Reproductive features of the non-native Siganus luridus (Teleostei, Siganidae) during early colonization at Linosa Island (Sicily Strait, Mediterranean Sea)

In July 2003, the finding of a newly settled population of Siganus luridus at Linosa Island (Sicily Strait, Mediterranean Sea) gave us the unusual opportunity to examine the reproductive condition of a Lessepsian migrant during early phases of colonization. Aspects of gonad morphology, fecundity, atresia and oocyte dynamics were investigated by using 43 pioneer specimens collected in concomitance with their first record in the Pelagie Islands. Ovarian development was consistent with the group‐synchronous type, and testicular organization was of the unrestricted spermatogonial testis type, with cystic spermatogenesis. Both males and females had reached final stages of gonad maturation. The rates of follicular atresia were moderate: out of 17 adult females, 10 individuals did not present atretic oocytes; six exhibited <15.1% of secondary growth phase (SGP) oocytes in α‐atresia, while one female presented 45.7% of SGP in α‐atresia. Fecundity estimates did not diverge from what was observed in a reference population along the Lebanese coast. Absolute fecundity ranged from 115 739 to 740 433 oocytes per female (16.5–24.5 cm L_T). Relative fecundity ranged from 1239 to 3162 oocytes g⁻¹, with a mean of 1885 ± 868 oocytes g⁻¹. Our observations indicated that these early settled siganids are reproductively active at Linosa and suggested the forthcoming of self‐maintaining populations across the central Mediterranean area.     

Multi-Year Impacts of Ecotourism on Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus) Visitation at Ningaloo Reef,Western Australia

In-water viewing of sharks by tourists has become a popular and lucrative industry. There is some concern that interactions with tourists with ecotourism operations might harm sharks through disruption of behaviours. Here, we analysed five years of whale shark (Rhincodon typus) encounter data by an ecotourism industry at Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia, to assess the impact of ecotourism interactions on shark visitation, within the context of the biological and physical oceanography of the region. Our data base consisted of 2823 encounter records for 951 individual whale sharks collected by ecotourism operators between 2007 and 2011. We found that total encounters per whale shark and encounters per boat trip increased through time. On average, whale sharks re-encountered in subsequent years were encountered earlier, stayed longer and tended to be encountered more often within a season than sharks that were only encountered in a single year. Sequential comparisons between years did not show any patterns consistent with disturbance and the rate of departure of whale sharks from the aggregation was negatively correlated to the number of operator trips. Overall, our analysis of this multi-year data base found no evidence that interactions with tourists affected the likelihood of whale shark re-encounters and that instead, physical and biological environmental factors had a far greater influence on whale shark visitation rates. Our approach provides a template for assessing the effects of ecotourism interactions and environmental factors on the visitation patterns of marine megafauna over multiple years.     

Short- and long-term movements of painted lobster (Panulirus versicolor) on a coral reef at Northwest Island, Australia

Understanding movements of palinurid (spiny) lobsters is important to fisheries management. However, movement data obtained with mark-capture techniques are often influenced by artefacts (e.g., displacement, tag-loss, tag-induced injury). To avoid these problems, a novel approach was employed to investigate the movements of an important coral reef palinurid, the painted lobster (Panulirus versicolor). Eighty adult individuals were captured by hand near Northwest Island, Australia. Each lobster was tagged internally (with elastomer) and externally (with plastic zip-ties) to enable both short- (1–10 days) and long-term (6–24 months) observations. Shortly thereafter, all lobsters were manually returned to their shelters (dens). After 6–24 months, 44 lobsters were recaptured, giving an overall recapture rate of 55%. All of these individuals were recaptured within 500 m of their original den, thus indicating a high level of site-fidelity for this species. Short-term observations revealed that individuals moved frequently to and from nearby dens, and that male lobsters typically moved further than female lobsters. It is hypothesized that male lobsters move about their home range more actively, perhaps to seek mating opportunities or to defend resources. The significance of these observations is discussed with respect to the management of this important fishery resource.     

Eradication of the House Mouse (Mus musculus) from Montague Island,New South Wales,Australia

