Modelos de distribución de especies y estado de conservación de murciélagos amenazados en la región tumbesina de Ecuador y Perú / Species distribution models and conservation status of threatened bats in the Tumbesian region of Ecuador and Perú

Resumen Introducción: La biodiversidad se está perdiendo a un ritmo acelerado como resultado del cambio global. Herramientas como los modelos de distribución de especies (MDEs) han sido ampliamente usados para mejorar el conocimiento sobre el estado de conservación de las especies y ayudar a desarrollar estrategias de gestión para mitigar la pérdida de biodiversidad. Objetivo: Determinar cómo la distribución potencial predicha por los MDEs para ocho especies de murciélagos amenazados difiere de los mapas de distribución reportados por la UICN. También, inferir el área de distribución y estado de endemismo de cada especie, y evaluar la importancia de la región tumbesina para su conservación. Métodos: Basados en registros de presencia del rango global de las especies, usamos MDEs para evaluar el estado de conservación de estas ocho especies en la región tumbesina de Ecuador y Perú. Resultados: Las áreas estimadas por los MDEs eran 35-78 % más pequeñas para cuatro especies (Eptesicus innoxius, Lophostoma occidentale, Platalina genovensium y Lonchophylla hesperia) y 26-1 600 % más grandes para tres especies (Amorphochilus schnablii, Promops davisoni y Rhogeessa velilla) que aquellas reportadas por la UICN. Para Tomopeas ravus, el área estimada por el MDE y la UICN fue similar, pero difirió en la distribución espacial. Los MDEs coincidieron con áreas de endemismo informadas por autores previos para E. innoxius, R. velilla y T. ravus, pero fueron diferentes para A. schnablii, P. genovensium, P. davisoni y L. hesperia, debido en parte a las distribuciones proyectadas para estas últimas especies en valles secos interandinos según los MDEs. Conclusiones: La región tumbesina representa una porción significativa (40-96 %) de la distribución predicha de siete de las ocho especies estudiadas, subrayando la importancia de esta región para la conservación de murciélagos. Nuestros resultados muestran las probables distribuciones para estas especies y proporcionan una base importante para identificar vacíos de investigación y desarrollar medidas de conservación para murciélagos amenazados en el punto caliente de biodiversidad de Tumbes.

Abstract Introduction: Biodiversity is being lost at an accelerating rate because of global change. Tools such as species distribution models (SDMs) have been widely used to improve knowledge about species' conservation status and help develop management strategies to mitigate biodiversity loss. SDMs are especially important for species with restricted distributions, such as endemic species. Objective: To determine how potential distribution predicted by SDMs for eight threatened bat species differed from the distribution maps reported by the IUCN. Also, to infer the area of distribution and state of endemism of each specie, and to evaluate the importance of the Tumbesian region for their conservation. Methods: Based on presence records across the species' entire ranges, we used SDMs to assess the conservation status of these eight species in the Tumbesian region of Ecuador and Peru. Results: The areas estimated by SDMs were 35-78 % smaller for four species (Eptesicus innoxius, Lophostoma occidentale, Platalina genovensium and Lonchophylla hesperia) and 26-1 600 % larger for three species (Amorphochilus schnablii, Promops davisoni and Rhogeessa velilla) than those reported by the IUCN. For Tomopeas ravus, the area estimated by the SDM and IUCN was similar but differed in spatial distribution. SDMs coincided with areas of endemism reported by previous authors for E. innoxius, R. velilla, and T. ravus, but were different for A. schnablii, P. genovensium, P. davisoni, and L. hesperia, due in part to projected distributions for these latter species in dry inter-Andean valleys according to the SDMs. Conclusions: The Tumbesian region represents a significant portion (40-96 %) of the predicted distribution of seven of the eight species studied, underscoring the importance of this region for bat conservation. Our results show likely distributions for these species and provide an important basis for identifying research gaps and developing conservation measures for threatened bats in the Tumbes biodiversity hotspot.

