scholarly journals Unexpected diversity in the relictual European spiders of the genus Pimoa (Araneae : Pimoidae)

2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
pp. 566 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefano Mammola ◽  
Gustavo Hormiga ◽  
Miquel A. Arnedo ◽  
Marco Isaia

Pimoidae is a small family of araneoid spiders, hitherto represented in Europe by two species with disjunct distribution in the Alps and in the Cantabrian Mountains of northern Spain. Here we report the description of two additional European species of Pimoa, discovered within the range of the only former alpine species, P. rupicola: P. graphitica sp. nov. and P. delphinica sp. nov. The new species are distinguished from the latter by genitalic characters as well as by molecular characters. On the basis of the re-examination of old and recent abundant material collected in caves and other subterranean habitats, we revise the distribution patterns of the genus Pimoa in the Alps and outline the species distribution ranges. Molecular data suggest the existence of gene flow between populations of the two new species when in sympatry. The different species probably originated in the alpine region as a result of range contractions following dramatic climatic changes in the Alps since the mid Miocene. We interpreted the present-day overlapping distribution in light of a possible postglacial expansion. Finally, we provide insights on the natural history and life cycles of the new species and discuss their phylogenetic relationships within Pimoidae.

1969 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 49 ◽  
Author(s):  
G Fryer

A new species of Dolops is described from Lake Surprise, Tasmania, where it has been found on a galaxiid fish. Hitherto the genus has been known only from freshwater in S. America and Africa. Taxonomic errors involving an alleged Asiatic member of the genus are rectified and recent gross mistreatment of the classification of the Branchiura is discussed. The genus Dolops is re-defined. Evidence bearing on the history and dispersal of Dolops and other organisms is reviewed, particular attention being directed to the freshwater bivalve molluscs formerly assigned to the Mutelidae. While the African and S. American muteloids belong to closely related families of the Muteloidea, the Australasian forms formerly thought of as representatives of this group have no place in this superfamily. They, and certain S. American bivalves, however, show unambiguous trans-Antarctic affinities as they belong to a common family, the Hyriidae. Taking into account recent work, both geological and biological, and in spite of powerful voices raised in objection, the disjunct distribution of several groups of animals in the Southern Hemisphere seems to be most plausibly explained as a result of continental drift, though no dogmatic claims are made.


2001 ◽  
Vol 75 (5) ◽  
pp. 972-984 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis Carlos Sánchez De Posada ◽  
Beate Fohrer

Silicified kirkbyoid ostracodes from the Cantabrian Mountains (Spain) bear a striking resemblance to those of the Carnic Alps (Austria and Italy). The Spanish ostracodes come from the upper part of the Cuera Limestones (Bashkirian-upper Moscovian), which are exposed along the Playa de la Huelga section (Ponga Nappe) in the coastal area of eastern Asturias, northern Spain. These fossils were collected from upper Moscovian limestones deposited in an outer-platform environment. Most of the material from the Carnic Alps was obtained from the Nassfeld Pass area (eastern Carnic Alps), near the Austrian-Italian border, in limestones of the Kasimovian-Gzhelian Auernig Group and the Lower Permian Rattendorf Group. The several Auernig Group limestones that contain silicified ostracodes were deposited in a shallow-marine environment.Despite the differences in age (according to fusulinids and conodonts), these kirkbyoids are very similar and in some cases identical. Coronakirkbya pramolla new species and Kirkbya carniacantabrica new species occur in both areas. Two other pairs of species, Coronakirkbya krejcigrafi Becker, 1978, and Coronakirkbya carina new species, and Aurikirkbya cf. beckeri (Kozur, 1990) and Aurikirkbya carinthica new species, show close affinities, though they are considered to be different species. Most of the species described herein are either very rare or absent in other regions.The close paleobiogeographic relationships between the Cantabrian Mountains and the Carnic Alps, documented previously only by brachiopods, are confirmed.


Alpine Botany ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Parisod

AbstractThe main, continuous mountain range of the European Alpine System (i.e., the Alps) hosts a diversified pool of species whose evolution has long been investigated. The legacy of past climate changes on the distribution of high-elevation plants as well as taxa differentially adapted to the mosaic of edaphic conditions (i.e., surmised ecotypes on calcareous, siliceous, serpentine bedrocks) and the origin of new species are here discussed based on available evidence from endemic taxa across the Alps. The integration of main spatial and ecological patterns within and among species supports speciation driven by spatial isolation in main glacial refugia where plant populations survived during cold phases and hindered by intense gene flow along main expansion pathways during warm phases. Despite patterns of genetic differentiation matching environmental heterogeneity, processes underlying the dynamics of distribution ranges likely promoted recurrent homogenization of incipient divergence and generally hindered the completion of speciation (except for cases of hybrid speciation). Even intense selective pressures on toxic bedrocks such as serpentine seemingly fail to support the completion of speciation. Accordingly, typical scenarios of ecological speciation whereby local adaptation to environmental heterogeneity initiates and supports long-term reduction of gene flow may rarely be at the origin of stable species in the Alps. Although consistent with neutral processes whereby spatial isolation driven by past climate changes promoted reproductive isolation and yielded limited diversification, mechanisms at the origin of new species across heterogeneous landscapes of the Alps remain insufficiently known. Necessary advances to reliably understand the evolution of biodiversity in the Alps and identify possible museums or cradles of variation in face of climate changes are discussed.


Telopea ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 24 ◽  
pp. 61-169
Author(s):  
Russell Barrett ◽  

The Tricostularia Nees ex Lehm. group of genera is reviewed and formally recognised as Cyperaceae tribe Schoeneae subtribe Tricostulariinae R.L.Barrett, K.L.Wilson & J.J.Bruhl. Molecular data from plastid rbcL and trnL–F and nuclear ITS and ETS regions are combined with a novel assessment of morphological characters to support our new classification. Six genera are included: a new genus, Ammothryon R.L.Barrett, K.L.Wilson & J.J.Bruhl, and the named genera Chaetospora R.Br., Morelotia Gaudich., Tetraria P.Beauv., Tricostularia, and Xyroschoenus Larridon. Ammothryon, Chaetospora and Tricostularia are all endemic to southern Australia. Morelotia has one species each in Hawaii, French Polynesia and New Zealand, and three species in southwest Western Australia. Tetraria has a disjunct distribution in Southern Africa, Borneo, New Guinea and New Caledonia. Xyroschoenus is endemic to the Seychelles. Tetrariopsis C.B.Clarke (based on Tetrariopsis octandra (Nees) C.B.Clarke) is included under an expanded concept of Morelotia, which also includes Tetraria australiensis C.B.Clarke and Tetraria microcarpa S.T.Blake from south-west Western Australia. Tricostularia bennettiana R.L.Barrett & K.L.Wilson, Tricostularia davisii R.L.Barrett & K.L.Wilson, Tricostularia lepschii R.L.Barrett & K.L.Wilson, Tricostularia newbeyi R.L.Barrett & K.L.Wilson, and Tricostularia sandifordiana R.L.Barrett & K.L.Wilson are described as new species from south-west Western Australia. The following new combinations are made: Ammothryon grandiflorum (Nees ex Lehm.) R.L.Barrett, K.L.Wilson & J.J.Bruhl, Morelotia australiensis (C.B.Clarke) R.L.Barrett & K.L.Wilson, Morelotia microcarpa (S.T.Blake) R.L.Barrett & K.L.Wilson, Morelotia octandra (Nees) R.L.Barrett & J.J.Bruhl and Tricostularia drummondii (Steud.) R.L.Barrett & K.L.Wilson. Tricostularia drummondii is reinstated from synonymy (formerly Discopodium drummondii Steud.), having previously been confused with T. exsul (C.B.Clarke) K.L.Wilson & R.L.Barrett. Lectotypes are selected for Chaetospora flexuosa var. gracilis Boeckeler, Discopodium drummondii Steud., Elynanthus grandiflorus Nees ex Lehm., Lampocarya affinis Brongn., Lepidosperma exsul C.B.Clarke, Morelotia gahniiformis Gaudich. var. minor A.Rich., Tetraria australiensis C.B.Clarke, Tetraria capillacea var. intercedens Kük., Tricostularia compressa Nees ex Lehm. and Tricostularia neesii Lehm.


