A preliminary study of the genetic differences in New Zealand oystercatcher species

Abstract

The taxonomy of New Zealand oyster‐catchers is controversial. Some authorities assign full species status to all three oystercatcher taxa breeding in New Zealand, whereas others classify the variable oystercatcher as a full species and the Chatham island oystercatcher and South island pied oystercatcher as distinct only at the subspecies level. The debate is not just of academic interest, as the IUCN lists the Chatham island oystercatcher as endangered and the New Zealand department of Conservation has carried an intensive management programme to conserve it. We obtained genetic data from four regions of the mitochondrial genome of all three taxa, and found support for classifying the Chatham island and South island pied oystercatchers as full species, rather than subspecies.     

New Zealand Lepidoptera: Basic biogeography

Abstract

The composition of the New Zealand Lepidoptera fauna is briefly described, and affinities within Tortricidae analysed. Sixty-five genera are used to indicate four possible sets of relationships, but shortcomings of taxonomic interpretations are outlined. Except for species with a wide dispersal range (some 6% of the fauna) most show affinities consonant with terrane biogeography. The panbiogeographic methodology is a potent tool in systematics, giving direction to the research effort.     

Reinstatement of a New Zealand copper butterfly,Lycaena rauparaha (Fereday, 1877)

Abstract

Previous confusion over the nomenclature and status of the New Zealand copper butterflies is reviewed. Lycaena rauparaha n. comb., which has been regarded as a variety of L. salustius in recent literature, is reinstated and adult, larval, and pupal characters are described. Its distinctions from L. salustius and L. feredayi are tabulated and a key to this species complex is given.     

Earthquake impacts in old‐growth Nothofagus forests in New Zealand

Abstract. Six stands located on different land forms in mixed old‐growth Nothofagus forests in the Matiri Valley (northwest of South Island, New Zealand) were sampled to examine the effects of two recent large earthquakes on tree establishment and tree‐ring growth, and how these varied across land forms. 50 trees were cored in each stand to determine age structure and the cores were cross‐dated to precisely date unusual periods of radial growth. The 1968 earthquake (M = 7.1, epicentre 35 km from the study area) had no discernible impact on the sampled stands. The impact of the 1929 earthquake (M = 7.7, epicentre 20 km from the study area) varied between stands, depending on whether or not they had been damaged by soil or rock movement. In all stands, the age structures showed a pulse of N. fusca establishment following the 1929 earthquake, with this species dominating establishment in large gaps created by landslides. Smaller gaps, created by branch or tree death, were closed by both N. fusca and N. menziesii. The long period of releases (1929–1945) indicates that direct earthquake damage was not the only cause of tree death, and that many trees died subsequently most likely of pathogen attack or a drought in the early 1930s. The impacts of the 1929 earthquake are compared to a storm in 1905 and a drought in 1974–1978 which also affected forests in the region. Our results confirm that earthquakes are an important factor driving forest dynamics in this tectonically active region, and that the diversity of earthquake impacts is a major source of heterogeneity in forest structure and regeneration.     

Fungi attacking the blue-green lucerne aphid in New Zealand

Abstract

The blue-green lucerne aphid, Acyrthosiphon kondoi, is attacked on lucerne in New Zealand by the entomophthoraceous fungi Entomophthora aphidis and E. ignobilis (= E. thaxteriana). E. aphidis appeared to be the most pathogenic of the two species, causing an epizootic in one of the sampled fields which was severely infested by the aphid.     

A review of the genera of Macariini with a revised classification of the tribe (Geometridae: Ennominae)

The generic classification of moths of the tribe Macariini Guenée is reviewed critically, and a revised classification is presented. The review is based on a survey of species across the taxonomic and geographical range of the tribe. In the new framework, the number of genera is reduced considerably. Two genera are very large: Macaria Curtis (mainly New World) and Chiasmia Hübner (largely Old World) together include over half of all macariine species. Twenty-three genera are accepted in the tribe; the identity of two genera remain uncertain. No single character defines the tribe, but diagnostic features include one or more of the following: the presence of enlarged setae ('horns') on the uncus in the male genitalia; a divided valva; and a modified condition of sternum A8 in the male. The taxonomic history of the tribe is reviewed briefly and the problems of previous systems are explained mainly by the regional approach adopted. A diagnosis is presented for each genus. © 2002 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2002, 134 , 257–315.     

