An Account of the First Living Coelacanth known to Scientists from Indonesian Waters

A brief narrative is presented of the events surrounding the initial discovery of a coelacanth in an Indonesian fish market in Manado, Sulawesi, on 18 September 1997. Although the specimen was not purchased and preserved, photographs were taken and enough information gathered about the fish to warrant an official entry in the Coelacanth Conservation Council (CCC) inventory of known specimens of the living coelacanth Latimeria chalumnae. All known information about this first Indonesian specimen is summarized in the official CCC inventory format, and the specimen is herein numbered CCC no. 174.     

Floristics of forests across low nutrient soils in Sulawesi,Indonesia

The island of Sulawesi formed from the joining of proto-islands roughly three million years ago. Regions of zoological endemism, corresponding to the proto-islands, have been reported. Sulawesi's tree communities, however, remain poorly documented. In better-studied tropical regions, soil types similar to those found in Sulawesi often have distinctive tree communities. To gather data on Sulawesi's tree communities, we established ten (0.25 ha) plots on four soil types across three regions. We documented diversity, endemism, dominance, and species composition. Linear models of species composition showed greater influence of geographic distance rather than soil, and no relationship with climate. This suggests that the legacy of Sulawesi's formation may have influenced tree communities more so than the soil types we sampled. Most of our plots were on stressful soil types making it difficult to conclude on the importance of edaphic specialization in the Sulawesi tree flora. The lack of climatic effects reflects Sulawesi's position within the wet tropics where the small climatic differences are unlikely to have large influence on tree communities.     

Long‐Term Population Survey of the Sulawesi Black Macaques (Macaca nigra) at Tangkoko Nature Reserve,North Sulawesi,Indonesia

The Sulawesi black macaque (Macaca nigra) population at Tangkoko Nature Reserve in North Sulawesi, Indonesia has been the focus of periodic study for over 30 years. The population has shown considerable decline during much of that time. Here we present the results of a long‐term population survey of the Tangkoko M. nigra, conducted over the past decade, to provide updated information and on‐going assessment of the population. Line‐transect sampling was conducted annually from 1999 to 2002 and 2005 to 2011 along the same transect during a 2‐ to 3‐week survey period. Although further decline in the population was observed at the outset of the survey, over the subsequent 12‐year period we have seen stability in the population parameters with evidence of modest increases in both group and population density. During the 1999–2002 survey periods, there was a mean group density of 3.6 groups/km² and a mean population density of 39.8 individuals/km². During 2005–2011, mean group density increased to 3.8 groups/km² and mean population density was 51.4 individuals/km². The 2011 survey data indicated an estimated group density of 4.3 groups/km² and a population density of 61.5 individuals/km². Given that our transect was located in the core of the Tangkoko reserve, our density estimates should be limited to that area of the reserve. One explanation for the apparent stabilization of the population may be tied to the increasing and sustained number of training and research programs being conducted at the reserve. This collective effort by local and international groups may be helping to reduce illegal activity in the reserve (i.e., hunting and habitat destruction) and generate greater awareness of this critically endangered species. Without the continued vigilance afforded by the existing research and training programs and the support and involvement of the local people, the M. nigra at the Tangkoko Nature Reserve will likely face further decline. Am. J. Primatol. 75:88‐94, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

The Sensory Canal Systems of the Living Coelacanth, Latimeria Chalumnae: A New Instalment

Entire sensory canal systems of the coelacanth, Latimeria chalumnae, are described: not only the course of principal canals with their primary and secondary collaterals, but also the course and branches of the pit-line and reticular canals. The number of pores on the left side of the head were found to be 296 in an early (yolksac) embryo, 321 in a late term fetus, 485 in a juvenile, and 2974 in adults. This means that in latimeria most of the lateral-line canal system develop after parturition. Pit lines of the living coelacanth are not rows of superficial neuromasts but canals covered by a thin epidermis like in other sensory canals of the lateral line. These pit-line canals, however, have a very specific structure and branching pattern: the medial dorsal pit-line canal is connected by fine branches on top of the head. The infra-dentary pit-line canal connects via these branches with canals deep inside the bones. Several fine and richly branched canaliculi of unknown function radiate from each quadratojugal pit-line canal. The gular plate pit-line canal has superficially branching arms as well as connections to numerous deeper canals inside the bone. These canals consist of fine branches that in turn lead to and open on the ventral surface of the gular plates as small pores. The system is reminiscent of the reticular (pore) canal system known only from some fossil agnathans and fishes. Thus latimeria combines the reticular system of ancient vertebrates with the lateral-line system of modern fishes. The significance of this gular (possibly electro-sensory) system for feeding by the coelacanth will be discussed.     

