The Scontrone turtles – A new insular testudinoid fauna from the late Miocene of the Central Mediterranean

We here describe a small turtle assemblage originating from the early Tortonian (late Miocene) palaeoisland of Scontrone, central Italy, a locality previously known mostly for its endemic mammals and giant birds, which were otherwise shared only with the Gargano localities, another fossiliferous area belonging to the same palaeobioprovince. The fossil turtle remains from Scontrone are referred to the geoemydid Mauremys sp. and a so far unidentified large-sized testudinid. The biogeographic origins of the Scontrone insular chelonians are discussed. The Scontrone geoemydid adds to the known occurrences of Mauremys in the late Miocene of the Mediterranean. The Scontrone large tortoise represents the oldest known Mediterranean insular testudinid, predating significantly the well-known Quaternary endemic island tortoises of the area.     

A new Middle Miocene mammalian fauna from Mordoğan (Western Turkey)

Ardiç-Mordo?an is a new fossil Mammal locality in the Karaburun Peninsula of Western Turkey. Among its fauna, which is described here, the carnivores are especially interesting, with the most complete specimens ever found ofPercrocuta miocenica and of a primitive species of hyaenid, of which a new subspecies is described,Protictitherium intermedium paralium. This fauna is strongly reminiscent of those of sever-al other Middle Miocene localities in this area, Çandir, Pa?alar and Inönü in Turkey, and Prebreza in Serbia, and they must all belong to the same mammalian zone. Their ungulates attest an open environment which must have been widespread in the Turko-Balkanic area in Serravallian times.     

Fossil lizards and snakes from Ano Metochi – a diverse squamate fauna from the latest Miocene of northern Greece

We here describe a new squamate fauna from the late Miocene (Messinian, MN 13) of Ano Metochi, northern Greece. The lizard fauna of Ano Metochi is here shown to be rather diverse, consisting of lacertids, anguids, and potential cordylids, while snakes are also abundant, consisting of scolecophidians, natricines and at least two different colubrines. If our identification is correct, the Ano Metochi cordylids are the first ones identified from Greece and they are also the youngest representatives of this group in Europe. A previously described scincoid from the adjacent locality of Maramena is here tentatively also referred to cordylids, strengthening a long term survival of this group until at least the latest Miocene. The scolecophidian from Ano Metochi cannot be attributed with certainty to either typhlopids or leptotyphlopids, which still inhabit the Mediterranean region. The find nevertheless adds further to the poor fossil record of these snakes. Comparison of the Ano Metochi herpetofauna with that of the adjacent locality of Maramena reveals similarities, but also striking differences among their squamate compositions.     

Snake fauna (Reptilia: Serpentes) from the Early/Middle Miocene of Sandelzhausen and Rothenstein 13 (Germany)

The Early/Middle Miocene (European Land Mammal Zone MN5) localities of Sandelzhausen and Rothenstein 13 in southern Germany have yielded remains of about 13 ophidian taxa: Eoanilius sp. (Aniliidae), Bavarioboa ultima (Boidae), “Coluber” sp., ?Telescopus sp., Natrix sp., cf. Natrix sp., cf. “Neonatrix” sp., unidentified “colubrines” and “natricines” (Colubridae), Naja sp., an unidentified elapid (Elapidae), Vipera sp. (“Oriental viper”), Vipera sp. (“aspis complex”) (Viperidae). Both faunas document a transitional phase from those reported from several late Early and Middle Miocene sites of Central and Western Europe. The climates of Sandelzhausen and Rothenstein 13, as indicated by ophidian fossils, were warm, although not tropical or subtropical.     

How rich is the deep-sea Antarctic benthic hydroid fauna?

The bathymetric distribution of the 155 known species of Antarctic benthic hydroids has been studied with the aim of determining bathymetric groups and estimating the richness of the deep-sea Antarctic benthic hydroid fauna. Six bathymetric groups could be recognized on the basis of vertical zonation patterns. Most species have wide bathymetric ranges, but must nevertheless be considered shelf species. Although 62 species of benthic hydroids have been found in the Antarctic deep-sea, only 10 are strict inhabitants of that area. An inverse relative dominance between anthoathecate and leptothecate hydroids has been observed, with the former being more frequent in shallow waters.     

