scholarly journals First record of the land operculate snail Cyclophorus pfeifferi Reeve, 1861 (Mollusca, Cyclophoroidea, Cyclophoridae) from India

Author(s):  
Sheikh Sajan ◽  
Deepti Kumari ◽  
Sonam Jahan ◽  
Arghya Chakrabarty ◽  
Sandeep Kushwaha ◽  
...  

Through the present manuscript, we are reporting for the first time the presence of Cyclophorus pfeifferi Reeve, 1861 in India. Previously, this species of land snail was reported only from South-East Asian countries Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. The specimens were collected during field sur- veys in Dampa Tiger Reserve in Mizoram state, India. The presence of C. pfeifferi in India reveals the range expansion and long-distance dispersal abilities of the species. Here we discuss the taxonomy, ecology and possible routes of dispersal of the species in India.

2019 ◽  
Vol 60 (2) ◽  
pp. 187-192 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charalampos Dimitriadis ◽  
Ivoni Fournari-Kostantinidou ◽  
Antonio Di Franco ◽  
Maria Corsini-Foka

The presence of the Red Sea Mantis shrimp Erugosquilla massavensis (Kossmann, 1880) is here reported for the first time from the southeastern Ionian Sea (Zakynthos Island, Greece). This record is the first evidence of the presence of a Lessepsian migrant crustacean in the aforementioned area while it fills the gap in the ongoing westward and northward distribution range expansion of this wide spread invader of the Mediterranean basin.


The Auk ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 124 (3) ◽  
pp. 868-885 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew J. Miller ◽  
Eldredge Bermingham ◽  
Robert E. Ricklefs

Abstract Solitaires (Myadestes spp.) are montane-forest birds that are widely distributed throughout the New World, ranging from Alaska to northern Bolivia and including both Hawaii and the West Indies. To understand the origins of this impressive distribution, we used five mitochondrial gene sequences to reconstruct the historical biogeography of the genus. The resulting phylogeny indicates a rapid initial spread of the genus to occupy most of its contemporary continental range at least as far south as lower Mesoamerica, plus Hawaii and the Greater Antilles. The North American M. townsendi appears to be the sister taxon of the rest of Myadestes. Myadestes obscurus of Hawaii is more closely allied to Mesoamerican lineages than to M. townsendi. The strongly supported sister relationship of the two West Indian taxa, M. elisabeth and M. genibarbis, indicates a single colonization of the West Indies. A more recent node links the Andean M. ralloides to the Mesoamerican M. melanops and M. coloratus. A standard molecular clock calibration of 2% sequence divergence per million years for avian mitochondrial DNA suggests that the initial diversification of Myadestes occurred near the end of the Miocene (between 5 and 7.5 mya). Cooler temperatures and lower sea levels at that time would have increased the extent of montane forests and reduced overwater dispersal distances, possibly favoring range expansion and colonization of the West Indies. The split between South American and southern Mesoamerican lineages dates to ∼3 mya, which suggests that Myadestes expanded its range to South America soon after the Pliocene rise of the Isthmus of Panama. Despite the demonstrated capacity of Myadestes for long-distance dispersal, several species of Myadestes are highly differentiated geographically. Phylogeographic structure was greatest in the West Indian M. genibarbis, which occurs on several islands in the Greater Antilles and Lesser Antilles, and in the Andean M. ralloides. The phylogeographic differentiation within M. ralloides was not anticipated by previous taxonomic treatments and provides a further example of the importance of the Andes in the diversification of Neotropical birds. Overall, the historical biogeography of Myadestes suggests that range expansion and long-distance dispersal are transient population phases followed by persistent phases of population differentiation and limited dispersal. Biogeografía Histórica de los Zorzales del Género Myadestes


2019 ◽  
Vol 51 (6) ◽  
pp. 515-559
Author(s):  
Gothamie WEERAKOON ◽  
André APTROOT ◽  
Robert LÜCKING ◽  
Omal ARACHCHIGE ◽  
Siril WIJESUNDARA

AbstractWe provide an updated survey for Sri Lanka of species of Graphis sensu Staiger, recently divided into Graphis s. str. and Allographa, including brief descriptions and a key to all 124 species currently known. Six new species are described: Allographa bambusicola Weerakoon, Lücking & Aptroot, a bambusicolous Allographa with entire labia, a laterally carbonized excipulum, 80–100 × 15–17 µm large, muriform ascospores and a rather thick, irregularly verrucose lateral thalline margin of the lirellae; A. weerasooriyana Weerakoon, Arachchige & Lücking, a corticolous Allographa resembling A. rustica Kremp. in overall anatomy and chemistry, but with a verrucose thalline margin of the lirellae and labia not distinctly raised above the thalline margin; Graphis flosculifera Weerakoon, Lücking & Aptroot, a corticolous Graphis resembling G. insulana but differing in the unique disposition of the lirellae and the slightly more elongate ascospores; G. rajapakshana Weerakoon, Lücking & Aptroot, a corticolous Graphis resembling G. desquamescens, including in ascospore size, but with lirellae with a distinct lateral thalline margin; G. rimosothallina Weerakoon, Lücking & Aptroot, a corticolous Graphis with a thick, uneven, rimose thallus and Fissurina-like lirellae, a completely carbonized excipulum and transversely 7-septate ascospores, 32–37 × 8–10 µm; and G. thunsinhalayensis Weerakoon, Arachchige & Lücking, a corticolous Graphis resembling G. subalbostriata but with smaller ascospores and lacking white lines between the striae of the labia. We also validate the name G. verrucoserpens Lücking. A total of 106 species are reported here for the first time from Sri Lanka. A biogeographical comparison with two other well-sampled countries (Costa Rica and Thailand) revealed a significantly higher similarity in species composition with Costa Rica than between Thailand and Costa Rica, suggesting a potential signature of the ‘biotic ferry’ hypothesis, that is the migration of lineages from Gondwana (partly corresponding to the modern Neotropics) via the north-eastwards drifting Indian subcontinent and subsequent interchange with Laurasia (partly corresponding to the modern eastern Paleotropics). However, the evolutionary timeline of the clades involved does not support this hypothesis and suggests an alternative explanation of geologically more recent mid- to long-distance dispersal.


