Majority Of Species Research Articles

Delineation of the DNA Structural Features of Eukaryotic Core Promoter Classes.

The eukaryotic transcription is orchestrated from a chunk of the DNA region stated as the core promoter. Multifarious and punctilious core promoter signals, viz., TATA-box, Inr, BREs, and Pause Button, are associated with a subset of genes and regulate their spatiotemporal expression. However, the core promoter architecture linked with these signals has not been investigated exhaustively for several species. In this study, we attempted to envisage the adaptive binding landscape of the transcription initiation machinery as a function of DNA structure. To this end, we deployed a set of k-mer based DNA structural estimates and regular expression models derived from experiments, molecular dynamic simulations, and theoretical frameworks, and high-throughout promoter data sets retrieved from the eukaryotic promoter database. We categorized protein-coding gene core promoters based on characteristic motifs at precise locations and analyzed the B-DNA structural properties and non-B-DNA structural motifs for 15 different eukaryotic genomes. We observed that Inr, BREd, and no-motif classes display common patterns of DNA sequence and structural environment. TATA-containing, BREu, and Pause Button classes show a deviant behavior with the TATA class displaying varied axial and twisting flexibility while BREu and Pause Button leaned toward G-quadruplex motif enrichment. Intriguingly, DNA meltability and shape signals are conserved irrespective of the presence or absence of distinct core promoter motifs in the majority of species. Altogether, here we delineated the conserved DNA structural signals associated with several promoter classes that may contribute to the chromatin configuration, orchestration of transcription machinery, and DNA duplex melting during the transcription process.

Genome Size and Chromosome Number Evaluation of Astragalus L. sect. Hymenostegis Bunge (Fabaceae).

Astragalus section Hymenostegis is one of the important characteristic elements of thorn-cushion formations in the Irano-Turanian floristic region. In this paper, we examined the chromosome number of 17 species (15 new reports) and provide estimates of genome size for 62 individuals belonging to 38 taxa of A. sect. Hymenostegis, some species outside this section, plus two Oxytropis species. Based on chromosome counts 11 species were found to be diploid (2n = 16), four species tetraploid (2n = 32) and two taxa hexaploid (2n = 48). From genome size measurements on silica-gel dried material, three ploidy levels (2x, 4x and 6x) were inferred, with a majority of species being diploid. The 2C values reach from 2.07 pg in diploid Astragalus zohrabi to 7.16 pg in hexaploid A. rubrostriatus. We found indications that species might occur with different cytotypes. A phylogenetic framework using nrDNA ITS sequences was constructed to understand the evolution of ploidy changes and genome sizes. It showed that genome size values among the studied taxa differ only slightly within ploidy levels and are nearly constant within most species and groups of closely related taxa within the genus Astragalus. The results of this study show that there is a rather strong correlation between genome sizes and chromosome numbers in sect. Hymenostegis. The resolution of the ITS-based phylogenetic tree is too low to infer evolutionary or environmental correlations of genome size differences. Polyploidization seems to contribute to the high species number in Astragalus, however, in sect. Hymenostegis it is not the main driver of speciation.

Vulnerability Assessment of Target Shrimps and Bycatch Species from Industrial Shrimp Trawl Fishery in the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh

Productivity susceptibility analysis (PSA) is a semi-quantitative ecological risk assessment tool, widely used to determine the relative vulnerability of target and non-target species to fishing impacts. Considering the available information on species-specific life-history and fishery-specific attributes, we used PSA to assess the relative risk of the 60 species interacting with the shrimp trawl fishery in the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh. Penaeus monodon, the most important target, and Metapenaeus monoceros, the highest catch contributor, along with other 15 species were in the moderate-risk category, while seven non-target bycatch species were in the high-risk category. PSA-derived vulnerability results were validated with IUCN extinction risk, exploitation rate and stocks’ catch trend. The majority of the identified species showed high productivity (37%) and high susceptibility (46%), and all the moderately and highly vulnerable species were subjected to overfishing conditions by shrimp trawl fishery, which coincided with the vulnerability scores (V ≥ 1.8). Species with V ≥ 1.8 mostly showed a decreasing catch trend, while the species with a stable or increasing catch trend had a V ≤ 1.72. Data quality analysis of productivity and susceptibility attributes indicated that the majority of species were considered data-limited, which emphasizes the acquisition of data on spatio-temporal abundance, catch and effort, and biological information specifically relating to species age, growth, and reproduction. However, our findings can assist fishery administrators in implementing an ecosystem approach to ensure the sustainability and conservation of marine biodiversity in the Bay of Bengal.

