History Museum Vienna Research Articles

DNA Metabarcoding Analysis of Arthropod Diversity in Dust from the Natural History Museum, Vienna

This paper introduces a new method for identifying museum pests through the analysis of DNA present in settled dust. Traditionally, the identification of pests in cultural institutions such as museums and depositories has relied on insect trapping (monitoring). They give good results but need time (minimum spring until summer of one year for a complete survey) and face challenges related to the identification of small, rare, or damaged species. Our study presents a non-invasive approach that utilizes metabarcoding analysis of dust samples to identify pests and other arthropods at the species level. We collected dust samples with a handheld vacuum cleaner in summer 2023 from the six different floors of the Natural History Museum in Vienna and compared the results with the insect monitoring. We found over 359 different species of arthropods in the museum and could show how the diversity increases with the elevation of the building floor. This method could be used for rapid and cost-effective screening of pests before monitoring. But the interpretation of results is sometimes difficult (for Lepismatidae, for example), and it cannot replace a continuous monitoring of pests with traps. This investigation might present the highest indoor animal biodiversity ever found in a single building.

Meter reliefs from Ephesos and the Obizzi Collection (KHM Wien). Archaeometric considerations on the production and trade of small-format marble objects in the Greek world

The Sanctuary of Meter, on the north slope of the Panayırdağ in Ephesos, Asia Minor, has revealed a rather large number of Meter reliefs which were originally placed in small niches cut into the marble/limestone bedrock of the Panayırdağ hill. The objects date from the Late Classical to the Early Hellenistic period (i.e. 4th-3th cent. BC). The marble provenance analysis of a group of these reliefs, now located in the Museum of Selçuk in Turkey, proves that the marble originates from different Ephesian quarries. Using various methods including stable isotope analysis (C13 and O18), and multi-trace element analysis by ICP-MS, in combination with petrography, identifies the provenance of these votive plates, and the workshop for their production in Ephesos. A further investigation of the Meter Relief I 1108 from the Art History Museum in Vienna [Kunsthistorisches Museum of Vienna (KHM)] showed that this material also originates from the Ephesos II group quarries, linking this object to the Ephesian workshop/production area. Furthermore, recent investigations on Meter reliefs from different regions, now in the Art History Museum in Vienna, showed the use of Dokimeion marble already in the Hellenistic era.

A new species, Cricotopus cataractaenostocicola, living in a cyanobacterial colony on vertical rocky substrates with trickling water film in Japan (Diptera: Chironomidae).

Trickling water on nearly vertical rocky substrates is a common feature of mountainous regions of Japan. The thin water film is inhabited by discoid colonies of the cyanobacteria Nostoc. This species resembles the North American Nostoc parmelioides Ktzing, which forms ear-like colonies in stream beds and is inhabited by symbiotic chironomid larvae. The Nostoc colony in Japan was inhabited by a chironomid larva inside a ring-shaped burrow in the colony. Morphological analyses suggested that these individuals belong to a new species closely related to Cricotopus spp. symbiotic with Nostoc parmelioides. Here, we described the chironomid species Cricotopus cataractaenostocicola sp. nov. The species was distinguished from other congeneric species mainly by the morphology of male hypopygia. It has an anal point and long setae on the outside of the gonocoxite, and does not have setae near the apex of the inner lobe in the gonocoxite. Almost all the Nostoc colonies contained one large larva or pupa. The outer layer of the chironomid-symbiotic Nostoc colony had an elastic hardness. The 3D computer tomography (3DCT) scan showed a connected network of internal passages that are sufficiently wide to be traversed by the larvae, suggesting that cavities are present for the larvae to pass through. Future studies should investigate the formation of cavities and their purpose. As pioneers in the observation of living organisms using 3DCT, we provided the CT data to the Natural History Museum in Vienna.