A new species of Oryzomys (Rodentia, Sigmondontinae) from southeast Brazil, with comments on the classification of the O. capito species group

A new species of Oryzomys is described for the coastal Atlantic region of Brazil. Oryzomys seuanezi sp. nov. was collected in eight localities throughout the Atlantic Forest from the south of the State of Bahia to the State of the Rio de Janeiro, mostly in lowlands. Belonging to the O. capito species group, O. seuanezi differs from the other species by its karyotype equal 2n = 48, FN = 60. A morphometric analysis of populations of some species of the group indicates a split between the samples of the Atlantic Forest and those from O. capito from Cerrados and Amazon in relation to size, the former being larger. The population from Amazonia and from the Cerrados belongs to the same species, O. goeldii being a synonym of O. capito. O. seuanezi sp. nov. is the sister taxon of O. oniscus, forming an Atlantic Forest clade. The close relationship of this group and some Peruvian populations of O. capito, probably a new species, is postulated.     

Small,odd and old: The mysterious Tarsius pumilus is the most basal Sulawesi tarsier

In this study, we present the first genetic evidence of the phylogenetic position of Tarsius pumilus, the mountain tarsier of Sulawesi, Indonesia. This mysterious primate is the only Eastern tarsier species that occurs exclusively in cloud forests above 1800 m.a.s.l. It exhibits striking morphological peculiarities—most prominently its extremely reduced body size, which led to the common name of ‘pygmy tarsier’. However, our results indicate that T. pumilus is not an aberrant form of a lowland tarsier, but in fact, the most basal of all Sulawesi tarsiers. Applying a Bayesian multi-locus coalescent approach, we dated the divergence between the T. pumilus lineage and the ancestor of all other extant Sulawesi tarsiers to 9.88 Mya. This is as deep as the split between the two other tarsier genera Carlito (Philippine tarsiers) and Cephalopachus (Western tarsiers), and predates further tarsier diversification on Sulawesi by around 7 Myr. The date coincides with the deepening of the marine environment between eastern and western Sulawesi, which likely led to allopatric speciation between T. pumilus or its predecessor in the west and the ancestor of all other Sulawesi tarsiers in the east. As the split preceded the emergence of permanent mountains in western Sulawesi, it is unlikely that the shift to montane habitat has driven the formation of the T. pumilus lineage.     

A new anchovy, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Stolephorus teguhi</Emphasis> (Clupeiformes: Engraulidae), from North Sulawesi,Indonesia

Stolephorus teguhi sp. nov. is described from the holotype and 14 paratypes, 49–77 mm in standard length, collected from North Sulawesi, Indonesia. The species is characterized by having numerous gill rakers (31–35 + 41–46 = 72–82) and a short upper jaw, its posterior tip reaching to or extending slightly beyond the anterior margin of the preopercle. Stolephorus pacificus and S. multibranchus also have relatively numerous gill rakers for species of this genus (21–27 + 29–36 = 53–61 and 21–28 + 30–35 = 54–60, respectively), but counts for S. teguhi exceed those for the two species. Although S. advenus also has a short upper jaw similar to that of S. teguhi, the former has far fewer gill rakers (19 + 24 = 43) than the latter.     

Epibiont protozoan communities on Caridina lanceolata (Crustacea, Decapoda) from the Malili lakes of Sulawesi (Indonesia)