Diversity and Distribution Patterns of Endemic Medicinal and Aromatic Plants of Iran: Implications for Conservation and Habitat Management.

Iran, with its unique climatic and topographic conditions, is home to about 8200 species of vascular plants. Approximately 2300 of the 8200 species are popularly characterized as medicinal or aromatic. Here, we compile information about the endemic medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) of Iran and map their distributions. Our survey found 180 endemic species of MAPs, belonging to 10 families and 30 genera. The majority of species are found in Lamiaceae, Fabaceae, and Apiaceae, with 86, 30, and 18 species, respectively. Approximately 70% of these plants have been recorded in the 10 provinces of Esfahan, Kerman, Fars, Tehran, Chaharmahal va Bakhtiari, East Azarbaijan, Lorestan, West Azarbaijan, Hamadan, and Mazandaran. These provinces are located in the Iran-o-Turanian region, one of the three major phytogeographic regions in Iran, which covers five areas of endemism (i.e., Azarbaijan, Zagros, Kopet Dagh-Khorassan, Alborz, and Central Alborz). So, Iran-o-Turanian region is the main center of diversity for the Iranian endemic MAPs. The north, center and western parts of Iran are rich in MAPs and could be considered as the dominant biodiversity hotspots of Iran more seemingly due to the diverse climatic and geographic assortment which generates the highest frequency and distribution of MAPs. Many of these MAPs are at the edge of extinction due to the unwise, unscientific harvesting and/or global climate change. Therefore, there is an urgent need to conserve and propagate some of these important MAPs to save them from extinction and also to ensure the availability of raw materials for their use and future research into their efficacy. Furthermore, identifying the areas of endemism (AEs) is an essential part of ongoing regional conservation management programs in Iran and worldwide.

Trimethylamine Probes Isolated Silicon Dangling Bonds and Surface Hydroxyls of (H,OH)-Si(001)

To better understand why amines catalyze the reactivity of SiOH with silanes, we examined the adsorption of trimethylamine under a low pressure (10–9–10–8 mbar) and a low temperature (105–160 K) on water-terminated (H,OH)-Si(001), which is both a model surface for adsorption studies and a promising starting substrate for atomic layer deposition. Trimethylamine bonding configurations were determined by combining real-time synchrotron radiation X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS) with density functional theory (DFT) calculations of core-level ionization energies and vibrational spectra. Both spectroscopies showed that the majority of species are trimethylamine molecules making acceptor H bonds with surface hydroxyls. Moreover, HREELS indicated that the hydrogen-bonding modes (single and double hydrogen acceptor bonds) depend on temperature and/or coverage, which may in turn affect the weakening of the O–H bond, and hence the catalytic effects of trimethylamine. XPS also clearly detected a minority species, trimethylamine, datively bonded to the isolated silicon dangling bonds (a few 1/100th of a monolayer). This species is prone to breaking, and a detailed analysis of the reaction products was made. The reactivity of the electrically active isolated silicon dangling bonds with the amine may impact the Fermi-level position in the gap.

