Latest Articles from ZooKeys Latest 10 Articles from ZooKeys https://zookeys.pensoft.net/ Thu, 28 Mar 2024 22:15:21 +0200 Pensoft FeedCreator https://zookeys.pensoft.net/i/logo.jpg Latest Articles from ZooKeys https://zookeys.pensoft.net/ Water beetles (Coleoptera) associated with Afrotemperate Forest patches in the Garden Route National Park, South Africa https://zookeys.pensoft.net/article/102866/ ZooKeys 1182: 237-258

DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1182.102866

Authors: Matthew S. Bird, David T. Bilton, Musa C. Mlambo, Renzo Perissinotto

Abstract: Southern Afrotemperate Forest is concentrated in the southern Cape region of South Africa and whilst it is relatively well known botanically, the fauna, specifically the aquatic invertebrate fauna, is poorly documented. The majority of remaining intact forest habitat is contained within the Garden Route National Park (GRNP), which straddles the provincial boundary between the Western and Eastern Cape. This study undertakes a survey of the water beetle fauna inhabiting the GRNP. The aquatic ecosystems within temperate forests of the region are poorly researched from an ecological and biodiversity perspective, despite being known to harbour endemic invertebrate elements. We collected water beetles and in situ physico-chemical data from a total of 31 waterbodies across the park over two seasons (summer and late winter) in 2017. The waterbodies sampled were mostly small freshwater perennial streams and isolated forest ponds. A total of 61 beetle taxa was recorded (29 Adephaga, 32 Polyphaga) from these waterbodies. The water beetle fauna of these forests appears to be diverse and contains many species endemic to the fynbos-dominated Cape Floristic Region, but very few of the species appear to be forest specialists. This is in contrast to the fynbos heathland habitat of the region, which harbours a high number of water beetle species endemic to this habitat, often with Gondwanan affinity. Our study is the first to document the water beetles of Afrotemperate Forests in the southern Cape region and provides an important baseline for future work on such habitats in the region and in other parts of southern Africa.

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Research Article Thu, 19 Oct 2023 13:46:03 +0300
The aquatic Adephaga of the Makay, central-western Madagascar, with description of two new diving beetle species (Coleoptera, Gyrinidae, Haliplidae, Noteridae, Dytiscidae) https://zookeys.pensoft.net/article/85737/ ZooKeys 1127: 1-60

DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1127.85737

Authors: Andriamirado Tahina Ramahandrison, Bakolimalala Rakouth, Michaël Manuel

Abstract: Water beetles of the families Gyrinidae, Haliplidae, Noteridae, and Dytiscidae (aquatic Adephaga) of the Makay in central-western Madagascar were surveyed in three campaigns during the years 2016–2018. A total of 74 species was collected from 62 sampling sites, all except one being newly recorded from the Makay. Copelatus malavergnorum sp. nov. (irinus group) and C. zanabato sp. nov. (erichsonii group) (Dytiscidae, Copelatinae) are described and their habitus and male genitalia are illustrated. A systematic account is given, including description of habitat preferences for each species. Analyses of species composition and dominance, species diversity and endemism highlighted the strong singularity of the aquatic Adephaga fauna inhabiting the sandstone massif of inner Makay (notably with several local endemic dytiscids) with respect to its peripheral lowlands. These comparisons were also performed between groups of sites categorised according to vegetation context (forested, semi-forested, non-forested). Rather unexpectedly, inner Makay although well-preserved and little deforested has relatively low endemism level and low species diversity (H1 Hill number twice lower than in the geographically close and geologically similar massif of Isalo). Species diversity was higher in the deforested and man-impacted peripheral sites, which yielded a rich contingent of western Madagascar lowland species including a few undescribed or rarely observed dytiscids.

