Faunal List Research Articles

Upper Miocene molluscs of Monti Livornesi (Tuscany, Italy): Biotic changes across environmental gradients

The upper Miocene mollusc assemblages of Monti Livornesi, used as a means to study the nature of Mediterranean benthic communities at the edge of the Messinian salinity crisis, are framed in a high-resolution stratigraphic scheme and quantitatively approached by the study of historical museum collections and modern samples. Instead of a single assemblage from either Tortonian or Messinian age, as previously thought, this fauna comes from three consecutive shallowing-upward depositional sequences bounded by regional unconformities, the Luppiano (upper Tortonian-lowermost Messinian), Rosignano and Raquese units (early Messinian). Facies analysis, taphonomy and quantitative paleoecology show that the Luppiano assemblage is characterised by aragonitic species from a eutrophic brackish-water shallow marine muddy bottom, the Rosignano assemblage by calcitic species from an oligotrophic coarse-grained seafloor close to a coral reef and the Raquese assemblage from an open-marine muddy bottom. Published comparisons between Miocene and Pliocene faunal lists should be considered only crude estimates of faunal change until more is known about the distribution of species along paleoenvironmental gradients. The analysis of Miocene and Pliocene abundance data allows us to frame the Monti Livornesi molluscs along carbonate-siliciclastic and water depth gradients and to reach a better understanding of the effects of salinity crisis on the Mediterranean biota.

World Saldidae: Supplement (1987-2018) to the catalog and bibliography of the Leptopodomorpha (Heteroptera).

A supplement to the Saldidae section of the "Catalog and bibliography of the Leptopodomorpha (Heteroptera)" published by Schuh, Galil and Polhemus (1987: Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist. 323), is provided. A total of 30 genera and 307 species-group taxa (298 species, 9 subspecies) belonging to 3 tribes and 2 subfamilies of extant Saldidae, is recorded for the world. Changes to the 1987 catalogue are documented. The synonymy and type locality of taxa described between 1987 and 2018 are given. Under each genus, species, and subspecies, geographic distribution is broadly categorised following the terrestrial zoogeographic realms of Holt et al. (2013: Science 339). A summary of the geographic distribution of Saldidae genera is provided as well as faunistic lists of species-group taxa by zoogeographic realms.

A small caseid synapsid, Arisierpeton simplex gen. et sp. nov., from the early Permian of Oklahoma, with a discussion of synapsid diversity at the classic Richards Spur locality.

The fossil record of caseids, a clade of faunivorous to large herbivorous Permian synapsids, is unusual in having a poorly documented history. Although Kungurian caseids are common in the well-known continental deposits of North America, and the fossil record of the group extends into the middle Permian (Guadalupian), with the presence of the large caseid Ennatosaurus in the Mezen Basin faunal assemblage, only two other occurrences are known in older Permian age sediments. One is an undescribed caseid from the Bromacker Quarry in Germany, and the second is Oromycter from the lower Permian of Richards Spur, Oklahoma. The former is known from several articulated skeletons, but the latter is known only from a handful of skeletal elements, including elements of the snout and lower jaw, some phalanges, and a few vertebrae. Here the fragmentary tooth bearing elements and dorsal vertebrae of another small caseid from Richards Spur are described, with a discussion of its significance in the context of caseid evolution, and the continuously expanding faunal list and taxic diversity at this locality.

Aubenas-les-Alpes (S-E France). Part III – Last and final part of the mammalian assemblage with some comments on the palaeoenvironment and palaeobiogeography

The study of the new material from Aubenas-les-Alpes makes it possible to add to the faunal list taxa hitherto unknown in this locality (Neurogymnurus cayluxi, Issiodoromys minor, Eomys minor, Pseudocricetodon cf. hausi, Pseudocricetodon aff. philippi). New specimens of the shrew Srinitium marteli increase our knowledge of this rare insectivore. The characteristics of the theridomorph I. minor confirm, as does the whole rodent fauna, the correlation with the MP25 level (Late Rupelian). The assemblage of Aubenas-les-Alpes indicates a rather open and dry environment, in accordance with the Early Oligocene climatic context, but some differences compared to other localities of the same age are also noticed. Finally the mammalian assemblage suggests an ongoing biogeographic differentiation at European scale during the Late Rupelian.

