A set of polymorphic microsatellites for Vochysia ferruginea,a promising tree for land reclamation in the Neotropics

Vochysia ferruginea Mart. (Vochysiaceae) is a gap colonist of Neotropical forest. Because of its high tolerance of low‐nutrient acidic conditions and high aluminium and iron concentrations, and its high potential seed and pollen dispersal, it is a promising timber species for commercial development as reclaimed forest on degraded land. We present here primer sequences for 10 polymorphic simple sequence repeat (SSR) loci for use with V. ferruginea to assess fine scale genetic structure and gene flow dynamics.     

Temporal resource partitioning and climatological influences on colony flight and foraging of stingless bees (Apidae; Meliponini) in Ugandan tropical forests

We studied the flight activity of two stingless bee species (Meliponula ferruginea and Meliponula nebulata) and the environmental factors influencing their flight. Two morphs of M. ferruginea were studied: M. ferruginea (brown) in Budongo forest and M. ferruginea (black) in Bwindi Park. The two bee species exited their nests in characteristically distinct foraging bouts suggesting that the recruitment methods used may be direct leading or ‘piloting’. The number of individuals in a returning bout was less than that in an exiting bout suggesting recruits do not follow experienced foragers the whole distance to food source, a phenomenon referred to as ‘partial piloting’. Flight period of M. ferruginea (black) and M. nebulata in Bwindi was restricted to a few hours each day. Meliponula nebulata foraged in the drizzle; a survival strategy, which could promote its reproductive fitness. Nectar and pollen foraging took place throughout the day while the removal of debris was greater in the late hours of the morning. Increased temperature resulted in significant increase in number of exiting bees. There was increase in number of exiting bees with decrease in humidity up to an optimal of 78% thereafter, increase in humidity resulted in reduced number of exiting bees.     

Structural and Floristic Heterogeneity in a 30-Year-Old Costa Rican Rain Forest Restored on Pasture Through Natural Secondary Succession

Relatively little information exists on neotropical secondary rain forests that have progressed beyond the pioneer stages of succession, or on the potential of natural regeneration to restore forest on large areas. We determined the structural and floristic characteristics (10 cm dbh) of a 30‐year‐old secondary forest developing on a 32.5 ha pasture on hilly terrain, abandoned after use of moderate intensity. Ten 0.24 ha sample plots covered the range of site conditions. The forest was dominated by long‐lived pioneer tree species; overall, the majority of species (70%) was vertebrate dispersed but the majority of individuals (52%) was of wind‐dispersed species. Tree species, including the dominants, were a mixture of those present in old‐growth and adventives colonizing from agricultural land. The forest was very heterogeneous. Vochysia ferruginea‐dominated stands characterized slopes with soils of high exchangeable acidity, while the adventive Cordia alliodora dominated sites with gentler topography and soils of lower acidity. Structural differences between the two forest types were slight, but Cordia forest had significantly greater species diversity and absolute and relative abundances of vertebrate‐dispersed tree species than Vochysia forest, which had significantly greater absolute and relative abundances of wind‐dispersed tree species. These latter differences between forest types, as well as the wide structural variation of the forest as a whole, were probably largely due to spatial and temporal variation in seed rains, some of it linked to the characteristics of the dominant species. Rain forest restoration on large pastures may depend greatly on wind dispersal and adventive tree species, and techniques for silvicultural diagnosis must be developed as a basis for the management of heterogeneous successional stands. Studies of early colonization of pastures should be expanded to focus on the causes of heterogeneity in older forests.     

Cocoa agroforestry is less resilient to sub‐optimal and extreme climate than cocoa in full sun

Cocoa agroforestry is perceived as potential adaptation strategy to sub‐optimal or adverse environmental conditions such as drought. We tested this strategy over wet, dry and extremely dry periods comparing cocoa in full sun with agroforestry systems: shaded by (i) a leguminous tree species, Albizia ferruginea and (ii) Antiaris toxicaria, the most common shade tree species in the region. We monitored micro‐climate, sap flux density, throughfall, and soil water content from November 2014 to March 2016 at the forest‐savannah transition zone of Ghana with climate and drought events during the study period serving as proxy for projected future climatic conditions in marginal cocoa cultivation areas of West Africa. Combined transpiration of cocoa and shade trees was significantly higher than cocoa in full sun during wet and dry periods. During wet period, transpiration rate of cocoa plants shaded by A. ferruginea was significantly lower than cocoa under A. toxicaria and full sun. During the extreme drought of 2015/16, all cocoa plants under A. ferruginea died. Cocoa plants under A. toxicaria suffered 77% mortality and massive stress with significantly reduced sap flux density of 115 g cm^?2 day^?1, whereas cocoa in full sun maintained higher sap flux density of 170 g cm^?2 day^?1. Moreover, cocoa sap flux recovery after the extreme drought was significantly higher in full sun (163 g cm^?2 day^?1) than under A. toxicaria (37 g cm^?2 day^?1). Soil water content in full sun was higher than in shaded systems suggesting that cocoa mortality in the shaded systems was linked to strong competition for soil water. The present results have major implications for cocoa cultivation under climate change. Promoting shade cocoa agroforestry as drought resilient system especially under climate change needs to be carefully reconsidered as shade tree species such as the recommended leguminous A. ferruginea constitute major risk to cocoa functioning under extended severe drought.     