A new subspecies of the Asiatic softshell turtle Amyda ornata (Gray, 1861) from its northern distribution range

We describe a new subspecies ofAmyda ornata(Gray, 1861) from the southeastern parts of Bangladesh (Chittagong hill tracts), adjacent regions of north-eastern India (Mizoram, Assam and Tripura) and Myanmar, based on morphological characteristics. The holotype comprises some skeletal elements held by the Natural History Museum of Vienna; the five paratypes consist of living specimens in the private collection of PP “Turtle Island” (a turtle conservation zoo in Graz, Austria). After the genetic identity had been determined in a previous investigation, the morphological description was carried out by examining living specimens and photo documents; and additionally, by evaluating the computed tomography of further living animals with exact location data.Amyda ornata jonglissp. nov. differs from the otherAmyda ornatasubspecies mainly by its relatively compact and stout head in subadults and adults, its paler, greyish and less contrasting colouration missing distinct bright yellow pigments, ochre-coloured irises, and the existence of more distinct tubercles in the neck region and in the posterior section of the carapace than both other subspecies ofAmyda ornata. The tubercles along the front of the carapace protrude clearly in subadult and adult specimens. This softshell turtle is heavily exploited within its limited distribution. Therefore, special comments on conservation aspects are given together with a final discussion on distribution and systematics.

Supplementary descriptions of seven eriophyoid mite species (Acari: Eriophyoidea) recovered from the Viennese Nalepa collection and comparison with Japanese species

The reason for this study was to compare the morphology of mites from three Japanese samples with topotypes from the Nalepa collection, in order to correctly identify them. With this purpose eriophyoid specimens were recovered from five vials of the Nalepa mite collection in the Natural History Museum of Vienna. We identified seven species and a new combination is established for one of them - Aceria thomasi and Aculops thymi, from two vials labeled Thymus serpyllum (Lamiaceae); Eriophyes spiraeae from a vial labeled Spiraea crenifolia (Rosaceae); and Peralox longirostris n. comb., Shevtchenkella ulmi, Aceria filiformis and Aculus mastigophorus from two vials labeled Ulmus campestris (Ulmaceae). A supplementary description is presented for these species. The Japanese samples were collected from ‘Shiso’, Perilla frutescens var. crispa (Lamiaceae), from Spiraea thunbergia (Rosaceae) and from Juglans mandshurica (Juglandaceae). The mites collected from ‘Shiso’ were identified as A. thymi, but the other two Japanese samples did not match the topotypes. These two samples may be new species and require further taxonomic studies.

Franz Tappeiner (1816-1902): The physician who became headhunter. Portrait of a leading figure in 19th Century anthropology.

Franz Tappeiner (1816, Laas - 1902, Merano) was an Austrian physician and anthropologist. He studied at the universities of Prague, Padua and Vienna and in 1846 he moved to Merano. Tappeiner investigated the transmission of pulmonary tuberculosis in animal models and he dealt with public health. As an anatomist, he performed thousands of craniometrics measurements, creating a huge skull collection later donated to the Natural History Museum in Vienna. In 1878, Tappeiner turned to archeology and palaeoanthropology, with the aim of clarifying the origins of the Alpine population of Tyroleans. He was also active as a botanist.

Revised typifications of Isochilus pauciflorus Cogn. (Orchidaceae, Laeliinae) and its synonyms

Faced with ambiguities in a previous typification of Isochilus pauciflorus Cogn., we present a revised typification of this name and comment on its synonyms. Our current study reviews the original materials in open databases of the 23 main herbaria that house orchids from A. Duss, A. Cogniaux or H. G. Reichenbach. Among specimens filed as types, a lectotype (BR0000013217891) is recognized and a presumed isotype (NY00059032) is rejected. However, the lectotype material is not sufficient for precise application of the name. Thus, we designate an epitype based on the specimen K000079638 which refers to the heterotypic synonym Ponera punctulata Rchb. f. to support the name I. pauciflorus. Furthermore, the holotype of P. punctulata commonly accepted and used in the literature is said to be in the Reichenbach Orchid Herbarium, at the Natural History Museum in Vienna (Austria). Unfortunately, this unique gathering is no longer extant or is missing there, but a photograph is available. From this picture, we show that this specimen was not original material, so it was not the holotype. We therefore designate a neotype of P. punctulata Rchb. f. supported by the specimen K000079638. In addition, we designate an epitype of Tetragamestus isochiloides Regel (LE00011188), heterotypic synonym of these above taxa. Finally, the type of Hexadesmia dunstervillei Garay, AMES00287200, is demonstrated to be a lectotype, not a holotype.