The epibiont protozoan communities living on the freshwater shrimp Caridina lanceolata Woltereck, 1937a from the three major lakes (Towuti, Matano and Mahalona) of the Malili lake system (Sulawesi, Indonesia) were studied. The number of epibionts varied between 2 and 971 per shrimp. Seven protozoan ciliate species were found: Acineta sulawesiensis n. sp., Cothurnia sp., Zoothamnium sp. (in all three lakes), Vorticella sp. (Lake Mahalona and Lake Matano), Opercularia sp. (Lake Mahalona), Epistylis sp. (Lake Mahalona and Lake Matano), and Podophrya sp. (Lake Mahalona). Although these ciliates had been found previously on other crustaceans, they have not been observed as epibionts on Caridina H. Milne Edwards, 1837. The distribution of the different epibiont species on the anatomical units of the shrimp was analyzed in each lake. There is a statistical significant difference between the three lakes in respect to the number of epibionts on each anatomical unit of all analyzed shrimps. The total and mean densities of each epibiont species on the different analyzed shrimps showed a significant difference between the three lakes; i.e., the presence of each epibiont species on the population of C. lanceolata varied from one lake to another. In Lake Towuti the highest density of epibionts was found on the anterior part of the shrimp body (rostrum, antennae, antennulae and eyes) (32.41%), while in the other two lakes, the highest colonization corresponded to the maxillipeds (31.56% Lake Matano, 40.89% Lake Mahalona). In Lake Towuti the rest of epibionts colonized mainly maxillipeds and pleopods (both 45.76% of epibionts). In Lake Matano, other epibionts were distributed principally on the anterior part of the body and pleopods (in total 57.18% of epibionts). In Lake Mahalona, other epibionts were divided among the anterior part of the body, pereiopods and pleopods (in total 57.39% of the epibionts). Uropods and telson were the units less colonized in Lake Matano (3.64%) and Lake Mahalona (1.72%), while in Lake Towuti, they presented a moderate density (13.18% of the epibionts). Taking into account the distribution of epibionts along the antero-posterior axis of the shrimp, considering the different anatomical units, there was a significant correlation between the three lakes. This fact indicates that, in the three lakes, the colonization on C. lanceolata followed a similar distribution pattern, independently of the epibiont species present. The comparison between the distributions of the same epibiont species along the longitudinal axis of the shrimp on the diverse lakes showed that they correlated respect to their density values on the anatomical units of the shrimp. Diverse aspects of the colonization patterns are discussed. Morphological features, taxonomic identification, and particular distribution of the epibiont species in each lake are also included.     

中国金藻新记录种——中型鱼鳞藻

该文报道了一株采自黑龙江省伊春市的鱼鳞藻,使用透射电子显微镜对其鳞片和刺毛等主要鉴定特征的亚显微结构进行观察,将分离纯化后的藻株提取DNA并扩增目的基因SSU rDNA及LSU rDNA,根据基因序列联合构建系统发育树,结合形态学特征与分子生物学方法,鉴定该鱼鳞藻为中型鱼鳞藻(Mallomonas intermedia),该种也是首次在中国和亚洲发现。同时讨论了该种与鱼鳞藻属同一系列其他组物种的系统关系以及该种在全球的分布与传播。该研究为中型鱼鳞藻的地理分布、金藻和其他微藻的传播扩散提供了新的资料。     

The genus Goniothalamus (Annonaceae) in Sumatra

A comprehensive taxonomic revision of the species of Goniothalamus (Blume) Hook. f. & Thomson (Annonaceae) occurring in Sumatra and adjacent islands is presented for the first time. Fourteen species are recognized, including six endemics that are described as new to science ( G. acehensis, G. alatus, G. dewildei, G. loerzingii, G. longistaminus and G. miquelianus ). In addition, two species are newly recorded from Sumatra, viz. G. parallelivenius Ridl. (previously reported from Borneo), and G. wrayi King (previously reported from Peninsular Malaysia). The extensive nomenclatural confusion regarding the application of the names G. costulatus Miq. and G. opacus Bakh. f. is clarified: the names are shown to be synonymous, with the former having nomenclatural priority. The utility of specific taxonomic characters are also discussed, with particular emphasis on petal indumentum, staminal connective shape, ovary indumentum, stigma shape, monocarp size and shape, and seed indumentum. Biogeographical relationships in the genus are discussed, and the significance of the Barisan mountain range and the Quaternary volcanic tuffs around Lake Toba are highlighted as potential ecological barriers limiting dispersal.  © 2002 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2002, 139 , 225–254.     

The genus Pyrus L. (Rosaceae) in south-west Europe and North Afkica

A multivariate morphometric study of the genus Pyrus in south-west Europe and North Africa shows that five species may be recognized in the area: P. bourgaeana Decne., P. communis L., P. cordata Dew., P. spinosa Forssk, and P. nivalis Jacq. Some valuable characters for identification of these species are proposed. In particular the width of fruit peduncle, petal size, leaf width and petiole length served to discriminate the taxa. Several names such as P. gharbiona Trab., P. cossonii Rehder (|M= P. longipes Balansa ex Coss. & Durieu) and P. boisseriana Buhse, are regarded as synonyms of P. cordata , while P. marnormis Trab. of P. bourgaeana. Consequently a check-list and a key to these species are provided.     