Structure and biomass carbon of Olea ferruginea forests in the foot hills of Malakand division,Hindukush range mountains of Pakistan

The sub-tropical broadleaved forests dominates the foothills in Malakand division, Hindukush range mountains of northern Pakistan. Olea ferruginea is one of the major constituents of these forests having a wide distribution with no quantitative relationships between stand structural parameters and biomass carbon which renders to estimate carbon budget in the region. We investigated the forest structure, growing stock characteristics and biomass carbon stocks of the Olea ferruginea dominated forests in the foot-hills of Hindukush range mountains in Pakistan. The study highlights species diversity, tree distribution pattern and biomass carbon in respective diameter classes. We recognized five Olea ferruginea vegetation types by using an importance values (IV). Results showed that the forest comprised of 19 woody species belonging to 13 families of 10 Genera. Importance value (IV) for Olea ferruginea was ranged from 53 to 96 (mean = 69.4 ± 2.7) with a stem density of 215 to 417 ± 6.4 ha^?1. Average basal area was 6.69 ± 1.3 m² ha^?1 and volume was 44.2 ± 9.8 m³ ha^?1. Stem biomass and total biomass was 49.82 ± 11.1 and 100.1 ± 22.6 t ha^?1 respectively whereas, the stored carbon in the living biomass was 49.54 ± 11.3 t ha^?1. These findings revealed that Olea ferruginea forests has great potential to utilize and store atmospheric carbon. We concluded from our results, that the potential of carbon capturing and storage of the area can be increasesd on extensive managements of high biomass carbon density through proper scientific methods.     

Usefulness of marine protected areas as tools for preserving the highly endangered limpet,Patella ferruginea,in the Mediterranean Sea

Patella ferruginea is the most endangered endemic marine invertebrate of western Mediterranean rocky shores. From 2012 to 2015, we performed a census and an ecological study for this gastropod mollusc in the Zembra Archipelago National Park in Tunisia, where a large population still remains. In 1986, a total of 20,000 individuals were estimated, with 0.7?ind/m², 4.4?cm adult mean size and low recruitment rate. In 2009, the estimated population reached 38,559 individuals with 2.65?ind/m², 5.42?cm adult mean size and high recruitment rate. During the present work, 43,790 individuals were estimated in 2012, 27,359 in 2013, 33,170 in 2014 and 40,404 in 2015, with an average density ranging from 0.1 to 8.5 individuals per square metre, but reaching as many as 25?ind/m² on some shores. This makes the archipelago one of the most important Mediterranean ‘hot spots’ for P. ferruginea, as it has a large and well-conserved population of this species. Variability of the population size is influenced by various biotic and abiotic factors, but is principally impacted by poaching of the species. The poachers target individuals larger than 6?cm in length, and the sex ratio study has shown that over 70% of individuals become females at that size. In addition, high recruitment rates were recorded in 2012 and 2013, but these decreased in 2014 and 2015, although population numbers show the opposite pattern. Moreover, growth rate is low and P. ferruginea may need many years to reach a large adult size. The loss of reproductive potential due to poaching inevitably causes a significant imbalance in the limpet population. Our results indicate the importance of the National Park for P. ferruginea and underline the need for this species to be protected and monitored over a long period to provide the most appropriate management measures.     

Nitrogen fixation activity of a filamentous,nonheterocystous cyanobacterium in the presence and absence of exogenous,organic substrates

Gallionella ferruginea is able to utilize Fe(II) and the reduced sulfur compounds sulfide and thiosulfate as electron donor and energy source. Tetrathionate and elemental sulfur, on the other hand, are not metabolized. In sulfide-O₂ microgradient cultures G. ferruginea grows at the interface between the oxidizing and the reducing zones. Optimal growth depends on low oxygen and sulfide concentrations. Establishing within the gradient protects the bacterium from too high sulfide concentrations. G. ferruginea excretes extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). While in FeS-gradient cultures 2×10⁶ cells/ml were obtained the bacterial mass could be increased to 1–3×10⁸ cells/ml in shaken batch cultures using thiosulfate as substrate. A further increase of bacterial mass by adding an organic carbon source was not possible confirming that G. ferruginea is an obligate autotrophic organism. When growing on sulfide or thiosulfate the otherwise characteristic twisted stalk consisting of ferric hydroxide is lacking. It is thus shown to be a metabolic end product of Fe(II) oxidation rather than metabolically active cellular material.     

Genetic Consequences of Multigenerational and Landscape Colonisation Bottlenecks for a Neotropical Forest Pioneer Tree, Vochysia ferruginea

Deforestation and abandonment of neotropical agricultural land has led to rapid exploitation by pioneer species. As recolonised populations may be founded by a limited number of individuals, there is significant potential for genetic bottlenecks. Previous studies of pioneer tree dynamics have failed to consider population density interactions (by sampling populations with different densities) and the multigenerational consequences of recolonisation. In this paper we examine the genetic outcomes of a clearance/recolonisation regime for a Costa Rican long-lived pioneer species, Vochysia ferruginea, at a series of sites with different densities and across multi-generational cohorts (old growth forest, secondary forest and seedlings) using variation for amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLPs) and single sequence repeats (SSRs, microsatellites). A clearance/recolonisation phase was found to significantly increase fine-scale genetic structuring (average intensity of spatial genetic structure, Sp [SSR]?=?0.0358) compared to old growth forest (Sp?=?0.0126), and significantly reduces genetic diversity (Shannon’s index [AFLP]?=?0.202 and 0.271–0.355 for other forest histories following density correction), which compounds over generations (e.g. at Tirimbina: old growth forest, allelic richness, R_T [SSR]?=?8.86; secondary forest R_T?=?7.95; seedlings R_T?=?4.76). Spatial structuring of closely related individuals suggests that V. ferruginea colonises sites via early invaders, which establish patches with half sib relationship. The variability observed between cohorts for genetic differentiation and inbreeding coefficients suggests that the presence of remnant trees can have an important impact on the genetic make up of recolonised populations. One main concern from these results is that if secondary forest blocks harbour reduced genetic diversity and persist in the landscape, then species like V. ferruginea may be forced into a downward spiral of diversity loss if old growth remnants, which harbour higher diversity, are cleared and secondary blocks are used as reforestation sources.     

Re-examination of ultrastructures of the stellate chloroplast organization in brown algae: Structure and development of pyrenoids

Some taxa of brown algae have a so‐called ‘stellate’ chloroplast arrangement composed of multiple chloroplasts arranged in a stellate configuration, or else a single chloroplast with radiating lobes. The fine structures of chloroplasts and pyrenoids have been studied, but the details of their membrane configurations as well as pyrenoid ontogeny have not been well understood. The ultrastructure of the single stellate chloroplast in Splachnidium rugosum and Scytothamnus australis were re‐examined in the present study, as well as the stellate arrangement of chloroplasts in Asteronema ferruginea and Asterocladon interjectum, using freeze‐substitution fixation. It was confirmed that the chloroplast envelope invaginated into the pyrenoid in Splachnidium rugosum, Scytothamnus australis and Asteronema ferruginea, but chloroplast endoplasmic reticulum (CER) remained on the surface of the chloroplast. The space between the invaginated chloroplast envelope and CER was filled with electron‐dense material. In Asteronema ferruginea, CER surrounding each pyrenoid was closely appressed to the neighboring CER over the pyrenoids, so that the chloroplasts formed a stellate configuration; however, in the apical cells chloroplasts formed two or more loose groups, or were completely dispersed. The pyrenoids of Asterocladon interjectum did not have any invagination of the chloroplast envelope, but a unique membranous sac surrounded the pyrenoid complex and occasionally other organelles (e.g. mitochondria). Immunolocalization of β‐1,3‐glucans showed that the membranous sac in Asterocladon interjectum did not contain photosynthetic products such as chrysolaminaran. Observations in the dividing cells of Splachnidium rugosum and Scytothamnus australis indicated that the pyrenoid in the center of the chloroplast enlarged and divided into two before or during chloroplast division.     