Review of Trachysphaera Heller, 1858 (Diplopoda: Glomerida: Glomeridae) in Serbia, with taxonomic notes on the genus.

The glomerid genus Trachysphaera Heller, 1858 in Serbia is revised, based on recently collected specimens and historical material. Six species are presently recorded from Serbia, viz., Trachysphaera corcyraea (Verhoeff, 1900), T. cristangula (Attems, 1943), T. schmidtii Heller, 1858, and T. similicostata (Radu Ceuca, 1951), all new to the fauna of the country, as well as T. costata (Waga, 1857a) and T. lobotarsus (Attems, 1943). All of these species are richly illustrated and mapped. To verify the identity of some species, historical material from the Natural History Museum in Vienna, including syntypes, is also studied, and two lectotypes have been designated. Some misidentifications from the literature have been corrected. Trachysphaera acutula (Latzel, 1884) syn. n., T. cultrifera (Verhoeff, 1906) syn. n. and T. multiclavigera (Verhoeff, 1898) syn. n. are all considered as junior subjective synonyms of T. schmidtii. Trachysphaera attemsi Golovatch, 1976 syn. n. is transferred from the list of synonyms of T. costata to the list of synonyms of T. corcyraea. One species, T. similicostata, is resurrected from synonymy. Relationships between some congeners and the taxonomic problems within the genus are briefly discussed.

New synonyms of Euconnus/ (Tetramelus/) kraussi/ Reitter, 1880 (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Scydmaeninae).

The subgenus Tetramelus Motschulsky, 1869 with its currently 109 palaearctic species, is the largest Palaearctic subgenus of the largest world scydmaenine genus Euconnus Thomson, 1859. The nomenclatural validity of the subgenus-name has been recently supported by a detailed morphological study (Jałoszyński 2015). Euconnus (Tetramelus) kraussi was described by Edmund Reitter (1881a), with the type locality indicated as Caucasus, Martkopi. This was the second species of the subgenus Tetramelus known to occur in the entire Caucasus region, after Euconnus (Tetramelus) reitteri Saulcy, 1878, the latter with unknown type locality. The former was treated as a junior synonym of the latter by Croissandeau (1898), and as a subspecies by Karaman (1973). A modern redescription and illustration of the aedeagus was given by Vít Hlaváč (1998), together with a key to all species of Tetramelus known at that time from the Caucasus. Castellini (2006: 102) placed Euconnus (Tetramelus) kraussi as a junior synonym of Euconnus (Tetramelus) reitteri. This taxonomic act was based just on the similarity of aedeagi of these two taxa illustrated by Vít Hlaváč (1998). No type material was studied. Euconnus (Tetramelus) reitteri is smaller, only 1.25-1.30 mm long, against 1.40-1.60 mm for Euconnus (Tetramelus) kraussi. To combine this with differences on the aedeagus and with the allopatric distribution, we regard these two forms as two different species. Later, two new species were described, Euconnus (Tetramelus) marinae Franz, 1979, the type locality "Kachetien nächst Shuamta" and Euconnus (Tetramelus) nachuzrischwilii Franz, 1986, the type locality "nördlich von Anamuri in etwa 1000 m". Both were included in the key of Vít Hlaváč (1998). The type material of both these species was found well-preserved in the Natural History Museum in Vienna (NMW), and thanks to Dr. Harald Schillhammer it was available to the senior author for study. A detailed study of this material proved that both species were conspecific with Euconnus (Tetramelus) kraussi, and their synonymy is formally established here. We are also providing new records for this species, which is so far endemic to eastern Georgia, well delimited by the Meskheti-Likhi range. The material treated in this study is deposited in the following collections: MNHN - Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France; NMW - Naturhistorisches Museum Wien, Vienna, Austria; PCAP - private collection of Andreas Pütz, Eisenhüttenstadt, Germany; PCHM - private collection of Heinrich Meybohm, Großhansdorf, Germany; PCMS - private collection of Michael Schülke, Berlin, Germany; PCPH - private collection of Peter Hlaváč, Prague, Czech Republic. The distributional map was created using Encarta software.

