Survey Of Fauna Research Articles

Phytoseiidae on Citrus in Florida Dooryard, Varietal, and Commercial Trees between 1951 and 2014, and Species Recommendations for Evaluation in Citrus Under Protective Screen (CUPS)

A survey of the mite fauna on citrus was conducted in 550 dooryard trees including 25 varietal trees in Florida, USA, during 2009 to 2014 in the following counties: Broward, Charlotte, Collier, Dade, Indian River, Lee, Manatee, Martin, Palm Beach, Pinellas, Polk, St. Lucie, and Sarasota. One abandoned block of trees was sampled in Highlands County. Seventeen species of Phytoseiidae were identified from 1,982 slide-mounted mites collected from these trees. Euseius ennsi Ueckermann, Moraes & Childers, Euseius ovalis (Evans), Neoseiulus loxus (Schuster & Pritchard), Phytoseius coheni Swirski & Shechter, Typhlodromalus jucundus (Chant), and Typhlodromina johnsoni (Mahr) were new records on Florida citrus. Amblyseius largoensis (Muma) was the most abundant species with 854 of the phytoseiids followed by E. ovalis, Euseius mesembrinus (Dean), E. ennsi, and Iphiseioides quadripilis (Banks) (all Mesostigmata: Phytoseiidae) with 418, 388, 81, and 68 mites, respectively. Amblyseius largoensis was the most frequently collected phytoseiid from 220 of the 550 dooryard and varietal trees, followed by E. ovalis from 97 trees. A total of 787 commercial citrus trees were sampled in Florida from 2009 to 2014 in De Soto, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Indian River, Okeechobee, Palm Beach, Polk, and St Lucie counties. One T. jucundus was collected from these trees. Amblyseius largoensis and E. ovalis are recommended for evaluation as general predators of mite and insect pests in enclosed structures of citrus under protective screen (CUPS). Both mites have broad host ranges and are known mite predators, including some insect pests. Both species appear to have some degree of pesticide tolerance and use supplemental plant pollens such as Quercus virginiana Mill. (Fagaceae) or Typha spp. L. (Poaceae). Differences in phytoseiid species in this study and from earlier sampling for mites on citrus in Florida from 1986 to 2003 by the first author, a horticultural mineral oil (HMO) field study during 1994 to 1996, M. H. Muma from 1951 to 1975, and Denmark and Evans (2011) are included for comparison. A combined total of 60 phytoseiid species are reported on Florida citrus for the period of 1951 to 2014.

Survey of medium- and large-sized mammals in Atlantic Forest remnants of Conceição dos Ouros, Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Conceição dos Ouros is located in the Mantiqueira mountain range (elevation: 831‒1443 m a.s.l.), State of Minas Gerais, southeast Brazil. The largest two Atlantic Forest remnants of the Municipality of Conceição dos Ouros total more than 2,000 ha and the main vegetation type is seasonal semi-deciduous forest, isolated by a matrix of agricultural fields and pasture. The Municipality does not have any protected areas and is located in a highly fragmented region, albeit considered of special importance for the conservation of terrestrial vertebrates in the State of Minas Gerais. Due to a cooperation with the Municipality of Conceição dos Ouros to carry out a survey of the local biodiversity, in this study we present the results of the survey of medium- and large-sized terrestrial mammals from the two forest remnants in the region. Sampling was performed from July 2019 to August 2021 and comprised a camera trap survey, active searching including direct (e.g. carcass sightings) and indirect (e.g. footprints and faeces) evidence of species presence and interviews with residents. Twenty-nine native and two non-native species were documented. Ten species are in some category of threat of extinction at regional, national or global levels. This is the first survey of the terrestrial mammal fauna in the area of Conceição dos Ouros and results could be helpful in designing conservation strategies at the local scale.

A Preliminary Report of Testate Amoebae (Protozoa : Tubulinea and Cercozoa) in Govind National Park, Uttarakhand, India

Studies relating to testate amoebae in Uttarakhand have been sporadic and testates have been documented only from a few protected areas and so far there are no records from Govind National Park, Uttarakhand. Therefore, as a part of faunistic survey in Uttarakhand, a study to document the moss inhabitant testate diversity was carried out in Govind Wildlife Sanctuary in October 2019 and has filled the lacuna of Testate Amoebae study in the sanctuary to form the foundation for further investigation. The study revealed the occurrence of a total of 42 species belonging to 16 genera and 9 families. Of these, 4 species viz., Cyclopyxis tronconica Godeanu, 1972, Certesella martiali Certes, 1889, Quadrulella madibai Kosakyan et al., 2016 and Assulina discoides Bobrov, Shimano and Mazei, 2012 are novel records to India. This report forms the baseline information for testate amoebae of Govind WLS suggesting the high diversity of testate fauna in the protected area which can be still higher if further explored.

