On the systematics,distribution and conservation status of Ichthyophis longicephalus Pillai, 1986 (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Ichthyophiidae)

The caecilian Ichthyophis longicephalus was described in 1986 based on a single specimen. Only one specimen has been referred subsequently to this species, and the validity of that referral has been questioned. Seven specimens discovered in 2009–2010 at two new localities and two specimens collected in 1990 from a third locality are referred here to I. longicephalus. These specimens are described and compared with the poorly preserved holotype. Mitochondrial DNA data are consistent with the interpretation that the new specimens represent a single species distinct from (and most closely related to I. tricolor among) sampled congeners. The previously referred specimen, from c. 320 km south of the type locality, is not I. longicephalus and probably represents an undescribed species. The “rediscovery” of I. longicephalus in forests and disturbed habitats indicates that the species probably could be transferred from the Data Deficient to the Least Concern category of the IUCN Red List.     

Systematics and ecology of the caecilian Crotaphatrema lamottei (Nussbaum) (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Scolecomorphidae)

New observations on Crotaphatrema lamottei are reported based on fieldwork on Mount Oku between 2006 and 2008. This species was encountered by pitfall trapping and digging, but encounter rates were low. Six new specimens of C. lamottei add substantially to the previous hypodigm for the species and genus, and new morphometric and meristic data are presented. Analysis of mitochondrial DNA sequence data supports strongly the monophyly of Crotaphatrema. The genetic and morphological distance between C. lamottei and Crotaphatrema tchabalmbaboensis is small, although there is a clear difference in colour pattern. The Data Deficient IUCN conservation status of all three species of Crotaphatrema is likely to change most readily as a result of better data on distribution.     

Rediscovery,natural history,and conservation status of Idiocranium russeli Parker, 1936 (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Indotyphlidae)

The indotyphlid caecilian amphibian Idiocranium russeli Parker, 1936 is the only nominal species in its genus. Apart from two additional, largely overlooked locality records that we consider to be of an undescribed species, I. russeli is known with certainty from only a single collection of c.50 specimens from a single locality in 1933. We report new material from fieldwork in 2012 carried out in the vicinity of the type locality. Digging surveys at 34 sites for a total of >2000 person minutes found 50 I. russeli at 15 of these sites, extending the known range of the species by more than 40 km south and from an elevation of c.670 m to 104–820 m. The species probably occurs in nearby Nigeria and in some protected areas, is tolerant of some human disturbance, and is likely to move from Data Deficient to Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Males have relatively longer and wider heads than females. Total length measured for preserved specimens is less than for freshly anaesthetized specimens, by up to 14.1%. Previously, preserved I. russeli were reported as having a maximum length of 114 mm, but the new sample includes specimens with total lengths of 145 mm in preservation and 167 mm when fresh. The sex of the smallest independent specimens (total length 62 mm in preservation) could be determined from examination of the gonads, hatchlings are c.30 mm, and I. russeli is confirmed as one of the smallest known caecilian species.     

Taxonomic status of Pseudosiphonops ptychodermis Taylor and Mimosiphonops vermiculatus Taylor (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Caeciliaidae) with description of a new species

Pseudosiphonops ptychodermis Taylor is designated a junior synonym of Mimisiphonops vermiculatus Taylor, and Pseudosiphonops Taylor is designated a junior synonym of Mimosiphonops Taylor. A new species of Mimosiphonops is described and taxonomy of the genus reviewed. Relationships between Mimosiphonops and the closely related caecilian genera Siphonops and Lutkenotyphlus are discussed.     

Attachment site selection of Hydrachna and Eylais (Acari: Hydrachnellae) watermite larvae infecting Corixidae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera)

The sites of attachment of four larval watermite species were recorded from four corixid species in Lough Corrib, Ireland. Parasitic watermites exhibited preferences in respect of attachment sites on the corixid hosts and these patterns were consistent for all host species examined. Hydrachna cruenta utilized areas of the host which were in direct contact with the water, the distribution of larvae reflecting the general behaviour and microdistribution of the hosts. Hydrachna conjecta infected the ventral hemielytra with a significant asymmetrical distribution on the right hemielytron, resulting from the folding pattern of the hemielytra and the larval route of entry to the subhemielytral air space. Eylais species attached to the abdominal terga of the host, E. infundibulifera infecting the anterior two terga and E. discreta terga three and four. Cymatia bonsdorffi was not parasitized by E. infundibulifera and on this host the majority of E. discreta attached to the second abdominal tergite. Eylais species infecting small corixid hosts may avoid interference competition with H. conjecta by attaching to the left side of the abdomen. Attachment site selection may contribute towards alleviation of intraspecific and interspecific interference competition for larval growing space.     

