Rare Species Research Articles

Разработка мер по сохранению биологического разнообразия рыб, предложений по организации системы мониторинга состояния популяций редких видов рыб западного региона Республики Казахстан

The purpose of the work is to develop measures to ensure the development of fisheries, the conservation of fish resources and the biological diversity of the ichthyofauna of Western Kazakhstan (Mangystau, Atyrau, Aktobe and West Kazakhstan regions), improving the principles and methods of management and protection of fish stocks. The research was carried out both according to the methods generally accepted in the post-Soviet space, and according to the methods developed by the authors (a temporary method of accounting for the number of fish, withdrawal coefficients for populations of fish with undermined stocks) and methods of foresight research. The monitoring system for rare and endangered fish species should include both in-life research methods and the capture of a minimum necessary number of individuals in order to further domesticate and form breeding herds, artificially reproduce and release the resulting juveniles into those reservoirs. The continued decline in populations of rare and endangered fish species indicates the low effectiveness of the measures taken to preserve them. In order to prevent the loss of the gene pool, it is necessary to select sexual products for cryopreservation during the monitoring process. In addition to monitoring the condition of rare species of fish and other animals conducted by scientific organizations, it is necessary to create a geoinformation system for monitoring rare species, which any resident can replenish by sending experts photos of samples of flora or fauna with observation coordinates. The results of the work are supposed to be used to determine further ways of developing reservoirs in the context of “green growth”.

Tourism influences escape behavior of lizards in relationship with human clothing color

Increased tourism pressure modifies animal behavior, including alterations in anti-predator responses and foraging activity. In areas with high tourist presence, animals may become accustomed to increased human activity and adjust the intensity of some defensive responses. An animal’s anti-predation ability is usually estimated by measuring its Alert Initiation Distance (AID) and Flight Initiation Distance (FID). Both indexes are affected by multiple factors including the color of the observer’s clothing. Animal behavior is also influenced by human presence, and individuals may become accustomed to increased human presence, e.g. in tourist areas. In this study, we analysed the escape behavior of the endemic Cyprus rock agama (Laudakia cypriaca) in relation to the observers clothing color. Our results showed that AIDs and FIDs of agamas in tourist areas were significantly shorter than those in non-tourist areas. Moreover, in non-tourist areas, AIDs and FIDs of agamas were significantly longer when the observer wore red clothes, compared to green and grey clothes. Our results may be helpful in planning research taking into account various colored clothing based on expected reptilian reactions. Furthermore, our results may determine the proximity at which humans interact with animals, considering clothing color, to prevent negative impacts especially on rare and protected lizard species.

Evaluation of the environmental factors influencing the quality of Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus based on HPLC and the Maxent model

BackgroundIn recent years, global climate change in tandem with increased human activity has resulted in habitat degradation or the migration of rare medicinal plants, potentially impacting the quality of medicinal herbs. Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus is a valuable bulk medicinal material in Northwest China. As the demand for this medicinal herb continues to increase in both domestic and international markets, ensuring the sustainable development of high-quality Astragali Radix is important. In this study, the maximum entropy (Maxent) model was applied, thereby incorporating 136 distribution records, along with 39 environmental factors of A. membranaceus var. mongholicus, to assess the quality zonation and potential distribution of this species in China under climate change.ResultsThe results showed that the elevation, annual mean temperature, precipitation of wettest month, solar radiation in June, and mean temperature of warmest quarter were the critical environmental factors influencing the accumulation of astragaloside IV and Astragalus polysaccharide in A. membranaceus var. mongholicus. Among the twelve main environmental variables, annual mean temperature, elevation, precipitation of the wettest month, and solar radiation in November were the four most important factors influencing the distribution of A. membranaceus var. mongholicus. In addition, ecological niche modelling revealed that highly suitable habitats were mainly located in central and western Gansu, eastern Qinghai, northern Shaanxi, southern Ningxia, central Inner Mongolia, central Shanxi, and northern Hebei. However, the future projections under climate change suggested a contraction of these suitable areas, shifting towards northeastern high-latitude and high-elevation mountains.ConclusionsThe findings provide essential insights for developing adaptive strategies for A. membranaceus var. mongholicus cultivation in response to climate change and can inform future research on this species. By considering the identified environmental factors and the potential impacts of the predicted climate changes, we can visualize the regional distribution of high-quality Radix Astragali and develop conservation strategies to protect and restore its suitable habitats.

Advancements in genetic studies of mushrooms: a comprehensive review.

Genetic studies in mushrooms, driven by innovations such as CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing and RNA interference, transform our understanding of these enigmatic fungi and their multifaceted roles in agriculture, medicine, and conservation. This comprehensive review explores the rationale and significance of genetic research in mushrooms, delving into the ethical, regulatory, and ecological dimensions of this field. CRISPR-Cas9 emerges as a game-changing technology, enabling precise genome editing, targeted gene knockouts, and pathway manipulation. RNA interference complements these efforts by downregulating genes for improved crop yield and enhanced pest and disease resistance. Genetic studies also contribute to the conservation of rare species and developing more robust mushroom strains, fostering sustainable cultivation practices. Moreover, they unlock the potential for discovering novel medicinal compounds, offering new horizons in pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals. As emerging technologies and ethical considerations shape the future of mushroom research, these studies promise to revolutionize our relationship with these fungi, paving the way for a more sustainable and innovative world.

Characteristics of the Perianthic Endophytic Fungal Communities of the Rare Horticultural Plant Lirianthe delavayi and Their Changes under Artificial Cultivation

Flower endophytic fungi play a major role in plant reproduction, stress resistance, and growth and development. However, little is known about how artificial cultivation affects the endophytic fungal community found in the tepals of rare horticultural plants. In this research, we used high-throughput sequencing technology combined with bioinformatics analysis to reveal the endophytic fungal community of tepals in Lirianthe delavayi and the effects of artificial cultivation on the community composition and function of these plants, using tepals of L. delavayi from wild habitat, cultivated campus habitat, and cultivated field habitat as research objects. The results showed that the variety of endophytic fungi in the tepals of L. delavayi was abundant, with a total of 907 Amplicon sequencing variants (ASVs) obtained from all the samples, which were further classified into 4 phyla, 23 classes, 51 orders, 97 families, 156 genera, and 214 species. We also found that artificial cultivation had a significant impact on the community composition of endophytic fungi. Although there was no significant difference at the phylum level, with Ascomycota and Basidiomycota being the main phyla, there were significant differences in dominant and unique genera. Artificial cultivation has led to the addition of new pathogenic fungal genera, such as Phaeosphaeria, Botryosphaeria, and Paraconiothyrium, increasing the risk of disease in L. delavayi. In addition, the abundance of the endophytic fungus Rhodotorula, which is typical in plant reproductive organs, decreased. Artificial cultivation also altered the metabolic pathways of endophytic fungi, decreasing their ability to resist pests and diseases and reducing their ability to reproduce. A comparison of endophytic fungi in tepals and leaves revealed significant differences in community composition and changes in the endophytic diversity caused by artificial cultivation. To summarize, our results indicate that endophytic fungi in the tepals of L. delavayi mainly consist of pathogenic and saprophytic fungi. Simultaneously, artificial cultivation introduces a great number of pathogenic fungi that alter the metabolic pathways associated with plant resistance to disease and pests, as well as reproduction, which can increase the risk of plant disease and reduce plant reproductive capacity. Our study provides an important reference for the conservation and breeding of rare horticultural plants.

Modelling reveals the effect of climate and land use change on Madagascar’s chameleons fauna

The global biodiversity crisis is generated by the combined effects of human-induced climate change and land conversion. Madagascar is one of the World’s most renewed hotspots of biodiversity. Yet, its rich variety of plant and animal species is threatened by deforestation and climate change. Predicting the future of Madagascar’s chameleons, in particular, is complicated by their ecological rarity, making it hard to tell which factor is the most menacing to their survival. By applying an extension of the ENphylo species distribution model algorithm to work with extremely rare species, we find that Madagascar chameleons will face intense species loss in the north-western sector of the island. Land conversion by humans will drive most of the loss, and will intersect in a complex, nonlinear manner with climate change. We find that some 30% of the Madagascar’s chameleons may lose in the future nearly all their habitats, critically jeopardizing their chance for survival.

Assessing the conservation value of cemeteries to urban biota worldwide.

Cemeteries are key urban green spaces with multifaceted societal and ecological importance. Their biodiversity is shaped by unique environmental and cultural factors. They can potentially protect rare and endangered species, yet their conservation value compared with other urban green spaces remains largely unexplored. We sought to fill this gap by systematically reviewing literature to investigate the conservation value of cemeteries relative to other urban green spaces (botanical gardens, institutional premises, natural remnants, and parks) by comparing species richness and proportions of native and unique species. We analyzed data from 70 papers covering 50 cities in 27 countries with linear and binomial mixed-effects models at both site and city level. Cemetery conservation value was similar to urban parks, except for the proportion of unique species, for which parks had significantly higher proportions (21.9%vs. 14.2%, p<0.001). Cemeteries hosted slightly higher proportions of native species at the city level than botanical gardens (99.7%vs. 99.6%, p<0.001) and institutional green spaces (96.3%vs. 94.1%, p=0.034) and proportions comparable to parks and natural remnants (p>0.05). They also had similar or higher values than institutional premises in species richness and unique species proportions (p>0.05) and a higher site-level proportion of native species (p<0.001). In contrast, species richness (slopes=-0.11 and -0.25, respectively) and unique species proportions (4.4% and 6.9%, respectively, p<0.001 for both) were lower in cemeteries than in remnants of natural areas and in botanical gardens. The conservation value of cemeteries and parks was similar for animals, but parks had a higher value for plants. Overall, cemeteries were generally at least as valuable as some other green spaces for urban biodiversity and mostly native biota. Their religious and cultural significance suggests they will remain intact in the long term; thus, it is essential to prioritize and further promote their biodiversity in conservation and sustainable urban design plans.

Microbiodiversity Landscape Present in the Mine-Tailings of the “Sierra de Huautla” Biosphere Reserve, Mexico

Large-scale mining activities generate significant amounts of waste that accumulates in the environment. These wastes, known as mine tailings, contain high levels of heavy metals, posing risks to human health and causing severe damage to ecosystems. In this study, we determined the heavy metal content of mine tailings in the Sierra de Huautla Biosphere Reserve (REBIOSH), Mexico, and investigated their effect on microbial composition. One of the sites historically contaminated with metals was sampled in three different locations, labeled S1, S2, and S3. A fourth site free of heavy metals (S4) was also used as a control. Our results showed high levels of As, Pb, Cd, and Ag, potentially dangerous metals that exceed thresholds set by international regulatory agencies. Metal contamination indices indicated moderate to extreme enrichment for As, Cd, and Pb, posing potential ecological risks. A metagenomic study of mine tailings showed a core specie-specific microbiome covered by Sinimarinibacterium flocculans, Jiangella anatolica, Thiobacillus denitrificans, Fontimonas thermophile, Sphingomonas koreensis. These may be associated with the processing of heavy metals. A comparative study using the ALDEx2 revealed that less represented species like Variovorax paradoxus, Usitatibacter rugosus, Usitatibacter palustris, Sphingosinicella microcystinivorans, Sphingobium yanoikuyae, and Stella humosa may serve as microbial markers in metal-contaminated environments. In addition, we detected rare or low-abundance species belonging to the phylum Armatimonadota, Candidatus Melainobacteriota, Candidatus Saccharimonadota, Chlamydiota, Deinococcota, Elusimicrobiota, Bacillota, Rhodothermota and Verrucomicrobiota, which could play an important role in ecosystems contaminated with heavy metals. Also, we found site-specific taxonomic representatives such as Nitrososphaera gargensis and Nitrospira nitrificans dominating the S3 ecosystem; Ensifer aridi (S2 and S1), N. nitrificans (S2), while Reyranella soli dominate the S1 soil. These organisms could be crucial for nitrogen access in oligotrophic environments and underscore the adaptability of microbial life to extreme conditions. This is the first comprehensive study of the microbial composition in this important ecological site of the Mexican geography and can provide future guidance for the management and biological treatment of mining wastes.

