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Abstract
Although historically widespread in most of the shallow and warm waters of the world, the presence of sawfishes in the Mediterranean Sea is still a debated question. For some authors, they never inhabited this basin except as vagrants, while for other authors both Pristis pristis and Pristis pectinata were present in the Mediterranean Sea but were extirpated in the 1960s–1970s. The sawfish rostrum kept in the Basilica Santuario del Carmine Maggiore (Naples, Italy), and considered by some authors the first record of sawfish in the Mediterranean was studied using a combination of morphological, genetic, radiocarbon dating and histochemical staining methods to validate the taxonomic identification, estimate its age and assess its geographical origin. Results indicate that the rostrum does not belong to P. pristis as reported by previous authors, but instead possesses morphological and genetic characters typical of P. pectinata. In addition, the radiocarbon age shows that the rostrum is more recent than previously believed, dating it back to the mid-nineteenth century, and genetic and meristic results cast doubt on its presumed Mediterranean origin. This study demonstrates that historical records should always be critically evaluated before using them to draw any far-reaching conclusion about species’ past ecology and/or biogeography, and that future studies using historical information and specimens should adopt an integrative taxonomy approach similar to the one used here.
Abstract
Marine lakes are bodies of seawater that are land-locked and maintain a subterranean connection to the surrounding sea. Here, we document the species diversity of benthic molluscs in 11 marine lakes in Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, using the roving diving survey method. We specifically tested for relationships between species richness and lake size and the degree of connection to the surrounding sea, and tested potential environmental drivers of community structure. We recorded 73 species, belonging to the classes Gastropoda (48 species, comprising 36 genera and 25 families), Bivalvia (24 species, consisting of 17 genera and 12 families), and Polyplacophora (one species). Molluscs from marine lakes are a subset of species also occurring in coral, seagrass, mangrove, and rocky shore habitats in the open sea. We found lake communities to mostly consist of grazers and filter feeders. The number of mollusc species significantly increased with increasing connection to the surrounding sea, but not with increasing surface area, indicating that dispersal potential may be the main driving force. Furthermore, we observed no significant influence of the environment on the variation in mollusc species composition among marine lakes. Still, we observed certain species to be exclusively present in either high or low-connected lakes, indicating a potential effect of environmental filtering. Marine lakes provide a unique ecosystem for diverse mollusc assemblages and as such should be protected.
Abstract
To elucidate the historical biogeography of a species, the patterns of population divergence must be understood, and the evolutionary history of the species must be accurately known. For brown trout (Salmo trutta complex), estimating divergence times remains a challenge due to the lack of well-defined time calibration points and insufficient phylogeographic coverage in previous studies. The present work aims to improve molecular dating of mitochondrial control region sequences by using a multicalibration framework based on the latest paleogeological evidence for dating the origin of Lake Ohrid and two available Salmo fossils, including the overlooked Salmo immigratus. Our results clearly show that, contrary to common belief, the major divisions within the brown trout occurred in the Late Pliocene, not the Pleistocene. The Pliocene origin suggests that the brown trout lineages did not form because of geo(hydro)morphological changes during glaciation cycles but may be the result of orogeny and drainage evolution. In addition, increased sampling, particularly in Serbia, led to the identification of a new haplogroup (da-int) occupying an intermediate position with respect to da-es and da-bs haplogroups. While the control region can delineate brown trout lineages, its phylogenetic resolution is limited, so even extensive sampling could not further resolve the lineage level polytomies.
Abstract
The full-scale war in Ukraine negatively impacted populations of urban and semi-urban animals. This study examines the effects of war-related damages on urban populations of bats in Kharkiv city (NE Ukraine) during 2022. Our findings suggest that 45.1% of buildings used as wintering roosts for N. noctula were either partially damaged or completely destroyed by shellings, which may have led to the direct killing of approximately 7,000 bats. Additionally, the war-damaged urban environments in Kharkiv serve as a deadly trap for bats during the period of autumn migration or swarming. Bats flew into buildings’ interiors through windows that were left open or broken by blast waves, resulting in entrapment. The total number of N. noctula trapped inside buildings damaged by shelling was 2,836 individuals, with a death rate of approximately 30%. The group size of trapped bats was more numerous than in previous years, and the main findings were concentrated in war-damaged districts of the city.
Abstract
Two modes of post-embryonic development, hemianamorphosis and epimorphosis, show a distinct pattern among extant centipede (Chilopoda) orders. Although studies on post-embryonic development in Lithobiomorpha date back to the 19th and the 20th century, many ambiguities referring to nomenclature of their post-embryonic stages still exist. In this paper coherent terminology of the post-embryonic stages in Lithobius melanops, which could be applied to other lithobiomorphs, is proposed. Additionally, morphological variability of selected morphological traits was analyzed using traditional and geometric morphometric approaches. We recognized five anamorphic (anamorph 0 to 4) and five epimorphic stages (agenitalis, immaturus, praematurus, pseudomaturus and maturus). Measurement and count of certain morphometric characters, detailed description of genital appendages, shape and size variation of the forcipular apparatus, the cephalic capsule and the terminal legs are given. Moreover, for the purpose of geometric morphometric analyses we separated specimens of epimorphic stages into three groups (agenitalis-, praematurus- and maturus-like) based on the level of differentiation of genital appendages. Sexual size dimorphism of the forcipular apparatus was observed only in the praematurus group. Also, significant inter-group forcipular size and shape differences are found between some tested groups. Furthermore, significant differences in size and shape were recorded for the cephalic capsule between all groups. Finally, significant size differences in ultimate legs are present between all epimorphic groups, while shape differences were detected only between agenitalis and maturus groups. Our results contribute to overcoming terminological disparities and provide guidelines for distinguishing stages via discrete and continuous changes during post-embryonic development of the anamorphic centipede.