2020 ◽  
Vol 108 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Kreitschitz ◽  
E. Haase ◽  
S. N. Gorb

AbstractMyxodiaspory (formation of mucilage envelope around seeds and fruits) is a common adaptation to dry habitats known in many families of Angiosperms. The mucilage envelope of some seeds seems to be also a unique morphological adaptation which protects myxospermatic diaspores while passing through the bird’s digestive system. To evaluate the protective potential of mucilage, we fed the diaspores of seven plant species (representing three different mucilage types and three species of non-mucilaginous plants) to pigeons, Columba livia domestica. Twenty-four hours later, we collected the droppings of pigeons and examined a total of 18,900 non-destroyed diaspores to check for mucilage presence and germination ability. Out of all the examined diaspores, 4.5% were mucilaginous seeds. Among them, the highest number (12.2–13.5%) of viable diaspores belonged to the hemicellulosic type of mucilage (from Plantago species). Only 3.7% of germinating diaspores with pectic mucilage (Linum usitatissimum) were collected, and no seeds representing cellulosic mucilage (e.g., Ocimum basilicum). For non-mucilaginous plants, we collected only a few individual seeds (0.1% out of 8100 seeds used). We noted that the mucilaginous seeds found in the droppings were able to germinate; however, the germination ability was generally smaller in comparison to the control (i.e., not digested) seeds. Our results revealed that the presence of mucilage envelope has an impact on diaspore dispersal and survivability. With our experiments, we demonstrated for the first time that the mucilage envelope, especially of the non-cellulosic type, supports endozoochory. We also showed that non-mucilaginous seeds can be occasionally dispersed via endozoochory and are able to germinate. The results of our studies can explain the ways of plants distribution at a small, local scale as well as in long-distance dispersal, e.g., between islands or even continents.


2012 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 189-246 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gintaras KANTVILAS

AbstractWith 30 species, Tasmania is a major area of species diversity in the genus Menegazzia. Seven of these are new to science: M. abscondita Kantvilas, known from Tasmania and New Zealand, and M. athrotaxidis Kantvilas, M. hypogymnioides Kantvilas, M. petraea Kantvilas, M. ramulicola Kantvilas, M. subtestacea Kantvilas and M. tarkinea Kantvilas, all endemic to Tasmania. An identification key, descriptions based exclusively on Tasmanian collections, and detailed discussion of distribution, ecology, chemical composition and inter-species relationships are provided. All literature records of Menegazzia species pertaining to Tasmania are accounted for. New synonyms include: Menegazzia prototypica P. James and Parmelia pertusa var. coskinodes F. Wilson [synonyms of M. myriotrema (Müll. Arg.) R. Sant.], M. fertilis P. James [a synonym of M. platytrema (Müll. Arg.) R. Sant.] and Parmelia pertusa var. montana F. Wilson (a synonym of M. subtestacea). Incorrectly recorded species that should be deleted from the Tasmanian census include M. castanea P. James & D. J. Galloway (present on Macquarie Island) and M. testacea P. James & D. J. Galloway (endemic to New Zealand). The South American species, M. sanguinascens (Räs.) R. Sant., is recorded in Australasia (Tasmania) for the first time, whereas the widespread south-eastern Australian M. norstictica P. James is recorded for Western Australia. Salient features of the genus are discussed, including morphology, anatomy and chemistry. The biogeography of the genus is explored briefly. Twelve species (40%) are endemic to Tasmania, a level of endemism unmatched by any other species-rich genus on the island. Twelve species are shared with mainland Australia, eleven are shared with New Zealand, and only four species are shared with southern South America, all of which are sorediate, suggesting they are products of long-distance dispersal.


The land molluscs collected on the 1984-85 Zoological Expeditions to the Krakatau Islands are reported on, and a synopsis provided of all previous land mollusc records since the 1883 eruption. The current fauna of the islands is 19 species, 16 from Rakata, 12 from Sertung, 7 from Panjang and 1 from Anak Krakatau, the latter being the first record of a land snail from that island. Six species are recorded for the first time from the Krakatau Islands. These are Filicaulis bleekerii, Pupisoma orcula, Elasmias sundanum, Lamellidea ( Lamellidea) subcylindrica, Microcystina gratilla and Landouria rotatoria. Radulae of several of the species are figured. The expeditions produced 19 new records for individual islands.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rory Hodd ◽  
Fred Rumsey

The occurrence of the fern Stenogrammitis myosuroides (Sw.) Labiak in Europe is reported for the first time. A small population was discovered on two boulders beside a stream in Atlantic oak woodland in the Killarney National Park, Co. Kerry, in southwest Ireland. The main identification features of this taxa and features that distinguish it from other similar taxa are laid out and discussed. S. myosuroides is elsewhere known to occur in the Neotropics, in Cuba, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic, and is thought to have colonised its Irish site through long-distance spore dispersal. Two Grammitid species of similar ecology have been discovered in the Azores in the past five decades and a number of bryophyte species share a similar disjunct distribution between Ireland and the Neotropics, all of which supports the theory that long-distance dispersal is the most plausible explanation for the occurrence of S. myosuroides in Ireland. It is not clear how long S. myosuroides has been present in Ireland, although morphological differences suggest that it may have been separated from the Neotropical populations for a long period. However, molecular analysis is required to elucidate this.


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