Summary Of all the introduced mammalian pests, rodents are the most common invaders of islands and have triggered numerous extinctions around the globe. They have a short gestation period and large litter size, giving them the ability to colonise new areas rapidly. The same biological traits make them difficult to eradicate. Although the biodiversity benefits of removing exotic rodents from islands are increasingly being recognised, there are few published analyses of eradication attempts that critically evaluate eradication tools. This study examined the response of House Mouse (Mus musculus) populations to an eradication operation on Montague Island, Australia. While the specific impacts of mice have not been studied on this particular island, elsewhere they have been shown to have negative impacts on a range of species including plants, invertebrates, lizards and seabirds. On Montague Island, mouse abundance across different habitats was examined using mark–recapture data collected before and after the deployment of brodifacoum baits. Data obtained before baiting showed significantly lower numbers of mice in sites dominated by exotic grass compared with those dominated by native vegetation. Mouse numbers overall were declining during winter and the population was not breeding, making this an optimal time to undertake the eradication. Trapping immediately after the initial bait drop failed to capture any survivors, and no individuals have been detected during the 3 years since the deployment of baits. This study demonstrated that both small and large baits (0.6 and 2 g pellets) were effective in eradicating the House Mouse from Montague Island. While present, mice were probably slowing the re‐establishment of native vegetation by grazing seedlings and consuming seeds. With this pest now gone, the process of natural regeneration is expected to accelerate. The eradication of the House Mouse from Montague is likely to have other positive effects on the island’s biodiversity. The operation itself contributed to enhancing local capacity to eradicate exotic rodents from larger or more complex islands.     

Pempheris gasparinii,a new species of sweeper fish from Trindade Island,southwestern Atlantic (Teleostei,Pempheridae)

Pempherisgaspariniisp. n. is described from five specimens, 59.1–68.0 mm in standard length. It is only known to occur in the shallow reefs of Trindade Island, 1200 km east of the Brazilian coast, in the southwestern Atlantic. Pempherisgasparinii is the third recognized species of Pempheris in the Atlantic Ocean. This new species is morphologically similar to its close relative, Pempherispoeyi, differing by the number of lateral-line scales (51–54 in Pempherisgasparinii vs. 47–49 in Pempherispoeyi), scales below lateral line (10–11 vs. 9), circumpeduncular scales (11–12 vs. 13), head and caudal peduncle lengths (2.7–3.3 vs 3.5–4.0 in head length). Moreover, Pempherisgasparinii shows a 4% genetic divergence from Pempherispoeyi at the cytochrome oxidase I locus (COI), consistent with a lineage split at the beginning of the Pleistocene. This new species represents the 12^th endemic fish species from Trindade Island.     

Review of the Palaearctic Acomopterella Zaitzev (Diptera,Sciaroidea, Mycetophilidae)

The distribution of Acomopterella species in the Palaearctic region has been re-examined in this study, using recently collected material. The European species was found to be distributed in the eastern Palaearctic as well. A second Palaearctic species from Honshu (Japan) is herein described. The morphology of adult specimens was studied by light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The shape of functional specialized setae on mid tibiae in Acomopterella and seven further fungus gnat genera is described and the suitability of this character for systematic studies is discussed. Details of a “hind tibial organ” are described.The position of Acomopterella in the tribe Gnoristini is briefly discussed. Acomopterella is found to be more closely related to Speolepta Edwards, 1925, than to any other recent genus.     

Hymenopteran parasitoids of the ant-eating spider Zodarion styliferum (Simon) (Araneae,Zodariidae)

Calymmochilus dispar Bouček & Andriescu (Hymenoptera, Eupelmidae) and Gelis apterus (Pontoppidan) (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) are newly recorded as parasitoids of the ant-eating spider Zodarion styliferum (Simon) (Araneae, Zodariidae). The larvae of both parasitoid species fed on juvenile spiders. The final instar larva and pupa of Calymmochilus dispar and the male of Gelis apterus are described for the first time. Both species represent new distribution records for Portugal. The biology and host associations of the parasitoids are discussed.     

Description of Caurinus tlagu,new species,from Prince of Wales Island,Alaska (Mecoptera,Boreidae, Caurininae)

A new species of the cryptic, minute, wingless, and enigmatic taxon Caurinus, and the second for the subfamily Caurininae,is described from Prince of Wales Island in the Alexander Archipelago, Alaska. It is distinguished from its only congener, Caurinus dectes Russell, 1979b, which occurs 1,059 km southeast in Oregon and Washington, based on external morphology and sequences of the mitochondrial gene cytochrome oxidase II. These two species are probably evolutionary relicts – the only known members of a clade dating to the Late Jurassic or older.     

Paridris Kieffer of the New World (Hymenoptera,Platygastroidea, Platygastridae)

