scholarly journals Publishing trends and productivity in insect taxonomy from 1946 through 2012 based on an analysis of the Zoological Record for four species-rich families

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yang Liu ◽  
Christopher Dietrich ◽  
Susan Braxton ◽  
Yang Wang
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Partial Recovery ◽  
Rove Beetles ◽  
Species Discovery ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Taxonomic Research ◽  
Steep Decline ◽  
Average Description ◽  
Insect Taxonomy

Insect taxonomy is fundamental to global biodiversity research, but few studies have been conducted to track progress in this field using objective criteria. This study reports publishing trends in the taxonomy of four diverse, globally-distributed insect families from 1946 to 2012 to elucidate recent progress and the current status of insect taxonomy. Publications included in the Zoological Record online literature database were analyzed for Cicadellidae (leafhoppers), Miridae (plant bugs), Pyralidae (moths) and Staphylinidae (rove beetles). Data on numbers of new species, article length, species description length, authorship and collaborations, and taxonomic journals were extracted and compiled for each year. The results showed that (1) the number of taxonomic papers increased before 1980, followed by a steep decline with subsequent partial recovery; (2) the number of papers describing new species generally mirrored the trend in numbers of new species, suggesting no overall change in the proportion of larger, synthetic works (monographs) and more such work is encouraged; (3) the average number of new species described per publication decreased over the time period investigated, but with an increase in the average description pages per new species; (4) researchers from Europe and North America continue to produce the most taxonomic research on three of the four families, but the main center for Cicadellidae taxonomy has recently shifted to Asia; (5) collaboration among authors within and across continents has increased as indicated by increases in coauthored papers; and (6) journal prevalence differed for the four families and the top 10 most utilized journals for each family were given out for reference. Based on the analysis of the publication trend of the four families, we found that the overall trend toward increasing rates of species discovery is encouraging. But more human resources training and financial support on taxonomic work are required in order to complete a global faunistic inventory in a reasonable timeframe. Future study that conducts more in-depth and comprehensive analysis based on more families is required to reflect the overall trend of the insect taxonomy.

DNA barcoding the bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) of Chile: species discovery in a reasonably well known bee fauna with the description of a new species of Lonchopria (Colletidae)

Genome ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 60 (5) ◽  
pp. 414-430 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laurence Packer ◽  
Luisa Ruz
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Dna Barcoding ◽  
Dna Barcode ◽  
Morphological Differentiation ◽  
Spanish Language ◽  
Dna Barcodes ◽  
Species Discovery ◽  
Traditional Taxonomy ◽  
Taxonomic Research ◽  
A New Species

We compare the diversity of bees in the Chilean fauna as understood from traditional taxonomy-based catalogues with that currently known from DNA barcodes using the BIN system informed by ongoing morphology-based taxonomic research. While DNA barcode surveys of the Chilean bee fauna remain incomplete, it is clear that new species can readily be distinguished using this method and that morphological differentiation of distinct barcode clusters is sometimes very easy. We assess the situation in two genera in some detail. In Lonchopria Vachal one “species” is readily separable into two BINs that are easily differentiated based upon male mandibular and genitalic morphology (characters generally used in this group) as well as female hair patterns. Consequently, we describe Lonchopria (Lonchopria) heberti Packer and Ruz, new species. For Liphanthus Reed, a large number of new species has been detected using DNA barcoding and considerable additional traditional morphological work will be required to describe them. When we add the number of BINs (whether identified to named species or not) to the number of Chilean bee species that we know have not been barcoded (both described and new species under study in our laboratories) we conclude that the bee fauna of Chile is substantially greater than the 436 species currently known. Spanish language abstract available as supplementary data 1 .

scholarly journals Developments in the production of economics PhDs at four research-intensive universities in South Africa

2017 ◽  
Vol Volume 113 (Number 3/4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Phillip de Jager ◽  
Liezel Frick ◽  
Pieter van der Spuy ◽  
◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Doctoral Education ◽  
Academic Departments ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Pedagogical Practice ◽  
Data Set ◽  
International Trends ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
Notable Increase

