Stony coral diseases observed in southwestern Caribbean reefs

Thirteen reef areas of Colombian territories in the Southwestern Caribbean were surveyed during the last 10 years. Coral diseases have been recorded in all these areas since 1990 and some of them have increased progressively. Six types were differentiated in the region, of which black band disease (BBD), dark spots disease (DSD), white band disease (WBD) and white plague disease (WPD) are widespread and common. Yellow band disease (YBD) was observed only since April 1998 but has been found now in seven reef areas and eight coral species (most of them recorded here as new hosts). In total, 25 species of hard corals were observed with diseases in the region, of which Colpophyllia natans, Diploria labyrinthiformis, Montastraea annularis, M. faveolata, M. franksi and Acropora spp. appear to be highly susceptible.     

Tripterygiid Fishes of New Caledonia, with Zoogeographical Remarks

The Tripterygiidae of New Caledonia are revised and their zoogeographical relationships discussed. A total of 27 species is recognized from the territory; three species are recorded from New Caledonia for the first time [Enneapterygius howensis Fricke, 1997; Enneapterygius rhabdotus Fricke, 1994; Helcogramma trigloides (Bleeker, 1858)]. From Grande Terre, 26 species are known, with four species recorded for the first time. Seven species occur at the Ile des Pins (all new records); from the Chesterfield Islands, six species of tripterygiid fishes have been recorded; and from the Loyalty Islands, 17 species are known, with three species recorded from the island group for the first time: 15 species from Ouvéa, 11 species from Lifou (eight new records) and five species from Maré (three new records).     

Oligochaete fauna of Lake Baikal

Oligochaetes are one of the most abundant groups of invertebrates in Lake Baikal. They compose up to 70–90% of the biomass and numbers of zoobenthos and are distributed from the water edge to the maximum depth. There are 207 identified species and subspecies belonging to 44 genera and seven families, of which 160 species and 13 genera are endemic. Many are relict species. The main peculiarities of oligochaete fauna of Lake Baikal are: immiscibility of its ecologically different complexes (Palaearctic and Baikalian), its antiquity and heterogeneity, and intense radiation of the species.     

A revision of the brassoline genus Opsiphanes (Lepidoptera: Rhopalocera)

The brassoline genus Opsiphanes is revised: 18 new subspecies are described, 12 new synonymies established, the status of nine species and subspecies is revised and 30 lectotypes are designated. Seventy-two (of 92) primary types are figured, many for the first time. Along the Andes, there is a fairly close agreement between the distribution of some of the subspecies of Opsiphanes with the recently recognized endemic centres. East of the Andes, there is no close agreement between subspecies and endemic centres; each subspecies has, in general, a distribution across several centres. A similar distribution has been noted previously in the brassoline genera Catoblepia and Selenophanes. Some subspecies, however, indicate previously unrecognized centres or subcentres in Colombia and Ecuador.     

Review of Colombian Conchostraca (Crustacea) — ecological aspects and life cycles — families Lynceidae,Limnadiidae, Leptestheriidae and Metalimnadiidae

This study gives an overview of our current knowledge of the ecology and distribution patterns of Colombian conchostracans. Colombian euphyllopods are generally restricted to the warm tropical lowlands. OnlyCyclestheria hislopi can be found year-round in larger semipermanent waters and living sympatrically with abundant predators, such as planktivorous fish. The other conchostracans are restricted to the typical habitat of temporary waters.Eulimnadia magadalenensis is especially adapted to very short-term temporary ponds in relatively arid zones andE. colombiensis prefers somewhat cooler ponds of a longer duration. The two species can be found sympatrically in intermediate climatic conditions. A third form,Eulimnadia cf. geayi cohabits with the two other species in the lower Magdalena Valley, its ecological role is not clear.Limnadia orinoquiensis is the selvatic substitute of the open savannah conchostracan fauna (mainlyEulimnadia forms) living in pools in forest clearings in the vicinity of the Upper Orinoco.Four species of Lynceidae were found, twoLynceus and twoParalimnetis. Their distribution patterns are not yet clear, they prefer smaller temporary ponds of moderated temperatures. Two undescribed species ofLeptestheria were found, one restricted to the banks of the Orinoco and the other to one locality in the upper Magdalena Valley, living in ponds with a muddy bottom.Metalimnadia serratura was found in special rock pools of the Guiana Shield in the vicinity of the Orinoco, cohabiting with several other conchostracan species, with differential adaptations to very high water temperatures.     

