An interactive identification key for genets and oyans (Carnivora, Viverridae, Genettinae, Genetta spp. and Poiana spp.) using Xper<sup>2</sup>

We built an interactive identification key (IIK) to provide a user-friendly tool for the problematic identification of the Genettinae species (Genetta spp. and Poiana spp.) using Xper², a knowledge platform dedicated to taxonomic description and identification. A total of 45 qualitative characters were described after the observation of > 4500 specimens, representing 19 species. Assessing among-species discrimination efficiency per character partition and character, we were able to establish a list of 13 characters from skull and coat likely to optimize species identification among Genettinae. Genetta maculata and G. “letabae”, which belong to the large-spotted genet complex, was the only species pair that could not be distinguished. The IIK of Genettinae we propose herein (http://lis.snv.jussieu.fr/apps/xper/data/genettes/ web/) may be used to assist regular-basis update of distribution ranges, a needed effort for several poorly known species of high conservation concern.

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Revision of the Pachycondyla wasmannii-group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.3609.2.1 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 3609 (2) ◽

pp. 101-141

Author(s):

JEAN CLAUDE RAKOTONIRINA ◽

BRIAN L. FISHER

Keyword(s):

Identification Key ◽

Conservation Priority ◽

Key To Species ◽

Species Limits ◽

Distribution Maps ◽

High Conservation

Defining species limits and describing species of ants are important to identify taxa and habitats with elevated diversity in areas of high conservation priority such as the Malagasy region. The Pachycondyla wasmannii-group is revised in the Malagasy region where eight species are recognized, four of which are new: P. masoala sp. n., P. planicornis sp. n., P. tavaratra sp. n., and P. vazimba sp. n. Four species have been previously described: P. cambouei Forel, P. comorensis (André), P. perroti Forel, and P. wasmannii Forel. Pachycondyla perroti admista Forel is newly synonymized under P. perroti. Pachycondyla cambouei is widespread in eastern Madagascar, morphologically variable, and divided into seven morphotypes. An identification key to species and distribution maps are provided for the genus in the Malagasy region. All species are known only from Madagascar except P. wasmannii, which occurs also on Anjouan of the Comoros Islands.

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Evidence of sodium limitation in ants and termites in a Neotropical savanna

Journal of Tropical Ecology ◽

10.1017/s0266467421000535 ◽

2022 ◽

pp. 1-8

Author(s):

Natalie A. Clay ◽

Donald B. Shepard ◽

Adrian A. Garda ◽

Daniel O. Mesquita ◽

Alexandre Vasconcellos

Keyword(s):

Mass Loss ◽

Strong Evidence ◽

Decomposition Rate ◽

Nutritional Ecology ◽

Neotropical Savanna ◽

Nacl Concentration ◽

Neotropical Savannas ◽

High Conservation ◽

Type Water ◽

Conservation Concern

Abstract Nutritional ecology of ropical ecosystems like Neotropical savannas, which are of high conservation concern, is understudied. Sodium is essential for heterotrophs but availability often falls short relative to plant consumer requirements. Savanna plant consumers like ants and termites should be sodium-limited due to high temperatures, nutrient-poor soils, and lack of oceanic sodium deposition. We tested the hypothesis that Neotropical savanna ants and termites are sodium-limited. Termites were tested by supplementing 0.25 m2 plots with H2O (control), 0.1%, 0.5%, or 1.0% NaCl and measuring termite presence and artificial substrate mass loss after 1 week. Ants were tested by collecting ants that recruited to H2O (control), 0.1%, 0.5%, and 1.0% NaCl and 1.0%, 10%, and 20% sugar baits on paired diurnal–nocturnal transects. Termites were 16 times more likely to occur on 1% NaCl than H2O plots and wood-feeding termites were most frequent. However, the decomposition rate did not differ among treatments. Ant bait use increased with increasing NaCl concentration and 1% NaCl usage was similar to sugar bait usage. Ants were 3.7 times more active nocturnally than diurnally, but contrary to predictions bait type (water, sugar or NaCl) usage did not differ between day and night. Together, these results provide strong evidence of sodium limitation in Neotropical savannas.