Paridris in the New World is revised (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae). Fifteen species are described, of which 13 are new. Paridris aenea (Ashmead)(Mexico (Tamaulipas) and West Indies south to Bolivia and southern Brazil (Rio de Janeiro state)), Paridris armata Talamas, sp. n. (Venezuela), Paridris convexa Talamas, sp. n. (Costa Rica, Panama), Paridris dnophos Talamas, sp. n. (Mexico (Vera Cruz) south to Bolivia and central Brazil (Goiás)), Paridris gongylos Talamas & Masner, sp. n. (United States: Appalachian Mountains of Virginia, Tennessee, South Carolina), Paridris gorn Talamas & Masner, sp. n. (United States: Ohio south to Alabama, Georgia), Paridris invicta Talamas & Masner, sp. n. (Brazil: São Paulo), Paridris isabelicae Talamas & Masner, sp. n. (Cuba, Dominican Republic), Paridris lemete Talamas & Masner, sp. n. (Puerto Rico), Paridris minor Talamas, sp. n. (Cuba), Paridris nayakorum Talamas, sp. n. (Costa Rica), Paridris pallipes (Ashmead)(southeastern Canada, United States south to Costa Rica, also Brazil (São Paulo), Paridris psydrax Talamas & Masner, sp. n. (Argentina, Mexico, Paraguay, United States, Venezuela), Paridris saurotos Talamas, sp. n. (Jamaica), Paridris soucouyant Talamas & Masner, sp. n. (Colombia, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela). Paridris brevipennis Fouts, Paridris laeviceps (Ashmead), and Paridris nigricornis (Fouts) are treated as junior synonyms of Paridris pallipes; Paridris opaca is transferred to Probaryconus. Lectotypes are designated for Idris aenea Ashmead and Caloteleia aenea Ashmead.     

Revision of the Plant Bug Genus Tytthus (Hemiptera,Heteroptera, Miridae,Phylinae)

The phyline plant bug genus Tytthus Fieber, previously containing 19 species, is revised. Isoproba Osborn and Drake, 1915, incorrectly placed in the subfamily Bryocorinae, tribe Dicyphini, is synonymized as a junior synonym of Tytthus Fieber, syn. n.; the only included species, Isoproba picea Osborn and Drake is transferred to Tytthus, comb. n., as the senior synonym of Tytthus hondurensis Carvalho, syn. n.; and Tytthus koreanus Josifov and Kerzhner, 1972 is synonymized with Tytthus chinensis (Stål 1860), syn. n.; and a lectotype for Tytthus parviceps is designated. The six new species Tytthus femoralis from Cuba, Ecuador, Guatemala, Jamaica, Mexico, and Peru,Tytthus fuscicornis from New Mexico (USA), Tytthus mexicanus from Mexico, Tytthus pallidus from Brazil and Panama, Tytthus uniformis from Arizona and New Mexico (USA), and Tytthus wheeleri from the eastern United States are described, bringing the total number of species for the genus to 24. A color adult habitus illustration of Tytthus wheeleri, color photographs for each species (except Tytthus juturnaiba Carvalho and Wallerstein), illustrations of male genitalia, scanning electron photomicrographs of selected structures of certain species, and an identification key are provided to facilitate species recognition. A phylogenetic analysis is offered to help infer relationships.     

Food Uptake by the Insect-Parasitic Nematode,Sphaerularia bombi (Tylenchida)

The insect-parasitic female of Sphaerularia bombi everts its uterus and associated reproductive structures into the body cavity of its bumblebee host. This uterine sac then takes over the normal functions of the parasite and leads an independent existence. An examination of this sac shows that the surface of the uterine cells are differentiated into a network of saccular indentations separating off fine cytoplasmic extensions. The folding of adjacent cytoplasmic extensions around portions of the host''s hemolymph results in the formation of pinocytotic vacuoles. Intracellular vacuoles are also formed at the base of the saccular indentations. It appears that the first stage of intracellular digestion in S. bombi initially occurs by pinocytosis in the outer surface of the uterine cells. The inner and outer surfaces of the ovary and oviduct are modified into lobelike projections to increase the absorptive surface area, and electron-dense droplets originating in this tissue were also observed in the developing eggs. The hypothesis is presented that soluble nutrients are passed into the ovary-oviduct tissue where, after being reconstituted into droplets, they enter the developing eggs.     

The Impacts of Introduced Poeciliid Fish and Odonata on the Endemic Megalagrion (Odonata) Damselflies of Oahu Island, Hawaii

Since the beginning of this century there have been substantial declines in the distribution and abundance of native Megalagrion damselflies on the Hawaiian Island of Oahu. Native damselflies have also vanished from most low elevation areas on other Hawaiian Islands, although historically, lotic and wetland dwelling damselfly species were once common throughout the archipelago. It is hypothesized that poeciliid fish introduced for biological control have caused the decline of four stream-breeding damselfly species on Oahu, and the extinction or near-extinction of two other species in Hawaii. This study documents the presence of remnant Megalagrion populations in Oahu streams, wetlands and estuaries, and records the elevational distributions of introduced fish in each waterbody surveyed. The distributions of introduced Odonata are also recorded, because the seven species of damselflies and dragonflies introduced to Oahu since 1936 present another potential threat to native Hawaiian damselflies. Native damselfly and introduced poeciliid fish distributions were mutually exclusive on Oahu, and it is concluded that this is probably due to predation by the introduced fish. By contrast, even the rarest native Megalagrion damselflies were found in areas containing introduced damselflies and dragonflies.     