The future of plant diversity within a Mediterranean endemism centre: Modelling the synergistic effects of climate and land-use change in Peloponnese, Greece.

Climate- and land-use change stand as primary threats to terrestrial biodiversity. Yet, their synergistic impacts on species distributions remain poorly understood. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted the first-ever comprehensive species distribution analysis on an entire regional endemism centre within an eastern Mediterranean country, incorporating dynamic land-use/land-cover change data together with climate change scenarios. Specifically, we apply species distribution modelling and spatial data analysis techniques to compare the individual and synergistic effects of these environmental drivers on the endemic vascular flora of Peloponnese, focusing on potential range contractions, altitudinal shifts, and habitat fragmentation levels. Moreover, we identify fine-scale present and potential future endemism hotspots within our study area, incorporating taxonomic and phylogenetic information. Overall, we aim to enhance our current understanding of endemism patterns and contribute to the development of future-proof conservation strategies for safeguarding Greece's endangered endemic flora. The integration of land-use change projections with climate change yielded less severe impacts compared to the effects anticipated when considering climatic variables alone. Most taxa are expected to undergo significant range declines and nearly half might experience increased habitat fragmentation, due to the synergistic effects of climate- and land-use change. We identified endemism hotspots, which are concentrated in or along the main Peloponnesian mountain massifs. However, our predictions indicate that areas presently recognized as endemism hotspots will undergo a concerning area decline, across all future scenarios considered in this study. Our findings highlight the importance of including dynamic land-use variables alongside climatic predictors when projecting species distributions under global change. Moreover, we showed that endemism hotspots are not static and considering their potential geographic shifts is paramount to delineate effective forward-looking conservation strategies.

Eriothecapaganuccii (Bombacoideae, Malvaceae), a new endangered species from montane forests in the Atlantic Forest of Bahia, northeastern Brazil.

A new species of Eriotheca (Bombacoideae, Malvaceae) from montane wet forests in the Atlantic Forest of Bahia, northeastern Brazil, is described and illustrated. It is known from only three populations situated between 750 m and 850 m in elevation on mountain summits and categorized as Endangered (EN) based on IUCN criteria. Eriothecapaganuccii is distinct from all congeners by the combination of coriaceous to strongly coriaceous leaves and remarkable few-seeded, globose to subglobose woody capsules that contain scanty kapok and the largest seeds known in the genus to date. The affinities of E.paganuccii to morphologically similar species as well as the importance of obtaining phenologically complete collections are discussed.

Doubling the known diversity of a remote island fauna: marine bivalves of the Juan Fernández and Desventuradas oceanic archipelagos (Southeastern Pacific Ocean).

Juan Fernández and Desventuradas are two oceanic archipelagos located in the southeastern Pacific Ocean far off the Chilean coast that received protected status as marine parks in 2016. Remoteness and access difficulty contributed to historically poor biodiversity sampling and limited associated research. This is particularly noticeable for bivalves, with most prior regional publications focused on single taxa or un-illustrated checklists. This study investigates marine bivalves collected between the intertidal and 415 m depth during (1) the 1997 IOC97 expedition aboard the M/V Carlos Porter, with special focus on scuba-collected micro-mollusks of both archipelagos, (2) two expeditions by the R/V Anton Bruun (Cruise 12/1965 and Cruise 17/1966), and (3) Cruise 21 of USNS Eltanin under the United States Antarctic Program, which sampled at Juan Fernández in 1965. Also, relevant historical material of the British H.M.S. Challenger Expedition (1873-1876), the Swedish Pacific Expedition (1916-1917), and by German zoologist Ludwig H. Plate (1893-1895) is critically revised. A total of 48 species are recognized and illustrated, including 19 new species (described herein) and six other potentially new species. The presence of two species mentioned in the literature for the region (Aulacomya atra and Saccella cuneata) could not be confirmed. The genera Verticipronus and Halonympha are reported for the first time from the Eastern Pacific, as are Anadara and Condylocardia from Chilean waters. Lectotypes are designated for Arca (Barbatia) platei and Mytilus algosus. These findings double the number of extant bivalve species known from the Juan Fernández and Desventuradas archipelagos, highlighting the lack of attention these islands groups have received in the past. A high percentage of species endemic to one or both archipelagos are recognized herein, accounting for almost 78% of the total. The newly recognized level of bivalve endemism supports the consideration of Juan Fernández and Desventuradas as two different biogeographic units (Provinces or Ecoregions) of the Eastern Pacific Ocean.

