Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research

The present study was conducted from March 2021 to February 2022 in the Thal desert and Trimmu barrage of district Jhang located in the Punjab province of Pakistan to find out the diversity, abundance, and distribution of birds. The point count method was used for the Trimmu barrage, and the line transect method was used for the collection of data in the Thal desert area. We recorded 31,696 individuals belonging to 67 species of birds from two distinct types of habitats (Thal desert and Trimmu barrage) of district Jhang. Among these species, 39 species were residents, 18 species were winter visitors, 9 species were summer breeders, and a single species (Terek sandpiper) was a passage migrant. Highly significant differences ( X 2 = 14979.7 , df = 11 , and P < 0.01 ) were observed in the abundance of birds between both habitats on every month. From the Thal desert area, 12,905 individuals belonging to 45 species were identified while 18,791 individuals from 58 bird species were observed in the Trimmu barrage, with 36 bird species among 67 species being common at both habitats. The most dominant species of the Trimmu barrage were the common pochard, little grebe, common coot, cattle egret, gadwall, little egret, red-wattled lapwing, and common teal. On the other hand, the Indian roller, common quail, cattle egret, common myna, and Indian kite were found to be the most common species in the Thal desert. The most notable feature of the present study is the identification of Xenus cinereus (Terek sandpiper) and Ammomanes phoenicura (rufous-tailed lark) in district Jhang as both species had no previous record in the study area. The Trimmu barrage was the more diverse and abundant site compared to the Thal desert as it provides both terrestrial and aquatic habitats for birds. The study determined that more varieties in the habitat and thermal changes affect the diversity, abundance, and distribution of birds.

Nostril structures are important characteristics for generic diagnosis in Nemacheilidae and Cobitidae. Based on phylogenetic analysis, we found that 10 genera within Nemacheilidae (Eonemachilus, Guinemachilus, Lefua, Micronemacheilus, Oreonectes, Paranemachilus, Protonemacheilus, Traccatichthys, Troglonectes, and Yunnanilus) shared tube-shaped anterior nostrils and formed a monophyletic group. Morphologically, the location between the anterior and posterior nostrils was divided into three types: (i) separated, i.e., a distance greater than 1.5 times the diameter of the posterior nostril; (ii) adjacent, i.e., a distance shorter than the diameter of the posterior nostril; and (iii) closely set, i.e., posterior margin of the anterior nostril connected to the anterior margin of the posterior nostril. Thus, the 10 genera can be distinguished based on nostril features. Additionally, we describe one new genus, Guinemachilus gen. nov., and two new species, Guinemachilus pseudopulcherrimus sp. nov. and Paranemachilus chongzuo sp. nov.

Positive selection refers to the process by which certain genetic variations are more likely to be passed on to future generations because they confer some advantage in terms of survival or reproduction. Zinc finger proteins are a type of transcription factor that plays a role in regulating gene expression, particularly in undifferentiated stem cells. Suppose it has been found that certain zinc finger proteins show genetic signatures of positive selection in mammals. In that case, it suggests that these proteins may have played a role in adaptive evolution in undifferentiated stem cells. This could mean that the specific genetic changes in these zinc finger proteins gave an advantage to the organisms that possessed them, helping them survive and reproduce more effectively. These genetic changes may have allowed the organisms to adapt to changing environments or to develop new abilities, such as increased resistance to disease or faster growth. Undifferentiated stem cells that underwent adaptive evolution during the evolution of mammals can be identified genetically by the outcomes of positive selection on zinc finger proteins. Because of selection pressures like environmental shifts or the introduction of novel pathogens, it is plausible that some zinc finger proteins have experienced fast evolution. The emergence of novel activities or higher expression levels of these proteins as a result of this quick evolution may have given the creatures that possessed them a survival edge. Another possible outcome of positive selection in zinc finger proteins is the emergence of new genetic variations that allow for increased diversity and plasticity in stem cells. This increased diversity and plasticity could have allowed for more efficient adaptation to changing environments and could have played a role in the evolution of new organisms or new characteristics in existing organisms. Overall, the results of positive selection in zinc finger proteins can provide insight into how adaptive evolution occurred in undifferentiated stem cells during the evolution of mammals and how this evolution may have contributed to the development of new organisms and new characteristics and adaptations to changing environments.