Taxonomy and Phylogeny of Two Spirotrichean Ciliates (Alveolata, Protista, and Ciliophora) From a Plateau Saline–Alkaline Lake in Tibet, China, Including Description of a New Species

There are few researches concerning ciliates from “extreme” environments such as plateau salt lakes; nevertheless, such a faunistic survey is of great significance for understanding the diversity and biogeography of these microeukaryotes. In this study, two ciliates, namely, Hemiurosomoida tibetensis sp. nov. and Euplotes euryhalinusValbonesi and Luporini, 1990, isolated from Kyêbxang Co, a Tibet Plateau saline-alkaline lake, China, were investigated based on observations of live and silver-stained specimens, and 18S rDNA sequences were analyzed. The new species can be characterized by having a size of 60–95 × 20–40 μm in vivo, an elongate elliptical body, colorless cortical granules mainly grouped around cirri and dorsal bristles, about 21 adoral membranelles, 20 cirri on each marginal row, and two macronuclear nodules and two micronuclei. The Chinese population of E. euryhalinus corresponds well with the original one. Phylogenetic analyses show that Hemiurosomoida is non-monophyletic, H. tibetensis sp. nov. has a closer relationship with H. longa within this genus, and that Euplotes euryhalinus presents a wide geographic distribution. This study first reveals the ciliature, morphogenesis, and rRNA gene sequence data for H. tibetensis sp. nov. and the Chinese population of E. euryhalinus, which thus increases our knowledge about the diversity of ciliates at high altitudes.

The Influence of Urbanization on Mammal Diversity and their Population Patterns: A Case Study of Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Abstract The article provides a survey of the mammalian fauna and ecology in different habitats across the city of Tashkent that vary in the degree of urbanization. The current mammalian fauna of Tashkent is represented by 32 species; during the city’s development, 9 species have disappeared from the place, either through an anthropogenic impact or having been forced out by alien species. The urban mammalian fauna has increased through arrival of five new invasive species. With the ongoing urbanization, the species diversity of small-sized mammals is decreasing, while their numbers are growing, resulting in simplification of the structure of small mammals’ urban communities and lowering of their biodiversity. The urbanization does not impact the age and sex structure of the house mouse population noticeably. The urban population shows a productivity 1.7 times higher than the wild populations, which is a compensatory response to the relatively high embryonic mortality that is almost totally absent in natural populations. Differences in the morphophysiological indicators of the house mouse synanthropic population and those of populations in the wild are an adaptive response to anthropogenic impact, which appears in the form of more rapid growth, a higher metabolism, exchange of energies, and overall stress load on the rodents in urban biocoenoses. The study showed that the skulls of urban animals grow more rapidly than those of wild mice, while their proportions change following the development pattern of juvenile mice, which suggests that individuals from the Tashkent population can be referred to as rapidly growing animals, with outdoor individuals showing greater relative cranial parameters.

Řečice – nejvýznamnější lokalita mlžů rodu Pisidium na Vysočině? [Řečice – the most important locality of bivalves of the genus Pisidium in the Vysočina region?

The river pea mussel (Pisidium amnicum) and especially the fine-lined pea mussel (Pisidium tenuilineatum) are among the rare and endangered aquatic molluscs in the Czech Republic. Both species were found in 2021 in the small stream Řečice in the Vysočina region during faunistic surveys of the Nová Říše reservoir and the adjacent part of the Řečice. This finding is the only known occurrence in this region. In the approximately 2 km long section of this stream, numerous populations of P. amnicum were found in six sites, while only a few specimens of P. tenuilineatum were recorded at two sites. The Řečice is one of the most important localities for aquatic molluscs in the Vysočina region and due to the occurrence of the critically endangered P. tenuilineatum, this locality is also important in the entire Czech Republic.

Description of Tubulanus misakiensis sp. nov. (Nemertea: Palaeonemertea) from Sagami Bay, Japan.

The palaeonemertean genus Tubulanus Renier, 1804 currently harbors 35 species inhabiting the intertidal to the hadal zones. During a faunal survey in Sagami Bay, Japan, a single specimen of undescribed tubulanid having uniformly pale-colored body with a single dark-colored stripe on the dorsal surface was collected by dredging at depths of 116-211 m. Based on the body coloration and some anatomical features, it can be differentiated from the 35 congeners and is thus described herein as Tubulanus misakiensis sp. nov. In a molecular phylogenetic tree constructed with sequences available in public databases representing five markers (16S rRNA, cytochrome c oxidase subunit I [COI], 18S rRNA, 28S rRNA [not obtained for T. misakiensis], and histone H3), T. misakiensis was sister to Tubulanus izuensis Hookabe, Asai, Nakano, Kimura and Kajihara, 2020 and nested within a clade along with seven unidentified specimens from the abyssal and hadal zones (3428-9577 m); T. misakiensis and T. izuensis differed by 11.7% uncorrected p-distance in terms of 657-bp COI sequences.

Diversity of Nematoda and Digenea from different species of characiform fishes from Tocantins River, Maranhão, Brazil.

During a survey of the helminth fauna of characiform fishes from the Tocantins River, Brazil, 185 fish specimens from 22 species were studied. Twelve species of Nematoda and nine species of Digenea were collected. Some of these helminth species were reported for the first time in their hosts, thus representing new host records: Procamallanus (Spirocamallanus) sp. in Bivibranchia notata, Brycon pesu, Chalceus macrolepidotus, Hemiodus microlepis and Hemiodus unimaculatus; Procamallanus (Spirocamallanus) inopinatus in Triportheus elongatus; Goezia sp. (larva) in Boulengerella cuvieri; Rhabdochona acuminata in Brycon pesu and Triportheus trifurcatus; Raphidascaris sp. (larva) in Caenotropus labyrinthicus; Cosmoxynema vianai in Cyphocharax gouldingi; Rondonia rondoni in Leporinus fasciatus and Mylesinus paucisquamatus; Klossinemella iheringi in Mylesinus paucisquamatus; Cucullanidae gen. sp. in Myloplus rubripinnis; Rhabdochona sp. in Triportheus elongatus; Alphamphistoma sp. in Myleus setiger; Chalcinotrema sp. in Cyphocharax gouldingi; Pacudistoma guianense in Hemiodus unimaculatus and Myleus torquatus; Pseudocladorchis cylindricus in Hemiodus unimaculatus; Dadaytrema oxycephala in Mylesinus paucisquamatus; Travassosinia dilatata in Myloplus asterias; and Genarchella genarchella in Raphiodon vulpinus. Studies identifying new hosts and new localities for parasites have contributed to the knowledge of local biodiversity. A list of previous records of helminths included in the present study, providing hosts, localities, and references, is presented here.

A survey of mammalian and avian fauna in University Forest of the Ishinomaki Senshu University, Miyagi Prefecture, using sensor cameras

A survey of mammalian and avian fauna in University Forest of the Ishinomaki Senshu University, Miyagi Prefecture, using sensor cameras

Checklist of the marine Bryozoa from Uruguay (Southwest Atlantic)

Knowledge of the marine bryozoan fauna of Uruguay is mostly based on scattered records found in local faunistic surveys and the taxonomic results of two oceanographic cruises to the Southwest Atlantic, but a comprehensive study has not yet been published for this area. This paper aims to compile an updated checklist, bringing together all the published information about the Uruguayan bryozoan fauna. Of the 73 recorded taxa, 30 (41%) are known only from deep waters off the Río de la Plata. Even considering undetermined species, these results show the high degree of endemism as it was already shown for several other benthic groups such as Bivalvia, Ascidiacea and Pycnogonida. The absence of local taxonomists on bryozoans has resulted in the unprecedented situation that the deep-sea bryozoan fauna of Uruguay is better known than the coastal and shelf representatives of the phylum. The main conclusion of this faunal compilation is that efforts should be made to coordinate the gathering and taxonomic study of shallow and shelf bryozoan collections to bridge the present knowledge gap about the biodiversity of this important group of marine benthic invertebrates.

New records of Micromys minutus in the Karlovy Vary Region, western Bohemia (Rodentia: Muridae)

New records of the harvest mouse (Micromys minutus) were obtained for the first time from the mapping square 5741 in the Karlovy Vary Region. The individuals were collected during a faunistic survey of small mammals in 2016–2020. In total, 13 specimens of Micromys minutus were found at three sites (Jindřichovice v Krušných horách, Háj u Jindřichovic, Lomnice u Sokolova).

