Biogeographic Subregions Research Articles

Museomics Sheds Light on Evolutionary Diversity in a Critically Endangered Cockatoo Species From Wallacea.

Accurate identification of evolutionarily significant units of rare and threatened organisms provides a foundation for effective management and conservation. Up to seven subspecies of the critically endangered Yellow-crested Cockatoo (Cacatua sulphurea) have been described, four of which were commonly recognised pre-2014. In the absence of genotypic data, C. sulphurea subspecies delimitation has been based on morphology, behaviour and biogeography. To clarify genetic relationships and shed light on the diversification of this parrot radiation, whole genomes were sequenced for 16 museum specimens, covering the geographic range of the proposed seven subspecies as well as one C. galerita galerita. Combined with four museum-derived wild Cacatua sequences from NCBI, the results indicate there are three distinct C. sulphurea subspecies clusters centred in different biogeographic subregions of Wallacea (Timor; Sumba; as well as the Sulawesi Region and the main Lesser Sunda chain), separated by shallow genetic distances (da < 0.148%). The results raise questions about the recent species-level elevation of the phenotypically most distinct subspecies, C. s. citrinocristata, and about the origins of C. s. abbotti, the only subspecies west of Wallace's Line. Our analyses suggest C. s. abbotti is unlikely to be embedded within C. sulphurea, suggesting its origin on the remote Masalembu islands may be due to human translocation via historical trade routes. These genomic results inform the prioritisation and streamlining of conservation measures for the critically endangered C. sulphurea by identifying and delimiting likely conservation units.

The mountain giant rat of Borneo Sundamys infraluteus (Thomas) and its relations

The genus Sundamys comprises the species Sundamys muelleri, Müller‟s rat, which is widespread in the Sundaic biogeographical subregion, and three other taxa, the mountain giant rats of Borneo S. infraluteus, Java S. maxi and Sumatra S. atchinensis. Nine additional specimens of the Borneo Mountain giant rat are reported, and one field record, adding new locations to the known range of the species in the Crocker Range, notably the vicinity of Gn. Alab, and Gn. Lumaku, Sabah, and at Pa Raye, Kalimantan Utara. Measurements of the specimens, and the first from Gn. Mulu, Sarawak, are tabulated with previously published data. Trapping results indicate that this rat is confined to an altitudinal range, 900 – 2350 m, broadly corresponding with the limits of Lower Montane Forest, especially Oak-Laurel forests, and that it occurs both in pristine habitat and in disturbed forests. The topography of the uplands of northern Borneo provides connections between all locations except Mulu, which is surrounded by lowlands. A review of palaeoecological interpretations indicates that favourable habitat for this rat was more extensive in north-western Borneo in the terminal Pleistocene, but may have been more reduced than at present during warm episodes of the Holocene. Consideration of palaeo-environments in the Sundaic subregion suggests that there may have been no genetic contact between mountain giant rats of Sumatra and Borneo during the Quaternary. Although molecular evidence is lacking, it is reasonable to treat Sundamys infraluteus, S. atchinenesis and Sundamys maxi as distinct species, arising independently by vicariant evolution from a Pliocene ancestry.

Research on longevity and associated age data of South American anurans: trends, gaps and recommendations

Longevity is one of the most important characteristics in the life history of organisms. It is directly associated with growth, reproduction and age of sexual maturity. Despite this, little is known about longevity in South American anuran species, a region considered as a hotspot of world diversity. Thus, we carried out a literature review of publications on longevity of South American anurans that used the skeletochronology method to identify the main publication trends, as well as to point out the main information gaps and suggest future directions. We found clear biases when we analysed temporal, spatial and taxonomic patterns in publications on longevity: (i) studies are recent (mostly from 2015 onwards), (ii) bufonids and leptodactylids were the most studied groups, (iii) medium to large species are the most studied, (iv) species with wide geographic distribution, low risk of extinction, (v) the studies are concentrated in Brazil and Argentina, and (vi) most studies are in the Chaco biogeographical sub-region. We suggest that future work prioritizes little explored families and with high species diversity, small-bodied species, with restricted distribution, threatened with extinction, in order to expand the representation of different evolutionary lineages along the biogeographical units of South America.

Myco-Phycobiont Interactions within the "Ramalina farinacea Group": A Geographical Survey over Europe and Macaronesia.