Abstract There is a national drive to increase PhD production, yet we know little about how this imperative takes shape within different disciplines. We therefore set out to explore recent developments and the current status of the PhD in economics at four South African research-intensive universities. A data set of all economics PhDs produced in these commerce faculties during the period 2008–2014 was analysed to determine whether the departments of economics responded to the call for increased doctoral production, and the role the PhD by publication might have played in the process. How an increase in quantity might influence doctoral education in the respective academic departments was also considered by supplementing the quantitative data with perspectives from heads of department at the four institutions. The notable increase in doctoral production over the time period studied shows that national and international trends have influenced doctoral education in economics departments within South African research-intensive universities. Increased usage of the PhD by publication has implications for policy and pedagogical practice within these departments, especially as there seems to be limited available supervisory capacity. Other changes in departmental practices, such as the entrenchment of a research culture and the promotion of collaborative research amongst students and staff, also contributed to maintain quality in doctoral education.

scholarly journals Experiment of Multispectral Images using Spectral Angle Mapper Algorithm for Land Cover Classification

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (6S4) ◽  
pp. 96-99
Keyword(s):  
Land Cover ◽  
Satellite Images ◽  
Water Bodies ◽  
Classification Algorithms ◽  
Multispectral Images ◽  
Rapid Urbanization ◽  
Spectral Angle Mapper ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Steep Decline ◽  
Spectral Angle

Urbanization plays a key role in the health of the water bodies in any region. In a rapidly growing country like India, especially Bangalore district, rapid urbanization has seen a steep decline in the number of water bodies the region is famous for. In this paper, Land Use and Land Cover change is analysed for the remotely sensed images of Bangalore District using Spectral Angle Mapper Algorithm. Data for the purpose of analysis was obtained from BHUVAN (NRSC, ISRO). The study area is Bangalore District and data was collected from the time period 2008-2016. The major classes used in the classification are Land(Built-up), water bodies (Lakes), Vegetation (Gardens), Soil (Barren and fertile). The satellite images and the accompanying classification algorithms indicate that the percentage of water bodies have drastically shrunk (from 2.9% in 2008to1.8% in 2016) in the area of study. The results of this study can be used by the civic authorities to implement decisions to conserve the water bodies in the area.

scholarly journals Integrative taxonomy of Nearctic and Palaearctic Aleocharinae: new species, synonymies, and records (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae)

ZooKeys ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 1041 ◽  
pp. 27-99
Author(s):  
Adam J. Brunke ◽  
Mikko Pentinsaari ◽  
Jan Klimaszewski
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
North America ◽  
Dna Barcode ◽  
Integrative Taxonomy ◽  
Eastern Canada ◽  
Rove Beetles ◽  
Adventive Species ◽  
The Status ◽  
Taxonomic Studies ◽  
Holarctic Species