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Ecological specialization is associated with high conservation concern in skates (Chondrichthyes, Rajiformes)

Animal Conservation ◽

10.1111/acv.12531 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 23 (2) ◽

pp. 222-228

Author(s):

S. A. Barbini ◽

L. O. Lucifora ◽

D. E. Sabadin ◽

D. E. Figueroa

Keyword(s):

Ecological Specialization ◽

High Conservation ◽

Conservation Concern

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First record of Voyria caerulea Aubl. (Gentianaceae), a mycoheterotrophic plant, in Maranhão state, northeastern Brazil

Check List ◽

10.15560/14.5.833 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 14 (5) ◽

pp. 833-837

Author(s):

Alessandro Wagner Coelho Ferreira ◽

Maria Fernanda Calió ◽

Wagner Ribeiro da Silva Junior ◽

Maycon Jordan Costa da Silva ◽

Miguel Sena de Oliveira ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Geographic Distribution ◽

Rainy Season ◽

First Record ◽

The State ◽

Identification Key ◽

Northeastern Brazil ◽

Gallery Forest ◽

Taxonomic Description

We report the first record of Voyria caerulea from the state of Maranhão, northeastern Brazil. A fertile specimen was collected in a gallery forest during the rainy season, within the boundaries of the municipality of São Raimundo das Mangabeiras. This find contributes to the knowledge on the micoheterotrophic flora of Maranhão and expands the geographic distribution of this species in Brazil. We also present a taxonomic description, illustrations, an occurrence map of the newly found population, and an identification key for all the species of Voyria that occur in Maranhão.

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Counting complete? Finalising the plant inventory of a global biodiversity hotspot

PeerJ ◽

10.7717/peerj.2984 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 5 ◽

pp. e2984 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Martina Treurnicht ◽

Jonathan F. Colville ◽

Lucas N. Joppa ◽

Onno Huyser ◽

John Manning

Keyword(s):

Growth Form ◽

Biodiversity Loss ◽

Cape Floristic Region ◽

Species Discovery ◽

Strategic Plans ◽

Steady Rate ◽

High Conservation ◽

Global Biodiversity ◽

Conservation Concern ◽

Species Descriptions

The Cape Floristic Region—the world’s smallest and third richest botanical hotspot—has benefited from sustained levels of taxonomic effort and exploration for almost three centuries, but how close is this to resulting in a near-complete plant species inventory? We analyse a core component of this flora over a 250-year period for trends in taxonomic effort and species discovery linked to ecological and conservation attributes. We show that >40% of the current total of species was described within the first 100 years of exploration, followed by a continued steady rate of description. We propose that <1% of the flora is still to be described. We document a relatively constant cohort of taxonomists, working over 250 years at what we interpret to be their ‘taxonomic maximum.’ Rates of description of new species were independent of plant growth-form but narrow-range taxa have constituted a significantly greater proportion of species discoveries since 1950. This suggests that the fraction of undiscovered species predominantly comprises localised endemics that are thus of high conservation concern. Our analysis provides important real-world insights for other hotspots in the context of global strategic plans for biodiversity in informing considerations of the likely effort required in attaining set targets of comprehensive plant inventories. In a time of unprecedented biodiversity loss, we argue for a focused research agenda across disciplines to increase the rate of species descriptions in global biodiversity hotspots.