An Updated Checklist of Spider (Araneomorphae: Araneae: Arachnida) Diversity of Madhya Pradesh, India

An updated checklist of faunal biodiversity of the spiders in Madhya Pradesh, one of the landlocked central Indian states, is presented herewith. A total of 336 species of spiders were enlisted under 136 genera belonging to 30 families which have been recorded/described from only 36 districts of Madhya Pradesh out of 52 districts. The maximum number of spider species was recorded from Jabalpur district (169 species) followed by Mandla (113 species), Balaghat (101 species), Chhindwara (78 species), Damoh (67 species), Betul (66 species), and Indore (63 species). The number of species of spiders recorded in 14 districts was between 10-50 while in 16 districts it was less than 10 species. Araneidae and Thomisidae both were dominant families of spiders in Madhya Pradesh and were represented by having 55 species each under 18 and 15 genera, respectively, followed by Lycosidae (39 species, 9 genera), Salticidae (37 species, 28 genera), Gnaphosidae (35 species, 12 genera), and less number in other families. Sixteen families of spiders were represented by less than 10 species. No faunal survey of spiders so far has been conducted in 16 districts of Madhya Pradesh. Most of the national parks and wildlife sanctuaries, forest areas, agricultural fields, human dwellings etc. of Madhya Pradesh still await intensive and extensive survey programmes to record the spider fauna.

Results of the mammalian faunal survey in central Hokkaido using camera traps

Results of the mammalian faunal survey in central Hokkaido using camera traps

Butterfly diversity (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) of Mt. Blegoš and Mt. Koprivnik (Škofjeloško hribovje, Slovenia)

An overview of the surveys of butterfly fauna of Mt. Blegoš, Mt. Koprivnik and their surroundings is provided. In 2018, 14 surveys were performed and 80 butterfly species on eight transects recorded in the process. Additional surveys in 2019 and 2020 yielded 5 additional butterfly species. Among the butterflies observed, Parnassius mnemosyne, Lycaena hippothoe, Euphydryas maturna, Euphydryas aurinia, Melitaea britomartis, Melitaea diamina, and Pyrgus alveus are identified as vulnerable species, while both Phengaris arion and Phengaris alcon are classified as endangered species in Slovenia. The latter was found on two occasions in July 2018 and July 2020 on a single locality. Eggs of P. alcon were found on the host plant Gentiana cruciata at the same locality. Despite the fact that many species characteristic of higher altitudes were observed, like Aricia artaxerxes, Pyrgus alveus, Erebia stiria and Lasiommata petropolitana, other, which had still been present a few decades ago, were not found (Parnassius apollo and Boloria pales). In this article, the problem of loss of important butterfly habitats in the region due to overgrowing, and the negative impacts of overgrazing is also highlighted.

Richness and composition of the Cladocera community (Crustacea: Branchiopoda) from the Maranho State, Northeast Brazil.

The state of Maranho, northeast Brazil, has four different biomes. The water bodies in Maranho belongs to three hydrographic regions. Thus, the state potentially contributes to a high biodiversity. Despite that, in the state, the study of cladocerans can still be considered incipient. This work aims to summarize the list of species of cladocerans in the state of Maranho, including the results of new fauna surveys. We report ten new species records for the state, two species represent the new record of the genus Pseudosida Herrick, 1884. The results found point to the occurrence of 82 valid taxa in the state of Maranho.

Fish occurrence in the Kuban River Basin (Russia).

BackgroundThis publication describes a dataset containing information on 1328 occurrences of fishes in the Kuban River Basin, the longest river of Northern Caucasus and representing its own freshwater ecoregion (428 Kuban Ecoregion). All observations have precise geo-referencing with the names of water bodies (rivers, lakes etc.). The dataset is based on both literature data (509 occurrences) and our own sampling (814 occurrences). Observations were carried out between 1889 and 2020.New informationThe majority (> 61%) of occurrences in the presented data are published for the first time. This extended dataset contributes significantly to fish fauna survey in the Kuban River ecoregion.

TERRESTRIAL VERTEBRATE FAUNA OF ASSIS’ STATE FOREST: A CERRADO REMNANT IN THE STATE OF SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL

In the current scenario of environmental changes, anthropic pressures on biodiversity are in constant increase, stressing the importance of assessing the distribution and occurrence of organisms in natural regions, especially in protected areas. Here we surveyed the terrestrial vertebrate fauna of Assis State Forest and updated the existing species list. Reptiles were sampled using pitfall traps and active search, birds by transects and listening points, while terrestrial mammals were sampled using camera traps, linear transect census, active search, pitfall and live traps. Four samplings were conducted, totaling 28 days of sampling effort. We recorded a total richness of 230 terrestrial vertebrate species: 21 amphibians, 17 reptiles, 164 birds, 23 medium and large-sized mammals and 25 small mammals. Of these, seven species are considered endangered at the state and / or federal level. Our results led to the inclusion of 78 bird species and six medium- and large-sized mammals to the species list of ASF’s Management Plan, in addition to three new species of herpetofauna that were not reported by other fauna surveys carried out in the region. Our data shows that the area is highly diverse, with some differences in species composition between sampled phytophysiognomies. These data can also be used to update the management plan for the area, as well as for the zoning of the unit.