The genus Holosticha s. l. is a typical “melting pot” group with an intricate history, and so far, it has been divided into eleven genera. Both newly obtained taxonomic and molecular data provide the opportunity to gain more insights to outline the taxa in it and to understand their systematic and evolutionary relationship. Here, we describe Caudikeronopsis monilata sp. nov. from intertidal sediment on the China coast of the Yellow Sea and analyze the phylogenetic relationships of Holosticha s. l. by obtaining a total of 16 new sequences of seven isolates. The results demonstrate that (1) the morphological features of Holosticha s. str. are outlined very well, but its systematic relationship with Uncinata is still puzzling; (2) based on both morphological and molecular databases, the genera Adumbratosticha, Arcuseries, Caudikeronopsis, Extraholosticha, and “Holosticha + Uncinata” complex are separated clearly from each other in the phylogenetic analyses; and (3) the Anteholosticha isolates are dispersed among the urostylids in the phylogenetic analyses, even though its generic diagnostic features are described very clearly. In the present work, however, the secondary structure predictions do not provide better resolutions for understanding the systematic and evolutionary relationships among the holostichids. And the genus Anteholosticha becomes a new “melting pot” taxon.

Interferon-Epsilon (IFNε) is a type of interferon, a protein that plays a role in the immune response to viral infections. This study is aimed at examining the molecular evolution of the IFNε pseudogene in Manis javanica, and it has been found to modulate the innate and specific antiviral immunity in this species. In this study, we identified that IFNε gene has undergone rapid evolution in Manis javanica, with the human and primate IFNε genes showing evidence of positive selection. This suggests that IFNε has played an important role in the evolution of the immune system, possibly in response to coevolution with viral pathogens. Comparative genomic analysis revealed that the IFNε pseudogene in pangolins originated from a gene duplication event approximately 48 million years ago. It subsequently lost its protein-coding function due to multiple deleterious mutations. However, the IFNε pseudogene exhibits a high degree of conservation in its promoter region, suggesting it may still play a regulatory role in antiviral immunity. This suggests that the pseudogene may have evolved to serve an important function in the pangolin’s immune system, potentially helping to protect it from viral infections. The molecular evolution of IFNε provides insights into the coevolutionary dynamics between host immune systems and viral pathogens and may have implications for developing new antiviral therapies.

The family Carcharhinidae includes the most typical and recognizable sharks, although its internal classification is the subject of extensive debate. In particular, the type genus, Carcharhinus Blainville, 1816, which is also the most speciose, appears to be paraphyletic in relation to a number of morphologically distinct taxa. Isogomphodon oxyrhynchus (Valenciennes, 1839) (the daggernose shark) is a carcharinid, which is endemic to a limited area of the Western Atlantic between Trinidad and Tobago and the Gulf of Maranhão in northern Brazil, one of the smallest ranges of any New World elasmobranch species. In recent decades, I. oxyrhynchus populations have been decimated by anthropogenic impacts, which has led to the classification of the species as critically endangered by the IUCN. However, there is considerable debate on both the validity of the species (I. oxyrhynchus) and the status of Isogomphodon Gill, 1862 as a distinct entity from the genus Carcharhinus. The present study is based on a molecular assessment of the genetic validity of the I. oxyrhynchus that combines mitochondrial and nuclear markers, which were used to identify the biogeographic events responsible for the emergence and dispersal of the species in northern Brazil. The genetic distance analyses and phylogenetic trees confirmed the paraphyly of the genus Carcharhinus, recovering a clade comprising Carcharhinus+I. oxyrhynchus+Prionace glauca (Linnaeus, 1758). Our results indicate not only that the daggernose shark is actually a member of the genus Carcharhinus, but that it is genetically more closely related to Carcharhinus porosus (Ranzani, 1839) than it is to the other Carcharhinus species analyzed. Given this, I. oxyrhynchus and P. glauca are therefore reclassified and recognized as Carcharhinus oxyrhynchus and Carcharhinus glaucus. The daggernose shark, Carcharhinus oxyrhynchus, diverged from C. porosus during the Miocene, when significant geomorphological processes occurred on the northern coast of South America, in particular in relation to the configuration of the Amazon River. It is closely associated with the area of the Amazon plume, and its distinctive morphological features represent autapomorphic ecological adaptations to this unique habitat and do not reflect systematic distinction from Carcharhinus.