Abstract
Marine associated oribatid mites belong mainly to the Ameronothroidea which represent a very small percentage of all Oribatida. Over the last decades the systematics and evolutionary history of this group has been discussed controversially and still there is no consensus concerning several issues. The extreme marine environment may have resulted in parallel morphologies complicating the classification and estimation of phylogeny based on discrete morphological traits. In the present study, we performed a molecular genetic study using a mitochondrial and two nuclear markers to infer the phylogeny of this group. Additionally, we reconstructed the phylogeny of Ameronothroidea based on morphological data using different algorithms. Both methods resulted in largely congruent topologies and highlight the following important points: the Ameronothroidea represent a paraphyletic assemblage; the Podacaridae are a distinct family and should be excluded from Ameronothridae; the Fortuyniidae, Selenoribatidae and Tegeocranellidae constitute a monophyletic lineage; and certain genera of Selenoribatidae need a revision. These results demonstrate that the classification of Ameronothroidea and certain positions within this group need to be thoroughly reconsidered and revised. The present study also shows that phylogenetic estimates based on coded morphological data can be a very helpful tool for verifying and supporting molecular phylogenies.
Abstract
Most marine shrimp species of the family Palaemonidae are characterized by symbiotic associations with hosts that belong to a wide range of invertebrate phyla. One clade of related endosymbiotic species has evolved to live inside the branchial chambers of ascidians and the mantle cavities of bivalve molluscs. The phylogeny of this clade (comprising 15 bivalve-associated species in the genera Anchistus, Neoanchistus, and Paranchistus, and three species of ascidian-associated species in the genus Dasella) is the topic of the present study, which is based on both morphological and molecular data. A concatenated phylogeny reconstruction was built by using the markers coi and 16S. With the help of a total evidence approach (with a scored morphological datamatrix), species could be added for which no molecular data were available. An ancestral character state analysis was performed to detect host switches. In contrast to another endosymbiotic clade, the ancestral host state was found to be slightly in favour of bivalves. The phylogenetic relevance of morphological features is discussed with a focus on a tympanal organ located in the major chelipeds of some bivalve-associated shrimp species. This little-known anatomical structure is illustrated by sem and µCT scans. Its possible function is discussed. In the phylogeny reconstructions, both Anchistus and Paranchistus were found to be polyphyletic. They were reclassified to obtain a more natural classification: Anchistus custoides and Anchistus custos were transferred to the resurrected genus Ensiger. Paranchistus liui, P. nobilii, P. pycnodontae, and P. spondylis were transferred to Polkamenes gen. nov. Anchistus pectinis and P. ornatus were transferred to Tympanicheles gen. nov. Per genus, a key to the species is provided.
Universal Scholar and Natural Scientist of the Renaissance
Translator:
The Zurich polymath Conrad Gessner (1516–1565) is known as the founder of zoology and plant geography, the father of bibliography, editor of ancient texts, and author of one of the most important paleontological works of the sixteenth century. While preparing his extensive work on plants, he died unexpectedly and early from the plague. Gessner's interest in the natural sciences was rooted, on the one hand, in the new conception of nature that emerged with the Renaissance, and, on the other hand, in the creation theology of the Reformation, which considered nature as a second book of God's revelation next to the Bible. This richly illustrated and erudite biography is the first biography of Gessner to appear in English.
This biography is a translation of Conrad Gessner (1516-1565): Universalgelehrter und Naturforscher der Renaissance (Basel: NZZ Libro, 2016).
This biography is a translation of Conrad Gessner (1516-1565): Universalgelehrter und Naturforscher der Renaissance (Basel: NZZ Libro, 2016).
Universal Scholar and Natural Scientist of the Renaissance
The Zurich polymath Conrad Gessner (1516–1565) is known as the founder of zoology and plant geography, the father of bibliography, editor of ancient texts, and author of one of the most important paleontological works of the sixteenth century. While preparing his extensive work on plants, he died unexpectedly and early from the plague. Gessner's interest in the natural sciences was rooted, on the one hand, in the new conception of nature that emerged with the Renaissance, and, on the other hand, in the creation theology of the Reformation, which considered nature as a second book of God's revelation next to the Bible. This richly illustrated and erudite biography is the first biography of Gessner to appear in English.
This biography is a translation of Conrad Gessner (1516-1565): Universalgelehrter und Naturforscher der Renaissance (Basel: NZZ Libro, 2016).
This biography is a translation of Conrad Gessner (1516-1565): Universalgelehrter und Naturforscher der Renaissance (Basel: NZZ Libro, 2016).