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Research Article Wed, 2 Nov 2022 11:44:23 +0200
Marine diversity in the biosphere reserve of the most oceanic island in the Gulf of California: San Pedro Mártir https://zookeys.pensoft.net/article/67964/ ZooKeys 1062: 177-201

DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1062.67964

Authors: Imelda G. Amador-Castro, Francisco J. Fernández-Rivera Melo, Jorge Torre

Abstract: San Pedro Mártir island is of high biological, ecological, and fishery importance and was declared a biosphere reserve in 2002. This island is the most oceanic in the Gulf of California, and information on its rocky reefs is scarce. The present study aimed to generate the first list of conspicuous invertebrate and fish species based on in situ observations and to examine the community structure of the shallow rocky reefs of the reserve. In addition, we estimated the ecological indicators of richness, abundance, Shannon diversity, and Pielou evenness to evaluate the conservation status of the biosphere reserve. Data were collected annually from 2007 to 2017 through 2,192 underwater SCUBA transects. A total of 35 species of invertebrates and 73 species of fish were recorded. Most of the species are widely distributed along the eastern Pacific. Overall, 64% of the species found in this study are commercially important, and 11 species have been listed as protected. The abundance of commercially important invertebrate species (i.e., the sea cucumber Isostichopus fuscus and the spiny oyster Spondylus limbatus) is decreasing, while commercially important fish species have maintained their abundance with periods of increase. The ecological indicators and the abundance and size of the commercial species indicate that the reserve is in good condition while meeting its conservation objectives.

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Research Article Fri, 15 Oct 2021 15:00:27 +0300
A novel leaf-rolling chironomid, Eukiefferiella endobryonia sp. nov. (Diptera, Chironomidae, Orthocladiinae), highlights the diversity of underwater chironomid tube structures https://zookeys.pensoft.net/article/47834/ ZooKeys 906: 73-111

DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.906.47834

Authors: Yume Imada

Abstract: The non-biting midges, Chironomidae (Diptera), are dominant components of most freshwater ecosystems. Many chironomids construct tubes or cases as larvae out of various materials bound together with silk. The structures of tubes show a wide range of variation, and some are morphologically comparable to those of caddisflies. Herein a new species is described, Eukiefferiella endobryonia sp. nov., which exhibits a very unusual behavior in which it constructs tubes from aquatic mosses. This species’ fourth-instar larvae construct their cases exclusively from the leaves of Fontinalis mosses (Hypnales: Fontinalaceae) and exhibit a stereotyped behavior in which they remain attached to the apical shoot of the moss stem. The larvae then pupate within the case. The case of E. endobryonia sp. nov. represents one of only a few examples of chironomid tubes made exclusively out of plants. Based on the species delimitation analyses using the partial COI sequences, together with some morphological and behavioral characteristics, this species is hypothesized to be a member of devonica group, and especially may have a close affinity to E. dittmari (Lehman). A provisional typology for the diversity of chironomid tube structures is provided, with a summary of different tube structures, which can be used for future research.

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Research Article Wed, 22 Jan 2020 22:47:56 +0200
When barcoding fails: development of diagnostic nuclear markers for the sibling caddisfly species Sericostoma personatum (Spence in Kirby & Spence, 1826) and Sericostoma flavicorne Schneider, 1845 https://zookeys.pensoft.net/article/34278/ ZooKeys 872: 57-68

DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.872.34278

Authors: Sonja Darschnik, Florian Leese, Martina Weiss, Hannah Weigand

Abstract: The larval stages of the central European sibling caddisfly species Sericostoma personatum (Spence in Kirby and Spence, 1826) and S. flavicorne Schneider, 1845 are morphologically similar and can only be distinguished by differences in coloration in late larval instars. Identification using the mitochondrial barcoding gene, i.e., the Cytochrome c Oxidase 1, is impossible, as both species share the same highly differentiated haplotypes due to introgression. Nuclear gene markers obtained through double digest restriction site associate sequencing (ddRAD seq), however, can reliably distinguish both species, yet the method is expensive as well as time-consuming and therefore not practicable for species determination. To facilitate accurate species identification without sequencing genome-wide markers, we developed nine diagnostic nuclear RFLP markers based on ddRAD seq data. The markers were successfully tested on geographically distinct populations of the two Sericostoma species in western Germany, on known hybrids, and on another sericostomatid caddisfly species, Oecismus monedula (Hagen, 1859) that sometimes shares the habitat and can be morphologically confounded with Sericostoma. We describe a simple and fast protocol for reliable species identification of S. personatum and S. flavicorne independent of the life cycle stage of the specimens.