The taxonomy of earthworms has been riddled by instability, lack of systematically useful characters, and lax diagnoses of some genera. This has led to the use of some genera such as Allolobophora Eisen, 1874 as taxonomic wastebaskets, blurring their evolution and biogeographical history. The implementation of molecular techniques has revolutionized the systematics of the genus; however, some of its species have not been previously included in molecular phylogenetic analyses. Thus, the molecular markers COI, 16S, ND1, 12S, and 28S were sequenced for six endemic species including several taxa of Allolobophora and Aporrectodea Örely, 1885 (another related catch-all genus). Phylogenetic relationships determined by Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood analyses support the status of two of the six taxa examined (Allolobophora burgondiae Bouché, 1972 and Aporrectodea icterica Savigny, 1826) as part of Allolobophora sensu stricto and a presumed synonymy between Allolobophora and Heraclescolex Qiu and Bouché, 1998. Branch lengths and average pairwise genetic distances support the transfer of Allolobophora satchelli Bouché, 1972 to the genus Panoniona Mršić and Šapkarev, 1988 and the emergence of two new genera, Heraultia gen. nov. and Vosgesia gen. nov., endemic to France, hosting Allolobophora tiginosa Bouché, 1972 and Allolobophora zicsii Bouché, 1972, respectively. The aforementioned changes of status and the diagnosis for Heraultia and Vosgesia are presented. These results provided more evolutionarily and biogeographically coherent earthworm groups and highlighted that the Maghreb and the area around the Alps are potential key locations for the diversification of Allolobophora and several lineages of Lumbricidae.

Branchinotogluma is one of the most diverse genera among the polynoids inhabiting deep-sea chemosynthetic environments. A total of 14 species have been described from the hydrothermal vents and cold seeps worldwide. Our phylogenetic analyses based on four genes (COI, 16S, 18S, and 28S rRNA) recovered the current Branchinotogluma as paraphyletic, with seven clades scattered in two main clades. The monophyly of the main clade composed of Branchinotogluma (except Branchinotogluma segonzaci), Branchipolynoe, and Peinaleopolynoe is supported by the presence of 20–21 segments with 9–10 pairs of elytra, ventral papillae starting from segment 12 in males, and arborescent branchiae. The monophyly of another main clade composed of B. segonzaci, Bathykurila, Lepidonotopodium, Levensteiniella, and Thermopolynoe is supported by the presence of usually 22–30 segments with 11 pairs of elytra and the lack of ventral papillae in females. In addition, our study recognized two new species, Branchinotogluma nanhaiensis sp. nov. and B. robusta sp. nov., based on specimens collected from the deep-sea cold seeps in the South China Sea. Both the morphology and molecular phylogenetic analyses support the validity of the two new species and the sister relationships between B. nanhaiensis and B. japonicus and between B. robusta and B. pettiboneae as well.

Comprising nearly 500 species worldwide, Cheilosia Meigen is the largest genus of Syrphidae in the Palaearctic region. Within Cheilosia, phenotypic diversity has been assessed in different species groups, including the group of Cheilosia longula (Zetterstedt, 1838). However, the phenotypic variability of Cheilosia soror (Zetterstedt, 1843), a highly variable member of the C. longula group, has never been assessed in western Europe. In the present work, morphological and molecular analyses were conducted to assess the phenotypic variability found in 300+ specimens of C. soror from the Iberian Peninsula. A total of 16 variable characters were identified and defined for the C. soror morphology, with the highest variation found in the colour of the mesonotum pilosity and the metatibia colour. Morphological variation was assessed against molecular variation based on two molecular markers, one mitochondrial, the 5 ′ end of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI-5 ′ ), and one nuclear, the large subunit ribosomal DNA (28S). Phylogenetic analyses rendered trees with topologies in disagreement with the defined morphological variation. Two haplotypes were identified amongst the analysed specimens of C. soror, together with a haplotypic variant exclusive to the Iberian region. Potential distributions were used to identify unexplored areas of occurrence of C. soror and other species of the C. longula group in the Iberian Peninsula. Unassessed areas of occurrence of C. soror should be surveyed in the future to confirm the absence of hidden taxonomic diversity within the range of phenotypic variation for this species. Phenotypic variation of the other two Iberian species of the C. longula group, C. longula and C. scutellata (Fallén, 1817), was also assessed to find that they are species with less-variable morphology than C. soror and with molecular characters in accordance with other conspecific populations in Europe. New distributional data are provided for C. soror and C. scutellata from Spain, and a leg abnormality is identified for the first time in C. soror.

Andricus dentimitratus (Rejtõ, 1887) and Andricus pictus (Hartig, 1856) are two European gall wasps (Hymenoptera, Cynipidae) that induce galls on species of Quercus. The distribution and ecological niches of these species have not been studied in detail, though they are known to have a different distribution pattern in the Iberian Peninsula in Europe. To investigate this difference and its potential relationship with climate and host species distribution, we analysed the potential distribution of both species in the Iberian Peninsula using six algorithms and a consensus model based on 600 iterations for each species. We compared the models obtained for each species with the distribution of their host Quercus species. The results show that A. dentimitratus and A. pictus have a complementary distribution delimited by the Ebro valley, with A. dentimitratus occurring northeast of the valley and A. pictus southwest. The observed distribution patterns might be due to differences in the climatic requirements of each species or to the distribution of their host species given that A. dentimitratus is specific to Q. humilis and Q. cerris (except in the northeastern Iberian Peninsula) and A. pictus, to marcescent Mediterranean oaks (Q. faginea and Q. pyrenaica) and Q. suber. We propose two hypotheses to explain the nonoverlapping distribution of the two gall wasp species in the Iberian Peninsula: in the first scenario, A. dentimitratus arrived to the to the Iberian Peninsula from the eastern Palearctic by way of Europe and A. pictus, from the north coast of Africa; in the second, their distribution is a result of their speciation in different glacial refugia: A. dentimitratus in the Italian Peninsula and A. pictus in the Iberian Peninsula.

During embryonic development of the Caspian thin-toed gecko migration, formation of myoblast and myosatellite cells occurs in the cranial-distal direction. Somite formation begins in the body part close to the skull and ends in the tail. The time of separation of somites from the proximal mesoderm depends on the temperature of the air and the substrate. Myoblast cells reach their targets and are connected, and the membranes in the area of their contact are destroyed. Myoblast’s fusion creates myosymplasts. The intermediate stage is observed after the formation of small myosymplasts. After that, the chain shape of myosymplasts are transformed into an intermediate plaque form. At this intermediate stage, the number of a nucleus is small, the shape of the nucleus differs from each other, and the location of the nucleus varies. Afterward, the connection of the intermediate forms with each other and with myoblasts forms a rounded shape, where the initial development of myotubules takes place. A fully formed myotubular and myosatellite cells are surrounded by a basal membrane and shape a muscle fiber. The skeletal muscles of the adult Caspian thin-toed gecko are mainly composed of white fibers. Thus, it allows the gecko to move very fast in a short time. Due to the small number of mitochondria in the myotubes, oxygen gas demand is decreased and the body is prevented from overheating.

Alternative reproductive tactics and strategies (ARTS) refer to polymorphic reproductive behaviours in which in addition to the usual two sexes, there are one or more alternative morphs, usually male, that have evolved the ability to circumvent direct intra-sexual competition. Each morph has its own morphological, ecological, developmental, behavioural, life-history, and physiological profile that shifts the balance between reproduction and self-maintenance, one aspect being immunity. Immunoecological work on species with ARTS, which is the topic of this review, is particularly interesting because the alternative morphs make it possible to separate the effects of sex per se from other factors that in other species are inextricably linked with sex. We first summarize the evolution, development, and maintenance of ARTS. We then review immunoecological hypotheses relevant to species with ARTS, dividing them into physiological, life-history, and ecological hypotheses. In context of these hypotheses, we critically review in detail all immunoecological studies we could find on species with ARTS. Several interesting patterns emerge. Oddly, there is a paucity of studies on insects, despite the many benefits that arise from working with insects: larger sample sizes, simple immune systems, and countless forms of alternative reproductive strategies and tactics. Of all the hypotheses considered, the immunocompetence handicap hypothesis has generated the greatest amount of work, but not necessarily the greatest level of understanding. Unfortunately, it is often used as a general guiding principle rather than a source of explicitly articulated predictions. Other hypotheses are usually considered a posteriori, but perhaps they should take centre stage. Whereas blanket concepts such as “immunocompetence” and “androgens” might be useful to develop a rationale, predictions need to be far more explicitly articulated. Integration so far has been a one-way street, with ecologists delving deeper into physiology, sometimes at the cost of ignoring their organisms’ evolutionary history and ecology. One possible useful framework is to divide ecological and evolutionary factors affecting immunity into those that stimulate the immune system, and those that depress it. Finally, the contributions of genomics to ecology are being increasingly recognized and sometimes applied to species with ARTS, but we must ensure that evolutionary and ecological hypotheses drive the effort, as there is no grandeur in the strict reductionist view of life.