Ramalina farinacea is a widely distributed epiphytic lichen from the Macaronesian archipelagos to Mediterranean and Boreal Europe. Previous studies have indicated a specific association between R. farinacea and Trebouxia microalgae species. Here, we examined the symbiotic interactions in this lichen and its closest allies (the so-called "R. farinacea group") across ten biogeographic subregions, spanning diverse macroclimates, analyzing the climatic niche of the primary phycobionts, and discussing the specificity of these associations across the studied area. The most common phycobionts in the "R. farinacea group" were T. jamesii and T. lynnae, which showed a preference for continentality and insularity, respectively. The Canarian endemic R. alisiosae associated exclusively with T. lynnae, while the other Ramalina mycobionts interacted with both microalgae. The two phycobionts exhibited extensive niche overlap in an area encompassing Mediterranean, temperate Europe, and Macaronesian localities. However, T. jamesii occurred in more diverse climate types, whereas T. lynnae preferred warmer and more humid climates, often close to the sea, which could be related to its tolerance to salinity. With the geographical perspective gained in this study, it was possible to show how the association with different phycobionts may shape the ecological adaptation of lichen symbioses.

Recent Progress in Taxonomic Studies, Biogeographic Analysis, and Revised Checklist of Reptiles in Indochina

The Indochinese Peninsula represents one of the key global biodiversity hotspots in Southeast Asia. The herpetofauna of Indochina (herein including Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand) currently (as by 10 August 2023) comprises 882 native and six invasive species of reptiles and is one of the richest in the world. About 40% of the Indochinese reptile species were discovered or recorded within the first two decades of the 21st century. We review the literature and our field data to assess all recent discoveries and taxonomic changes; we compile an annotated checklist of reptilian fauna of Indochina, including updated faunal lists for Vietnam and Thailand. Reptile species checklists for Laos and Cambodia are published for the first time. For each species we provide the following information: scientific name; recommended common name in English; information on type specimens; information on recognized subspecies; type locality; data on its distribution within Indochina and beyond; IUCN conservation status; taxonomic comments and the most important references. We review the distribution of each reptilian species across the 23 biogeographic subregions of Indochina, estimate the similarity among the regional faunas and evaluate their species richness and endemism. In total, we record 882 native reptile species belonging to three orders, 34 families and 163 genera; of them 408 species (46.3%) are endemic to Indochina. Comprising 512 known species, the reptilian fauna of Thailand is the richest (114 country endemics, 22.3%), followed by Vietnam with 496 species (157 endemics, 31.7%), Laos with 250 species (39 endemics, 15.6%), and Cambodia with 191 species (15 endemics, 7.9%). A cluster analysis of faunal similarity between the subregions revealed three major groupings, corresponding to the Sundaland fauna south of the Isthmus of Kra, the subtropical fauna of northeastern Indochina, and the tropical fauna of mainland Indochina. Within the latter grouping four clusters can be distinguished: (1) northern, central and southern Annamites, (2) western Indochinese subregions, (3) central-south Vietnam lowlands including the Bolaven Plateau and Cardamom Mountains, (4) and the depleted faunas of river deltas, coastal areas and offshore islands. We identify the Northern, Central and Southern Annamites, the Northwest Uplands of Vietnam, Laos and Thailand, Southern Tenasserim in Thailand as the major centers of reptilian diversity in Indochina. The highest number of Indochinese endemic reptilian species was recorded in Central-Southern Vietnam Lowlands, Northern Annamites, and Central Annamites. The analysis of reptilian distribution patterns suggests the presence of 20 clusters of species sharing similar distribution patterns across Indochina. Our results further underline the key role of Indochina as an important area for diversity and conservation of reptiles. Among 882 native species of Indochinese reptiles, 356 species (40.4%) are considered as Data Deficient (DD) or were Not Evaluated (NE) according to the IUCN Red List criteria, while 106 species (12.0%) were considered Vulnerable (VU), Endangered (EN) or Critically Endangered (CR), 17 species (1.9%) were considered to be Near Threatened (NT), and 403 species (45.7%) to be of the Least Concern (LC) status. Our work has implications for elaboration of further conservation efforts for Indochinese reptiles on regional and global levels, as well as for a better understanding of the biogeographic patterns of reptilian richness and endemism in Asia.

