Odonata Diversity and Synanthropy in Urban Areas: A Case Study in Avellaneda City,Buenos Aires,Argentina

The increase of human population, especially in urban areas, correlates with an alarming destruction of green spaces. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms by which urbanization processes affect biodiversity is crucial in integrating the environment in a proper urban planning. The main urban center of Argentina is known as the Greater Buenos Aires (GBA), and it includes the autonomous city of Buenos Aires and 24 surrounding districts. Avellaneda, one of the districts of the GBA, is an important urban and industrial center with green areas and low level of urbanization on the coastal area of the Río de la Plata. This paper provides the first Odonata inventory for Avellaneda, determines the species’ level of synanthropy with the Nuorteva index, and assess the Odonata species replacement along a latitudinal gradient on the occidental margin of the Río de la Plata.     

南洞庭湖区软体动物物种多样性评估及保护对策

洞庭湖孕育和维持了较高和独特的软体动物多样性。尽管有关该湖软体动物的调查较多, 但多分散于各文献中。本文结合文献调研和现场调查(2013-2018年), 系统评估了南洞庭湖区软体动物物种多样性, 解析驱动群落格局演变的关键因子, 并提出合理的保护对策。共记录2纲5目14科33属87种(腹足纲41种, 双壳纲46种), 其中本调查记录54种, 隶属于2纲5目12科31属, 包括腹足纲22种, 双壳纲32种。评估结果显示处于近危和受威胁等级物种21种, 包括腹足纲4种和双壳纲17种。调查区域软体动物平均密度和生物量分别为173.1 ind./m ²和279.3 g/m ²。优势种为河蚬(Corbicula fluminea)、大沼螺(Parafossarulus eximius)、铜锈环棱螺(Bellamya aeruginosa)、卵河螺(Rivularia ovum)。基于距离的冗余分析(distance-based redundancy analysis, dbRDA)结果显示, 局域环境因子(底质类型、水深、pH、总溶解固体和总磷)制约软体动物的群落变异。另外, 区域内的人类活动(如商业采砂、建坝和沿岸土地利用、过度捕捞和非法电捕等)亦深刻影响软体动物的生存。这些人类干扰已导致软体动物物种多样性显著下降, 可能造成一些特有物种的局域性灭绝。为了恢复和保护软体动物物种多样性和资源, 应采取一系列对策, 包括管控合法的挖沙业和取缔非法挖沙业、禁止过度捕捞和非法电捕、维持水文的自然节律、恢复沿岸自然湖滨带和控制点源和面源污染物排入等。我们呼吁尽快在南洞庭湖区建立软体动物国家级自然保护区, 以保护该湖区(可能是整个洞庭湖)残存的软体动物物种多样性和特有性。     

Notes on the reproduction of high-Antarctic molluscs from the Weddell Sea

Summary The reproductive modes of 66 molluscan species from the Weddell Sea, Antarctica were investigated either by rearing of specimens in aquaria (Neomeniomorpha [Solenogastres], Polyplacophora and Gastropoda) or by studies of the larval shell (Bivalvia). The results show that not all marine invertebrates living in cold water environments produce large eggs, provide postspawning parental care or lack planktonic larvae (Thorson's rule), nor that brooding behaviour is always associated with small adult size. Several lecithotrophic (Solenogastres, Polyplacophora) and meroplanktonic, planktotrophic larvae (Gastropoda) were observed in aquaria. Investigations of the larval shell morphology indicate a planktotrophic or lecithotrophic larval stage in 27 Bivalvia species. With exception of two species of meroplanktonic gastropod larvae no developmental stages of benthic molluscs were ever found in plankton hauls in the Weddell Sea. This indicates that most larvae may live demersally. Brooding occurred in 1 Monoplacophora and 17 Bivalvia species. Intracapsular metamorphosis with very long embryonic development was observed in 15 Gastropoda species.     

Comparative investigation of phospholipids and fatty acids of freshwater molluscs from the Volga river basin.

