Typhlocharis vicariantes del Estrecho de Gibraltar. I: Typhlocharis armata Coiffait, 1969 (Coleoptera, Caraboidea, Trechidae)

This first part about the vicariant Typhlocharis from Gibraltar Strait is dedicated to Typhlocharis armata Coiffait, 1969; a second paper will cover T. silvanoides Dieck, 1869. The studied material was obtained in four field campaigns carried out in the south of Spain and north of Morocco between 1997 and 2001 (Zaballos & Banda, 2000; Zaballos, 2005). In these campaigns abundant specimens of Typhlocharis (Coleoptera, Caraboidea, Trechidae) were collected in different localities, the majority of them belonging to the species T. armata Coiffait, 1969. Their study and the comparison with the type series of this species allowed its complete redescription and clarification of its status within the genus. Contrary to what has been considered traditionally, the marginal umbilicate series of elytra in T. armata is composed of three, instead of four posterior setae. The taxonomical affinities of this species are established, the morphological weight of the umbilicate group of elytral setae as a lineage and species group defining character is discussed, and the theory of Jeanne (1973) about the relation between shortening of elytra and umbilicate series reduction with a decrease in body size is revised. The dispersal abilities are evaluated and a biogeographical explanation for the new distribution of the species is proposed.Esta primera parte sobre las especies de Typhlocharis vicariantes del Estrecho de Gibraltar está dedicada a Typhlocharis armata Coiffait, 1969; mientras que en un segundo artículo se tratará T. silvanoides Dieck, 1869. El material estudiado procede de cuatro campañas entomológicas realizadas en el sur de España y en el norte de Marruecos entre 1997 y 2001 (Zaballos & Banda, 2000; Zaballos, 2005). En estas campañas se recolectaron, en localidades diferentes, abundantes ejemplares de Typhlocharis (Coleoptera, Caraboidea, Trechidae), la mayoría de los cuales han resultado pertenecer a la especie T. armata Coiffait, 1969. Su estudio y la consulta de la serie típica de la especie han permitido realizar una completa redescripción de la misma y aclarar su estatus dentro del género. Contrariamente a lo que se ha considerado tradicionalmente, la serie umbilicada marginal de los élitros de T. armata está formada por tres setas posteriores en vez de cuatro. Se establecen las nuevas afinidades taxonómicas de la especie, se discute el peso morfológico de la serie umbilicada de los élitros como carácter definitorio de los linajes y grupos de especies y se revisa la teoría de Jeanne (1973) que relaciona el acortamiento de los élitros y la reducción de la serie umbilicada con una disminución del tamaño corporal. Se valora la capacidad de dispersión de estos coleópteros y se propone una explicación biogeográfica para la nueva distribución de la especie

Frequent discordance between morphology and mitochondrial DNA in a species group of European water beetles (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae).

The Hydroporus memnonius species group includes both widespread and range restricted diving beetle taxa in the western Palaearctic, some of which have been divided into a number of geographical subspecies. Of these, Hydroporus necopinatus is distributed in the far west of Europe, from central Spain to southern Britain, and has been split into three subspecies, occurring in Iberia (necopinatus sst.), France (robertorum) and England (roni) respectively—the last of these being a rare example of an insect taxon apparently endemic to northern Europe. Here we explore inter-relationships between populations and subspecies of H. necopinatus and related members of the Hydroporus melanarius subgroup, using mitochondrial COI sequence data. We reveal widespread discordance between mitochondrial DNA sequence variation and morphology in areas where H. necopinatus and H. melanarius come into contact, consistent with historical introgressive hybridization between these taxa. In light of this discordance, the lack of clear genetic divergence between H. necopinatus subspecies, and the fact that both robertorum and roni are morphologically intermediate between H. necopinatus sstr. and H. melanarius, we suggest that these taxa may be of hybridogenic origin, rather than representing discrete evolutionary lineages

Beetles (Coleoptera) of wetlands and other aquatic habitats in the Polish part of the Polesie region found during the Balfour-Browne Club Meeting 2016

