Levels Of Species Endemism Research Articles

Analysis of the Holarctic Dictyoptera aurora Complex (Coleoptera, Lycidae) Reveals Hidden Diversity and Geographic Structure in Müllerian Mimicry Ring.

The elateroid family Lycidae is known for limited dispersal propensity and high species-level endemism. The red net-winged beetle, Dictyoptera aurora (Herbst, 1874), differs from all relatives by the range comprising almost the entire Holarctic region. Based on a five-marker phylogeny and 67 barcode entries (cox1-5' mtDNA) from the whole range, we recovered two genetically distinct species within traditionally defined D. aurora and resurrected the name D. coccinata (Say, 1835) as the oldest available synonym for Nearctic populations. Yet, no reliable morphological trait distinguishes these species except for minute differences in the male genitalia. D. coccinata is a monophylum resulting from a single Miocene dispersal event, ~15.8 million years ago, and genetic divergence implies long-term isolation by the Bering Strait. Far East Asian and west European populations are also genetically distinct, although to a lower extent. Two independent colonization events established the Fennoscandian populations after the last glacial maximum. Besides intrinsic factors, the high morphological similarity might result from stabilizing selection for shared aposematic signals. The rapidly accumulating barcode data provide valuable information on the evolutionary history and the origins of regional faunas.

Phylogenomic and mitogenomic data can accelerate inventorying of tropical beetles during the current biodiversity crisis.

Conservation efforts must be evidence-based, so rapid and economically feasible methods should be used to quantify diversity and distribution patterns. We have attempted to overcome current impediments to the gathering of biodiversity data by using integrative phylogenomic and three mtDNA fragment analyses. As a model, we sequenced the Metriorrhynchini beetle fauna, sampled from ~700 localities in three continents. The species-rich dataset included ~6500 terminals, ~ 1850 putative species delimited at 5% uncorrected pairwise threshold, possibly ~1000 of them unknown to science. Neither type of data could alone answer our questions on biodiversity and phylogeny. The phylogenomic backbone enabled the integrative delimitation of robustly defined natural genus-group units that will inform future research. Using constrained mtDNA analysis, we identified the spatial structure of species diversity, very high species-level endemism, and a biodiversity hotspot in New Guinea. We suggest that focused field research and subsequent laboratory and bioinformatic workflow steps would substantially accelerate the inventorying of any hyperdiverse tropical group with several thousand species. The outcome would be a scaffold for the incorporation of further data from environmental sequencing and ecological studies. The database of sequences could set a benchmark for the spatiotemporal evaluation of biodiversity, would support evidence-based conservation planning, and would provide a robust framework for systematic, biogeographic, and evolutionary studies.

Investigating taxon boundaries and extinction risk in endemic Chilean cacti (Copiapoa subsection Cinerei, Cactaceae) using chloroplast DNA sequences, microsatellite data and 3D mapping

SummaryCopiapoa (Cactaceae) is a genus endemic to the Chilean Atacama Desert. The taxa of Copiapoa subsection Cinerei occur in an area of high species richness and high levels of species endemism of the Central Chilean biodiversity hotspot. Four taxa are usually recognised in this group: Copiapoa gigantea (sometimes placed in C. cinerea as C. cinerea subsp. haseltoniana) and C. cinerea including three subspecies (subsp. cinerea, subsp. krainziana and subsp. columna-alba), one of which is often recognised at species level, i.e. the narrow endemic C. krainziana. Here, we evaluate the taxon boundaries of Copiapoa subsection Cinerei using chloroplast sequences and microsatellite data. We generated sequences of three cpDNA markers (rpl32–trnL, trnH–psbA, ycf1) and as indicated in a previous study, found variation between C. gigantea and C. cinerea on a subsample of 34 individuals. Five microsatellite loci were genotyped for 68 individuals from the known range of Copiapoa subsection Cinerei. In contrast with expectations, we found relatively high levels of genetic diversity (e.g., He = 0.775 – 0.827; Ho = 0.580 – 0.750) and no population structure, even between the two species. Additionally, species distribution models were conducted based on abiotic suitability and transformed to 3D maps to account for topographical complexity. The species distribution models and their 3D projections support an allopatric distribution of the four taxa of Copiapoa subsection Cinerei, with each taxon related to a different range with complex topographical features. The obtained molecular results, combined with the presented species distribution modelling, and calculations of extent of occurrence and area of occupancy for the four taxa of Copiapoa subsection Cinerei, suggest a high extinction risk for most of the taxa. A taxonomic treatment is provided.

