scholarly journals The origin and distribution of Neotropical species of Campylopus

1990 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Jan-Peter Frahm

Of the 65 species of Campylopus known from tropical America, 33 are andine in distribution, 16 are found only in SE Brazil, 8 have wide ranges through Central and South America, 3 species are disjunct in SE-North America and Brazil, 3 are confined to the Caribbean and one species belongs to the circum-pacific and one to the tethyan element. For different parts of the Neotropics, the composition of phytogeographical elements is calculated. For the first time, bryophyte distributions are compared to the Pleistocene forest refuges proposed by zoologist and phanerogamists. The distribution of several rainforest species of Campylopus coincides with the major part of the montane refugia. Using an interpretation of the present-day ranges, a hypothetical survey is given of the origin and evolution of this genus in tropical South and Central America. The ranges of part of the species can be explained only by long distance dispersal, while the ranges of other species seem to be relictual.

Author(s):  
Thomas M. Onuferko

The cleptoparasitic bee genus Epeolus Latreille, 1802 is for the first time reviewed for species occurring in the Caribbean, Central America and Mexico, and a single dichotomous identification key to the females and males of species present or likely to be present in these regions is presented. A total of 25 species have been confirmed as present across the region, although another 10 likely occur south of the Mexico–United States border. Three species are newly described—E. hanusiae sp. nov., E. nomadiformis sp. nov. and E. odyneroides sp. nov.—and redescriptions are provided for species occurring exclusively south of the United States of America (species occurring north of Mexico were recently revised elsewhere) except E. danieli (Genaro, 2014) comb. nov., which was recently described. One subspecies is elevated to species level (E. obscuripes Cockerell, 1917 stat. nov.). The following five names are newly synonymized under those of four valid species: Trophocleptria schraderi Michener, 1954 syn. nov. under E. boliviensis Friese, 1908, Tro. odontothorax Michener, 1954 syn. nov. under E. claripennis Friese, 1908, E. rugosus Cockerell, 1949 syn. nov. and E. xanthurus Cockerell, 1917 syn. nov. under E. luteipennis Friese, 1916, and E. schmidti Friese, 1925 syn. nov. under E. obscuripes. A diagnosis is provided for the presumably monophyletic and almost entirely Neotropical species group originally regarded as a separate genus, Trophocleptria Holmberg, 1886. Differential diagnoses accompany the descriptions / redescriptions of Neotropical species of Epeolus, and known collection records and information about their ecology are presented.


Author(s):  
Sheikh Sajan ◽  
Deepti Kumari ◽  
Sonam Jahan ◽  
Arghya Chakrabarty ◽  
Sandeep Kushwaha ◽  
...  

Through the present manuscript, we are reporting for the first time the presence of Cyclophorus pfeifferi Reeve, 1861 in India. Previously, this species of land snail was reported only from South-East Asian countries Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. The specimens were collected during field sur- veys in Dampa Tiger Reserve in Mizoram state, India. The presence of C. pfeifferi in India reveals the range expansion and long-distance dispersal abilities of the species. Here we discuss the taxonomy, ecology and possible routes of dispersal of the species in India.


2019 ◽  
Vol 51 (6) ◽  
pp. 515-559
Author(s):  
Gothamie WEERAKOON ◽  
André APTROOT ◽  
Robert LÜCKING ◽  
Omal ARACHCHIGE ◽  
Siril WIJESUNDARA

AbstractWe provide an updated survey for Sri Lanka of species of Graphis sensu Staiger, recently divided into Graphis s. str. and Allographa, including brief descriptions and a key to all 124 species currently known. Six new species are described: Allographa bambusicola Weerakoon, Lücking & Aptroot, a bambusicolous Allographa with entire labia, a laterally carbonized excipulum, 80–100 × 15–17 µm large, muriform ascospores and a rather thick, irregularly verrucose lateral thalline margin of the lirellae; A. weerasooriyana Weerakoon, Arachchige & Lücking, a corticolous Allographa resembling A. rustica Kremp. in overall anatomy and chemistry, but with a verrucose thalline margin of the lirellae and labia not distinctly raised above the thalline margin; Graphis flosculifera Weerakoon, Lücking & Aptroot, a corticolous Graphis resembling G. insulana but differing in the unique disposition of the lirellae and the slightly more elongate ascospores; G. rajapakshana Weerakoon, Lücking & Aptroot, a corticolous Graphis resembling G. desquamescens, including in ascospore size, but with lirellae with a distinct lateral thalline margin; G. rimosothallina Weerakoon, Lücking & Aptroot, a corticolous Graphis with a thick, uneven, rimose thallus and Fissurina-like lirellae, a completely carbonized excipulum and transversely 7-septate ascospores, 32–37 × 8–10 µm; and G. thunsinhalayensis Weerakoon, Arachchige & Lücking, a corticolous Graphis resembling G. subalbostriata but with smaller ascospores and lacking white lines between the striae of the labia. We also validate the name G. verrucoserpens Lücking. A total of 106 species are reported here for the first time from Sri Lanka. A biogeographical comparison with two other well-sampled countries (Costa Rica and Thailand) revealed a significantly higher similarity in species composition with Costa Rica than between Thailand and Costa Rica, suggesting a potential signature of the ‘biotic ferry’ hypothesis, that is the migration of lineages from Gondwana (partly corresponding to the modern Neotropics) via the north-eastwards drifting Indian subcontinent and subsequent interchange with Laurasia (partly corresponding to the modern eastern Paleotropics). However, the evolutionary timeline of the clades involved does not support this hypothesis and suggests an alternative explanation of geologically more recent mid- to long-distance dispersal.