A checklist of Israeli land vertebrates

Faunal lists are important tools in ecology, biogeography, and conservation planning. Such lists can identify gaps in our knowledge of the distribution and taxonomy of regional faunas, and highlight issues needing further study. We present an up to date list of all land vertebrates occurring in Israel. We identify 786 species, of which 551 are birds, 130 are mammals, 97 are reptiles and eight are amphibians. Of these 369 species breed in Israel (including reintroductions), 199 (mostly birds) are regular visitors and 182 are accidental. Fourteen other species are invasive, and 22 species are extinct. We identify issues with the taxonomy and status of several species, and note recent developments in our understanding the Israeli land vertebrate fauna.

Fish Otoliths from the Cabarruyan Piacenzian-Gelasian fauna found in the Philippines.

We studied fish otoliths from twelve sediment samples of a well-preserved late Pliocene to early Pleistocene fauna originally from the northwest Philippines that were originally deposited in relatively deepwater marine environment. The fish fauna is systematically described, its paleoenvironmental character is explored, and its diversity is analyzed. Four unknown species have been encountered: Parascombrops schwarzhansi n. sp., Maurolicus sp., Pteropsaron sp., and Priolepis sp., of which one is described as new species and three were left in open nomenclature as their local recent counterparts are not well known yet. In addition, a variant Benthosema, Benthosema aff. fibulatum, is described. Overall, fifty-three taxa of fish otoliths were found, of which eighteen were identified at the species level and an additional twenty-seven at the genus level. Most extant species nowadays occur around the Philippines in relatively deep water (about 200 m depth), which is congruent with earlier studies on mollusks and echinoderms from the same deposits. This is the first study on a fossil fish otolith assemblage from the Philippines. Its diversity is very high and analysis by rarefaction curves suggests that additional sampling would add more fish species to the presented fauna list.

The rediscovery of the Southern Swallowtail (Papilio alexanor Esper, 1799) in Bosnia & Herzegovina after 50 years of absence

The caterpillars of the Southern Swallowtail, Papilio alexanor have been recorded in the vicinity of Trebinje, Bosnia & Herzegovina. This is the first recent observation of this species in the country and the third observation so far. Opopanax chironium is confirmed as the larval host plant in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which was expected due to the recent observations from Croatia. Its status and distribution in the country are still not clear, and further surveys are recommended in order to reconfirm the historical records as well as to assess its current conservation status. Due to the limited extent of its occurrence, we propose to include it in the Red list of fauna of Bosnia & Herzegovina as Vulnerable (VU).

Ladybird beetles fauna (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) of the Republic of Mordovia, Russia

Ruchin AB, Egorov LV, Semishin GB. 2019. Ladybird beetles fauna (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) of the Republic of Mordovia, Russia. Biodiversitas 20: 316-327. The paper presents the first overview of Coccinellidae fauna of the Republic of Mordovia, Russia. Nowadays 46 species are reliably known in Mordovia. Of these, three species have firstly been registered in the Republic of Mordovia in recent years, namely Nephus bipunctatus, Hyperaspis erythrocephala, and Oenopia conglobata. In addition, three species were recommended to be excluded from the list of regional fauna.

Oribatid mite (Acari: Oribatida) communities of urban brownfields in Tallinn, Estonia, and their potential as bioindicators of wasteland successional stage

Urban brownfields are ecologically valuable ecosystems that have been and are under various anthropogenic influences. Because brownfields are subject to rapid development in urban areas, their biological communities, including soil mesofauna, are overlooked and seldom researched, even though they could provide valuable insight into the ecological functioning of these areas. This exploratory study describes the community characteristics of oribatid mite fauna of 12 brownfields in Tallinn, Estonia, and analyzes the potential of oribatid mites as bioindicators of brownfield successional stage. This study provides the first faunistic list of oribatid mites from the brownfields of Tallinn. No significant changes in species abundance or richness depending on the successional stage were discovered. While some changes in community structure were noted, due to low overall abundance, no clear indicators of brownfield successional stage were identified. For future research on urban brownfield oribatid fauna with the intention of finding potential bioindicators of brownfield properties, increasing the sampling size and inclusion of other groups of soil mesofauna is recommended.

New species of Neocorynura Schrottky from Brazil (Hymenoptera: Apoidea).