Breeding biology of the Sayaca Tanager (Thraupis sayaca) in southeast Brazil

ABSTRACT

Thraupis is a genus of the American endemic Thraupidae (subfamily Thraupinae), comprising seven species that inhabit tropical forests to urban centres. The Sayaca Tanager (Thraupis sayaca) is a disturbance-tolerant species of high representativeness in plant-frugivore networks, but information on its breeding biology is scarce and often restricted to non-systematic surveys. We studied the breeding biology of the T. sayaca, following 39 active nests in a periurban area of southeast Brazil during two breeding seasons (2017/2018, 2018/2019). The breeding season ranged from early September to middle December, and the nests were placed in native and exotic plants and human buildings (nest height above ground: 3.35 ± 1.73 m, mean ± SD). Only females incubated and brooded, but both adults built the nests, fed the nestlings, and removed their faecal sacs. Clutch size was 2.86 ± 0.38 eggs and nest attentiveness was 71.2%. The incubation and nestling periods were, respectively, 13.4 and 17.4 days. Males and females did not differ on nestling provisioning and nest sanitation rates. Nestling provisioning (13.35 ± 6.25 trips/hour) increased with nestling age, while mean brooding time was 37.2% and decreased with nestling age. Apparent nest success was 38.7%, and nest survival according to the Mayfield method was 27.2%. Five nests (20.8%) were parasitised by the Shiny cowbird (Molothrus bonariensis), and we recorded five events of nest-site reuse. We concluded that the most remarkable breeding traits of T. sayaca in comparison with close-related tanagers are the use of anthropogenic nest sites, the higher clutch size and number of feeding trips, and the longer nestling period.     

Home range behaviour in male and female poison frogs in Amazonian Peru (Dendrobatidae: Ranitomeya reticulata)

The poison frog Ranitomeya reticulata was studied for 3 months while mark–recapture surveys were performed. Ranitomeya species deposit terrestrial clutches and carry tadpoles to phytotelmata with few taxa performing biparental brood care including larval feeding. Home range size and spatial affinity to phytotelmata in the genus are linked to mating systems. In R. reticulata, individual home range size and overlap were similar in both sexes, indicating equal levels of site fidelity. Although territory defence was never observed, strong intrasexual intolerance within individuals' core areas was found. The large intersexual home range overlap for breeding pairs indicated that mate fidelity occurs. Individuals' home ranges were not overlapping, suggesting that R. reticulata lacks pair-bonding or strongly cooperative behaviour in parental duties. The number of ground bromeliads containing phytotelmata and home range size of males were positively correlated. Our findings suggest that females do not perform egg-feeding and male-only parental care is likely.     

Reproductive features of three maternal-caring species of Leptodactylus (Anura: Leptodactylidae) with a report on alloparental care in frogs

We describe aspects of the reproduction of three shoaling/maternal-caring Leptodactylus species (Leptodactylus aff. latrans, Leptodactylus podicipinus and Leptodactylus aff. leptodactyloides), pointing to the relevance of the female to tadpoles and describe a case of alloparental care in frogs. Females of the three species connected water bodies by digging channels to their tadpoles. Leptodactylus aff. latrans females often expelled predatory snakes and conspecific males that approached shoals to prey upon tadpoles. In water bodies containing predatory teleosts, tadpoles of L. aff. latrans only reached metamorphosis in the presence of guardian females. Channel digging can provide tadpoles with access to new feeding grounds and prevent predation and desiccation. We found brood mixing and alloparental care between L. aff. latrans and L. podicipinus which, as in some Teleostei, may be regarded as the result of identification mistakes.     

First record of the invasive Asian date mussel Arcuatula senhousia (Benson, 1842) (Mollusca: Bivalvia: Mytilidae) in West Africa

ABSTRACT

Biological invasions can have serious consequences for native communities. The Asian date mussel Arcuatula senhousia is an Asian species that has been accidentally introduced into coastal areas of North America, Oceania and the Mediterranean, with significant impact on local benthic communities. Here, we present the first record of this species in West Africa, after having found one live specimen in a mudflat off the island of Bubaque, in the Bijagós archipelago of Guinea-Bissau. Given the importance of the benthic communities for wintering shorebirds and local fisheries at this key West African wetland, and considering the invasive behaviour of Asian date mussels, we recommend further monitoring to confirm whether a self-maintaining population has settled in the area.     