1. Four Gastropoda species and two Bivalvia species from the Volga river basin were examined. 2. Distribution of phospholipids in the molluscs was studied by qualitative and quantitative micro thin-layer chromatography. 3. Major phospholipid classes, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylcholine, were found to contain plasmalogens. 4. One mollusc species notably contained 67 fatty acids including 25 saturated (both iso and anteiso), 24 monoenoic, five dienoic, four trienoic and eight polyenoic compounds identified by capillary gas chromatography; fatty acid contents in the other studied species were considerably lower. 5. Relatively high concentrations of nonmethylene-interrupted fatty acids were detected in certain examined species.     

湘江干流软体动物的研究

2005—2006年对湘江干流15个县（市）36个采集点的软体动物的种类、分布及种群数量进行了系统调查,计有软体动物72种,隶属2纲10科29属,其中腹足纲38种,双壳纲34种;内有10种为湖南省新记录种,42种为中国特有种。发现一种近60年未被采到过的物种——湖南湄公螺（Mekonia hunanensis）,已被《中国物种红色名录》定为灭绝的物种。湘江软体动物的区系成分属于东洋界类型,明显地反映出亚热带的特点。文章对湘江软体动物的种类分布和种群数量及其上、中、下游种类与种群数量的差异进行了分析,并根据12个与影响因子相关采集点软体动物的物种数和多样性指数,分析了城镇污水、水电工程和采砂对湘江软体动物的影响。     

湘江株洲段软体动物的调查研究

于2005年9月～12月对湘江株洲江段的软体动物进行了系统的调查.经分类鉴定,计有软体动物8科20属44种,其中腹足纲5科10属22种,双壳纲3科10属22种.腹足纲以田螺科为主,双壳纲以蚌科为主.其区系成分,东洋界与古北界相互渗透,但以东洋界华中区的种类优势明显.沿江城镇适量生活污水排入江中,可以适当增加软体动物的种类和数量;大量生活污水和工业废水未经处理排入江中,使其种类和数量显著减少.株洲航电枢纽建成蓄水,对库区的软体动物冲击较大,由于水位抬高,环境骤变,其种类和种群数量明显减少,尤其是双壳类.     

Are the contours of the frontal section of shell valves in Bivalvia specific?

The diagnostic importance of the character of curvature of the frontal section of shell valves in Bivalvia on the basis of determining the constant angle of the logarithmic spiral is discussed. The contours of the frontal section of shell valves in several species of mollusks of the families Margaritiferidae and Sphaeriidae have been analyzed. It is shown that in different species of the family Sphaeriidae, the values of constant angles coincide. While performing graphic constructions, it was established that the contours of the frontal section of all studied species of pearl mussels and some spheriids do not correspond to the segment of the logarithmic spiral. It was noted that the hypothesis of the species specificity of this character was not confirmed; therefore, the curvature of the frontal section of shell valves cannot be used as the main character for the systematics and species identification of bivalves.     

The Diversity of Strategies of Defense from Pathogens in Molluscs

Based on our own results and literature data, a comparative analysis is performed of particularities of mechanisms of defense from pathogens in representatives of Bivalvia and Gastropoda. The agglutinating and opsonizing activities of plasma from molluscs of phylogenetically distant species were revealed to differ significantly. These differences may be described in terms of two contrast strategies: low-promiscuous that is more typical of most gastropod mollusc species, it is characterized by a narrow specificity of plasma agglutinins and a strong dependence of phagocytosis on the presence of plasma proteins in the medium; the high-promiscuous strategy is characteristic predominately of bivalve molluscs whose plasma agglutinins are able to react with a wider spectrum of indicator cells, and the rate of phagocytosis in this case does not depend on the presence of plasma proteins in the medium. The diversity of strategies of defense from pathogens can explain differences in spectra of pathogen organisms parasitizing in Gastropoda and Bivalvia.     

Migratory behaviour of a dominant detritivorous fish Prochilodus lineatus evaluated by multivariate biochemical and pollutant data

This paper studies the migration pathways and ranges of a dominant detritivorous fish Prochilodus lineatus along pollution gradients in the Río de la Plata basin using multivariate analysis of biochemical and pollutant data. Biochemical composition (water, ash, lipids, proteins, carbohydrates, neutral lipids classes and fatty acids), aliphatic hydrocarbons (ALI), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), linear alkylbenzenes (LAB) and organochlorine pesticides (OClP) were determined in muscle samples of P. lineatus collected in Metropolitan Buenos Aires, the lower Paraná River (Paraná: 200-1000 km from Buenos Aires) and the middle Paraná and Paraguay Rivers (North: 1000-1400 km north). Biochemical variables and pollutants exhibited large variability [Lipids 1.1-89.5% wet mass; ALI 1.4-413; LABs not detectable (n.d.)-115.2; PCBs n.d.-27.9; OClPs n.d.-11.8 μg g(-1) dry mass], due to the contrast of Buenos Aires with North fish. Fish from Buenos Aires were fatty (lipids 24.7 ± 12.3% wet mass), enriched in 18 carbon fatty acids and severely contaminated (ALI 152.4 ± 72.3; LABs 65.1 ± 26.4; PCBs 15.2 ± 6.8; OClPs 1.8 ± 1.9 μg g(-1) dry mass mean ±S.D.). In contrast, fish from North were lean (4.1 ± 3.1% wet mass), enriched in long chain (>20 carbons) polyunsaturated fatty acids, with average one to two orders of magnitude lower pollutant levels (ALI 41.2 ± 51.9; PCBs 2.2 ± 3.5; LABs 8.8 ± 21.1; OClPs 0.67 ± 0.75 μg g(-1) dry mass mean ±S.D.). Paraná showed intermediate values in all variables, denoting the mixing of different fish stocks. Based on principal component analysis, 14 outliers from 60 North and Paraná samples (representing 26 from 108 individual fish) were identified as pertaining to the Buenos Aires group with very similar lipid and pollutant levels. Data suggest that P. lineatus migrates a highly variable distance, exceeding 800-1000 km in multiple spatial and temporal overlapping ranges. Chemometric analysis of biochemical and pollutant data effectively discriminates fish according to the chemical signature acquired by detritus feeding in pristine and contaminated urban or industrial areas.     

Qualitative study of Mollusca communities in the Serbian Danube stretch (river km 1260–863.4)

First detailed limnological study was performed from April 2003 to June 2008 in a 396.6 km long section of the Serbian Danube (divided in three parts; from 1260 r-km to 863.4 r-km) to examine community composition and spatial distribution of Mollusca with special attention to the expansion of Ponto-Caspian species, propagation of invasive and introduced species and occurrence of endemic species. Mollusca samples were collected at 15 sites in April, June, September and November. We investigated the spatial distributions and calculated the faunistic similarity of localities with respect to the community composition using the Sørensen Quotient of Similarity. Site variation in analyzed qualitative traits was examined using correspondence analysis. Additionally, the obtained Complete Linkage City-block (Manhattan) distances among sites/parts were subjected to UPGMA (unweighted pair-group method using arithmetic averages) cluster analysis. The class Gastropoda was represented by 18 species from two subclasses (Prosobranchia — six families and Pulmonata — three families).The class Bivalvia was represented by 15 species from four families of order Eulamellibranchiata. Mollusca were represented by 33 species belonging to 17 genera and 13 families. Out of five recorded Ponto-Caspian species in the studied Danube stretch, Lithoglyphus naticoides (Pfeiffer, 1828) and Dreissena polymorpha (Pallas, 1771) are assumed to be invasive species with the highest occurrence frequency (F = 1, each). Four new species in invertebrate fauna for the Danube, denoted as the introduced species — Neozoa, were identified: Theodoxus fluviatilis (L., 1758), Corbicula fluminalis (Müller, 1774), C. fluminea (Müller, 1774), and Sinanodonta woodiana (Lea, 1834). The only endemic species of Gastropoda found in the Danube was Viviparus acerosus Bourguignat, 1862.     

A comparative analyses of morphological variations,phagocytosis and generation of cytotoxic agents in flow cytometrically isolated hemocytes of Indian molluscs

A comparative analyses of hemocytes of molluscs, Pila globosa (Gastropoda: Prosobranchia), Bellamya bengalensis (Gastropoda: Prosobranchia) and Lamellidens marginalis (Bivalvia: Eulamellibranchiata) were carried out for morphotype and subpopulation identification, analyses of phagocytosis and generation of cytotoxic agents. Flow cytometry and microscopic analyses of hemocytes revealed the existence of agranulocytes (blast like cells, round hyalinocytes and spindle hyalinocytes), semigranulocytes (semigranular asterocytes and round semigranulocytes) and granulocytes (round granulocytes, spindle granulocytes and granular asterocytes) as three morphotypes. In P. globosa, granulocytes and semigranulocytes and in B. bengalensis granulocytes and agranulocytes are the chief phagocytes and major producers of superoxide anion and nitric oxide. In L. marginalis, granulocytes were identified as principal phagocytes with prominent activity of superoxide anion and nitric oxide. Highest activity of phenoloxidase was recorded in the agranulocytes of P. globosa with moderate activities among other morphotypes of all three species. Differential result may be due to species specific response, non-identical habitat preference and related adaptation of the species to their different ecological niches.     

Taxonomy of the New Zealand genus Eulimnia,and biology and immature stages of E. philpotti (Diptera: Sciomyzidae)

Abstract

The endemic New Zealand genus Eulimnia and its two species are redescribed. Data are presented on the life cycle of E. philpotti Tonnoir & Malloch, and the habitat, geographical distribution, phenology, and biological features of adults and immature stages are discussed. Adults are found in permanently wet marshes, where the larvae prey on fingernail clams (Bivalvia: Sphaeriidae) while completely submerged. Mature larvae form puparia among vegetation or debris above the water level. The immature stages of E. philpotti are described. The genus is placed in tribe Tetanocerini, and its taxonomic position is discussed.     

Freshwater marsh vegetation response to flooding patterns in the lower delta of the Parana river

Freshwater marshes are the only significant natural ecosystems remaining in the Buenos Aires province section of the Lower Delta of the Parana River (Argentina), occupying 80% of the total island area. The Lower Delta hydrology is dominated mainly by the Parana river and the De La Plata estuary; different temporal superpositions of floods and landscape configurations of the islands result in four distinct flooding patterns. We studied the response of freshwater marsh vegetation to the flooding patterns using principal component analysis and cluster analysis. The study area was gridded and 13 cells were selected representing the different flooding patterns. We found significant environmental heterogeneity in the region and a consequent response in the vegetation, expressed through successive species replacements, and variation in species richness and the number and type of dominant species. The environmental heterogeneity of the region is caused by hydrological variations, geomorphological changes in the islands from upstream to downstream areas of the delta, and patterns of human activity.     

Cold season mortality and hatching behavior of Aedes aegypti L. (Diptera: Culicidae) eggs in Buenos Aires City,Argentina

In temperate regions, populations of Aedes aegypti survive the cold season in the egg stage. In the present work, we studied the cold‐season mortality of Ae. aegypti eggs and their subsequent hatching pattern in Buenos Aires city. Eggs were exposed during the winter season (three months) in three neighborhoods located along a gradient of distance toward the Río de la Plata River, coincident with a gradient of activity of Ae. aegypti. Results showed mortalities lower (30.6%) than those from tropical regions during the dry season. Significant differences were detected among the egg mortalities of each site with a maximum value at the site nearest the Río de la Plata River (50%), and a minimum value at the most continental site (9%). Post‐experimental hatching response of eggs differed between sites, with the highest proportion of hatched eggs during the first immersion in the site nearest to the river and the lowest proportion in the most continental site. The hatching proportion also differed between age classes, with older (early‐laid) eggs hatching later than new (late‐laid) ones. Our results provide the first information of Ae. aegypti egg mortality in temperate South America and support the hypothesis that differences in egg mortality are associated with abundance patterns of Ae. aegypti in Buenos Aires city.     

