Festuca albomontana (Poaceae), a new chasmophytic fescue from the Western Taurus Mountains (Antalya, Turkey)

A new species of Festuca from the Western Taurus Mountains (Antalya, Turkey) is described here and named F. albomontana. The new species can clearly be distinguished from the other species included in the F. alpina group by its leaf anatomical features. It has a geographically isolated position in the Western Tauruses whereas a closely related species, F. sommieri, is very local in the Black Sea Region of Turkey. It is suggested that it should be in the “critically endangered” threat category according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) criteria. Observations on the ecology of the population are noted.

New records of Salicornia s.l. in Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina

Floristic investigations on the eastern part of Adriatic coast in Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina led to the discovery of three glasswort taxa new for the area: Arthrocaulon macrostachyum (Moric.) Piirainen et G. Kadereit and Salicornia procumbens Sm. subsp. procumbens and S. perennis Mill. All three taxa were recorded in the abandoned basins of Tivat Saline in Montenegro, while S. perennis was also found in the Klek Peninsula in Bosnia and Hercegovina. According to the IUCN criteria, the status of the newly reported taxa was classified as “critically endangered” (CR) in both countries.

New and rare noctuid species (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae) in the fauna of the Republic of Moldova

Data on 17 rare species of noctuids (Noctuidae) in the fauna of the Republic of Moldova are given in the present paper. The investigations were carried out during 2012-2020 in 26 sites throughout the Republic of Moldova. The genus Actebia Stephens, 1829 and the species Actebia praecox (Linnaeus, 1758) and Xylena solidaginis (Hübner, 1803) are reported as new for the fauna of the Republic of Moldova. Thus, the number of noctuid species in the fauna of the Republic of Moldova reached 427. The species: Acontia titania (Esper, 1798), Aedophron rhodites (Eversmann, 1851), Periphanes delphinii (Linnaeus, 1758), Eucarta amethystina (Hübner, 1803), Dasypolia temples (Thunberg, 1792), Oxytripia orbiculosa (Esper, 1799), Euxoa cos (Hübner, 1824), Gortyna cervago (Eversmann, 1844), Meganephria bimaculosa (Linnaeus, 1758) and Cucullia argentea (Hufnagel, 1766) needs protection and conservation, so it is recommended according to IUCN criteria to be included in the next edition of the Red Book of the Republic of Moldova and the elaboration of concrete management measures.

Three new species of Magnolia (Magnoliaceae) endemic to the north-wet-arc in the Maya Highlands of Guatemala

Three new Magnolia species and a new record from Guatemala are described and illustrated. Two of the new species, M. javieri and M. oscarrodrigoi, are from Alta Verapaz Department and one, M. veliziana, is from Quiché Department. Additionally, M. faustinomirandae is newly reported for the flora of Guatemala. With this contribution, the number of native Guatemalan species increases from 11 to 15 species. An updated distribution map and a key to species are provided. Guatemala, particularly the north-wet-arc in the Maya Highlands, is now an important centre of diversification and endemism for Magnolia. The conservation status of the newly proposed species was unofficially assessed using IUCN criteria.

Checklist of freshwater fishes from Loreto, Peru

This study presents an extensive review of published and unpublished occurrence records of fish species in the Loreto department. Located in the northeast of the country, Loreto is the most geographically extensive region in the Peruvian territory. Despite the increase in fish collections in Loreto in recent years, the ichthyofauna of this department needs to be more documented. Based on a database of scientific collections and bibliographic information, an updated checklist of the freshwater fishes from Loreto is presented. The results reveal a rich and diversified ichthyofauna, with 873 species distributed in 331 genera, 50 families and 15 orders. The main groups are Characiformes (42.6%), Siluriformes (34.8%), Gymnotiformes (8.6%) and Cichliformes (7.4%). Part of the ichthyofauna has restricted distribution for Loreto (4.7%). In addition, 9.0% of species from Loreto are used in fisheries. Meanwhile, 219 species (25%) were categorized according to the IUCN criteria where only six species (0.7%) are currently considered threatened species (CR, EN or VU). The results presented in this work indicate that this department needs more studies to know the biodiversity of fish, likewise, the information presented constitutes a contribution to the knowledge of fish diversity that would support environmental management actions and decision-making aimed at conserving one of the most diverse departments of Peru.