Phytotaxa ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 230 (2) ◽  
pp. 151 ◽  
Author(s):  
De-Yuan HONG

All relevant specimens of the genus Ilex in 11 major herbaria: B, BM, CDBI, E, K, KUN, P, PE, SZ, W, WU, in addition to A (types), were critically examined. Field observations were conducted in E Himalaya (Bomi, Mêdog, and Zayü of Tibet) and the Hengduan Mountains (Tengchong, Yunnan). As a result of this taxonomic revision, 14 species and 12 varieties are reduced to synonyms and one species is reduced to a subspecies; one species, I. shweliensis, is restored with reservation; one new species, I. gansuensis, is described from SE Gansu, while records of five species supposedly present in the Pan-Himalaya are found to be due to misidentification or mislocation by previous authors. Thus 41 species are recognized in the Pan-Himalaya, not 60 species as reported in the literature. A key to these 41 species is presented. The types of six names are designated here. In addition, noteworthy disjunct distribution patterns are shown for four species.


ZooKeys ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 483 ◽  
pp. 81-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adrienne Jochum ◽  
Anton J. de Winter ◽  
Alexander M. Weigand ◽  
Benjamín Gómez ◽  
Carlos Prieto

2020 ◽  
Vol 54 (2) ◽  
pp. 299-311
Author(s):  
A. G. Desnitskiy

More than ten new species of colonial volvocine algae were described in world literature during recent years. In present review, the published data on taxonomy, geographical distribution and the species problem in this group of algae, mainly from the genera Gonium, Pandorina, Eudorina, and Volvox, are critically discussed. There are both cosmopolitan volvocalean species and species with local or disjunct distribution. On the other hand, the description of new cryptic taxa in some genera of the colonial family Volvocaceae, such as Pandorina and Volvox, complicates the preparation of a comprehensive review on their geography.


Insects ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 84
Author(s):  
Wolfgang Paill ◽  
Stephan Koblmüller ◽  
Thomas Friess ◽  
Barbara-Amina Gereben-Krenn ◽  
Christian Mairhuber ◽  
...  

The last ice age considerably influenced distribution patterns of extant species of plants and animals, with some of them now inhabiting disjunct areas in the subarctic/arctic and alpine regions. This arctic-alpine distribution is characteristic for many cold-adapted species with a limited dispersal ability and can be found in many invertebrate taxa, including ground beetles. The ground beetle Pterostichus adstrictus Eschscholtz, 1823 of the subgenus Bothriopterus was previously known to have a holarctic-circumpolar distribution, in Europe reaching its southern borders in Wales and southern Scandinavia. Here, we report the first findings of this species from the Austrian Ötztal Alps, representing also the southernmost edge of its currently known distribution, confirmed by the comparison of morphological characters to other Bothriopterus species and DNA barcoding data. Molecular data revealed a separation of the Austrian and Finish specimens with limited to no gene flow at all. Furthermore, we present the first data on habitat preference and seasonality of P. adstrictus in the Austrian Alps.


2021 ◽  
Vol 95 ◽  
Author(s):  
T.T.T. Vu

Abstract Coomansus batxatensis sp. nov., recorded from Vietnam, is described and illustrated and its phylogenetic relationship within the Mononchida is analysed. The molecular data (18S and 28S ribosomal DNA) are provided for the new species. The new species is characterized by small body size (body length, L = 0.7–0.9 mm); buccal cavity sub-rectangular in shape, flattened at base, 21–24 × 12–13 μm or 1.9 (1.7–2.0) times as long as wide; posterior position of dorsal tooth apex (59–63% from the base of buccal cavity); pars refringens vaginae with faint and small (2.5 × 1.7 μm) teardrop-shaped pieces, short pars distalis vaginae; and males with short spicules (50–51.5 μm) with rounded head and conical blade part. The new species is close to Coomansus parvus but differs from it by the smaller buccal cavity size, more posterior position of the dorsal tooth apex, longer tail and presence of males. An updated identification key to Coomansus species and a compendium of all the species known are presented.


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