An annotated list of the aquatic insects of southeastern Idaho, Part III. Ephemeroptera

The study revealed representatives of 9 families, 22 genera, and 59 species occurring within the study area. No new species and no new state records were collected, but a number of new localities have been added.     

A checklist of the alpine vascular flora of the Teton Range, Wyoming, with notes on biology and habitat preferences

A checklist of the vascular flora of the alpine zone (treeless vegetation above 9500 feet or 2900 m) of the Teton Range is presented. For each of the 216 species, six attributes are listed: flower color and shape, pollination mode, life form, habitat preference, and whether each species is found in the Arctic. White and yellow flowered species are most common, and zoophilous species greatly predominate over anemophilous and apomictic species. Perennial/biennial herbs are the most common life form. Common habitats in the alpine zone include dry and wet meadows, bogs, debris accumulations, and cliffs and rock faces. Arctic species account for 25.9 percent of the flora. The 216 species are distributed among 111 genera and 36 families. The largest families, in order of size, are Asteraceae, Poaceae, Cyperaceae, Brassicaceae, Rosaceae, and Scrophulariaceae.     

Checklist of Gyrinidae,Haliplidae, Noteridae and Dytiscidae of Turkey (Coleoptera: Adephaga)

An updated species list of four beetle families is given for Turkey. A total of 35 genera and 167 species and subspecies are known to occur in Turkey. Ten species and two subspecies are from the family Gyrinidae, 16 species are from the family Haliplidae, three species are from the family Noteridae and 129 species and seven subspecies are from the family Dytiscidae.     

Amphipoda Gammaridea from coral rubble in the Gulf of Aqaba,Red Sea: Families Acanthonotozomatidae,Ampeliscidae, Ampithoidae,Anamixidae, Aoridae and Colomastigidae

Fourteen species of gammaridean amphipod in the families Acanthonotozomatidae, Ampeliscidae, Ampithoidae, Anamixidae, Aoridae and Colomastigidae are recorded from coral rubble at Aqaba in the Red Sea. Nine species are recorded from the Red Sea for the first time, of which two are new to science.     

Alpine vascular flora of the Tushar Mountains, Utah

The Tushar Mountains of southwestern Utah rise to a maximum elevation of 3709 m, with timberline and krummholz reaching maximum elevations of 3438 m and 3566 m, respectively. Voucher specimens were collected from the alpine region during eight field seasons to inventory this largely unknown alpine flora. Listed are 171 vascular plant species from 102 genera and 34 families that occur in eight types of plant communities within an alpine area of about 19.3 km 2 , the seven largest families are Asteraceae (29 species), Poacea (20), Brassicaceae (13), Rosaceae (12), Cyperaceae (11), Caryophyllaceae (10), and Fabaceae (8). Thirteen species are restricted to the alpine area. The perennial herb growth form accounts for 86.4% of the flora, 5.9% of the species are shrubs, and the remaining species are annuls to short-lived perennials. Bedrock at the alpine region is entirely of Tertiary igneous origin. Vegetation cover and species richness are highest on an andesite ash-flow tuff and latite flow and lowest on hydrothermally altered intercaldera rhyolites and tuffs. Forty-four species (26.0% of the indigenous flora) also occur in the Arctic, and 13 species are at a southern margin of distribution. Eight taxa (4.7% of the flora) are local or regional endemics. The majority of the alpine species appear to have migrated to the range by way of the contiguous mountain system to the north; statistical comparison with neighboring alpine floras shows the flora to be most similar to the floras of the Wasatch Mountains, Uinta Mountains, and Teton Range, with Sorensen's similarity indices of 52.8, 50.2, and 48.8% respectively.     

Plants of Angel Island, Marin County, California

The floristic composition of Angel Island, Marin County, California, is presented. The vascular flora consists of 416 native and naturalized plants, representing 252 genera and 73 families. Eighty species of ornamental plants persisting from cultivation, representing 64 genera and 39 families, are also identified. The nonvascular flora consists of 42 species of fungi, 7 species of green algae, 8 species of brown algae, and 41 species of red algae. The vascular flora occurs in seven plant communities and is composed mainly of the following plant types: forbs (69 percent), grasses (13 percent), shrubs (8 percent), and trees (4 percent). Approximately 25 percent of the 1605 native and naturalized vascular plants of Marin County occur on Angel Island.       

A checklist of the vascular plants of the House Range, Utah

A checklist of the vascular plants of the House Range, Juab and Millard counties, Utah, is presented. A flora of 373 species and infraspecific taxa in 231 genera and 60 families are reported. The geology, physiography, climate, and plant communities are briefly discussed. Several endemics occur in the study area and a new taxon has been described.     

