Where did the Central European populations of Ornatoraphidia flavilabris (Costa) come from? (Neuropterida, Raphidioptera, Raphidiidae)

Ornatoraphidia flavilabris (Costa, 1851) is one of 15 snakefly species occurring in southern parts of Central Europe. It is a polycentric Mediterranean faunal element with refugia in the Apennine Peninsula and the Balkan Peninsula. Two phylogeographic questions are dealt with in this paper: (1) Is it possible to differentiate, morphologically or genetically, the Balkanic populations from the Italian? (2) Did the species reach Central Europe from the Balkan or Apennine Peninsula? These questions were investigated using morphological and molecular biological methods. No morphological characters were uncovered which could serve to differentiate specimens from either distribution center. However, differences were detected in cox1, cox3 and 28S genes which allow for a reliable differentiation. Central European populations were largely identical with populations from Italy, but distinctly different from specimens from Greece. This could lead one to assume that the species migrated from Italy to Central Europe, although colonization from the southeast would appear easier due to more favorable orographic conditions. This discrepancy may be explained by the apparent absence of O. flavilabris from the large central part of the Balkan Peninsula, so that a gap exists between the southern and northern areas inhabited by O. flavilabris. Moreover, the species does not occur in eastern parts of Europe. Thus it would be more probable to assume that the occurrence of the species in the northwest Balkan Peninsula can be traced to migrations from the Apennine Peninsula to areas north and northeast of the Adriatic Sea, where O. flavilabris may have colonized the southeast of Central Europe. A migration of Adriatomediterranean faunal elements from the northwest Balkan Peninsula to Central Europe might be of more significance than previously assumed.

Quaternary equatorial Atlantic deep-sea ostracodes: evidence for a distinct tropical fauna in the deep sea

Low-latitude, deep-sea faunas remain poorly understood and described. Here, we systematically describe Quaternary deep-sea ostracodes from the Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Site 925 (Ceara Rise; 4°12.2'N, 43°29.3′W; 3040 m water depth) in the equatorial Atlantic Ocean. Twenty-six genera and 52 species were examined and illustrated with high-resolution scanning electron microscopy images. Six new species are described herein: Pseudocythere spinae, Hemiparacytheridea zarikiani, Pedicythere canis, Xylocythere denticulata, Paracytherois obtusa, and Poseidonamicus sculptus. The results show that deep-sea ostracodes have a tropical faunal element that is distinctive from higher latitude ostracodes, and that is globally distributed in low latitudes. This tropical faunal component is possibly a Tethyan legacy of a fauna that was widely distributed in tropical and extratropical latitudes in deep waters during greenhouse conditions in the Cretaceous and early Cenozoic. Global cooling thereafter shrank its distribution, limiting it to tropical latitudes, perhaps with the relatively warm uppermost bathyal area acting as the source or refuge of this faunal component. Because similar present-day biogeographic patterns (i.e., presence and wide distribution of tropical deep-sea fauna) are known in other deep-sea benthic groups, this scenario might be applicable to the deep-sea benthos more broadly. UUID: http://zoobank.org/552d4cb2-c0db-463a-ae3f-b2efcc0985df.

Late Ordovician solutan echinoderms from the western Tafilalt, Morocco

In the western Tafilalt area, eastern Anti-Atlas (Morocco), solutan echinoderms are a major faunal element of most echinoderm Lagerstätten occurring within the Lower Ktaoua Formation (late Sandbian-early Katian). For the first time, members of the class Soluta are formally described from Morocco and Africa. All solutans from the Lower Ktaoua Formation are identified as Dendrocystites aff. sedgwicki. Three size-related morphotypes, probably corresponding to successive growth stages (‘juvenile’, ‘adult’ and ‘gerontic’), could be distinguished within the abundant and well-preserved material from Morocco. The occurrence of the genus Dendrocystites in the western Tafilalt confirms the strong faunal affinities between Morocco and other regions of the Mediterranean Province (Czech Republic and Spain) in Late Ordovician times. In high palaeolatitude (peri-)Gondwanan areas, Dendrocystites was a gregarious solutan living in shallow, siliciclastic settings at or above storm-wave base.

EKSPLORASI DESAIN TAMAN DENGAN PENDEKATAN BIOFILIK BERBASIS ETIKA LINGKUNGAN DI BSD

Ethical Biophilic Park in BSD, Tangerang Is a connected open green spaces between a green park and a deer park., which one has existing faunal element specifically deer. Located at Jakarta’s suburban area, BSD Biophilical Park is one of many parks that foster a herd of deer. Both sites were found not maximized in their function, the existing deer foster has not considered fulfilling five freedoms of animal welfare, which must looked at into more in the future. Conceiving the needs of the human-animal interaction, biophilic and rewilding design methods are expected to be sufficient for the welfare of both parties. The park allocates a variety of artificial natural elements, closeness to faunal elements, as well as space experiences in enclosed spaces. Observing on how the park treat the herd, and how it affects the human activity, creates an output of a green park, that is still connected with the deer park, and also ones which has a full-length trail to see the herd without direct interaction such as petting and. In addition to the design, it involuntarily comply environmental ethics that favor the following welfare of the animal itself. Keywords: Biophilical Park; Deer Fostering; Environmental Ethics; Opened Green Public; Space Rewilding Abstrak Taman Biofilik Berbasis Etika Lingkungan di BSD merupakan perpaduan dua ruang terbuka hijau yang salah satunya memiliki unsur fauna berupa rusa. Terletak di daerah sub urban Jakarta, Taman Biofilik BSD merupakan satu-satunya taman yang merawat rusa. Kedua tapak ditemukan belum maksimal dalam fungsinya, pemeliharaan rusa juga dianggap belum memenuhi lima unsur kesejahteraan hewan, yang kedepannya harus lebih diperhatikan. Memahami kebutuhan adanya hubungan dan interaksi antara manusia dan hewan, metode desain biofilik dan untuk diliarkan diharapkan dapat mencukupi kesejahteraan bagi kedua pihak. Taman mengalokasikan berbagai unsur alam buatan, kedekatan dengan unsur fauna, serta pengalaman ruang yang bersifat lebih terbuka atau tidak sepenuhnya terbangun dinding empat sisi. Mengamati perlakuan taman eksisting pada hewan, dan pengaruh aktivitas manusia didalamnya, menghasilkan taman manusia yang tetap terintegrasi dengan taman rusa, yang didalamnya terdapat jalur untuk melihat-lihat rusa tanpa secara langsung memegang atau memberi makan rusa. Terapan desain secara tidak langsung menghasilkan interaksi yang mematuhi etika lingkungan yang kerap mempengaruhi kesejahteraan hewan itu sendiri.

The early Cenomanian crippsi Event at Lüneburg (Germany): palaeontological and stratigraphical significance of a widespread Late Cretaceous bioevent

The early Cenomanian crippsi Event comprises a 1–3-m-thick interval characterised by mass occurrences of the early Cenomanian inoceramid Gnesioceramus crippsi, identified in the uppermost Sharpeiceras schlueteri Subzone (lower lower Cenomanian Mantelliceras mantelli Zone), below an interregional sequence boundary (SB Ce 1). At Lüneburg, the event is characterised by densely packed, very large, disc-like valves of G. crippsi. Taphonomy as well as bio- and microfacies suggest an event formation in a deeper shelf setting below the storm-wave base as primary biogenic concentration, the inoceramids living as recumbent forms on a soft substrate in dense populations. When tracked between basins, the stratigraphic pattern of the crippsi Event suggests a moderately prolonged phase (< 100 kyr) of increased shell production with rapid deposition aiding in preserving the shell-rich event strata. Towards the basin margins, it grades into storm wave-reworked bioclastic concentrations. The crippsi Event formed by an interregional population bloom and provides, as an proliferation epibole, an important marker for intra- and interbasinal correlation. The first record of G. mowriensis within the crippsi Event at Lüneburg, hitherto endemic to the US Western Interior Seaway, and the occurrence of the ammonite Metengonoceras teigenense, likewise an endemic North American faunal element, from the level of the crippsi Event in northern France indicate faunal exchange between the New and Old worlds during the early Cenomanian. This faunal dispersal and contemporaneous occurrence of warm-water biofacies in Western Europe during the early Cenomanian is explained by the existence of a perpetual NE-directed current transporting warm surface waters from the Gulf of Mexico towards Europe. The occurrence of short-lived M. teigenense in France allows for the calibration of the uppermost schlueteri Subzone of the mantelli Zone in Europe to the lowermost Neogastroplites muelleri Zone in North America and to assign an age of ~ 98.6–98.7 Ma to the crippsi Event.

Multi-Locus Molecular Phylogeny of Solenopsis (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

The myrmicine ant genus Solenopsis is species-rich, globally distributed, and is often a common and ecologically important faunal element of the leaf litter. The genus is also well-known for containing several widely distributed tramp species and some of the worst invasive species in the World (the Red Imported Fire Ant, S. invicta, and the Tropical Fire Ant, S. geminata). Although not hyper-diverse and despite its ecological and economic importance, Solenopsis has long frustrated systematists due its lack of reliable diagnostic characters and no phylogenetic hypothesis exists to date. We present a preliminary multi-locus molecular phylogenetic analysis of Solenopsis to address this knowledge gap. Our analyses recover mostly well-supported phylogenetic hypothesis, which suggests Solenopsis arose in the Neotropics and spread to all other continents (except Antarctica). Importantly, it demonstrates problems with current systematic understanding of the genus, but provides an evolutionary framework upon which to build future research.