The abundance,distribution and structural characteristics of tree‐holes in Nothofagus forest,New Zealand

Tree‐holes provide an important microhabitat that is used for feeding, roosting and breeding by numerous species around the world. Yet despite their ecological importance for many of New Zealand's endangered species, few studies have investigated the abundance or distribution of tree‐holes in native forests. We used complementary ground and climbed tree surveys to determine the abundance, distribution and characteristics of tree‐holes in undisturbed Nothofagus forest in the Lewis Pass, New Zealand. We found that hole‐bearing trees were surprisingly abundant compared with many other studies, including Australian Eucalyptus species and American beech. In fact, we estimated as many as 3906 tree‐holes per hectare, of which 963 holes per hectare were potentially large enough to provide roost sites for hole‐nesting bats in New Zealand, while only eight holes per hectare were potentially suitable for specialist hole‐nesting birds. This was of great interest as primary cavity‐excavating animals are absent from New Zealand forests, compared with North America and Australia. Moreover, tree‐hole formation in New Zealand is likely to be dominated by abiotic processes, such as branch breakage from windstorms and snow damage. As has been found in many other studies, tree‐holes were not uniformly distributed throughout the forest. Tree‐holes were significantly more abundant on the least abundant tree species, Nothofagus fusca, than on either N. menziesii or N. solandri. In addition to tree species, tree size was also an important factor influencing the structural characteristics of tree‐holes and their abundance in this forest. Moreover, these trends were not fully evident without climbed tree surveys. Our results revealed that ground‐based surveys consistently underestimated the number of tree‐holes present on Nothofagus trees, and illustrate the importance of using climbed inspections where possible in tree‐hole surveys. We compare our results with other studies overseas and discuss how these are linked to the biotic and abiotic processes involved in tree‐hole formation. We consider the potential implications of our findings for New Zealand's hole‐dwelling fauna and how stand dynamics and past and future forest management practices will influence the structural characteristics of tree‐holes and their abundance in remnant forest throughout New Zealand.     

Arthropoda of the subantarctic islands of New Zealand

Six gripopterygid stonefly species are found on New Zealand's subantarctic islands. They belong to the genera Apteryoperla and Aucklandobius, which are endemic to New Zealand and those islands. The only winged species, Aucklandobius complementarius Enderlein, is found on the Auckland Islands with A. gressitti n.sp., Apteryoperla turbotti lilies, and A. kuscheli n.sp. Campbell Island is inhabited by Apteryoperla campbelli lilies and A. longicauda lilies; there is also a doubtful record of Aucklandobius complementarius. All Apteryoperla species except longicauda have terrestrial larvae.     

Eulimid gastropods parasitic on echinoderms in the New Zealand region

Abstract

Eulimindae (Prosobranchia) of the New Zealand region that parasitise echinoderms are recorded and discussed. Fuscapex ophioacanthicola n.gen. & sp. is parasitic on Ophioacantha sp., Ophieulima fuscoapicata n.sp. is a parasite of Ophioactis profundi Lütken & Mortensen, Punctifera ophiomoefrae n.gen. & sp. lives partly buried among the radial shields of Ophiomoeris projecta Matsumato, and Stilapex sp. is recorded, but not described, from Ophiothrix oliveri Benham (all hosts ophiuroids). Stilifer sp. lives in galls in an undescribed oreasterid (Asteroidea). Annulobalcis marshalli n.sp. is described from Crotalometra rustica (A. H. Clark) (Crinoidea). Eulima infrapatula Murdoch & Suter is transferred to Sabinella Monterosato and recorded from Ogmocidaris benhami Mortensen; Fusceulima goodingi n.sp. is described from Centrostephanus rodgersi (A. Agassiz) (both hosts echinoids). Two earlier records of sea urchin parasites from New Zealand are discussed, and the species are referred to Pelseneeria.     

Typhlocybinae of New Zealand (Homoptera: Cicadellidae)

Two tribes of the subfamily Typhlocybinae are represented in New Zealand, as follows. Erythroneurini: the cosmopolitan genus Zygina is represented by 4 endemic species—toetoe, ramsayi n.sp., dumbletoni, and agni n.sp.—plus zealandica, which occurs in Australia also. Typhlocybini: Typhlocyba froggatti, T. lethierryi, Ribautiana tenerrima, Eupteryx melissae, Kybos smaragdula, and K. betulicola are introduced Northern Hemisphere elements; Matatua montivaga n.gen.&sp. is endemic; M. maorica (formerly Dikraneura maorica), also endemic, is of uncertain identity in the absence of male specimens. Keys are given for the separation of all taxa, the genera and species are described, and all species except Matatua maorica are figured.     

Isolation affects tree‐scale epiphytic lichen community structure on New Zealand mountain beech trees

Question: Is epiphytic lichen community structure significantly affected by isolation from source community? Location: Foothills of the Southern Alps, South Island, New Zealand. Methods: Epiphytic lichen richness and environmental variables were measured on 382, young Nothofagus solandri var. cliffortioides (Hook. f.) Poole (mountain beech) trees that had recently colonized grassland adjacent to a forest remnant. Richness and the presence of individual lichen taxa were modelled as a function of isolation from the forest fragment, tree size and other habitat conditions. Results: Richness of epiphytic lichen communities was negatively related to tree isolation, although this effect was much smaller than the effects of tree size and other local (tree‐scale) habitat conditions. Different lichen taxa responded in different ways to isolation, area effects and local habitat conditions. Conclusions: This study shows that many epiphytic lichens on mountain beech are limited in their ability to colonize new substrate, even over distances of less than 1 km, which may be due to limitation in dispersal and/or establishment. Lichens are greatly influenced by local habitat conditions, such as tree size, and in this particular environment their negative interaction with sooty moulds is an important driver of community structure.     