A total of 27 sites in the Polish part of the Polesie region were investigated for aquatic and wetland-associated beetles during the field sessions of the Balfour-Browne Club Meeting (23-30.05.2016). These comprised a mixture of fens and Sphagnum peat bogs, ditches draining fens, oxbow lakes of the Bug River, and sand excavations. A total of 408 species, belonging to all three sub-orders of beetle and 34 families were captured, including 351 species related to the aquatic environment (true water beetles – 157, phytophilous water beetles – 32, facultative water beetles – 1, false water beetles – 156, shore beetles – 157). Numerous rare, protected, species and those endangered in Poland or neighbouring countries were found. Information on three species (Agabus pseudoclypealis, Hygrotus polonicus and Berosus geminus) is important for our understanding of their geographical range limits. In the case of B. geminus, new data, in conjunction with information from Ukraine, points to the existence of an isolated island of occupancy in Polish and Ukrainian Polesie. Analysis of the material collected also reveals the high value of the study area, both nationally and internationally, for the protection of wetland beetle biodiversity

Typhlocharis vicariantes del Estrecho de Gibraltar. II: T. silvanoides Dieck, 1869 (Coleoptera, Caraboidea, Trechidae)

Typhlocharis silvanoides Dieck, 1869 is the type species of the genus and, until now, was only known from Morocco. New records of this species in Cadiz province (Spain) and the study of old material from several museums, allowed us to regularize a type series, non-existent up to now; to increase morphological information of the species with description of the female genitalia and variability of the studied populations; to comment the affinities with other species of the genus and to establish the vicariance of the species in the Gibraltar Strait, a status shared with Typhlocharis armata Coiffait, 1969, which was the aim of the first part of this work.Typhlocharis silvanoides Dieck, 1869 es la especie tipo del género y hasta ahora solo era conocida de Marruecos. Nuevas capturas de esta especie en la provincia de Cádiz (España) y el estudio del material antiguo de varios museos, han permitido formalizar una serie típica, inexistente hasta la fecha; ampliar la información morfológica de la especie con la descripción de la genitalia femenina y la variabilidad de las poblaciones estudiadas, comentar sus relaciones con otras especies del género y establecer la vicarianza de la especie en el Estrecho de Gibraltar, circunstancia que comparte con Typhlocharis armata Coiffait, 1969 a la que se dedicó la primera parte de este estudio

Newly created ponds complement natural waterbodies for restoration of macroinvertebrate assemblages

Ecological restoration is becoming increasingly widespread to compensate for wetland loss worldwide. However, most post-restoration studies fail to establish whether the restored wetlands replace or complement natural wetlands for communities of aquatic organisms such as macroinvertebrates. During two consecutive hydroperiods (ca 6 months each), we studied the macroinvertebrate communities in 32 new temporary ponds created during a restoration 6–7 years previously in Doñana, SW Spain, and compared them with ten natural temporary sites nearby. We compared results for two dominant groups of active dispersers (Coleoptera and Hemiptera) and for the whole aquatic macroinvertebrate community (a mix of active and passive dispersers) to shed light on the role of dispersal constraints during ecosystem recovery. We also compared the ranks of new ponds and reference sites in nested matrices to assess whether communities in new ponds are impoverished subsets of communities in reference sites. Because of their young age, newly created ponds were predicted to have less stable communities over the two study years than reference sites, and to have lower species diversity for the whole community but not for active dispersers. On the other hand, communities in new ponds were predicted to approach the taxonomic composition of reference sites as time went on. New ponds differed in environmental conditions (particularly less emergent vegetation cover and lower chlorophyll concentration) from reference sites, but their invertebrate richness and diversity matched those in reference sites and invertebrate abundance was even higher. Richness and diversity increased in the second hydroperiod in new ponds, but not in reference sites. Significant differences in community composition occurred between new ponds and reference sites, but were largely explained by their environmental differences. As succession progressed within a hydroperiod, communities in new ponds were first dominated by large branchiopods, then by active dispersers such as Chironomidae and Coleoptera, then finally by halotolerant taxa such as the beetle Ochthebius viridis fallaciosus. Communities in new ponds were not impoverished subsets of those in reference sites, and communities in new and reference ponds diverged towards the end of the hydroperiods. We conclude that new temporary ponds can provide diverse and complementary habitats important for maintaining macroinvertebrate diversity at the regional scale.Peer Reviewe

The curse of taxonomic uncertainty in biogeographical studies of free-living terrestrial protists: a case study of testate amoebae from Amsterdam Island

