the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. The number of newly emerged IAS has been increasing since 1850. The cumulative number of firstly detected IAS grew exponentially.
Recent data on status and distribution of resident and migrant birds in the Cape Verde Islands are presented, including records of nine taxa new to the archipelago, viz. Ixobrychus sturmii, Botaurus stellaris, Butorides striatus, Circus cyaneus, Porzana pusilla, Fulica atra, Chlidonias niger, Acrocephalus schoenobaenus and Hippolais polyglotta. Also presented are data on a number of breeding taxa, including the first record of the endemic Raso lark Alauda razae outside the islet of Raso. The alarming situation of the magnificent frigatebird Fregata magnificens, of which probably only two individuals remain in Cape Verde, constituting the entire population in the East Atlantic, is highlighted. During the past decade, breeding populations of common moorhen Gallinula chloropus appear to have become well-established on the islands of Santiago and Boavista. Following its expansion through Northwest Africa and the Canary Islands, Eurasian collared dove Streptopelia decaocto has now also colonized the Cape Verde Islands.