Cosmopolitan Elements Research Articles

Biogeographic analysis of Jurassic–Early Cretaceous wood assemblages from Gondwana

The terrestrial biogeography of Gondwana during Jurassic–Early Cretaceous times is poorly resolved, and the flora is usually considered to have been rather uniform. This is surprising given the size of Gondwana, which extended from the equator to the South Pole. Documenting Gondwanan terrestrial floristic provincialism in the Jurassic–Early Cretaceous times is important because it provides a historical biogeographic context in which to understand the tremendous evolutionary radiations that occurred during the mid-Cretaceous. In this paper, the distribution of Jurassic–Early Cretaceous fossil wood is analysed at generic level across the entire supercontinent. Specifically, wood assemblages are analyzed in terms of five climatic zones (summer wet, desert, winter wet, warm temperate, cool temperate) established on the basis of independent data. Results demonstrate that araucarian-like conifer wood was a dominant, cosmopolitan element, whereas other taxa showed a greater degree of provincialism. Indeed, several narrowly endemic morphogenera are recognizable from the data. Finally, comparisons with Laurasian wood assemblages indicate strong parallelism between the vegetation of both hemispheres.

The helminth parasites of Melomys cervinipes (Rodentia : Muridae : Hydromyinae)

Melomys cervinipes Gould is one of four melomys species native to Australia. There have been no systematic surveys of parasite distribution and prevalence, or parasite community structure, for any species of Melomys. We present a comprehensive summary of the parasites of M. cervinipes by location in Queensland and northern New South Wales from published records, examination of museum specimens and data from an intensive sampling of hosts from four localities within central Queensland. An updated list prepared on the basis of these data and other published records is included.New host records include one cestode (Riallietina celebensis), one trematode (Platynosomum australiense) and 21 nematodes. Trichostrongyloid nematodes (Odilia spp.) were the dominant helminth group, with Odilia melomyos (Mawson, 1960) and O. mackerrasae (Mawson, 1960) being the core components of the helminth community. The structure of this community, with endemic and cosmopolitan elements, appears to have developed through both coevolution of hosts and parasites and host-switching events. Multidimensional scaling analysis of parasites from four central Queensland localities suggests considerable differences in community composition on a relatively small spatial scale. An island locality had a significantly different community structure and greater species diversity than nearby mainland sites. These results emphasise the importance of comparative studies of parasites among localities, and especially between island and mainland communities.

Floristic and biogeographic considerations about the benthic macroalgal flora in the Gulf of Taranto

Biogeographia vol. XXV - 2004 (Printed December, 30 q’ 2004) Marine Biogeography of the Mediterranean Sea: patterns and dynamics of biodiversity Floristic and biogeographic considerations about the benthic macroalgal flora in the Gulf ofTarar1to ESTER CECERE, AN TONELLA PETROCELLI Istimto Ambiente Mrz7*i7zo Costiem (MMC) — CNR. — Sezimze dzq Trznmto — Trzlrzsrogmfico q/1. Cerrzttf’, Via Roma, 3, 74100 Trmmto (Italy) e-mail: e5ter.ceeere @irzmc.cnr. it Key words: alien seaweeds, biogeography, C1111/wpn rrzcemam var. qy/irztlrzzcetz, GulfoFTaranto, Mediterranean Sea. S UMMARY A floristic research, based on both literature and collected data, was carried out on the seaweeds of the GulfofTaranto. 462 taxa determined at both a specific and an intraspecific level were found, among which 313 are Rhodophyta, 79 Phaeophyta, 70 Chlorophyra. From a biogeographic point of view, 48.7% of species belong to the Atlantic element, 14.6% to the Mediterranean element, 24.8 % to the Cosmopolitan element, 5.3 % to the Indc—Pacific element, 5.3% to the Circurntropical element and 1.4 % to the Circurnboreal one. Twelve alien species were recently collected, of which Cnulerpzz mcemwzz var. Ly/inrlmtm and .H}7merz cornutzz proved to be invasive. INTRODUCTION For a long time, the knowledge of the marine benthic communities of the Gulf of Taranto, from both floristic and vegetational points of view, has been scarce and incomplete, being this sector of the upper Ionian Sea one of the least studied area of the Central Mediterranean Sea. The first published papers date back to the end of the nineteenth century (Piccone, 1896) and the beginning of the twentieth one (Bentivoglio, 1903). Afterwards, some papers were published about the seaweeds of the coasts of both the provinces ofTaranto (Pierpaoli, 1923; 1959; 1960; Mastrorilli, 1969) and Lecce (Solazzi, 1967; 1968; 1969; Pardi et al., 1988), respectively. However, most of these papers were short notes and reported just very few species. Only starting from the second half of the Eighties, a thorough study of the phytobenthic communities of the coasts near the town ofTaranto was planned. Its aim was both to evaluate the effects of urban and industrial pollution and to

