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New and notable stomatopods are reported on and added to the Mozambican faunal list, based principally on material housed in the collections of the Iziko South African Museum. Seven species are reported for the first time from Mozambican waters including one undescribed species of Clorida Eydoux & Souleyet, 1842, bringing the total known Mozambican stomatopod fauna to 22 species, comprising 17 genera and eight families. The known fauna is tabulated and taxonomic accounts of eight species are given, seven of these representing the new species records including one undescribed species, while the eighth species account is of the previously poorly documented Erugosquilla woodmasoni (Kemp, 1911), which is reported on from unpublished material. The new record of Manningia australiensis Manning, 1970 represents the first record of the family Eurysquillidae from southern Africa.
The mature palm forest of the Vallée de Mai, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, on the Seychelles island of Praslin, is a unique ecosystem containing many endemic species, including the iconic coco de mer palm Lodoicea maldivica. In 2009, the invasive yellow crazy ant Anoplolepis gracilipes was recorded for the first time within the palm forest, raising concern about its potential impacts on the endemic fauna. This research aimed to: (1) assess the current distribution and spread of A. gracilipes within the palm forest; (2) identify environmental variables that are linked to A. gracilipes distribution; and (3) compare endemic species richness and abundance in A. gracilipes invaded and uninvaded areas. Anoplolepis gracilipes was confined to the north-east of the site and remained almost stationary between April 2010 and December 2012, with isolated outbreaks into the forest. Infested areas had significantly higher temperature and humidity and lower canopy cover. Abundance and species richness of the endemic arboreal fauna were lower in the A. gracilipes invaded area. Molluscs were absent from the invaded area. The current restricted distribution of A. gracilipes in this ecosystem, combined with lower abundance of endemic fauna in the invaded area, highlight the need for further research to assess control measures and the possible role of biotic resistance to the invasion of the palm forest by A. gracilipes.