Ancient DNA Elucidates the Controversy about the Flightless Island Hens (Gallinula sp.) of Tristan da Cunha

A persistent controversy surrounds the flightless island hen of Tristan da Cunha, Gallinula nesiotis. Some believe that it became extinct by the end of the 19th century. Others suppose that it still inhabits Tristan. There is no consensus about Gallinula comeri, the name introduced for the flightless moorhen from the nearby island of Gough. On the basis of DNA sequencing of both recently collected and historical material, we conclude that G. nesiotis and G. comeri are different taxa, that G. nesiotis indeed became extinct, and that G. comeri now inhabits both islands. This study confirms that among gallinules seemingly radical adaptations (such as the loss of flight) can readily evolve in parallel on different islands, while conspicuous changes in other morphological characters fail to occur

Development and Application of Microsatellites in Carcinus maenas: Genetic Differentiation between Northern and Central Portuguese Populations

Carcinus maenas, the common shore crab of European coastal waters, has recently gained notoriety due to its globally invasive nature associated with drastic ecological and economic effects. The native ubiquity and worldwide importance of C. maenas has resulted in it becoming one of the best-studied estuarine crustacean species globally. Accordingly, there is significant interest in investigating the population genetic structure of this broadly distributed crab along European and invaded coastlines. Here, we developed polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers for one dinucleotide and two trinucleotide microsatellite loci, resulting from an enrichment process based on Portuguese populations. Combining these three new markers with six existing markers, we examined levels of genetic diversity and population structure of C. maenas in two coastal regions from Northern and Central Portugal. Genotypes showed that locus polymorphism ranged from 10 to 42 alleles (N = 135) and observed heterozygosity per locus ranged from 0.745 to 0.987 with expected heterozygosity ranging from 0.711 to 0.960; values typical of marine decapods. The markers revealed weak, but significant structuring among populations (global FST = 0.004) across a 450 km (over-water distance) spatial scale. Combinations of these and existing markers will be useful for studying population genetic parameters at a range of spatial scales of C. maenas throughout its expanding species range

Linking behaviour and climate change in intertidal ectotherms: insights from littorinid snails

A key element missing from many predictive models of the impacts of climate change on intertidal ectotherms is the role of individual behaviour. In this synthesis, using littorinid snails as a case study, we show how thermoregulatory behaviours may buffer changes in environmental temperatures. These behaviours include either a flight response, to escape the most extreme conditions and utilize warmer or cooler environments; or a fight response, where individuals modify their own environments to minimize thermal extremes. A conceptual model, generated from studies of littorinid snails, shows that various flight and fight thermoregulatory behaviours may allow an individual to widen its thermal safety margin (TSM) under warming or cooling environmental conditions and hence increase species’ resilience to climate change. Thermoregulatory behaviours may also buffer sublethal fitness impacts associated with thermal stresses. Through this synthesis, we emphasise that future studies need to consider not only animals' physiological limits but also their capacities to buffer the impact of climate change through behavioural responses. Current generalizations, made largely on physiological limits of species, often neglect the buffering effects of behaviour and may, therefore, provide an over-estimation of vulnerability, and consequently poor prediction of the potential impacts of climate change on intertidal ectotherms

The breeding and growth of Hymenosoma orbiculare Desm. (Crustacea Brachyura)

Volume: 41Start Page: 313End Page: 34

Observation on the birdlife in the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park

Observation on the birdlife in the Kalahari Gemsbok National Par

The Ecology of South African estuaries. Part X. Kosi Bay estuary system

Volume: 44Start Page: 279End Page: 29

Persistence of omoconazole in human vaginal fluid

SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe