Greatest Number Of Species Research Articles

Assessment and condition of a small river in urbanized areas (with the example of the river Kurdyum of the municipal formation “Saratov city”)

The results of the study of the ecological status of the Kurdyum river within the municipal formation “Saratov city” are presented. The hydrochemical regime, hydrophilic flora and vegetation of the watercourse were studied in the 2022–2023 field seasons. The ecological status of the river by structural parameters of macrophytes was assessed. The species composition of aquatic plants in the river Kurdyum was represented by 41 macrophyte species belonging to 32 genera, 23 families and three divisions (Charophyta, Polypodiophyta, and Magnoliophyta). The families Potamogetonaceae, Asteraceae, Poaceae, Typhaceae and Ranunculaceae predominated by the number of species. The genus Potamogeton contained the greatest number of species (four) while other genera were represented by one – two species. Hydrophytes were a numerous ecological group, accounting for 51% of the total number of species. New locations of species rare for the Saratov region (Myriophyllum verticillatum and Zannichellia palustris) were revealed. The vegetation cover of the Kurdyum river is characterized by the greatest phytocenotic diversity of true aquatic vegetation. The impoverishment of the phytocenotic composition of helophytic and hygrophytic vegetation is explained by the lack of favorable conditions for the development of their phytocenoses (the watercourse has abrasion banks along a significant length) or trampling and eating by grazing animals. The studied river is characterized by species diversity in comparison with previously studied urban watercourses. Index comparison has revealed an inverse relationship between species diversity and the level of anthropogenic load. Cluster analysis has revealed that the structure of flora and vegetation from the source to the mouth of the river is not homogeneous and is formed under the influence of a combination of hydrological, chemical and anthropogenic factors. The results of our chemical analysis of the water showed that the maximum permissible concentrations of Fe, Zn, Cu, surfactants, NO2 and NH3 were exceeded throughout the river. However, the environmental indicators assessed based on the structural parameters of macrophytes allow us to consider the ecological status of the watercourse satisfactory. Thus, the Kurdyum river is moderately polluted with a high trophic status.

An annotated and illustrated catalog of the Peruvian specimens of Cerambycidae (Coleoptera) housed in the Biological Museum at Lund University, Sweden

The Peruvian specimens of the family Cerambycidae Latreille, 1802 (Coleoptera) housed in the Biological Museum at Lund University in Sweden are cataloged and illustrated. Photographs of dorsal habitus, labels, and complete label data of all the specimens are provided. There are 81 specimens belonging to 38 species, 29 genera, three subfamilies, and 19 tribes. Anisopodus ligneus Bates, 1863 is a new country record. The presence of Aegomorphus nigricans (Lameere, 1884) in Peru is confirmed. Additionally, 22 species represent new regional records. Colobothea Lepeletier & Audinet-Serville, 1825 and Taeniotes Audinet-Serville, 1835 are the genera with the greatest number of species, three species each. A note on the variation of elytral pubescence in Anisopodus prolixus (Erichson, 1847) is provided.

Detection of Natural Enemies of the Whitefly (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) in Southeastern Anatolia Region, Turkey1

Abstract A survey was conducted between 2019 and 2022 to identify natural enemies of the whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), in the provinces of Şırnak, Siirt, Batman, Diyarbakır, Mardin, Şanlıurfa, Adıyaman, Gaziantep, and Kilis in the Southeastern Anatolia Region of Turkey. Sampling using several different techniques was conducted in agricultural, nonagricultural, and forested areas throughout the duration of the study. We identified natural enemies of B. tabaci, which causes significant crop losses in Turkey and worldwide, with the objective of reducing chemical control in favor of promoting biological control of the pest in the coming years. In our survey, we collected and identified 37 species of predators and 2 species of parasitoids as natural enemies. Of those, the greatest number of species were from the family Coccinellidae (Coleoptera). Coccinella septempunctata (L.), Hippodamia variegata (Goeze), and Orius laevigatus (Fieber) were found in all provinces surveyed.

Diversity and Distribution of Monocot Understory Herbs during Tropical Forest Succession in Northeastern Costa Rica

Broad-leaved monocot herbs form one of the most common and diverse growth forms of Neotropical plants. Their significance and frequency of occurrence is particularly notable in the understories of tropical rainforests, where they form a dominant element. We assessed and quantified changes in the cover and diversity of understory herb communities in a chronosequence of 1 ha permanent plots established as part of a multidisciplinary study on tropical forest regeneration in the Atlantic lowlands of northeastern Costa Rica. Sampled were two young stands cleared 12 years ago, two secondary forests with 21 and 39 of years of recovery since clearance, and two stands in old-growth primary forest. Changes in species composition during succession were assessed using Chao’s Jaccard similarity index. Observed species richness ranged from 15 to 26 species in individual plots, with the greatest number of species in the 21-year intermediate-age and fewest in the young 12-year plots. Herb species sampled represented 6 families, 15 genera, and 39 species, with the Araceae contributing the largest number of species. Ten species were sampled in all six stands, while fourteen species were found exclusively in one plot. Herb density (ramets m−2) showed a hump-shade trend, with peak density in the intermediate stands and a lower level in mature and young secondary forests. Mean herb cover in 25 m2 quadrats ranged from 2.0% (young stand) to 22.7% (intermediate-age stand) and differed significantly both among stand types and among sites. Both observed and estimated species richness increased along the chronosequence as a whole, with the highest number of species in primary forest, although only slightly higher than in intermediate-age stands. Over half of the species exhibited some degree of clonal growth, with the extent of clonal spread varying among species and forest stands. Although we did not find a clear pattern between clonality and forest age, we observed a greater number of clonal patches in secondary over primary forest stands.

Water quality and wetland vegetation responses to water level variations in a university stormwater reuse reservoir: Nature-based approaches to campus water sustainability

In response to climate-driven water shortages, Duke University in 2014 constructed a water reuse reservoir and wetland complex (Pond) to capture urban stormwater and recycle water to provide campus cooling and reduce downstream loading of nutrients and sediment into Jordan Lake, a regional water supply. We postulated that even with significant water level changes due to withdrawals, the Pond would function to reduce downstream nutrients and sediment once wetland plants became established in the littoral zone. Throughout the project (2015–2021), baseflow nutrient concentrations downstream decreased, with Unfiltered Total Nitrogen (UTN) falling by 44 % and Unfiltered Total Phosphorus (UTP) by 50 %. Storm mean concentrations decreased by 31 % for UTN, 54 % for UTP, and 72 % for Total Suspended Solids (TSS). The annual reductions in mass fluxes (UTN, UTP, and TSS) were between 58 and 85 % across a range of storm intensities. Regardless of water level, temperature, pH, and oxygen concentrations downstream were not significantly changed. Between 2015 and 2020, a littoral survey of planted and naturally introduced species showed that wetter years resulted in a greater number of species across a gradient of three inundation zones (i.e., moist, wet, and aquatic). Conversely, dryer years resulted in fewer species across overlapping zones. The dominant plants that successfully colonized the Pond are all obligate wetland species despite the Pond's highly variable water depths and periods of inundation. The final plant populations were dominated by invasive native species supporting the self-design theory of plant succession as nearly half of the original planted species died. The reuse Pond design (pond-wetland complex) showed the capability of using stormwater runoff for campus cooling while improving water quality services and providing habitat for wetland plants. Thus, campuses with watershed runoff capture capability should consider a nature-based recycling approach as part of their water sustainability program.

Anthropogenic linear features exhibit greater mammal activity relative to surrounding game trails in a woody savannah

AbstractAnthropogenic development throughout African savannahs results in changes to landscapes and wildlife habitat. Linear features (e.g. roads and powerlines) have become more prevalent and can reshape how many mammal species navigate the landscape. This study assesses how mammals use anthropogenic linear features and game trails in a woody savannah via camera traps. We found that a greater number of species, especially carnivores, used linear features rather than game trails. Additionally, 15 mammal taxa were associated with anthropogenic linear features, whereas only four taxa were associated with game trails, suggesting that anthropogenic development throughout the African savannah may alter wildlife landscape use.

Tree species distributions in the United States and Canada under climate from 20,000 years ago to year 2100

Current locations of species may not be suited to future climate, resulting in ranges that shift to higher latitudes, with potential for range expansion or contraction in extent. To identify potential shifts in distributions of 119 tree species centered in the United States and Canada, I modeled species occurrences under current climate and then predicted to past (20, 10, and 6 thousand years ago) and future climates (six projections during 2071–2100 for North American warming of 4.3 °C to 8.8 °C), with a singular focus on the climate space of tree species, or bioclimatic envelope models. Mean accuracies of withheld samples for models, based on climate of 1900 to 1990, were 0.97, with an average of 6.2 variables per model; annual temperature and temperature of the warmest quarter generally were the most important variables. Based on model predictions under past and future climate, centers of species distributions shifted an average of 565 km latitudinally since climate 20,000 years ago and 440 km to 1065 km shifts were expected in response to end-of-century climates. Overall, 64 tree species may gain more area than lose area that matches current climate space under future climate, whereas 36 species may lose potential climate space, with relative stability for 19 species. Canada and the mountainous western U.S., and National Forests in the mountainous western U.S., were likely to gain climate space appropriate for these species, particularly species of the eastern U.S. Conversely, greatest number of species were predicted to be lost from most of the eastern half of the U.S.; National Forests in the southeastern U.S., particularly in Alabama, Mississippi, and Texas, may lose 25 to 50 of these tree species. Isolation of potential dynamics for tree species already native to northern North America demonstrated that a large pool of diverse species from the southeastern U.S. was predicted to have suitable climate space in Canada and the western U.S. It may be beneficial for managers to become familiar with tree species south or east of their regions, particularly climate-tolerant pine and oak species, to determine which ones are desirable to manage for the future.

Fish beta diversity associated with hydrologic and anthropogenic disturbance gradients in contrasting stream flow regimes

Understanding the role of hydrologic variation in structuring aquatic communities is crucial for successful conservation and sustainable management of native freshwater biodiversity. Partitioning beta diversity into the additive components of spatial turnover and nestedness can provide insight into the forces driving variability in fish assemblages across stream flow regimes. We examined stream fish beta diversity across hydrologic and anthropogenic disturbance gradients using long-term (1916–2016) site occurrence records (n = 17,375) encompassing 252 species. We assessed total beta diversity (Sørensen dissimilarity), spatial turnover, and nestedness of fish assemblages in contrasting stream flow regimes across a gradient of decreasing flow stability: groundwater stable (n = 77), groundwater (n = 67), groundwater flashy (n = 175), perennial runoff (n = 141), runoff flashy (n = 255), and intermittent (n = 63) streams. Differences in total beta diversity among the stream flow regimes were driven predominantly (>86 %) by spatial turnover (i.e. species replacement) as opposed to nestedness (i.e. species loss or gain). Total fish beta diversity and spatial turnover were highest in streams with intermediate flow stability (groundwater flashy), while more flow-stable streams (groundwater stable and groundwater) had lower turnover and higher nestedness. Species turnover was also strongly associated with seasonal variation in hydrology across all flow regimes, but these relationships were most evident for assemblages in intermittent streams. Distance-based statistical comparisons showed significant correlations between beta diversity and anthropogenic disturbance variables, including dam density, dam storage volume and water withdrawals in catchments of groundwater stable streams, while hydrologic variables were more strongly correlated with beta diversity in streams with runoff-dominated and flashy flow regimes. The high spatial turnover of species implies that fish conservation actions would benefit from watershed-focused approaches targeting multiple streams with wide spatial distribution, as opposed to simply focusing on preserving sites with the greatest number of species.

The Wasps (Hymenoptera) from Lower Cretaceous Lebanese and Spanish Ambers

Hymenoptera is the fourth-most diverse insect order today, including wasps, bees, bumblebees, and ants. They show a wide panoply of modes of life, such as herbivory, predation, parasitoidism, pollination, and eusociality. This group also includes a great number of extinct species from both amber and compression outcrops. Hymenopterans probably originated in the Paleozoic, although their oldest record is from the Middle or Late Triassic, and their diversity expanded since the Cretaceous. Here, we present a review of the Hymenoptera in Lower Cretaceous ambers from Lebanon (Barremian) and Spain (Albian), which is pivotal for the study of hymenopteran evolution. Hymenoptera in Lebanese ambers are represented by 32 species in 22 genera within 15 families, while in Spanish ambers, they correspond to 49 species in 40 genera within 18 families. Most of these species belong to the ‘Parasitica’, and only a few species have been assigned to the Aculeata. The group ‘Symphyta’ is represented by one species in Spanish amber. The paleobiogeography and possible paleobiologies of the species in these ambers are reviewed. Furthermore, checklists for all Hymenoptera species in Lebanese and Spanish ambers are provided.

New species, new combinations, and morphological notes of South American Ambrysinae (Heteroptera: Naucoridae)

Although recent studies have been published on Ambrysinae (Naucoridae) from the Neotropical region, few efforts have been made to improve the taxonomic knowledge of this subfamily in Brazil. Two genera of Ambrysinae containing the greatest number of species in South America were recently established to accommodate species previously classified as Ambrysus Stål: Australambrysus Reynoso & Sites and Maculambrysus Reynoso & Sites. The subgeneric classification of Ambrysus has also changed, including the elevation of Melloiella De Carlo back to full generic status. In the present study, three new species of Ambrysinae from Brazil are described, two belonging to Australambrysus and one to Maculambrysus: Australambrysus minutus n. sp., A. tuberculatus n. sp., and Maculambrysus transversus n. sp. In addition, morphological notes are provided for Australambrysus planus (La Rivers) and A. partridgei (De Carlo), the placement of A. fraternus (Montandon) is confirmed, and the following new combinations are proposed: Maculambrysus attenuatus (Montandon) n. comb., and Maculambrysus obscuratus (Montandon) n. comb., species that are transferred from the genus Australambrysus and Ambrysus, respectively. Two of the species treated here (A. fraternus and A. tuberculatus) are included in the Australambrysus plax (La Rivers) species complex, and a morphological redefinition of the complex is presented. Also, the macropterous form and male genitalia of Melloiella truncaticollis De Carlo are described, including new records from southern Brazil.

Multi-Classifir Fire and Smoke Detectior Using Deep Learning

Fire is one of the most destructive powers that has been a double-edged sword. Although it is highly beneficial and provides energy when it is handled in an effective manner, it can be quite lethal if it is allowed to continue unchecked. Combustion, as well as the conversion and release of energy, is what makes fire so destructive. It is a violent process that has the potential to unleash enormous amounts of harm. This is a very unfavorable condition that has the potential to result in a truly catastrophic event. A great number of species of flora and fauna have become extinct as a result of the recent years, which have been marked by a big number of disastrous wildfires that have resulted in a large scale loss of life and property. This is one of the most deadly occurrences that has occurred in recent years. The most significant issue is that there is not yet a fire detection method that is both efficient and practical. Consequently, the purpose of this study piece is to propose an efficient multi-classifier strategy for fire detection. This approach identifies the color of the fire, the form of the fire, and the movement of the fire, in addition to the detection of smoke through the use of the convolution neural network. According to the extensive experimental results that demonstrate the superiority of the suggested multiclassifier fire and smoke detection strategy, this approach has shown to be one of the most effective approaches for fire detection. This is obvious through the fact that it has been one of the most effective techniques Key Words: — Convolution neural network, Multi-classifier, Fire shape, Fire Motion , Fore color, Temporal effect