Ten lessons for rare wildlife species conservation when coming from a common species background

Ten lessons for rare wildlife species conservation when coming from a common species background

Friedmannodendron rodriguesiana, a new segregate of Dombeya Cav. (Dombeyoideae, Malvaceae), endemic to Rodrigues

ABSTRACT Dombeya rodriguesiana F.Friedmann is an endemic species to Rodrigues (Mascarene Archipelago, Indian Ocean). This species faces severe threats and is currently represented by at least two living individuals. We sequenced a second sample of this species to confirm that its phylogenetic placement renders Dombeya Cav. paraphyletic and, thus, its placement in Dombeya needs revision. The second sample was extracted from a cultivated clone of the last wild individual of D. rodriguesiana. Sequences from this individual for six markers (one nuclear, five plastid) were analyzed using the largest molecular dataset available on Dombeyoideae and Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood methods. Study of all known herbarium material of D. rodriguesiana, and other relevant material, allowed for a new morphological evaluation and description. Our results demonstrate that D. rodriguesiana is closely related to the Malagasy endemic genus, Andringitra Skema. We found that the unique combination of characters of a persistent epicalyx with a persistent perianth provides the synapomorphy for these two sister taxa, independent of the significant morphological differences between them (e.g. flower size, number, arrangement, sex expression). Furthermore, we describe useful field characters to differentiate D. rodriguesiana from the superficially similar D. ferruginea Cav. To maintain a meaningful classification that reflects monophyletic groups in the Dombeyoideae, we propose the establishment of a new genus and combination to accommodate this rare species.

Analysis of the genetic structure of populations of the terrestrial mollusk &lt;i&gt;Caucasotachea vindobonensis&lt;/i&gt; (Helicidae) in conditions at the eastern border of the range using microsatellite markers

BACKGROUND: Assessing the genetic structure of populations of rare and vulnerable species provides useful information for developing conservation strategies. AIM: The aim of the study was to study the genetic structure of Caucasotachea vindobonensis populations in the south of the Central Russian Upland using SSR markers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Genetic structure of the populations was studied using eight microsatellite markers, first identified by the authors for the species under study. Fragment analysis of PCR products was carried out on an automatic capillary DNA sequencer Nanophore 05 (Russia). A total of 498 individuals from 24 populations were studied. RESULTS: A total of 59 alleles were isolated in the eight studied SSR loci, of which 21 (36%) turned out to be private. At the same time, private alleles were found in eleven studied populations, which is 46% of their total number. According to the data obtained, the effective number of alleles (Ae) averaged 1.6 ± 0.06, the Shannon index (I) was 0.45 ± 0.03, and the level of expected heterozygosity (He) was 0.27 ± 0.021. A high level of spatial subdivision of population gene pools was noted (Fst = 0.47 ± 0.08) with a fairly low level of gene flow (Nm = 1.15 ± 0.91). PCA analysis showed that the populations of the central and eastern parts of the south of the Central Russian Upland form a closely related group, different from other populations of the region. Calculation of the effective abundance using the LD method showed that Ne varies in different groups of snails from 0.6 to infinity. CONCLUSIONS: Populations of C. vindobonensis in the south of the Central Russian Upland live in conditions of significant isolation, as evidenced by the high degree of differentiation of the studied groups. The analysis of principal components based on genetic distances according to Nei and Wright’s F-statistics indicate a pronounced division of populations in the study area into two clusters, which is probably associated with the historical features of landscape formation. Calculation of effective numbers indicates the high viability of the majority of the studied populations. At the same time, some groups of snails are clearly in a depressed state, which is reflected in low levels of genetic diversity and their effective size.

First report of Helicotylenchus dihystera parasitizing Lady Tankerville orchids (Phaius tankervilleae) in Vietnam.