A freshwater mussel species reflects a Miocene stream capture between the Mekong Basin and East Asian rivers

Freshwater mussels belonging to the genus Cristaria Schumacher, 1817 (Bivalvia: Unionidae) are widespread from Mongolia to Indochina while the range of one species, C. plicata (Leach, 1814), covers two biogeographic subregions, i.e., East Asian (Amur River to Vietnam) and Sundaland (Mekong River basin). We present here a taxonomic revision of the nominal taxon Anodonta bellua Morelet, 1866 which was described from the Mekong (Lake Tonle-Sap, Cambodia) but is currently considered a synonym of C. plicata. We obtained molecular data for newly collected Cristaria representatives from the Mekong’s tributaries in Laos, which were found as a divergent species-level phylogenetic clade within the genus that is distant from C. plicata. Nevertheless, comparative morphological and morphometric studies did not reveal any significant differences between these two congeners. Our time-calibrated biogeographic modeling reveals that the split between Cristaria bellua (Mekong) and C. clessini (East Asia) probably occurred in the mid-Miocene (15.8 Ma) and may reflect an ancient stream capture between the Mekong Basin and East Asian rivers.

Species assemblage networks identify regional connectivity pathways among hydrothermal vents in the Northwest Pacific.

The distribution of species among spatially isolated habitat patches supports regional biodiversity and stability, so understanding the underlying processes and structure is a key target of conservation. Although multivariate statistics can infer the connectivity processes driving species distribution, such as dispersal and habitat suitability, they rarely explore the structure. Methods from graph theory, applied to distribution data, give insights into both connectivity pathways and processes by intuitively formatting the data as a network of habitat patches. We apply these methods to empirical data from the hydrothermal vent habitats of the Northwest Pacific. Hydrothermal vents are "oases" of biological productivity and endemicity on the seafloor that are imminently threatened by anthropogenic disturbances with unknown consequences to biodiversity. Here, we describe the structure of species assemblage networks at hydrothermal vents, how local and regional parameters affect their structure, and the implications for conservation. Two complementary networks were formed from an extensive species assemblage dataset: a similarity network of vent site nodes linked by weighted edges based on their pairwise assemblage similarity and a bipartite network of species nodes linked to vent site nodes at which they are present. Using these networks, we assessed the role of individual vent sites in maintaining network connectivity and identified biogeographic sub-regions. The three sub-regions and two outlying sites are separated by their spatial arrangement and local environmental filters. Both networks detected vent sites that play a disproportionately important role in regional pathways, while the bipartite network also identified key vent sites maintaining the distinct species assemblages of their sub-regions. These regional connectivity pathways provide insights into historical colonization routes, while sub-regional connectivity pathways are of value when selecting sites for conservation and/or estimating the multivent impacts from proposed deep-sea mining.

Bird associations with floristics and physiognomy differ across five biogeographic subregions of the Great Basin, USA

Abstract The majority of management plans for birds on public lands across the western United States do not recognize the geographic variation in a given species’ habitat. We examined associations of plant species and functional groups with occupancy of 19 bird species across 5 biogeographic subregions of the Great Basin (central, western, Sierra Nevada, northern, and eastern), USA. We hypothesized that occupancy was associated with floristics (individual plant species) within subregions, and with physiognomy (characterized by functional groups) across the Great Basin. We used two methods to evaluate bird-vegetation associations within and across subregions. First, we examined which covariates of floristics and physiognomy were significantly associated with occupancy in each subregion. Second, for each bird species, we compared covariate estimates between each of the 10 pairs of subregions. We classified the effects of covariates on occupancy in 2 subregions as significantly different if &amp;lt;5% of their posterior distributions overlapped. The plant species and functional groups that were associated significantly with occupancy varied considerably among subregions. Twenty-four percent of bird-plant associations that were significant at the Great Basin level were not significant in any subregion. Associations between occupancy and floristics differed the most between the Sierra Nevada and central or western subregions, and the least between the eastern and western subregions. Associations between occupancy and physiognomy differed the most between the Sierra Nevada and western and central subregions, and the least between the northern and western subregions. These differences and similarities may reflect variations in climate or bird communities or differences in sampling effort. In addition, the number and strength of associations between occupancy and floristic or physiognomic covariates varied substantially among bird species and subregions. We recommend that the management of birds across the Great Basin or other large ecoregions evaluate and account for geographic variation in environmental attributes associated with occupancy, and not assume bird-plant relations are consistent across the Great Basin.