Fish samples from fresh fish, cleaned/washed fish; first stage dried, infusion slurry, and second stage dried, finished product and stored kilishi were analysed. Evaluation was carried out on finished products using a 10-point Hedonic scale. Microbial count and moisture content showed significant differences (ρ < 0.01). Proximate composition of sun and oven dried kilishi (T1) record significantly of higher protein (34.13 ± 0.01), higher ether extract (29.45 ± 0.01), higher nitrogen free extract (17.45 ± 0.35), and have moisture content of (10.92 ± 0.29) despite having highest ash content (5.76 ± 0.69) with crude fibre (2.29 ± 0.23). Kilishi (T2) significantly higher protein (27.13 ± 0.01), higher nitrogen free extract (37.18 ± 0.64), higher ether extract (19.45 ± 0.58), higher ash content (6.09 ± 0.06), despite having higher crude fibre (1.77 ± 0.06) with moisture content of (8.45 ± 0.52); the high proportion of departed groundnut dough mixture resulted in low protein of fish kilishi.

To reveal the phylogeographic pattern of the parthenogenetic psyllid Cacopsylla myrtilli (W. Wagner 1947) (Hemiptera, Psylloidea), we sequenced a 638 bp fragment of the mitochondrial COI gene from 962 individuals. These insects originated from 46 sampling sites, which cover a significant part of the northern Palearctic distribution range of the species. The sequence data revealed 40 haplotypes, with three main (H1, H2, and H3) and 37 derived ones. The main haplotypes H1 or H2 or both were present at all sampling sites. The star-like shape of the haplotype networks indicated recent population expansion. In most cases, the derived haplotypes were specific for each country, suggesting that the main haplotypes H1 and H2 are of refugial origin, and the derived haplotypes have emerged after the postglacial recolonization process. Based on the haplotype sequences, we suggest H3 to represent the ancestral haplotype from which H1 and H2 have evolved. We suggest that the main haplotype H3 together with its derived haplotypes represents bisexual C. myrtilli, which shows a limited distribution on both sides of the border between Finland and Russia in northern Fennoscandia. The genetic diversity was the highest in Sjoa in southern Norway and also high in the White Sea region in northwest Russia. Higher diversity in Sjoa was attributed to both earlier recolonizations compared to that of the White Sea region and the absence of Wolbachia infection. We suggest that these sites were colonized from different Pleistocene refugia, i.e., from western and eastern refugia, respectively. From the White Sea region, recolonization continued eastwards to Ural Mountains and westwards to Finland and further north to Kola Peninsula. From northern Finland, recolonization continued to Finnmark, Norway, and further to Sweden and finally reached a secondary contact zone with colonizers from Norway in Central Sweden. The Caucasus and Siberian/Manchurian refugial regions have played an important role in the origin of C. myrtilli populations in Siberia and the Russian Far East.

Background. Cystic echinococcosis (CE), caused by the tapeworm species, Echinococcus granulosus sensu stricto (G1), is one of many primary neglected zoonoses worldwide. Within endemic developing countries, CE has multiple effects on animal and human health and well-being. To address such effects, veterinary and human medical sector collaboration on prevention program delivery is essential. To begin preliminary evaluations of county specific prevention programs, a critically appraised topic (CAT) was conducted. It sought to answer: What impact do CE prevention programs have on human and animal disease prevalence, in populations living in endemic developing countries within Africa, Central Asia, and South America? Methodology. The aim was to assess the ability of prevention and control program outputs to produce measurable differences in health, social, and economic outcomes (e.g., improved access to medical services, positive behavioral change, or reduced treatment costs, respectively). Included articles were obtained using predefined inclusion/exclusion criteria from the four databases (CAB Abstracts and Global Health; the National Library of Medicine (PubMed); ScienceDirect; and WHO Institutional Repository of Information Sharing (IRIS)). The articles were appraised using three checklists: the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS), the Critical Appraisals Skills Programme (CASP), and the Joanna Briggs Institute checklists. Results. Ten articles were selected. Geographically, 20% of studies were conducted in South America, 30% in Africa, and 50% in Central Asia. For definitive hosts, dogs, CoproELISA antigen testing, before and after Praziquantel (PZQ) de-worming, was a primary focus. For humans, who are intermediate hosts (IH), disease surveillance methods, namely ultrasound (US), were commonly assessed. Whilst for sheep, also acting as IH, disease prevention methods, such as the EG95 livestock vaccine and de-worming farm dogs, were evaluated. Common to all studies were issues of program sustainability, in terms of regular human US screening, dog de-worming, and annual sheep vaccination. This was attributed to transient and remote human or animal populations; limited access to adequate roads or hospitals; few skilled health workers or veterinarians; an over-reliance on communities to administer preventatives; and limited resources. Conclusion. Despite variations in result validity and collection periods, useful comparisons of CE endemic countries produced key research and program recommendations. Future research recommendations included testing the significance of multiple program outcomes in relation to prevalence (e.g., the social outcome: behavioral change), further research on the impact of livestock vaccinations, and the CE transmission role of waterways and sanitation. Program recommendations included calculating and distinguishing between stray versus owned dog populations; formal representation of internal and external stakeholder interests through institutional organization; establishing sustainable guidelines around the frequency of PZQ and vaccination administration; improved veterinary-human medical training and resource sharing; and combined prevention methods and multiple canine disease management.