The hypogean invertebrate fauna of Georgia (Caucasus)

Information about the cave invertebrates of Georgia, Caucasus, is summarised, resulting in 43 troglo- and 43 stygobiont taxa reported from 64 caves. Species distribution analyses were conducted for 61 caves harbouring 58 invertebrate taxa, with the majority of caves (39) located in Apkhazeti (north-western Georgia). In 22 caves from central-west Georgia (Samegrelo, Imereti and Racha-Lechkhumi regions of west Georgia) 31 taxa are reported. Composition of cave fauna differed strongly between the caves in Apkhazeti and the central-west of Georgia. Only two taxa of the total 86 were shared, resulting in negligible similarity (Sørensen-Dice coefficient S_s=4.8%). Rarefaction indicated an increase in number of species with additional sampling could increase species richness from 58 to 76 for caves in Apkhazeti and from 31 to 69 for caves in central-west Georgia. These findings suggest that the low invertebrate species richness observed in caves of western Georgia is the result of insufficient sampling. A pairwise approach to analysing species co-occurrence showed ten positive spatial associations in 7 out of 86 cave species, all from Kveda Shakurani and Tsebelda caves. The species co-occurring in the same microhabitat require further study to understand their relationships.     

Distribution of the endemic Balkan flora on serpentine I. – obligate serpentine endemics

Serpentine (ophiolithic) substrate covers large areas in the Balkans, more so than in any other part of Europe. These areas extend from north to south mainly in the mountainous central regions and represent specialized habitats for basiphilous-calcifugal plants. Biodiversity in the area is high, with a great number of interesting local and regional endemics. The high number of endemics indicates the importance of serpentine habitats as centres for floristic differentiation and speciation. The number of Balkan endemics growing on serpentine is c. 335 taxa (species and subspecies) of which 123 are obligate. Their distribution is presented in 50 × 50 km UTM squares as adopted in the Atlas Florae Europaeae project coordinated at Helsinki. The richest (in number of taxa) squares are situated in NW Greece (Epirus), the island of Evvia, N Albania together with SW Serbia, and N Greece (Vourinos). They indicate important centres of plant diversity in the Balkans, areas to be noted for conservation strategy. Features responsible for the distribution and abundance of these obligate serpentine endemics include: 1) edaphic isolation in relation to type of bedrock (lime, dolomite, marble, schist, etc.), 2) mountain island isolation (Smolikas, Vourinos, Ostrovica, etc.), 3) island isolation (Evvia) and 4) continuous long-term isolation without interruption or disturbance of speciation.     

Paleoceanographic conditions in the western Caribbean Sea for the last 560 kyr as inferred from planktonic foraminifera

Faunal analyses of planktonic foraminifera and upper-water temperature reconstructions with the modern analog technique are studied and compared to the magnetic susceptibility and gamma ray logs of ODP Core 999A (western Caribbean) for the past 560 kyr in order to explore changes in paleoceanographic conditions in the western Caribbean Sea. Long-term trends in the percentage abundance of planktonic foraminifera in ODP Core 999A suggest two hydrographic scenarios: before and after 480 ka. High percentage abundances of Neogloboquadrina pachyderma and Globorotalia inflata, low abundances of Globorotalia menardii and Globorotalia truncatulinoides, low diversity, and sea-surface temperatures (SST) under 24 °C are typical characteristics occurring from 480 to 560 ka. These characteristics suggest a “shallow” well-oxygenated upper thermocline and the influx of nutrients by either seasonal upwelling plumes and/or eddy-mediated entrainment. The second scenario occurred after 480 ka, and it is characterized by high and fluctuating percentage abundances of Neogloboquadrina dutertrei, G. truncatulinoides, G. menardii, Globigerinita glutinata, Globigerinella siphonifera, and Globigerinoides ruber; a declining trend in diversity; and large SSTs. These characteristics suggest a steady change from conditions characterized by a “shallow” thermocline and chlorophyll maximum to conditions characterized by a “deep” thermocline (mainly during glacial stages) and by more oligotrophic conditions. The influence of the subtropical North Atlantic on the upper thermocline was apparently larger during glacial stages, thus favoring a deepening of the thermocline, an increase in sea-surface salinity, and a dramatic reduction of nutrients in the Guajira upwelling system. During interglacial stages, the influx of nutrients from the Magdalena River is stronger, thus resulting in a deep chlorophyll maximum and a fresher upper ocean. The eddy entrainment of nutrients is the probable mechanism responsible of transport from the Guajira upwelling and Magdalena River plumes into ODP 999A site.     