The challenging biogeography of the Juan Fernández Islands and Coast Range of central Chile explained by new models of East Pacific tectonics.

Biogeographers have often been puzzled by several unusual features in the Juan Fernández Islands (JFI) biota. These include the very high endemism density, multiple endemics that are older than the current islands, close biogeographic affinities with the central and West Pacific, and affinities with the diverse Coast Range of central Chile. We review aspects of biogeography in the JFI and the Coast Range in light of recent geological studies. These have examined the mantle below the East Pacific and South America, and have produced radical, new ideas on tectonic history. A long-lived, intraoceanic archipelago ~9000 km long is now thought to have existed in the East Pacific (passing between the JFI hotspot and mainland Chile) until the mid-Cretaceous. At this time, South America, which was moving westward with the opening of the Atlantic, collided with the archipelago. The assumption that the JFI biota is no older than its current islands is questionable, as taxa would have survived on prior islands produced at the JFI hotspot. We propose a new interpretation of evolution in the region based on tectonics rather than on island age and incorporating the following factors: the newly described East Pacific Archipelago; a long history for the JFI hotspot; metapopulation dynamics, including metapopulation vicariance; and formation of the Humboldt Current in the Cretaceous. The model accounts for many distinctive features of the JFI and Coast Range biota.

Pleistocene climate oscillations have shaped the expansion and contraction speciation model of the globose Eriosyce sect. Neoporteria cacti in Central Chile.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Pleistocene climatic oscillations, characterized by arid (interglacial) and pluvial (glacial) phases, have profoundly impacted the floras of Mediterranean climates. Our study investigates the hypothesis that these climatic extremes have promoted phases of range expansion and contraction in the Eriosyce sect. Neoporteria, resulting in pronounced genetic structuring and restricted gene flow. METHODS: Utilizing nuclear microsatellite markers, we genotyped 251 individuals across 18 populations, encompassing all 14 species and one subspecies within the Eriosyce sect. Neoporteria. Additionally, Species Distribution Models (SDMs) were employed to reconstruct past (Last Interglacial, Last Glacial Maximum, Mid-Holocene) and current potential distribution patterns, aiming to delineate the climatic influences on species' range dynamics. KEY RESULTS: The gene flow analysis disclosed disparate levels of genetic interchange among species, with marked restrictions observed between entities that are geographically or ecologically separated. Notably, E. subgibbosa from Hualpen emerged as genetically distinct, warranting its exclusion for clearer genetic clustering into north, central, and south clusters. The SDMs corroborated these findings, showing marked range expansions during warmer periods and contractions during colder times, indicating significant shifts in distribution patterns in response to climatic changes. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings emphasize the critical role of Pleistocene climatic fluctuations in driving the dynamic patterns of range expansions and contractions that have led to geographic isolation and speciation within the Eriosyce sect. Neoporteria. Even in the face of ongoing gene flow, these climate-driven processes have played a pivotal role in sculpting the species' genetic architecture and diversity. This study elucidates the complex interplay between climatic variability and evolutionary dynamics among Mediterranean cacti in central Chile, highlighting the necessity of considering historical climatic millenial oscillations in conservation and evolutionary biology studies.

Chilean Darwin Wasps (Ichneumonidae): Biogeographic Relationships and Distribution Patterns.