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Pteridophytes of Khawnglung Wildlife Sanctuary, Mizoram, India

Indian Journal of Forestry ◽

10.54207/bsmps1000-2014-1oh4fy ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 37 (2) ◽

pp. 219-234

Author(s):

Durgesh Verma ◽

S. Singh ◽

Bhupendra Kholia ◽

B. Sinha ◽

Samiran Panday

Keyword(s):

Identification Key ◽

Wildlife Sanctuary ◽

Taxonomic Description ◽

Preliminary Study ◽

First Time

A preliminary study on pteridophytic flora of Khawnglung Wildlife Sanctuary, Mizoram has been carried out. A total of 33 species are enumerated for the first time from the Sanctuary. This includes three new distributional records viz., Leptochilus pedunculatus (Hook. & Grev.) Fraser-Jenk., Phymatosorus cuspidatus (D.Don) Pic. Serm., Microlepia hancei Prantl from Mizoram. An identification key along with a brief taxonomic description and distribution of each species has been provided in this communication.

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CharKey: An electronic identification key for wood charcoals of French Guiana

IAWA Journal ◽

10.1163/22941932-40190227 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 40 (1) ◽

pp. 75-S20 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Stéphanie C. Bodin ◽

Rita Scheel-Ybert ◽

Jacques Beauchêne ◽

Jean-François Molino ◽

Laurent Bremond

Keyword(s):

French Guiana ◽

Wood Anatomy ◽

Identification Key ◽

Anatomical Features ◽

Link Type ◽

Taxonomic Description ◽

Computer Aided ◽

Microscopic Features ◽

Tropical Woods ◽

Almost All

ABSTRACT Tropical tree floras are highly diverse and many genera and species share similar anatomical patterns, making the identification of tropical wood charcoal very difficult. Appropriate tools to characterize charcoal anatomy are thus needed to facilitate and improve identification in such species-rich areas. This paper presents the first computer-aided identification key designed for charcoals from French Guiana, based on the wood anatomy of 507 species belonging to 274 genera and 71 families, which covers respectively 28%, 67% and 86% of the tree species, genera and families currently listed in this part of Amazonia. Species of the same genus are recorded together except those described under a synonym genus in Détienne et al. (1982) that were kept separately. As a result, the key contains 289 ‘items’ and mostly aims to identify charcoals at the genus level. It records 26 anatomical features leading to 112 feature states, almost all of which are illustrated by SEM photographs of charcoal. The descriptions were mostly taken from Détienne et al.’s guidebook on tropical woods of French Guiana (1982) and follow the IAWA list of microscopic features for hardwood identification (Wheeler et al. 1989). Some adjustments were made to a few features and those that are unrelated to charcoal identification were excluded. The whole tool, named CharKey, contains the key itself and the associated database including photographs. It can be downloaded on Figshare at https://figshare.com/s/d7d40060b53d2ad60389 (doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.6396005). CharKey is accessible using the free software Xper2, specifically conceived for taxonomic description and computer aided-identification.

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Contribution to the genus Plutomurus Yosii (Collembola, Tomoceridae): notes on the morphology of Plutomurus carpaticus Rusek & Weiner and P. unidentatus (Börner)

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.4816.1.3 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4816 (1) ◽

pp. 67-80

Author(s):

SHALVA BARJADZE ◽

ĽUBOMÍR KOVÁČ ◽

ANDREA PARIMUCHOVÁ

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Morphological Characters ◽

Identification Key ◽

Type Specimens ◽

European Species ◽

Number Of Teeth ◽

Distribution Ranges ◽

A New Species

In two European species of the genus Plutomurus Yosii, P. carpaticus Rusek & Weiner and P. unidentatus (Börner), several diagnostic morphological characters are specified and illustrated: body chaetotaxy, number of internal spine-like chaetae on tibiotarsi and number of teeth on claw. The contribution is based on the study of type specimens of both species and specimens of other populations of their distribution ranges. The numerous specimens of the genus Plutomurus collected recently in the Western Carpathian caves are the most similar to P. carpaticus, but differ in macrochaetotaxy and may represent a new species. Three types of macrochaetae on thorax and abdomen of Plutomurus congeners from the Europe and Caucasus are defined. Identification key to European Plutomurus species is provided.

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