Neocorynura Schrottky is one of the most speciose genera in the Augochlorini with about 80 species. Neocorynura is primarily distributed in the Neotropical region, from Argentina to Mexico. New species have been described recently, but the Brazilian fauna has not been studied at the same rate. Thus, the objective of this study is to provide a revision of Neocorynura species from Brazil. More than 2,500 specimens were studied along with the examination of primary type specimens and/or high resolution photographs of type material. A total of 44 species were recognized, 24 new species are added to the fauna and figured as N. acuta sp.nov., N. aethra sp.nov., N. amabilis sp.nov., N. arethusa sp.nov., N. aurantia sp.nov., N. carmenta sp.nov., N. dictyata sp.nov., N. eliasi sp.nov., N. hebe sp.nov., N. hyalina sp.nov., N. insolita sp.nov., N. laevistriata sp.nov., N. lamellata sp.nov., N. meloi sp.nov., N. nambikwara sp.nov., N nicolle sp.nov., N. olivacea sp.nov., N perfida sp.nov., N. pilosifacies sp.nov., N. proserpina sp.nov., N. rubicunda sp.nov., N. surrufa sp.nov., N. truncata sp.nov., and N. veneta sp.nov. I designate the lectotype for Corynura oiospermi Schrottky and consider this name as a junior synonym of Halictus codion Vachal. Augochloropsis celaeno Schrottky is considered a junior synonym of Corynura pseudobaccha Cockerell. Casosoma semimarginata Cockerell is resurrected from synonymy with Cacosoma aenigma Gribodo. Neocorynura aenigma (Gribodo) and Neocorynura caligans (Vachal) are removed from the faunal list for Brazil. Half of species recognized here are known only for the female. The males of N. atromarginata (Cockerell), N. cuprifrons (Smith), N. dilutipes (Vachal), N. erinnys (Schrottky), N. melamptera (Moure), N. roxane (Schrottky) and N. semimarginata (Cockerell) and females of N. iopodion (Vachal) and N. jucunda (Smith) are described for the first time. Identification keys to females and males are presented.

Karpackie badania Józefa Dziędzielewicza

Carpathian Research by Józef Dziędzielewicz This paper presents an outline of the history of entomological research by Józef Dziędzielewicz, a long-year collaborator of the Cracow Scientific Society and the Academy of Arts and Sciences, that was conducted by him in the Carpathians at the turn of the 20th century. Dziędzielewicz was a self-taught expert in natural sciences. Thanks to research and publication, he became an authority on a European scale in the field of insects from the Neuropterida clade, which are currently categorised into a few separate orders. Most of his research works concerned caddisflies (Trichoptera) and dragonflies (Odonata). During many years of his research, Dziędzielewicz made an extraordinary contribution to the knowledge of the world of Carpathian insects. He was one of the most outstanding entomologists both in the history of Polish and European science. He was known as an excellent taxonomist and morphologist, and he introduced a number of new species into science. He collaborated with many European entomologists, particularly with Professor František Klapálek from Prague. He conducted field research on the fauna and distribution of Neuropterida in the Eastern Carpathians in Pokuttya, Podolia, Silesia, the Tatras and in the large part of Outer Subcarpathia. Apart from fauna lists and taxonomic reflections, his works contain many elements from the field of zoogeography and biology of insects. He also promoted the use of Polish generic names, sometimes creating new ones. He described several newly discovered species from the Trichoptera order.

Une nouvelle perspective dans l'étude des crinoïdes (Crinoidea, Echinodermata) : Un exemple du Jurassique inférieur du Monténégro

Lower Jurassic (Hettangian-Pliensbachian) shallow-marine ooidal limestones of southern Montenegro contain a large number of isocrinid ossicles. They are assigned to the following taxa: Isocrinus psilonoti (Quenstedt), Isocrinus sp., and Pentacrinites cf. fossilis Blumenbach. The echinoderm assemblage also yields cyrtocrinid ossicles (Cotylederma sp., Cyrtocrinina indet.) and echinoid spines (only spotted in thin sections); however, these elements are rare. Given the fact that the recorded assemblage comes from a single locality, there is a growing need for further research that will require intense sampling to compile and complete the faunal list of crinoids and other echinoderm taxa.

Latonia gigantea (Lartet, 1851) remains and other herpetological observations from the middle Pleistocene Esztramos 6 locality (Aggtelek–Rudabánya Mountains, North Hungary)

The fossil material of Esztramos 6 palaeovertebrate locality has been revised in this study with special regard to its herpetofauna. Result of this study has shown the presence of the species Latonia gigantea and the fauna list of the locality has been expanded by amphibian, reptilian, and mammalian taxa. Considering diff erences of the mammalian fauna the Esztramos 6 lower and upper sites are probably not coeval, however their palaeoenvironment shows similarities. With 23 figures and 1 table.

Does the use of reference organisms in radiological impact assessments provide adequate protection of all the species within an environment?