Structural comparisons of isomorphic breeding nests between closely allied spiders Cheiracanthium japonicum and Cheiracanthium lascivum (Araneae: Eutichuridae)

Closely allied spider species Cheiracanthium japonicum and Cheiracanthium lascivum make a closed breeding nest for egg laying and parental care. The nest provides the internal climatic stability required for suitable development of eggs and the physical durability required for protection against intruders. Although the breeding nests of these two spiders are quite similar in structure and appearance, their climatic stability and physical durability seem to be empirically different. Such physical features of the nests of these two spiders were compared based on a balance between the inner and outer air temperature and humidity of the nest as well as on the amount and size of spider silks lining the nest. In addition, the female’s relative energy allocation to egg production versus nest construction was examined based on the number or weight of eggs versus the climatic stability and physical durability of the nest. According to the results, the stability of temperature and humidity was maintained better in the breeding nest of C. japonicum than in that of C. lascivum. Furthermore, the nest of C. japonicum was more strongly constructed, with a greater volume and size of silks, than that of C. lascivum. On the other hand, the number or weight of eggs in relation to the female’s body weight in C. japonicum was smaller than that in C. lascivum. These results suggested that the reproductive effort towards nest construction for the purpose of egg and juvenile care in C. japonicum was larger than that in C. lascivum. In contrast, the effort towards egg production in C. japonicum was smaller than that in C. lascivum. Consequently, it is likely that the structural differences in breeding nests between these two spiders are responsible for the discrepancies in the female’s relative energy allocation to nest construction.     

First record of the genus Agnara (Isopoda: Oniscidea) from Iran with descriptions of two new species

Terrestrial isopods of the genus Agnara Budde-Lund, 1908 have been recorded from Iran for the first time. Two new species, Agnara tarahomii n. sp. and Agnara haselii n. sp., are described and their diagnostic characters are figured. Agnara tarahomii is characterized by the shape of the male pleopod exopodite I with sinuous distal margin. Agnara haselii is distinguished by a setose area on the ventral margin of the male pereopod VII ischium and the sinuous distal margin of pleopod exopodite I.     

Larval development of the fiddler shrimp,Metapenaeopsis stridulans (Alcock, 1905) (Decapoda: Penaeidae) reared in the laboratory

Larvae of Metapenaeopsis stridulans (Alcock, 1905) from Malaysia were successfully reared in the laboratory from the egg to the 1st post-larval stage. The larvae developed through six naupliar, three protozoeal and four mysis stages. The morphology of all these larval stages is described and figured.     

First record of multiple paternity in the pygmy rabbit ( Brachylagus idahoensis ): evidence from analysis of 16 microsatellite loci

Although promiscuity is believed to be common among leporids, little is known about the mating system of free-ranging pygmy rabbits ( Brachylagus idahoensis ). We used 16 polymorphic microsatellite markers and DNA extracted from tissue samples of 10 rabbits from 2 litters collected in east central Idaho to evaluate paternity. We incorporated maternal genotypes for better resolution and employed an exclusion approach to detect multiple paternity. Our results demonstrated multiple paternity at 6 of the 16 loci tested for each litter. These findings support the expectation that pygmy rabbits have a promiscuous mating system. It has been proposed that multiple paternity could lead to higher effective population sizes and help small populations maintain diversity. Given that pygmy rabbits persist in small and fragmented populations, a promiscuous mating system might be important for maintaining genetic diversity in free-ranging populations and could be advantageous for the captive breeding program. Aunque se cree que la promiscuidad es común entre los lepóridos, se conoce poco sobre el sistema de apareamiento del conejo pigmeo ( Brachylagus idahoensis ) en condiciones silvestres. Utilizamos 16 marcadores de microsatélites polimórficos y ADN extraído de muestras de tejido de 10 conejos de 2 camadas colectadas en la parte este central de Idaho para evaluar su paternidad. Los genotipos maternos fueron incorporados para lograr una mayor resolución y empleamos un método de exclusión para detectar la paternidad múltiple. Nuestros resultados demuestran paternidad múltiple en 6 de los 16 loci examinados en cada camada. Estos resultados apoyan la suposición de que los conejos pigmeos tienen un sistema de apareamiento promiscuo. Se ha propuesto que la paternidad múltiple podría conducir a tamaños efectivos de la población más grandes y ayudar a que las poblaciones pequeñas mantengan la diversidad. En vista de que el conejo pigmeo persiste en poblaciones pequeñas y fragmentadas, un sistema de apareamiento promiscuo podría ser importante para mantener la diversidad genética en poblaciones silvestres y podría resultar provechoso para el programa de cría en cautiverio.     