Two new species of leaf-tailed geckos (Uroplatus) from the Tsaratanana mountain massif in northern Madagascar.

The Tsaratanana Massif is the highest mountain massif of Madagascar and is characterized by a high species-level endemism of its biota. Here we describe two new small-sized species of leaf-tailed geckos of the Uroplatus ebenaui group from this region. Named in a preliminary way as confirmed candidate species Uroplatus ebenaui [Ca1] and [Ca2] in previous studies, we here provide detailed data on their molecular and morphological differentiation and describe them as Uroplatus fotsivava sp. nov. and Uroplatus kelirambo sp. nov. Their closest relatives are U. fiera and U. finiavana, respectively, as revealed by a phylogeny based on DNA sequences of four mitochondrial genes. However, integration of various lines of evidence confirms that the new species are independent evolutionary lineages, differing from other Uroplatus by high mitochondrial divergences, lack of haplotype sharing in the nuclear CMOS gene, and shape and relative size of the tail. While U. fotsivava is known from multiple sites at elevations between 1100-1538 m above sea level, U. kelirambo was found only at high elevations between 2000-2200 m a.s.l.; it therefore is the only known forest-dwelling nocturnal gecko reaching such high elevations in Madagascar, and might be narrowly endemic to montane forests of the Tsaratanana Massif.

Some considerations on small mammal evolution in Southern Germany, with emphasis on Late Burdigalian–Earliest Tortonian (Miocene) cricetid rodents

The recent advances regarding the complex chronobiostratigraphy of Middle Miocene terrestrial deposits of southern Germany are reviewed. We propose new and revised correlations between the Swiss and South German faunas framework for ongoing research. We restrict our analysis to the cricetid and microtoid muroid rodents, especially the Megacricetodon and cricetodontine groups, because of their importance for this purpose. Faunal turnovers reflect global climate changes. Species level endemism is punctuated by several immigration events, and a possible westward spread of faunal associations is suggested at around 13.8 Ma and, at the end of the Middle Miocene, by introduction of Late Miocene lineages from the east.

Morphological and Genetic Differentiation Among Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus Populations in Macaronesia

Macaronesia, a group of archipelagos (Azores, Madeira, Canary Islands and Cape Verde) in the Atlantic Ocean, is one of the global biodiversity hot-spots. However, for species that occur throughout these archipelagos the extent of genetic and morphological differentiation between the archipelagos and mainland Iberia and Africa is often unknown. Here we investigate phenotypic and genetic differentiation of Kentish Plovers Charadrius alexandrinus, the most common breeding shorebird of Macaronesia. We show strong genetic and moderate morphological differences among breeding populations. Our results suggest that although these populations are far from being a species-level endemism, they deserve conservation attention given their uniqueness in terms of genetic variation. Recent loss in suitable breeding sites in Canary Islands and Azores put substantial pressure on the extant plover populations. Further studies of the conservation status and threat to these populations are needed along with a comprehensive conservation action plan to halt population decline and facilitate recovery.

Shore fishes of the Marquesas Islands, an updated checklist with new records and new percentage of endemic species

Expedition Pakaihi I Te Moana was conducted in 2011 to the Marquesas Islands, lying between 07°50ʹ S and 10°35ʹ S latitude and 138°25ʹ W and 140°50ʹ W longitude. The expedition combined extensive col-lections and visual censuses of the shore fish fauna. A total of 74 species are added as new records for the Marquesas Islands; the coastal fish fauna of the Marquesas Islands is increased from 415 to 495 species and the number of endemic species is increased from 48 to 68 species. This increases the per-centage of species-level endemism for the Marquesas Islands to 13.7%, ranking as the third highest region of endemism for coral reef fishes in the Indo-Pacific. Only two other peripheral regions, the Hawai’ian Islands and Easter Island, have higher values.

Chapter 18 Ordovician and Silurian polychaete diversity and biogeography

Abstract Eunicidan polychaetes formed a significant part of Early Palaeozoic marine invertebrate communities, as shown by the abundance and diversity of scolecodonts (polychaete jaws) in the fossil record. In this study we summarize the early radiation and biodiversity trends and discuss the palaeobiogeography of these fossils. The oldest (latest Cambrian–Early Ordovician) representatives had primitive, usually symmetrical, placognath/ctenognath type jaw apparatuses. The first more advanced taxa, possessing labidognath-type jaw apparatuses or placognath apparatuses with compound maxillae, are first recorded in the Middle Ordovician. The most significant increase in generic diversity occurred in the Darriwilian, when many common taxa appeared and diversified. The Ordovician and Silurian scolecodont occurrences allow some palaeobiogeographical units and distribution patterns to be explored and outlined. The most robust data presently at hand derive from successions in Baltica and Laurentia. That information, together with new records from other palaeocontinents, reveals a wide distribution for the most frequent and species-rich genera and families, similar to the biogeographical patterns of extant polychaetes. Like many other benthic and pelagic fossil groups, scolecodont-bearing polychaetes show an increased cosmopolitan character in the Silurian as compared with the Ordovician. Species-level endemism appears to be relatively common, inferring a potential for scolecodonts as biogeographical tools in the future.

The Mecyclothorax beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Moriomorphini) of West Maui, Hawaii: taxonomy, biogeography, and conservation

Species of the genus Mecyclothorax Sharp are taxonomically revised for West Maui, resulting in recognition of 27 species, 23 newly described: M. allostriatus, M. arcanus, M. badius, M. bartletti, M. ceteratus, M. clermontiae, M. curtimutinus, M. excavatus, M. exilioides, M. ferovipennis, M. filitarsis, M. geminatus, M. improcerus, M. kahalawaiae, M. lyratus, M. minimops, M. oppenheimeri, M. pallidus, M. platops, M. scapulatus, M. ustulatus, M. vicinus, and M. vulcanoides. Among the species are two pairs of cryptic sibling species best diagnosed by male and female genitalia. In the sibling species pair M. lyratus and M. arcanus, the former species is geographically restricted to Hanaula, an isolated southern massif in West Maui, whereas the latter is distributed on the main massif, Puu Kukui. Mecyclothorax scapulatus is also restricted to Hanaula supporting recognition of this massif as a distinct area of endemism within the Mauna Kahalawai mountain system. Species comprising a second sibling species pair, M. allostriatus and M. geminatus, exhibit a mosaic geographic distribution wherein each locality supports only one species, but the species distributions interdigitate among the various isolated localities from which the two species are known suggesting a more complicated speciation history. The genus Mecyclothorax is treated as part of an austral assemblage of genera classified as the tribe Moriomorphini (stat. n.). Species richness and endemism are compared among West Maui carabid beetles, land snails (Gastropoda), and Drosophilidae (Diptera). Carabid beetles with 46 species present in West Maui are less rich than the land snail fauna of 59 species and drosophilid fly fauna of 51 species. Over all genera, carabid beetles exhibit 87% species-level endemism to West Maui, with Mecyclothorax species 100% precinctive. Percentage endemism across all snail groups is somewhat lower – 73% – but among the more diverse snail families Achatinellidae and Amastridae, fraction endemism is similar to beetles, being 80% and 88% respectively. Drosophilidae exhibit much lower levels of endemism, with only 25% of West Maui species restricted to the volcano. Authochthonous speciation occurs at similar rates in all three groups, with species duration in all three groups estimated to be 0.2–0.3 Myr. The higher fraction endemism in beetles versus flies can be explained in part by absence of metathoracic flight wings in 48 of the 51 resident carabid species versus the retention of flight by the flies. Mecyclothorax species diversity peaks at 1200–1300 m elevation. This elevational zone supports closed canopy forest with a well-developed forest floor leaf litter microhabitat, enabling occupation by subarboreal trunk and moss inhabitants as well as terrestrial litter-inhabiting taxa. Mecyclothorax species are recorded in habitats ranging from 600m to the highest West Maui summit at 1760 m elevation. Their present-day persistence in this broad range of natural habitats makes them suitable subjects for habitat monitoring and continued biotic survey. (© 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Phytodiversity and endemic richness in high altitude Rama Valley, Western Himalayas, Northern Pakistan

Vegetation diversity, distribution and species endemism were studied in high altitude (>3300 m) Himalayan plateau in Northern Pakistan. A heterogeneous vegetation structure and distribution was observed due to complex environmental variables. A total of 83 species belonging to 31 families were recorded from the area. The recorded range of species diversity (1.02 to 2.17) and species richness (1.19 to 1.97) was very low as compared to other Himalayan regions. Detrended correspondence analyses (DCA) revealed slope steepness and associated moisture gradient as the main limiting factors controlling vegetation distribution and community structure. Species diversity and richness were negatively whereas evenness was positively correlated with slope steepness and moisture content. Chorological spectrum of vegetation revealed a high (41%) level of species endemism with 34 recorded Himalayan endemic species. Dominance of unpalatable species indicated prevalent impacts of overgrazing on the local flora and possible threats to endemic plant diversity. The high species endemism suggests the conservative value of the area. Key words: Deterrended correspondence analyses, Himalayas, moisture gradient, species endemism, slope steepness.

Exploring biological constraints on the glacial history of Antarctica

The evolutionary and biogeographic history of the contemporary Antarctic terrestrial and marine biotas reveals many components of ancient origin. For large elements of the terrestrial biota, long-term isolation over timescales from hundreds of thousands to tens of millions of years, and thus persistence through multiple glacial cycles, now appears to be the norm rather than the exception. For the marine biota there are some parallels with benthic communities also including ancient components, together with an incidence of species-level endemism indicating long-term isolation on the Antarctic continental shelf. Although it has long been known that a few ice-free terrestrial locations have existed in Antarctica for up to 10–12 million years, particularly in the Dry Valleys of Victoria Land along with certain nunataks and higher regions of large mountain ranges, these do not provide potential refugia for the majority of terrestrial biota, which occur mainly in coastal and/or low-lying locations and exhibit considerable biogeographic regionalisation within the continent. Current glacial models and reconstructions do not have the spatial resolution to detect unequivocally either the number or geographical distribution of these glacial refugia, or areas of the continental shelf that have remained periodically free from ice scouring, but do provide limits for their maximum spatial extent. Recent work on the evolution of the terrestrial biota indicates that refugia were much more widespread than has been recognised and it is now clear that terrestrial biology provides novel constraints for reconstructing the past glacial history of Antarctica, and new marine biological investigations of the Antarctic shelf are starting to do likewise.

