Adverse Effects of Capture and Handling Little Bustard

Abstract Capturing wild animals for research or conservation purposes may cause some adverse effects, which is only acceptable if these are outweighed by conservation benefits. We used information from 3 on-going telemetry studies on the endangered little bustard (Tetrax tetrax) in Western Europe to evaluate the risk factors associated with capture and handling. Of 151 telemetered birds, 23 (15.2%) exhibited impaired mobility and coordination after release, probably related to the occurrence of capture myopathy. Among the 23 impaired birds, 10 (43.5%) died before recovering normal mobility (6.6% of all birds captured). Logistic regression analyses identified longer handling time, longer restraint time, use of cannon nets, and capture of juveniles as inducing factors for these disorders. We conclude that little bustard is fairly susceptible to suffering ataxia and paresia after release as a result of restraint associated with capture and manipulation. Researchers can reduce this risk by keeping handling and restraint time below 10–20 minutes, particularly when using cannon nets or when capturing juveniles.     

Revision of the genus Pseudabris Fairmaire (Coleoptera,Meloidae), an endemic to the Tibetan Plateau,with biogeographical comments

The mylabrine genus Pseudabris is endemic to the Tibetan Plateau and includes seven species with overlapping or disjunct ranges. The genus is revised: three new species, P. brevipilosa sp.n., P. latimaculata sp.n., P. regularis sp.n., are described and illustrated, and a key to the species is provided. Molecular evidence supports the placement of Pseudabris within the tribe Mylabrini. Results of a morphology‐based cladistic analysis support the existence of two lineages, one centred mainly on the south central plateau, and the second in the eastern area. Faunistics and bionomics of the genus are summarized, focusing on phenology, elevation, habitat preference and host plants. The endemism of the Tibetan Plateau is discussed, with a special focus on the genus Pseudabris.     

Relationships of the haematophagous marine snail Colubraria (Rachiglossa: Colubrariidae), within the neogastropod phylogenetic framework

The gastropod genus Colubraria includes marine shallow‐water species from tropical, subtropical, and temperate rocky coral environments. At least six species are known to feed on fish blood. Although there is general consensus in placing Colubraria in the Neogastropoda, the actual relationships and the systematic position of Colubraria and related genera are unknown. This is partly the consequence of the lack of a clear phylogenetic framework for the Neogastropoda. This study attempts to propose a phylogenetic framework for the Neogastropoda, by testing: (1) a preliminary phylogenetic arrangement for a large number of recognized neogastropod families; (2) the position of Colubraria within the neogastropods; and (3) the relationships of Colubraria within one of the major neogastropod lineages. We used two different molecular data sets. The first set included representatives of at least 14 neogastropod families, for points (1) and (2), and was based on mitochondrial (16S, 12S, and cytochrome oxidase subunit I, COI) and nuclear (28S) DNA sequences, giving a total of 3443 aligned positions. The second data set, for point (3), included 30 buccinoid sequences from mitochondrial 16S, giving a total of 1029 aligned positions. We also studied the anatomy of the type species of Colubraria and compared it with other neogastropods within the new phylogenetic framework. The results included the first phylogeny of the neogastropod based on 50% of the recognized families. This clearly indicated that the nematoglossan Cancellariidae represent a basal offshoot of the monophyletic Neogastropoda, and that the toxoglossan Conoidea are the sister group to the Rachiglossa. Within the Rachiglossa, a colubrariid clade, worthy of family ranking, showed clear buccinoid affinities. Most of the anatomy of Colubraria is congruent with a buccinoid model. The peculiar anatomical features that do not conform to the buccinoid model seem to be related to the evolution of haematophagous feeding. © 2009 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2010, 158 , 779–800.     

The systematics of the radula-less gastropod Clathromangelia (Caenogastropoda, Conoidea)

On the basis of foregut anatomy and embryonic/larval shell morphology, the radula-less conoidean gastropod genus Clathromangelia Monterosato, 1884 is transferred to the subfamily Daphnellinae (family Turridae). The Lower Pliocene to Recent species arc reviewed. The type species is Pleurotoma granum Philippi, 1844, Recent from Sicily. C. quadrillum Dujardin, 1837 a fossil species described from the Miocene (and ranging to the Lower Pliocene) is here considered a distinct species, with planktotrophic larval development. Clathromangelia strigillata Pallary, 1904 from the Gulf of Gabè (Tunisia) is figured and redescribed. Clathromangelia loiselieri Oberling, 1970 (lectotype here selected) is a senior synonym of C. fehrae (emend. pro C. fehri ) Aartsen & Zenetou, 1987. Three new species are described and figured from the Italian Pliocene: C. tavianii sp. n., C. elvirae sp. n. and C. marinae sp. n.     

Testing for tree-ring divergence in the European Alps

Evidence for reduced sensitivity of tree growth to temperature has been reported from multiple forests along the high northern latitudes. This alleged circumpolar phenomenon described the apparent inability of temperature-sensitive tree-ring width and density chronologies to parallel increasing instrumental temperature measurements since the mid-20th century. In addition to such low-frequency trend offset, the inability of formerly temperature-sensitive tree growth to reflect high-frequency temperature signals in a warming world is indicated at some boreal sites, mainly in Alaska, the Yukon and Siberia. Here, we refer to both of these findings as the ‘divergence problem’ (DP), with their causes and scale being debated. If DP is widespread and the result of climatic forcing, the overall reliability of tree-ring-based temperature reconstructions should be questioned. Testing for DP benefits from well-replicated tree-ring and instrumental data spanning from the 19th to the 21st century. Here, we present a network of 124 larch and spruce sites across the European Alpine arc. Tree-ring width chronologies from 40 larch and 24 spruce sites were selected based on their correlation with early (1864–1933) instrumental temperatures to assess their ability of tracking recent (1934–2003) temperature variations. After the tree-ring series of both species were detrended in a manner that allows low-frequency variations to be preserved and scaled against summer temperatures, no unusual late 20th century DP is found. Independent tree-ring width and density evidence for unprecedented late 20th century temperatures with respect to the past millennium further reinforces our results.     

A molecular phylogeny of the cosmopolitan hyperdiverse genus Hydraena Kugelann (Coleoptera,Hydraenidae)

With almost 900 described species, Hydraena Kugelann (Hydraenidae) is one of the largest genera among Coleoptera. The subgeneric classification of Hydraena has been controversial, with 11 subgeneric names having so far been attributed to it. Some of these, Haenydra Rey and Spanglerina Perkins, have been treated as valid genera, as subgenera or as species groups. The most recent complete treatment of the genus, based on a cladistic analysis of morphological characters, recognized two major lineages, and only these were classified as subgenera: Hydraenopsis (mainly Gondwanan distribution), and Hydraena s.str. (mainly Laurasian). Here, we reconstruct the phylogeny of Hydraena using 212 species plus several outgroups and approximately 4 kb of sequence data from two nuclear (SSU and LSU) and four mitochondrial genes (cox1, rrnL, trnL and nad1). Data were aligned with two different strategies of multiple alignment (implemented in mafft and prank ), and the phylogenies reconstructed using maximum likelihood and Bayesian methods. We estimated approximate ages of the main nodes using a relaxed molecular clock with Bayesian methods, and an a priori evolutionary rate of 0.01 substitutions/site/million years (Ma) plus a calibration point based on a biogeographical split. We found strong support for the monophyly of Hydraena and many of the clades recognized with morphological data. The following clades are considered as subgenera: Phothydraena Kuwert, Spanglerina Perkins, Holcohydraena Kuwert, Hydraenopsis Janssens and Hydraena s.str. The placement of three species groups, two Neotropical (H. multispina group, H. paeminosa group) and one South African/Madagascan (H. monikae group), is uncertain, and they are considered incertae sedis within Hydraena. The origin of the genus was estimated to be in the Lower Eocene, with many species complexes diversifying in the Pleistocene. Dispersal events seem to have played a key role in order to determine the current distribution of the species groups in the southern hemisphere (mainly in Hydraenopsis).     