An illustrated catalog of Disteniidae (Coleoptera: Chrysomeloidea) type specimens deposited at the Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo

The type specimens of the family Disteniidae Thomson, 1861 (Coleoptera) housed at the Museu de Zoologia, Universidade de São Paulo (MZSP) are cataloged and illustrated. Photos of dorsal and ventral habitus, labels, and complete label data of all the specimens are provided. There are 147 specimens belonging to 70 names: 33 primary types, 31 holotypes, and two lectotypes; and 114 secondary types, 52 paratypes, and two paralectotypes. Elytrimitatrix (Grossifemora) Santos-Silva & Hovore, 2007 is the genus with the greatest number of species with type material, 21 species, followed by Cometes Lepeletier & Audinet-Serville, 1828 and Novantinoe Santos-Silva & Hovore, 2007 with 15 and 13 species, respectively.

Potential for Use of Species in the Subfamily Erynioideae for Biological Control and Biotechnology.

The fungal order Entomophthorales in the Zoopagomycota includes many fungal pathogens of arthropods. This review explores six genera in the subfamily Erynioideae within the family Entomophthoraceae, namely, Erynia, Furia, Orthomyces, Pandora, Strongwellsea, and Zoophthora. This is the largest subfamily in the Entomophthorales, including 126 described species. The species diversity, global distribution, and host range of this subfamily are summarized. Relatively few taxa are geographically widespread, and few have broad host ranges, which contrasts with many species with single reports from one location and one host species. The insect orders infected by the greatest numbers of species are the Diptera and Hemiptera. Across the subfamily, relatively few species have been cultivated in vitro, and those that have require more specialized media than many other fungi. Given their potential to attack arthropods and their position in the fungal evolutionary tree, we discuss which species might be adopted for biological control purposes or biotechnological innovations. Current challenges in the implementation of these species in biotechnology include the limited ability or difficulty in culturing many in vitro, a correlated paucity of genomic resources, and considerations regarding the host ranges of different species.

Ethnomedicinal uses of plants for various diseases in the remote areas of Changa Manga Forest, Pakistan.

This study aims at reporting the indigenous knowledge of the medicinal flora from the inhabitants of surroundings of the World's largest artificial planted forest "Changa Manga", Pakistan. Data were collected by direct interviews and group meetings from 81 inhabitants including 32 local healers having information regarding the use of indigenous medicinal plants over a period of one year. Different statistical tools were applied to analyze the data including Frequency citation (FC), Relative frequency citation (RFC), Use Value, Factor of informants consensus and fidelity level. This study reported 73 plant species belonging to 37 plant families and 46 genera. The majority of plant species belong to compositae family. The most commonly used medicinal plants were P. hysterophorus L., P. dactylifera L., S. indicum L, P. harmala L., P. emblica L., and A. indica A.Juss. The greatest number of species was used to cure gastrointestinal disorders. The highest fidelity level (68.18%) was of E. helioscopia to cure gastrointestinal disorders. Maximum fresh uses (17) were reported by C. dactylon (L.) Pars. While the highest number of species reporting fresh uses in similar number was 13. In this study, five novel plants are being reported for the first time in Pakistan for their ethnomedicinal worth. Our data reflect unique usage of the medicinal plants in the study area. The statistical tools used in the study proved useful in pointing the most important and disease category specific plants. High use value plant and the new reported medicinal plants might prove an important source of the isolation of pharmacologically active compounds.