Flora of the Stansbury Mountains, Utah

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} The Stansbury Mountains of north central Utah rise over 2000 m above surrounding desert valleys to a maximum elevation of 3362 m on Deseret Peak. Because of the great variety of environmental conditions that can be found in the Stansburys, a wide range of plant species and vegetation types (from shadscale desert to alpine meadow) exist there. This paper presents an annotated list of 594 vascular plant species in 315 genera and 78 families. The largest families are Asteraceae (98 species), Poaceae (71), Brassicaceae (33), Fabaceae (27), and Rosaceae (26). Elymus flavescens was previously unreported from Utah. Statistical comparison of the Stansbury flora with neighboring mountain floras indicates that the Wasatch Mountains lying 65 km to the east have probably been the primary source area for development of the Stansbury flora. Many lowland species, especially those inhabiting sandy areas, apparently have migrated to the area from the south.     

Maternal care of neonates in the prairie skink, Eumeces septentrionalis

Maternal care of neonates has been documented in relatively few species of lizards representing four families. This study documents the occurrence of maternal care of neonates in the prairie skink, Eumeces septentrionalis . Observations made herein indicate that individual variation in maternal behavior existis in this species.     

Prey selection by Australian wasps of the genus Cerceris (Hymenoptera,Sphecidae)

Prey records are presented for 17 Australian species of the digger wasp genus Cerceris. Collectively beetles of 10 families were found to serve as prey. Several species appear to be specialists, taking only members of certain genera or subfamilies, while others accept members of several families. It is common to find several species nesting together in areas of suitable substrate. In such areas it is evidently to the advantage of all species either to specialize to ‘share’ the available beetle prey or to become generalists, taking advantage of whatever beetles of suitable size are abundant in the surrounding vegetation.     

Three new species and one new record of the genus Doryphoribius Pilato, 1969 (Tardigrada: Eutardigrada: Hypsibiidae) from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (Tennessee,USA)

Box jellyfishes (Cnidaria: Cubozoa) have a profound impact on human activities because of their highly potent venoms that may lead to severe envenomations in humans. Cubozoa is one of the smallest classes within Cnidaria with only some 50 described species in seven families. The literature on Cubozoa is scattered and oftentimes difficult to access. In particular, comprehensive treatments of Cubozoa that present a comparative overview of the group are either non-existent or largely outdated. Here we provide a synopsis of the carybdeid Cubozoa (Carybdeida) including an illustrated key to the families and genera of this order. Of particular interest is the family Carukiidae, which contains the species that was originally attributed with causing a severe envenomation syndrome called Irukandji syndrome. One new species of Carukiidae, Malo filipina sp. nov., is described, Morbakka virulenta is redescribed and a neotype is designated, and an unidentified species of Morbakka is recorded from the Philippines.     

Species composition, emergence, and habitat preferences of Trichoptera of the Sagehen Creek Basin, California, USA

An extensive study of larvae and adult Trichoptera of the Sagehen Creek basin. Sierra Nevada, California, USA, revealed 77 species representing 14 families and 41 genera. Twenty-six species were restricted to small water bodies (spring sources, seeps, spring streams, temporary ponds, and intermittent streams); 27 were restricted to Sagehen Creek, a second-order stream, and the mouths of two large spring streams. Similarity between species caught at black lights and those in emergence traps was 43%. There were two major peaks in adult emergence by species, midsummer and late summer-fall. A few species emerged during winter or throughout most of the year. The species composition of the community showed affinity with Oregon, the Great Basin, and the Rocky Mountains but very little similarity with the California Coast Range. Four of the most abundant species in the basin have very restricted distributions. Ecological separation of several groups of closely related species could be explained by major differences in larval habitats or by different emergence periods.     

Pleioxenous host-restriction in fleas

A review of the pleioxenous genera of fleas, those genera whose species are confined to hosts of a single family, indicates that such a restriction results from one of several situations. Genera of 10 or more taxa (species and subspecies) were considered, so as to exclude very small genera that might be relicts. Polyxenous genera, whose species occur regularly on two or more families (and frequently on two or more orders) of hosts are far more numerous than pleioxenous genera.

Bat fleas (Ischnopsyllidae) are unique in that all genera are pleioxenous. This seems to reflect the fact that most bat fleas occur on cave-dwelling bats, and that the cave provides for larval development of bat fleas. Five pleioxenous genera occur on rodents in deserts or semiarid regions. The extreme climatic changes that have been concomitant with desertification from the Mid-Cenozoic, and especially in the Pleistocene, are paralleled by the proliferation of the mammalian hosts themselves in deserts. Three pleioxenous genera are found on fossorial rodents (Geomyidae). These rodents appear to have been isolated and rejoined during climatic changes in western North America; and rapid speciation of their fleas followed speciation of the hosts. One pleioxenous genus, and others that are nearly pleioxenous, parasitize cricetine mice in Central America. It is suggested that the Cenozoic archipelago which occupied this region provided an environment for rapid speciation of both hosts and their fleas. Two pleioxenous genera are found on tree squirrels in the tropics. Although fleas of mice occasionally make permanent transfers to squirrels, as the former occupy squirrel nests, reverse transfers (from tree squirrels to mice) are rare. Two genera of fleas are restricted to murid mice in Africa south of the Sahara; this is a region in which murid mice usually outnumber species of other rodent families. One pleioxenous genus occurs on Arvicolidae, possibly a result of rapid speciation of hosts during the extreme climatic changes in boreal habitats during late Cenozoic and Pleistocene.

There is a tendency for the apparently more ancient families of fleas (e.g. Stephanocircidae, Pygiopsyllidae and Hystrichopsyllidae) to have very few pleioxenous genera but many polyxenous genera. The more modern families of fleas (e.g. Leptopsyllidae and Ceratophyllidae) contain a higher percentage of pleioxenous genera.     

Revision of the isopod crustacean genus Mothocya Costa,in Hope, 1851 (Cymothoidae: Flabellifera), parasitic on marine fishes

The genus Mothocya is fully revised. Irona Schioedte and Meinert is placed in synonymy with Mothocya. All named species but one, including 18 new species, are described and figured in detail. A further eight undescribed species are listed. With one exception Mothocya species are all gill parasites found principally on atherinomorph fishes of the families Hemiramphidae, Belonidae, and Atherinidae. Brief accounts are given of the biogeography, biology and host-parasite interaction of the species of Mothocya. Keys to the species are provided for the different major biogeographic regions.     

First records of parasitoidism by Sarcophagidae flies (Diptera) on three amphibian species in Mexico

ABSTRACT

Myiasis of amphibians is one example of parasitoidism in which the body of these vertebrates is infested by fly larvae. Only four families of Diptera have species reported as myiasigenous of amphibians: Chloropidae, Muscidae, Calliphoridae and Sarcophagidae. The latter is the only family for which cases of myiasis have been reported for the Neotropics, with observations from Nicaragua to Argentina. As part of a project to evaluate the conservation status of amphibian species in Mexico, five cases of myiasis were recorded in three frog species belonging to the families Hylidae, Ranidae and Craugastoridae. This study presents the first records of myiasis by a sarcophagid in Mexico, expands the geographical distribution of Lepidodexia (Notochaeta) bufonivora, reports new amphibian hosts for this parasitoid fly, and provides new details of both sarcophagid larvae and females.     

Biogeography of spiders (Araneae: Arachnida) on the islands of the Southern Ocean

The araneofauna of the extreme Southern Hemisphere is highly impoverished and disharmonic. Four dead anthropogenic immigrant spiders have been collected from Antarctica while only 115 verified species from 26 families are reported on the islands of the Southern Ocean. Cluster analysis of the verified Southern Ocean species distribution data identifies a weak, but distinct, Neotropical/South Atlantic association together with robust South Indian and South Pacific biogeographic clusters. These groupings, largely attributed to vicariance and/or endemism, contain little evidence of post-Pleistocene dispersal. Indeed the 14 records of anthropogenic origin suggest that the pace of recent human-mediated introduction has been at least 30 times more rapid than that of Holocene natural dispersal.     

The colonial ascidian fauna of Fiordland,New Zealand,with a description of two new species

A total of 17 species from the families Styelidae, Polyclinidae, Polycitoridae, Pseudodistomidae, Ritterellidae and Didemnidae are described for the first time in collections from remote fiords with steep-sided walls, high rainfall and high tidal flow on the south-west coast of New Zealand. The Fiordland ascidian assemblages are composed of endemic species, species with trans-Tasman affinities, species found in southern New Zealand and species found New Zealand wide, some of which have global distributions. Two Australian native species, Diplosoma velatum Kott, 2001 and Didemnum jucundum Kott, 2001 from South Australia are new records to New Zealand and a further eight species remain undescribed. Two new colonial ascidians Aplidium coronum sp. nov. and Trididemnum shawi sp. nov. are described in this paper.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:5ADC2C9D-28AC-4348-8B4D-F26-2A43DEA66     

Butterflies of Grand Cayman,a dynamic island fauna

The butterflies of Grand Cayman, West Indies, have been surveyed in 1938, 1975 and 1985. Results of these surveys, together with information from other sources, are examined and it is shown that 46 species have been recorded, 8 of which are considered as vagrants and 38 as breeding species. Of the latter, 7 are believed to have become extinct and 6 are new colonists within the span of almost fifty years. The island can apparently support about 30 co-existing breeding species. These findings are discussed in terms of island biogeography theory. Grand Cayman data fit a species area regression for other West Indies islands very closely if only breeding species are considered.