Checklist of Pseudoscorpions (Arachnida, Pseudoscorpiones) of Albania.

A checklist is presented comprising 42 species in 21 genera and 10 families of the arachnid order Pseudoscorpiones from Albania. Two taxa are identified only to the genus level -Neobisium Chamberlin, 1930 and Roncus L. Koch, 1873. The checklist was constructed according to available published data, material deposited in the Natural History Museum in Vienna and newly collected material. Individual families contained the following numbers of species: Chthoniidae (8), Neobisiidae (13), Garypinidae (1), Geogarypidae (2), Olpiidae (1), Cheiridiidae (1), Atemnidae (1), Cheliferidae (7), Chernetidae (7) and Withiidae (1). Sixteen species and four families (Garypinidae, Cheiridiidae, Atemnidae, Withiidae) are recorded for the first time in Albania -Chthonius jonicus Beier, 1931, C. rhodochelatus Hadži, 1933,C. tenuis L. Koch, 1873, Ephippiochthonius serbicus (Hadži, 1937), E. tuberculatus (Hadži, 1937), Amblyolpium dollfusi Simon, 1898, Geogarypus italicus Gardini, Galli and Zinni, 2017, Apocheiridium ferum (Simon, 1879), Atemnus syriacus (Beier, 1955), Beierochelifer peloponnesiacus (Beier, 1929), Hysterochelifer cyprius (Beier, 1929), H. meridianus (L. Koch, 1873), Rhacochelifer peculiaris (L. Koch, 1873), Dinocheirus panzeri (C.L. Koch, 1837), Lamprochernes chyzeri (Tömösváry, 1883) and Withius piger (Simon, 1878). Moreover, A. dollfusi and G. italicus are newly recorded from the Balkans. Data on European distribution, habitat preferences and taxonomic considerations are reported. The Albanian pseudoscorpion fauna is compared with that of other Balkan countries.

Neotype designation for Thymallus aeliani Valenciennes, 1848 from a museum topotype specimen and its affiliation with Adriatic grayling on the basis of mitochondrial DNA.

In 1848, the grayling Thymallus aeliani (Valenciennes) was described from Lake Maggiore, Italy, in the north Adriatic basin. Genetic analyses of the mitochondrial control region showed a unique evolutionary history of grayling inhabiting the rivers of northern Adriatic basin, from the upper reaches of the Po River and its left tributaries in the west to the Soča River in the east, which resulted in the designation of this phylogenetic lineage as Adriatic grayling. Consequently, the name T. aeliani was connected to the Adriatic lineage, re-establishing the validity of this taxon. However, the mitochondrial haplotypes belonging to Adriatic grayling were never compared with the type specimens of T. aeliani, as their whereabouts were unknown. In this study, a neotype for T. aeliani was designated using topotypical specimens stored at the Natural History Museum in Vienna. The neotype (NMW 68027:2 labelled as “Lago Maggiore, Bellotti, 1880”) was designated pursuant to the conditions stipulated in Article 75.3 of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature. Furthermore, the mitochondrial control region of the neotype was compared to haplotypes of the Adriatic lineage and showed high genetic similarity, which therefore connects the species name T. aeliani to the Adriatic grayling. This crucial step in fixing nomenclatural status of this species is very important for its protection and management.

<p><strong>Rare liverwort species of Romania from the exsiccatae of K. Loitlesberger</strong></p>

Within the framework of the Synthesys Programme, some European liverwort species held by the Herbarium of the Natural History Museum in Vienna (W) were checked, in particular for their occurrence in Romania. Examination of these liverwort specimens has led to the identification of rare species for Romania, some of which are only present in the Vienna collection. This includes the exsiccatae collections compiled by the bryologist Karl Loitlesberger for Romania, during his field trip in 1897 and held by W. In these exsiccatae, several rare species of liverworts have been identified and confirmed, such as Frullania parvistipula, the holotype of the taxon Marsupella lapponica, the male of Bucegia romanica (=Marchantia romanica), and Scapania crassiretis for Romania. This paper presents for the first time the oldest known drawings of Frullania parvistipula and Bucegia romanica.

