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Cabo Verde is a unique biogeographical region, where by mixing temperate and tropical characteristics an unusually high number of endemic species are reported. Cephalopods are central pieces of trophic networks worldwide, interacting as predator/ prey and competing with fish for ecological niches. We aimed to assess how the topography, prey availability, and predatory pressure of the Desertas Islands shaped the behaviour and ecology of the existing Octopus vulgaris population. Visual census (both underwater and on tidal rock pools) were performed on Santa Luzia Island (20 days) and Raso Islet (eight days). Octopus vulgaris individuals were found only in intertidal areas, during low tide, and mean population morphometry averaged 35.6 ± 10.4 cm (total length) and 175.0 ± 53 g (wet weight). The markedly reduced size of O. vulgaris, only partly explainable by Bergmann’s rule, and exclusion from subtidal areas, appears to have been mainly driven by severe predatory pressure and strong inter-specific competition for limited habitat niches. The induced behavioural and morphometric alterations may be the product of developmental plasticity, or have arisen from deeper genetic alterations, which would portray a potential speciation phenomenon of octopus’ populations residing on Cabo Verde’s Desertas Islands.
Allopatric alpine populations of Phtheochroa frigidana s. lat. (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae) are reviewed. In addition to traditional diagnostic characters of external morphology, the genitalia structures of everted vesicae in male genitalia and DNA barcodes are analysed. This new approach supports the existence of five rather than two species in Europe: Phtheochroa schawerdae (Rebel, 1908) comb. nov. (Dinaric Mts, Rila Mts, Pirin Mts) = P. drenowskyi (Rebel, 1916) syn. nov.; P. alpinana sp. nov. (SW Alps); P. apenninana sp. nov. (Apennines); P. frigidana (Guenée, 1845) stat. rev. (Pyrenees) = P. flavidana (Guenée, 1845) = P. sulphurana (Guenée, 1845) = P. andorrana (Millière, 1865); P. cantabriana sp. nov. (Cantabrian Mts). In order to stabilize the nomenclature, a neotype for Eupoecilia frigidana is designated.
The taxonomic status of Alcyonium aurantiacum Quoy & Gaimard, 1833, an octocoral endemic to New Zealand, was reviewed through morpho-molecular data comparisons in an integrative approach. Molecular phylogenetic analyses (nuclear 28S and mitochondrial mtMutS) resolved New Zealand taxa as more closely related to other genera and nominal Alcyonium Linnaeus, 1758 from South America than to the genus’ North Atlantic type species. Due to low genetic variation, species delimitation relied predominantly on identifying consistent differences in sclerite and colony morphology. The former A. aurantiacum is reassigned to Kotatea gen. nov. as K. aurantiaca gen. et comb. nov. and seven new species are described in this genus (K. amicispongia gen. et sp. nov., K. lobata gen. et sp. nov., K. kapotaiora gen. et sp. nov., K. kurakootingotingo gen. et sp. nov., K. niwa gen. et sp. nov., K. raekura gen. et sp. nov., and K. teorowai gen. et sp. nov.). Three new species in Ushanaia gen. nov. are also described (U. ferruginea gen. et sp. nov., U. fervens gen. et sp. nov. and U. solida gen. et sp. nov. ). These descriptions increase our understanding of New Zealand’s endemic octocoral diversity and contribute to ongoing systematic revisions of Alcyonium.
Phlyctinus callosus (Schoenherr, 1826) (Curculionidae, Entiminae, Oosomini) is a species native to the Western Cape province of the Republic of South Africa. It is regarded as a key pest of orchards and vineyards. Detailed observations of its morphology and ecology have shown this species to be a complex of closely related species. In this study we describe the species of this complex, provide morphological and molecular diagnostic tools to distinguish between species, and review their distribution and host plant associations. In all, six species are recognized in the P. callosus complex and five are described as new (P. grootbosensis Haran sp. nov., P. xerophilus Haran sp. nov., P. planithorax Haran sp. nov., P. littoralis Haran sp. nov., P. aloevorus Haran sp. nov.). Sequences of the mitochondrial gene used (cytochrome oxidase I, COI) indicated that P. xerophilus Haran sp. nov. might comprise several cryptic species for which stable morphological features could not be identified at this stage. The species of the genus Phlyctinus appear to be primarily associated with various Asteraceae found in humid, sandy and disturbed habitats.