Abstract: Aim A current debate in microbial biogeography contrasts two views concerning the distribution of free-living microorganisms. The first view assumes a ubiquitous distribution, while the second assumes that at least some species have limited geographical distributions. We tested for limited geographical distributions by identifying testate amoebae morphospecies from an extremely remote oceanic island where the potential for endemism is high. Location Amsterdam Island, Indian Ocean. Methods Sixty moss and water samples collected from the top of the volcano to the lowland were investigated for their testate amoeba content. Due to taxonomic uncertainties among the Argynnia (Nebela) dentistoma species complex (including A. antarctica), we also performed light and scanning electron microscopy investigations on the shell ultrastructure and biometric analyses on several specimens of this taxon. Results We identified a total of 43 testate amoeba taxa belonging to 15 genera. Only four testate amoeba taxa had previously been recorded on this island. Testate amoeba communities of Amsterdam Island are dominated by cosmopolitan ubiquitous euglyphid taxa such as Trinema lineare, Assulina muscorum and Corythion dubium. The length and width ranges for Argynnia dentistoma on Amsterdam Island overlap with other records of this species and of A. antarctica, suggesting that A. antarctica is not a distinct taxon. Main conclusions Although Amsterdam Island is among the most remote islands in the world, an extensive inventory of testate amoeba morphospecies provided no clear evidence for endemism. On the one hand, our detailed morphometric analysis of the A. dentistoma complex revealed that A. antarctica, a morphospecies previously suggested to display endemism, cannot be confidently distinguished from the cosmopolitan morphospecies A. dentistoma. On the other hand, five morphotaxa could not be identified with certainty and might represent new species, potentially with limited distribution. These examples illustrate how taxonomic uncertainties undermine biogeographical studies of testate amoebae. In order to allow better interpretation of morphology-based testate amoeba distribution data, an assessment of genetic diversity among and within morphotaxa in relation to geographical distance for some common testate amoebae should be given high priority

Deux nouveaux Copelatus Erichson, 1832, du Malawi (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae)

Two new Copelatus Erichson, 1832, from Malawi (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae). Two new Copelatus species, C. sudrei n. sp. and C. mulangensis n. sp. are described from Malawi. They belong to the subgroup assimilis of the irinus group of species. Their affinities with closely related Copelatus are discussed.Deux nouvelles espèces de Copelatus, C. sudrei n. sp. et C. mulangensis n. sp. sont décrites du Malawi. Elles appartiennent au sous-groupe assimilis du groupe irinus. Leurs affinités avec des Copelatus voisins sont discutées.Bameul Franck. Deux nouveaux Copelatus Erichson, 1832, du Malawi (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae). In: Bulletin de la Société entomologique de France, volume 108 (1), mars 2003. pp. 75-79

Psalitrus aberlenci n. sp., nouvel Omicrini de Guinée (Coleoptera, Hydrophilidae)

Psalitrus aberlenci n. sp., a new Omicrini from Guinea (Coleoptera, Hydrophilidae). Psalitrus aberlenci n. sp., a new Sphaeridiinae Omicrini, is described from Guinea. The new species is closely related to Ps. durisi Bameul and lives on water films under wet stones. Characters of both species are compared. Six morphometric characters are compared using a new robust form of Hotelling' s T2 test. A discriminant function is computed using randomised discriminant analyses.Psalitrus aberlenci n. sp., Sphaeridiinae Omicrini nouveau, est décrit de Guinée. La nouvelle espèce, aux mœurs pétrimadicoles, est proche de Ps. durisi Bameul. Les caractères distinctifs des deux espèces sont décrits. Pour les séparer, six caractères morphométriques sont comparés à l'aide d'une nouvelle variante robuste du test T2 de Hotelling. Une fonction discriminante est calculée par analyse discriminante randomisée.Bameul Franck. Psalitrus aberlenci n. sp., nouvel Omicrini de Guinée (Coleoptera, Hydrophilidae). In: Bulletin de la Société entomologique de France, volume 108 (4), octobre 2003. pp. 371-376

Réhabilitation du nom Trechus delhermi Saulcy, 1880 (Col., Trechidae)

Bameul Franck. Réhabilitation du nom Trechus delhermi Saulcy, 1880 (Col., Trechidae). In: Bulletin de la Société entomologique de France, volume 109 (2), juin 2004. pp. 200-202