Hybridization success is largely limited to homoploid <Emphasis Type="Italic">Prunus</Emphasis> hybrids: a multidisciplinary approach

Prunus fruticosa is a rare shrub occurring in Eurasian thermophilous forest-steppe alliances. The species frequently hybridizes with cultivated Prunus species in Europe (allochthonous tetraploid P. cerasus and partly indigenous diploid P. avium). Propidium iodide flow cytometry, distance-based morphometrics, elliptic Fourier analysis and embryology were employed to evaluate the extent of hybridization in six Slovak populations. Flow cytometric analyses revealed three ploidy levels: diploid (P. avium), triploid (P. × mohacsyana) and tetraploid (P. fruticosa, P. × eminens and P. cerasus). In addition, P. fruticosa and P. cerasus, at the tetraploid level, were found to differ in absolute genome size. An embryological evaluation suggested the existence of a triploid block in P. × mohacsyana and significant potential for hybridization among tetraploid taxa (indicated also by a continuous distribution of genome size data and further mirrored by morphometrics). Although hybrids significantly differ in ploidy level and embryological characteristics, they are almost indistinguishable using morphological characters. Hybridization with P. cerasus thus turns out to be a significant threat to wild populations of P. fruticosa compared to the relatively weak influence of P. avium.     

Mid-Pliocene bald ibis (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Geronticus</Emphasis> cf. <Emphasis Type="Italic">calvus</Emphasis>; Aves: Threskiornithidae) from the Cradle of Humankind,Gauteng, South Africa and its environmental and evolutionary implications

We document the presence of the bald ibis genus Geronticus Wagler, 1832 (Aves: Threskiornithidae) from the mid-Pliocene (ca. 3–3.5 Ma) of South Africa based on an incomplete skull from the Bolt’s Farm Cave System (Cradle of Humankind, Gauteng, South Africa). The fossil cranium is distinct on morphometric and structural grounds from Geronticus apelex, the only other Pliocene Geronticus described from Southern Africa, but is very close in dimensions and general morphology to the extant G. calvus of South Africa, and the Bolt’s Farm fossil ibis is therefore attributed to G. cf. calvus. Modern Geronticus ibises are localised to temperate, open grasslands and semi-arid steppe, and nest exclusively on cliffs and similar rocky eminences. Given its attribution as G. cf. calvus, the Bolt’s Farm ibis was likely similar in ecology to the extant G. calvus, suggesting that the habitat surrounding the Bolt’s Farm fossil site during the mid-Pliocene featured open grassland and presence of cliffs. This record constrains the divergence between G. calvus and its putative ancestor G. apelex to the mid-Pliocene and implies that G. calvus has possibly been subject to “evolutionary/morphological stasis” for more than 3 million years. This postulated stasis would be consistent with the notion that extant genera with few species (i.e. high genus-to-species ratios) show low rates of phenotypic diversification and change through the Neogene.     

Neogene phasianids (Aves: Phasianidae) of Central Asia: 1. Genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Tologuica</Emphasis> gen. nov.

A new genus, Tologuica, with two species (T. aurorae sp. nov. and T. karhui sp. nov.), from the Middle Miocene of the Sharga locality (western Mongolia) is described. The new genus shares some characters with the extinct genera Palaeocryptonyx, Palaeortyx, and Plioperdix and with extant Coturnix. The foot structure suggests that Tologuica resembled in ecology the European genus Palaeortyx and was probably adapted to an arboreal mode of life, in contrast to the terrestrial Coturnix and Plioperdix.     