Ichneumonidae, or Chilean Darwin wasps, are an important component of South American hymenopteran diversity, but the taxonomic and distributional knowledge on this insect is still deficient. Taking advantage of recently updated taxonomic knowledge, we assessed biogeographic relationships at the genus level and biodiversity spatial patterns along the latitudinal gradient. The results show the presence of 264 species in Chile, arranged in 102 genera and 22 subfamilies. Biogeographic relationships are based on six elements (cosmopolitan (n = 50; 36%), endemic (n = 29; 21%), Neotropical (n = 22; 16%), Holarctic-Oriental (n = 19; 14%), south-temperate (n = 16; 11%) and Australasian) and composed of just three genera: Anacis, Labena, and Meringops. Species and genera show a bimodal distribution along the latitudinal gradient: around 34° and 38° S. From an ecoregional perspective, richness is concentrated in the Valdivian temperate forests, but when assessed at a 0.5 × 0.5 cell scale, several outstanding cells are in the contact zone between the temperate forests and the Chilean Matorral. On the other hand, the Atacama Desert shows little or no presence of Darwin wasps. The results agree with Charles Porter, who identified a northern province composed of Neotropical and cosmopolitan genera with their own representatives in the far north (11 genera), a distributional gap in the core of the Atacama Desert, and around 128 genera in Porter's Neantarctic realm, covering all of Chile from 25° S to Cape Horn, including the Juan Fernandez islands. These results reinforce knowledge gaps and the need for more sampling and studies of available collections. Due to sampling gaps at this stage, identifying a continued increase or decrease in richness towards higher latitudes is not possible. More taxonomic and distributional information is also needed to assess potential threats to endemic genera and species.

 Myrsinecirrhosa (Primulaceae), a distinctive new shrub species from Kaua'i, Hawaiian Islands.

Myrsinecirrhosa Lorence & K.R.Wood (Primulaceae), a new single-island endemic shrub species from Kaua'i, Hawaiian Islands, is described and illustrated. Notes on its distribution, ecology and conservation status are included. The new species is known from an area with ca. 45 individuals, where it is restricted to the remote central windward region of Kaua'i in open bogs and along open windy ridges. Suggested IUCN Red List status is CR (Critically Endangered). It differs from its Kaua'i congeners by its longer petals and narrowly elliptic leaves with strongly undulate margins and tendril-like apex. Phylogenetic analysis using RADseq data supports the recognition of this new species.

A Cybertaxonomic Revision of the "Crocidura pergrisea" Species Complex with a Special Focus on Endemic Rocky Shrews: Crocidura armenica and Crocidura arispa (Soricidae).

The extraction of museum DNA from a unique collection of samples of the "Crocidura pergrisea" species complex, which comprises local endemics of Central and West Asia, allowed us to determine their inter- and intragroup relationships. The first step of this study was the re-evaluation of heavily damaged type specimens of C. armenica via a microcomputed-tomography-based cybertaxonomic approach (CTtax), which enabled a precise description of the species' morphology; three-dimensional models of the cybertypes were made available through the MorphoBank Repository. We developed the "AProMaDesU" pipeline on the basis of five requirements for micro-CT-based cyber-datasets in relation to mammalian collections. Our second step was a combination of several meticulous approaches to morphological investigation against a background of a cytb-based phylogeny, which helped us to make a taxonomic decision about the status of species of the "pergrisea" group, e.g., C. arispa, C. armenica, and C. serezkyensis, when the morphological results were partly incongruent with the molecular phylogeny. Nevertheless, under two assumptions, our findings preserved a separate species-level status of C. serezkyensis and C. arispa. In addition, we restored the species-level status of C. armenica. This taxonomic decision is based on our morphospace analysis, which revealed unique craniomandibular shape transformations within the rocky shrews that helped them with the transition to a new area of morphospace/trophic niches and consequently separated them from the other analyzed Crocidura groups.