To the knowledge of the fauna of Microlepidoptera of the “Kurshskaya Kosa” National Park: I

A list of 212 Microlepidoptera species found in the territory of the Curonian Spit (both in its Russian and Lithuanian parts) is given: Micropterigidae (1), Eriocraniidae (1), Nepticulidae (16), Opostegidae (1), Heliozelidae (1), Adelidae (3), Prodoxidae (2), Incurvariidae (2), Tineidae (8), Psychidae (1), Douglasiidae (2), Bucculatricidae (3), Gracillariidae (26), Yponomeutidae (12), Plutellidae (3), Acrolepiidae (2), Glyphipterigidae (3), Lyonetiidae (1), Ethmiidae (1), Depressariidae (12), Elachistidae (20), Chimabachidae (1), Oecophoridae (9), Stathmopodidae (1), Batrachedridae (2), Coleophoridae (25), Momphidae (3), Blastobasidae (2), Cosmopterigidae (3), Choreutidae (1), Schreckensteiniidae (1), Epermeniidae (1), Alucitidae (1), Pterophoridae (7) and Pyralidae (35 species). 113 species of 24 families have been collected in the territory of the “Kurshskaya Kosa” National Park, including 45 species new to the Curonian Spit and 32 species new to Kaliningrad Province.     

Radical changes in the Wadden Sea fauna and flora over the last 2,000 years

Humans have interacted with the Wadden Sea since its origin 7,500 years ago. However, exploitation, habitat alteration and pollution have strongly increased since the Middle Ages, affecting abundance and distribution of many marine mammals, birds, fish, invertebrates and plants. Large whales and some large birds disappeared more than 500 years ago. Most small whales, seals, birds, large fish and oysters were severely reduced by the late 19th and early 20th centuries, leading to the collapse of several traditional fisheries. In the 20th century, conservation efforts have enabled some breeding birds and seals to recover. But other species declined further due to continuing exploitation, habitat destruction, pollution and eutrophication. Moreover, complex three-dimensional habitats such as oyster banks, Sabellaria reefs and subtidal eelgrass beds have been lost completely. In contrast, several opportunistic species such as gulls, polychaetes, green algae and exotic invaders increased during the 20th century. Taken together, multiple human impacts have caused dramatic losses of large predators and habitat-building species in the Wadden Sea over the last 500 years. Although still of high natural value and global importance, the Wadden Sea is a fundamentally changed ecosystem. On the other hand, reduced hunting pressure, increased habitat protection and reduced river pollution have enabled the recent recovery of several species and an increase in environmental quality. These successes, together with a historical vision of what was once possible, should guide current and future conservation, restoration and management efforts towards a more sustainable interaction between man and the sea.     

The systematic position of the Miocene grebe Thiornis sociata Navás

Evidence is presented to show that dimensions and proportions which may vary with size are not valid characters for determining the generic placement of grebe species; that there is no valid reason for placing Thiornis sociata in the genus Podiceps; that if this species belongs in any Recent genus it is best placed in Tachybaptus, and that it is best retained in Thiornis pending further study.     

Discovering the Brazilian bat fauna: a task for two centuries?

• 1 Brazil is the second most bat species‐rich country in the world, but the available information on the occurrence and distribution of bat species in Brazil is still heterogeneous and fragmented.
• 2 We review the occurrence and distribution of bat species in Brazil, analyse the spatial performance of inventories conducted to date and identify knowledge gaps. We also identify the main factors contributing to the recent increase in the knowledge of the Brazilian bat fauna, and make suggestions for maintaining this momentum into the near future.
• 3 We plotted record coordinates on a map, grouped them in 0.5 degrees of latitude × 0.5 degrees of longitude grid cells, and analysed records for each of the five terrestrial biomes in Brazil, and for the 1439 priority polygons for the conservation of Brazilian biodiversity.
• 4 We identified 5502 formal bat records in Brazil, indicating that less than 10% of the country is minimally surveyed, and that for nearly 60% of Brazil there is not a single record of bat species. Record coverage varies from 79% in the Atlantic Forest to 24% in Amazonia, but none of the Brazilian biomes is well surveyed for bats. Bat species have been recorded in only 15% of the priority areas for Brazilian biodiversity conservation.
• 5 If the current rate of recording bats in empty grid cells (10% every 4 years) was maintained, it would take 33 years for all cells to have a single record. If the current rate of recording ≥20 species in a grid cell (0.8% per year) was maintained, it would take 200 years for the bat fauna of Brazil to be minimally surveyed. Alarmingly, most of the data‐poor areas are at the expansion frontiers of the agro‐business, near the surrounding deforestation fronts.
• 6 We make recommendations for scientific research on bats in Brazil, to ensure the conservation of this ecologically important taxon.

     

Are all fauna associated with the same structural features of the foundation species Triodia scariosa?

Foundation species are species that play important roles in structuring ecological communities. Therefore, conservation managers often aim to promote foundation species. However, it can be unclear which features of foundation species ought to be the focus of management. We studied hummock‐forming grasses in the genus Triodia. Triodia grasses are considered foundation species because they create complex structures used by many fauna species. Although conservation managers often aim to promote extent cover of Triodia, this is only likely to be optimal for species most strongly associated with extent cover or other structural features strongly correlated with extent cover. We tested (i) whether ‘extent cover’ is the most appropriate way to characterise Triodia as habitat and (ii) whether fauna are associated with any non‐Triodia structures. We studied the Triodia structure associations of one mammal, two birds and five reptiles associated with Triodia scariosa at 524 sites in the Murray‐Mallee, Australia (Ningaui yvonneae, Amytornis striatus, Stipiturus mallee, Ctenophorus fordi, Ctenotus atlas, Ctenotus inornatus, Delma australis and Delma butleri). We used site‐level presence–absence data and vegetation structure data to compare parsimony of models built using four Triodia structural features: extent cover, mean height, mean width and mean volume. We also included non‐Triodia vegetation structures in the model selection: extent cover of leaf litter, shrubs and trees. We divided structural features related to extent cover into categories according to their heights. One species was most closely associated with mean Triodia height; one species with mean Triodia width and six species with extent cover of Triodia, although here, Triodia height categories differed between species. Five species were also associated with shrubs or trees. Extent cover of Triodia was generally an appropriate measure of Triodia structure. Nevertheless, we found variation between species. When characterising the structure of foundation species, we recommend testing faunal associations with multiple structural features.     

Discovery of an Upper Miocene Vertebrate fauna near Tizi N’Tadderht,Skoura, Ouarzazate Basin (Central High Atlas,Morocco)

The discovery of Upper Miocene vertebrates at Tizi N’Tadderht in the Ouarzazate basin (Morocco) helps to fill a gap in our knowledge of Neogene faunas in North Africa. The new fauna includes an ostrich cf. Struthio sp, a turtle cf. Centrochelys sp., Crocodylus cf. niloticus, and a relatively diverse fauna of large mammals. The mammal assemblage probably includes three hipparion species, including a very small form not previously reported from Africa, aff. Cremohipparion periafricanum, two species of rhinoceros cf. Ceratotherium sp. and aff. Chilotherium sp., a Proboscidean cf. Tetralophodon sp., a large member of the Giraffidae similar to “Palaeotragus” germaini and two bovids of which one is likely related to Prostrepsiceros, while the other is a new medium-sized antelope with spiral horns, certainly a representative of the Caprinae, a group that is rare in Africa. A late Miocene age, corresponding to the European Turolian Mammal age, is most likely for this fauna.     

An atypical fauna in the Lower Devonian Hunsrück Slate of Germany

The Hunsrück Slate is a world renowned conservation lagerstätte, stretching SW-NE in a narrow band between the villages of Bundenbach and Gemünden, Hunsrück region, Germany. A great variety of complete Lower Devonian fossils is preserved with their soft parts pyritised due to rapid burial by sediment. The fossils of the Hunsrück Slate outside the narrow band are scarcely known. They represent the normal Situation: quiet low energy Sedimentation. This paper describes this overall “Rhenish” neritic fauna under the heading “atypical”, in contrast to the famous fossils of the conservation lagerstätte. The fauna described here lacks starfishes, mitrates and chelicerates. The paper begins with an overview of the recent relevant literature (stratigraphic position of the Hunsrück Slate, palaeoecology). The slate fossils were collected in two quarries WNW and NE of Bundenbach (Lingenbach and Karschheck, respectively) and most closely resemble that of the Wisper Valley in the Taunus region. Their geologic age is Lower Devonian, early Emsian, Ulmen Substage. Special interest is given to Community structures, rugose corals, bivalves, gastropods, trilobites, conulariids, brachiopods and crinoids. In the systematic part, the crinoidOrthocrinus simplex is redescribed. Also, two new species are introduced: the rugose coralVolgerophyllum karschheckensis n. gen., n. sp., and the crinoidAcanthocrinus spinosus n. sp.     

