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Host Shifts from Lamiales to Brassicaceae in the Sawfly Genus Athalia
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DNA barcoding and evolutionary relationships in Accipiter Brisson, 1760 (Aves, Falconiformes: Accipitridae) with a focus on African and Eurasian representatives
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The Francesʼ Sparrowhawk Accipiter francesiae (Aves: Accipitridae) radiation on the Comoro islands
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Towards a revision of the Neotropical soldierless termites (Isoptera : Termitidae): redescription of the genus Anoplotermes and description of Longustitermes, gen. nov.
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Defense by Volatiles in Leaf-Mining Insect Larvae
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Abstract The defense strategy of an insect toward natural enemies can include a trait that appears at first sight to contradict its defensive function. We explored phylogeny, chemistry, and defense efficiency of a peculiar group of hymenopteran sawfly larvae where this contradiction is obvious. Pseudodineurini larvae live in leaf mines that protect them from some enemies. Disturbed larvae also emit a clearly perceptible lemon-like odor produced by ventral glands, although the mine hampers the evaporation of the secretion. The mine could also lead to autointoxication of a larva by its own emitted volatiles. Citral was the major component in all Pseudodineurini species, and it efficiently repels ants. We conclude that full-grown larvae that leave their mine to pupate in the soil benefit from citral by avoiding attacks from ground-dwelling arthropods such as ants. In some species, we also detected biosynthetically related compounds, two 8-oxocitral diastereomers (i.e., (2E,6E)- and (2E,6Z)-2,6-dimethylocta-2,6-dienedial). Synthetic 8-oxocitral proved to be a potent fungicide, but not an ant repellent. The discrete distribution of 8-oxocitral was unrelated to species grouping in the phylogenetic tree. In contrast, we discovered that its presence was associated with species from humid and cold zones but absent in species favoring warm and dry environments. The former should be protected by 8-oxocitral when faced with a fungal infestation while crawling into the soil. Our work shows the importance of integrating knowledge about behavior, morphology, and life history stages for understanding the complex evolution of insects and especially their defense strategies.
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Rostral densification in beaked whales: diverse processes for a similar pattern
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First report of the exotic blue planarian, Caenoplana coerulea (Platyhelminthes, Geoplanidae), on Menorca (Balearic Islands, Spain)
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In April 2009 two specimens of a terrestrial flatworm were collected from under a rock in an orchard at Ciutadella de Menorca on the easternmost Balearic island of Menorca (Spain). Their external morphology suggested that both specimens belonged to the invasive blue planarian Caenoplana coerulea, a species which is native to eastern Australia. Sequence data of a fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and of the entire 18S ribosomal RNA confirm its identification. This is one of the first records of the species in Europe where it has only been found in one locality in the United Kingdom, France and NE Spain.
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Origin and patterns of biodiversity of subterranean aquatic Clitellata
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Subterranean ecosystem biodiversity is characterized by a unique combination of four features that may account for its patterns and fluctuations at a global scale: (1) a low number of lineages due to environmental harshness, (2) a high proportion of endemic species as a result of habitat fragmentation and isolation, (3) a high level of relict taxa, best explained by the relative stability and antiquity of the habitat compared with most superficial habitats, and (4) food webs that are truncated at both the bottom (no primary producers) and the top (few or no predators and no specialized ones). In this review, we present a synthesis of the current state of knowledge of groundwater oligochaetes, and we investigate in what extent their biodiversity meets these criteria. The present knowledge is strongly biased in favour of the West-Palaearctic region, in particular the karst of Southern Europe. While our understanding of groundwater biodiversity in Europe and the United States has gained much during these last decades, many areas are undersampled in the world. To date, more than 300 nominal species have been found in ground waters all over the world (on about 1,700 and 1,100 aquatic and freshwater oligochaete species, respectively). Most of these species should be considered as incidentals or waifs; however, about one-third of them are found exclusively in this environment (stygobionts). Among the 21 families that are fully aquatic or include species occurring in aquatic habitats, 16 families are present in ground water. Stygobiont species belong to only 7 different families, harbouring 42 genera among which 17 are represented by a single species. Thirty-four per cent of the species are representatives of only two genera: Trichodrilus (Lumbriculidae) and Rhyacodrilus (Naididae). With 9 species, all being stygobiont, the Parvidrilidae is unique in being the only family, worldwide, comprising taxa that are restricted to groundwater habitats. Data on the distribution of stygobiont oligochaetes suggest pronounced endemism, nearly 60% of the species being known only from their type locality. The origins of subterranean oligochaete biodiversity probably involve multiple and successive colonization processes, both from marine and freshwater environments. The current distribution of Parvidrilidae, Rhyacodriloides (Rhyacodriloidinae), Delaya (Haplotaxidae), or species belonging to primarily marine genera, may be explained when assuming that these species are palaeoendemics or relicts, namely survivors of an old fauna that has long since become extinct in the surrounding areas. Aquatic oligochaetes appear to be pre-adapted to live in the subterranean environment. In the absence of genuine troglomorphic characters, their stygobiotic status can only be inferred from their exclusive presence in the subterranean environment. Valuable studies to enhance knowledge of subterranean aquatic oligochaetes will probably take more advantage of investigating adaptations that enable them to face scarceness of food and oxygen in groundwater, rather than focussing on an uncertain quest for morphological adaptations. Promising approaches would be to compare related hypogean and epigean species within the same genus, such as in Trichodrilus and Rhyacodrilus, or ecosystems the most similar to the underground such as lake hypolimnia and the deep sea. Keywords: ground water, Clitellata, biodiversity, patterns, endemism, relictuality, adaptation.
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Guide taxonomique des oligochètes dulçaquicoles du Maghreb
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Résumé Ce guide fournit l’information taxonomique pour les 68 espèces d’oligochètes dulçaquicoles connus à l’heure actuelle au Maghreb, au sens strict, c’est-à-dire la région d’Afrique du nord qui regroupe le Maroc, l’Algérie et la Tunisie. Au niveau du Grand Maghreb, ce guide est potentiellement valable pour la Libye mais pas pour la Mauritanie. Une introduction est faite au milieu dulçaquicole du Maghreb et sa spécificité pour les oligochètes, ainsi qu’une présentation de la biologie et la diversité globale des oligochètes. Les récentes avancées dans le domaine de la nomenclature et de la classification du groupe sont intégrées. Un panorama détaillé des familles maghrébines d’oligochètes est dressé, précédé par des introductions à l’anatomie générale et aux caractères taxonomiques des oligochètes. Les aspects pratiques liés à l’échantillonnage et les techniques de préparation des spécimens et leur conservation sont détaillés, ainsi que les étapes à suivre pour les identifier. Une clé d’identification au niveau spécifique est fournie pour chaque famille, valable uniquement pour les oligochètes connus à l’heure actuelle au Maghreb, mais en précisant les espèces susceptibles d’y être rencontrées en raison de leur distribution biogéographique présente. Enfin, ce guide donne la description d’Aktedrilus yacoubii (Naididae, Phallodrilinae), espèce nouvelle pour la science et le Maghreb. Mots-clés – Clitellata, oligochètes dulçaquicoles, Maghreb, clés d’identification, taxonomie, liste d’espèces, échantillonnage, préparation de spécimens. Abstract This guide provides taxonomical information for the 68 freshwater oligochaete species known to date in Maghreb sensu stricto, namely this region of Northern Africa that includes Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. At the “Grand Maghreb” level, the guide is potentially valid for Libya as well but not for Mauritania. An introduction to the freshwater environment of Maghreb and its peculiarity vis-à-vis the oligochaetes is given, as well as a presentation of the biology and general diversity of oligochaetes. Recent nomenclatural and classification advances are integrated. A comprehensive overview of Maghrebin oligochaete families is given, preceded by introductions into the general anatomy and taxonomic traits of oligochaetes. Practical aspects of sampling, and techniques of specimen preparation and conservation are detailed, as well as steps required for their identification. An identification key, at the species level, is provided for each family, only valid for oligochaetes presently known from Maghreb; however, species likely to be found in the future, because of their current biogeographic distribution, are also mentioned. Lastly, this guide gives the description of Aktedrilus yacoubii (Naididae, Phallodrilinae), a species new for science and Maghreb. Keywords – Clitellata, freshwater oligochaetes, Maghreb, identification keys, taxonomy, species list, sampling, specimen processing.
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Possible effects of global environmental changes on Antarctic benthos : a synthesis across five major taxa
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Because of the unique conditions that exist around the Antarctic continent, Southern Ocean (SO) ecosystems are very susceptible to the growing impact of global climate change and other anthropogenic influences. Consequently, there is an urgent need to understand how SO marine life will cope with expected future changes in the environment. Studies of Antarctic organisms have shown that individual species and higher taxa display different degrees of sensitivity to environmental shifts, making it difficult to predict overall community or ecosystem responses. This emphasizes the need for an improved understanding of the Antarctic benthic ecosystem response to global climate change using a multitaxon approach with consideration of different levels of biological organization. Here, we provide a synthesis of the ability of five important Antarctic benthic taxa (Foraminifera, Nematoda, Amphipoda, Isopoda, and Echinoidea) to cope with changes in the environment (temperature, pH, ice cover, ice scouring, food quantity, and quality) that are linked to climatic changes. Responses from individual to the taxon-specific community level to these drivers will vary with taxon but will include local species extinctions, invasions of warmer-water species, shifts in diversity, dominance, and trophic group composition, all with likely consequences for ecosystem functioning. Limitations in our current knowledge and understanding of climate change effects on the different levels are discussed.
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