Contrasting the early life histories of sympatric Arctic gadids <Emphasis Type="Italic">Boreogadus saida</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Arctogadus glacialis</Emphasis> in the Canadian Beaufort Sea

The early life stages of Boreogadus saida and Arctogadus glacialis are morphologically similar, making it difficult to assess differences in their ecological niche. The present study documented for the first time the early life stage ecology of A. glacialis, compared it to that of B. saida, and identified the factors separating the niches of the two sympatric species. The 10,565 larval gadids collected in the Beaufort Sea from April to August of 2004 and 2008 were identified to species either directly by genetics and/or otolith nucleus size, or indirectly with a redistribution procedure. Between 8.0 and 8.7 % of all gadids were assigned to A. glacialis. Larvae of A. glacialis were longer at hatch and experienced lower mortality rates than those of B. saida. The two species shared similar spatiotemporal and vertical distributions, hatching season, and growth rate. Under the ice, feeding incidence of B. saida was low (14 %) relative to A. glacialis (88 %). At lengths <15 mm, both species specialized on different prey. The diet of fish >15 mm overlapped (Schoener’s index = 0.7), with Calanus glacialis and C. hyperboreus providing >50 % of the carbon intake of both species. The higher mortality in B. saida may be explained by the smaller size at age from hatching to metamorphosis and a lower under-ice feeding incidence. The early larval stage appears to be the key period of niche divergence between the two species.     

Taxonomic and phylogenetic studies reveal a new species from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Funalia gallica</Emphasis> complex (Polyporales,Basidiomycota)

Taxonomic and phylogenetic studies of the Funalia gallica species complex and its related species were carried out. The phylogenetic analyses were based on datasets of either combined ITS, nrLSU and RPB2 sequences or single ITS sequences. The results reveal that at least four strongly hispid to strigose Funalia species can be recognised, i.e. the cosmopolitan F. trogii, Eurasian F. gallica, North American “F. gallica” and a new species F. subgallica discovered from tropical China. Morphologically, F. subgallica is characterised by its strongly hispid to strigose pileal surface, large pores (1–3 per mm) and basidiospores (11–15?×?4–5 μm).     

Two new species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bothriocephalus</Emphasis> Rudolphi, 1808 (Cestoda: Bothriocephalidea) from marine fish off Australia and New Caledonia

Two new species of bothriocephalidean tapeworms, Bothriocephalus australis n. sp. from the flatheads Platycephalus bassensis Cuvier (type host) and P. aurimaculatus Knapp off southern Australia and B. celineae n. sp. from a hybrid serranid Cephalopholis aurantia (Val.) × C. spiloparaea (Val.) from off New Caledonia, are described. B. australis is unique in the possession of the combination of the three characters: an elongate, obliquely situated cirrus-sac; a wide genital atrium surrounded by chromophilic cells; and a well-developed apical disc. B. celineae is typified by the presence of a low number of testes per segment (14–26), forming one or two incomplete longitudinal bands on each side of segment, and the small size of the strobila (total length 24 mm) which consists of less than 100 segments.     

Gene structure of the pregnancy-associated glycoprotein-like (PAG-L) in the Eurasian beaver (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Castor fiber</Emphasis> L.)

The pregnancy-associated glycoprotein-like family (PAG-L) is a large group of chorionic products, expressed in the pre-placental trophoblast and later in the post-implantational chorionic epithelium, and are involved in proper placenta development and embryo-maternal interaction in eutherians. This study describes identification of the PAG-L family in the genome of the Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber L.), named CfPAG-L. We identified 7657 bp of the CfPAG-L gDNA sequence (Acc. No. KX377932), encompassing nine exons (1–9) and eight introns (A–H). The length of the CfPAG-L exons (59–200 bp) was equivalently similar to the only known counterparts of bPAG1, bPAG2, and pPAG2. The length of the CfPAG-L introns ranged 288–1937 bp and was completely different from previously known PAG introns. The exonic CfPAG-L regions revealed 50.3–72.9% homology with equivalent segments of bPAG1 and pPAG2 structure. The intronic CfPAG-L regions alignments revealed a lack of homology. Within the entire CfPAG-L gene, 31 potential single nucleotide variants (SNV: 7 transversions and 24 transitions) were predicted. The identified exonic polymorphic loci did not affect the amino acid sequence of the CfPAG-L polypeptide precursor. This is the first report describing the CfPAG-L gene sequence, structural organization, and SNVs in the Eurasian beaver, one of the largest rodents.     

Age-based demography and reproductive biology of three <Emphasis Type="Italic">Epinephelus</Emphasis> groupers, <Emphasis Type="Italic">E. polyphekadion,E. tauvina,</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">E. howlandi</Emphasis> (Serranidae), inhabiting coral reefs in Okinawa

The demography and reproductive biology of three Epinephelus groupers (Serranidae), namely E. polyphekadion, E. tauvina, and E. howlandi in the Yaeyama Islands, Okinawa, were examined based on age assessment using otoliths and gonadal histology. The maximum ages for these three species were 26 year, 23 year, and 17 year. The von Bertalanffy growth functions were also determined for each species. The size and age at 50% female maturity were estimated to be 358 mm in total length (TL) and 6.0 year for E. polyphekadion, 371 mm TL and 6.7 year for E. tauvina, and 327 mm TL and 4.1 year for E. howlandi, respectively. Significant differences between the sexes in size and age frequencies were found in all three species, with males being larger and older than females, or transitional individuals. These results strongly indicated that the population of these three grouper species showed monandric protogynous hermaphroditism. The sex ratios of E. polyphekadion and E. tauvina were biased in favor of females, but that of E. howlandi was equivalent between sexes. The relative sizes of ripe testes indicated that the intensity of sperm competition varied among species suggesting different mating system of each species. Reproductive seasonality was similar among species, with active vitellogenesis coinciding with the annual rise in water temperature. The active spawning period was determined to be between April and May for E polyphekadion, in May for E. howlandi, and from March to June for E. tauvina.     

Continued feeding on <Emphasis Type="Italic">Diporeia</Emphasis> by deepwater sculpin in Lake Huron

Monitoring changes in diets of fish is essential to understanding how food web dynamics respond to changes in native prey abundances. In the Great Lakes, Diporeia, a benthic macroinvertebrate and primary food of native benthivores, declined following the introduction of invasive Dreissena mussels and these changes were reflected in fish diets. We examined the diets of deepwater sculpin Myoxocephalus thompsonii collected in bottom trawls during 2010–2014 in the main basin of Lake Huron, and compared these results to an earlier diet study (2003–2005) to assess if their diets have continued to change after a prolonged period of Dreissena mussel invasion and declined Diporeia densities. Diporeia, Mysis, Bythotrephes, and Chironomidae were consumed regularly and other diet items included ostracods, copepods, sphaerid clams, and fish eggs. The prey-specific index of relative importance calculated for each prey group indicated that Mysis importance increased at shallow (≤55 m) and mid (64–73 m) depths, while Diporeia importance increased offshore (≥82 m). The average number of Diporeia consumed per fish increased by 10.0% and Mysis decreased by 7.5%, while the frequency of occurrence of Diporeia and Mysis remained comparable between time periods. The weight of adult deepwater sculpin (80 mm and 100 mm TL bins) increased between time periods; however, the change in weight was only significant for the 80 mm TL group (p?<?0.01). Given the historical importance of Diporeia in the Great Lakes, the examination of deepwater sculpin diets provides unique insight into the trophic dynamics of the benthic community in Lake Huron.     

Chemical and molecular identification of the invasive termite <Emphasis Type="Italic">Zootermopsis nevadensis</Emphasis> (Isoptera: Archotermopsidae) in Japan