An optimized protocol for the identification of diatoms,flagellated algae and pathogenic protozoa with phylochips

In the past decade, molecular probe‐based methods have proved successful in improving both the efficiency and accuracy of the identification of microorganisms, especially those that are devoid of distinct morphological features. However until recently, these methods had the major drawback of being limited to the identification of only one or just a few species at a time. With the use of DNA microarrays, it is possible to identify large numbers of taxa on a single‐glass slide, the so‐called phylochip. There are numerous microarray protocols in the literature. These protocols share the same principles, but vary in details, e.g. labelling approach or detergent concentration in the washing buffer. In this study, we show that even small variations in hybridization protocols can have a strong impact on the outcome of the microarray hybridization. An optimized protocol for species identification on phylochips is presented. The optimized protocol is the result of a joined effort of three laboratories to develop phylochips for microbial species identification.     

Phylogenetic relationships in the genus Agathemera (Insecta: Phasmatodea) inferred from the genes 16S,COI and H3

We present a phylogenetic analysis that includes all known species of Agathemera, using as outgroup four species of the genera Heteronemia, Spinonemia, Monticomorpha, and Anisomorpha. Phylogenetic inference was based on three genes, 16S, COI (mitochondrial markers) and H3 (nuclear marker), based on the maximum‐parsimony, maximum‐likelihood and Bayesian inference methods. Our results show that the genus Agathemera is monophyletic; six of its eight species showed phylogenetic support, while the group A. claraziana + A. millepunctata was not resolved. The resulting topology shows two major clades, the first with A. maculafulgens, A. luteola, A. crassa, A. millepunctata, and A. claraziana, and the second including A. grylloidea, A. mesoauriculae, and A. elegans. Species of the first clade have large mesonotal processes and are found mainly east of the Andes, except for A. crassa. Members of the second clade have small or absent mesonotal processes and are distributed mainly to the west of the Andes. © 2012 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2012, 165 , 63–72.     

Late Jurassic footprints reveal walking kinematics of theropod dinosaurs

Avanzini, M., Piñuela, L. & García‐Ramos, J.C. 2011: Late Jurassic footprints reveal walking kinematics of theropod dinosaurs. Lethaia, Vol. 45, pp. 238–252. This study describes a set of theropod footprints collected from the Late Jurassic Lastres Formation (Asturias, N Spain). The footprints are natural casts (tracks and undertracks) grouped into three morphotypes, which are characterized by different size frequency, L/W relationship and divarication angles: ‘Grallatorid’ morphotype, ‘Kayentapus–Magnoavipes’ morphotype, ‘Hispanosauropus’ morphotype. The tracks were produced in firm, stiff and soft sediments. The infills of deep tracks, which are typically formed in soft mud, lack fine anatomical details, but they can reveal the walk kinematics of the trackmaker through the morphology of internal track fills and sinking traces. In all footprints, a horizontal outwardly directed translation movement and rotation are recognizable. The amount and geometry of digit penetration in the ground also show a pronounced difference. It can be inferred from the described sample that different theropoda‐related ichnogenera share common kinematics. □Asturias, dinosaur footprint, late jurassic, theropods, walking kinematics.     

A NEW SPECIES OF OXYCHILUS FROM THE LIGURIAN APENNINES (ITALY) (PULMONATA: ZONITIDAE)

A new species of Oxychilus Fitzinger from the Ligurian Apennines(Italy) is described. The new species is particularly characterizedby its penial complex which has a very slender proximal peniswith variable inner sculpture and a widened distal penis. Theproximal penis inner structure consists of a series of longitudinalpleats which may often be crenulated, undulated or fragmentedto form rows of papillae, providing new evidence to supportthe opinion that this is not a valid diagnostic character forseparating Oxychilus into the nominal subgenus and OrtiziusForcart. Consequently Ortizius is herein proposed as a juniorsynonym of Oxychilus s. str. (Received 5 July 1990; accepted 4 March 1991)