Shape morph-specific studies in hippolytid shrimps revealed significant results on their ecomorphology and evolutionary adaptations. Among the species of the genus Hippolyte, only one exhibits an unusual, sharp rostral dimorphism and has been used as an animal model for the investigation of mechanisms of the morph-specific adaptation: the intertidal Hippolyte sapphica. The species is endemic of the Central/Eastern Mediterranean basin and exhibits morph-A with a long dentate rostrum and morph-B with a short, juvenile-like one. The two morphotypes were recently confirmed to be conspecific, while offspring and morphological studies showed significant microevolutionary adaptations, which balance the disadvantage of the “rostral loss.” The present study aims to investigate the effect of such phenotypic variation on the reproductive traits of the species. We collected ovigerous females of H. sapphica in mixed (morph-A and morph-B) and unmixed populations (morph-A) along the species geographical range. We measured seven morphometric and maternal investment traits: carapace length, fecundity, embryo volume, egg density, female dry weight, brood dry weight, and reproductive output. Our results showed that ovigerous females were bigger in morph-A than in morph-B, whereas fecundity did not show any significant differences between the two morphotypes. High egg volume might be attributed to the latitudinal differences of our sampling sites compared to congenerics. Interestingly, the reproductive output was found to be bigger in morph-A specimens, suggesting that the maternal energy investment is selectively determined from the rostral presence/absence and the morphotype’s higher viability in the species populations.

Animal biodiversity is greatly underestimated in nontemperate marine regions, especially for intertidal benthic organisms such as oysters. Recent surveys in the northern Arabian Gulf suggest the presence of numerous unidentified species, some of which form shallow reef ecosystems while others are cryptic and found under rocks. In this study, we focused on small oysters from Kuwait, which show typical characteristics in common with the genus Ostrea except for the presence of lophine chomata that would link it to the genera Lopha, Dendostrea, and Alectryonella. Phylogenetic analyses based on mitochondrial and nuclear markers unambiguously placed the Kuwait oyster within the Ostreinae as a sister to the Japanese species Ostrea futamiensis. The hypothesis that the Kuwait oyster represents a new species was assessed with phylogenetic and species delimitation methods combined with a morphological assessment. Results corroborated the Kuwait oysters as a new species herein described as Ostrea oleomargarita Oliver, Salvi, and Al-Kandari, sp. nov. The phylogeny of the Ostreinae shows extensive disagreement between morphology-based genera and phylogenetic clades. The genus Ostrea is polyphyletic, and the form and distribution of taxonomic characters such as chomata are not as definitive as suggested in previous studies. This study, along with other recent investigations, confirmed the Arabian Gulf as a key region for discovering marine animal diversity and suggested a possible biogeographic divide between the Eastern and Western Indo-Pacific. A pattern that has been documented in a growing number of taxa and that warrants further research attention.