Non-human biota in radiological risk assessment is typically evaluated using Reference Organisms (ROs) or Reference Animals and Plants (RAPs), for all exposure situations. However, it still remains open whether the use of an increased number of species would improve the ability to demonstrate protectiveness of the environment. In this paper, the representativeness of a broader list of fauna is tested in terms of the geometrical characteristics and habits for radiological risk assessments in the case of routine discharges from a nuclear installation: the Cadarache centre. A list of terrestrial animal species, compiled from ecological inventories carried out around it was evaluated.A first survey around the centre inventoried >400 terrestrial fauna species, which were then filtered to reduce the number to 28 species for which dose assessments were carried out. Despite the differences between geometries for those site-specific species and the ROs (including RAPs), the absorbed dose rates calculated for both were very close (within a factor of two). Regardless of the studied organism, the absorbed dose rates calculated for the discharge scenario were mainly related to internal exposure, particularly for tritium (3H) and carbon 14 (14C), showing that there would be an acceptable dose rates difference between species from the same organism group. Additionally, sensitivity analyses were conducted to determine if the use of generic, predefined ROs was enough to assure an adequate protection of endangered species. It was observed that for every radionuclide the difference between assessments for site-specific species and ROs are unlikely to exceed a factor of 3. Hence, the result of this evaluation indicates that the use of generic ROs for non-human biota radiological risk assessment covers sufficiently other species, including endangered ones.

The Pygmy White-Toothed Shrew (Suncus etruscus (Savi (1822)): A Species New to the Fauna of Russia

The known records of the pygmy white-toothed shrew (Suncus etruscus) in the regions of the Kabardino-Sunzhenskii mountain ridge in North Ossetia and the Terskii mountain ridge in Ingushetia are reviewed. The species identity of these animals is confirmed through dental system and morphometric analyses. The history of studies of this species in the Caucasus region is recovered. As a result of these studies, the faunal list of the Russian Federation is enriched with the pygmy white-toothed shrew.

The Vallesian bovid association from the Ouranopithecus-bearing site of Xirochori-1 (Axios Valley, Greece)

The study of the bovid assemblage from the primate-bearing site of Xirochori-1 in Axios Valley, Northern Greece, reveals the presence of four taxa, namely Gazella sp., Ouzocerus cf. pentalophosi, Helladorcas sp. and ‘Protoryx’ sp., and allows updating the faunal list of the Xirochori-1 Vallesian mammal fauna, dated at around 9.6 Ma. Gazella sp. from Xirochori-1 is distinct from Gazella sp. from the late Early Vallesian fauna from Pentalophos-1, suggesting the presence of two gazelle lineages in the Vallesian of Greece, the former possibly related to the Turolian Gazella pilgrimi. The solid evidence of Ouzocerus and Helladorcas in Xirochori-1 extends the ranges of these two genera into the Late Vallesian of Greece, whereas the presence of a large bovid of the ‘Protoryx group’ increases the signal of caprine-like bovids in the Vallesian of the area. The revision of the Xirochori-1 bovids allows reconsidering the changes through time of the artiodactyl assemblage associated with the hominoid primate Ouranopithecus.

Psallusthomashenryi sp. n. and Psalluslucanicus from Turkey (Hemiptera, Heteroptera, Miridae).

Psallus (Psallus) thomashenryisp. n. (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Miridae: Phylinae: Phylini: Phylina) is described from southern Anatolia, Turkey. Illustrations of the dorsal habitus and male genitalia are provided. Its habitus is similar to other uniformly orange species of the subgenus Psallus Fieber, 1858, particularly P.asthenicus Seidenstücker, 1966 from which it can be easily distinguished by the combination of extremely small size (2.3 mm in both sexes) and different morphology of the vesica. Psallus (Psallus) lucanicus Wagner, 1968 is recorded for the first time from Turkey. Psallus (Psallus) aurora (Mulsant & Rey, 1852) is removed from the list of Turkish fauna based on a reevaluation of the voucher specimen. An updated checklist of the species of Psallus known to occur in Turkey is provided. The relevance of Anatolia and the Syro-anatolian-transcaucasian region in the Palearctic distribution of Psallus is discussed. The westernmost record of another mirid, Plagiognathusmarivanensis Linnavuori, 2010, is provided.