Survey of wildlife rescued and treated from 2014 to 2016 in Joinville (SC), Brazil

Natural ecosystems are in constant conflict with the growing and disordered urban expansion, arising from the mismanagement of human developments and infrastructure, facing an accelerated rate of deforestation and defaunation. The intense pressure on natural environments impacts the local fauna through various incidents, generating high mortality, such as hit-and-run, window-crashing, attacks by domestic animals, dissemination of diseases and electrocution. The purpose of this study was to carry out a retrospective survey of the wild fauna rescued and treated at a clinic associated with the environmental police in the region of Joinville - SC. A total of 379 wild animals were treated at the clinic from 2014 to 2016. Of these, 262 (69.13%) were birds, 107 (28.23%) mammals, 9 (2.37%) reptiles and 1 (0.26%) amphibian. The main causes of referral for clinical care were due to trauma (50.66%), seizures (1.32%) and other causes (48.02%), such as home invasion and orphaned puppies. Among the reasons for traumas, pedestrian accidents were the most prevalent, representing 39.58% of the cases treated, followed by animals found to be debilitated without a defined cause (31.77%), attack by domestic animals (14.58%) and window-crashing (9.89%). The data obtained in this study show a rich diversity of species in Joinville. These species are exposed to several anthropogenic challenges and barriers derived mainly from intense displacement and human invasion, causing many animals to move in order to adapt to urban areas.

Where Is the Honey Bee Queen Flying? The Original Case of a Foraging Queen.

Simple SummaryReproduction is the only task normally attributed to the queen due to its specific morpho-functional characteristics, while foraging activities are exclusively carried out by workers bees in the honey bee colony. For example, the queen’s proboscis is shorter than that of workers and, therefore, less suitable for exploring the inside of flowers to collect nectar. Olfactory and visual detection is also less developed in the queen than in workers, and it is well known how important these stimuli are in order to search for appropriate flowers and find the food source within the flower. In the countryside of northern Sardinia, a honey bee queen (Apis mellifera L.) was detected for the first time while foraging on a flower (a borage flower), most likely during an orientation flight before mating. The open, shallow corolla, and the excellent nectar secretion of the borage flower might have facilitated the queen bee activity. This new queen behaviour was based on the morphological traits of the specimen collected and photos taken in that moment. The observed foraging activity opens new and yet unexplored perspectives on the behaviour of queen bees outside the nest (or the hive), which could occasionally include tasks usually attributed only to workers.During a bee fauna survey in the countryside of northern Sardinia, a honey bee queen (Apis mellifera L.) was detected while foraging on a borage (Borago officinalis L.) flower in Uri, Province of Sassari, Italy, most likely during an orientation flight before mating. Morphological details, detectable from photos with the naked eye and stereomicroscopic observations, confirmed that the honey bee queen was sucking nectar from a flower. The enormous development of the abdomen, lack of pollen-collecting structures in the legs and other characteristics such as the typical distally bilobed shape of the mandibles, with long hairs on their outer surface, proved the structural differences between the queen specimen and the other castes of bees. The queen’s proboscis, which is shorter compared to the workers, may have been counterbalanced by the shape and nectar production of the borage flower. This new observation proves that the queen can feed herself under natural conditions, likely to obtain the energy required for flying. Although we cannot exclude disturbing factors that could explain this foraging behaviour of a queen observed for the first time, this note opens a new scenario and discusses this new finding in the context of the available literature on the queen’s behaviour and questions to be answered.

DIVERSITY OF THE GENUS COTESIA CAMERON (BRACONIDAE: MICROGASTRINAE) IN SERBIA

The diversity of species of Cotesia Cameron, 1891 for the territory of Serbia is given as a faunistic survey. The paper presents the results of research in the period from 1902 to 2021. Literature, databases and new, unpublished records were combined for a comprehensive list of species, with notes on localities, dates, number and sexes of individuals. In total, 35 species are presented, of which 11 were registered in Serbia for the first time. The species most often collected were Cotesia ofella and C. tibialis.