Revision of the European species of Omphale Haliday (Hymenoptera,Chalcidoidea, Eulophidae)

The European species of Omphale Haliday (Eulophidae: Entedoninae) are revised. The revision includes 37 species, of which eleven are newly described and the remaining 26 species are redescribed. The species are classified into six species groups, with six unplaced species. All species are fully diagnosed and thoroughly illustrated. Identification keys are provided for females and males. Two new morphological features to aid classification and identification are introduced: male genitalia and wing interference patterns (WIPs). The former has been used successfully in the classification of New World Omphale and the latter is used for the first time in a taxonomic revision. Male genitalia in Omphale have considerable interspecific variation, an unusual trait among chalcidoid Hymenoptera, and are demonstrated to be useful for classification of species and species-groups, and they also possess the only autapomorphy for Omphale. WIPs are useful to help separate some species, but cannot be used to define either the genus or species groups. Distributional data are compiled for each species and suggest a pan-european distribution for most species. Gall-midges are the known hosts for 14 species, and the absence of host overlap between species suggests that host specialization is a driving force for speciation. Several Omphale species are known only from females, or have a strong female biased sex ratio, suggesting thelytokous development. Apart from the 37 species included in this revision, the status for nine additional species (names) in species group aetius remain unsolved. For nomenclatorial stability, a neotype is designated for Eulophus lugens Nees (= Omphale lugens (Nees)). Elachestus obscurus Förster and Derostenus sulciscuta Thomson are transferred from Holcopelte to Omphale comb. n. Derostenus radialis Thomson and Achrysocharella americana Girault are synonymized with Omphale theana (Walker), and Omphale teresis Askew is synonymized with Omphale phruron (Walker), syn. n. The status of genus Pholema Graham is revised as it is removed from synonymy with Omphale and instead synonymized with Neochrysocharis Kurdjumov, syn. n., and the type species for Pholema, Pholema microstoma Graham, is transferred to Neochrysocharis, comb. n. Eugerium orbatum Szelényi, previously transferred to Omphale, is synonymized with Asecodes congruens (Nees), syn. n.     

Postembryonic Development of the Redwood Nematode,Rhizonema sequoiae (Nemata: Heteroderidae)

Second-stage larvae of Rhizonema sequoiae Cid del Prado Vera et al. developed into adult females in 6 months or adult males in 3 - 4 months on roots of Sequoia sempervirens maintained in a growth chamber at 16 C with a 12-hour light period. Under these conditions the second-stage larvae increased in diameter, the central cells of the genital primordium increased in size, and their nuclei enlarged. Mesenchymal cells accumulated in the esophageal and tail regions. Second-stage larvae become third-stage males or females 2 months after inoculation of redwood roots. Their sex could be distinguished by the ratio of length to width of the genital primordium, 3.4 for males and 1.6 for females. The stylet in both sexes became slender, the median bulb became robust and almost spherical, and rings of punctation on the cuticle were evident. Fourth-stage females developed in 3 months from the time of inoculation, and fourth-stage males in slightly less time. At this stage the females were more swollen than the males, the rectum was conspicuous, their reproductive system was in the process of elongation, and the annulation of the cuticle was more evident. The ratio of males to females was 2.3. Mature females were completely inside the roots and did not form cysts. The cuticle was entirely annulated, and the first eggs were detected inside the female 4 months after inoculation and started the production of abundant gelatin-like material. The new generation of second-stage larvae hatched inside the female 2 months after she matured, completing the life cycle in 8 months. The redwood nematode also completed its life cycle in 8 months under greenhouse conditions, but the ratio of males to females increased to 7.4. The entire nematode population died out at 25 C after 6 months. In a Marin County, California, forest, where this nematode occurs naturally, the temperature averaged only 9 C over the November to June period of this study, and the redwood nematode reached the fourth stage with a male-to-female ratio of 1.8.     

Revision of the Chinese species of Dialineura Rondani, 1856 (Diptera,Therevidae, Therevinae)

The genus Dialineura Rondani is reviewed from China. One species, Dialineura elongata sp. n. is described as new to science. Two species, Dialineura nigrofemorata Kröber and Dialineura gorodkovi Zaitzev, are recorded from China for the first time. The female information of Dialineura henanensis Yang is also included here. A key to all the male species in the world and a biogeography map of China are presented.     

Decline of Common Smelt (Retropinna retropinna) in Turbid,Eutrophic Lakes in the North Island of New Zealand

Hydrobiologia - Densities of larval smelt (Retropinna retropinna) and common bullies (Gobiomorphus cotidianus) were estimated by a closing Wisconsin drop-net on two occasions following the...