The effects of the Taupo Tephra eruption of c. 1718 bp on the vegetation of Mt Hauhungatahi, central North Island, New Zealand

Abstract. An altitudinal series of eleven fine resolution pollen diagrams were used to examine the role of volcanism in forest dynamics on Mt Hauhungatahi. Partial pollen diagrams from four of these sites, chosen to illustrate the major effects of the 1718 bp Taupo eruption, are presented. Following the eruption Libocedrus bidwillii expanded in all sites. Open sites created by the eruption may have facilitated an expansion already underway as a result of more variable climatic conditions since c. 3000 bp . Weinmannia racemosa invaded upper montane forest c. 650 bp . The current altitudinal sequence of forest types, with Libocedrus dominating the subalpine and Weinmannia the upper montane forests, has thus been synthesized only within the last 1800 years. This is interpreted as a consequence of individualistic species' responses to major disturbance by the eruption. The results support nonequilibrium theories of community composition.     

Biogeographic area relationships in southern New Zealand: a cladistic analysis of Lepidoptera distributions

ABSTRACT. Recently, attention has been directed toward the application of cladistic techniques to reconstruct the history of areas from species distribution data. In this study, hypotheses of area relationships for southern New Zealand are generated from lepidopteran distribution data analysed at two taxonomic levels. Data are shown to possess cladistic structure and area relationships presented here are consistent with the geological history of the southern region of New Zealand. Our results suggest a recolonization of inland lowland regions from the south following a period of extinction during the early Pliocene. Analysis of selected data including only flightless or locally endemic species resulted in little resolution of area relationships but topologies were significantly congruent with a total species dataset. Hypotheses generated from this study are open to testing with congruence analysis using independent species phylogenies.     

Ballistosporous yeasts found on the surface of plant materials collected in New Zealand

Six new species of ballistosporous yeast, the genusSporobolomyces, were isolated from dead leaves and fruit of plants collected in New Zealand;Sp. novazealandicus, Sp. dimmenae, Sp. coprosmicola, Sp. coprosmae, Sp. dracophyllus, andSp. taupoensis. These species differ from any hitherto known species ofSporobolomyces based on chemotaxonomic characteristics.Abbreviations B. Bullera - Ben. Bensingtonia - Sp. Sporobolomyces - Sporid. Sporidiobolus - T. Tilletiopsis - U. Udeniomyces - G + C guanine plus cytosine     

Restructuring of Lepidoptera communities by introduced Vespula wasps in a New Zealand beech forest

Introduced social wasps (Vespula vulgaris) reach high densities in some New Zealand beech forests, because honeydew provides an abundant high-energy food source. We manipulated wasp density to estimate an “ecological damage threshold” for large, free-living Lepidoptera larvae. There will be a continuum of ecological damage thresholds for wasp density depending on the prey species or habitat. Experimentally placed small caterpillars had a significantly higher survival rate than large caterpillars, and the survival rate of both groups decreased with increasing wasp density. Spring-occurring caterpillars have a probability of surviving of 0.90–0.95, assuming wasps are the only source of mortality. However, at the peak of the wasp season we predict caterpillars would have virtually no chance (probability of 10⁻⁷⁸ to 10⁻⁴⁰) of surviving to adults. Wasp abundance must be reduced by at least 88% to conserve the more vulnerable species of free-living caterpillars at wasp densities similar to those observed in our study sites. This equates to a damage threshold of 2.7 wasps per Malaise trap per day. It was exceeded for about 5 months of the year in non-poisoned sites. There are currently no biological or chemical control techniques available in New Zealand that will reduce wasp abundance below this damage threshold throughout the year. Our models show that most Lepidoptera with spring caterpillars will be able to persist, but species with caterpillars occurring in the peak wasp season will be eliminated. Received: 5 January 1998 / Accepted: 10 February 1999     

新疆木灵藓科植物的初步研究

在研究标本和文献的基础上,报道了新疆产木灵藓科植物３属１４种,即：瓶藓属Ａｍｐｈｉｄｕｉｍ（１种）,木棂藓属Ｏｒｔｈｏｔｒｉｃｈｕｍ（１２种）和木衣藓属Ｄｒｕｍｍｏｎｄｉａ,对它们的生境、识别特征和地理分布作了初步讨论,并编制了新疆木灵藓科植物的分属、分种检索表。