Lantana camara L., considered among the world’s worst invaders is in identity crisis and contentiously referred as Lantana camara L. (sensu lato). Taxonomic ambiguity in L. camara L. (sensu lato), a species complex is one of the grim caveats behind incompetence of its management efforts. Recognizing the extent of variability within the complex, we aim to highlight the need to circumscribe its composition to bring effective management and control efforts into practice. There is a need for clear terminology to examine weedy, naturalized and/or invasive complex constituents that have been placed under the contentious umbrella of 'L. camara L. (sensu lato)'. The time is ripe for invasion ecologists, cytogeneticists and conservationists to collaboratively focus on disentangling the complex and integrate their knowledge and expertise into management and control programs.
La distribución geográfica y las características morfológicas de Ectinogonia chalyboeiventris chalyboeiventris Germain y Kerremans, 1906 y E. chalyboeiventris wagenknechti Cobos, 1954 (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) fueron identificadas a partir del estudio de parte de sus ejemplares tipo. Como resultado de la comparación de estos taxones con ejemplares de Ectinogonia Spinola recolectados en las provincias de Elqui y Choapa (Región de Coquimbo), se reconocen y describen dos nuevas especies del norte de Chile: E. gemmula Pineda y Mondaca, nueva especie y E. interruptissima Pineda y Mondaca, nueva especie. Se presentan caracteres diagnósticos, fotografías de los adultos y de los órganos genitales del macho y de la hembra, junto a observaciones sobre el hábitat, historia natural, y distribución de los nuevos taxa. Adicionalmente, se presenta una lista actualizada que incluye a la totalidad de las especies del subgénero Ectinogonia descritas hasta el momento.
ZooBank registration. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:7DC20EF3-1568-484B-B1C9-3D1A9F12460E
Two Norwegian uristid amphipods, obligate associates of sea anemones, have for a long time been confused sub nomine Onisimus normani Sars, 1890. In reality this species only occurs in south Norway, while the north-Norwegian material belongs to O. turgidus (Sars, 1879), described from the Barents Sea and for a long time forgotten. This paper fully illustrates both species, gives a key, and provides data on their distribution and ecology.
In this paper we describe two new tardigrade species belonging to the Macrobiotus hufelandi complex: Macrobiotus noongaris sp. nov. from Perth, Australia, and Macrobiotus kamilae sp. nov. from Mussoorie, India. Live specimens extracted from moss samples were used to establish laboratory cultures in order to obtain additional animals and eggs needed for their integrative descriptions. These descriptions are based on traditional morphological and morphometric data collected using both light and scanning electron microscopy, which, at the same time, were associated with DNA sequences of four genetic markers, three nuclear (18S rRNA, 28S rRNA and ITS-2) and one mitochondrial (COI). The use of DNA sequences allowed for a more accurate verification of the taxonomic status of M. noongaris sp. nov. and M. kamilae sp. nov as independent species of the hufelandi group. Although they both exhibit typical inverted goblet-shaped processes, they represent a recently discovered clade, which was thought to group species with modified morphology of egg processes. Thus, this contribution expands the definition of the mentioned clade and constitutes another link that will be helpful for future studies on the evolution of the M. hufelandi complex.
Leaf-stripe smuts on grasses are a highly polyphyletic group within Ustilaginomycotina, occurring in three genera, Tilletia, Urocystis, and Ustilago. Currently more than 12 Ustilago species inciting stripe smuts are recognised. The majority belong to the Ustilago striiformis-complex, with about 30 different taxa described from 165 different plant species. This study aims to assess whether host distinct-lineages can be observed amongst the Ustilago leaf-stripe smuts using nine different loci on a representative set. Phylogenetic reconstructions supported the monophyly of the Ustilago striiformis-complex that causes leaf-stripe and the polyphyly of other leaf-stripe smuts within Ustilago. Furthermore, smut specimens from the same host genus generally clustered together in well-supported clades that often had available species names for these lineages. In addition to already-named lineages, three new lineages were observed, and described as new species on the basis of host specificity and molecular differences: namely Ustilago jagei sp. nov. on Agrostis stolonifera, U. kummeri sp. nov. on Bromus inermis, and U. neocopinata sp. nov. on Dactylis glomerata.