Sexual and Breeding Systems in a Xerophytic Shrubland

Reproductive systems are fundamental attributes for understanding life cycle and regeneration processes and provide information about seed production and genetic diversity. Analyses of reproductive strategies within communities and their associations with functional groups can indicate how physical and biological characteristics may influence the reproductive ecology of such communities. The main goal was to determine if the reproductive systems and their associated functional groups have particular characteristics related to extreme conditions and disturbance within xerophytic shrubland. Floral morphology analysis and four experimental tests were conducted to determine the reproductive systems of species and their associations with the life form, succulence, carbon metabolism, dispersal syndrome, pollination, and disturbance. Of the 144 plant species studied, 72.9% were hermaphrodite, 22.9% were monoecious, and 4.2% were dioecious. Dioecy was associated with woodiness, frugivory and undisturbed areas, while monoecy was more common in herbs. Adichogamy, protandry and herkogamy were more frequent than dichogamy, protogyny and no herkogamy, respectively. Xenogamous species tend to be woody and grow in undisturbed areas, while partially xenogamous species were mainly herbs occurring in disturbed areas. The majority of species were partially self-incompatible. High levels of outbreeding strategies tended to occur mainly in woody K-strategy species from undisturbed areas, mixed breeding strategies occurred in disturbed areas and overall community, and inbreeding strategies were associated with mostly herbaceous r-strategy primarily in disturbed areas.

Distribution of Vascular Plants in Mongolia - I Part

In the present article, we provided grid distribution maps of vascular plants in Mongolia based on a 40 x 40 km2 grid cell size. We selected 40 native vascular plant species, belonging to 31 genera and 17 families. With the exception of a few species, the majority of species are distributed in Asian countries, including the Asian parts of Russia. Moreover, given species are collected as herbarium specimens and photographed in their natural habitats during our field surveys. The global and regional distribution, natural habitat, and conservation status of each species are provided in detail.

Ethnobotany, Phytochemistry, Pharmacology and Nutritional Potential of Medicinal Plants from Asteraceae Family

The Asteraceae family has a worldwide distribution with a special focus on the Mediterranean, Eastern Europe, and Asia Minor. It contains approximately 33,000 plant species with over “1600 to 1700” genera worldwide in tropical and subtropical climates. Over the centuries, Asteraceae plants have been used as medicinal plants throughout the world. There are several well-known taxa in the Asteraceae family, including lettuce, chicory, artichoke, daisy, and dandelion, which have been used for centuries in food and medicine. The family members are quite diverse, but they all share a common chemical composition. For example, inulin is a natural polysaccharide with strong prebiotic properties and is found in all species. The majority of species are annual, biennial, or perennial herbaceous plants, and they can be found all over the world. This family includes astringents, anti-inflammatory drugs, diaphoretics, nerve tonics, laxatives, wound healing products, blood flow disorders, headaches, pains, flatulence, dysentery, hemorrhoids, ulcers, and cachexia-causing illnesses. In addition to their anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antipyretic properties, some of these species also possess high antioxidant properties, as demonstrated in studies using extracts of roots, stems, bark, leaves, flowers, fruits, and seeds. The Asteraceae species whose natural antioxidant properties have the greatest potential for use in the medicine, cosmetics, and food industries are identified. Asteraceae species have been reported to contain flavonoids, phenolic acids, coumarins, monoterpenoids, sesquiterpenes, diterpenes, and triterpenes, and sterols. In this way, various species of Asteraceae plants have been identified and collected that have proven effective and useful for treating a variety of human diseases. This manuscript describes the medicinal properties along with the peculiar phytoconstituents and pharmacological properties and nutritional potential of various Asteraceae plants

Composição florística, modos de polinização e dispersão de sementes de uma área de cerrado relevante para conservação