Plasticity in photosynthetic response to nutrient supply of seedlings from a mixed conifer‐angiosperm forest

Abstract We measured the plasticity of the response of photosynthesis to nutrient supply in seedlings of the dominant four conifer and broadleaved angiosperm tree species from an indigenous forest in South‐westland, New Zealand. We hypothesized that the response of conifers to differing nutrient supply would be less than the response for the angiosperms because of greater adaptation to low fertility conditions. In Prumnopitys ferruginea (D. Don) de Laub. the maximum velocity of electron transport, J_max, doubled with a 10‐fold increase in concentration of nitrogen supply. In Dacrydium cupressinum Lamb. the maximum velocity of carboxylation, V_cmax, doubled with a 10‐fold increase in phosphorus supply. In contrast, photosynthetic capacity for the angiosperm species Weinmannia racemosa L.f. was affected only by the interaction of nitrogen and phosphorus and photosynthetic capacity of Metrosideros umbellata Cav. was not affected by nutrient supply. The response of the conifers to increasing availability of nutrient suggests greater plasticity in photosynthetic capacity, a characteristic not generally associated with adaptation to soil infertility, thus invalidating our hypothesis. Our data suggest that photosynthetic response to nutrient supply cannot be broadly generalized between the two functional groups.     

A model for seasonality and distribution of leaf area index of forests and its application to China

Abstract. We have constructed a phenological model of leaf area index (LAI) of forests based on biological principles of leaf growth. Field data of maximum LAI from 794 plots with mature or nearly mature stand ages over China were used to parameterize and calibrate the model. New measurements of maximum LAI from 16 natural forest sites were used to validate the simulated maximum LAI. The predictions of seasonal LAI patterns were compared with seasonal changes derived from the 1‐km satellite AVHRR‐NDVI data for nine undisturbed forest sites in eastern China. Then, we used the model to map maximum LAI values for forests in China. Model results indicated that the PhenLAI model generally predicted maximum LAI well for most forest types, even when maximum LAI is > 6. This suggests an ecological approach to the saturation problem in satellite detection of high forest LAI where the relationship between NDVI and LAI reaches an asymptote near a projected LAI value of 5 or 6. Furthermore, the predictions of seasonal LAI patterns in timing and dynamics were generally consistent with the satellite NDVI changes, except for monsoon forest and rain forest in south China where satellite detection of seasonal variation in leaf area is hardly possible. Compared with average projected LAI measurements of global forests from 809 field plots in literature data, our maximum LAI values were close to the global literature data for most of Chinese forests, but the average area‐weighted maximum LAI for all forests of China (6.68 ± 3.85) was higher than the global mean LAI of the 809 field plots (5.55 ± 4.14). We believe that forest LAI in China is commonly > 6, especially in tropical rainforest, subtropical evergreen broad‐leaved forest, temperate mixed forest, and boreal/alpine spruce‐fir forest where satellite detection of high LAI is hardly possible.     

Comparison of wood-inhabiting myxomycetes in subalpine and montane coniferous forests in the Yatsugatake Mountains of Central Japan

To demonstrate altitudinal gradients (and resulting temperatures) that affect myxomycete biodiversity and species composition, we statistically compared myxomycete assemblages between a subalpine coniferous forest and a montane pine forest within the region of the Yatsugatake Mountains, Nagano Prefecture, Central Japan. In summer and autumn field surveys during 2003–2010, 53 myxomycete taxa (with varieties treated as species) were observed from 639 records of fruiting bodies in the subalpine forest and 32 taxa were detected from 613 records in the montane forest. There were 20 species in common between the assemblages and the percentage similarity index was 0.400. Myxomycete biodiversity was higher in the subalpine than in the montane forest. Nine myxomycete species were statistically frequent occurrences in the subalpine forest and appeared in autumn: Lamproderma columbinum, Cribraria macrocarpa, Trichia botrytis, Physarum newtonii, Diderma ochraceum, Enteridium splendens, Elaeomyxa cerifera, Trichia verrucosa, and Colloderma oculatum. Five species were restricted to appear in the subalpine forest: Cribraria purpurea, Cribraria rufa, Cribraria ferruginea, Cribraria piriformis, and Lepidoderma tigrinum. Dead wood in the subalpine forest provided a breeding habitat for specific myxomycetes that inhabit cold areas; that is those areas having geographical features of decreasing temperature and increasing elevation, such as the temperate area of Central Japan.     

