Identification of important marine areas using ecologically or biologically significant areas (EBSAs) criteria in the east to southeast Asia region and comparison with existing registered areas for the purpose of conservation

The biodiversity of East to Southeast (E-SE) Asian waters is rapidly declining because of anthropogenic effects ranging from local environmental pressures to global warming. To improve marine biodiversity, the Aichi Biodiversity Targets were adopted in 2010. The recommendation of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA), encourages application of the ecologically or biologically significant area (EBSA) process to identify areas for conservation. However, there are few examples of the use of EBSA criteria to evaluate entire oceans. In this article, seven criteria are numerically evaluated to identify important marine areas (EBSA candidates) in the E-SE Asia region. The discussion includes 1) the possibility of EBSA criteria quantification throughout the E-SE Asia oceans and the suitability of the indices selected; 2) optimal integration methods for criteria, and the relationships between the criteria and data robustness and completeness; and; 3) a comparison of the EBSA candidates identified and existing registered areas for the purpose of conservation, such as marine protected areas (MPAs). Most of the EBSA criteria could be quantitatively evaluated throughout the Asia-Pacific region. However, three criteria in particular showed a substantial lack of data. Our methodological comparison showed that complementarity analysis performed better than summation because it considered criteria that were evaluated only in limited areas. Most of the difference between present-day registered areas and our results for EBSAs resulted from a lack of data and differences in philosophy for the selection of indices. Keywords Ecologically or biologically significant area (EBSA); East Asia; Southeast Asia; West Pacific ocean; Complementarity; Gap analysi

Structural features of eggs of the basal phasmatodean Timema monikensis Vickery & Sandoval, 1998 (Insecta: Phasmatodea: Timematidae)

Structural features of the eggs of a basal phasmatodean, Timema monikensis Vickery & Sandoval, 1998 (Timematidae) were examined. The eggs of this species are soft and deposited coated with soil and/or other extraneous particles. The chorion, which is transparent and weakly sclerotized, is composed of an endochorion and an exochorion. The non-inclined operculum is located at the anterior pole of the egg. The chorion in the marginal region of the operculum is thinned to form an opercular collar together with the chorion of the egg body. An inverted triangular micropylar plate is on the ventral side of the egg attached to the opercular collar. The micropylar plate is without external differentiations but is specialized inside the chorion. A single micropyle, with a simple funnel-shaped chorionic opening, occurs on either side of the micropylar plate. The posterior mound, located at the posterior pole, is a thickened chorion rich in fine vertical striations, and the serosal cuticle beneath is thickened and highly specialized. The eggs of Timematidae were characterized and compared with those of Euphasmatodea and Embioptera. A phylogenetic discussion is presented, strongly supporting the assemblage of Timematodea, Euphasmatodea and Embioptera as monophyletic