Numerous termite species have been introduced outside their native ranges by human transport, and some have become invasive. The dampwood termite Zootermopsis nevadensis (Hagen), which is native to western North America, has been introduced to and become established in Kawanishi City, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. Zootermopsis nevadensis is subdivided into two subspecies based on cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) phenotypes: Z. nevadensis nevadensis and Z. nevadensis nuttingi (Haverty and Thorne). Here, we identified Z. nevadensis in Japan as hybrids between the two subspecies. Chemical analysis showed the presence of 7,15-dimethylhenicosane and 5,17-dimethylhenicosane in the CHCs of Z. nevadensis in Japan, corresponding to the CHC phenotype of Z. n. nevadensis. Conversely, all mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I sequences of Z. nevadensis in Japan were identical to sequences from Z. n. nuttingi and hybrids between the two subspecies from a native hybrid zone in California, USA. In addition, phylogenetic analysis showed that Z. nevadensis in Japan formed a clade with Z. n. nuttingi and hybrids between the two subspecies. Our results show discordance between the chemical and genetic features of Z. nevadensis in Japan, indicating that individuals of Z. nevadensis in Japan are hybrids between the two subspecies.     

Monitoring small and arboreal mammals by camera traps: effectiveness and applications

Camera trapping has been widely applied to studies of medium to large terrestrial mammals, but its application to small arboreal mammals has hardly been tested. We employed camera trapping and other conventional monitoring methods during a mammal survey in a Site of Community Importance located within the Adda North Regional Park (Lombardy, Italy). Camera trapping was particularly successful for monitoring arboreal mammals, allowing the first detection of presence of the invasive grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) in an area occupied by indigenous red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) and the collection of a large amount of data on squirrels and common dormice (Muscardinus avellanarius). When triggered, cameras were set to record short video clips (10 to 40 s). More than 400 events were recorded and analysed, mainly from the autumn and winter months. The daily activity pattern of both species displayed a trend from two to three activity peaks in summer to a unimodal pattern in winter, with the peaks of the two species temporally separated. Camera trapping could be a useful method also when applied to monitoring small mammals, particularly endangered arboreal or invasive alien species. For instance, the monitoring of the spread of S. carolinensis is particularly important, where the early detection of new population can be crucial for the conservation of indigenous European species. Camera trapping can be an effective addition to traditional survey methods. It provides a simple non-invasive technique for collecting a large amount of data per device with limited human effort.     

Age validation and seasonal growth patterns of a subtropical marsh fish: The Gulf Killifish, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fundulus grandis</Emphasis>

Fundulus grandis (Baird and Girard), the Gulf Killifish, is an abundant species throughout the marshes of the northern Gulf of Mexico. Its wide distribution and high site fidelity makes it an ideal indicator species for brackish and salt marshes, which experience a variety of anthropogenic disturbances. Despite the ecological, commercial, and scientific importance of F. grandis, age determination methods have not been validated and little is known of its growth pattern. By combining a tag-recapture study with a chemical marker to stain otoliths, we validated an ageing method for F. grandis adults (49–128 mm TL) using whole sagittal otoliths and determined growth rates of recaptured individuals in winter (n = 58) and summer (n = 36) in Louisiana. Mean somatic growth in length was significantly greater during the winter (0.085 mm d^?1) than summer (0.054 mm d^?1). In contrast, mean otolith growth was significantly greater in summer (1.37 μm d^?1) than winter (0.826 μm d^?1). The uncoupling of somatic and otolith growth may be primarily attributed to warm summer temperatures, which led to enhanced otolith growth while simultaneously reducing somatic growth. Fundulus grandis was aged to a maximum of 2.25 years. The parameters of the von Bertalanffy growth model were estimated as: L _∞  = 87.27 mm, k = 2.43 year^?1, and t ₀ = ?0.022. These findings reveal essential age and growth information for F. grandis and provide a benchmark to evaluate responses to environmental disturbances.     