Early Ordovician conodonts from far western New South Wales, Australia

Thirty species (representing 19 genera) of Early Ordovician conodonts are described and illustrated from Mount Arrowsmith and Koonenberry Gap in the northwestern part of New South Wales. One new genus, Cooperignathus, and the new species Oepikodus pincallyensis, are established. Acodus sp. cf. emanuelensis predominates in 35 samples from the Tabita Formation and upper beds of the underlying Yandaminta Quartzite at Mount Arrowsmith, associated with ramiform and pectiniform taxa including species of Cooperignathus, Prioniodus, Oepikodus, Erraticodon, and Baltoniodus. The Koonenberry Gap fauna is dominated by coniform species, particularly Protopanderodus nogamii, P. gradatus, and Scolopodus multicostatus. Both faunas span an age range from latest Bendigonian to Chewtonian (evae Zone); their compositional differences are probably related to slight variations in water depths and depositional environments. Species endemic to the shallow water Australian cratonic region, represented by Bergstroemognathus kirki, Triangulodus larapintinensis, Acodus sp. cf. emanuelensis and Prioniodus sp. cf. amadeus, support a correlation with Early Ordovician faunas of central and western Australia, particularly those from the lower Horn Valley Siltstone of the Amadeus Basin. Biogeographically significant species in the western New South Wales faunas include Cooperignathus nyinti, C. aranda and Scolopodus multicostatus, which provide linkages with counterparts in North America and South China. Cosmopolitan elements in the documented collections are represented by Cornuodus longibasis, Drepanoistodus basiovalis, and Scolopodus quadratus. Only one species, Scalpellodus latus, from Mount Arrowsmith appears to be otherwise confined to Baltoscandia (northern Europe).

Side-Necked Turtle Lower Jaws (Podocnemididae, Bothremydidae) from the Late Cretaceous Maevarano Formation of Madagascar

Two lower jaws from the upper part (early Maastrichtian) of the late Cretaceous Maevarano Formation in the Mahajanga Basin, northwestern Madagascar, are identified as belonging to side-necked turtles (Pleurodira). A nearly complete lower jaw is identified as cf. Erymnochelys because of its close resemblance to the living Malagasy Erymnochelys madagascariensis. Both uniquely possess the combination of a posteriorly directed processus retroarticularis and a nearly identical triturating surface that is narrow anteriorly with a horizontal labial ridge and a dorsally rising lingual ridge. A second specimen, consisting of an incomplete symphyseal region, is questionably identified as Bothremydidae on the basis of a thick wedge-shaped symphysis with partial or complete pits on the rami. The cf. Erymnochelys specimen is the oldest record of Erymnochelys or a taxon very similar to it, and it indicates the persistence of a Mesozoic element in the extant Malagasy turtle fauna. The possible bothremydid jaw suggests a more cosmopolitan element now extinct.

Floristic features of Damietta area in the north east Nile Delta, Egypt.