2020 ◽  
Vol 108 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Kreitschitz ◽  
E. Haase ◽  
S. N. Gorb

AbstractMyxodiaspory (formation of mucilage envelope around seeds and fruits) is a common adaptation to dry habitats known in many families of Angiosperms. The mucilage envelope of some seeds seems to be also a unique morphological adaptation which protects myxospermatic diaspores while passing through the bird’s digestive system. To evaluate the protective potential of mucilage, we fed the diaspores of seven plant species (representing three different mucilage types and three species of non-mucilaginous plants) to pigeons, Columba livia domestica. Twenty-four hours later, we collected the droppings of pigeons and examined a total of 18,900 non-destroyed diaspores to check for mucilage presence and germination ability. Out of all the examined diaspores, 4.5% were mucilaginous seeds. Among them, the highest number (12.2–13.5%) of viable diaspores belonged to the hemicellulosic type of mucilage (from Plantago species). Only 3.7% of germinating diaspores with pectic mucilage (Linum usitatissimum) were collected, and no seeds representing cellulosic mucilage (e.g., Ocimum basilicum). For non-mucilaginous plants, we collected only a few individual seeds (0.1% out of 8100 seeds used). We noted that the mucilaginous seeds found in the droppings were able to germinate; however, the germination ability was generally smaller in comparison to the control (i.e., not digested) seeds. Our results revealed that the presence of mucilage envelope has an impact on diaspore dispersal and survivability. With our experiments, we demonstrated for the first time that the mucilage envelope, especially of the non-cellulosic type, supports endozoochory. We also showed that non-mucilaginous seeds can be occasionally dispersed via endozoochory and are able to germinate. The results of our studies can explain the ways of plants distribution at a small, local scale as well as in long-distance dispersal, e.g., between islands or even continents.


1992 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 144-144
Author(s):  
Jeremy B. C. Jackson ◽  
Peter Jung

Molluscs are the most diverse and abundant tropical American macrofossils, but their distributions and evolution are not well understood. Classic studies by Olsson and Woodring documented a rich Late Miocene to Early Pliocene “Gatunian” fauna throughout the Caribbean and tropical Eastern Pacific, with many species in common between the oceans. This fauna was divided by formation of the Isthmus of Panama, and diverged into distinct Pacific and Caribbean faunas sometime thereafter. Diversity also decreased by about half in the Caribbean. However, the timing, rates and correlation of these major biological changes with changes in environmental conditions have not been resolved because of imprecise dating and taxonomy and failure to consider problems of sampling and biofacies in biological comparisons. We used the newly revised late Neogene stratigraphy for Panama and Costa Rica to date for the first time the radiation and extinction of molluscs on opposite sides of the Isthmus. Data include occurrences throughout tropical America for nearly 100 species of the Strombina-group (Gastropoda, Columbellidae) and for more than 500 gastropod and bivalve genera from 240 Late Miocene to Pleistocene isthmian collections.All evidence suggests that final closure of the Isthmus of Panama occurred between 3.5 and 2.5 My. Subgeneric divergence between the oceans was well developed, and trans-isthmian species were rare by the Early Pliocene, at least 2 Ma before final closure. Caribbean diversity remained high until 1.8 to 1.5 Ma when massive but selective extinction occurred. This was at least 1 Ma after final closure of the Isthmus, and may be correlated with onset of slightly cooler Caribbean sea surface temperatures in the Pleistocene. In contrast, Eastern Pacific diversity did not decline, and even increased during the Pleistocene.