The herpetofauna of Sonora, Mexico, with comparisons to adjoining states

Situated in the topographically complex transition between the Neotropics and the temperate biomes of North America, the state of Sonora, Mexico, has an extraordinarily diverse herpetofauna. Surprisingly little research has been conducted on the state’s amphibians and reptiles and many systematic and biogeographic questions remain unanswered. To facilitate future research, we provide a checklist of Sonora’s herpetofauna, documenting species presence based on museum specimens, our fieldwork, and published research. Sonora’s herpetofauna is placed in a regional biogeographic perspective via a checklist for the six adjoining states together with faunal analyses. A total of 402 species of amphibians and reptiles are recorded from these seven states. Sonora has the greatest species richness (187 species), followed by Chihuahua (169 species), and Sinaloa (146 species). Sonora's herpetofauna is most similar to that of Chihuahua, with which it shares a long border. Eleven biogeographic affinity-based faunal groups are recognized. Of these, three are dominant in Sonora: a core group classified as "Sonoran" demonstrates strong affinity to Sonoran Desertscrub and Sinaloan Thornscrub communities; a Tropical group - with many species reaching their northern distributional limits in the state; and a Madrean group consisting largely of montane species. Our state-level faunal analysis provides some evidence of peninsular depauperization of the herpetofauna on the Baja California peninsula due in part to the small number of Neotropical species present in Baja California Sur. Our faunal analysis points toward distinctive mainland and peninsular Sonoran Desert herpetofaunas centered on Sonora and the Baja California Peninsula, respectively, each with about 50 non-insular species, and each with species-level endemism nearing 50%.

Synopsis and lectotypification of <i>Solanum</i> (Solanaceae) species endemic in the West Indies

The West Indies (Bahamas, Greater and Lesser Antilles) is an area of high species richness and more importantly, species-level endemism in many groups. Solanum (Solanaceae) is diverse in the region with 25 endemic species ( S. bahamense is near-endemic, bringing number to 26). Nineteen of these taxa are single-island endemics, and some have not been re-collected since the early 20th century. A synopsis of the species endemic to the West Indies is presented, with full synonymy and distribution; a single representative specimen is cited for each. All accepted names and synonyms are lectotypified where necessary; many of these taxa were described from collections in Berlin (B) that are no longer extant. Lectotypes newly designated here are illustrated.

Biogeographic distribution of the Phytoseiidae (Acari: Mesostigmata)

More than 1982 species in 90 genera were included in an analysis of the biogeography of the Phytoseiidae, a family of predatory mites. Seven biogeographic regions were taken into account: Nearctic, Neotropical, Ethiopian, West Palaearctic, East Palaearctic, Oriental, and Australasian. The number of species was particularly high in the Neotropical, Oriental, and West Palaearctic regions. These regions also present the highest levels of species endemism. The number of genera was quite similar in all regions except for the Neotropics, which also had a high level of endemism. The possible Gondwanian (Neotropical, Ethiopian, Australasian, and Oriental regions) origin of the Phytoseiidae, most probably in the Neotropics, and their possible radiation to Laurasia (Nearctic, West Palaearctic, and East Palaearctic regions) are discussed. The comparison between genera and species in the different biogeographic regions indicate the importance of both dispersal and vicariance events in the evolution of the group. Dispersal is assumed to have been most important between Neotropical and Nearctic regions and between East Palaearctic and Oriental regions, whereas vicariance could have been the dominating process between Australasian, Ethiopian, and Oriental regions, as well as between West and East Palaearctic regions. A parsimony analysis of endemicity showed the Neotropical and the Nearctic regions to be isolated from the other regions. This is certainly due to a diversification after the continents drifted apart and then a high dispersal between Nearctic and Neotropical regions. Different phylogenetic hypotheses and scenarios are proposed for each subfamily based on the results obtained and further investigations are proposed. © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2008, 93, 845–856.

A preliminar overview of species composition and geographical distribution of Malvinian weevils (Insecta: Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