Abstract: Cerrado remnants can hold an important diversity of plant species of environmental and ecological relevance. We presented a checklist of vascular plants based on 12 years of inventory carried out in 36 plots (10 m x 2 m; 0.18 ha in total) and during unsystematic walks in a remnant area of cerrado sensu stricto located at Itirapina municipality, state of São Paulo, southeastern Brazil. The list comprised 195 plant species, corresponding to 54 families and 131 genera. The richest families were Fabaceae (25 species), Asteraceae (16), Myrtaceae (16), Rubiaceae (11), Bignoniaceae and Malpighiaceae (10 each), Melastomataceae (9), and Erythroxylaceae, Sapindaceae and Annonaceae (6). Predominant life forms included shrubs and trees, with 68% of the species, followed by lianas with 12%, sub-shrub and herbs with 10% each. Bees were the dominant pollinators (67,5%) and the majority of species had seeds dispersed by animals (56.8%), mostly by birds, followed by wind (33.3%) and self-dispersed (11.2%). More than 60% of the total species were classified as “typical” Cerrado species. Bowdichia virgilioides was the only species classified as Near Threatened (NT) and 157 were regarded as Data Deficient (DD). Our dataset provides floristic, structural, and ecological information for one of the targeted areas for Cerrado survey at São Paulo state, contributing to the understanding of diversity patterns and future conservation and restoration actions in this threatened hotspot.

An updated checklist to the biodiversity data of ladybeetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) of the Azores Archipelago (Portugal).

BackgroundA recently-published review from 2021 presents a comprehensive checklist of ladybeetles of Portugal, including the Azores and Madeira Archipelagos. Until then, the available information was very scattered and based on a single revision dating back to 1986, a few international catalogues and databases, individual records and studies on communities of agroecosystems. However, no information was available on faunal composition across the Azorean islands and their habitats, using standardised inventories. Here, we present data about the biodiversity of ladybeetles and their distribution and abundance in five Islands of the Azores (Faial, Graciosa, Pico, São Jorge and São Miguel). Surveys included herbaceous and arboreal habitats from native to anthropogenic-managed habitats: ruderal road vegetation, vegetable garden, mixed forest of endemic and non-native host plants, coastal prairies, coastal mixed vegetation, cornfields and urban areas. We aimed to contribute to the ongoing effort to document the terrestrial biodiversity of Portugal, including the Archipelago of the Azores, within the research project AZORESBIOPORTAL–PORBIOTA (ACORES-01-0145-FEDER-000072).New informationIn this study, a total of 1,487 specimens of Coccinellidae belonging to 19 species are reported for several habitats. The listed species are from one single sub-familiy (Coccinellinae) and six tribes; Chilocorini (one species), Coccidulini (three species), Coccinellini (six species), Noviini (one species), Scymnini (seven species), Stethorini (one species). The number of species collected per island differed; Faial (10 species), Graciosa (four species), Pico (seven species), São Jorge (seven species) and São Miguel (12 species). For six species, new island records are given. Currently, the number of species known to occur in the Azores are 32, including two doubtful records. The majority of species are Scymnini, being Scymnus (Scymnus) interruptus (Goeze, 1777) and Scymnus (Scymnus) nubilus Mulsant, 1850, the most abundant species (relative abundance 71.1%). This database will be the baseline of a long-term monitoring project allowing assessment of the impact of ongoing global changes in the distribution and abundance of ladybeetles.

Range Sizes of the World's Mammals, Birds, and Amphibians from the Mid-Holocene to the Industrial Period.

Simple SummaryThe geographic ranges of animal species play an important role for many ecological processes. Changes in climate, as well as human conversion of natural habitats, are two major factors that affect species’ range sizes. While the impact of these two factors in the Industrial era has been thoroughly studied, their pre-Industrial impacts are less well understood further back in time. Here, we combine global reconstructions of land use and climate from 6000 BCE to 1850 CE with data of the geographic distributions and habitat requirements of 16,919 mammal, bird, and amphibian species to estimate how human land use and natural climatic change have altered species’ ranges across past millennia. Our results suggest that pre-Industrial land use had only a small impact, yet one that affected almost all species negatively. Climatic variation evidently led to some range expansions and contractions, but overall had a small impact on the majority of species. In the context of a previous study of range changes in the more recent past, our results demonstrate that current rates of range losses exceed the magnitude of range changes seen over many thousands of years prior to the Industrial period to an alarming extent.Anthropogenic land use and climate change in the Industrial age have had substantial impacts on the geographic ranges of the world’s terrestrial animal species. How do these impacts compare against those in the millennia preceding the Industrial era? Here, we combine reconstructions of global climate and land use from 6000 BCE to 1850 CE with empirical data on the spatial distributions and habitat requirements of 16,919 mammal, bird, and amphibian species to estimate changes in their range sizes through time. We find that land use had only a small, yet almost entirely negative impact during most of the study period, whilst natural climatic variability led to some range expansions and contractions; but, overall it had a small impact on the majority of species. Our results provide a baseline for comparison with studies of range changes during the Industrial period, demonstrating that contemporary rates of range loss exceed the magnitude of range changes seen over many thousands of years prior to the Industrial period by an alarming extent.

In vitro activity of cefiderocol against Gram-negative bacterial pathogens in Germany

Widespread antimicrobial resistance in Gram-negative bacteria (GNB), particularly carbapenem resistance, represents a major clinical challenge. Cefiderocol is a novel siderophore cephalosporin active against all carbapenemase classes. We evaluated the in vitro activity of cefiderocol and other antibacterial agents (ceftazidime/avibactam, ceftolozane/tazobactam, colistin and meropenem) against GNB isolates collected in Germany (2013-2018) as part of two multinational studies. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed by broth microdilution. Minimum inhibitory concentrations were interpreted according to EUCAST breakpoints. Cefiderocol had high activity against GNB isolates (N=2298), encompassing both Enterobacterales (n=1562) and non-fermenter species (n=736), and maintained high activity against carbapenem-resistant strains (n=211). The activity of cefiderocol against Enterobacterales was equivalent to that of ceftazidime/avibactam and colistin, while ceftolozane/tazobactam was somewhat less active. Against non-fermenter species, cefiderocol displayed equivalent activity to colistin; both of these agents were more active than ceftazidime/avibactam and ceftolozane/tazobactam. Colistin had similar activity to cefiderocol against the majority of species. These patterns of activity were echoed in carbapenem-resistant isolates. The high activity of cefiderocol was independent of infection site, whereas other antibacterial agents demonstrated slightly lower activity against isolates causing pneumonia compared with those from other key infection sites. Cefiderocol exhibited consistently high in vitro activity against a variety of GNB isolates collected in Germany, including resistant phenotypes, across multiple infection sites. These data suggest that cefiderocol is an effective choice of antibacterial agent in patients with GNB infection, regardless of species and resistance phenotype to other agents.

PHYTOSSOCIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF A NATURAL REGENERATION SITE IN THE SOUTHEAST ATLANTIC FOREST BIOME

On some portions of the biodiversity Atlantic Forest bioversity hotspot, land abandonment has regenerated back to forest. However, the composition and structure of these areas are not well known. Thus, the aim of this study was to inventory a 45 years old natural regeneration forest site in a small farm (68 ha) in the Southeast portion of Atlantic Forest Biome in Brazil. In November 2019 all regenerating individuals (<15 cm of circumference at ground level and> 50 cm of height) and adults (>15 cm of circumference at breast height) were counted, identified, classified in ecological groups, dispersal and conservation status, and measured in 0.34 ha. We calculated Importance Value (VI) for all species. Of the 2720 individuals sampled, 435 were adults and 2285 regenerating individuals. Families with greatest species richness were Fabaceae, Myrtaceae and Euphorbiaceae. The majority of species and individuals were non-pioneer and zoochorous. Most of the regenerants belong to the specie Guarea kunthiana and were non-pioneer species, wich might indicate an advanced stage of forest succession. Additionally, high VI species were mostly non-pionners.