Glossoloma wiehleri (Gesneriaceae), a new species from the northwestern Andes of Ecuador

A new species of Glossoloma is described from the western Andean slopes of the Pichincha Province in northern Ecuador. Glossoloma wiehleri J.L.Clark & Tobar is differentiated from all other congeners by an epiphytic habit, elongate scandent shoots that exceed four meters in length, and coriaceous leaves with a velutinous indument on the lower leaf surface. The new species is illustrated, featured with field images from recent expeditions, and assigned the category of Endangered (EN) according to IUCN Criteria.

The first troglobitic Pseudochthonius Balzan, 1892 (Pseudoscorpiones, Chthoniidae) from the karst area of Serra do Ramalho, Brazil: a threatened species

Pseudochthonius ramalhosp. nov. is described to Gruna do Vandercir cave, in the Serra do Ramalho karst area, southwestern Bahia, Brazil. This area has an extensive limestone outcrop, with several caves, and the occurrence of potential minerals that are financially attractive for mining projects. The new species shows troglomorphic characteristics such as the depigmentation of the carapace and absence or reduction of eyes. It is a rare troglobitic species, and following the criteria of IUCN, we categorized the species as Critically Endangered – CR, IUCN criteria B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii). According to Brazilian legislation, locations, where critically endangered species live, can be protected by law, and we consider this cave/region to be of maximal relevance for protection.

Living in extreme environments: distribution of Lycium humile (Solanaceae), an endemic halophyte from the Altiplano-Puna region, South America

Very few Solanaceae species are able to grow in saline soils; one of them is Lycium humile. This species is endemic to the Altiplano-Puna region (Central Andes, South America) where there are multiple extreme environmental conditions such as hypersaline soils. Here we present an updated description and distribution of L. humile including its new record for Bolivia at the edges of “Salar de Uyuni”, the largest salt flat in the world; we discuss its ecological role in saline environments by analyzing soil salinity and cover-abundance values ​​of the studied sites. According to IUCN criteria, we recommend a category of Least Concern for L. humile, but the growing development of lithium mining in saline environments of the Altiplano-Puna region may potentially threaten exclusive communities.

Species richness and IUCN status of commercial timber in Kedah Forest, Leuser ecosystem

The Kedah Forest in Sumatra is one of the forests allocated for tourism and research purposes for the local or foreign communities. The Kedah Forest contains a wealth of biological natural resources, flora and fauna, including wood species with a high economic value (commercial). However, data on the diversity of commercial timber plant species in the area have not been recorded and documented, both in terms of tree species and their conservation status. This research aimed to identify commercial timber plant species and determine the population and conservation status of these species in the Kedah Forest. This study was carried out between October and December 2019. We assessed the species richness and the IUCN status of commercial timber species and assessed its conservation status in accordance with IUCN criteria. The result showed that Kedah Forest has 16 species of commercial timber plants from 11 families, of which six species of commercial timber plants have not been registered as commercial timber according to the Decree of the Minister of Forestry Number: 163/Kpts-II/2003 dated 26 May 2003. Four species of wood plants commercial forest in Kedah are listed on the IUCN Red List under the Near Threatened, Low Risk, and Data Less categories.

In disentangling two species limits of Hechtia (Bromeliaceae: Hechtioideae) from Sierra Madre Occidental, a new species is discovered from Durango, Mexico

Epitypes are proposed for two species of Hechtia: H. subalata and H. jaliscana, both endemic to Western Mexico. The holotypes of both species consist of fruiting specimens. While the female flowers of both species are extremely similar, the staminate ones are noticeable different: we select staminate vouchers as epitypes to clearly circumscribe both taxa. As a result of the delimitation of the concept Hechtia subalata and its geographical distribution, we identify a new species from Durango, Mexico, previously misidentified as Hechtia subalata: Hechtia marthae. We provide images portraying plant parts of all species, as well as photographs in habitat. Finally, assessments of the conservation status of the three species sensu IUCN criteria are included.