The objective of this paper is to provide an integrative approach to species composition and distributional information on the weevil fauna of Islas Malvinas (Falkland Islands). A total of 22 species belonging to 11 Curculionidae genera are recorded for the archipelago. Four of these genera belong to Entiminae (i.e., Caneorhinus, Cylydrorhinus, Malvinius, and Morronia) and the remaining seven belong to Cyclominae (i.e., Antarctobius, Falklandiellus, Falklandius, Germainiellus; Haversiella, Lanteriella, and Puranius). The Malvinian weevil fauna could be considered as an impoverished version of that from Tierra del Fuego at the generic level, but with a very high degree of species level endemism. The Malvinian weevil fauna exhibits a great linkage to that from southernmost South America. It has been postulated that the evolution of Malvinian weevil fauna responded to several geodispersal and subsequent vicariant events which determined the archipelago´s alternative connections and disconnections from southern South America. These events were due to sea-level variations induced by glacial-eustatic agents during Tertiary and Quaternary times. Finally, synonymic lists are provided for each species known to occur on the islands. Also, distributional data for each species are mapped and keys and illustrations are presented to identify weevil taxa recorded for the Islas Malvinas.

RESTORATION IN A CHANGING WORLD: CASE STUDIES FROM CALIFORNIA INTRODUCTION TO SPECIAL ISSUE

As the human footprint occupies an ever increasing proportion of the earth’s surface and resources (e.g., Vitousek 1994; Vitousek et al. 1997; Tilman et al. 2001; Wackernagel et al. 2002), conservation biologists must develop strategies that both protect remnant natural areas and rebuild the ecological integrity of highly altered landscapes (Young et al. 2005). In almost no other region on earth is this need more imperative than in California. California is home to over 36 million residents and has roughly the 7th largest economy in the world, making it a highly human-influenced environment. Yet, the state possesses an exceptional diversity of ecosystems and taxa, many of them threatened with extirpation. The California Floristic Province has been classified as a World Biodiversity Hotspot because of its exceptional level of species endemism and the conservation challenges it faces (Meyers et al. 2000; Konstant et al. 2005). While the mission of the California Botanical Society is to advance the science of western American botany, today it is evident that a key element to that science is learning how to restore native plant communities so that native biodiversity can be sustained over time. There is still much to be learned and the science of restoration ecology is still in its infancy. Furthermore, the practice of ecological restoration must be accomplished in the face of dynamic global changes. In 2005, our board was invited to sponsor a symposium at the 2006 annual meeting of the Society for Conservation Biology (SCB) to be held in San Jose, CA in June 2006. The theme of the conference was ‘‘Conservation without Borders’’. This opportunity inspired us to organize the symposium ‘‘Restoration in a changing world: Case studies from California’’ which took place on Wednesday, June 28, 2006. This special issue is the culmination of that effort. The symposium delivered eight 15 min papers by Michael Vasey, Stuart Weiss, Jeffrey Corbin, K. Blake Suttle, John Callaway, Nathan Stephenson, Jodi McGraw, and Alison Purcell. There was a remarkable congruence between most of these talks and, in fact, several other talks and symposia at the SCB meeting. The common theme was that the threats posed by such elements of global change as climate change (including associated sea level rise), invasion of non-native species, alteration of disturbance regimes, and the input of nitrogen via air pollution are exerting unprecedented pressure on biodiversity, trophic interactions, and the physical structure of ecosystems in California and throughout the world. As many authors have recognized, multiple components of global change are also capable of interacting with each other to affect ecological interactions and the prospects for successful restoration (e.g., Dukes and Mooney 1999; Weiss 1999; Vila et al. 2007). Although Rein et al. (this volume) did not participate in the symposium, we welcome their contribution to this special issue as yet another good example of the challenges that invasive species pose to restoration practitioners. Taken collectively, the results presented in the symposium and in this special issue suggest that the challenges that face sensitive ecosystems will be substantial and will, in some cases, require wholly new strategies if we are to successfully preserve biodiversity and ecosystem function in this age of global change. California is hardly unique in North America, let alone worldwide, in confronting the challenges of climate change, invasive species, and changing land-use. Indeed, nearly every part of the globe must deal with one or more of them. This special issue considers the future of conservation and restoration efforts in California in the face of the myriad threats posed by the local and regional manifestations of several of the most important drivers of global change. We hope that insights gained from these papers can be helpful to scientists and habitat managers in other regions who must also confront the challenge of restoring ecosystems in the face of these challenges.

