How many species of Hipposideros have occurred on Madagascar since the Late Pleistocene?

Populations of the Malagasy Hipposideros commersoni (family Hipposideridae) are threatened by deforestation and hunting. Maximum likelihood and Bayesian analysis of 148 cytochrome b sequences found this species to be paraphyletic and composed of three well‐supported monophyletic clades. Clades B and C form a monophyletic lineage that can be referred to H. commersoni; these two clades are separated by 6% sequence variation. Clade A represents a distinct evolutionary lineage separate (9–11% average sequence divergence) from H. commersoni (clades B and C) and is named herein as a new species, H ipposideros cryptovalorona sp. nov. In the phylogeny presented herein, this species is strongly associated with the outgroup taxa Hipposideros gigas and Hipposideros vittatus, both restricted to Africa. External, cranial and dental measurements taken from the same individuals used in the molecular study indicate no clear distinction in morphology amongst these three clades; this includes noseleaf structure and craniodental characteristics. Principal component analyses showed limited separation of the three clades. Comparison to a Quaternary fossil species from north‐west Madagascar, Hipposideros besaoka, found little morphological overlap between any of the three clades and this extinct species. Hence, at least three species of Hipposideros have occurred on Madagascar since the Late Pleistocene, two extant (H. commersoni s.s. and H. cryptovalorona sp. nov.) and one extinct (H. besaoka). © 2015 The Linnean Society of London     

The palynological assemblages from the J–K boundary beds of the Bureya Basin,Russian Far East

Palynological assemblages were studied from the coal-bearing Upper Jurassic (Talanja Formation) to the Lower Cretaceous (Dublikan Formation) deposits of the Bureya Basin, Russia. The palynological assemblages from the upper part of the Talanja Formation are dominated by gymnosperms, mainly Ginkgocycadophytus (up to 40%) and conifers related to Pinaceae (up to 70%). The contribution of non-seed plants is not great, but their diversity is considerable. The miospore assemblages of the Talanja sequence are characterized by the last appearance of the spore taxa Staplinisporites pocockii, Camptotriletes cerebriformis, Camptotriletes nitida, and Cingulatisporites sanguinolentus. The palynological assemblage from the Dublikan Formation is dominated by ferns (up to 84%), represented mainly by Cyathidites and Duplexisporites. Among gymnosperms the role of Classopollis increases (making up about 20%). Another feature is the first appearance of the spore taxa Stereisporites bujargiensis, Neoraistrickia rotundiformis, Contignisporites dorsostriatus, Appendicisporites tricostatus, and Concavissimisporites asper.     

Karyological and allozyme variability of Far Eastern voles Microtus fortis Büchner, 1889 (Cricetidae, Rodentia) from the Russian Far East

Karyological (G-, C-, and NOR-banding) and allozyme analyses were carried out for island and continental populations of the vole Microtus fortis from the Far East of Russia. Variability of the autosome pair 7 was found. The presence of variation in the number of telomere heterochromatin blocks in the populations of Far Eastern voles was confirmed. NOR-staining of the Far Eastern vole chromosomes was carried out, showin stability of the number and the positions of the nucleolus organizer regions. Ten enzyme systems and three nonenzyme proteins (controlled in total by 25 interpretable loci) were examined in the Far Eastern vole from the island and continental populations. All of the loci were shown to be monomorphic, except for one esterase locus, which exhibited polymorphism at the intrapopulation and interpopulation levels. The issue of distribution of the Far Eastern vole subspecies is discussed. It is suggested that M. fortis pelliceus occurs not only in the Russian Far East, but also in Northern Transbaikalia.     

New data on the Cricetidae from the Miocene “Terre Rosse” of Gargano (Apulia,Italy)

The Gargano “Terre Rosse” deposits are paleokarst fissure fillings found in the Mesozoic limestone of the Apricena-Poggio Imperiale area. They are an important source of information for evolutionary and paleobiogeographic studies. The Late Miocene-Early Pliocene assemblages found in the Terre Rosse attest the complex history of endemic faunal distribution in a paleoarchipelago. Based on the cricetid samples from six distinct fissures (F15, F21a, F21b, F21c, F1, F9, NBS) stored in the Department of Earth Sciences of the University of Florence, three species of endemic cricetids are described: the small-sized Hattomys beetsi, the middle-sized Hattomys nazarii, and the large-sized Hattomys gargantua. The specimens from fissure F15 are attributed to H. beetsi, those from F21a-b to the transitional form Hattomys beetsi-nazarii, those belonging to NBS are ascribed to H. nazarii, whereas those from F1 and F9 are classified as H. gargantua. F21c is considered contaminated with material from different fissures. In line with previously published results, the analysis confirms that the endemic cricetids underwent a remarkable increase in size through time. The morphological variations show a marked trend towards increasing enamel thickness, but also the tendency of the cusps to assume a carved-in aspect. The variations of the morphological characters confirm that the three species likely belong to the same lineage.     