An illustrated catalogue of Rudolf Sturany’s type specimens in the Naturhistorisches Museum Wien, Austria (NHMW): Red Sea bivalves

Rudolf Sturany, the curator of molluscs of the Natural History Museum of Vienna between the late 19th and early 20th century described 21 species of bivalves from the Red Sea collected by the pioneering expeditions of the vessel “Pola” which took place between 1895 and 1898. We here list and illustrate the type material of these species, provide the original descriptions, a translation into English, and curatorial and taxonomic comments. All species are illustrated in colour and with SEM imaging. To stabilize the nomenclature, we designate lectotypes for Gastrochaena weinkauffi, Cuspidaria brachyrhynchus, and C. dissociata, whose type series contained specimens belonging to other species. This paper concludes the series on the type specimens of marine molluscs described by Sturany from the “Pola” expeditions.

Taxonomy and distribution of irregular echinoids (Echinoidea: Irregularia) from Sri Lanka.

The earliest information on Sri Lankan echinoid species belonging to the Irregularia dates back to Alexander Agassiz (1872). However, the current knowledge of diversity and distribution of irregular echinoids from Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon) remains sparse. In addition, there are no recent taxonomic studies or biodiversity surveys for irregular echinoids, and no illustrated field-guides or reference collections are available specifically for Sri Lanka. To address these gaps, left open for more than 100 years since the work of Clark (1915), this study was conducted as an island-wide systematic sampling survey. Over 200 echinoid specimens were collected from 24 localities in Sri Lankan coastal waters by snorkelling and SCUBA diving down to 33 m depth. The collected specimens were identified using existing keys and authenticated with specimens available at the Natural History Museum in Vienna, Austria. The present study records 22 irregular echinoid species belonging to 15 genera and nine families in four orders. Among the identified irregular echinoids, six species, Echinocyamus megapetalus H.L. Clark, 1914, Fibularia ovulum Lamarck, 1816, Fibulariella angulipora Mortensen, 1948, Echinodiscus cf. truncatus L. Agassiz, 1841, Peronella oblonga Mortensen, 1948 and Brissus cf. agassizii Döderlein, 1885, are new records for Sri Lanka. Four unidentified, possibly new species belonging to the genera Fibularia, Jacksonaster and Metalia are reported, but kept in open nomenclature until more material becomes available. At present, the diversity of irregular echinoids from Sri Lanka now stands at 37 species representing 11 families in four orders. A dichotomous key is presented for all Sri Lankan irregular echinoids.

<p class="Body">Supplementary description of three species from the subfamily Cecidophyinae (Eriophyoidea: Eriophyidae) from the Nalepa collection

Supplementary descriptions of three cecidophyine species based on topotype specimens recovered from vials from the Nalepa collection kept in the Natural History Museum (Vienna, Austria) are given: Cecidophyes galii (Karpelles 1884) from Asperula aparine M. Bieb. and Galium mollugo L. (Rubiaceae), Chrecidus ruebsaameni (Nalepa 1895) com. nov. (transferred from Cecidophyopsis) from Andromeda polifolia L. (Ericaceae) and Colomerus bucidae (Nalepa 1904) from Bucida buceras L. (Combretaceae). Observations on the morphological variability of Colomerus bucidae from different host plants are given. Morphological differences between two closely related species, Cecidophyes galii and Cecidophyes rouhollahi Craemer 1999 are discussed.

Elmar K. Jessberger (1943–2017)

Elmar K. Jessberger (1943–2017)

An illustrated catalogue of Rudolf Sturany's type specimens in the Naturhistorisches Museum Wien, Austria (NHMW): deep-sea Eastern Mediterranean molluscs.