A synoptic review of the ants of California (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

The taxonomy and composition of the California ant fauna is reviewed, leading to the recognition of 281 species (in 44 genera), of which 255 are considered indigenous and 39 are endemic. Species-level endemism (13.9%) is higher than in adjacent regions, as is the percentage of non-native species (9.3%). About one quarter of the indigenous ant species are endemic to the California floristic province (sensu Hickman 1993). Approximately 36 species appear to be undescribed. Most of these undescribed species are assigned code names, which match those used on the “Ants of California” web site (http://www.antweb.org/california.jsp). One new species is described, Camponotus maritimus Ward, sp. nov., which corresponds to the taxon previously called Camponotus maculatus subsp. vicinus var. maritimus Wheeler (unavailable quadrinomen). Three species names are revalidated: Leptothorax calderoni Creighton stat. reval., stat. nov., Myrmica glacialis Emerystat. reval., stat. nov., and Temnothorax rudis (Wheeler) stat. reval., comb. nov. The following new synonymy is proposed (senior synonym listed first): Forelius pruinosus (Roger) = F. analis (André); Monomorium ergatogyna Wheeler = M. wheelerorum DuBois; Temnothorax andrei (Emery) = T. nitens heathii (Wheeler) = T. nitens occidentalis (Wheeler) = T. ocellatus (MacKay); Temnothorax nevadensis (Wheeler) = T. lindae (MacKay) = T. maryanae (MacKay); Temnothorax nitens (Emery) = T. mariposa (Wheeler) = T. melinus (MacKay). The genus Acanthomyops Mayr is demoted to subgenus (stat. rev.) within Lasius Fabricius, in accord with recent molecular phylogenetic results. A key to the ant genera of California (based on the worker caste), a synopsis of each genus, a comprehensive bibliography, and a species list are also provided.Keywords. ant taxonomy, distribution, biogeography, endemism, Camponotus, Lasius, Forelius, Monomorium, Myrmica, Leptothorax, TemnothoraxLike other components of the California biota, the ant fauna of this state shows considerable biological diversity and regional endemism. Yet there has been no comprehensive systematic treatment of the ants of California, much less a reliable checklist or a set of identification keys. Part of this stems from the complexity of the fauna and an attendant rash of taxonomic problems whose resolution requires additional study at a larger geographical scale. In light of these constraints, the present paper aims to provide no more than a cursory survey of the ant genera, a provisional list of species, and a guide to the literature. A few necessary taxonomic changes are introduced, mostly involving new synonymy at the species level. A prime motivation for this paper stems from the need to establish a reference checklist for a new web site illustrating the ants of California (http:// www.antweb.org/california.jsp). This web site, developed in collaboration with Brian Fisher (California Academy of Sciences), is designed to facilitate identification by providing high-quality digital images of the known California ant species. The first descriptions of California ants appeared in the nineteenth and early twentieth century, in widely scattered taxonomic papers by Buckley, Emery, Forel, Mayr, W. M. Wheeler and others. Mallis (1941) and Cook (1953) published a species list and a booklength treatment, respectively, of the ants of California but both of these are out-of-date and error-ridden. Revisionary studies on specific groups of ants, carried out within the last 60 years and usually at a continent-wide scale, have had a more salutary effect on our knowledge of the California ant fauna. This includes taxonomic contributions by Bolton (1979), Brown (1950d, 1953g), Buren (1968b), Cole (1968), Creighton (1950a), Francoeur (1973), Gregg (1959, 1969b), Mackay (2000), Snelling (1970, 1973c, 1976, 1982a, 1982b, 1988, 1995a), Trager (1984b, 1991), Ward (1985b, 1999), Watkins (1976, 1985), Wilson (1955a, 2003) and Wing (1968a). Among the more useful publications for those seeking information about the ants of California are the regional treatments of the ants of Deep Canyon, Riverside County (Wheeler & Wheeler 1973e), the California deserts