Pin nematodes of the genus Paratylenchus comprise 140 species. This group of nematodes is characterized by a quite homogeneous morphology and cosmopolitan distribution and is prevalent in cultivated and natural soil ecosystems. The present study describes the first interactive and illustrated web-assisted polytomous identification key for the genus Paratylenchus. The updated Paratylenchus species polytomous key was based on a wide list of 24 diagnostic characters generated for the 140 species comprising this genus. Here we developed a web-assisted method to achieve an easy and accurate Paratylenchus species characterization that will greatly improve the identification of these plant-parasitic nematodes for many diagnostic laboratories and researchers. However, this identification needs to be completed with the use of molecular markers available for the species due to the existence of species complexes studied in former researches. This idea is pointed in the polytomous key in the specific species complexes up-to-know. In some cases, the presence in the soil as survival stage of few individuals in the fourth-stage juvenile (J4) required the use of molecular markers for species identification. We suggest the use of at least a fragment of mitochondrial COI gene for species identification or the combination of nuclear D2-D3 regions of the 28S rRNA and the COI to complement each marker. However, for some species complexes, the use of the D2-D3 regions alone has not enough resolution to separate the putative species inside the species complex. Web-based polytomous key was constructed using the free software Xper3, for computers and mobile devices (smartphones, tablets, and pocket PCS).

Acari harbor numerous minute species of agricultural economic importance, mainly Tetranychidae and Phytoseiidae. Great efforts have been established by means of recovering morphological, molecular, and phylogenetic traits for species identification. Traditional identification still relies on external diagnostic characters, which are limited and usually exhibit large phenotypic plasticity within the species, rendering them useless for species delimitation and identification. We decided to increase the number of sequences of the Acari mitochondrial COI (Cytochrome C oxidase I) marker and ITS nuclear ribosomal DNA region for species identification in Tetranychidae and Phytoseiidae. The molecular data allow us to establish species boundaries and phylogenetic relationships among several clades of Acari, mainly Tetranychidae and Phytoseiidae. Sequence comparisons between complete COI and the Acari mitochondrial COI, ITS1-5,8S-ITS2, and ITS2 among all Acari sequences have demonstrated that the selected regions, even small, gave enough informative positions for both species’ identification and phylogenetic studies. Analyses of both DNA regions have unveiled their use as species identification characters, with special emphasis on Acari mitochondrial COI for Tetranychidae and Phytoseiidae species in comparison with the Folmer fragment, which has been universally used as a barcode marker. We demonstrated that the Acari mitochondrial COI region is also a suitable marker to establish a barcode dataset for Acari identification. Our phylogenetic analyses are congruent with other recent works, showing that Acari is a monophyletic group, of which Astigmata, Ixodida, Mesostigmata, Oribatida, and Prostigmata are also monophyletic.

Leonardo Fea, an Italian explorer and traveler, sampled a comprehensive collection of continental Mollusca during his travels throughout the former British Burma (currently Myanmar) in 1885-1887. Cesare Maria Tapparone-Canefri, an Italian malacologist, studied this sample and published a paper with a description of numerous terrestrial and freshwater molluscan taxa new to science. This collection was partly deposited in the Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Genova (MSNG), Italy and the Indian Museum (ZSI: Zoological Survey of India) in Kolkata. Here, we provide a re-analysis of C.M. Tapparone-Canefri’s Burmese Unionidae collection. Our study reveals that the type series of only four nominal taxa described by Tapparone-Canefri as new to science in 1889 are still available in the MSNG, i.e. Unio rectangularis, U. pulcher, U. protensus var. obtusatus, and U. marginalis var. subflabellata. The first taxon is a valid species belonging to the genus Yaukthwa, while U. pulcher and U. protensus var. obtusatus are considered here as junior synonyms of the widespread Lamellidens generosus, and the last nominal taxon corresponds to L. savadiensis. The MSNG collection also contains shell lots of Indochinella pugio pugio, I. pugio paradoxa, Indonaia andersoniana, Radiatula chaudhurii, R. mouhoti haungthayawensis, Lamellidens savadiensis, L. generosus, Yaukthwa nesemanni, and Y. zayleymanensis, most of which were listed in Tapparone-Canefri’s work under incorrect names. We revise all the freshwater mussel taxa listed by Tapparone-Canefri based on the original descriptions, available DNA sequences, morphological data, and biogeographic evidence. A freshwater mussel from the Haungthayaw River that was identified by Tapparone-Canefri as Unio exolescens is described here as Trapezoideus mitanensis sp. nov., a fourth species in this small Contradentini genus with a restricted range. Finally, new taxonomic opinions are proposed here for Leoparreysia tavoyensis, Trapezidens dolichorhynchus, Lamellidens generosus, and Lamellidens savadiensis.