In defence of the entity of Macaronesia as a biogeographical region.

Since its coinage ca. 1850 AD by Philip Barker Webb, the biogeographical region of Macaronesia, consisting of the North Atlantic volcanic archipelagos of the Azores, Madeira with the tiny Selvagens, the Canaries and Cabo Verde, and for some authors different continental coastal strips, has been under dispute. Herein, after a brief introduction on the terminology and purpose of regionalism, we recover the origins of the Macaronesia name, concept and geographical adscription, as well as its biogeographical implications and how different authors have positioned themselves, using distinct terrestrial or marine floristic and/or faunistic taxa distributions and relationships for accepting or rejecting the existence of this biogeographical region. Four main issues related to Macaronesia are thoroughly discussed: (i) its independence from the Mediterranean phytogeographical region; (ii) discrepancies according to different taxa analysed; (iii) its geographical limits and the role of the continental enclave(s), and, (iv) the validity of the phytogeographical region level. We conclude that Macaronesia has its own identity and a sound phytogeographical foundation, and that this is mainly based on three different floristic components that are shared by the Macaronesian core (Madeira and the Canaries) and the outermost archipelagos (Azores and Cabo Verde). These floristic components are: (i) the Palaeotropical-Tethyan Geoflora, formerly much more widely distributed in Europe and North Africa and currently restricted to the three northern archipelagos (the Azores, Madeira and the Canaries); (ii) the African Rand Flora, still extant in the coastal margins of Africa and Arabia, and present in the southern archipelagos (Madeira, the Canaries and Cabo Verde), and (iii) the Macaronesian neoendemic floristic component, represented in all the archipelagos, a result of allopatric diversification promoted by isolation of Mediterranean ancestors that manage to colonize Central Macaronesia and, from there, the outer archipelagos. Finally, a differentiating floristic component recently colonized the different archipelagos from the nearest continental coast, providing them with different biogeographic flavours.

A missing piece is found: a new species of Paepalanthus (Poales, Eriocaulaceae) and the puzzling relations of the campos rupestres mountaintop floras of eastern Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Paepalanthus is a diverse genus characteristic of the campos rupestres, a megadiverse vegetation found on mountaintops of mainly quartzitic mountain ranges of central-eastern Brazil. Recent efforts on prospecting the biodiversity of Serra do Padre Ângelo, a small mountain complex in eastern Minas Gerais, yielded several new plant and animal species, highlighting the urgency of conservation actions towards this still unprotected area. Here, we describe yet another new species found in the campos rupestres of these mountains, Paepalanthusmagnus, a mountaintop microendemic species morphologically similar to taxa found in the Espinhaço Range, over 200 km distant, a biogeographic pattern shared by several other species. The affinities of the new species are discussed, and we provide illustrations, photographs, and SEM photomicrographs of the seed. We also discuss the conservation status of the species, which is preliminarily assessed as Critically Endangered, reinforcing the urgent need to address the conservation of the unique biodiversity of Serra do Padre Ângelo.

ResumoPaepalanthus é um gênero característico dos campos rupestres, uma vegetação megadiversa encontrada no topo de montanhas de cadeias montanhosas, principalmente quartzíticas, do centro-leste do Brasil. Esforços recentes de inventariar a biodiversidade da Serra do Padre Ângelo, um pequeno complexo montanhoso no leste de Minas Gerais, resultaram na descoberta de várias novas espécies de plantas e animais, destacando a urgência de ações de conservação para esta área ainda não protegida. Aqui, descrevemos mais uma nova espécie encontrada nos campos rupestres dessas montanhas, Paepalanthusmagnus, uma espécie microendêmica, morfologicamente semelhante a táxons encontrados na Serra do Espinhaço, a mais de 200 km de distância, um padrão biogeográfico repetido por várias outras espécies. As afinidades da nova espécie são discutidas e fornecemos ilustrações, fotografias da planta e de microscopia eletrônica de varredura (MEV) da semente. Também discutimos o status de conservação da espécie, que é preliminarmente avaliada como Criticamente Em Perigo, reforçando a necessidade urgente de abordar a conservação da biodiversidade única da Serra do Padre Ângelo.