Lady Tankerville, a rare orchid species (Phaius tankervilleae (Banks ex L'Hér.) Blume) in Vietnam, not only enhances the aesthetic value of the surroundings with its enchanting blooms but also holds high economic value (Aver'janov & Averyanova, 2003). Investigating the necrosis symptom on the root system and declined Lady Tankerville in the market in Hai Duong province in Vietnam from 11/2020 to 12/2021, we discovered a substantial infestation (24/24 plants were infected) of a spiral nematode, Helicotylenchus sp. The nematode population was extracted from the rhizosphere soil, roots, and stems of a single orchid using the modified Baermann tray technique (Whitehead & Hemming, 1965), for thorough characterization. The average nematode density was measured at 525±85 (350-670) nematodes/250 cm3 of soil, 202±56 (198-264) nematodes/15 g of roots, and 80±15 (72-95) nematodes/15 g of stem. Two hundred nematodes from the same population were inoculated into another healthy orchid for preservation and further infection tests. This species was morphologically identified as Helicotylenchus dihystera according to the key of Fotedar and Kaul (1985) and the description of Sher (1966). Morphometric measurements of the females (n = 12) are as follows: body length = 632-725 (681 ± 32) µm; a = 24-34 (28 ± 3); b = 5.1-7.2 (6.0 ± 0.6); b' = 4.3-6.4 (5.3 ± 0.6); c = 33-46 (39 ± 5); c' = 1.1-1.4 (1.2 ± 0.1); V = 62-78 (65 ± 4)%; O = 30 -49 (39 ± 6); stylet length = 21-26 (24 ± 2) µm; DGO = 9.2-12.4 (10.8 ± 1.1) µm. To validate morphological observations, molecular analyses of the ITS (Vrain et al., 1992) and the D2-D3 of 28S rRNA (Subbotin et al., 2006) were conducted. The ITS and D2-D3 sequences from this study (accession number: PP060444 and PP033748) exhibited the highest similarity of 99.8% and 100% to the sequence of H. dihystera in GenBank (KM506885 and MW023215), respectively. The infection test took place in a greenhouse at 28 ± 2℃. Three-month-old Phaius tankervilleae (n=8) were individually grown in 15 x 15 cm deep pots filled with sterilized sand and inoculated with 500 gravid females of H. dihystera (Rashid & Azad, 2013). Two noninoculated plants served as controls. After 60 days of inoculation, symptoms such as sunspots and root necrosis, observed in the market, appeared in the tested plants (Fig. S1). The presence and diagnosis of H. dihystera infestation in soil, roots, and stems across growth stages of orchids indicates the nematode to be an obligate parasite. The nematodes penetrate the roots, causing characteristic necrotic lesions initially yellow, then turn reddish-brown to black, along with brown root flecks in discolored tissues. Heavy infestations post-flowering led to extensive necrosis, distortion, and decay of the roots. The average reproduction factor (final population/initial population) of H. dihystera in this study was 22.2. Control plants remained symptom-free. Notably, 100% of tested plants were infected, highlighting the severe impact of H. dihystera. The nematodes were successfully reisolated and identified as H. dihystera through molecular analyses (accession number: PP060615 (ITS) and PP033748 (D2-D3)), reaffirming its identity. In addition to 32 host plants in Vietnam (Nguyen et al., 2023), our study reveals a strain of H. dihystera parasitizing Lady Tankerville orchids with a relatively high reproduction factor and infection rate. This marks the first reported instance of H. dihystera parasitizing Lady Tankerville orchids in Vietnam, emphasizing the need for proactive measures to protect this plant.

Unique Plant Resources and Distribution Patterns in the Valley Forest of the Irtysh River Basin

The river valley forests of the Irtysh River Basin are a germplasm bank of Salicaceae species and rare plant resources in China, and the distribution varies with the river and is highly distinctive. However, there is a dearth of systematic research on the characteristics of plant resources. In this study, a comprehensive investigation was conducted in the trunk stream and six tributaries with valley forest distribution in the Irtysh River Basin, and 244 quadrats were set up. The analysis focused on the composition of the flora and resource characteristics. The results reveal the following: (1) The valley forests of the Irtysh River Basin contain 256 species of plants belonging to 57 families and 178 genera, among which 19 species of trees, 23 species of shrubs, and 214 species of herbs were investigated. (2) Among the identified species, 226 (88.67%) were recognized as resource plants, with medicinal plants being the most abundant (176 species, 68.75% of the total). (3) The distribution patterns of trees, shrubs, and herbs of each resource type vary across rivers. Elevation drop, river length, and river distance all significantly affect the number of specie. This study elucidated the current status and distributional characteristics of plant resources in the valley forests of the Irtysh River Basin, which is essential for both biodiversity conservation and sustainable resource utilization.