Data reconstruction of daily MODIS chlorophyll-a concentration and spatio-temporal variations in the Northwestern Pacific

Sea surface chlorophyll-a concentration (Chl-a) is a key proxy for phytoplankton biomass. Spatio-temporal continuous Chl-a data are important to understand the mechanisms of chlorophyll occurrence and development and track phytoplankton changes. However, the greatest challenge in utilizing daily Chl-a data is massive missing pixels due to orbital position and cloud coverage. This study proposes the application of a spatial filling method using the machine learning-based Extreme Gradient Boosting (BST) to reconstruct missing pixels of daily MODIS Chl-a data from 2007 to 2018. The approach is applied to different trophic biogeographical subregions of the Northwestern Pacific where it has complex phytoplankton dynamics and frequent data missing. Various environmental variables are taken into consideration, including meteorological forcing, geographic and topographic features, and oceanic physical components. The BST-reconstructed Chl-a (BST Chl-a) is validated using in-situ Chl-a measurements, VIIRS and Himawari-8 Chl-a products. The results show that the BST model is highly adaptive in reconstructing Chl-a data, and it performs well in pelagic, offshore and coastal with the best performance in pelagic. BST Chl-a improves coverage without significant quality degradation compared to the original MODIS Chl-a. BST Chl-a agrees better with in-situ data than that of MODIS, with CC of 0.742, RMSE of 0.247, MAE of 0.202 and Bias of 0.089. Cross-satellite validation using VIIRS and Himawari-8 Chl-a also shows promising results with the CC of 0.861 and 0.765, respectively, suggesting the high accuracy of BST Chl-a. The inter-annual trend of BST Chl-a decreases in coastal and increases in offshore and pelagic. BST Chl-a images present similar spatial patterns to MODIS Chl-a under different missing rates, with gradual decreases from coastal to pelagic. It indicates that phytoplankton bloom patterns can be identified by daily BST Chl-a images.

Butterfly diversity (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) in the Ziama Massif in Guinea and the adjacent Wonegizi and Wologizi Mountains in Liberia (West Africa): A transboundary conservation approach

Five field surveys targeting the butterfly fauna across the transboundary landscape that encompasses the Ziama Massif in Guinea and the Wologizi and Wonegizi Mountains in Liberia (collectively called as the Ziama-Wonegizi-Wologizi Transboundary Forest Landscape) were conducted between November 2017 and April 2019. Altogether 564 species of butterfly were recorded from the research area, with 450 species from the Wologizi Mountains, 254 from the Wonegizi Mountains and 429 from the Ziama Massif. An additional five species recorded in Ziama were added to the list as literature data. The surveys revealed several taxa new to science as well as a high number of restricted-range species, endemic either to the Guinea Highlands or to the broader forest area of the Liberian subregion. The results of the ecological classification of the butterfly fauna in Ziama and Wologizi show intact forest fauna with 90% and 92% of the recorded species associated with forest habitats, respectively. These results, along with the high species richness and the outstanding number of restricted-range species, make this landscape one of the most important conservation areas for butterflies in the Liberian biogeographical subregion including the Nimba Mountains and the Greater Gola Landscape on the Liberia-Sierra Leone border.

Connectivity and strategic opportunity to promote the establishment of private-owned protected areas in the Atlantic Forest (Serra do Mar and Bahia regions)

Private-owned protected areas (PPAs) can help to halt the biodiversity decline and be widely adopted in practice because of their ease of implementation. However, their effectiveness in the highly fragmented landscape may differ between regions, and therefore implementation of potential PPAs should be preceded by detailed spatial analyses of ecological connectivity. Here, we identify forest remnants that are connectivity priorities and represent opportunities for the potential establishment of additional PPAs. The study focuses on two biogeographical subregions (“Serra do Mar” and “Bahia”) of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, a biome that has been eroded by large-scale fragmentation. Our study shows that none of the forest remnants had a high opportunity for future PPAs in Bahia, even though one-third of the total area was identified as priorities. In contrast, 30% of forest remnants in the Serra do Mar had a high opportunity for future PPAs out of a total of 48% of forest remnants considered priorities. Therefore, our results suggest that the Serra do Mar has a large potential for the development of a network of PPAs in the future, which might not be the case in Bahia. Our findings highlight the need to combine the underlying natural connectivity of a study system and opportunities to implement new private protected areas as key ingredients for a rapidly growing protected area network.

Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the Cabo Verde Islands

The Cabo Verde Islands, a tropical Atlantic archipelago west of Senegal, West Africa, is the southernmost part of Macaronesia, a biogeographic subregion that also includes the archipelagos of the Azores, Madeira, and the Canary Islands. We surveyed ants at 238 sites on the nine inhabited islands of Cabo Verde, collecting a total of 33 ant species, including 11 previously unreported species. Published, previously unpublished, and new records of ants from Cabo Verde now total 39 species. Only three species, Camponotus occasus, Cardiocondyla n. sp., and Monomorium boltoni, are known Cabo Verde endemics, though three unidentified species may also be endemics. An additional 24 species are apparently native to the Afrotropical and/or Palearctic biogeographic realms. Most are likely to be native to Cabo Verde, including Brachyponera sennaarensis, a widespread and conspicuous ant in sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East, well known for its painful sting. Nine of the Afrotropical/Palearctic species are well known tramp ants, widely spread around the world through human commerce: Cardiocondyla emeryi, Hypoponera punctatissima, Hypoponera ragusai, Pheidole megacephala, Strumigenys membranifera, Technomyrmex pallipes, Tetramorium caldarium, Tetramorium simillimum, and Trichomyrmex destructor. It is unclear which of these species are native to Cabo Verde and which are exotic. Seven ant species thought to originate in the Indomalay and/or Australasian realms are almost certainly exotic to Cabo Verde: Cardiocondyla obscurior, Monomorium floricola, Paratrechina longicornis, Strumigenys emmae, Syllophopsis sechellensis, Tapinoma melanocephalum, and Tetramorium bicarinatum. Finally, two species, Brachymyrmex cordemoyi and Solenopsis globularia, are the only ants found in Cabo Verde known to be exotic New World species. Records of six previously reported species, Cardiocondyla nigra, Carebara vorax, Lepisiota capensis, Pheidole punctulata, Solenopsis innota, and Technomyrmex albipes, appear to be misidentifications of Cardiocondyla n. sp., Solenopsis orbula, Lepisiota canescens, Pheidole megacephala, Solenopsis globularia, and Technomyrmex pallipes, respectively. Tramp ants, which are extremely common in Cabo Verde, have probably had a great impact on the endemic and native ants. In fact, M. boltoni may now be extinct, exterminated by P. megacephala, a highly destructive invasive ant species, which was the most commonly collected ant in Cabo Verde. Numerous Cabo Verde residents reported being attacked by another invasive tramp ant, Trichomyrmex destructor. Given the number of species we found two or fewer times (14 of 39 species), we expect that multiple ant species probably remain undetected.

Checklist and Distribution of Calanoida (Crustacea: Copepoda) in Kazakhstan (Central Asia)

This work aims to analyze the zoogeographic distribution of Calanoida in Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan belongs to the Palaearctic region, and its territory is ascribed to the European–Siberian and Nagorno–Asian biogeographical subregions. The European–Siberian subregion includes the Volga–Ural, Irtysh, and Turkestan–Aral provinces. The Balkhash province belongs to the Nagorno–Asian subregion. Studies of the Calanoida fauna were carried out between 1997 and 2019. For this purpose, 7250 zooplankton samples were taken in 130 different water bodies. Findings of 26 species of Calanoida have been documented. The richest in species composition (20) is the Calanoida fauna of the Irtysh province. Ten Calanoida species have been recorded in the Volga–Ural province, 8 in the Turkestan–Aral province, 7 in the Balkhash province, and 5 in the Ponto–Caspian region. The distribution of the species richness of the order is determined by a complex of climatic factors, including the density of the hydrographic network, a variety of hydrochemical conditions, and accidental acclimatization of species. Far Eastern species (Sinodiaptomus sarsi, Neutrodiaptomus incongruens, Neodiaptomus schmackeri) entered the inland water bodies of Kazakhstan, most likely through the introduction of non-native fish species. The Black Sea species Acartia tonsa and Calanipeda aquaedulcis were introduced into the Caspian Sea with ballast waters. Three autochthonous species (Limnocalanus macrurus, Eurytemora grimmi, Eurytemora minor), formerly inhabiting the Caspian Sea, can now be considered extinct. Acanthodiaptomus denticornis, Arctodiaptomus (R.) salinus, Phyllodiaptomus blanci, and Eudiaptomus graciloides are widespread in the region. Endemic species (Gigantodiaptomus irtyshensis, Arctodiaptomus naurzumensis) and species are new for Kazakhstan (Diaptomus (Chaetodiaptomus) mirus, Eudiaptomus transylvanicus, Arctodiaptomus dentifer, A. (Rh.) ulomskyi were found in small waterbodies; they are known only from single occurrence sites as well as Eurytemora caspica. The last one was described from the northern part of the Caspian Sea, in the coastal zone. Further research into small water bodies that are poorly studied may expand our knowledge of the diversity of Calanoida in Kazakhstan. Calanoida fauna of Kazakhstan was closest to the fauna of countries with a continental climate and most strongly differed from countries with subtropical and Mediterranean types of climates.