A long tradition of separate Nearctic and Palaearctic taxonomic studies of the diverse aleocharine rove beetles (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) has obscured the recognition of Holarctic species and detection of adventive species in both regions. Recently, integrated study of the two regions through detailed morphological comparisons and development of an authoritatively identified DNA barcode reference library has revealed the degree to which these two aleocharine faunas are interconnected, both naturally and through human activity. Here this approach is adopted to recognize new species, reveal Holarctic species, and recognize adventive species in both North America and Europe. The following new species are described: Isoglossa triangularis Klimaszewski, Brunke & Pentinsaari, sp. nov. from British Columbia; Gnypeta impressicollis Klimaszewski, Brunke & Pentinsaari, sp. nov., from Ontario, Maryland and North Carolina; Aloconota pseudogregaria Klimaszewski, Brunke & Pentinsaari, sp. nov., from Ontario and Virginia; and Philhygra pseudolaevicollis Klimaszewski, Brunke & Pentinsaari, sp. nov. from eastern Canada. Dasygnypeta velata and Philhygra angusticauda are revealed to be Holarctic species, resulting in the following synonymies: Dasygnypeta velata (Erichson, 1839) = Gnypeta minuta Klimaszewski & Webster, 2008, syn. nov. and Philhygra angusticauda (Bernhauer, 1909) = Atheta (Philhygra) pinegensis Muona, 1983, syn. nov. The Nearctic species Hylota ochracea (and genus Hylota), Thecturota tenuissima, and Trichiusa robustula are newly reported from the Palaearctic region as adventive, resulting in the following synonymies: Hylota ochracea Casey, 1906 = Stichoglossa (Dexiogyia) forticornis Strand, 1939, syn. nov.; Thecturota tenuissima Casey, 1893 = Atheta marchii Dodero, 1922, syn. nov.; and Trichiusa robustula Casey, 1893 = T. immigrata Lohse, 1984, syn. nov. The Palaearctic species Amarochara forticornis, Anomognathus cuspidatus, Oligota pumilio, and Parocyusa rubicunda are newly confirmed from the Nearctic region as adventive, resulting in the following synonymies: Parocyusa rubicunda (Erichson, 1837) = Chilopora americana Casey, 1906, syn. nov. and Anomognathus cuspidatus (Erichson, 1839) = Thectura americana Casey, 1893, syn. nov. The genus Dasygnypeta, sensu nov. is newly reported from North America, Paradilacra is newly reported from eastern North America, and Haploglossa is newly reported from Canada, resulting in the following synonymy: Paradilacra densissima (Bernhauer, 1909) = Gnypeta saccharina Klimaszewski & Webster, 2008, syn. nov. Native Cyphea wallisi is newly reported from across Canada and C. curtula is removed from the Nearctic fauna. The status of both Gyrophaena affinis and Homalota plana is uncertain but these species are no longer considered to be adventive in North America. Three new combinations are proposed: Dasygnypeta baranowskii (Klimaszewski, 2020) and D. nigrella (LeConte, 1863) (both from Gnypeta) and Mocyta scopula (Casey, 1893) (from Acrotona). Dolosota Casey, 1910, syn. nov. (type species Eurypronota scopula Casey), currently a subgenus of Acrotona, is therefore synonymized with Mocyta Mulsant & Rey, 1874. Additionally, four new Canadian records and 18 new provincial and state records are reported.

A second fossil species of the enigmatic rove beetle genus Charhyphus in Eocene Baltic amber, with implications on the morphology of the female genitalia (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Phloeocharinae)

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Shûhei YAMAMOTO ◽  
Alexey V. SHAVRIN ◽  
Kristaps KAIRIŠS
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Body Part ◽  
The Body ◽  
Baltic Amber ◽  
Micro Computed Tomography ◽  
Single Male ◽  
Fossil Species ◽  
Rove Beetles ◽  
Rove Beetle ◽  
Extant Species

ABSTRACT Phloeocharinae is a small and likely non-monophyletic subfamily of rove beetles. The enigmatic genus Charhyphus Sharp, 1887 has long been placed in Phloeocharinae, whereas recent studies have found it to be phylogenetically very distant from the core members of this subfamily, suggesting the possibility that it actually deserves its own separate subfamily status. So far, the sole definitive fossil record for Charhyphus is known based on a single male from Eocene Baltic amber as represented by †Charhyphus balticus Shavrin, 2020. Here, we describe and illustrate another new Charhyphus species, †Charhyphus serratus sp. nov. Yamamoto & Shavrin, from Baltic amber based on a well-preserved female fossil. Considering the general proportions of the body and the head, this new species is most similar to †C. balticus. The new species differs from all known species by the development of strong serration of the lateral edges of the pronotum and features of the shape of the apical margin of the mesoventrite. By using X-ray micro-computed tomography, we succeeded in visualising not only the general habitus but also each individual body part, recovering a previously undocumented sclerite on the female internal genital segments in the genus. Morphological features of extinct and extant species of Charhyphus are briefly discussed. Figures of all extant Charhyphus species and a key for the genus are also provided. Our study is important for considering possible higher palaeodiversity, more common occurrence, and palaeobiogeography of Charhyphus.