Synopsis of the Castniidae (Lepidoptera) of Costa Rica

Based on an exhaustive review of the bibliography, and consultation of entomological collections around the world, we present an illustrated catalog with 16 Castniidae taxa present in Costa Rica. Corybantes veraguana veraguana (Westwood, 1877) is recorded for the first time in the country and new records are reported for rare and little-known species such as Athis analibiae (Espinoza-Sanabria &amp; González, 2005), Athis delecta (Schaus, 1911) and Mirocastnia pyrrhopygoides smalli Miller, 1980. A taxonomic catalog of each taxon is included, as well as general information on geographic distribution, biogeography, ecology, seasonality, flight habits, material examined, and illustrations of males and females for all those taxa known from more than one specimen from Costa Rica.

Microeukaryote community coalescence strengthens community stability and elevates diversity.

Mixing of entire microbial communities represents a frequent, yet understudied phenomenon. Here, we mimicked estuarine condition in a microcosm experiment by mixing a freshwater river community with a brackish sea community and assessed the effects of both environmental and community coalescences induced by varying mixing processes on microeukaryotic communities. Signs of shifted community composition of coalesced communities towards the sea parent community suggest asymmetrical community coalescence outcome, which, in addition, was generally less impacted by environmental coalescence. Community stability, inferred from community cohesion, differed among river and sea parent communities and increased following coalescence treatments. Generally, community coalescence increased alpha diversity and promoted competition from the introduction (or emergence) of additional (or rare) species. These competitive interactions in turn had community stabilizing effect as evidenced by the increased proportion of negative cohesion. The fate of microeukaryotes was influenced by mixing ratios and frequencies (i.e., one-time versus repeated coalescence). Namely, diatoms were negatively impacted by coalescence, while fungi, ciliates, and cercozoans were promoted to varying extents, depending on the mixing ratios of the parent communities. Our study suggests that the predictability of coalescence outcomes was greater when the sea parent community dominated the final community, and this predictability was further enhanced when communities collided repeatedly.

Phytochemical and biological studies on rare and endangered plants endemic to China. Part XXXVI. Tsugaforrestiacids A–O: Structurally diverse C-18 carboxylated diterpenoids from the twigs and needles of the ‘vulnerable’ conifer Tsuga forrestii and their inhibitory effects on ATP-citrate lyase

An extensive phytochemical investigation on the EtOAc-soluble fraction of the 90% MeOH extract from the twigs and needles of the ‘vulnerable’ Chinese endemic conifer Tsuga forrestii (Forrest's hemlock) led to the isolation and characterization of 50 structurally diverse diterpenoids, including 15 unreported C-18 carboxylated ones (tsugaforrestiacids A−O, 1−15, resp.). Among them, compounds 1−7 are abieten-18-oic acids, compound 8 is an abieten-18-succinate, and compounds 10−12 are podocarpen-18-oic acids, whereas compounds 13−15 are pimarane-type, isopimarane-type, and totarane-type diterpenoid acids, respectively. Their structures and absolute configurations were determined by a combination of spectroscopic methods, GIAO NMR calculations and DP4+ probability analyses, electronic circular dichroism (ECD) data, and single crystal X-ray diffraction analyses. All the isolates were evaluated for their inhibitory activities against the ATP-citrate lyase (ACL), a key enzyme in cellular metabolism. Tsugaforrestiacids E (5) and H (8) were found to have significant inhibitory effects against ACL, with IC50 values of 5.3 and 6.2 μM, respectively. The interactions of the bioactive molecules with the ACL enzyme were examined by molecular docking studies. The isolated diterpenoids also provide chemotaxonomic evidence to support the delimitation of Tsuga from its closest sister group (Nothotsuga). The above findings highlight the importance of protecting plant species with unique and diverse secondary metabolites, which may be potential sources of new therapeutic agents for the treating ACL-associated diseases.