Floristic features of three habitat types in the Damietta Governorate namely: field crops, orchards and canal banks aredescribed. The study habitats include 171 species related to 128 genera, grouped under 44 families with Gramineaeattaining 36 species (21.05%), Compositae 21 species (12.28%) and Chenopodiaceae 15 species (8.77%), these arethe main families. The recorded species comprise 98 annual species (57.31%), 8 biennial species (4.68%) and 65perennial species (38.01%). The annual species are classified under three categories as follows: a) all year activeannuals (14 species, b) winter-spring active annuals (64 species) and c) summer-autumn active annuals (20 species).According to the life-form spectrum the recorded species are classified into: therophytes (60.23%),cryptophytes (22.22%), chamaeophytes (7.60%), hemicryptophytes (7.02%), nanophanerophytes (1.75%) andparasites (1.17%).The floristic analysis of the study area reveals that, the Mediterranean elements (mono, bi - pluriregional)include 81 taxa (47.36%), Cosmopolitan element 28 species (16.37%), Palaeotropical 22 species (12.68%) andPantropical 21 species (12.28%). These represent the major chorotypes. The other floristic categories are poorlyrepresented. This indicates that, the study area is obviously belong to the Mediterranean Territory with the enteranceof other elements to the area.

A mid-Cambrian shelly fauna from Ritland, western Norway and its palaeogeographical implications

A new mid-Cambrian shelly fauna from Ritland, western Norway, significantly extends the known development of the Andrarum limestone facies to the edge of the Baltic craton. The assemblage includes the trilobitesAxagnostus fallax (Linnarsson), Solenopleura bucculenta Grönwall, Anomocare cf. laeve (Angelin) and abundant, etched specimens of the linguliformean brachiopod Treptotreta? socialis (von Seebach) together withDictyonina ornatella (Linnarsson); the fauna indicates the presence of the Jincella brachymetopa Zone and also includes hyoliths, bradoriid crustaceans and sponge spicules. Elsewhere the trilobites and brachiopods have widespread distributions in amphicratonic settings during this part of the mid-Cambrian; the Scandinavian faunas signal the inshore migration of these more cosmopolitan elements, tracking the shallower-water development of calcareous facies of the Andrarum Limestone.

Early cretaceous calcareous algae of the mid-pacific mountains

Calcareous algae from Resolution guyot (Mid-Pacific Mountains) recovered during leg 143 of the Ocean Drilling Program, are recorded from Late Hauterivian ?/Barremian to Albian strata. Identified taxa pertain mainly to: Dasycladales and Caulerpales ( Chlorophyta) as well as Peyssonelliaceae, Solenoporaceae and Gymnocodiaceae (Rhodophyta). The Late Hauterivian?-Barremian interval yielded: Carpathoporella fontis, Suppiluliumaella sp., Salpingoporella cf. biokovensis, Terquemella cf. endoi, Polystrata alba and a form tentatively ascribed to Archamphiroa? carpiana. The Late Aptian-Albian produced Salpingoporella hasi, Salpingoporella milovanovici, Montiella cf. elitzae, Russoella cf. radoiciciae, forms belonging to the Suppiluliumaella-Triploporella group., Neomeris sp., Boueina sp., Solenopora urgoniana and Polystrata alba. All these taxa have a palaeobiogeographie Mediterranean meaning and show the same stratigraphic range as those known from the Old World. Their occurrence indicates that during the Late Hauterivian?-Albian, the Western Pacific area was widely connected with the rest of the Mesogée, given the importance of cosmopolitan elements.

Florogeography of mire plants in southern part of qinghai-xizang plateau and its adjacent areas

The southern part of the Qinghai-Xizang (Tibet) Plateau and its adjacent area are rich in mire flora. There are 51 families, 101 genera and 220 species. The geographical compositions of this region are very complex, consisting of the following-geographical elements: tropic-subtropic elements approximating to 8.33% of the entire flora in the region, tropic-temperate elements 22.71%, temperate elements 43.18%, cosmopolitan elements 9.85%, the Qinghai-Xizang endemic elements 14.39%, north polemountain elements 1.51%. Temperate elements in this region are dominant. The dominant species of mires, Carex lasiocarpa, in this region is also found in northeast China, Finland and North America. The origin of mires of this region is earlier than northeast China and Finland. This shows that the southern part of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau and its adjacent areas may be the centre of the origin and distribution of temperate elements.