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Research Article Tue, 20 Aug 2019 16:04:57 +0300
Distribution of the genus Boeckella (Crustacea, Copepoda, Calanoida, Centropagidae) at high latitudes in South America and the main Antarctic biogeographic regions https://zookeys.pensoft.net/article/29614/ ZooKeys 854: 1-15

DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.854.29614

Authors: Claudia S. Maturana, Sebastián Rosenfeld, Javier Naretto, Peter Convey, Elie Poulin

Abstract: Copepods are present in numerous aquatic environments, playing key roles in food webs, and are thought to be useful indicators of environmental change. Boeckella is a calanoid copepod genus distributed mainly in the Southern Hemisphere, with 14 species reported at higher southern latitudes in South America and Antarctica. We present an updated database of these 14 species of Boeckella generated from a combination of three sources: 1) new field sampling data, 2) published records, and 3) Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), to provide a comprehensive description of the geographic distribution of the genus south of latitude 40°S in southern South America and the three main terrestrial biogeographic regions of Antarctica. The database includes 380 records, 62 from field sampling, 278 from the literature and 40 from GBIF. Southern South America, including the Falkland/Malvinas Islands, had the highest species richness and number of records (14 and 297, respectively), followed by the sub-Antarctic islands (5 and 34), South Orkney Islands (2 and 14), South Shetland Islands (1 and 23), Antarctic Peninsula (1 and 10) and finally continental Antarctica (1 and 2). Boeckella poppei Mrázek, 1901 is the only representative of the genus, and more widely the only terrestrial/freshwater invertebrate, currently reported from all three main biogeographic regions in Antarctica (sub-Antarctic islands, maritime and continental Antarctic). Future development of molecular systematic studies in this group should contribute to assessing the correspondence between morphological taxonomy and molecular evolutionary radiation.

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Data Paper Mon, 10 Jun 2019 02:22:44 +0300
An example of a possible leech-bryozoan association in freshwater https://zookeys.pensoft.net/article/28088/ ZooKeys 794: 23-30

DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.794.28088

Authors: Anna L. Klass, Svetlana E. Sokolova, Alexander V. Kondakov, Yuliya V. Bespalaya, Mikhail Yu. Gofarov, Alena A. Tomilova, Ilya V. Vikhrev, Ivan N. Bolotov

Abstract: Associations of various invertebrate species with bryozoans and sponges are a well-known marine phenomenon but such epizooic communities are far less diverse in freshwater environments. Here an occurrence of numerous leeches Alboglossiphonia cf. papillosa (Braun, 1805), in interstitial spaces between zooids of a colony of the freshwater bryozoan species Plumatella aff. fungosa (Pallas, 1768) in Eastern Siberia is described. To the best of our knowledge, this record appears to be the first known example of a leech-bryozoan association, although such relationships deserve further research.

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Research Article Thu, 1 Nov 2018 14:21:15 +0200
Stranding survey as a framework to investigate rare cetacean records of the north and north-eastern Brazilian coasts https://zookeys.pensoft.net/article/12636/ ZooKeys 688: 111-134

DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.688.12636

Authors: Alexandra Fernandes Costa, Salvatore Siciliano, Renata Emin-Lima, Bruna Maria Lima Martins, Maura Elisabeth Moraes Sousa, Tommaso Giarrizzo, José de Sousa e Silva Júnior

Abstract: Marine mammal stranding events are used as an important tool for understanding cetacean biology worldwide. Nonetheless, there are vast gaps of knowledge to be filled in for a wide range of species. Reputable information is required regarding species from large baleen whales to sperm and beaked whales, as well as pelagic dolphins. This paper describes new cetacean records from north and north-eastern Brazil, which are both the least surveyed areas regarding aquatic mammals. Regular beach surveys were conducted to recover cetacean carcasses along the coast of Pará beginning November 2005. At the coasts of the Maranhão and Piauí states, the surveys were conducted between 2003 and 2013. From 2003 to 2014, 34 strandings of cetaceans were registered. The study provides four additional species records’ in the area based on strandings (Balaenoptera borealis, Balaenoptera physalus, Peponocephala electra, and Pseudorca crassidens). A mass stranding of Guiana dolphins (Sotalia guianensis, N = 12), the most common species for the region, was reported for the first time. The records presented herein are of special concern, since they expand the knowledge on cetaceans from the Brazilian coast. In addition, this study conducted an analysis to verify the similarity between cetacean compositions described for north and north-eastern Brazil and the southern Caribbean region. The results showed a high similarity between these regions, proving the connection with the Caribbean cetacean fauna.