First record of Longosomatidae (Annelida: Polychaeta) from Iceland with a worldwide review of diagnostic characters of the family

The family Longosomatidae Hartman, 1944 (Annelida: Polychaeta) is newly reported for Icelandic waters. The diversity, taxonomy and ecology of this poorly-known monogeneric family are reviewed based on material collected during the BIOICE project. Two species of the genus Heterospio are recorded and redescribed: Heterospio longissima Ehlers, 1874 sensu Hartman (1965) and Heterospio reducta Laubier, Picard and Ramos, 1972–73. Several body structures of high taxonomic relevance in the genus are reviewed and discussed.     

First record of the genus Gigantione (Epicaridea: Bopyridae: Pseudioninae) from Chinese waters,with description of three new species

The parasitic isopod genus Gigantione is first recorded from China. Four species are reported infesting xanthid and goneplacid crabs, three are new to science, and one is a new record from China. Gigantione ishigakiensis Shiino, 1941 Shiino, S. M. 1941. Further notes on Bopyrids from Kyûsyû and Ryûkyû.. Annotat Zool Jpn., 20: 154–158.  [Google Scholar], infesting Liagore rubromaculata (De Haan); G. hainanensis sp. nov., infesting Atergatis floridus (L.) and Atergatis sp., which differs from other recorded species in the shape of its barbula, first oostegite and subrectangular maxilliped; G. rhombos sp. nov., infesting Heteroplax dentata Stimpson, Eucrate alcocki Serene and Eucrate sp., its female distinguished from other species of Gigantione by having a prominent rhombic projection on the barbula; and G. tau sp. nov., infesting Carcinoplax longimanus (De Haan), the female of which differs from other species mainly by its T‐shaped pigmentation on the head. Four brachyuran crabs are first reported as hosts of bopyrids. A list of all brachyuran species so far recorded as bopyrid hosts in China is provided.     

First record of the genus Brachyzapus Gauld and Dubois (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Pimplinae) from Vietnam,with descriptions of six new species

Based on a recent collection of ichneumonids from Lao Cai Province, at an elevation above 1500 m above sea level, the genus Brachyzapus Gauld and Dubois, 2006 Gauld, ID and Dubois, J. 2006. Phylogeny of the Polysphincta group of genera (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae; Pimplinae: a taxonomic revision of spider ectoparasitoids. Syst Entomol., 31: 529–564. [Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar] is reported from Vietnam for the first time and six new species are described: B. carinatus sp. nov., B. convexus sp. nov., B. duboisi sp. nov., B. fansipanensis sp. nov., B. hoanglienensis sp. nov. and B. politus sp. nov. Notes on distinguishing characters are provided and the new species are included in a tentative key to 12 species of Brachyzapus. Three species are formally transferred from Zabrachypus to Brachyzapus: B. atripedalis (Sheng, 2001), B. nitidus (Hao and Sheng, 2002 Hao, D and Sheng, ML. 2002. A new species of genus Zabrachypus Cushman (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae). J Northeast Forestry Univ., 30: 95–96.  [Google Scholar]) and B. nonareaeidos (Wang, 1997) are new combinations.     

The evolution of nest building and communal nesting in Ageniellini (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Pompilidae)

Pompilid wasps prey upon spiders and use a single spider per nest cell. The majority of species dig simple burrows in the soil in which to cache their spider, on which an egg is laid. The nest is not revisited, but another nest is prepared elsewhere. However, members of the tribe Ageniellini show much diversity in nesting behaviour. Species of the genus Ageniella nest in pre-existing cavities in the soil, closing off their cells with bits of debris. Most other Ageniellini that have been studied carry water to make mud pellets, from which ovoid nest cells are made. Usually a series of such cells is made in close proximity, often under loose bark or stones or in hollow stems. A few species make free nests above ground, usually in protected places or with thick mud walls. In some cases nest sites are known to be re-occupied by members of successive generations. Several species are known to nest communally, co-operating in nest defense and in cell building. In many ways the evolution of nesting behaviour in this group parallels that in the mud-using Vespidae, but the use of a single prey per cell precludes development of progressive provisioning and of eusociality similar to that of many Vespidae.