Lecanid rotifers (Rotifera: Monogononta: Lecanidae) from North-Eastern India

Thirty-five species of the family Lecanidae are examined from Tripura state in North-Eastern India. Of these, Lecane levistyla and L. scutata are interesting cold-water forms; L. batillifer is an Australasian element; L. acanthinula and L. sinuata are Oriental endemics and L. braumi, L. lateralis and L. simonneae are palaeotropical species. The lecanid fauna also includes the pantropical L. thienemanni and L. sola while the remainder are cosmopolitan and tropicopolitan elements.

Distribution of the weed communities in the North East Nile Delta, Egypt

AbstractThe weed flora associated with field crops and orchards in Dakahleya Province, NE Nile Delta, were classified using TWINSPAN technique into nine weed groups dominated by nine weed species. These groups comprised 73 weed species related to 27 families. These species included 56 annuals (75.7%) and 18 perennials (24.3%). The recorded species were formed of 22 monocots and 52 dicots, with Poaceae as the most represented family (23.0%).The application of the DECORANA technique resulted in a clear separation of the weed groups according to the seasonality of the host crops. Evironmental variables used in this study accounted for 84.3% of the variability of the weed groups composition.Chorological analysis of the recorded species indicated that the study area comprises 24.6% of its species as all the year active species, 32.9% as summer active and 42.5% as winter active species. The Mediterranean elements (mono, bi & pluriregional) presented 44.4%, while, cosmopolitan elements attained 23.6%. The Mediterranen weed species extending into the Euro‐Siberian territory attained higher presentation in the study area as compared to those species with Saharo‐Sindian extension.The ordination axis 1 showed significant relationships with soil clay, pH, water holding capacity, calcium carbonate and bicarbonate. Stepwise regression analysis selected clay, soil pH, water holding capacity, calcium carbonate and soil bicarbonate as the best set of predict – or variables of the weed species distribution in the study area. In the meantime, herbicide application and rate of hoeing were selected also as the best set of predictor variables of weed richness in the study area while calcium carbonate and silt were selected as the best set of predictor variables for weed diversity as measured by Shannon index.

Lower Devonian microvertebratesfrom Longmenshan; Sichuan; China: Preliminary report

Microvertebrates from Pragian-Emsian marine limestones of Longmenshan comprise dominant acanthodian andplacoderm scales; fewer chondrichthyan; actinopterygian and sarcopterygian remains. Preliminary assessment suggests close links with vertebrate communities elsewhere in southern China and eastern Australia; cosmopolitan elements also occur.

<strong>Floristics of the South American Páramo Moss Flora</strong>

The South American paramos appeared in Pliocene times and persist to the present day. The moss flora of this habitat consists of an estimated 400 species that comprise 8 floristic groups. In Venezuela these groups and their percent representation are as follows: neotropical 37%, Andean 26%, cosmopolitan 18%, Andean-African 8%, neotropical-Asiatic 3%, neotropical-Australasian 2%, temperate Southern Hemisphere 2% and northern boreal-temperate 2%. Acrocarpous taxa outnumber pleurocarps by nearly 3:1. The neotropical and Andean floristic stocks likely were present prior to late Pliocene orogenies that elevated the cordillera above climatic timberlines. These species may have existed in open, marshy areas (paramillos) or may have evolved from cloud forest ancestors. Taxa of northern boreal- temperate affinities, including those with Asiatic distributions, probably arrived in the paramos during the Pleistocene, a period which may also have seen the establishment in the Northern Andes of some cosmopolitan elements. Species with temperate Southern Hemisphere and Australasian affinities likely spread first to austral South America thence migrated northward during a cool, moist interval sometime over the past 2.5-3 million years or may have become established in the paramos as a result of long- distance dispersal.