Contact calls in woodpeckers are individually distinctive, show significant sex differences and enable mate recognition

Vocal communication of woodpeckers has been relatively little studied so far, mostly because majority of species use drumming to communicate. Our recent study on the Middle Spotted Woodpecker revealed that a call which is specific for floaters is individually distinctive and functions as a vocal signature of unpaired individuals. The aim of the current study is to investigate whether a contact call of paired territory owners of the same species enables discrimination of individuals and their sex. Acoustic analyses revealed that the call is individually distinctive and experimental approach confirmed that woodpeckers are able to distinguish between a contact call of their partner and a stranger. We also found that the contact call shows significant sex differences. Interestingly, the acoustic parameter enabling sex identification is different than the parameters coding individual variability of the call. The design of a call so that its first part would code the identity of an individual and the second part would code its sex presents an effective and fine-tuned communication system. The results of our study also suggest that the contact call of paired Middle Spotted Woodpeckers may be useful for conservation biologists as a tool supporting other census methods.

Unexpected post-glacial colonisation route explains the white colour of barn owls (Tyto alba) from the British Isles.

The climate fluctuations of the Quaternary shaped the movement of species in and out of glacial refugia. In Europe, the majority of species followed one of the described traditional postglacial recolonization routes from the southern peninsulas towards the north. Like most organisms, barn owls are assumed to have colonized the British Isles by crossing over Doggerland, a land bridge that connected Britain to northern Europe. However, while they are dark rufous in northern Europe, barn owls in the British Isles are conspicuously white, a contrast that could suggest selective forces are at play on the islands. Yet, our analysis of known candidate genes involved in coloration found no signature of selection. Instead, using whole genome sequences and species distribution modelling, we found that owls colonised the British Isles soon after the last glaciation, directly from a white coloured refugium in the Iberian Peninsula, before colonising northern Europe. They would have followed a hitherto unknown post‐glacial colonization route to the Isles over a westwards path of suitable habitat in now submerged land in the Bay of Biscay, thus not crossing Doggerland. As such, they inherited the white colour of their Iberian founders and maintained it through low gene flow with the mainland that prevents the import of rufous alleles. Thus, we contend that neutral processes probably explain this contrasting white colour compared to continental owls. With the barn owl being a top predator, we expect future research will show this unanticipated route was used by other species from its paleo community.

Bark beetles breeding in petioles in Fiji (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae)

The scolytine beetles found breeding in the petioles of the fallen leaves of Fijian trees are listed together with their host trees, and information is provided on the biology of the species. The majority of species are known to breed in other habitats. Brood sizes are generally low, and the leafstalks may provide a 'refuge' when more suitable habitat is not available. The community found in Fiji is compared with the communities found in petioles in West Malaysia and Costa Rica.

Lens and cornea limit UV vision of birds - a phylogenetic perspective.

ABSTRACTMost vertebrates have UV-sensitive vision, but the UV sensitivity of their eyes is limited by the transmittance of the ocular media, and the specific contribution of the different media (cornea, lens) has remained unclear. Here, we describe the transmittance of all ocular media (OMT), as well as that of lenses and corneas of birds. For 66 species belonging to 18 orders, the wavelength at which 50% of light is transmitted through the ocular media to the retina (λT0.5) ranges from 310 to 398 nm. Low λT0.5 corresponds to more UV light transmitted. Corneal λT0.5 varies only between 300 and 345 nm, whereas lens λT0.5 values are more variable (between 315 and 400 nm) and tend to be the limiting factor, determining OMT in the majority of species. OMT λT0.5 is positively correlated with eye size, but λT0.5 of corneas and lenses are not correlated with their thickness when controlled for phylogeny. Corneal and lens transmittances do not differ between birds with UV- and violet-sensitive SWS1 opsin when controlling for eye size and phylogeny. Phylogenetic relatedness is a strong predictor of OMT, and ancestral state reconstructions suggest that from ancestral intermediate OMT, highly UV-transparent ocular media (low λT0.5) evolved at least five times in our sample of birds. Some birds have evolved in the opposite direction towards a more UV-opaque lens, possibly owing to pigmentation, likely to mitigate UV damage or reduce chromatic aberration.