A synopsis of Microperla (Plecoptera: Peltoperlidae), with a new species from Shaanxi Province of China

Zootaxa ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 4619 (3) ◽  
pp. 555-562 ◽  
Author(s):  
ZHI-TENG CHEN ◽  
LIANG-DONG SONG
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Northwestern China ◽  
Shaanxi Province ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Ventral Lobe ◽  
Taxonomic History ◽  
Subgenital Plate ◽  
A New Species

A new species of the peltoperlid genus Microperla Chu, 1928, Microperla qinlinga Chen, sp. nov. from Shaanxi Province of northwestern China is described and illustrated. The new species is characterized by the widely rounded ventral lobe in males and the extremely large and bilobed subgenital plate in female. In addition, the taxonomic history and current status of the genus Microperla is reviewed. 

scholarly journals A new species of the deuterostome Herpetogaster from the early Cambrian Chengjiang biota of South China

2020 ◽  
Vol 107 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xianfeng Yang ◽  
Julien Kimmig ◽  
Bruce S. Lieberman ◽  
Shanchi Peng
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
The Body ◽  
Time Period ◽  
First Occurrence ◽  
Juvenile Specimen ◽  
History Of ◽  
Cambrian Radiation ◽  
Chengjiang Biota ◽  
A New Species ◽  
Number Of Branches

Abstract The Cambrian radiation represents a key time period in the history of life. Here, we add to the mounting evidence accumulating on the nature of deuterostomes from this time period through description of a new species of stalked deuterostome, Herpetogaster haiyanensis nov. sp., from the lower Cambrian (series 2, stage 3) Chengjiang biota of China. This represents the first occurrence of the genus in Gondwana, the first juvenile specimen, and the oldest specimens to date. Herpetogaster haiyanensis nov. sp. differs from H. collinsi Caron et al. (2010) in having a stolon that is separated into an outer and inner layer, the segmentation of the body and in the shape and number of branches of the tentacles. The new species reiterates earlier suggestions of deuterostome affinities of the genus―it appears closely related to Phlogites and then successively more distantly related to Cotyledon and Eldonia―and may have fed on hyolithids.

scholarly journals The ant genus Tetramorium Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the Malagasy region—taxonomy of the T. bessonii, T. bonibony, T. dysalum, T. marginatum, T. tsingy, and T. weitzeckeri species groups

Zootaxa ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 3365 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
FRANCISCO HITA GARCIA ◽  
BRIAN L. FISHER
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Single Species ◽  
Species Level ◽  
The Other ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Species Status ◽  
The Core ◽  
Core Species ◽  
Species Groups ◽  
Level Identification

The taxonomy of the T. bessonii, T. bonibony, T. dysalum, T. marginatum, T. tsingy, and T. weitzeckeri species groups isrevised. A total of 33 species is treated, of which 27 are newly described and one is raised to species status. The T.weitzeckeri group contains the single species T. humbloti Forel, which is of Afrotropical origin and the only representativeof the group in the Malagasy region. The species T. bessonii Forel, T. dysalum Bolton, T. marginatum Forel, and T. stein-heili Forel, which were originally members of the T. weitzeckeri group, are now placed in other groups. Tetramorium bes-sonii is the core species of the T. bessonii group, which also contains the four newly described species T. artemis sp. n., T.malagasy sp. n., T. ryanphelanae sp. n., T. wardi sp. n., and T. orientale Forel stat. n., which was a junior synonym of T.bessonii but is now raised to species rank. The T. dysalum group is a moderately-sized group with ten species, of whichonly T. dysalum and T. steinheili were previously known; the other eight species are all newly described. The newly described species in this group are: T. ambatovy sp. n., T. macki sp. n., T. mallenseana sp. n., T. orc sp. n., T. robitika sp. n.,T. sargina sp. n., T. yammer sp. n., and T. vohitra sp. n. A lectotype and several paralectotypes of T. steinheili are desig-nated. Tetramorium marginatum is the central species of the T. marginatum group, which also includes the five newly de-scribed species T. valky sp. n., T. hector sp. n., T. norvigi sp. n., T. shamshir sp. n., and T. silvicola sp. n. The T. bonibonyand T. tsingy groups represent completely new groups that consist entirely of previously unknown, undescribed species.The first group holds the new species T. bonibony sp. n., T. kali sp. n., T. sada sp. n., T. nosybe sp. n., T. olana sp. n., T.popell sp. n., and T. trafo sp. n. and T. vony sp. n. The last group, the T. tsingy group, only contains the two species T. tyrionsp. n. and T. tsingy sp. n., both among the rarest Tetramorium species in Madagascar. All groups are fully revised withillustrated species-level identification keys, and all species are described/re-described and illustrated with high qualitymontage images. In addition, the current status of the Malagasy Tetramorium species groups is discussed and further modifications are proposed.