2012 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 189-246 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gintaras KANTVILAS

AbstractWith 30 species, Tasmania is a major area of species diversity in the genus Menegazzia. Seven of these are new to science: M. abscondita Kantvilas, known from Tasmania and New Zealand, and M. athrotaxidis Kantvilas, M. hypogymnioides Kantvilas, M. petraea Kantvilas, M. ramulicola Kantvilas, M. subtestacea Kantvilas and M. tarkinea Kantvilas, all endemic to Tasmania. An identification key, descriptions based exclusively on Tasmanian collections, and detailed discussion of distribution, ecology, chemical composition and inter-species relationships are provided. All literature records of Menegazzia species pertaining to Tasmania are accounted for. New synonyms include: Menegazzia prototypica P. James and Parmelia pertusa var. coskinodes F. Wilson [synonyms of M. myriotrema (Müll. Arg.) R. Sant.], M. fertilis P. James [a synonym of M. platytrema (Müll. Arg.) R. Sant.] and Parmelia pertusa var. montana F. Wilson (a synonym of M. subtestacea). Incorrectly recorded species that should be deleted from the Tasmanian census include M. castanea P. James & D. J. Galloway (present on Macquarie Island) and M. testacea P. James & D. J. Galloway (endemic to New Zealand). The South American species, M. sanguinascens (Räs.) R. Sant., is recorded in Australasia (Tasmania) for the first time, whereas the widespread south-eastern Australian M. norstictica P. James is recorded for Western Australia. Salient features of the genus are discussed, including morphology, anatomy and chemistry. The biogeography of the genus is explored briefly. Twelve species (40%) are endemic to Tasmania, a level of endemism unmatched by any other species-rich genus on the island. Twelve species are shared with mainland Australia, eleven are shared with New Zealand, and only four species are shared with southern South America, all of which are sorediate, suggesting they are products of long-distance dispersal.


Zootaxa ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 332 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
DAVID E. BAUMGARDNER ◽  
STEVEN K. BURIAN ◽  
DAVID BASS

The larval stages of Tricorythodes fictus Traver, T. cobbi Alba-Tercedor and Flannagan, and T. mosegus Alba-Tercedor and Flannagan are described for the first time based upon reared specimens. The rarely reported Asioplax dolani (Allen) is newly documented from the Austroriparian ecological region of Texas. Leptohyphes zalope Traver, known from the southwestern United States and much of Central America, is newly documented from the Caribbean Islands of Grenada and Tobago. This represents only the second leptohyphid mayfly known from both Continental America and the Caribbean region. Additional Caribbean records of Allenhyphes flinti (Allen) are also given.


1997 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 91-95 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean-Paul Colin ◽  
Yvette Tambareau ◽  
Valery A. Krasheninnikov

Abstract. The limnic ostracod genus Cytheridella Daday, 1905 (Limnocytheridae, Timiriaseviinae), previously only known from Plio–Pleistocene sediments and Recent lacustrine environments of South and Central America, the Caribbean Islands, Florida and Equatorial Africa, and from earliest Eocene to Early Oligocene Eurasian localities, is found for the first time in the Upper Cretaceous (undifferentiated Campanian–Early Maastrichtian) of northern Mali, West Africa, suggesting an African origin for the genus. The association with the brackish-water ostracod genus Sarlatina suggests a mixo- or oligohaline environment for the Cretaceous species of Cytheridella.


2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xaymara M. Serrano ◽  
Iliana B. Baums ◽  
Tyler B. Smith ◽  
Ross J. Jones ◽  
Tonya L. Shearer ◽  
...  

2007 ◽  
Vol 97 (12) ◽  
pp. 1664-1669 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. J. Schnell ◽  
D. N. Kuhn ◽  
J. S. Brown ◽  
C. T. Olano ◽  
W. Phillips-Mora ◽  
...  

Production of cacao in tropical America has been severely affected by fungal pathogens causing diseases known as witches' broom (WB, caused by Moniliophthora perniciosa), frosty pod (FP, caused by M. roreri) and black pod (BP, caused by Phytophthora spp.). BP is pan-tropical and causes losses in all producing areas. WB is found in South America and parts of the Caribbean, while FP is found in Central America and parts of South America. Together, these diseases were responsible for over 700 million US dollars in losses in 2001 (4). Commercial cacao production in West Africa and South Asia are not yet affected by WB and FP, but cacao grown in these regions is susceptible to both. With the goal of providing new disease resistant cultivars the USDA-ARS and Mars, Inc. have developed a marker assisted selection (MAS) program. Quantitative trait loci have been identified for resistance to WB, FP, and BP. The potential usefulness of these markers in identifying resistant individuals has been confirmed in an experimental F1 family in Ecuador.


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