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Research Article Wed, 9 Aug 2017 03:35:27 +0300
Diversity and distribution of polyphagan water beetles (Coleoptera) in the Lake St Lucia system, South Africa https://zookeys.pensoft.net/article/11622/ ZooKeys 656: 51-84

DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.656.11622

Authors: Matthew S. Bird, David T. Bilton, Renzo Perissinotto

Abstract: Water beetles belonging to the suborder Polyphaga vary greatly in larval and adult ecologies, and fulfil important functional roles in shallow-water ecosystems by processing plant material, scavenging and through predation. This study investigates the species richness and composition of aquatic polyphagan assemblages in and around the St Lucia estuarine lake (South Africa), within the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A total of 32 sites were sampled over three consecutive collection trips between 2013 and 2015. The sites encompassed a broad range of aquatic habitats, being representative of the variety of freshwater and estuarine environments present on the St Lucia coastal plain. Thirty-seven polyphagan taxa were recorded during the dedicated surveys of this study, in addition to seven species-level records from historical collections. Most beetles recorded are relatively widespread Afrotropical species and only three are endemic to South Africa. Samples were dominated by members of the Hydrophilidae (27 taxa), one of which was new to science (Hydrobiomorpha perissinottoi Bilton, 2016). Despite the fauna being dominated by relatively widespread taxa, five represent new records for South Africa, highlighting the poor state of knowledge on water beetle distribution patterns in the region. Wetlands within the dense woodland characterising the False Bay region of St Lucia supported a distinct assemblage of polyphagan beetles, whilst sites occurring on the Eastern and Western Shores of Lake St Lucia were very similar in their beetle composition. In line with the Afrotropical region as a whole, the aquatic Polyphaga of St Lucia appear to be less diverse than the Hydradephaga, for which 68 species were recorded during the same period. However, the results of the present study, in conjunction with those for Hydradephaga, show that the iSimangaliso Wetland Park contains a high beetle diversity. The ongoing and future ecological protection of not only the estuarine lake itself, but also surrounding freshwater wetlands, is imperative and should be taken into consideration during future management planning for the park.

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Research Article Tue, 14 Feb 2017 00:39:44 +0200
The fishes of Cayo Arcas (Campeche Bank, Gulf of Mexico): an updated checklist https://zookeys.pensoft.net/article/10862/ ZooKeys 640: 139-155

DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.640.10862

Authors: D Ross Robertson, Horacio Perez-España, Enrique Nuñez Lara, Francisco Puc Itza, Nuno Simões

Abstract: Cayo Arcas is a small, offshore reef complex on the southwest corner of Campeche Bank, Gulf of Mexico. The only published information (from 2000) on the fishes of that reef refers to 37 species. Here additional information is added, some from unpublished observations during the 1980s, as well as author observations made during 2013 and 2016. These bring the checklist of that reef’s fishes up to 162 species. The possible effects of the limited number of fish habitats available at Cayo Arcas on the composition of its fish fauna are discussed. The Indo-Pacific damselfish Neopomacentrus cyanomos (Bleeker, 1856) was first recorded in the Atlantic in mid-2013, on shoreline reefs in the southwest corner of the Gulf of Mexico. Recently reviewed underwater photographs show that N. cyanomos also was present at Cayo Arcas in mid-2013, 350 km from the first-record site. Hence it evidently had a substantial population in the southwest Gulf of Mexico in 2013, and must have arrived in there long before that year.

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Checklist Tue, 13 Dec 2016 17:36:59 +0200