The seashore sedges of the Russian Kola Peninsula: How many species?

A necessary basis for environmental protection is thorough knowledge of the biodiversity to be protected. Setting conservation priorities in taxonomically complex groups is an especially difficult task. The seashore sedges of the Carex salina group (Cyperaceae) of the Russian White and Barents Seas form important parts of the coastal ecosystems and include species listed as rare and endangered. However, their taxonomy is poorly understood and supposed to be blurred by hybridization, also including the closely related C. aquatilis and possibly other species of sect. Phacocystis (C. bigelowii, C. nigra s. lat.). We address the taxonomic situation in the C. salina group in the Kola Peninsula with emphasis on taxa of supposed hybrid origin (C. salina and C. recta coll.). We analyzed 92 plants from 28 sites for 101 amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPs) and 10 morphological characters. The plants referred to three supposedly “pure” species (C. aquatilis, C. paleacea and C. subspathacea) formed different extreme parts of the morphological and molecular variation. These species could be discriminated by a combination of morphological characters. The two taxa of proposed hybrid origin had extremely variable morphology and could not be clearly distinguished from each other or from the supposedly “pure” species. Our results demonstrate extensive gene flow between all taxa, suggesting that the entire C. salina group including C. aquatilis acts as a single large biological species.     

Adult Steller sea lion mortality on rookeries in the Russian Far East, 2002–2010

We used visual observations during nine field seasons to determine the causes and death rate of Steller sea lions older than 1 year on eight rookeries in the Russian Far East. The average annual death rate was 0.48% of the total recorded Steller sea lions on shore and varied among rookeriesy. The mortality did not exceed 0.29% in six rookeries, but reached 0.80–1.19% in two rookeries. Individuals of all age and sex groups were recorded among dead animals. Bulls died as a result of territorial conflicts, and cows and young lions were crushed or suffocated by bulls during copulation. The death of nearly half of the females was attributed to 11 bulls.     

How Far into Europe Did Pikas (Lagomorpha: Ochotonidae) Go during the Pleistocene? New Evidence from Central Iberia

This paper reports the first find of pika remains in the Iberian Peninsula, at a site in central Spain. A fragmented mandible of Ochotona cf. pusilla was unearthed from Layer 3 (deposited some 63.4±5.5 ka ago as determined by thermoluminescence) of the Buena Pinta Cave. This record establishes new limits for the genus geographic distribution during the Pleistocene, shifting the previous edge of its known range southwest by some 500 km. It also supports the idea that, even though Europe’s alpine mountain ranges represented a barrier that prevented the dispersal into the south to this and other taxa of small mammals from central and eastern Europe, they were crossed or circumvented at the coldest time intervals of the end of the Middle Pleistocene and of the Late Pleistocene. During those periods both the reduction of the forest cover and the emersion of large areas of the continental shelf due to the drop of the sea level probably provided these species a way to surpass this barrier. The pika mandible was found accompanying the remains of other small mammals adapted to cold climates, indicating the presence of steppe environments in central Iberia during the Late Pleistocene.     

The peculiarities of nitrogen excretion in sturgeons (Acipenser ruthenus) (Pisces,Acipenseridae)—I. the influence of ration size

• 1.1. The nonfaecal nitrogenous excretion rate in starved sterlet fingerlings and fingerlings fed on different rations was investigated. The weight of the fish and temperature of the water was 43 g and 17.5°C, respectively.
• 2.2. In the nonfaecal excrements of starved sterlets the ammonia: urea ratio was substantially lower than in teleosts. This ratio was found to be 1.4:1.
• 3.3. In fed sterlets the urea excretion rate was higher than in starved ones but independent of ration size.
• 4.4. During the day the urea excretion rate in sterlets was constant.
• 5.5. The ammonia excretion rate accelerated 2 hr after feeding and reached its peak duration 6–11 hr after depending on the ration size.
• 6.6. Total ammonia output in the sterlet increased following the increase of ration size up to 8.4% of body wt. Further increases in ration size did not cause the corresponding elevation of ammonia excretion rate.

     

Karyological and allozyme variability of far eastern voles Microtus fortis Büchner, 1889 (Cricetidae, Rodentia) from the Russian Far East

Karyological (G-, C-, and NOR-banding) and allozyme analyses were carried out for island and continental populations of the vole Microtus fortis from the Far East of Russia. Variability of the autosome pair 7 was found. The presence of variation in the number of telomere heterochromatin blocks in the populations of Far Eastern voles was confirmed. NOR-staining of the Far Eastern vole chromosomes was carried out, showing stability of the number and the positions of the nucleolus organizer regions. Ten enzyme systems and three non-enzyme proteins (controlled in total by 25 interpretable loci) were examined in the Far Eastern vole from the island and continental populations. All of the loci were shown to be monomorphic, except for one esterase locus, which exhibited polymorphism at the intrapopulation and interpopulation levels. The issue of distribution of the Far Eastern vole subspecies is discussed. It is suggested that M. fortis pelliceus occurs not only in the Russian Far East, but also in Northern Transbaikalia.     

A new species of parasitic copepod, Sarcotretes umitakae sp. n. (Siphonostomatoida,Pennellidae), on the rattail (Actinopterygii,Macrouridae) from?the?East?China Sea,Japan

A new species of copepod, Sarcotretes umitakae sp. n., of the siphonostomatoid family Pennellidae is described based on female specimens from the rattail Coelorinchus jordani Smith and Pope (Actinopterygii: Gadiformes: Macrouridae) caught in the East China Sea. This species is characterized by exhibiting the following characters: the large proboscis projects strongly; the head bears paired lateral processes which are bulbous and taper into a slender horn; the twisting neck is significantly longer than the trunk; and the trunk bears an anterior constriction with a reduced abdomen.     

New data on aphid fauna (Hemiptera,Aphididae) in?Algeria

A survey of aphids was carried out during the period 2008-2011 in different regions of Algeria by collecting and identifying aphids and their host plants. Aphids were collected from 46 host plants. Forty-six species were reported including thirty-six species which were recorded for the first time in this country and thirty species which were recorded for the first time in the Maghreb (North Africa). This study extends the number of known Algerian aphid to 156 species.     

New data on the Cenomanian Flora of the Ugol’naya bay (Northeastern Russia)

The taxonomic composition of the Middle Ginter Flora of the Ugol’naya Bay area (northeastern Russia) is supplemented with new data based on newly determined and revised materials. The uniqueness of the flora lies in the fact that its age (Middle Cenomanian) is dated to a zone by marine fauna. The floristic assemblage contains 29 species of fossil plants and is dominated by angiosperms and conifers. The refined taxonomic list shows even greater than was earlier supposed similarity of the flora to the Grebenka assemblage from the Krivorechenskaya Formation at the left bank of the Anadyr River, which is the type assemblage of the Grebenka phase of the flora development in northeastern Russia. A new combination is proposed: Ettingshausenia louravetlanica (Herman et Shczepetov) Herman et Moiseeva, comb. nov.     

How has the remnant population of the threatened frog Leiopelma pakeka (Anura: Leiopelmatidae) fared on Maud Island,New Zealand,over the past 25 years?

Despite widespread global reports of declining amphibian populations, supporting long‐term census data are few, limiting opportunities to study changes in numbers and survival over time. However, in New Zealand, for the past 25 years (1983–2008), we studied Leiopelma pakeka, a threatened, terrestrial frog that inhabits rocky boulder banks under forest on Maud Island. Using night sampling at least annually on two 12 × 12 m plots, we had 5390 captures of 1000+ individuals, 327 on one plot (grid 1), 751 on the other (grid 2). The mean (±SE) number of frogs found per night was 11.3 (±0.6) on grid 1 and 25.6 (±1.4) on grid 2. We used capture‐recapture models to estimate population size, proportion of animals remaining beneath the surface and survival rate. The mean (±SE) population estimate was 131 (±14.7) frogs on grid 1 and 367 (±38.7) on grid 2. Over 25 years the estimated population increased on grid 1 and fluctuated on grid 2. Some frogs were captured on most sampling visits, others less often, evidently failing to emerge from cover each visit. Using a combination of open and closed population models, we estimated the mean (±SE) proportion remaining underground was 0.63 (±0.12) on grid 1 and 0.53 (±0.07) on grid 2. Our research represents one of the longest‐run population studies of any frog, and we recorded significant longevity, two males reaching 35+ and 37+ years, a female 34+ years. No significant differences occurred between mean annual survival rates of apparent females and males, or between the two sites. The number of toes clipped for individual identification had little influence on the return rate, once the effect of time of first capture was removed.     