Molecular, morphological, and morphometric evidence reveal a new, critically endangered rattlepod (Crotalaria, Fabaceae/Leguminosae, Papilionoideae) from tropical China.

Here, we describe a new species of Crotalaria L. discovered in Mengla County, Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan, China. The new species, Crotalariamenglaensis S.A.Rather, was confirmed by identifying diagnostic morphological characteristics, performing principal component analyses of phenotypic traits, and phylogenetic analyses based on nuclear ITS and plastid matK sequences. Phylogenetic analyses recovered the two accessions of the new species to be sister to C.bracteata Roxb. ex DC. In turn, these two species formed the sister clade to the two accessions of C.incana L. The morphometric analyses revealed that all three species were distinct, while the analyses of distinctive characters enabled unambiguous distinction of the new species by its growth habit, leaflets, flower structure and pod morphology. In contrast to the two related species, the new species is currently known only from ca. 100 mature individuals. Thus, this species is considered to be critically endangered.

Environmental heterogeneity structures root-associated fungal communities in Daphne arbuscula (Thymelaeaceae), a shrub adapted to extreme rocky habitats.

Rocky habitats, globally distributed ecosystems, harbour diverse biota, including numerous endemic and endangered species. Vascular plants thriving in these environments face challenging abiotic conditions, requiring diverse morphological and physiological adaptations. Their engagement with the surrounding microbiomes is, however, equally vital for their adaptation, fitness, and long-term survival. Nevertheless, there remains a lack of understanding surrounding this complex interplay within this fascinating biotic ecosystem. Using microscopic observations and metabarcoding analyses, we examined the fungal abundance and diversity in the root system of the rock-dwelling West Carpathian endemic shrub, Daphne arbuscula (Thymelaeaceae). We explored the diversification of root-associated fungal communities in relation to microclimatic variations across the studied sites. We revealed extensive colonization of the Daphne roots by diverse taxonomic fungal groups attributed to different ecological guilds, predominantly plant pathogens, dark septate endophytes (DSE), and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). Notably, differences in taxonomic composition and ecological guilds emerged between colder and warmer microenvironments. Apart from omnipresent AMF, warmer sites exhibited a prevalence of plant pathogens, while colder sites were characterized by a dominance of DSE. This mycobiome diversification, most likely triggered by the environment, suggests that D. arbuscula populations in warmer areas may be more vulnerable to fungal diseases, particularly in the context of global climate change.

Thermal tolerance as a driver of reef fish community structure at the isolated tropical Mid-Atlantic Ridge Islands.

Reef fish communities are shaped by historical and ecological factors, including abiotic and biotic mechanisms at different spatial scales, determining species composition, abundance and biomass. The oceanic islands in the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (St. Peter and St. Paul's Archipelago - SPSPA, Ascension, and St. Helena), exhibiting differences in community structure along a 14-degree latitudinal and a 10 °C thermal gradient. We investigate the influence of sea surface temperature, area, age, isolation and phosphate on reef fish community structures. Reef fish trophic structure varies significantly across the islands, with planktivores and herbivore-detritivores showing the highest abundances in SPSPA and Ascension, while less abundant in St. Helena, aligning with the thermal gradient. Variations in reef fish community structures were predominantly influenced by thermal regimes, corroborating the expansion of species' thermal niche breadth at higher latitudes and lower temperatures. This study highlights that in addition to biogeographic factors, temperature is pivotal on shaping oceanic island reef fish community structure.

Cryptic diversity and speciation in an endemic copepod crustacean Harpacticella inopinata within Lake Baikal.