Review of the fauna of Rotatoria,Cladocera, and Copepoda of the basin of the Anadyr’ River

The zooplankton composition is studied in the thermokarst, glacial and meteorite lakes, channels, former riverbeds, and hollows in the basin of Anadyr’. We found 174 taxa: 78, Rotatoria, 55, Cladocera, and 41, Copepoda. The most diverse is the lake fauna: 51 taxa of Rotatoria, 48, Cladocera, and 37, Copepoda. The thermokarst Lake Maiorskoe hosts 68 taxa: 31, Rotatoria, 14, Cladocera, and 23, Copepoda, wheras the cold ultraoligotrophic Lake El’gygytgyn features only one species of Cyclop of the group scutifer Cyclops neymanae Strel., and Rotatoria and Cladocera are present as allochtonous forms. The Copepoda illustrate the relations of the Anadyr’ fauna with those of Europe, North America, and Japan.     

Lepidoptera rhopalocera in the core of the transboundary biosphere territory “Altai:” Peculiarities of the fauna and population

Migration pathways of butterflies in Southeast Altai (the core of the Transboundary biosphere territory “Altai”) in the spring and summer seasons of 1990 and over the period of 1995–2006 were analyzed. The density of the population was assessed, and specific features of the butterfly distribution among four high-altitude belts (alpine tundra, subalpine, forest, and steppe) were revealed. Eighty-five habitats were examined and butterfly migration pathways were recorded for 359 hours of route surveys with a total length of 875 km. More than 16.5 thousand individuals belonging to 6 families, 66 genera and 107 species were recorded. The total species abundance of butterflies was found to be maximal in the forest belt; the highest population density was recorded in the alpine-tundra belt. The results obtained indicate that the basic differences among the butterfly populations are determined by the thermal conditions related to the altitude and, to a lesser degree, the degree of forestation. The distribution of most butterfly species over the transboundary territory is primarily determined by the recent environmental conditions, in particular the aridity of the tundra-steppe belt.     

Mites in the mist: How unique is a rainforest canopy-knockdown fauna?

Abstract We intensively sampled the parasitiform mite faunas of three subtropical rainforest canopy habitats (leaves, bark, hanging humus) and three forest floor habitats (leaf litter, fungal sporocarps, arthropod associates) in the Green Mountains section of Lamington National Park, Queensland, and compared them to 423 specimens collected from the canopy by pyrethrin knockdown (PKD). In total, 165 species (80% new to science) were identified, including 58 from PKD. Few species occurred in more than one habitat, and complementarity averaged 96 ± 1%. About half of the species from PKD were found in canopy habitats, but less than 10% occurred in forest floor habitats. Thus, the canopy fauna is composed primarily of canopy specialists, not of forest floor mites, and habitat specificity is a major component of acarine diversity. An Incidence-based Coverage estimator (generated by the EstimateS program) proved useful in predicting asymptotes for collector's curves. Conservative extrapolations from this study suggest that more than 2000 species of mites live in subtropical rainforest in the Green Mountains.     

Changes in the fish fauna of the Oosterschelde estuary — a ten-year time series of fyke catches

Frequency of occurrence of fish species was monitored on a fortnightly basis in four fykes and a weir in the Oosterschelde estuary from 1979 through 1988. This was done in order to record changes in the fish fauna that may have occurred as a response to the construction of a storm-surge barrier in the mouth of the Oosterschelde (1984–1986) and the concomitant building of compartmentalization dams in the landward part. These compartmentalization dams reduced the freshwater inflow into the system. Principal component analysis using the annual averages in frequency of occurrence suggests a slight shift occurred in the fish community separating a cluster of years 1979–1984 from the cluster 1985–1988. Many of the changes in individual species could be attributed to fluctuations in yearclass strength or were part of changes occurring on a wider geographical scale. The only impact of the construction works seems to be the decrease in a number of anadromous fish. Fish traps seem to be useful as a monitoring tool for a number of species. The value of the data collected could be improved if catch size and length-frequency data are recorded.