Testing the Improvement of Coral Reef Associated Fish Distribution Models Based on Multibeam Bathymetry by Adding Seafloor Backscatter Data

Demersal fishes constitute an essential component of the continental shelf ecosystem, and a significant element of fisheries catch around the world. However, collecting distribution and abundance data of demersal fish, necessary for their conservation and management, is usually expensive and logistically complex. The increasing availability of seafloor mapping technologies has led to the opportunity to exploit the strong relationship demersal fish exhibit with seafloor morphology to model their distribution. Multibeam echo-sounder (MBES) systems are a standard method to map seafloor morphology. The amount of acoustic energy reflected by the seafloor (backscatter) is used to estimate specific characteristics of the seafloor, including acoustic hardness and roughness. MBES data including bathymetry and depth derivatives were used to model the distribution of Abalistes stellatus, Gymnocranius grandoculis, Lagocephalus sceleratus, Lethrinus miniatus, Loxodon macrorhinus, Lutjanus sebae, and Scomberomorus queenslandicus. The possible improvement of model accuracy by adding the seafloor backscatter was tested in three different areas of the Ningaloo Marine Park off the west coast of Australia. For the majority of species, depth was a primary variable explaining their distribution in the three study sites. Backscatter was identified to be an important variable in the models, but did not necessarily lead to a significant improvement in the demersal fish distribution models’ accuracy. Possible reasons for this include: the depth and derivatives were capturing the significant changes in the habitat, or the acoustic data collected with a high-frequency MBES were not capturing accurately relevant seafloor characteristics associated with the species distribution. The improvement in the accuracy of the models for certain species using data already available is an encouraging result, which can have a direct impact in our ability to monitor these species.

Інвазійні й аборигенні щитівки (sternorrhyncha: diaspididae) в урбофітоценозах України

The results of long-term survey of аrumored scales (Sternorrhyncha: Diaspididae) that was provided in urban landscapes in Forest- Steppe and Steppeе zones of Ukraine are presented. The species composition of alien armored scales consists of 24 species from 19 genera. 10 species were found in open field whereas 14 species were registered in green house. The most distributed were A. nerii, D. boisduvalii та D. bromeliae. The vast majority of species found in survey belong to polyphagous and represent alien species. Due to climate change, in summer there has been a shift of sub tropically originated armor scales( Aspidiotus nerii, Diaspis boisduvalii and D. bromeliae) from greenhouses to open field host plants. The coconut scale Pinnaspis buxi Bouch was recorder for the first time in this study. The features of the invasive armored scales adaptation in light of the of their development is discussed. Analysis of some important aspects of the development of morphological features of armored scales and other soft scales species of under the influence of abiotic factors indicated that the evolution of this group of insects occurred not only by adaptation but also by avoiding environmental influences. The evolution of environmental avoidance has taken place in all families of Coccoidea. The formation of the shield is seen not only as a way to avoid the influence of the environment, but as the transition of these insects to another level of evolution − the transformation of the environment to their needs.

Length–weight relations of 11 goby species (Actinopterygii: Gobiiformes) from mangroves along the Ba Lat estuary of the Red River, Vietnam

Presently reported study examined the length–weight relations for 11 goby species collected from a mangrove estuary of the Red River, Vietnam. A total of 1097 individuals of the following species, representing three goby families, were analyzed: Butis butis (Hamilton, 1822); Butis koilomatodon (Bleeker, 1849); Acentrogobius moloanus (Herre, 1927); Acentrogobius viridipunctatus (Valenciennes, 1837); Apocryptodon madurensis (Bleeker, 1849); Aulopareia unicolor (Valenciennes, 1837); Glossogobius giuris (Hamilton, 1822); Gobiopsis macrostoma Steindachner, 1861; Mugilogobius abei (Jordan et Snyder, 1901); Tridentiger barbatus (Günther, 1861); and Tridentiger trigonocephalus (Gill, 1859). The regression slope values (b) ranged from 2.909 to 3.621. The majority of species had positive allometric or isometric growth pattern with b ≥ 3, except for only one species (G. giuris) which had a negative allometric growth with b = 2.909. This study provided the first LWR information of four gobies that have not been reported in FishBase yet. Besides, the reference for LWRs of other gobies at an ecologically important area like Ba Lat Estuary is also provided.