The Importance of Wetlands for the Conservation of Birds in Tigray National Regional State (Northern Ethiopia)

Many birds use wetland habitats for all or part of their lives. This study was conducted to investigate the significance of wetlands and associated habitats for bird conservation in the central zone of Tigray, northern Ethiopia, from June 2022 to May 2023. The point count method was used to study the bird assemblage structure and diversity. The Shannon–Wiener diversity index and ANOVA were used to analyze the wetland bird community structure. A total of 4337 individual birds belonging to 120 species, 15 orders, and 41 families were recorded. Among the identified bird species, the Abyssinian catbird, white‐winged cliff chat, Abyssinian longclaw, wattled ibis, and black‐winged lovebird are endemic and near‐endemic species, which are found only in Ethiopia and Eritrea. The Passeriformes order had the greatest number of species (n = 68), followed by the Columbiformes order (n = 9). The​ Mai‐Shigurti Wetland had the greatest abundance of birds (N = 2472), while the Hatsebo Wetland had the least (N = 936). A high abundance of birds was recorded during the wet season (N = 2805), and a low abundance was recorded during the dry season (N = 1532). A significant difference in the abundance of bird species was observed among wetlands and seasons (p < 0.05). The highest species diversity (H′ = 4.13) was recorded in Mai‐Shigurti during the wet season, whereas the lowest was recorded in Hatsebo during the dry season (H′ = 3.2). The highest species evenness was recorded in Hatsebo (E = 0.82) during the dry season, and the lowest was recorded in Mai‐Shigurti (E = 0.72) during the wet season. The results show that wetlands support a high diversity of birds; however, they are highly threatened by anthropogenic threats, including solid waste disposal, erosion, agricultural expansion, human settlement, livestock overgrazing, military camping, and eucalyptus cultivation. Therefore, community‐based conservation initiatives should be implemented to mitigate these threats. Moreover, wetland management policies should be established to safeguard wetlands and their biological resources.

Cytological and microbiological investigations of professional hygiene efficiency in patients with generalized periodontitis.

Aim: The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of occupational hygiene procedures for microbiological and cytological contents of periodontal pockets. Material and Methods: Cytological and microbiological content of the periodontal pockets before treatment and after professional hygiene procedures including scaling with hand instruments and root cementum polishing have been investigated in patients with periodontitis. Results: According to obtained data it can be resumed that in periodontitis patients with the depth of pockets 3-5,5 mm before professional hygiene all the pockets contain great number of Cocci, Spirochetes, Candida Albicans, Flagellated rods and Protozoa species. It was proved by revealing of small amount of Polymorphonuclear leukocytes with active phagocytosis. After scaling and planing of the roots, a decrease in the number of Protozoa and Candida Albicans was observed in 97% and 72% of the investigated cells, respectively. Conclusions: Cytological and microbiological content of periodontal pockets before treatment and after professional hygiene procedures including scaling and root planning testify to the level of local protective mechanisms, especially process of phagocytosis and virulence of microbial species in periodontal pockets.

Use of pollen assemblages as forensic evidence in non-seasonal high-altitude soils

Forensic palynology is a tool in criminalistics that uses spores and pollen grains to link a certain geographical location with a crime scene. The comparison of the pollen assemblage of a crime-scene soil and that of footwear of suspects and victims proved to be very useful as judicial evidence in multiple environments with marked seasonality. However, its usefulness in non-seasonal high-altitude soils has not been experimentally evaluated to the same extent. For this reason, the present study addressed this information gap by undertaking a palynological study in areas with high crime rates in the city of La Paz, Bolivia. To do this, we carried out multiple experimental samplings in three locations with different types of soil and different degrees of urbanization. Specifically, we compared whether the vegetation present at the time of taking the reference samples, was reflected in the pollen rain. Results showed that the vast majority of the species present in the vegetation were found in the pollen rain, with the exception of some plant species with entomophilous pollination syndrome. We also show that the transfer between assemblages from pollen rain to footwear happened effectively, which helped identify their geographical origin, and unveiled a great number of useful indicator species.

Freshwater fishes of Israel; a revised and updated annotated checklist2023.

