Historical review and redescription of three poorly known species of the catfish genus Trichomycterus from south-eastern Brazil (Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae)

ABSTRACT

This study is primarily directed to the most poorly known species of the genus Trichomycterus, comprising five nominal species (T. florensis, T. immaculatus, T. nigricans, T. paquequerensis and T. santaeritae) endemic to south-eastern Brazil. One of them, T. nigricans, is the type species of the genus, involved in taxonomic problems for over 150 years. A detailed historical review, accompanied by examination of type specimens and recent collections, revealed that the correct type locality of T. nigricans is in the vicinity of Rio de Janeiro, not Santa Catarina as commonly appears in the literature; specimens previously misidentified as T. nigricans from Santa Catarina belong to a possibly undescribed species of the genus Cambeva; T. paquequerensis is a synonym of T. immaculatus, and T. florensis is a synonym of T. santaeritae; and the hypothesis that T. santaeritae is closely related to the Amazon Sarcoglanidinae is refuted. The three valid species are redescribed. These species are members of a clade also including T. caipora that is highly supported by molecular data, diagnosed by a pronounced posterior maxillary process and caudal fin emarginate at least in larger specimens. A subclade comprising T. caipora, T. nigricans and T. santaeritae is diagnosed by a long maxilla and a bifid anterior extremity of hypobranchial 3.     

Diversity and dispersal history of the talitrids (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Talitridae) of Bermuda

Five taxa of talitrid amphipods were found in the archipelago of Bermuda, of which three were recorded there for the first time. Four of these are supralittoral wrack generalists: Platorchestia monodi BOLD:AAB3402, (a unique Molecular Operational Taxonomic Unit according to the Barcode Index Number system), a related species recognized by molecular methods, Platorchestia platensis BOLD:AAA2949, Mexorchestia carpenteri carpenteri BOLD:AAC1491 and Tethorchestia antillensis; and one a terrestrial leaf-litter generalist: Talitroides alluaudi. A key is provided to discriminate between the formally described talitrids of Bermuda. Dispersal mechanisms from the American continent to Bermuda were considered for all taxa based on species distributions along the North American Atlantic coast and also investigated by molecular methods, using genetic population differentiation and haplotype network analysis based on the barcode region of cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene. For P. monodi BOLD:AAB3402 the genetic results suggest that some dispersal events occurred before human colonization of Bermuda but are equivocal about the source population and therefore the direction of dispersal. Some very recent synanthropic dispersal is possible with this species. For the other two species studied genetically, P. platensis BOLD:AAA2949 and M. c. carpenteri BOLD:AAC1491, the small population samples analysed support dispersal to Bermuda from the American mainland, before human occupation of Bermuda, although the available sample size was limited for these species. The available limited direct, non-genetic evidence supports synanthropic transport for Talitroides alluaudi. Platorchestia monodi BOLD:AAB3402 is found in the same wrack habitat as P. platensis BOLD:AAA2949 on Bermuda, apparently without interbreeding. No evidence was found that driftwood specialist talitrids had become established in Bermuda.     

Characteristics of strontium isotopes and their implications in the Qixing Cave of Guizhou,China

The strontium isotopic compositions (87Sr/86Sr) of samples including soils, bedrock, soil waters, drip waters and their corresponding speleothems in the Qixing Cave (QXC), Guizhou Province, China, were systemically measured and analyzed. The results indicate that there are significant Sr isotopic differences among samples. The mean 87Sr/86Sr ratios in drip water for the samples 1#, 4# and 9# were 0.709568, 0.709139 and 0.708761, respectively, which possibly result from different flow paths, residence times, and other hydrogeological processes in the unsaturated zone overlying QXC. Meanwhile, levels of 40.8%, 57.6% and 72.4% of Sr in drip waters for 1#, 4# and 9#, respectively, were derived from bedrock dissolution, which was calculated by the mixture model of the two end-members (soil and bedrock). There is, however, no positive correlation between the relative proportion from bedrock dissolution (δ13C value is 1.8‰) and drip water δ13CDIC values. The mean drip water δ13CDIC value in 1# is the heaviest (–4.5‰) with the lowest contribution rate of bedrock dissolution, whereas the value in 9# is the lightest (–9.3‰) with the highest contribution rate of bedrock dissolution. The proportion from host rock dissolution in 4# is higher than that in 1# and lower than that in 9#, while its mean drip water δ13CDIC value (–8.6‰) is higher than that of 9# and lower than that for 1#. This suggests that the prior calcite precipitation (PCP) processes in the unsaturated zone overlying the cave are responsible for the δ13CDIC value differences between different drip waters, and not bedrock dissolution. Furthermore, this study also demonstrates that the 87Sr/86Sr ratios of speleothems in the 1# and 4# mainly reflect the variation in the relative proportions from the soil system (soil water) and bedrock dissolution overlying the cave. It is, therefore, feasible to use the strontium isotopic signals of speleothems as an indicator for soil chemical weathering intensity, and consequently as a monsoon proxy in the study area.     