The “Pola” expeditions were the first to explore the deep Eastern Mediterranean Sea in the 1890s. They remained the most intense surveys in that area for a century and constitute today a fundamental baseline to assess change in the basin, whose fauna is still inadequately described. Solid taxonomic foundations for the study of deep-sea organisms are needed and we here contribute by revising the name-bearing types of mollusc species introduced by Rudolf Sturany on the basis of the “Pola” material from the Eastern Mediterranean Sea stored in the Natural History Museum in Vienna. Sturany introduced 15 names (Marginella occulta var. minor Sturany, 1896 shall not be considered as the introduction of a new name). He described and established two manuscript names by Monterosato: Jujubinus igneus and Pseudomurex ruderatus. The genus Isorropodon was also introduced together with its type species I. perplexum. For each name, we list the available type material, provide the original description and a translation into English and illustrate the specimens in colour and with SEM imaging.

Recent species name changes in the European Lymnaeidae: two tales with unhappy end?

Two doubtful cases of species name replacements in the family Lymnaeidae Rafinesque, 1815 (pond snails) proposed in 1990-2000s are discussed. These are: Radix labiata (Rossmäßler, 1835) vs. R. peregra (O.F. Müller, 1774), and Stagnicola fuscus (C. Pfeiffer, 1821) vs. S. vulneratus (Küster, 1862). It is shown that in both instances the name alterations were not based on the conclusive evidence and thus seem to be proposed without substantial reasons. I argue that the name Radix peregra cannot be ruled out and replaced by R. labiata. The type series of the latter has been identified in collection of the Natural History Museum of Vienna and it is shown that R. labiata is a junior synonym of R. balthica (Linnaeus, 1758). The lectotype of Limnaeus pereger var. labiatus Rossmäßler, 1835 is designated. The resurrection of the species name Limnaeus fuscus (Pfeiffer, 1821) for application to a certain species of Stagnicola is also very doubtful since this name must be treated as a nomen dubium , and any taxonomic interpretation of it is inevitable based on more or less reliable hypothesis, not on the total evidence. The replacement of S. vulneratus by its alleged senior synonym adds little to our knowledge on lymnaeid taxonomy and evolutionary relationships. It is desirable that the nomenclatorial principle of priority must not be applied to nomina dubia .

Mineral Resources in Mobile Phones: A Case Study of Boston and Vienna Teachers and Students

ABSTRACT As part of an outreach initiative by the Natural History Museum in Vienna, Austria, an interdisciplinary educational module was developed to teach students about sustainability through the lens of mineral resources used to produce mobile phones. The overall goal of the module is to provide teachers of different subjects with a multifaceted tool to include sustainability in their classrooms and create greater awareness of our resource-rich lifestyle. The evaluation of efficacy and impact of the module in formal classroom environments is facilitated through two case studies: an assessment of teacher experiences across Austria with our teaching kit, and an assessment of student learning in Austria and the U.S. During the development of the teaching module in Austria, workshops with 97 teachers were conducted to identify educators' needs and offer an interdisciplinary usable teaching kit. The study showed that teachers greatly appreciated the hands-on workshops and implemented the module in their curriculum. For the student study, 416 students from Vienna, Austria, (209 students) and the Greater Boston area in the U.S. (207 students) were taught the same module by the same instructor. Student performance and learning impact were assessed using pre and post questionnaires. For the Austrian students, an additional long-term post questionnaire was completed six months after the intervention. Students' short-term performances increased significantly immediately after the module. This paper describes the outreach project and our teaching module, and proposes the development of curriculum extensions and teacher professional development for implementing interdisciplinary science concepts.

An illustrated catalogue of Rudolf Sturany’s type specimens in the Naturhistorisches Museum Wien, Austria (NHMW): Red Sea gastropods

The Natural History Museum in Vienna hosts the samples of the late 19th century Austro-Hungarian “Pola” expeditions to the Eastern Mediterranean and the Red Sea. Rudolf Sturany studied these samples and described several new species. The type material of 35 species and forms of gastropods collected in the Red Sea is listed and illustrated. For each species, the available type material is listed, the original description and a translation into English is provided, and the current taxonomic status of the species is commented upon whenever possible. All species are illustrated in colour and with SEM imaging, with the exception of Stylifer thielei, whose only specimen was broken by Johannes Thiele in Berlin to study the soft parts. Finally, a table of the Pola deep and coastal stations where molluscs were collected is provided, with modern names.