Diversity and distribution of molluscan fauna of Asthamudi estuary,Kerala, India

The survey of molluscan fauna of Ashtamudi estuary of the southwest coast of India recorded the presence of 119 species classified under 3 classes (Polyplacophora, Gastropoda and Bivalvia), 57 families and 96 genera. The species diversity was dominated by the Gastropoda (69 species), followed by the Bivalvia (49 species) and the Polyplacophora (1 species). The report includes four species recorded for the first time from India: Desmaulus edgarianus (Melvill, 1898), Pilosabia trigona (Gmelin, 1791), Nassarius javanus (Schepman, 1891) and Jorunna labialis (Eliot, 1908). The true diversity of the mangrove region was as good as that of a community with 31.380 (=?31) equally common species; the respective values for the bar mouth and lake regions were 15.516 and 8.997, respectively, indicating that the molluscan species assemblage of the mangrove was the most diverse and of the lake, the least. True β-diversity across this gradient registered 1.792, which means that though there were three communities, they were equivalent to only 1.792 (=?2) effective communities, i.e., the three actual communities were as different from each other as 2 with equal weights and no species in common.

     

BOOK REVIEWS

Book reviewed in this article:
NORTH AND SOUTH AMERICA: Observaciones sobre la alfareria de los Médanos de Colón. A ntonio S errano. (Memmorias del Museo de Paraná, No. 6, Paraná, 1933.) Las culturas protohistóricas del Este Argentino y Uruguay. A ntonio S errano. (Memorias del Museo de Paraná, No. 7, Paraná, 1933.) La estructura de los túmulos indígenas prehispánicos del Departamento de Guaieguaychú. H éctor G reslebin. (Apartado de la Revista de la Sociedad "Amigos de la Arqueología," Vol. 5, pp. 1–51, Montevideo, 1931.) Dos vasos indígenas—Hallados en Puerto Basilio. H éctor G reslebin.
NORTH AND SOUTH AMERICA: Nueva hipótesis sobre el destino de las placas grabadas de la Patagonia prehistórica. H éctor G reslebin. (Physis, Vol. 9, pp. 223–33, Buenos Aires, 1928). Descripción de dos nuevas placas rectangulares grabadas de Patagonia prehispánica. H éctor G reslebin. (Physis, Vol. 10, pp. 8–16, Buenos Aires, 1930.) Instrumental lítico de Patagonia prehispánica. H éctor G reslebin.
NORTH AND SOUTH AMERICA: La antigüedad del hombre en la región de Sayape, Provincia de San Luis, República Argentina ( Nota preliminar ). H éctor G reslebin. (Proceedings, Twenty-third International Congress of Americanists, pp. 305–12, New York, 1930). Las llamadas "botijas" o "tinajas" de la Provincia de San Luis ( República Argentina ). H éctor G reslebin. (Physis, Vol. 9, pp. 46–71, Buenos Aires, 1928.) Los "morteritos" de Cerro Varela. H éctor G reslebin.     

On the habitat and isolation of Gymnocharacinus bergi (Osteichthyes: Characidae)

Synopsis Gymnocharacinus bergi is a rare Paranensean fish which is the only characiform almost lacking scales in the adult. It is endemic and the only species in a peculiar spot — a tributary of the Valcheta creek — in the Somuncurá plateau in northern Patagonia, Argentina, over 300 km from the nearest place with a paranensean fish fauna. Besides its geographical isolation, G. bergi occurs within an area with climatic features drastically different from those currently associated with fishes from Neotropical temperate zones. We tested the assumption that water temperature in the naked characin habitat do not agree with the northern Patagonia climate. We also considered the isolation of G. bergi within the framework of an increasing inpoverishment of the paranensean ichthyofauna along a NE-SW axis in the Buenos Aires province. For this we applied a decrement equation used in island biogeography. Our findings demonstrate that the existence of G. bergi in its isolated habitat is possible because of the thermal traits of the water at the sources of the creeks, its temperature being independent of the climate of the area. The chemical composition of water was found to be within the range of common environments in the Buenos Aires pampas inhabited by several species of Paranensean fishes. Geographically, G. bergi lives in the last of a series of habitats which show a decreasing number of species correlated with the increasing distance from the La Plata River. Conservation status of the species is briefly discussed.