Age and growth assessment of western North Atlantic spiny butterfly ray <Emphasis Type="Italic">Gymnura altavela</Emphasis> (L. 1758) using computed tomography of vertebral centra

Life history strategies of batoid fishes have evolved within dynamic marine ecosystems. Adaptations in reproductive and developmental biology are paramount to the survival of species, and therefore knowledge of growth rates to maturity is fundamental for identifying constraints on the conservation of populations. The butterfly rays (Myliobatiformes: Gymnuridae) are highly derived batoids with generally low reproductive potentials for which age and growth information remains unknown. In this study we applied high-resolution X-ray computed tomography (HRXCT) to vertebral centra from a stingray for the first time to estimate age, and used a multimodel approach to investigate growth of spiny butterfly ray, Gymnura altavela. Estimated ages of the oldest male and female were 11 and 18 yrs. at disk widths (WD) 1355 mm and 2150 mm, respectively. Disk width-at-age data were analyzed using three growth models (von Bertalanffy, logistic, Gompertz), and the most parsimonious and empirically supported model was the logistic function with sex treated as a fixed effect on asymptotic disk width (WD _∞ ) and k parameters. Model parameter estimates were (males) WD _∞  = 1285.46 ± 67.27 mm, k = 0.60 ± 0.10, and (females) WD _∞  = 2173.51 ± 129.78 mm, k = 0.27 ± 0.04. Results indicated sexually dimorphic growth patterns, with males growing faster and reaching asymptotic size at earlier ages than females. These age and growth results are the first reported for the genus, and suggest that G. altavela grows at a similar rate as some teleosts and batoids, and relatively fast among chondrichthyans.     

Multi-locus phylogeny and morphology reveal five new species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fomitiporia</Emphasis> (Hymenochaetaceae) from China

Five newly identified species of Fomitiporia (F. alpina, F. gaoligongensis, F. hainaniana, F. subrobusta and F. subtropica) and their morphological and molecular characterisation are described in this paper. Fomitiporia alpina sp. nov. is distinguished by its pileate basidiomata, parallel tramal hyphae and large basidiospores (6.5–8 × 6–8 μm), and by its gymnosperm wood-living habitat. Fomitiporia gaoligongensis sp. nov. is distinct from other species due to its semicircular pileus and subglobose to globose basidiospores (6.5–7.6 × 6–7.4 μm). Fomitiporia hainaniana sp. nov. is marked by its resupinate basidiomata, the presence of setae and small globose basidiospores (4–5 × 3.8–4.4 μm). Fomitiporia subrobusta sp. nov. is characterised by its triquetrous basidiomata, small pores (6–9 per mm) with entire and thick dissepiments, and subglobose to obovoid basidiospores (6.2–6.8 × 5.2–6 μm). Fomitiporia subtropica sp. nov. can be differentiated by its resupinate basidiomata, smaller pores (6–10 per mm) and smaller basidiospores (5.2–6 × 4.4–5 μm). Phylogenetic analysis, based on multi-gene comparison of the internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS), nuclear large subunit ribosomal RNA gene regions (nLSU), the translation elongation factor 1-α gene (tef1α) and the second subunit of RNA polymerase II (rpb2), confirmed affinity with the Fomitiporia species and showed association with similar fungi in the genus.     

Composition and diversity of the bacterial community in snow leopard (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Uncia uncia</Emphasis>) distal gut

Intestinal microflora influences many essential metabolic functions, and is receiving increasing attention from the scientific community. However, information on intestinal microbiota, especially for large wild carnivores, is insufficient. In the present study, the bacterial community in the feces of snow leopards (Uncia uncia) was described based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. A total of 339 near-full-length 16S rRNA gene sequences representing 46 non-redundant bacterial phylotypes (operational taxonomical units, OTUs) were identified in fecal samples from four healthy snow leopards. Four different bacterial phyla were identified: Firmicutes (56.5 %), Actinobacteria (17.5 %), Bacteroidetes (13 %), and Proteobacteria (13 %). The phylum Actinobacteria was the most abundant lineage, with 40.4 % of all identified clones, but Clostridiales, with 50 % of all OTUs, was the most diverse bacterial order. The order Clostridiales was affiliated with four families: Clostridiaceae I, Lachnospiraceae, Peptostreptococcaceae, and Ruminococcaceae. Lachnospiraceae was the most diverse family with 17 OTUs identified. These findings were basically consistent with previous reports on the bacterial diversity in feces from other mammals.     