Spatial and Temporal Assessment of Titiwangsa Lake Water Quality Using Chemometrics Analysis

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (3.14) ◽  
pp. 20
Author(s):  
Hafizan Juahir ◽  
Adiana Ghazali ◽  
Azimah Ismail ◽  
Mahadzirah Mohamad ◽  
Firdaus Mohamad Hamzah ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Lake Water ◽  
Monitoring Program ◽  
Water Quality Monitoring ◽  
Quality Monitoring ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Lake Water Quality ◽  
Night Time ◽  
Time Period

Titiwangsa Lake is a renowned recreational lake in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The present study was purposely to define the current status of Titiwangsa Lake water quality and propose a water quality monitoring program to conserve and sustain the health of this lake. Samples were collected in January 2017 during the day and night-time periods. Spatial classification using hierarchical agglomerative cluster analysis (HACA) has clustered the sampling stations into low, medium and high contaminated areas. Temporal classification of discriminant analysis (DA) forward stepwise mode has highlighted DO, chlorophyll-a and E-coli are the significant variables. They showed a lower range of data during the day-time period compared to night-time period. DA backward stepwise model showed  significant variables of total suspended solid (TSS) and total phosphate (TP) were higher in concentration during the day-time period as compared to night-time period. The significant of varimax factors (VFs) in the principal component analysis (PCA) might contribute by the landscaping, small-scale domestic wastewater, urban stormwater and land erosion. In a nutshell, based on HACA classification, samples can be collected at only three stations represent each cluster during the next water quality monitoring activities as this could reduce the time and cost of sampling and sample analysis. 

Underestimated anuran radiations in the high Andes: five new species and a new genus of Holoadeninae, and their phylogenetic relationships (Anura: Craugastoridae)

2017 ◽  
Vol 182 (1) ◽  
pp. 129-172 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ignacio De la Riva ◽  
Juan C Chaparro ◽  
Santiago Castroviejo-Fisher ◽  
José M Padial
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Species Diversity ◽  
New Genus ◽  
Phylogenetic Analyses ◽  
Distribution Patterns ◽  
Southern Peru ◽  
The Andes ◽  
Close Relationship ◽  
Molecular Phylogenetic ◽  
Taxonomic Research

AbstractDespite recent efforts to accelerate exploration and species description, the diversity of high Andean frogs remains highly underestimated. We report high levels of species diversity in direct-developing frogs or terraranas inhabiting the wet puna and adjacent cloud forests of the Amazonian versant of the Andes in Bolivia and Peru. Descriptive evidence of external morphology, distribution patterns and molecular phylogenetic analyses support the existence of nine unnamed species in two clades, which represents a 30% increase in species diversity for those clades. The relationships of these species and their relatives in Holoadeninae are tested using nuclear and mitochondrial genes for 159 terminals representing the 11 genera in this subfamily and 25 species of previously unknown relationships. Our results corroborate species monophyly in all but three cases and support the monophyly of all Holoadeninae genera, albeit the position of some differs between analyses. We propose a new genus (Microkayla gen. nov.) for the clade containing all Bolivian species formerly in Psychrophrynella plus five species from southern Peru. The new genus is monophyletic and supported by anatomical synapomorphies. Psychrophrynella is re-diagnosed and redefined to include three species from the Andes of southern Peru. We discuss the taxonomic instability associated with Noblella and Psychrophrynella due to the fact that the type species of both genera share a number of traits that support a close relationship. We also name and describe three new species of Bryophryne and two of Microkayla from Peru, provide baseline data for the future description of four Bolivian species of Microkayla, and describe the unknown mating calls of two species. Our results support that the grasslands of the Amazonian versant of the Andes harbour a large diversity of species with small altitudinal and horizontal distributions that replace each other along a latitudinal axis. These species belong to different lineages whose closest relatives are forest species, often from distant parts of the continent. These patterns suggest that high Andean environments were colonized several times independently by species with forest ancestors and which radiated into a multitude of species with remarkably similar ecomorphologies. The extent of these radiations remains obscured by a still rudimentary knowledge of species diversity due to insufficient fieldwork and taxonomic research.

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