The potential of small exclosures in assisting regeneration of coffee shade trees in South‐Western Ethiopian coffee forests

Ethiopian Afromontane moist forests where coffee grows as understorey shrub are traditionally managed by the local communities for coffee production through thinning of the shade tree canopy and slashing of competing undergrowth. This management practice has a negative impact on the coffee shrubs, because the removal of shade tree saplings and seedlings reduces the succession potential of the shade tree canopy, which threatens the very existence of the shade coffee production system. We assessed the functionality of small exclosures to initiate coffee shade tree canopy restoration through natural regeneration. Our results show that small exclosures have a strong restoration potential for the coffee shade trees preferred by farmers (Albizia schimperiana, A. gummifera and Millettia ferruginea), as evidenced from their seedling abundance, survival and growth. The regeneration of late‐successional tree species of the moist Afromontane forest was not successful in the small exclosures, most probably due to the low abundance or absence of adult trees as seed sources for regeneration. Therefore, temporary establishment of small exclosures in degraded coffee forest fragments where shade trees are getting old or dying is recommended for sustainable shade coffee production.     

The botanical diversity in the Ayawasi area, Irian Jaya, Indonesia

In the karst-dominated Ayawasi area (Bird's Head peninsula), the botanical diversity and its relation to soil and geological substratum were studied. An inventory in 22 plots of 0.1 ha was made of all plants (1945) with a dbh 10 cm (mainly trees). Myrtaceae, Burseraceae, and Euphorbiaceae were the most frequent families (considering relative number of individuals), whereas Myrtaceae, Lauraceae, and Meliaceae were most species-rich. The most frequent genera were Syzygium, Haplolobus, and Lithocarpus, and most species-rich were Syzygium, Garcinia, Elaeocarpus, and Pouteria. The most frequent species were Anisoptera thurifera, Tristaniopsis ferruginea, and Gymnacranthera farquhariana var. zippeliana. Species richness was greater in plots in mixed forest (38–57 species, average 48) than in limestone forest (26–42 species, average 33) and secondary forest (21–46 species, average 34). Some very common species, such as Xanthophyllum novoguineense (Polygalaceae) and Macaranga suwo (Euphorbiaceae), were hitherto herbarium rarities, known from very few collections only. Species dominating earlier investigated forests elsewhere in the Bird's Head Peninsula range from being less important to absent in the presently investigated forest. Explanatory factors for this phenomenon are variation due to the geographical distance, the high beta-diversity of tropical forests in general, habitat differences, and differences in research methods, in particular in their scale.     

Island history affects faunal composition: the treeshrews (Mammalia: Scandentia: Tupaiidae) from the Mentawai and Batu Islands,Indonesia

The Mentawai and Batu Island groups off the west coast of Sumatra have a complicated geological and biogeographical history. The Batu Islands have shared a connection with the Sumatran ‘mainland’ during periods of lowered sea level, whereas the Mentawai Islands, despite being a similar distance from Sumatra, have remained isolated from Sumatra, and probably from the Batu Islands as well. These contrasting historical relationships to Sumatra have influenced the compositions of the respective mammalian faunas of these island groups. Treeshrews (Scandentia, Tupaiidae) from these islands have, at various times in their history, been recognized as geographically circumscribed populations of a broadly distributed Tupaia glis, subspecies, or distinct species. We used multivariate analyses of measurements from the skull and hands to compare the island populations from Siberut (Mentawai Islands) and Tanahbala (Batu Islands) with the geographically adjacent species from the southern Mentawai Islands (T. chrysogaster) and Sumatra (T. ferruginea). Results from both the skull and manus of the Siberut population show that it is most similar to T. chrysogaster, whereas the Tanahbala population is more similar to T. ferruginea, confirming predictions based on island history. These results are further corroborated by mammae counts. Based on these lines of evidence, we include the Siberut population in T. chrysogaster and the Tanahbala population in T. ferruginea. Our conclusions expand the known distributions of both the Mentawai and Sumatran species. The larger geographical range of the endangered T. chrysogaster has conservation implications for this Mentawai endemic, so populations and habitat should be re‐evaluated on each of the islands it inhabits. However, until such a re‐evaluation is conducted, we recommend that the IUCN Red List status of this species be changed from ‘Endangered’ to ‘Data Deficient’. Published 2013. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2014, 111 , 290–304.     

Differentiation between Gallionella and Metallogenium

Summary The DNA base composition and the sensitivity to iron of an ironoxidizing Metallogenium was determined. A comparison of the organism with Gallionella ferruginea suggests that the iron-oxidizing Metallogenium may be a common contaminant of G. ferruginea cultures.     