Ancient lakes are hotspots of species diversity, posing challenges and opportunities for exploration of the dynamics of endemic diversification. Lake Baikal in Siberia, the oldest lake in the world, hosts a particularly rich crustacean fauna, including the largest known species flock of harpacticoid copepods with some 70 species. Here, we focused on exploring the diversity and evolution within a single nominal species, Harpacticella inopinata Sars, 1908, using molecular markers (mitochondrial COI, nuclear ITS1 and 28S rRNA) and a set of qualitative and quantitative morphological traits. Five major mitochondrial lineages were recognized, with model-corrected COI distances of 0.20-0.37. A concordant pattern was seen in the nuclear data set, and qualitative morphological traits also distinguish a part of the lineages. All this suggests the presence of several hitherto unrecognized cryptic taxa within the baikalian H. inopinata, with long independent histories. The abundances, distributions and inferred demographic histories were different among taxa. Two taxa, H. inopinata CE and H. inopinata CW, were widespread on the eastern and western coasts, respectively, and were largely allopatric. Patterns in mitochondrial variation, that is, shallow star-like haplotype networks, suggest these taxa have spread through the lake relatively recently. Three other taxa, H. inopinata RE, RW and RW2, instead were rare and had more localized distributions on either coast, but showed deeper intraspecies genealogies, suggesting older regional presence. The rare taxa were often found in sympatry with the others and occasionally introgressed by mtDNA from the common ones. The mitochondrial divergence between and within the H. inopinata lineages is still unexpectedly deep, suggesting an unusually high molecular rate. The recognition of true systematic diversity in the evaluation and management of ecosystems is important in hotspots, as it is everywhere else, while the translation of the diversity into a formal taxonomy remains a challenge.

Checklist of land snail species of Gua Rumbang, Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo (Mollusca, Gastropoda), with a description of a new species, Diplommatinarumbangensis sp. nov.

The current study presents an annotated checklist of the land snail species in the vicinity of the limestone hill of Gua (= cave) Rumbang, an outcrop located at the district of Padawan, Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo. The sampling was conducted at the surrounding areas and near the cave's entrance. A total of 62 species, involving 19 families and 38 genera, were recorded. Comparison with previous surveys made in the Bau limestone hills revealed similarities with respect to the species-rich families Diplommatinidae and Cyclophoridae, and the genera Kaliella and Diplommatina, highlighting the regional consistency of the land snail diversity of the Bau-Padawan-Serian cluster. Possibly because of its smaller size, Gua Rumbang is home to two endemic species, while there are eight endemic species in the Bau limestone karsts. This suggests a potential for a significant species diversity within the areas of the limestone ranges that remain to be explored. Nonetheless, the occurrence of endemic species in Gua Rumbang highlights the need to conserve certain areas within the Padawan limestone range since hitherto no protected areas have been proposed in this region. In this checklist, a new species for science is also described, namely, Diplommatinarumbangensissp. nov.

An island in a sea of sand: a first checklist of the herpetofauna of the Serra da Neve inselberg, southwestern Angola.

The Serra da Neve inselberg in Namibe Province, southwestern Angola is the second highest peak of Angola with an elevation of 2489 m. It remains one of the least explored regions in the country, despite several endemic species having been recently described from this inselberg. Here we provide an inventory of the amphibian and reptile species ocurring in Serra da Neve and compare its fauna with that of the surrounding habitats at lower elevations. We also examine the phylogenetic affinities of the inselberg taxa. A total of 59 herpetological taxa were recorded for the Serra da Neve inselberg and its immediate surroundings. These include 11 species of amphibians, belonging to nine genera and seven different families, and 48 species of reptiles, belonging to 32 genera and 12 families. Of these, one amphibian and seven reptiles from seven different genera are strictly endemic, making the inselberg the richest region in southwestern Africa with respect to strict endemics, with one endemic reptile taxa per 127 km2. Not surprisingly, most of the recorded taxa belong to clades that are endemic, or at least strongly associated, with southern Africa, but two are representatives of central African clades, and another two are more closely related to eastern African highland taxa. We also provide comments on the threats to the conservation of this endemic-rich inselberg.