The influence of spatial scale on the genetic structure of a widespread tropical wetland tree, Pterocarpus officinalis (Fabaceae)

Identifying factors that cause genetic differentiation in plant populations and the spatial scale at which genetic structuring can be detected will help to understand plant population dynamics and identify conservation units. In this study, we determined the genetic structure and diversity of Pterocarpus officinalis, a widespread tropical wetland tree, at three spatial scales: (1) drainage basin “watershed” (<10 km), (2) within Puerto Rico (<100 km), and (3) Caribbean-wide (>1000 km) using AFLP. At all three spatial scales, most of the genetic variation occurred within populations, but as the spatial scale increased from the watershed to the Caribbean region, there was an increase in the among population variation (Φ_ST=0.19 to Φ_ST=0.53). At the watershed scale, there was no significant differentiation (P=0.77) among populations in the different watersheds, although there was some evidence that montane and coastal populations differed (P<0.01). At the island scale, there was significant differentiation (P<0.001) among four populations in Puerto Rico. At the regional scale (>1000 km), we found significant differentiation (P<0.001) between island and continental populations in the Caribbean region, which we attributed to factors associated with the colonization history of P. officinalis in the Neotropics. Given that genetic structure can occur from local to regional spatial scales, it is critical that conservation recommendations be based on genetic information collected at the appropriate spatial scale.     

A preliminary analysis of distribution patterns in a large, pantropical genus, Barleria L. (Acanthaceae)

Barleria L. (Acanthaceae) is a large, polymorphic, widespread genus of herbs and shrubs comprising about 300 species, occurring mainly in Africa and Asia but with one species, Barleria oenotheroides Dum.Cours., extending to the New World tropics. Recent completion of a monographic infra-generic classification of the genus (in which seven sections are recognised, and the names of four of these validated in this paper—see Appendix 1), has facilitated a comprehensive analysis of distribution patterns on a global scale. The richest representation of Barleria is in Africa where there are two centres of diversity, one in tropical East Africa (about eighty species) and the other in southern Africa (about seventy species). The number of species tails off rapidly to both the Far East and the West. Barleria shows a marked trans-Atlantic disjunction between West Africa and the Neotropics, with B. oenotheroides shared by these two regions. This type of disjunction, which is known in other genera of the family, cannot be adequately explained in Barleria on the basis of long-distance dispersal or past continental movements. There is a high degree of regional endemism (e.g. 75% for the Indian subcontinent) at both the species and sectional levels within this genus. The degree of similarity between regions is correspondingly low. The endemics in each region tend to belong to only one or a few of the sections. There are few truly widespread taxa within the genus. East and West Africa are the only regions in which all sections are represented. Sections Barleria and Prionitis C.B. Cl. are the most widespread in the genus; Sections Somalia (Oliv.) Lindau, Fissimura M. Balkwill and Stellatohirtae M. Balkwill are mainly restricted to Africa and Sections Chrysothrix M. Balkwill and Cavirostrata M. Balkwill are the most restricted, occurring mainly in India and Sri Lanka. On a local scale, many of the species show highly restricted, clumped distributions; this is apparently related to particular soil types and possibly to the short-distance, ballistic mode of seed dispersal. This account of the biogeography of Barleria is to be regarded as preliminary, as much taxonomic work at the species level remains to be done before a full-scale cladistic biogeographic account can be undertaken. Particular areas worthy of future investigation include establishing the centre of origin of the genus and investigating the basis for the high degree of endemism shown by many of the species.