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Sampling of day-active invertebrates visiting the flowers of Grey Mangrove Avicennia marina subsp. australasica (Walp.) J.Everett (family Acanthaceae) was undertaken at a study site on the Harrington estuary, northern New South Wales, Australia. The study extended over a 4 season period (from 2016 to 2020), with more than 170 anthophilous species being recorded. Nearly all were observed contacting flower stigmas and/or anthers during foraging episodes. At least 113 of the approximately 168 species examined for pollen loads, carried Avicennia pollen. None carried mixed pollen loads, indicating foraging constancy/fidelity. Although pollen carriage does not automatically assign the status of pollinator, nevertheless, the findings indicate Avicennia marina is pollinated by a taxonomically diverse suite of native invertebrates which sit within an assemblage of flower visitors that may include non-pollinating species. Although the invasive honeybee Apis mellifera was seasonally common during most days of observation, it was uncommon or absent on some days. The occurrence of native flower-visiting species was often found to be episodic, with many species being abundant during one day or season of observation, but then absent or rarely encountered at other times. Such behavioral events highlight the need for extended periods of field investigation to illuminate more fully the pollination ecology of individual plant species. Comparison with additional anthophilous insect records from a previous 1990 – 1994 study in an adjacent littoral rainforest community, indicated that this community may furnish a pool of native insects from which Avicennia marina can seasonally recruit a dynamic pollinator network.
The Sri Lankan species of the genus Carrhotus Thorell,1891 have remained taxonomically unrevised. The present study reviews all species of the genus in the island. Here we describe and diagnose three new species: Carrhotus albosetosus sp. nov. (♀), C. atratus sp. nov. (♂♀) and C. lobatus sp. nov. (♂). Further, C. silanthi Caleb, 2020 is reported in Sri Lanka for the first time. Carrhotus taprobanicus Simon, 1902 and C. viduus (C.L. Koch, 1846) are redescribed based on material from Sri Lanka. A key to the Carrhotus species in Sri Lanka is given.
Prioritization of introduction pathways is seen as an important component of the management of biological invasions. We address whether established alien plants, mammals, freshwater fish and terrestrial invertebrates with known ecological impacts are associated with particular introduction pathways (release, escape, contaminant, stowaway, corridor and unaided). We used the information from the European alien species database DAISIE (www.europe-aliens.org) supplemented by the EASIN catalogue (European Alien Species Information Network), and expert knowledge. Plants introduced by the pathways release, corridor and unaided were disproportionately more likely to have ecological impacts than those introduced as contaminants. In contrast, impacts were not associated with particular introduction pathways for invertebrates, mammals or fish. Thus, while for plants management strategies should be targeted towards the appropriate pathways, for animals, management should focus on reducing the total number of taxa introduced, targeting those pathways responsible for high numbers of introductions. However, regardless of taxonomic group, having multiple introduction pathways increases the likelihood of the species having an ecological impact. This may simply reflect that species introduced by multiple pathways have high propagule pressure and so have a high probability of establishment. Clearly, patterns of invasion are determined by many interacting factors and management strategies should reflect this complexity.
Meiofauna sampling in the proximity of Syd-Hällsö Island (Strömstad, Sweden) revealed a new species of Kinorhyncha from the Skagerrak. The species, Setaphyes elenae sp. nov., is distinguished from its congeners by the arrangement of the middorsal cuticular specializations (it has shortened, distally rounded middorsal processes on segments 1 and 9 and middorsal elevations throughout segments 2–8), as well as by the presence of paired laterodorsal setae on segments 3, 5, 7 and 9 and ventromedial setae on segments 3, 5 and 7 in both males and females. The finding of a new species from the northeastern Atlantic Ocean, provides new valuable information for the recently established genus in the Allomalorhagida.