Fire resilience of ant assemblages in long‐unburnt savanna of northern Australia

Abstract Tropical savannas and rainforests contrast in their flammability and the fire resilience of their associated species. While savanna species generally exhibit high resilience to burning, there is much debate about the fire resilience of forest‐associated species, and the persistence of forest patches in a flammable savanna matrix. Where fire has been excluded, savanna tends on a trajectory towards forest, with an increase in forest‐associated plants and animal species. This study tested the idea that given the high proportion of forest‐associated taxa in long‐unburnt savanna, the fauna of these areas would be expected to exhibit less resilience to fire than the fauna in frequently burnt savannas. The study investigated the immediate and short‐term effects on ant assemblages of re‐introducing fire into long‐unburnt savanna in northern Australia. The ant fauna exhibited high resistance to fires, with no significant short‐term change in mean abundance or species richness; instead, seasonality had a far stronger influence on overall ant activity. Fire caused dramatic declines in dominance of the patchily distributed forest‐associated species Oecophylla smaragdina and Papyrius sp., but had no effect on overall dominance by open savanna species of Iridomyrmex. Dominance by Iridomyrmex pallidus declined, but this was compensated for by increases in I. reburrus, while two other species of Iridomyrmex showed no change. This indicates a high level of functional redundancy among dominant species of Iridomyrmex, which universally dominate open savanna communities, but not of dominant forest‐associated species. Overall, our findings demonstrate a high degree of fire‐resilience of the long‐unburnt savanna ant fauna. Despite the occurrence of forest‐associated species, the high proportion of savanna species persisting in this habitat means that long‐unburnt savanna retains the general response characteristics of frequently burnt savanna.     

Speciation inVirgilia (Fabaceae): Allopatric divergence followed by introgression?

Levels of variation revealed by starch gel-electrophoresis were compared with morphological and chemical variation within and among the species and subspecies ofVirgilia:V. oroboides subsp.oroboides, V. oroboides subsp.ferruginea andV. divaricata. The data sets exhibited concordance in that all point to a very close relationship between the taxa. Differences are mostly quantitative and an overlapping east-west gradient of character variation is indicated. Analysis of morphological and chemical characters showed thatV. oroboides subsp.ferruginea andV. divaricata are relatively distinct, whereas allozyme analysis indicated a high degree of genetic similarity among populations of these two taxa. The observed pattern of variation suggests relatively recent speciation with subsequent introgressive hybridisation resulting in a geographical and ecological gradient.     

Polyphyly of the genus Apalis and a new generic name for the species pulchra and ruwenzorii

The genus Apalis is a member of the African forest warblers clade of the Cisticolidae. In view of its morphological diversity, it was suggested that this genus needs a taxonomic revaluation. For this, we sequenced a nuclear intron (myoglobin intron 2) and two mitochondrial protein‐coding genes (ND2 and ND3). The 2016 bp of sequence data obtained were aligned and subjected to parsimony, maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference. All three genes strongly reject the monophyly of Apalis but support the placing of all apalises within a broader clade of forest cisticolids which also includes Urolais. Within this forest clade, a subclade is defined which includes the genera Urolais, Schistolais and a well‐supported clade comprising three afromontane species, the Black‐collared Apalis Apalis pulchra, the Ruwenzori Apalis Apalis ruwenzorii and the African Tailorbird Artisornis. This subclade is sister to other members of Apalis, including the type species of the genus the Bar‐throated Apalis Apalis thoracica. A new generic name, Oreolais, is suggested for the Black‐collared and Ruwenzori Apalises.     

Recognition of a new generic‐level swallow taxon from central Africa

The forest swallow Petrochelidon fuliginosa is a little‐known species endemic to lowland forests in central Africa; for lack of access to high‐quality genetic material, the species has been omitted from all previous molecular phylogenetic studies of the swallows. The species is currently placed in the genus Petrochelidon, within the ‘mud‐nester’ clade of swallows, yet its plumage, morphology, and nesting behavior do not align well with those of other major swallow lineages. As a consequence, upon securing recent specimens and high‐quality tissue samples, we sequenced DNA from two mitochondrial genes and one nuclear marker to place this species in the swallow phylogenetic tree. Our results placed the forest swallow firmly within the ‘mud nester’ clade, but outside of the clade corresponding to Petrochelidon. This outcome led us to document and describe formally a distinct, generic‐level lineage of swallow endemic to the Lower Guinean forest region of central Africa.