Recent Progress in Taxonomic Studies, Biogeographic Analysis, and Revised Checklist of Amphibians in Indochina

The Indochinese Peninsula is recognized as one of the key global biodiversity hotspots. The amphibian fauna of Indochina (including Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Thailand) is one of the richest in the world. About 60% of the known species were described within the last 20 years. We review the literature and our data to assess all recent discoveries and taxonomic changes and compile the first annotated checklist of the amphibian fauna of Indochina since the middle of the 20th century, including updated faunal lists for Vietnam and Thailand. Amphibian checklists for Laos and Cambodia are published for the first time. For each species we provide the following information: scientific name; recommended common name in English; information on type specimens; type locality; data on its distribution within Indochina and beyond; IUCN conservation status; taxonomic comment and the most important references. We review the distribution of each species across the 23 biogeographic subregions of Indochina, estimate the similarity among the regional faunas and evaluate their species richness and endemism. In total we record 423 amphibian species belonging to three orders, 11 families and 71 genera; 199 species (47%) are endemic to Indochina. Comprising 270 known species, the amphibian fauna of Vietnam is the richest (98 endemics, 36.3%), followed by Thailand with 194 species (29 endemics, 14.9%), Laos with 121 species (13 endemics, 10.7%), and Cambodia with 72 species (6 endemics, 8.3%). A cluster analysis of faunal similarity between the subregions shows two major assemblages, divided by the Isthmus of Kra. Within the northern mainland portion of Indochina three clusters can be distinguished: (1) northeastern and northwestern uplands of Vietnam and northern Laos; (2) Northern, Central, and Southern Annamites, the Bolaven Plateau, and central-south Vietnam lowlands; (3) western Indochinese subregions. We identify the Northeast and Northwest Uplands of Vietnam, the Northern, Central and Southern Annamites, the Cardamom Mountains, the mountains of Northeast Thailand, Northern Tenasserim and southern Peninsular Thailand as nine major centers of diversity and endemism of Indochinese amphibians. The analysis of amphibian distribution patterns across Indochina suggests the presence of 14 chorotypes grouped in five major range types. Our results underline the role of Indochina as a key area for amphibian diversity and conservation. Among 423 species of Indochinese amphibians, 152 species (35.9%) were considered as data deficient (DD) or were not evaluated (NE) according to the IUCN Red List criteria; while 76 species (18.0%) were considered vulnerable (VU), endangered (EN) or critically endangered (CR), 20 species (4.7%) were considered to be near threatened (NT), and 175 species (41.4%) to be of the least concern (LC). Our study thus has implications for further conservation efforts on regional and global levels, as well as for understanding the biogeographic patterns of amphibian richness and endemism in Asia.

Preface

During the Covid-19 Pandemic, all the activities including seminars, symposiums, and other academic events have been affected. All the meeting has to be conducted virtually using digital technology and was broadcasted entirely online. The International Conference on Biodiversity Conservation hosted by Pattimura University also has to be conducted online and was held on 14 November 2020 in Ambon. The keynote and invited speakers come from many different parts of the world, some from Indonesia, some from French, Netherland, England, Japan, Australia with a different time zone. Adjust have to be made to accommodate this time difference, luckily all running well.The Keynote speaker, Prof. Jatna Supriatna, M.Sc. Ph.D., from the Department of Biology and also the Chairman of Research Center for Climate Change of the University of Indonesia led the speak on Biodiversity Conservation emphasizing on Wallacea Biodiversity Hotspot. Wallacea hotspot as the islands in the Indonesian archipelago and Timor-Leste between the Sunda and Sahul continental shelves. This region covers an area of 33.8 million hectares and comprises three biogeographic subregions: Maluku, Lesser Sundas, and Sulawesi. This area is high in biodiversity but under threaten at the same time. The loss of biodiversity is eminent and accelerating despite the recognition that it is a key element of the environment. The Keynote speaker was given 30 minutes time presentation and 20 minutes for discussion in the plenary session. The invited speaker either from Indonesia, Netherland, England, French, Australia, Japan delivered their topics covering many interesting topics such as fisheries management, E-DNA, coral reef management, marine protected area. Each invited speaker was given 15 minutes talk and 10 minutes for Q&A. A questionnaire list was delivered electronically to participants to write down their question and send it back to the moderator to read the question.During the parallel session, 25 presenters from different parts of Indonesia gave their talk. The parallel session was divided into three groups. Each presenter was given 10 minutes talk and 5 minutes for discussion. During the Q&A session, the questionnaire sheet was delivered electronically to each person to write down their question and send it back to the moderator that will read the question. Diverse issues were raised during the parallel session covering the vulnerability of some marine fish resources, the health condition index of coral reef, the conceptual model in fisheries management, the productivity of the marine environment, the coral reef diversity in the small island, sustainability of the capture-based fishery, community participation on mangrove management, water pollution and many more. It is realized that integrated and collaborative research covering many different topics has to be done concerning biodiversity conservation.List of Committee, International Scientific Board, Local Editor And Reviewer, Organizing Committee are available in this pdf.

Taxonomic richness and host range of tropical Asian mussel‐associated mite assemblages (Acari: Unionicolidae) with a description of a new subgenus and species of parasitic mite from freshwater pearl mussels (Unionida: Margaritiferidae)

Freshwater pearl mussels (Bivalvia: Margaritiferidae) are among the most imperiled groups of animals globally. While the parasites and symbionts of the Margaritiferidae are rather poorly known, these mussels were thought to be free of parasitic mites (Acari: Unionicolidae: Unionicola). Here, we report on the discovery of a mite species being associated with the endangered freshwater pearl mussel Gibbosula laosensis (Lea, 1863) from Myanmar. This species, Unionicola (Gibbosulicola) sella subgen. & sp. nov., morphologically resembles mites belonging to the subgenera Coelaturicola and Fulleratax (African and Southeast Asian groups, respectively). Our novel discovery expands the host range of Unionicola mites and reveals that all freshwater mussel families of the order Unionida host these aquatic mites. Our phylogenetic research and available published data reveal that the mussel-associated mite assemblage in Southeast and South Asia contains not less than 17 species and 8 subgenera. Currently, the regional taxonomic richness of this group seems to be largely underestimated. We found that mussel mites from Southeast Asia are narrow host specialists, which are known to occur in a single or a few closely related species belonging to one or two sister genera of freshwater mussels. Finally, our results indicate that mussel mites share generally restricted ranges and that their distribution patterns in Southeast Asia are largely congruent with the boundaries of biogeographic subregions delineated on the basis of phylogenetic studies of freshwater mussels.

The advertisement call of Boana freicanecae (Carnaval amp; Peixoto, 2004) (Anura: Hylidae), an endemic and poorly known treefrog from northeastern Brazil.

Boana freicanecae is a medium-sized hylid (males SVL= 37.3-42.2 mm) belonging to the B. pulchella group (Carnaval Peixoto 2004). This species is associated with streams in Atlantic montane forests (450-750 m elevation) located from the Pernambuco Biogeographic Sub-Region (Silva Casteleti 2003), in the states of Pernambuco and Alagoas, northeastern Brazil (Carnaval Peixoto 2004; Cardoso et al. 2006). Currently, B. freicanecae is classified as 'Data Deficient' according to the Brazilian Red List of Threatened species (ICMBio 2018) and many aspects of its natural history (e.g., advertisement call) are poorly known. Here we describe the advertisement call of this treefrog based on calls obtained from two populations.

Expansion of Vertebrate Pest Exclusion Fencing and Its Potential Benefits for Threatened Fauna Recovery in Australia.

Simple SummaryGlobally, there is a need to preserve threatened species before they disappear. The management of these species is often aided, particularly in Australia, by the addition of exclusion fences that prevent the movement of invasive or pest predators and competitors into the conservation area. Widespread use of conservation fences is limited by the availability of suitable conservation land and the relatively high costs of such fencing. Here, we discuss the potential conservation benefit of pest exclusion fences erected on agricultural land. We assess the spatial overlap of existing agricultural exclusion fences (known as “cluster fences”) with the potential habitat of listed threatened species and consider whether or not identified threats to these species are potentially alleviated within cluster fences. We find that there are several species that face threats which may be alleviated with cluster fences and propose that active recovery of threatened species on fenced agricultural land be seriously considered.The global effort to conserve threatened species relies heavily on our ability to separate these species from the processes that threaten them, and a common tool used for this purpose is exclusion fencing. In Australia, pest animal exclusion fencing has been repeatedly used on conservation land on a small scale to successfully exclude introduced predators and competitors from threatened native fauna populations. However, in recent years, “cluster fencing” on agricultural land has re-emerged on a large scale and is used by livestock producers seeking to reduce predation losses by dingoes (Canis familiaris) and manage total grazing pressure from native and introduced herbivores, including red kangaroos (Osphranter rufus). Given that the primary threats to at-risk native fauna are also predation and overgrazing, there may be potential for cluster fencing on livestock land to achieve additional fauna conservation benefits. Understanding the amount, location and potential conservation value of cluster fenced livestock land is critical for determining how these areas might contribute to broader threatened fauna recovery goals. Drawing from publicly available databases maintained by the Australian Government, we assessed the spatial overlap of threatened species’ distributions with 105 cluster fences erected in Queensland since 2013, which cover 65,901 km2 of land. These cluster fenced areas represent 18 biogeographic subregions and may contain 28 extant threatened mammals, birds and reptiles including 18 vulnerable species, 7 endangered species and 3 critically endangered species. An average of nine threatened species or their habitats were identified per cluster, and over three quarters (78.6%) of these species face at least one threat that is being mitigated within clusters. The true status of threatened and pest species within clusters is largely unknown or unrecorded in most cases, but some examples of pest eradication and threatened species recovery are already emerging. Given the vast size of the cluster fenced estate, the many different biomes and species that it represents and the nature of the threats being removed within these fenced areas, we contend that agricultural cluster fencing may offer an unprecedented opportunity to advance threatened fauna conservation goals for some species at scales previously thought impossible and should be a research priority for threatened species managers.

The advertisement call of Physalaemus caete Pombal &amp;amp; Madureira, 1997 (Anura: Leptodactylidae: Leiuperinae), an endangered species endemic to Brazil’s northern Atlantic Forest

Foam-nesting frogs of the genus Physalaemus Fitzinger, 1826 have been long known for their diverse acoustic patterns (e.g., Barrio 1965; Bokermann 1966). Of the 49 species, the vocalizations of only three remain unknown to date (see Table 1 of Hepp Pombal 2020): P. caete Pombal Madureira, 1997, P. deimaticus Sazima Caramaschi, 1988, and P. insperatus Cruz, Cassini Caramaschi, 2008. Physalaemus caete is rare and narrowly distributed in Brazil's northern Atlantic Forest (Santos et al. 2016; Bernardo et al. 2017; Haddad et al. 2018), and an explosive breeder (EMS pers. obs.). For those reasons the species is classified in the endangered category of Brazil's red list of threatened species (ICMBio, 2018). Physalaemus caete was described in the late 1990s from the coastal region of the Brazilian state of Alagoas (Passo do Camaragibe) and reported for a second locality in Alagoas (Murici; Pombal Madureira 1997). Recently, the distribution was extended to a third locality (Paulista, state of Pernambuco; Santos et al. 2016). The distribution range of P. caete coincides with the "Pernambuco endemism center", a biogeographic subregion of coastal Atlantic Forest north of the São Francisco River (sensu Silva Casteli 2003). Here we describe the advertisement call of the Pernambuco population of P. caete and make comparisons with calls of congeners.

New freshwater mussel taxa discoveries clarify biogeographic division of Southeast Asia

While a growing body of modern phylogenetic research reveals that the Western Indochina represents a separate biogeographic subregion having a largely endemic freshwater fauna, the boundaries of this subregion are still unclear. We use freshwater mussels (Unionidae) as a model to reconstruct spatial patterns of freshwater biogeographic divides throughout Asia. Here, we present an updated freshwater biogeographic division of mainland Southeast Asia and describe 12 species and 4 genera of freshwater mussels new to science. We show that the Isthmus of Kra represents a significant southern biogeographic barrier between freshwater mussel faunas of the Western Indochina and Sundaland subregions, while the Indian and Western Indochina subregions are separated by the Naga Hills, Chin Hills, and Rakhine Yoma mountain ranges. Our findings highlight that the freshwater bivalve fauna of Southeast Asia primarily originated within three evolutionary hotspots (Western Indochina, Sundaland, and East Asian) supplemented by ancient immigrants from the Indian Subcontinent.