Floristics of the Dunbar Valley serpentinite site, Songimvelo Game Reserve, South Africa

The Dunbar Valley serpentinite outcrop has a flora comprising 254 taxa (species and below) in 172 genera and 63 families. Dunbar Valley has more species than other studied serpentinite sites in the Barberton Greenstone Belt (BGB). The genus Senecio is the most speciose genus in the BGB. The level of species endemism at Dunbar Valley is 2.0%. Most of the serpentinite endemics in the BGB show phytogeographical affinities with the Sudano-Zambezian Region. Six modified-Whittaker plots, three on serpentinite and three on non-serpentinite soils, were sampled. Sorenson's index was 0.312, indicating low similarity in species between serpentinite and non-serpentinite sites (β-diversity) at Dunbar Valley, as at other sites in the BGB. α-diversity (using the Shannon–Wiener index) for the serpentinite was 2.631 ± 0.901 and for the non-serpentinite, 2.886 ± 0.130. However, a Student's t-test showed no significant difference in α-diversity between the two habitats. There was also no significant difference in species richness between serpentinite and non-serpentinite sites. Total species showed negative correlations with total nickel, altitude and serpentinite outcrop size (area) for six sites in the BGB. Number of endemic taxa showed no correlation with environmental variables. © 2003 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2003, 143, 271–285.

New proboscideans from the early Miocene of Wadi Moghara, Egypt

ABSTRACT Fieldwork conducted since 1981 has greatly increased the sample of proboscidean fossils from Wadi Moghara, Egypt. The Moghara proboscidean assemblage is taxonomically more diverse than previously suspected, comprising four taxa: Gomphotherium angustidens libycum, Afrochoerodon kisumuensis, cf. Archaeobelodon, and Zygolophodon aegyptensis, sp. nov. Biochronological analysis of the proboscideans supports previous findings based on the remainder of the fauna that the age of Moghara is early Miocene, approximately 18–17 Ma. The composition of the Moghara proboscidean assemblage suggests complex biogeographic distribution patterns of proboscideans throughout Eurasia and Afro–Arabia during the early Miocene. Moghara and other pene-contemporaneous Afro–Arabian sites were apparently characterized by a relatively high degree of mammalian species-level endemism.

Late Devonian stromatoporoid from the Sudetes Mountains (Poland), and endemicity of the Upper Famennian to Uppermost Famennian (=“Strunian”) stromatoporoid fauna in western Europe

A single large stromatoporoid specimen collected by one of us (D. W.) from the so called “Main Limestone” at Dzikowiec (= Ebersdorf) in the Sudetes Mountains of Lower Silesia, Poland, is here assigned toTrupetostromaParks 1936. It is typical of the Upper Famennian to Uppermost Famennian (= “Strunian”) stromatoporoid Assemblage no. 3 defined byStearn (1987) andStearn, Halim-Dihardja & Nishida (1987). This assemblage, confined to western Europe and Kazakhstan, is dominated by clathrodictyids but without labechiids. Other genera present together withTrupetostroma in this assemblage includeAmphipora, Anostylostroma, Atelodictyon, Clathrocoilona, Clathrodictyon, Clathrostroma, Gerronostroma, Petridiostroma andStromatopora. All those genera were widespread globally through the Middle and Upper Devonian (Givetian-Frasnian), but in the the Upper Famennian to Uppermost Famennian (= “Strunian”) deposits of western Europe they appear as typical “Lazarus taxa” — a consequence of the Frasnian/Famennian boundary Kellwasser Event which terminated reefal environments worldwide. Viewed at the generic level, the western European the Upper Famennian to Uppermost Famennian (= “Strunian”) stromatoporoid fauna is essentially ubiquitous, but at the species level endemism is pronounced. This may have resulted from reactivation of disjunct biotopes when conditions became conducive, locally, to renewed reefal development. This endemicity is analysed using the Jaccard Coefficient.