First teleost otoliths from the Late Jurassic of Russia

This is the first record of Late Jurassic (Volgian) otoliths from the boreal province of Russia. Two new species– Palealbula korchinskyi n. sp. and Palealbula moscoviensis n. sp. – are described representing otoliths of putative stem- albuliform affinities of unresolved familiar position. The phylogeny of Palealbula and the supposedly related genus Protalbula is discussed in the light of the new findings presented in this article. Both genera are shown to represent a common faunal element in the early evolutionary phase of teleosts during the Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous.

Nomenclatural and type catalogue of Athoracophoridae (Mollusca: Eupulmonata: Succineoidea): a synopsis of the first 185 years of biodiscovery in the South West Pacific region

Athoracophoridae are succineoidean terrestrial slugs that constitute a distinctive faunal element of the South West Pacific biogeographic region, with representatives in New Guinea, Australia, New Caledonia, Vanuatu and New Zealand. Despite many studies on morphology, taxonomy and phylogenetic relationships since the first species description in 1832, the understanding of the diversity within the family, as reported in published literature, remains poor with regional disparities in collection and systematic effort, in taxonomic concepts, and in adherence to type concepts. The systematics of Athoracophoridae needs to be re-evaluated through a modern, phylogenetic approach to properly document infra-familial evolution and taxon diversity, advance understanding of evolutionary relationships with other Eupulmonata, and to delineate evolutionary units for conservation prioritization. A catalogue of all class-, family-, genus- and species-group names erected for or used to include Athoracophoridae over the 185 year period 1832 to 2017 is provided, as a first step towards a systematic revision. The following nomenclatural changes are made: lectotype designation for Aneitea macdonaldii Gray, 1860; lectotype designation for Janella papillata Hutton, 1879; type species designation for Amphikonophora Suter, 1897; and lectotype designation for Athoracophorus verrucosus Simroth, 1889.

Revision of the Australian Union-Jack wolf spiders, genus Tasmanicosa (Araneae, Lycosidae, Lycosinae)

The Australian wolf spider (Lycosidae Sundevall, 1833) genus Tasmanicosa Roewer, 1959 with Lycosa tasmanica Hogg, 1905 as type species is revised to include 14 species: T. godeffroyi (L. Koch, 1865), comb. nov. (= Lycosa tasmanica Hogg, 1905, syn. nov.; = Lycosa zualella Strand, 1907, syn. nov.; = Lycosa woodwardi Simon, 1909, syn. nov.); T. fulgor sp. nov.; T. gilberta (Hogg, 1905) comb. nov.; T. harmsi sp. nov.; T. hughjackmani sp. nov.; T. kochorum sp. nov.; T. leuckartii (Thorell, 1870), comb. nov. (= Lycosa molyneuxi Hogg, 1905, syn. nov.); T. musgravei (McKay, 1974) comb. nov.; T. phyllis (Hogg, 1905) comb. nov. (= Lycosa stirlingae Hogg, 1905, syn. nov.); T. ramosa (L. Koch, 1877), comb. nov.; T. salmo sp. nov.; T. semicincta (L. Koch, 1877) comb. nov.; T. stella sp. nov.; and T. subrufa (Karsch, 1878) comb. nov. Within the Australian wolf spider fauna, the genus Tasmanicosa can be diagnosed by the distinct pattern of radiating light and dark lines forming a “Union-Jack” pattern on the carapace. Male pedipalp morphology identifies the genus as part of the subfamily Lycosinae Sundevall, 1833 due to the presence of a transverse tegular apophysis with dorsal groove guiding the embolus during copulation. However, genital morphology is variable and a synapomorphy based on male pedipalp or female epigyne morphology could not be identified. Members of Tasmanicosa are comparatively large spiders (body length ca. 12–30 mm), that build a shallow burrow, which is sometimes covered with a flimsy trapdoor. Species of Tasmanicosa are largely a Bassian faunal element with preference for open woodlands and/or floodplains, although some species can be found into the semi-arid Australian interior. Two Australian wolf spider species may represent Tasmanicosa based on their original descriptions, but due to immature types in combination with the somatic similarities of all Tasmanicosa species, cannot be identified with certainty. They are therefore considered nomina dubia: Lycosa excusor L. Koch, 1867 and Lycosa infensa L. Koch, 1877. The type species of Orthocosa Roewer, 1960 is transferred to Tasmanicosa; however, in order to prevent some non-Australian wolf spiders in the genus Orthocosa to be transferred into Tasmanicosa, which is considered endemic to Australia, we here place these species into more appropriate genera based on their original descriptions pending a future revision of these species: Arctosa ambigua Denis, 1947 comb. reval.; Alopecosa orophila (Thorell, 1887) comb. nov.; Hygrolycosa tokinagai Saito, 1936 comb. reval. Orthocosa sternomaculata (Mello-Leitão, 1943) is considered a junior synonym of Hogna birabeni (Mello-Leitão, 1943) comb. nov.