Especímenes typus de plantas vasculares del Herbario de la Universidad de La Laguna (TFC) II.

(Uploaded by Plazi from the Biodiversity Heritage Library) No abstract provided.

Stone Mountain in DeKalb County, Georgia, is a large exposed granite monolith, 514 m (1,686 ft) above sea level and covering 230 ha (560 ac). This monadnock is located in the southwestern portion of Stone Mountain Park, comprising 1,300 ha (3,212 ac) owned by the state of Georgia. Recent specimen digitization efforts at the University of Georgia Herbarium (GA) have greatly facilitated capture of data from historic vouchers collected from this park. Based on these newly available data, the goals of this project were to (1) prepare a vouchered species list for the park, (2) produce a vegetation map based on georeferenced label data, and (3) identify all plant collectors and track collection activities through time and taxon focus. Eighty-one individuals and teams collected 1,207 vouchers (709 species) dated 1846–2011. The largest families were Asteraceae (96 spp.), Poaceae (70 spp.), Fabaceae (49 spp.), Cyperaceae (33 spp.), Rosaceae (21 spp.), and Lamiaceae (20 spp.). Approximately 17.5% of the species were exotic. Eighteen species are listed as rare in Georgia with state protection status conferred on five species; Gratiola amphiantha (threatened) and Isoetes melanospora (endangered) are also federally ranked. Specimen label data and various map resources were used to plot the locality of each specimen. Habitat data were recorded on 808 specimen labels, allowing assignment of 612 taxa to at least one of five general habitat types. GPS coordinates, assigned through GeoLocate, were combined with habitat data and infrared imagery to create a general vegetation map of Stone Mountain Park.

The updated distribution and population status of butterflies of the Western Ghats (WG), India with recent nomenclatural changes and justifications for the same are provided in the manuscript. We discuss the endemicity of taxa with respect to the latest systematic placements and current distribution, IUCN Red List categories, and legal protection status as per the Indian Wild Life (Protection) Act 1972 (WLPA) and its amendment–The Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Act, 2022. We found 353 butterfly species in the Western Ghats mentioned in 273 peer-reviewed references, including the historical records. However, the current list of confirmed species after a critical analysis stands at 337, comprising 19 species of Papilionidae, 34 Pieridae, 100 Nymphalidae, 2 Riodinidae, 99 Lycaenidae, and 83 Hesperiidae. Of the 353, 16 species that need further confirmation are transferred to the supplementary list. Forty (11.87%) of the total confirmed butterflies were found to be strictly endemic to the Western Ghats. Less than seven per cent of butterflies are listed in the IUCN Red List and only 21 per cent are protected under WLPA 1972 and The Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Act 2022. Twenty-two species were in the IUCN Red List, of which two are Near Threatened and the rest are in the Least Concern category. It was observed that of the 71 species listed under WLPA (1972, 2022), four are protected under Schedule I, one under Schedule I & II, one under Schedule IV, one under Schedule II and IV and 64 under Schedule II. Amongst the states lying along the WG, Kerala has 328 species (39 endemics), Tamil Nadu has 326 (37 endemics), Karnataka 317 (33 endemics), Goa 267 (19 endemics), Maharashtra 258 (10 endemics), and Gujarat has 169 species (one endemic). The butterfly diversity showed a gradient from south to north, with the Southern & Central WG having 324 species (35 endemics) each, and Northern Ghats having only 255 species (13 endemics). We suggest that parts of Central and Northern Western Ghats need more systematic assessment to elucidate the finer distribution of butterflies in the region.

Phylogenetics applied to conservation provides a comprehensive and alternative approach that contributes to prioritising species and areas for conservation, even if the species have significant information gaps concerning their ecology. Using a distribution of 10,000 phylogenetic trees of the 30 elapid and 21 viperid snakes in Colombia, we calculated the species evolutionary distinctiveness (ED) scores. Then, based on the ED median values reported from previously fully-sampled phylogenies of squamates, we quantified evolutionarily distinct and globally endangered (EDGE) scores and, with updated distribution maps of the species, we computed and plotted biogeographically weighted evolutionary distinctiveness (BED) scores. Among threatened species, Bothrocophias campbelli reached the highest ED score. This species, together with Micrurus medemi, are the top EDGE species, and with Micrurus renjifoi achieved the highest BED scores. The spatial patterns of richness and BED values highlight the Andean, Amazonian and Pacific regions as biodiversity hotspots. Although some areas are under some protection status, anthropic pressures, such as deforestation, along with the lack of knowledge about these snakes, exhibit a worrisome panorama. Thus, it is imperative to implement conservation measures focused on areas where species with both ecological and evolutionary value are concentrated. Keywords: Coral snakes, Elapidae, evolutionary distinctiveness, global endangerment, phylogenetic diversity, Viperidae, vipers

The Merja de Fouwarate Ramsar site is home to the largest Moroccan population of the Ferruginous Duck (Aythya nyroca), a globally near-threatened species, and is also one of the best Moroccan sites for the wintering and nesting of two other species of Anatidae, the Marbled Teal (Marmaronetta angustirostris), a globally near-threatened species, and the Common Pochard (Aythya ferina), a vulnerable species. A 12-year-long monitoring of these three species was conducted at the Ramsar site of Fouwarate. The primary objective of this research was to establish the phenological status, conservation status, and population trends of these three species. Results revealed a positive population trend for the Common Pochard and Ferruginous Duck between 2011 and 2017, while the population trend of the Marbled Teal exhibited no significant directional change during this period. After 2019, the populations of all three species exhibited pronounced signs of decline. This trend is explained by local and regional circumstances, primarily attributed to climate change and the influence of local anthropogenic factors. Based on these results, it will be imperative to change the national protection status to the Common Pochard, which remains unprotected. Additionally, it is necessary to update the species’ phenological status in Morocco from “Occasional Breeder” to “Resident Breeder” and establish an appropriate wetland management plan to preserve Fouwarate’s significant ecological and socioeconomic role.