First record of Goldlined seabream Rhabdosargus sarba (Forsskål 1775), Sparidae, in the Mediterranean Sea (Syrian waters)

This paper presents the first record of Rhabdosargus sarba (Forsskål 1775) in the Mediterranean Sea and the Syrian marine waters. One specimen (163 mm TL, 66.45 g TW) was caught by trammel nets at a depth range between 50 and 60 m, from Lattakia coast, on 31 January 2021. This record represents the first sighting of this immigrant species that entered the Mediterranean Sea to Syrian waters from the Red Sea. the key to the species of Rhabdosargus is provided.

Multiple macroevolutionary routes to becoming a biodiversity hotspot

Why is species diversity so unevenly distributed across different regions on Earth? Regional differences in biodiversity may stem from differences in rates of speciation and dispersal and colonization times, but these hypotheses have rarely been tested simultaneously at a global scale. Our study reveals the macroevolutionary routes that have generated hotspots of mammal and bird biodiversity by analyzing the tempo and mode of diversification and dispersal within major biogeographic realms. Hotspots in tropical realms had higher rates of speciation, whereas those in temperate realms received more immigrant species from their surrounding regions. We also found that hotspots had higher spatial complexity and energy availability, providing a link between the environment and macroevolutionary history. Our study highlights how assessing differences in macroevolutionary history can help to explain why biodiversity varies so much worldwide.

Different macroevolutionary routes to becoming a biodiversity hotspot

Why is species diversity so unevenly distributed across different regions on Earth? Regional differences in biodiversity may stem from differences in rates of speciation and dispersal and colonization times, but these hypotheses have rarely been tested simultaneously at a global scale. Here we uncovered the routes that generated hotpots of mammal and bird biodiversity by analyzing the tempo and mode of diversification and dispersal within major biogeographic realms. Hotspots in tropical realms had higher rates of speciation whereas those in temperate realms received more immigrant species from their surrounding regions. We also found that hotspots had higher spatial complexity and energy availability, providing a link between the environment and macroevolutionary history. Our study highlights how assessing differences in macroevolutionary history can help to explain why biodiversity varies so much worldwide.

Road construction enables establishment of a novel predator category to resident anuran community: a case study from a primary lowland Bornean rain forest

For a total of 17 mo, we investigated the impact of a road constructed through pristine tropical lowland rain forest, on the composition and structure of the resident anuran community in the Ulu Temburong National Park (Brunei Darussalam). One year after road construction, eight new anuran species had immigrated into the impacted area. Encounter surveys were conducted and radio-transmitters attached to a total of 16 frogs to identify habitat use and distribution of the largest (>130 mm SVL) immigrant species (Limnonectes ingeri) in comparison with a similar sized resident congener. A strong preference for roadside habitat was found for the immigrant. However, several incursions of more than 500 m beyond the road into the pristine forest were also recorded. Over 200 stomach content samples as well as stable nitrogen isotope ratios of 76 individuals were used to assess the trophic ecology of the two species. Invertebrate diet composition did not differ. However, the immigrant species ate over 400% more frogs than its resident congener and had a significantly higher δ15N ratio, indicating a higher position in the food web. This suggests that L. ingeri acts as a new top frog predator in the system and indicates that it may have a significant negative impact on the local anuran community. Overall, road construction in the absence of logging has led to the immigration of new frog species with impacts far beyond the linear disturbance of the road itself.

Mediterranean fish biodiversity: an updated inventory with focus on the Ligurian and Tyrrhenian seas