昆明松花坝水源保护区云南松林地表蚂蚁多样性

 运用陷阱法调查了昆明市松花坝水源保护区无干扰及干扰云南松林地表蚂蚁群落.无干扰样地蚂蚁群落由3亚科13种组成,亮毛蚁Lasius fuliginosus最常见;干扰样地由4亚科21种组成,细胸蚁2 Leptothorax sp.2和玉米毛蚁Lasius alienus最常见;2个样地的蚂蚁物种丰富度ACE估计值分别为24.76和26.27,样地间多度及物种丰富度估计值没有显著差异;无干扰样地蚂蚁群落物种组成不同于干扰样地,但部分样带与干扰样地接近;亮毛蚁是无干扰样地的指示物种(IndVal=0.9787,P=0.001),邵氏厚结猛蚁Pachycondyla sauteri是干扰样地的指示物种(IndVal=0.6667,P=0.001);地表蚂蚁多样性与植物多样性具有显著相关性.研究显示:云南松林地表蚂蚁多样性能够指示植物多样性;松花坝水源保护区云南松林地表蚂蚁多样性相对较低;干扰已经改变了云南松林的地表蚂蚁群落组成;保护区的建立对当地生物多样性有积极作用,但保护力度仍然不够.     

南京紫金山山麓地区蚂蚁物种多样性研究

采用样地调查法研究了紫金山地区4种植被类型下的蚂蚁种群,共采集蚂蚁4 052只,隶属于2亚科14属15种。分析发现：针阔混交林内的蚂蚁种类最多为14种,林内物种多样性指数和均匀度指数均为最高,分别为2041 6和0773 6,优势度最低为0158 8,优势种为日本弓背蚁(占2480 %)、宽结大头蚁(占1798 %)、双针棱胸蚁(占1757 %)和黄足立毛蚁(占1431 %)。草地的蚂蚁种类有10种,物种多样性指数和均匀度指数均为最低,分别为1147 5和0498 4,其优势度指数为0413 4,仅次于阔叶林的蚂蚁种群优势度指数0415 1,其优势种为双针棱胸蚁(占5413 %)和宽结大头蚁(占3427 %)。紫金山地区4种植被类型下的蚂蚁种群相似性为中等相似。     

沧州高盐环境嗜盐放线菌多样性研究

利用NaCl的质量分数为10%和20%的不同培养基从35份采自河北沧州高盐环境样品中分离得到33株中度嗜盐放线菌和13株耐盐放线菌.多相分类研究表明,嗜盐菌株具有形态、生理、生化和分子分类特征的多样性,在系统发育上试验菌株分别属于拟诺卡氏菌属、链霉菌属和纤维单胞菌科一新属.分析结果表明,沧州地区高盐环境中嗜盐放线菌主要类群是拟诺卡氏菌属和链霉菌属,另有少量纤维单胞菌科放线细菌;也说明高盐环境是分离新物种的重要来源.     

Overview of bat species reported in Albania with the first country records for eight species

The bat fauna of Albania, a country located in a Balkan glacial refugium and a Mediterranean biodiversity hotspot, has remained poorly studied although as many as 21 species and representatives of three species complexes had been reported before 2003. It was expected that several new species would be added to the country’s list of fauna, not only due to their occurrence in adjacent regions but to the splitting of already known taxa into sibling species and the discovery of new, cryptic species. Altogether, we recorded 32 bat species in Albania, including all of those previously reported (21) and 11 new species for the country, as a result of field work conducted in 2003–2012. Here, we report on eight bat species including Rhinolophus mehelyi, Nyctalus lasiopterus, Plecotus kolombatovici, Barbastella barbastellus, Myotis brandtii that had not been reported previously in Albania while three species (Pipistrellus pipistrellus, Plecotus austriacus, Myotis mystacinus) had been reported before changes to their taxonomy and so could be treated only as representatives of a particular species complex (i.e. sensu lato). We greatly extended the known geographic ranges of five species in the south of Europe.