Extreme morphologies of mantis shrimp larvae

Larvae of stomatopods (mantis shrimps) are generally categorized into four larval types: antizoea, pseudozoea (both representing early larval stages), alima and erichthus (the latter two representing later larval stages). These categories, however, do not reflect the existing morphological diversity of stomatopod larvae, which is largely unstudied. We describe here four previously unknown larval types with extreme morphologies. All specimens were found in the collections of the Zoological Museum, University of Copenhagen and were collected during the Danish Dana Expedition round the world 1928-30. These new larval types all represent erichthus-type larvae, especially differing in their shield morphologies. The shield morphology ranges from almost spherical to rather disc-like, with sometimes extremely elongated spines, but only a general systematic assignment of the larvae was possible. Further investigations of these larvae are crucial to understand their life habits and ecological impact, especially as stomatopod and other crustacean larvae might have a much more important position in the marine ecosystems than their corresponding adults

How many metazoan species live in the world’s largest mineral exploration region?

The global surge in demand for metals such as cobalt and nickel has created unprecedented interest in deep-sea habitats with mineral resources. The largest area of activity is a 6 million km2 region known as the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ) in the central and eastern Pacific, regulated by the International Seabed Authority (ISA). Baseline biodiversity knowledge of the region is crucial to effective management of environmental impact from potential deep-sea mining activities, but until recently this has been almost completely lacking. The rapid growth in taxonomic outputs and data availability for the region over the last decade has allowed us to conduct the first comprehensive synthesis of CCZ benthic metazoan biodiversity for all faunal size classes. Here we present the CCZ Checklist, a biodiversity inventory of benthic metazoa vital to future assessments of environmental impacts. An estimated 92% of species identified from the CCZ are new to science (436 named species from a total of 5,578 recorded). This is likely to be an overestimate owing to synonyms in the data but is supported by analysis of recent taxonomic studies suggesting that 88% of species sampled in the region are undescribed. Species richness estimators place total CCZ metazoan benthic diversity at 6,233 (+/−82 SE) species for Chao1, and 7,620 (+/−132 SE) species for Chao2, most likely representing lower bounds of diversity in the region. Although uncertainty in estimates is high, regional syntheses become increasingly possible as comparable datasets accumulate. These will be vital to understanding ecological processes and risks of biodiversity loss

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Extreme morphologies of mantis shrimp larvae

ABSTRACT Larvae of stomatopods (mantis shrimps) are generally categorized into four larval types: antizoea, pseudozoea (both representing early larval stages), alima and erichthus (the latter two representing later larval stages). These categories, however, do not reflect the existing morphological diversity of stomatopod larvae, which is largely unstudied. We describe here four previously unknown larval types with extreme morphologies. All specimens were found in the collections of the Zoological Museum, University of Copenhagen and were collected during the Danish Dana Expedition round the world 1928-30. These new larval types all represent erichthus-type larvae, especially differing in their shield morphologies. The shield morphology ranges from almost spherical to rather disc-like, with sometimes extremely elongated spines, but only a general systematic assignment of the larvae was possible. Further investigations of these larvae are crucial to understand their life habits and ecological impact, especially as stomatopod and other crustacean larvae might have a much more important position in the marine ecosystems than their corresponding adults

Interactive effects of elevation and newly paved road on avian community composition in a scientific reserve, Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea

Understanding interactive effects between anthropogenic disturbance and abiotic factors on species turnover can help to identify and prioritize conservation of potentially vulnerable tropical bird communities. We investigated the potential factors influencing avian understory community composition along with a recently constructed road across three elevations (300, 800, and 1200 m), each with two sampling sites (road edge vs. interior forest), over a four-year period on Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea. Insectivorous species were the most abundant guild-sampled accounting for 55% of total species diversity within the dataset followed by frequent mixed-flock followers (48%). Habitat associated with elevation was the most significant factor influencing the composition of avian communities. Additionally, we identified species with clear statistical associations for each elevation: the yellow-lored bristlebill (Bleda notatus), olive sunbird (Cyanomitra obscura), and white-tailed warbler (Poliolias lopezi). We found evidence for significant community differences between the disturbance edge and interior forest transects at 300 m only. Likewise, understory insectivores were found at higher numbers within the interior forest transect at this elevation. Based on the data presented here, we suggest low elevation avian understory insectivores should be considered focal species for future assessment studies in this area. Furthermore, since many traditional protected areas focus on upland habitat containing high species endemism, our findings emphasize the importance of equally conserving lowland elevations as they may house commonly overlooked, yet important and diverse segments of the bird community. Abstract in Spanish is available with online material