Evolutionary history of Gymnocarpos (Caryophyllaceae) in the arid regions from North Africa to Central Asia

Gymnocarpos has only about ten species distributed in the arid regions of Asia and Africa, but it exhibits a geographical disjunction between eastern Central Asia and western North Africa and Minor Asia. We sampled eight species of the genus and sequenced two chloroplast regions (rps16 and psbB–psbH), and the nuclear rDNA (ITS) to study the phylogeny and biogeography. The results of the phylogenetic analyses corroborated that Gymnocarpos is monophyletic, in the phylogenetic tree two well supported clades are recognized: clade 1 includes Gymnocarpos sclerocephalus and G. decandrus, mainly the North African group, whereas clade 2 comprises the remaining species, mainly in the Southern Arabian Peninsula. Molecular dating analysis revealed that the divergence age of Gymnocarpos was c. 31.33 Mya near the Eocene and Oligocene transition boundary, the initial diversification within Gymnocarpos dated to c. 6.69 Mya in the late Miocene, and the intraspecific diversification mostly occurred during the Quaternary climate oscillations. Ancestral area reconstruction suggested that the Southern Arabian Peninsula was the ancestral area for Gymnocarpos. Our conclusions revealed that the aridification since mid‐late Miocene significantly affected the diversification of the genus in these areas.     

Biogeographic patterns in scaled chrysophytes from the east coast of North America

1. We assessed the distribution of scaled chrysophytes in fresh waters along 3200 km of the east coast of North America (29° to 48°N) to determine any biogeographic patterns in relation to chemical, physical, climatic and spatial variables. 2. Scaled chrysophytes were identified using scanning electron microscopy and counted from 264 waterbodies in nine regions (20 subregions). Eighteen chemical, physical and climate variables were determined for each waterbody. We used Sorensen’s similarity index and analysis of similarity (ANOSIM) to evaluate whether the floras differed between regions, subregions, glaciated and non‐glaciated areas, as well as within sets of waterbodies with similar chemical and physical characteristics but situated in different regions. Distance‐based linear modelling (DISTLM) was used to evaluate the relative importance of the chemical, physical and climate factors in explaining the variability in the assemblages of scaled chrysophytes, and the resulting models were visualised using redundancy analysis (RDA). 3. Significant differences in the flora were found between all regions and most subregions, and between glaciated and non‐glaciated areas. Significant differences were also recorded between waterbodies with similar chemical and physical characteristics but situated in different regions. Many species were abundant along specific sections of the latitudinal gradient, but lacking from others. A set of environmental variables explained significant and independent portions of the variation in scaled chrysophytes, with pH and mean minimum July temperature accounting for 20% of the total. 4. The distribution of scaled chrysophytes along the east coast of North America is not homogeneous and there are biogeographic patterns, despite apparent dispersal mechanisms (migratory birds and wind events) that might act to reduce differences between regions. Rather, differences exist even between neighbouring subregions containing sites with statistically similar chemical and physical attributes. Environmental variables clearly play a significant role in determining whether species will inhabit a given site. However, species were not always found in waterbodies likely to support growth, implicating inadequate dispersal, poor transportability or both.     

Two Newly Recorded Species of tribe Eucosmini (Lepidoptera,Tortricidae) from North Korea

Stream restoration affects stream biodiversity by improving water quality and habitat environments. Benthic macroinvertebrates are used as indicators of changes in stream environment, and, therefore, the effects of restoration can be evaluated by a long‐term monitoring of benthic macroinvertebrates. Cheonggye stream is an urban stream in Seoul, Korea, and a restoration project was conducted from July 2003 to September 2005. The purpose of this study was to investigate the long‐term changes in the benthic macroinvertebrate communities in Cheonggye stream after the restoration project in 2005. A 6‐year field study was seasonally conducted at five study sites in Cheonggye stream from November 2005 to October 2011. Benthic macroinvertebrates were sampled quantitatively using a Surber sampler (50 × 50 cm; mesh 0.25 mm, two replications per site). As a result, species richness of benthic macroinvertebrates rapidly increased after the restoration project and peaked (35 species per sample) in 2006 but gradually dropped to approximately 20 species up to the recent year. As a consequence, community indices changed gradually according to species richness and abundance: Dominance indices peaked in 2010 and species diversity indices (H') peaked in 2007. According to a functional feeding group analysis, the composition of collector–filterers increased at first, but the decreased gradually to the recent year. In contrast, collector–gatherers showed an opposite tendency. The composition of clingers increased during the initial 4 years (2005–2008), whereas burrowers rapidly increased after 2008.     