Mammals in Last 30 to 7 ka Interval (Late Pleistocene-Early Holocene) in Southern Uruguay (Santa Lucía River Basin): Last Occurrences,Climate, and Biogeography

Fossiliferous Quaternary sedimentary beds in the Santa Lucía Basin (southern Uruguay) are potentially useful for the study of the last occurrences of extinct taxa, as well as the environmental and climatic patterns in the late Pleistocene to the early Holocene. They have provided a chronological framework (AMS ¹⁴C and Optically Stimulated Luminescence dates), a mammalian diversity and interpretations of last occurrence, the climatic-environmental setting, and some associated biogeographic processes. The ages produced encompass the last 30 to 7 ka interval (latest Pleistocene-early Holocene). The mammalian assemblage (36 genera, 24 species) includes typical South American late Pleistocene mammals, extinct species of extant genera, and some extant species that still exist elsewhere on the continent. The preservation pattern includes articulated and semi-articulated skeletons of large and small mammals. The presence in the southern Uruguayan Pampean area of some mammals currently inhabiting Patagonia, northwest and central Argentina (Dolichotis, Galea, Microcavia, Chaetophractus, Lagostomus, and Vicugna) is explained by the predominance of open areas and cold climates associated with the Last Glacial Maximum. The mammalian record depicts local extinctions or shifting ranges occurring in latest Pleistocene or early Holocene. The sedimentary chronological framework and taphonomic features suggest the persistence into the early Holocene of Eutatus seguini, Morenelaphus brachyceros, Equus neogeus, Hemiauchenia sp., Lama sp., and Vicugna sp. Glyptodon and Glossotherium seem to persist at least to the latest Pleistocene. This pattern can substantiate the hypothesis that some megafauna and large mammals persisted for some millennia alongside people with extinction occurring before, during, and after human colonization.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Lactobacillus plantarum</Emphasis> as a Probiotic Potential from Kouzeh Cheese (Traditional Iranian Cheese) and Its Antimicrobial Activity

The aim of this study is to isolate and identify Lactobacillus plantarum isolates from traditional cheese, Kouzeh, and evaluate their antimicrobial activity against some food pathogens. In total, 56 lactic acid bacteria were isolated by morphological and biochemical methods, 12 of which were identified as Lactobacillus plantarum by biochemical method and 11 were confirmed by molecular method. For analyzing the antimicrobial activity of these isolates properly, diffusion method was performed. The isolates were identified by 318 bp band dedicated for L. plantarum. The isolated L. plantarum represented an inhibitory activity against four of the pathogenic bacteria and showed different inhibition halos against each other. The larger halos were observed against Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis (15 ± 0.3 and 14.8 ± 0.7 mm, respectively). The inhibition halo of Escherichia coli was smaller than that of other pathogen and some L. plantarum did not show any inhibitory activity against E. coli, which were resistant to antimicrobial compounds produced by L. plantarum. The isolated L. plantarum isolates with the antimicrobial activity in this study had strong probiotic properties. These results indicated the nutritional value of Kouzeh cheese and usage of the isolated isolates as probiotic strains.     

Dental Eruption Series and Replacement Pattern in Miocene <Emphasis Type="Italic">Prosantorhinus</Emphasis> (Rhinocerotidae) as Revealed by Macroscopy and X-ray: Implications for Ontogeny and Mortality Profile