Taxonomic, nomenclatural, and distribution notes on Thymus dreatensis (Nepetoideae, Lamiaceae) and related taxa endemic to North Africa

Thymus dreatensis (Lamiaceae), a rare species, was considered to be strictly endemic to Algeria, until it was recently discovered on the eastern Kroumirian mountains of Tunisia. The species is one of the very rare and few taxa of Thymus sect. Serpyllum subsect. Insulares and is characterized mainly by its small habit with reptant stems, broadly ovate to elliptical, entire leaf blade, and a capitate to oblong inflorescence with entire bracts, which are different from the leaves. The name is here lectotypified with a specimen housed in the Montpellier University Herbarium. The population is here reported for the first time as a new floristic record for Tunisia. Moreover, geographical distribution and habitat of T. dreatensis is given. In addition, the nomenclature of three species of Thymus that are morphologically close to T. dreatensis and endemic to North Africa, is discussed: T. atlanticus is lectotypified with a specimen housed in Herb. K; T. guyonii is neotypified with a specimen housed in Herb. P; T. pallescens is lectotypified with the same detailed plate on which the name was published.

Common ant species dominate morphospace: unraveling the morphological diversity in the Brazilian Amazon Basin

Rare plant and vertebrate species have been documented to contribute disproportionately to the total morphological structure of species assemblages. These species often possess morphologically extreme traits and occupy the boundaries of morphological space. As rare species are at greater risk of extinction than more widely distributed species, human‐induced disturbances can strongly affect ecosystem functions related to assemblage morphology. Here, we assess to what extent the distributions of ant morphological traits are supported by morphologically extreme species and how they are distributed among habitats in a global biodiversity hotspot, the Brazilian Amazon. We used a morphological database comprising 15 continuous morphological traits and 977 expert‐validated ant species distributed across the Brazilian Amazon. We produced species range estimates using species distribution models or alpha hulls (when few records were available). Next, we conducted a principal components analysis to combine traits into a space with reduced dimensionality (morphospace). Then, we identified morphologically extreme species in this space and quantified their contributions to morphological diversity across different habitat types in the Brazilian Amazon Basin. We identified 114 morphologically extreme ant species across the Amazon ant morphospace. These species also accounted for a large percentage of morphospace filling, exceeding 99% representation in the most disturbed habitats in the Amazon. Our results suggest that a few morphologically extreme species capture most of the variation in ant morphology and, therefore, the spectrum of ecosystem functions performed by ants in the Brazilian Amazon Basin. Further, unlike in many other groups, these extreme morphologies were represented by the set of most common species. These results suggest greater functional redundancy and resilience in Brazilian Amazon ants, but more broadly, they contribute to our understanding of ecological processes that sustain ecosystem functions.

Taxonomic, nomenclatural, and distribution notes on Thymus dreatensis (Nepetoideae, Lamiaceae) and related taxa endemic to North Africa

Thymus dreatensis (Lamiaceae), a rare species, was considered to be strictly endemic to Algeria, until it was recently discovered on the eastern Kroumirian mountains of Tunisia. The species is one of the very rare and few taxa of Thymus sect. Serpyllum subsect. Insulares and is characterized mainly by its small habit with reptant stems, broadly ovate to elliptical, entire leaf blade, and a capitate to oblong inflorescence with entire bracts, which are different from the leaves. The name is here lectotypified with a specimen housed in the Montpellier University Herbarium. The population is here reported for the first time as a new floristic record for Tunisia. Moreover, geographical distribution and habitat of T. dreatensis is given. In addition, the nomenclature of three species of Thymus that are morphologically close to T. dreatensis and endemic to North Africa, is discussed: T. atlanticus is lectotypified with a specimen housed in Herb. K; T. guyonii is neotypified with a specimen housed in Herb. P; T. pallescens is lectotypified with the same detailed plate on which the name was published.

THE BUXA TIGER RESERVE AS A ‘HOT SPOT’ OF ANT DIVERSITY IN WEST BENGAL STATE (HYMENOPTERA: FORMICIDAE)

Totally 126 species from 43 genera and 7 subfamilies of ants have been found in the Buxa Tiger Reserve. Of them Tetramorium curtulum Emery, 1895, Calyptomyrmex friederikae Kutter, 1976 and Dolichoderus brevis Santschi, 1920 are recorded from India for the first time. Six rare species are also found here, viz. Gesomyrmex spatulatus Cole, 1949, Rhopalomastix rothneyi Forel, 1900, Colobopsis cotesii (Forel, 1893), Colobopsis vitrea angustula (Emery, 1925), and Camponotus selene (Emery, 1889). The diversity and distribution pattern of different species opens avenue for considering this protected area as a gene pool for ant diversity in West Bengal.