A phylogeny for grasshoppers of the genus Chitaura (Orthoptera: Acrididae) from Sulawesi, Indonesia, based on mitochondrial DNA sequence data

The Indonesian island of Sulawesi occupies a central position within the biogeographically complex region known as Wallacea. Its fauna is characterised by a high rate of endemism and a patchwork distribution of taxa within the island. The grasshopper genus Chitaura is a good example having at least ten endemic species with predominantly parapatric distributions. It can be used as a model for determining the origins of Sulawesi taxa and the within-island evolution that has led to the present patterns of distribution. Here we present a phylogenetic hypothesis for 28 individuals within the genus, including individuals of one species from Java and two from the Moluccas, based on DNA sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase 1 gene. Frequent sequence heteroplasmy was observed. The phylogenetic hypothesis is consistent with recent interpretations of the geological history of Sulawesi suggesting separate evolution on the island for 7–14 Myr, possibly since South Sulawesi was connected to Borneo. Within the island, the pattern of genetic divergence is dominated by a strong correlation with geographic distance, with exceptions indicating past or present barriers to dispersal. Colonisation of the Moluccas from North or Central Sulawesi is implied. Levels of genetic divergence are compared with distribution patterns of colour morphs and with possible effects of tectonic movements in the Cenozoic, or Pleistocene climatic, vegetational and sea-level changes.     

Chloroplast DNA intraspecific phylogeography of plants from the Pacific Northwest of North America

Molecular studies of plants from the Pacific Northwest of North America suggest a recurrent pattern of genetic differentiation and geographic structuring. In each of five angiosperms and one fern species representing diverse life histories, cpDNA data indicate two clades of populations that are geographically structured. A northern group comprises populations from Alaska to central or southern Oregon, whereas populations from central Oregon southward to northern California form a southern group. In several of these species, a few populations having southern genotypes may have survived in glacial refugia further north in the Olympic Peninsula, Queen Charlotte Islands, and Prince of Wales Island. Allozyme data reveal a similar pattern of differentiation in several other plants from the Pacific Northwest. North-south partitioning of genotypes has also been reported for several animal species from this region. On a broader geographic scale, northsouth partitioning of genotypes has also been observed in other plants from western North America having a variety of geographic distributions. Some species also display a reduction of genetic variability in the northern portion of their range compared to the south. The data suggest strongly that past glaciation profoundly influenced the genetic architecture of the flora and fauna of the Pacific Northwest. Two alternative hypotheses are advanced to explain the geographic structuring of genotypes. First, past glaciation may have created discontinuities in the geographic distributions of plant species, with populations surviving in several well-isolated northern and southern refugia. Following glaciation, migration of genetically differentiated, once-isolated populations resulted in the formation of a continuous geographic distribution with a major genetic discontinuity. Alternatively, plants survived and subsequently migrated northward from a southern refugium, and a genotype became fixed in one or a few populations at the leading edge of recolonization. Subsequent long-distance dispersal from this leading edge resulted in a relatively uniform northern genotype that differs from the southern genotype(s). Whatever the underlying mechanism, Pleistocence glaciation may have molded the intraspecific genetic architecture of both plants and animals from the Pacific Northwest in a geographically similar manner. Future studies should seek to obtain a comprehensive phylogeography for regions that includes a diversity of both plants and animals.Dedicated to emer. Univ.-Prof. DrFriedrich Ehrendorfer on the occasion of his 70th birthday     

Three new species of the genus Scaphicoma Motschulsky, 1863 (Coleoptera,Staphylinidae, Scaphidiinae) from Northern Sulawesi,Indonesia

Three new species of the genus Scaphicoma Motschulsky, 1863 from Sulawesi, Indonesia are illustrated and described: Scaphicoma subflava Ogawa & Löbl, sp. n., S. bidentia Ogawa & Löbl, sp. n., and S. quadrifasciata Ogawa & Löbl, sp. n. Lepteroscapha pallens Achard, 1921 is designated as the type species of the genus Lepteroscapha Achard, 1921.