An unusual juvenile coloration of the whip snake Dolichophis jugularis (Linnaeus, 1758) observed in Southwestern Anatolia, Turkey

[No abstract available

Validation of the DNA barcoding approach to survey ant communities in the Ecuadorian Andes

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Impact of laying date and fire ants on hatchlings of Chelonoidis porteri on Santa Cruz Island, Galápagos, Ecuador

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The mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I gene reveals phylogeographic structure in the African Goshawk Accipiter tachiro (Accipitridae)

We used a 298 bp fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene (COI) to examine sequence variation in (mostly) museum specimens of the African Goshawk Accipiter tachiro. Our results showed two clades with high bootstrap support in a phylogenetic analysis and two groups in a nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) analysis. Each of the two phylogenetic clades corresponded to one of the NMDS groups. One clade comprised haplotypes of the subspecies A. t. lopezi, A. t. macroscelides, A. t. toussenelli and A. t. canescens and corresponded to the morphospecies A. toussenelii. This taxon has a more north-western distribution. The second clade comprised haplotypes of the subspecies A. t. sparsimfasciatus, A. t. pembaensis and A. t. tachiro and corresponded to the morphospecies A. tachiro, which has a more south-eastern distribution. Furthermore, one branch corresponded to the morphospecies A. t. unduliventer, which is confined to the Ethiopian highlands. The genetic divergence observed among the three A. tachiro morphospecies appeared concordant with the ecological and morphological divergence and suggests the existence of three putative species. Within A. tachiro and A. toussenelii there is substantial morphological, but very little genetic, differentiation among subspecies.Keywords: Accipiter tachiro, African Goshawk, COI, nonmetric multidimensional scaling, phylogeny, taxonom

DNA barcoding reveals new insights into the diversity of Antarctic species of <i>Orchomene sensu lato</i> (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Lysianassoidea)

Recent molecular analyses revealed that several so-called "circum-Antarctic" benthic crustacean species appeared to be complexes of cryptic species with restricted distributions. In this study we used a DNA barcoding approach based on mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene sequences in order to detect possible cryptic diversity and to test the circumpolarity of some lysianassoid species. The orchomenid genus complex consists of the genera Abyssorchomene, Falklandia, Orchomenella, Orchomenyx and Pseudorchomene. Species of this genus complex are found throughout the Southern Ocean and show a high species richness and level of endemism. In the majority of the studied species, a genetic homogeneity was found even among specimens from remote sampling sites, which indicates a possible circum-Antarctic and eurybathic distribution. In four investigated species (Orchomenella (Orchomenopsis) acanthurus, Orchomenella (Orchomenopsis) cavimanus, Orchomenella (Orchomenella) franklini and Orchomenella (Orchomenella) pinguides), genetically divergent lineages and possible cryptic taxa were revealed. After a detailed morphological analysis, O. (O.) pinguides appeared to be composed of two distinct species, formerly synonymized under O. (O.) pinguides. The different genetic patterns observed in these orchomenid species might be explained by the evolutionary histories undergone by these species and by their different dispersal and gene flow capacities

Rediscovery of the snake genus Eirenis on Cyprus (Reptilia: Colubridae)

In April 2007, three Eirenis (Pediophis) levantinus SCHMIDTLER, 1993 were collected in the western part of the Kyrenia Mountains near Lapethos, Cyprus, in a Mediterranean mountainous forest. It is the first collection since KOTSCHY'S expeditions ca. 150 years ago. Like most new (re) discoveries of snakes on Cyprus (Hierophis cypriensis, Natrix natrix cypriaca, Platyceps najadum), this species must be consi-dered as rare, with a restricted distribution area. Dwarf snakes were first recorded from Cyprus (identified as Ablabes modestus) by STEINDACHNER (1863) and UNGER & KOTSCHY (1866). A further specimen was even depicted by JAN & SORDELLI (1866; under the name "Eirenis collaris"), but no exact localities were given. Subsequently dwarf snakes were treated as erroneously reported or simply forgotten, due to the lack of more recent observations. The specimens recently found by us, morphologically (pileus pattern) as well as genetically (cytochrome b sequences), resemble Eirenis levantinus, and they are especially similar to the specimens inhabiting the opposite eastern Turkish mainland (Amanos and Misis mountains, respectively). The possibilities of immigration over a Kyrenia-Misis land bridge in the "Kyrenian-Misis zone" or by passive dispersion are briefly discussed. A further dwarf snake taxon - excellently depicted and originating from Cyprus, but forgotten later on (JAN & SORDELLI 1866: " Eirenis modestus var. quadrilineata") - may be identical to or closely related to the mainland species Eirenis (Eoseirenis) decemlineatus (DUMÉRIL & BIBRON, 1854). © 2009 Deutsche Gesellschaft für Herpetologie und Terrarienkunde e.V. (DGHT)

High species turnover of the ant genus Solenopsis (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) along an altitudinal gradient in the Ecuadorian Andes, indicated by a combined DNA sequencing and morphological approach

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DNA barcoding of fire and thief ants (genus Solenopsis) of the Ecuadorian Andes as a tool for biodiversity research

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Towards a revision of the Neotropical soldierless termites (Isoptera: Termitidae): redescription of the genus Anoplotermes and description of Longustitermes gen. nov.

Soldierless termites are well represented in the Neotropics where they constitute about one-third of the total termite species richness. However, despite their substantial diversity, they have been neglected by most taxonomists because they lack soldiers. Species identification therefore relies upon worker characters, in particular the anatomy of the digestive tract and the enteric valve armature. Here, in order to provide a solid basis for future taxonomic work on this group, we supply detailed descriptions of the type species of the genus Anoplotermes, A. pacificus, and of a few common and widespread species, which we retain in Anoplotermes: A. banksi, A. parvus and A. janus, sp. nov. We transfer Anoplotermes manni to a new genus, Longustitermes, and place six species into synonymy. This redefinition of the genus Anoplotermes is complemented by DNA sequences of four genetic markers to allow species identification by molecular techniques and future phylogenetic studies. This study represents a first step towards a complete revision of the neotropical Anoplotermes-group. © CSIRO.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Towards a revision of the Neotropical soldierless termites (Isoptera: Termitidae): Redescription of the genus GrigiotermesMathews and description of five new genera

Soldierless termites are extremely abundant in South America where they account for up to one-third of the termite species richness. However, their diversity has mostly been addressed through scattered, indecisive descriptions, leaving large gaps in our understanding of termite diversity. Here, to progress towards a more complete knowledge of this group, we redescribe the genus Grigiotermes and describe five new genera, Amplucrutermes, Humutermes, Hydrecotermes, Patawatermes, and Rubeotermes, comprising a total of nine species. We reassign four species to new genera, synonymize two species, and provide extensive descriptions and diagnoses for all taxa included here. We also provide a molecular phylogeny of selected Neotropical and Old World Apicotermitinae and provide a key to the genera of Neotropical workers to facilitate identification.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe