Microdistribution of juveniles and adults of the mud crab Panopeus americanus (Brachyura,Panopeidae) in a remnant mangrove area in the southwest Atlantic

The distribution and density of a population of the narrowback mud crab Panopeus americanus were evaluated, with emphasis on the different developmental stages (juveniles and adults) and sexes. Specimens were collected in a remnant human‐impacted mangrove at Araçá on the northern coast of São Paulo, Brazil, at two‐month intervals from January through July 2006, using 1 m×1 m sample plots randomly distributed in the intertidal zone. The population was abundant, with a mean density of 14.3±9.3 individuals/m². Larger individuals were more abundant in the upper and middle intertidal zones, whereas smaller crabs were predominant in the lower intertidal and thus remained submerged longer. Males and juveniles were homogeneously distributed. Females preferred regions farther from the waterline. A clustered distribution pattern suggested gregarious behaviour and settling of juveniles in the vicinity of the adults' habitats, in an adaptive process as a function of tidal rhythms.     

The prey and predators of Homalopsine snakes

The diets of all South-East Asian water snakes of the subfamily Homalopsinae are reviewed. New diet observations for 10 species of homalopsine snakes are presented. The data on four of these, Cantoria violacea, Enhydris doriea, E. longicauda and Gerarda prevostina represent the first published diet records for these species. The observations for Fordonia leucobalia, Myron richardsonii andEnhydris enhydris represent the first taxonomically detailed diet records for these three species. The records provided for Cerberus rynchops, Enhydris plumbea and Homalopsis buccata add new taxonomic categories to previous records. The records provided for Cerberus rynchops, E. plumbea and Homalopsis buccata add new taxonomic categories to previous records. Four generalities emerge from our findings: (1) freshwater homalopsines feed primarily on fish and the adults and larvae of amphibians; (2) at least four of the eight estuarial species specialize on crustaceans while two primarily prey on fish; (3) feeding on crustaceans appears to have evolved independently at least twice; (4) prey are usually less than 10% of the predator's mass. The known predators of homalopsines are summarized and include both invertebrates and vertebrates. The microhabitats of the estuarial species are discussed and related to prey and habitat preferences.     

The diet of the Eleonora’s falcon (Falco eleonorae) in the Aegean archipelago (Greece)

ABSTRACT

In the present study we investigated the diet of Eleonora’s falcons in Greece and assessed the regional dietary pattern of 16 breeding colonies of the Aegean. Overall 224 nests were visited and a total of 8067 prey items were collected which contained two mollusca classes, seven insect orders, one reptile family, two mammalian taxa and at least 54 avian species. Cicadas were the most common insects found in pellets (45.1%) followed by flying ants (34.8%) and beetles (15.8%) while just 20 species (33.3%) accounted for over 90% of the avian prey items identified in bird remains dominated (>50%) by the Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus), the Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio) and the Whitethroat (Sylvia communis). Insect feeding peaked in late August (39.8%) and late September (20.8%), whereas bird remains built up in falcon nests from mid-August onwards, culminating in late September (57.2%) and declined abruptly afterwards. Overall the falcons’ diet diversity increased as the breeding season progressed and from the north towards the south Aegean. The avian prey species richness was negatively influenced by the distance of the colonies from the mainland and the weather conditions during September which coincides with the fledgling period of the young and the autumn peak of passerine migration.     

Diet and feeding behaviour of the Neotropical parrot snake (Leptophis ahaetulla) in northern Brazil

Specimens (289) of Leptophis ahaetulla from northern Brazil and western Maranhão were examined for the composition of stomach contents. Most prey items were tree frogs, especially those of the family Hylidae (90%). Most of the anurans identified belong to the Scinax ruber species group (27%) and Scinax sp. (25%). Prey size was significantly related to snake length but not to head length. There was no significant difference related to sex in either case. Both sexes preyed on small to medium‐sized items (3–10% of snake snout–vent length). Leptophis ahaetulla seems to manipulate captured prey before ingestion since most of the prey items (83.6%) were swallowed head‐first. Leptophis ahaetulla is primarily diurnal and semi‐arboreal, inhabits disturbed and undisturbed forest, and forages primarily on the ground and in fallen vegetation, where its prey items are likely to be found at rest.     

Are bufonid toads specialized ant-feeders? A case test from the Argentinian flooding pampa

Several causes have been considered to explain the specialized ant-feeder habits of the bufonids. We analysed the diet and availability of prey items for sympatric Bufo arenarum, Bufo dorbignyi and Odontophrynus americanus living in a grassland of the flooding pampa, Argentina. Frogs and insects were captured once a month with pitfall traps during the 2-year sampling. The frogs were measured and the stomach content was analysed. Odontophrynus americanus ingests Lepidoptera larvae, Coleoptera, Diptera and Homoptera; while both Bufo species not only feed on ants, but also prefer them. Whereas the two Bufo species show high niche overlap, the niche overlapping between both Bufo and Odontophrynus americanus was low. There are significant differences among body size of both Odontophrynus americanus and Bufo arenarum when compared with B. dorbignyi ; while there are no differences in body size of O. americanus and B. arenarum. Gape is larger in Odontophrynus americanus than in Bufo dorbignyi and B. arenarum, but it is similar in the two Bufo species. The mean prey size is larger for Odontophrynus americanus, followed by Bufo arenarum and B. dorbignyi. These results would confirm that the bufonids have ant-feeder habits, perhaps due to their small edentate gape that would constitute a morphological constraint that could explain their mirmecophagic habits.     

Some flagellates (Protista) from tropical marine sediments

An account is given of 114 new or otherwise interesting species of benthic marine flagellates from Fiji, Northern Australia (Queensland), Hawaii, Panama and Brazil. Most species are heterotrophs drawn from the euglendis, dinoflagellates, kinetoplastids, bicosoecids, heteroloboseids, and a variety of taxa of uncertain affinities. The work emphasizes the rich variety of protist taxa in marine benthic sites. New names are Amphidinium corrugatum, Anisonema glaciale, Bodo cephalophorus, B. platyrhynchus, B. saliens, Bordnamonas tropicana, Cafeteria ligulifera, C. marsupialis, C. minuta (Ruinen, 1938) nov. comb., Cryptaulax elegans, Dinematomonas inaequalis = Dinema inaequale, Dinematomonas maculata (= Dinema maculatum), Dinematononas valida (= Dinema validum), Diplonema ambulator, Diplonema metabolicum, Discocelis punctata, Dolium sedentarium, Goniomonas amphinema, Goniomonas pacifica, Gyrodinium oblongum, Heteronema exaratum, H. splendens, H. vittatum, Mastigamoeba psammobis, M. skujae nom. nov., Massisteria marina, Metopion fluens, Metromonas grandis, M. simplex (Griessmann, 1913) nov. comb., Notosolenus alatellus, N. navicula, N. ostium, N. scutulum, N. urceolatus, N. tamanduensis, N. triangularis, Percolomonas cuspidata, P. descissa (Perty, 1852) nov. comb., P. elephas (Klug, 1936) nov. comb., P. membranifera, P. pyriformis (Klebs, 1892) nov. comb., P. salina (Entz, 1904) nov. comb., P. spinosa (Klug, 1936) nov. comb., P. sulcata (Stein, 1878) nov. comb., Petalomonas boadicea, P. marginalis, P. minor, P. poosilla, P. raiula, Phyllomitus granulatus, P. vesiculosus, Platychilomonas psammobia, Ploeotia adhaerens, P. corrugata, P. decipiens, P. heracleum, P. discoides, P. longifilum, P. oblonga, P. pseudanisonema, P. punctata, P. robusta, P. scrobiculata, P. tenuis, Protaspis obliqua, P. verrucosa, P. gemmifera, P. tegere, Pseudoperanema (= Peranema) dolochonema, Thecamonas filosa, T. mutabilis (Griessmann, 1913) nov. comb., T.trahens, Urceolus cornutus, U. cristatus.     

Aedeagal musculature in phytophaga (Coleoptera)

Summary

Three species of Cerambycidae and three of Chrysomelidae have been studied from the standpoint of the aedeagal musculature. A brief reference to this part of the anatomy in Bruchidae has also been made. On the basis of the present observations and earlier publications in this area a basic plan for the aedeagal musculature in Phytophaga could be inferred. Some major and minor modifications of the basic plan have been pointed out. It has also been inferred that ‘retournement’ of the aedeagus is a rule along Phytophaga.     

Tanaidacea (Crustacea: Peracarida) of the North-east Atlantic: the genera Leptognathioides and Portaratrum of the ‘Atlantic Margin’

The tanaidomorphan genera Leptognathioides and Portaratrum from the Benthic Invertebrates of Icelandic waters (BIOICE), Marine Benthic Fauna of the Faroe Islands (BIOFAR), and Atlantic Frontier Environmental Network (AFEN)-related surveys are examined. The diagnosis for Leptognathioides polita is amended and additional size data are given. A new species, L. biarticulata, is described although the differences from L. polita are slight. It occurs in the bathyal Iceland Basin with a distribution that does not overlap with that of L. polita. A new species of Portaratrum, P. holdichi, is described and the apparent similarities (parallelisms) between this former colletteid genus and the akanthophoreid Chauliopleona are discussed. The distribution and rarity of both genera in the region are analysed, Leptognathioides being more common in the cold-water areas or along the cold–warm interface. Portaratrum holdichi n. sp. is more common and abundant in the Rockall-Biscay region of the NE Atlantic.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:81262671-0665-49C3-9A02-F243C60FC334     

Butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) of Mount Kilimanjaro: family Pieridae,subfamily Coliadinae

This paper forms part of a series on the butterfly fauna of Mount Kilimanjaro. Three genera (Catopsilia, Colias and Eurema) with eight species of Coliadinae are believed to occur within the main forest zone. However, of these, one or two may prove to be no more than variants of a third species, Eurema desjardinsii. A fourth conventionally recognized member of the complex may occur on the lower slopes below 1800 m. The widespread species Eurema hecabe occurs on the lower slopes, but records are sparse, and no records of its close relative Eurema floricola, with which it has often been confused, have been found. The need for original field and laboratory research on the taxonomy of African Eurema species is stressed. Keys to adult Coliadinae found in Tanzania, with colour illustrations, are included as online supplementary material.     

Hypersymbioses in the pinnotherid crabs (Decapoda: Brachyura: Pinnotheridae): a review

Members of the brachyuran family Pinnotheridae are nearly all symbionts of other invertebrates; some crabs are parasitic and others are commensal. Most live inside bivalve molluscs or in the tubes or burrows of polychaetes and other marine organisms. Animals living on or in pinnotherid crabs are considered to be hypersymbiotic and are reviewed here. Hypersymbionts are poorly represented within only 26 members (～8.6%) of the Pinnotheridae (20 species in the subfamily Pinnotherinae and six species in the Pinnothereliinae). Parasitic hypersymbionts are as follows: three species of fungi; one cestode larva (undescribed procercoid of Trypanorhynchida); one trematode metacercaria (undescribed Microphallidae); nematode cysts (undescribed); three species of Nemertea (Carcinonemertidae, two undescribed); two species of rhizocephalan Cirripedia (Sacculinidae; plus five or more undescribed potential sacculinid species); epicaridean Isopoda [13 species of Bopyridae (one undescribed) and four species of entoniscids (Entoniscidae, three undescribed)]. Preliminary biological information on undescribed entoniscids is presented. Several mainly incidental hypersymbioses involving ectosymbionts are known primarily from Pinnixa chaetopterana, a symbiont of polychaete burrows. The ctenostome bryozoan Triticella elongata is the only known obligate ectosymbiont in P. chaetopterana, but it also infests five other species of pinnotherids. Some of the other ectosymbionts (all incidental) on P. chaetopterana are stalked ciliates, hydroids, juvenile polychaetes, bivalve molluscs, balanomorph barnacles, harpacticoid copepods and urochordates. Species of ectosymbionts including an ectoproct bryozoan have been reported from other pinnotherid species. Factors influencing our meagre knowledge of hypersymbioses in the Pinnotheridae are discussed, among them the inaccessibility of crab hosts and research emphasis on taxonomy within the family.     

Phylogenetic implications of the structure and distribution of ovipositor valvilli in the Hymenoptera (Insecta)

Valvilli, articulated chitinous flaps on the lower ovipositor and sting valves in certain Hymenoptera, were studied using light and electron microscopy. Presence or absence, number, position and structure of valvilli in the ovipositors of more than 300 species distributed among 31 families (including representatives of 74 subfamilies of Ichneumonoidea) have been examined. Valvilli were found to occur in most Ichneumonoidea and most families of the aculeate lineage. Valvilli were absent from the Symphyta, Trigonalyoidea, Stephanoidea, Evanioidea, Cynipoidea, Chalcidoidea, Proctotrupoidea, Megalyroidea and Ceraphronoidea. Aculeates have a complex, double valvillus, which differs considerably in structure from those found in the Ichneumonoidea. Within both the Ichneumonidae and Braconidae the number and the position of the valvilli appear to be phylogenetically significant. Within the Braconidae, in particular, valvillus structure varied between subfamilies. The implications of valvillus distribution and structure in the Hymenoptera as a whole and within the Ichneumonoidea are discussed.     

First host records for the rogadine genera Rogasodes Chen and He and Canalirogas van Achterberg and Chen (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) with description of a new species and survey of mummy types within Rogadinae s. str.

The parasitic wasp genus Rogasodes is recorded for the first time outside mainland China, based on a new species, R. scytaloptericola Quicke and Shaw sp. nov., from Java. Rearing data and host remains associated with the type specimen show that it is a parasitoid of the palm‐feeding drepanid moth, Scytalopteryx elongata (Snellen). Canalirogas sp. aff. balgooyi van Achterberg and Chen is recorded from an unidentified lymantriid on clove trees in Indonesia (Sumatra) and illustrated. Both of these are the first host records for the genera. Rogas spilonotus Cameron is transferred to Canalirogas. A survey of mummy sclerotization and adult emergence holes in the subfamily Rogadinae sensu stricto is presented. The data suggest an early shift to a posterior emergence position, with a strictly dorsal position being largely characteristic of the common genus Aleiodes. Only Aleiodes and a few apparently closely related taxa, including Hemigyroneuron, typically form heavily sclerotized mummies.     

Red Sea Phyllidiidae (Mollusca,Nudibranchia), with descriptions of new species

All the known Red Sea nudibranchs of the family Phyllidiidae are described and their taxonomic positions discussed. The genus Fryeria Gray, 1853, is regarded as a junior subjective synonym of Phyllidia Cuvier, 1797, and Reyfria gen. nov. is introduced to describe those species differing from Phyllidia primarily in the position of the anus. Of 12 species described here from the Red Sea, four are new to science. Phyllidia arabica Ehrenberg, 1831, is distinguished from Phyllidia varicosa Lamarck, 1801, and Phyllidia sp. is described as the third species confused with this group. A subspecies of P. ocellata Cuvier, 1804, is described and illustrated, as are three new species: P. melanocera, P. monacha and P. multifaria.     

Casinaria,a paraphyletic ichneumonid genus (Hymenoptera), and a revision of the Australian species

The Australian species of the campoplegine ichneumonid genus Casinaria are revised and an illustrated key is provided for their identification. Eleven species are recognized, but one is not formally named. The Australian species are referable to two morphologically and biologically distinct groups, the meridionalis species-group (containing amarilla sp. nov., hesperiophaga sp. nov. and meridionalis (Turner)) which are parasitoids of hesperiid larvae, and the siccata species-group (containing eremica sp. nov., micra sp. nov., mythologica sp. nov., pavlova sp. nov., siccata sp. nov., virgata sp. nov., woowonga sp. nov. and species A) which parasitize the larvae of a variety of smaller moths. The holophyly of each of the two species-groups is demonstrated, but characters supporting the holophyly of the genus could not be found, suggesting that Casinaria, as currently recognized, may either be paraphyletic or polyphyletic.     

Australian freshwater assimineids,with a synopsis of the Recent genus-group taxa of the Assimineidae (Mollusca: Caenogastropoda: Rissooidea)

The morphology of the two species of Australian freshwater assimineids is described in detail. A new genus and species of Assimineinae, Aviassiminea palitans, is named from freshwater springs in north Western Australia and the Northern Territory. Austroassiminea letha Solem et al., 1982 from coastal springs in south Western Australia is also described and the original anatomical account is corrected in several important details. This taxon is shown to be a member of the Omphalotropidinae and is the only other non-marine assimineid known from Australia. All of the described assimineid genus-group taxa are listed in an appendix, with an assessment of their status, and their known diagnostic characters.     

Halvorsenius exilis gen. et sp. nov., a new didymozoid trematode from the mackerel Scomber scombrus L.

Summary

A new genus and species of nematobothriine didymozoid, Halvorsenius exilis, is described. These worms occur unpaired and unencysted in the connective tissue of the mackerel Scomber scombrus, especially in the pericardium, the ‘throat’ region, the orbits and the region of the kidneys. Halvorsenius belongs to a group of genera which possess three uterine loops and two testes, but can be distinguished by the atrophy of the gut and other features. Live worms occur only in young mackerel, although aggregations of eggs are found in older fish. It appears that the eggs are retained in utero until the death of the worm and that there is no obvious mechanism for voiding the eggs from the fish other than through the death of this host.     

Parasites of shore crabs in the genus Hemigrapsus (Decapoda: Brachyura: Varunidae) and their status in crabs geographically displaced: a review

Two brachyurans of the varunid genus Hemigrapsus from the northwestern Pacific Ocean have invaded coastal regions of the north Atlantic – Hemigrapsus takanoi (sibling species of Hemigrapsus penicillatus) and Hemigrapsus sanguineus in Europe and the latter in the USA. Parasites are known from these crabs in their native habitats, but except for an undescribed larval nematode, none has been found in those examined from their new locations. These parasites include metacercariae of eight species of microphallid trematode, the rhizocephalan barnacles Polyascus polygenea, Sacculina nigra and Sacculina senta, and the obligate gut-inhabiting mesomycetozoan Enteromyces callianassae (potential parasite). The following have been identified in four of the other eight Pacific crabs within the genus (Hemigrapsus nudus and Hemigrapsus oregonensis, northern hemisphere; Hemigrapsus crenulatus and Hemigrapsus sexdentatus, southern hemisphere), none of which have been geographically displaced: metacercariae of two microphallid trematodes; cystacanths of three acanthocephalans Profilicollis antarcticus, Profilicollis botulus and Profilicollis novaezelandensis; larval nematode Ascarophis sp.; nematomorph Nectonema zealandica; entoniscid isopod Portunion conformis; mesomycetozoan Taeniella carcini; and nemertean egg predator Carcinonemertes epialti. The likelihood of the displaced species of shore crabs being rejoined with their native parasites or their susceptibility to becoming infected by similar parasites in their new locations is discussed. In future global displacements of parasitized Hemigrapsus species it is possible that their most serious parasites, rhizocephalans and entoniscid isopods, may infect previously uninfected species. For example, the two eastern Pacific species of Hemigrapsus (H. nudus and H. oregonensis) may be vulnerable to the rhizocephalans and may in turn be a source of entoniscids transported elsewhere.     

Notes on the overwintering Apanteles-Tetrastichus-Lysibia complex (Hymenoptera: Parasitica), parasitoids of the large white butterfly

Apanteles glomeratus (L.) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is the main parasitoid responsible for limiting populations of Pieris brassicae (L.) (Lepidoptera: Pieridae), but Tetrastichus galactopus (Ratzeburg) (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) and Lysibia nana (Gravenhorst) (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), in turn, greatly limit the primary parasitoid population, reducing its potential for constraint of the future pierid population. The patterns of spring emergence of these species from overwintering A. glomeratus cocoon clusters have functional significance. The sex ratio of emerging A. glomeratus is significantly correlated with the cluster size, higher proportions of females emerging from the larger clusters. Non-ovipositional attacks by T. galactopus appear to cause heavy mortality in the Apanteles cocoon clusters. L. nana oviposits in cocoons of A. glomeratus, whatever they contain, and very active female L. nana lay higher proportions of diploid eggs than do lower status females.     

Insect infestations of small corpses

Reproducible studies of the insects associated with small (< 1 kg) corpses are hampered by dramatic variation, for no obvious reason, in the background carrion-breeding fauna. This variation can lead to undue emphasis being attached to the results from exposure of one, or a small number, of corpses. An experiment with much larger numbers of mice (319) and birds (38) has shown that in eastern Ireland there are at least 29 species of carrion insect (excluding Coleoptera) breeding in such corpses, many of them only in deciduous woodland, where the greatest number and variety of small vertebrates would be found. Inventories of the post-mortem fates of mice and birds are drawn up, and the effects of competition assessed by experiment. Some species of sarcophagid fly larvae kill their competitors. Of the 14 Irish sacrophagine species, only four bred in corpses. There was a gross imbalance of Calliphora spp., with hardly any C. vomitoria in any bait tested.