In this paper we update the Mediterranean fish inventory, analyse the biogeographic features of this fauna and provideexhaustive biodiversity data for the Ligurian and Tyrrhenian seas. According to the data available in 2010, the Mediterraneanfish diversity can be summarized as follows: 602 (including sub-species) bony fish species (Osteichthyes), 79 cartilaginous fishspecies (Chondrichthyes) and 3 cyclostomes (Agnatha); making a total of 684 species belonging to 173 families (147Osteichthyes, 24 Chondrichthyes, 2 Agnatha). Most species 403 (58.9%) have an Atlantic origin, 128 (18.7%) species arecosmopolitan, 90 (13.2%) species are Indo-Pacific, and 63 (9.2%) are endemic to the Mediterranean. In the Ligurian Sea,northern Tyrrhenian and southern Tyrrhenian Sea, the richness can be estimated at 454, 426 and 447 species, respectively. Themost speciose families for the Mediterranean as a whole, but also for the three intra-mediterranean areas studied are theGobiidae, Sparidae, Labridae and Blenniidae; whereas Carangidae is a numerically important family mainly at theMediterranean level. The percentage of endemic fishes within the intra-mediterranean areas studied gradually decrease acrosslatitude from the Ligurian Sea (9.4%) to the northern (8.7%) and southern (8.0%) Tyrrhenian Sea. The updated fish inventorycontains 81 Lessepsian and 48 Atlantic immigrant species, which represent 11.8% and 7.0% of the whole Mediterranean fishcommunity, respectively. The Ligurian Sea (3.1%) houses a higher amount of immigrants with respect to the northern (1.6%)and southern (2.7%) Tyrrhenian sectors.Field observations made during this study indicate that both the Ligurian and Tyrrhenian seas are presently subjected toincreasing colonization events by thermophilic species spreading from the southern Mediterranean and to a lesser degree by the arrival of exotic species either of Atlantic or Indo-Pacific origin.

Aliens in Egyptian Mediterranean waters. A check-list of Erythrean fish with new records

The historical role of the Suez Canal as a pathway for migrations between the Red sea and the Mediterranean is recalled. A check-list of 42 immigrant Erythrean fish in Egyptian Mediterranean waters is given. The list comprises four new records. 17 of the immigrant species are commercially exploited, whereas 15 are known from single records. While the Erythrean fish as invasive species are beneficial to local fisheries, in our view, they do not have an important impact upon the ecosystem.

Insects found in birds’ nests from the Neotropical Region (except Argentina) and immigrant species of Neotropical origin in the Nearctic Region

Neotropical birds’ nests have received a great deal of attention because sylvatic species of Triatominae (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) and parasitic flies of the genus Philornis (Diptera: Muscidae) were discovered inside them. Those insects known in birds’ nests from Argentina, the chacoan region of Bolivia, and the southern portion of Brazil and Uruguay were extensively but not completely summarized by Turienzo & Di Iorio (2007). The present contribution summarizes all insects known to occur in birds’ nests from the Neotropical Region (except for Argentina and the Antarctic Region of adjacent countries), updating Hicks’ catalogues for this part of the world. Regarding birds, the list comprises 172 taxa identified to species (in 38 families), 8 to genus (in 6 families), 6 to family (in 4 families), and 27 birds´nests not identified. Regarding insects of the Neotropical region, 123 were identified to species (13 Blattaria; 5 Coleoptera; 26 Diptera; 34 Hemiptera; 15 Hymenoptera; 23 Psocoptera; 6 Siphonaptera; 1 Thysanura), 96 to genus (5 Blattaria; 8 Coleoptera; 48 Diptera; 4 Hemiptera; 6 Hymenoptera; 25 Psocoptera), 63 to superfamily, family or subfamily (1 Blattaria; 21 Coleoptera; 10 Diptera; 7 Hemiptera; 14 Hymenoptera; 1 Isoptera; 3 Orthoptera; 5 Psocoptera; 1 Thysanoptera), and 34 to order (6 Blattaria [including 1 Mantodea]; 6 Coleoptera; 3 Diptera; 3 Embioptera; 2 Hemiptera; 3 Hymenoptera; 1 Thysanoptera; 2 Isoptera; 4 Lepidoptera; 1 Orthoptera; 1 Phthiraptera; 2 Psocoptera). Associations of Neotropical insects with birds´nests were extracted from 392 references including original and posterior citations. Some North American species of insects that are neotropical immigrants are discussed, while a few other had been accidentally introduced in both directions. Synonymies, old combinations, misidentifications, original localities, amounts of insects, and repositories when they were stated, are provided.