Global patterns and ecological drivers of taxonomic and phylogenetic endemism in angiosperm genera.

Endemism of lineages lies at the core of understanding variation in community composition among geographic regions because it reflects how speciation, extinction, and dispersal have influenced current distributions. Here, we investigated geographic patterns and ecological drivers of taxonomic and phylogenetic endemism of angiosperm genera across the world. We identify centers of paleo-endemism and neo-endemism of angiosperm genera, and show that they are mostly located in the Southern Hemisphere in tropical and subtropical regions, particularly in Asia and Australia. Different categories of phylogenetic endemism centers can be differentiated using current climate conditions. Current climate, historical climate change, and geographic variables together explained ∼80% of global variation in taxonomic and phylogenetic endemism, while 42-46%, 1%, and 15% were independently explained by these three types of variables, respectively. Thus our findings show that past climate change, current climate, and geography act together in shaping endemism, which are consistent with the findings of previous studies that higher temperature and topographic heterogeneity promote endemism. Our study showed that many centers of phylogenetic endemism of angiosperms, including regions in Amazonia, Venezuela, and west-central tropical Africa that have not previously been identified as biodiversity hotspots, are missed by taxon-based measures of endemism, indicating the importance of including evolutionary history in biodiversity assessment.

Discovery of a peculiar insular race of Ravenna nivea (Nire, 1920) (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) endemic to Yinggeling Mountain of Hainan, suggesting heterogeneous geological history of mountain formation of the island.

A peculiar population of Ravenna nivea (Nire, 1920) was discovered from the Yinggeling Mountain Mass of central Hainan. Its wing pattern and COI barcode data show considerable distinction from other geographic populations of R. nivea, including that of Bawangling, approximately only 40 km away and also located in Hainan. The p-distance value of the COI barcode between the Yinggeling and Bawangling populations was 1.1%, considerably higher than the value (0.6%) between Bawangling population and populations in eastern China, where the subspecific name howarthi Saigusa, 1993 applies. The population is regarded as a distinct subspecies ngiunmoiae Lo & Hsu, subsp. nov. The distinctness and high degree of COI haplotype diversity of R. nivea found in Hainan and Taiwan suggest continental islands may serve as glacial refugees for the butterfly and other organisms during previous glaciations, and the presence of the relict populations of montane butterflies like R. nivea may provide useful clues towards a better understanding of the geological history of mountain formation within islands.

A new species of terrestrial toad of the Rhinellafestae group (Anura, Bufonidae) from the highlands of the Central Cordillera of the Andes of Colombia.

The genus Rhinella (Bufonidae) comprises 92 species of Neotropical toads. In Colombia, Rhinella is represented by 22 recognized species, of which nine belong to the Rhinellafestae group. Over the past decade, there has been increasing evidence of cryptic diversity within this group, particularly in the context of Andean forms. Specimens of Rhinella collected in high Andean forests on both slopes of the Central Cordillera in Colombia belong to an undescribed species, Rhinellakumandaysp. nov. Genetic analyses using the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene indicated that the individuals belong to the festae species group. However, they can be distinguished from other closely related species such as Rhinellaparaguas and Rhinellatenrec by a combination of morphological traits including the presence of tarsal fold, a moderate body size, and substantial genetic divergence in the 16S rRNA gene (> 5%). Through this integrative approach, the specimens from the Central Cordillera of Colombia are considered an evolutionary divergent lineage that is sister to R.paraguas, and described as a new species. Rhinellakumandaysp. nov. is restricted to the Central Cordillera of Colombia inhabiting both slopes in the departments of Caldas and Tolima, in an elevational range between 2420 and 3758 m. With the recognition of this new species, the genus Rhinella now comprises 93 species with 23 of them found in Colombia, and ten species endemic to the country.