The study of avian species diversity and abundance at the Taunsa Barrage Ramsar site was carried out from September 2019 to March 2020. Taunsa Barrage is an important wetland for international and local migratory birds, including waterfowls, waders, and long-distance migrant avifauna. Data were collected by direct counts made on four-point transects representing a disturbance gradient due to humans and different habitats. Species diversity indices, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and other statistical methods were used to analyze data. A total of 150 avian species of 19 orders and 53 families were recorded. These included 66 migrant species and 84 resident species. The spotting of ten globally threatened species also highlights the importance of wetland for avian species. On average, 1511 ± 373 ( mean ± SD ) species of birds were recorded every month. Shannon’s diversity index indicated that Transect Point 2 had higher species diversity ( H ′ = 3.779 ), followed by Transect Points 3, 4, and 1 ( H ′ = 3.769 , H ′ = 3.491 , and H ′ = 3.457 , respectively). Evenness index showed that birds evenly distributed in September ( E = 0.5584 ) than November ( E = 0.310 9). ANOVA showed a significant difference ( F = 4.800 , df = 3 , P = 0.002 ) of avian diversity and abundance among the transect points. But there was no statistically significant interaction between months ( F = 1.23 , df = 6 , P = 0.233 ). The results showed that the Taunsa Barrage Ramsar site harbors plenty of resident migratory and threatened bird species. Hence, it is important to protect its habitat and need to protect avian diversity by overcoming major threats.

Species with large distributions provide unique opportunities to test how geography has influenced biotic diversification. In this work, we aimed to explore the effect of geographic barriers on the distribution of the phenotypic and genetic variation of a spider species that is widespread in continental and insular America. We obtained an alignment of the mitochondrial locus Cytochrome Oxidase I (COI) for 408 individuals across the geographic range of Gasteracantha cancriformis. We used phylogenetics, population genetics, and morphology to explore the genetic and phenotypic variation of this species. We found five genetically differentiated and geographically structured populations. Three of them are distributed in continental America, separated by the Andes mountains, and two are in the Caribbean and Galapagos Islands. Some of these geographic clades shared haplotypes between them, which may be a consequence of dispersal. We detected at least 20 phenotypes of G. cancriformis, some of which were exclusive to a geographic region, while others occurred in multiple regions. We did not observe well-defined morphological differences across male genitalia. This evidence suggests that G. cancriformis is a widespread species with high phenotypic variation that should be explored in more depth.

Transferred copies of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) into the nuclear genome (numts) have been reported in several Hymenoptera species, even at a high density in the honey bee nuclear genome. The accidental amplification of numts in phylogenetic studies focused on mtDNA highlights the importance of a correct determination of numts and their related mtDNA sequences. We report here the presence of numts derived from a mitochondrial rDNA 16S gene in the genome of the stingless bee species Melipona colimana and M. fasciata (tribe Meliponini) from Western Mexico. PCR products were cloned in both species obtaining thirty paralogous numts. Numts were identified by the presence of insertions and deletions and the disruption of the 16S secondary structure. Further phylogenetic analyses including alternative mitochondrial cox1 and nuclear ITS1 genes have revealed the presence of another numt (cox1) in the nuclear genome of these two species, and place both as sister lineages within the subgenus Michmelia. This is one of the first studies reporting the presence of numts in Meliponini species, and supports previous studies suggesting frequent transfer of mtDNA to the nuclear genome in Hymenoptera.

The complex topography of the species-rich northern Andes creates heterogeneous environmental landscapes that are hypothesized to have promoted population fragmentation and diversification by processes such as vicariance or local adaptation. Previous phylogenetic work on the palm rocket frog (Anura: Aromobatidae: Rheobates spp.), endemic to midelevation forests of Colombia, suggested that valleys were important in promoting divergence between lineages. In this study, we first evaluated previous hypotheses of species-level diversity, then fitted an isolation-with-migration (IM) historical demographic model, and tested two landscape genetic models to explain genetic divergence within Rheobates: isolation by distance and isolation by environment. The data consisted of two mitochondrial and four nuclear genes from 24 samples covering most of the geographic range of the genus. Species delimitation by Bayesian Phylogenetics and Phylogeography recovered five highly divergent genetic lineages within Rheobates, among which few to no migrants are exchanged according to IM. We found that isolation by environment provided the only variable significantly correlated with genetic distances for both mitochondrial and nuclear genes, suggesting that local adaptation may have a role in driving the genetic divergence within this frog genus. Thus, genetic divergence in Rheobates may be driven more by variation among the local environments where these frogs live rather than by geographic distance.