Fossil evidence of complete sequences of dental ontogeny in extinct mammals is rare but contains valuable information on the animal’s physiology, life history, and individual age. Here, we analyzed an exceptionally high number of juvenile dentaries at different developmental stages including highly fragile tooth germs of the extinct rhinoceros Prosantorhinus germanicus from the Miocene fossil lagerstätte Sandelzhausen in Germany. We used dental wear stages, eruption stages, and tooth germ development in order to reconstruct the tooth replacement pattern for P. germanicus. The results allow for the distinction of 11 dental eruption stages and document a tooth eruption sequence of (d2, d3), (d1, d4), m1, m2, p2, p3, p4, m3; a pattern identical to that reported for the extant African rhinoceros, Diceros bicornis. Moreover, our findings indicate that P. germanicus falls into the life history category of slow-growing, long-living mammals. The dental eruption stages of the fossil rhinoceros were correlated with data of living rhinoceroses in order to gain insight into the age-at-death distribution of P. germanicus at Sandelzhausen. The juvenile mortality profile of P. germanicus shows a trend of selective mortality at an inferred age range of about 3 months to 3 years. As this age range represents a life phase of increased natural risk of mortality, our findings indicate a gradual accumulation of corpses (attritional fossil assemblage). This result supports the interpretation of a taphocenosis found at the Sandelzhausen fossil site.     

Airborne pollen in the El-Hadjar town (Algeria NE)

The diversity of airborne pollen grains in El-Hadjar town (northeast Algeria) was measured for 1 year, from July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2013, by means of the gravimetric method using Durham apparatus. The total number of pollen grains/cm² was calculated from slides that were changed daily. This aerobiological study documented the air concentration of pollen from 50 taxa, where 28 belonged to arboreal and 22 to non-arboreal taxa. The percentage of pollen from arboreal and non-arboreal taxa was 56 and 44 %, respectively. From the list, the major collected taxa causing allergy in humans dominant in the Mediterranean area were Cupressaceae (14.86 %), Olea sp. (7.18 %), Casuarina sp. (6.44 %), and Fraxinus sp. (3.83 %) among arboreal plants, whereas for the non-arboreal plants Poaceae (23.20 %), Mercurialis sp. (12.58 %), Plantago sp. (1.69 %), Urticaceae (0.95 %), and Chenopodiaceae (0.85 %). The highest pollen counts occurred in the period from February to April. The pollen calendar for the region presented in this paper may be a useful tool for allergologists and botanical awareness.     

Establishment of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Anolis sagrei</Emphasis> on Bermuda represents a novel ecological threat to Critically Endangered Bermuda skinks (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Plestiodon longirostris</Emphasis>)

Bermuda is an isolated, oceanic island with only one endemic terrestrial vertebrate, the Critically Endangered Bermuda skink (Plestiodon longirostris; Squamata, Scincidae). Major declines in P. longirostris populations have been caused primarily by habitat loss and mortality via invasive species (e.g., predation from birds and cats) and human waste products (e.g., trapped in discarded bottles). However, biotic interactions and interspecific competition with invasive lizards have also been identified as potentially detrimental to P. longisrostris populations. Here, we provide the first occurrence records of a highly invasive lizard, the Cuban brown anole (Anolis sagrei), on Bermuda. We assess the brown anole’s diet, habitat use, morphology, and island-wide distribution for comparison to the native skink, P. longirostris. Results of this study indicate that A. sagrei in Bermuda are highly terrestrial (>60% of all lizards observed on the ground vs. in trees) and forage primarily on terrestrial invertebrates. These data indicate substantial ecological overlap with the exclusively-terrestrial P. longirostris. This is in contrast to the other established non-native lizards on Bermuda, which are principally arboreal and have successfully coexisted with P. longirostris for >60 years. At present, the geographic distributions of A. sagrei and P. longirostris do not overlap. However, all extant skink populations are within several kilometers of brown anole populations (with the nearest being <0.5 km). The extensive overlap in ecological niche between the Bermuda skink and the invasive brown anole will likely present a serious conservation threat if contact is made. This study is exceptional in providing clear in situ ecological data which predict a conservation threat of an established invasive species to a Critically Endangered island endemic prior to coexistence. Continued monitoring of this situation as P. longirostris and A. sagrei inevitably come into contact will allow these a priori hypotheses of conservation risk via ecological overlap to be tested.