The current status of the freshwater fishes of Israel is revised, and an updated checklist is presented. The confirmed freshwater fishes of Israel comprise 55 species belonging to nine orders, 14 families, and 39 genera. Among these, 19 species (34.6%) are alien, and four species (7.3%) are considered endemic to Israel. The orders with the largest numbers of species in the ichthyofauna of Israel are Cypriniformes (19 species), followed by Cichliformes (14 species), Cyprinodontiformes (seven species), Mugiliformes (six species), Siluriformes (four species), Salmoniformes (two species), and the others represent one species in each. At the family level, the Cichlidae have the greatest number of species (14 species; 25.5% of the total species), followed by Cyprinidae (10 species), Leuciscidae and Mugilidae (six species in each), Aphaniidae (four species), Nemacheilidae and Poecilidae (three species in each). According to IUCN Red List criteria, among 36 naturally distributed species (alien species not included), two species are extinct (EX) and nine species (25.0%) are categorized as threatened extinctions, with two (5.6%) CR, four (11.1%) EN, and three (8.3%) VU.

Environmental DNA metabarcoding of water samples as a tool for monitoring Iberian freshwater fish composition.

Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding has been increasingly used to monitor the community assemblages of a wide variety of organisms. Here, we test the efficacy of eDNA metabarcoding to assess the composition of Iberian freshwater fishes, one of the most endangered groups of vertebrates in Spain. For this purpose, we sampled 12 sampling sites throughout one of Spain's largest basins, the Duero, which is home to approximately 70% of the genera and 30% of the primary freshwater fish in Spain. We sampled these sampling sites in the summer by using electrofishing, a traditional sampling method, and eDNA metabarcoding of river water samples using the mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene (12S) as a marker. We also resampled four of these sampling sites in autumn by eDNA. We compared the results obtained through eDNA metabarcoding with those of electrofishing surveys (ones conducted for the present study and past ones) and assessed the suitability of 12S as an eDNA metabarcoding marker for this group of freshwater fishes. We found that the 12S fragment, analysed for 25 Iberian species, showed sufficient taxonomic resolution to be useful for eDNA approaches, and even showed population-level differences in the studied populations across the tissue samples for Achondrostoma arcasii. In most cases, a greater number of species was detected through eDNA metabarcoding than through electrofishing. Based on our results, eDNA metabarcoding is a powerful tool to study the freshwater fish composition in the Iberian Peninsula and to unmask cryptic diversity. However, we highlight the need to generate a local genetic database for 12S gene for such studies and to interpret the results with caution when studying only mitochondrial DNA. Finally, our survey shows that the high detection sensitivity of eDNA metabarcoding and the non-invasiveness of this method allows it to act as a detection system for species of low abundance, such as early invasive species or species in population decline, two key aspects of conservation management of Spanish freshwater fishes.

Freshwater fishes of Iraq: a revised and updated annotated checklist2023.

The current status of the freshwater fishes of Iraq is revised, and an updated checklist is presented. The confirmed freshwater fishes of Iraq comprise 98 species belonging to 16 orders, 28 families, and 56 genera. Among these, 21 species (21.4%) are alien, and three species (3.0%) are considered endemic to Iraq. The orders with the largest numbers of species in the ichthyofauna of Iraq are Cypriniformes (57 species), followed by Siluriformes (12 species), Mugiliformes and Cyprinodontiformes (six species in each), Acanthuriformes and Cichliformes (three species in each), Centrarchiformes and Gobiiformes (two species in each), and the others represent only one species. At the family level, the Cyprinidae have the greatest number of species (28; 28.3% of the total species), followed by Nemacheilidae (16 species), Leuciscidae (eight species), Mugilidae (six species), Sisoridae (five species), and Xenocyprididae (four species in each). A total of 20 species that have been previously reported from Iraq have been excluded from the checklist. According to IUCN Red List criteria, among 77 naturally distributed species (alien species not included), 10 species (13.0%) are categorized as threatened extinctions, with three (3.9%) as CR, one (1.3%) as EN, and six (7.8%) as VU. A total of 38 taxa were assessed (49.4%) as LC, 27 species were not assigned NE (35.1%), and two species (2.0%) were classified as DD, i.e., with insufficient knowledge.