Molluscan biogeography and biostratigraphy of the Tertiary of southeastern Australia

A zonation based on Mollusca for the Tertiary of southeastern Australia (Murray, Otway, Bass and Gippsland Basins) is proposed, consisting of a sequence of 18 informal assemblage zones ranging in age from Middle Paleocene to Late Pliocene. The assemblages are defined using the molluscan fauna of a typical locality which gives the name to the assemblage. Factors such as larval dispersal, molluscan distribution, provincial differences, facies variation and the nature of the Tertiary sequence, which affect correlation by means of molluscs, are discussed and have been taken into account when formulating the zones. Composition of the molluscan fauna of the southeastern Australian Province has been analysed under four headings, Australian-New Zealand element, Tethyan Indo-Pacific element, Endemic element, and Cosmopolitan element. The relative proportions of each element fluctuated with time and it is concluded that the Tethyan Indo-Pacific and Endemic elements increased with time at the expense of the Australi...

A numerical analysis of Tasmanian higher plant endemism

Tasmanian endemic plant taxa at the species level or below were placed in geographic elements according to the distribution of their genera. These elements are associated with different environments, the endemic and Antarctic elements being most prominent in rainforest and alpine communities; the cosmopolitan element in alpine communities, and the Australian element in the fire-prone lowland communities. The proportions of endemic species in local Tasmanian floras were almost totally explained by altitude and precipitation in a stepwise multiple regression analysis. However, it is possible that many of the endemic species have not been able to occupy their potential range in Tasmania as a result of insufficient time having elapsed for them to fully expand from glacial refugia.

Devonian Antiarch Biostratigraphy of China

SummaryDevonian Antiarchi in China are chiefly distributed in the S and W of the country. They are represented by 17 genera and more than 26 species, of which three genera are cosmopolitan, namely Asterolepis, Bothriolepis and Remigolepis. The early Devonian Antiarchi fauna, Yunnanolepis, Phymolepis, Zhanjilepis, is an East Asiatic fauna. The middle and late Devonian faunas are essentially endemic and associated with few cosmopolitan elements, their geological ages, however, are different from those of the cosmopolitan antiarch taxa elsewhere. As considered in the present study, six main antiarch assemblages occur: (1) Yunnanolepis-Qujinolepis assemblage (Lower Devonian), (2) Xichonolepis-Wudinolepis assemblage (Eifelian), (3) Hunanolepis tieni-Bothriolepis sinensis assemblage (Givetian), (4) Bothriolepis kwangtungensis-Bothriolepis lochangensis assemblage (Givetian), (5) Remigolepis spp. assemblages (Frasnian-Famennian), (6) Sinolepis-Asterolepis sinensis assemblage (Famennian).

TAFOFLÓRULA MONTE MOR DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO: SEUS ELEMENTOS E SEU SIGNIFICADO NO GONDWANA INFERIOR DO BRASIL

A study of the Monte Mor florula (Itu Formation, Tubarão Group in the State of São Paulo indicates that it is composed of gondwanic elements "mixed" with other boreal and cosmopolitan genera. Association of arborescent Lycopsida and Sphenopsida with Botrychiopsis, Rhacopteris, Adiantites, etc., and complete absence of Glossopterids point out a general Carboniferous age for the flora, posibly Westphalian-Stephanian. The same age was deduced by Trindade (1970). Ocurrence of cf. Leaia and eurypterid associated with Lepidodendron, Lycopodiopsis, Paracalamites, Sphenopteris and numerous seeds Cordaicarpus and araucaroid conifers such as Paranocladus may signify a lacustrine environment for deposition of plant fragments and, possibly, formation of Monte Mor coal beds. The state of preservation of megaplants showing decorticated stems corroborates this idea, since they are indicative of short transportation of the plant fragments and at least a semi-autoctone origin for the coal beds. The mixture of boreal and cosmopolitan elements in the Monte Mor taphoflorula could be explained by the existence of a zonal paleoclimatic differentiation during the Upper Carboniferous, leading to the migration of pioneer elements toward nearby continental masses.