Early Miocene mammal assemblages from the Campisano ravine in the Ribesalbes-Alcora Basin (E Spain)

We present 45 new paleontological sites with fossil mammals, their faunal lists and the syntethic stratigraphic column from the Campisano ravine in the Araia/Mas de Antolino outcrop (Ribesalbes-Alcora Basin; Valencian Community, E Spain). The synthetic stratigraphic column of this basin is divided into five units, named A to E in Anadon (X Congr Nac Sedimentol 1:9–12, 1983), and for the first time, we report a detailed stratigraphic column of Unit C, in which the studied sites are included. This ravine is divided into the following sections: Mas dels Coixos, Mas de Torner, Araia Cantera Sud, Barranc de Campisano, Foieta la Sarra, Mas d’Antolino B and Corral de Brisca. Based on the study of more than 3000 faunal remains from these localities, we infer a lower Aragonian age (MN4, Early Miocene). Particularly, the described sections can be correlated to the local biozone C, in the upper part of the MN4 of the Calatayud-Montalban Basin (Spain), the type area of the Aragonian age.

Caesar’s Bestiary: using classical accounts to statistically map changes in the large mammal fauna of Germany during the Pleistocene and Holocene

ABSTRACT In De Bello Gallico, Gaius Julius Caesar describes the various campaigns waged by the Romans under his leadership against the ‘Gauls’ and the geography, wildlife, and the various tribes of the lands he observed during his time in ‘Gallia’. Caesar remarks in one passage in chapters 26–28 of book 6 on the large mammals of an area of wilderness known to him as ‘Hercynia Silva,’ the Hercynian Forest. This passage, analyzed previously by several authors who identified the animals Caesar described and compared his descriptions with those of several mythological creatures, allows for a unique glimpse into the large mammal fauna of Germany of ~ 2000 years ago, as the mammals Caesar mentions include several species either locally extirpated from Germany or extinct altogether. Here, I review these descriptions and prior analyses of their meaning to compile a faunal list of the Hercynian forest megafauna from the Classical period. Additionally, I briefly statistically compare this faunal to several from Pleistocene Germany. These comparisons serve to both demonstrate changes in the megafauna of Europe during the late Quaternary and the use of classical sources in paleobiogeography and paleoecology.

The cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) of Panama including the description of six new species, three new combinations, one new synonymy, and nine new records.

The known cicada fauna of Panama is identified. Procollina quadrimaculata n. sp., P. stigmosa n. sp., Guyalna woldai n. sp., Herrera nigratorquata n. sp., H. sigillata n. sp. and Conibosa megalopercula n. sp. are described as new. Proarna germari Distant, 1905 n. syn. is shown to be a junior synonym of Proarna invaria (Walker, 1850). Pacarina championi (Distant, 1881) is returned to Proarna Stål, 1864 to become Proarna championi Distant, 1881 n. comb. again. The first records of Proarna invaria (Walker, 1850), Guyalna bogotana (Distant, 1892), Dorisiana cachla (Distant, 1899), Ollanta modesta (Distant, 1881), Pacarina schumanni Distant, 1905, Majeorona truncata Goding, 1925, Herrera lugubrina lugubrina (Stål, 1864), Calyria cuna (Walker, 1850), and Calyria telifera (Walker, 1858) are provided. The records for Ollanta modesta (Distant, 1881) are the first records of the genus Ollanta Distant, 1905 for Panama. The records for Calyria cuna (Walker, 1850), and Calyria telifera (Walker, 1858) are the first record of the genus Calyria Stål, 1862 and the Tribe Parnisini Distant, 1905 in Panama. Previous records of Dorisiana metcalfi Sanborn Heath, 2014 (= Cicada viridis Olivier, 1790), Carineta fasciculata (Germar, 1830), and Selymbria stigmatica (Germar, 1834) are considered to be misidentifications of G. bogotana, C. maculosa (Torres, 1948), and S. pluvialis (Ramos Wolda 1985) respectively so that D. metcalfi, C. fasciculata, and S. stigmatica are removed from the cicada fauna of Panama. The Panamanian record of Dorisiana semilata (Walker, 1850) is shown to be a mistake and the species is removed from the faunal list as well. The currently known Panamanian cicada fauna is comprised of 54 described species along with six species from the literature that remain undetermined from 22 genera, seven tribes and three subfamilies. Bergalna xanthospila (Germar, 1830) is reassigned to Dorisiana Metcalf, 1952 to become Dorisiana xanthospila (Germar, 1830) n. comb. Fidicinoides flavibasalis (Distant, 1905) is reassigned to Guyalna Boulard Martinelli, 1996 to become Guyalna flavibasalis (Distant, 1905) n. comb.