A new Semionotid (Actinopterygii,Neopterygii) from the Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous of Thailand

A new semionotid fish, Lepidotes buddhabutrensis n. sp., is described from the continental Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous Phu Kradung Formation, Phu Nam Jun, Kalasin Province. L. buddhabutrensis is characterized notably by the pattern of its cheek bones, by its short preorbital region, and by its numerous and well-developed premaxillary teeth. L. buddhabutrensis is provisionally placed in the genus Lepidotes; it shares, however, derived characters with other semionotids, such as Araripelepidotes and Pliodetes. To cite this article: L. Cavin et al., C. R. Palevol 2 (2003).     

New data on the composition and distribution of the genus Leptomona Bechyné, 1958 (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae)

The leaf-beetle Leptomona russica (Gmelin, 1790) known from the Caucasus, Kazakhstan, and Middle Asia was found in Orenburg Province for the first time. It is the first record of this species from Europe and the first record of the genus Leptomona from European Russia. The diagnostic characters of the two Russian Leptomona species are included.     

New data on the fauna and systematics of Palaearctic species of the click-beetle subfamily Agrypninae Candèze, 1857 (Coleoptera,Elateridae)

New data on the distribution and taxonomy of some Palaearctic species of click-beetles of the subfamily Agrypninae are given. The external morphology and genitalia of the previously unknown females of Compsolacon korotjaevi Gur. and C. agrestis (Vats et Kash.) comb. n. are described. Several taxa are recorded from the following territories for the first time: the genus Eumoeus Cand. from the Palaearctic Region, the species Compsolacon agrestis comb. n. and C. himalayanus Jag. from Afghanistan, Compsolacon turkestanicus (Schw.) from Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan, Danosoma conspersum (Gyll.) from Kazakhstan, Lacon quadrinodatus Lew. from Russia, and L. unicolor (Cand.) from Iraq. Several Northern Indian species of Agrypnus Esch. are transferred to Compsolacon Rtt., and their systematic positions are briefly discussed: C. agrestis, C. inlustris (Vats et Kash.), C. jacksoni (Vats et Kash.), C. kuluensis (Vats et Kash.), C. maisus (Vats et Kash.), C. planocorpus (Vats et Kash.), C. rameshi (Vats et Kash.), C. repercussus (Vats et Kash.), C. solanensis (Vats et Kash.), C. souslapisus (Vats et Kash.), C. subargillus (Vats et Kash.), C. subfaenum (Vats et Kash.) and C. sublapideus (Vats et Kash.) (all comb. n.). The following new combinations are also established: Compsolacon aequalis (Cand.) comb. n. and Compsolacon brachychaetus (Kollar) comb. n. (both ex Lacon). The following new synonymies are established: Lacon funebris (Sols.) = Adelocera grisea Schw., syn. n.; = Adelocera incompta Kr., syn. n.; Eumoeus murrayi Cand. = Tetralobus quadrifoveatus Vats et Kash., syn. n.     

How many species of Diacyclops? New taxonomic characters and species richness in a freshwater cyclopid genus (Copepoda,Cyclopoida)

The genus Diacyclops Kiefer, 1927 emend. Morton (1985) includes more than 100 species, widely distributed in all kinds of freshwater environments, and is the richest genus in the family Cyclopidae. Traditionally, Diacyclops species were defined according to differences in a few morphological characters; some characters (number of antennulary segments, segmentation pattern of swimming legs) are useful only in the separation of species groups, others (length of caudal rami and caudal setae) are highly variable even within the same population. During the study of the D. languidoides-group, minute morphological characters were used to differentiate between species (spinulation pattern and setation of antennary basis, setation and aesthetasc shape of male antennule, setation of mandibulary palp and maxilliped, shape of leg 4 basis) which allow to identify several valid species up to now concealed under the name `Diacyclops languidoides' (Lilljeborg, 1901). The coexistence of up to six congeneric species in the same sampling area: (a) supports the validity of the proposed taxonomic characters, (b) demonstrates that species richness may be highly underestimated in freshwater cyclopoid assemblages in absence of good taxonomic practice; and (c) requires an ecological explanation of species coexistence. The role of morphologically based taxonomy in order to solve general problems of distributional ecology and theoretical biology is explored.