The microbiology of cut-away peat

Fungi occurring commonly in cut-away peat were selected for autecological study, being chosen to represent both cosmopolitan and indigenous elements of the peat flora. A fungus alien to peat,Fusarium culmorum, was also included in the study. The germination in peat of the spores of these species and their ability to grow and colonise organic material added to peat were examined. It was concluded that the cosmopolitan element was composed of efficient saprophytes but that the ability of their spores to germinate in unamended peat was limited. Although Fusarium spores germinated, the germ tubes subsequently formed chlamydospores. Only spores of the indigenous peat fungi germinated well in peat but their growth habit was not suited to the colonisation and utilisation of organic matter, added to peat, in competition with the cosmopolitan flora. The concept of ‘source potential’ is introduced to explain the variance in fungal growth from different substrate bases.

Provincialism in Permian Faunas and Its Application to Paleoclimatic Evolutionary Biostratigraphic Studies: ABSTRACT

The faunal assemblages characteristic of the Boreal and Tethyan faunal provinces of the Permian can be identified objectively by cluster analysis. The Boreal assemblage at high taxonomic levels consists predominantly of cosmopolitan elements and includes few endemic forms. The Tethyan assemblage includes the cosmopolitan forms and a large group of endemics. Temperature sensitivity characterizes the endemic Tethyan forms, whereas the cosmopolitan types are relatively free of temperature control. Among brachiopod families, the ratio of cosmopolitan families found to the total number provides an excellent index of sampling efficiency at a reconnaissance level. The ratio: total number of brachiopod families minus number of cosmopolitan families found, divided by the number of cosmopolitan families found, provides a measure that is both temperature sensitive and self-normalizing for sampling efficiency. Thus, it can be used to reconstruct the Permian planetary temperature gradient. The available data suggest little or no N-S movement of continents, but E-W motion is not precluded. Permian and recent data show that evolution as seen at generic and higher levels proceeds more rapidly in warm than in cold regions. This phenomenon inevitably provides for the highest resolution in E-W correlations within the warm water region and for lower resolution in E-W correlations within the Boreal province and in N-S correlations between the Boreal and Tethyan provinces which must both depend on the slowly evolving cosmopolitan forms. Examination of well-controlled recent data suggests that correlations based on first occurrences of genera transgressed time where followed across temperature gradients. If this has been a general condition throughout geologic ti e, biostratigraphic time planes are inherently time transgressive across latitude gradients. End_of_Article - Last_Page 2507------------

ON THE FLORAL ELEMENTS OF THE SEMI‐ARID ZONES OF INDIA AND THEIR ECOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE

SummaryTwo zones of semi‐arid climate are recognized in India, one in the north contiguous with the desert of Thar, extending into Rajasthan, the Punjab and North Gujarat and the other in parts of the Deccan and Madras State in the south.Analysis of the flora of these regions reveals that seventeen types of floral elements are represented in these semi‐arid zones. The Southern zone has higher percentages of the Indian element and, to some extent, of the Indo‐Malayan. On the other hand, the northern zone is richer in the North African‐Indian Desert (Saharo‐Sindian) element. North African Steppe element and in the Mediterranean‐Oriental element. The elements of tropical and warm countries as well as the cosmopolitan element are equally frequent in both the zones. The percentage of the endemic element is very low in these regions, not exceeding 2.5%.The pattern of distribution of these floral elements is explained on the basis of the bioclimatic conditions prevailing in the Afro‐Asian continents.Finally, it is shown that contrasting seasonal aspects in the annual cycle of the climate—the alternation of a very long dry period with a short rainy season and of a cool and short‐day winter with a hot long‐day summer—permit the development of several floral elements.