Biodiversity Commons^™

Newly Recorded Panus Lecomtei (Fr.) Corner (Basidiomycota: Panaceae) For Indonesia, Ivan Permana Putra, Rudy Hermawan, Ali Bin Abithalib Salman

Makara Journal of Science

Panus lecomtei (Polyporales) is reported for the first time from Indonesia at the IPB University Campus Forest (IPBUCF). This species has similar macroscopic features to P. strigellus and P. neostrigosus. This study aimed to confirm the taxonomic position of P. lecomtei found at IPBUCF based on morphological and molecular evidence. The specimens were described by their macroscopic and microscopic characteristics. A phylogenetic approach was used with the internal transcribed spacer 1/2 sequence data. The combination of morphological and molecular analyses confirmed the taxonomic position of our specimens as P. lecomtei. The recorded species was distinguished by gregarious basidiomata, an …

The Community Ecology Of Ants On The Cumberland Plateau And A Taxonomic Redescription Of The Genus Stenamma Westwood, 1839 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae) In A Southeastern Treatment, Zachary Brown

Theses and Dissertations

Grassland communities represent major biodiversity hotspots across the United States. Among these grassland types is the short-leaf pine savanna, a major historical habitat along the Cumberland Plateau. The Cumberland Plateau’s grasslands are under threat due to land use changes such as urbanization and land conversion to pasture and hardwood forests. This study seeks to better understand the community ecology of ants on the Cumberland Plateau using powerlines as a comparison to degraded and historic habitats. Ants have a preference between open sites and forested sites, a separation of 44.5% on a DCA. The Simpson diversity places the short-leaf pine savanna …

A Taxonomic List Of The Old World Genera In The Subfamily Hesperiinae (Hesperiidae) Arranged Into Tribes, Jing Zhang, Qian Cong, Jinhui Shen, Leina Song, Nick V. Grishin

The Taxonomic Report of the International Lepidoptera Survey

A taxonomic list of valid genera in the subfamily Hesperiinae from the Old World assigned to tribes is provided. This list is based on phylogenetic analysis of genomic sequence data complemented by morphological considerations. As a result, there are no incertae sedis non-fossil genera in the family Hesperiidae.

A Monographic Revision Of The Jewel Scarabs Genus Chrysina From Panama, Colombia, And Ecuador (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae: Rutelini), Manuel D. Barria

Zea E-Books Collection

The work is a taxonomic revision of 28 species of the genus Chrysina Kirby (Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae: Rutelini) found in Panama (25), Colombia (2), and Ecuador (3). Chrysina tricolor (Ohaus), Chrysina chalcothea (Bates), and Chrysina cupreomarginata (F. Bates) are new re­cords for Panama. A new country record from northern Colombia is confirmed for Chrys­ina mercedesae Barria. Chrysina gaitalica Curoe and Hawks and Chrysina galbina Hawks are discovered at new localities in Panama; females of both species are discovered and described. Chrysina aurora (Bates) known from other localities in the west of the country, is rediscov­ered in Veraguas province 147 years after …

Additional Taxonomic Refinements Suggested By Genomic Analysis Of Butterflies, Jing Zhang, Qian Cong, Jinhui Shen, Leina Song, Paul A. Opler, Nick V. Grishin

The Taxonomic Report of the International Lepidoptera Survey

Comparative analyses of genomic data reveal further insights into the phylogeny and taxonomic classification of butterflies presented here. As a result, 2 new subgenera and 2 new species of Hesperiidae are described: Borna Grishin, subgen. n. (type species Godmania borincona Watson, 1937) and Lilla Grishin, subgen. n. (type species Choranthus lilliae Bell, 1931) of Choranthus Scudder, 1872, Cecropterus (Murgaria) markwalkeri Grishin, sp. n. (type locality in Mexico: Sonora), and Hedone yunga Grishin, sp. n. (type locality in Bolivia: Yungas, La Paz). The lectotype is designated for Aethilla toxeus Plötz, 1882. The type locality of Dion uza (Hewitson, 1877) is likely …

Taxonomic Relationships Of Established Plant Species In The Conterminous United States, Daniel Buonaiuto, Annette Evans, Mathew Fertakos, William Pfadenhauer, Justin Salva, Bethany Bradley

Data and Datasets

Invasion status of non-native vascular plants established in the conterminous United States and their phylogenetic relationships to other invaders at multiple taxonomic resolutions.

Diversity And Distribution Of Bryozoans Of The Northern To Central Rocky Outer Coast Of California, Ismael Chowdhury

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The phylum Bryozoa is one of the most diverse groups of marine invertebrates, with a global distribution that spans marine and fresh waters. This study analyzes the Bryozoa in infralittoral communities on rocky surfaces from northern California (Point Saint George) to central California (Estero Bay), spanning 940 kilometers and encompassing 12 rocky intertidal sites. Although recent studies on bryozoan taxonomy and phylogeny have increased due to scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and high throughput sequencing, there is still a lack of studies on species found in shallow waters at intertidal depths, particularly in the northeastern Pacific. This study aims to expand …

Richard W. Heard, Sara E. Lecroy, Joyce M. Shaw, Chet F. Rakocinski

Gulf and Caribbean Research

No abstract provided.

Global Phylogenomic Assessment Of Leptoseris And Agaricia Reveals Substantial Undescibed Diversity At Mesophotic Depths, J. C. Gijsbers, N. Englebert, K. E. Prata, M. Pichon, Z. Dinesen, R. Brunner, G. Eyal, F. L. González-Zapata, S. E. Kahng, K. R. W. Latijnhouwers, P. Muir, V. Z. Radice, J. A. Sánchez, M. J. A. Vermeij, O. Hoegh-Guldberg, S. J. Jacobs, P. Bongaerts

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: Mesophotic coral communities are increasingly gaining attention for the unique biological diversity they host, exemplified by the numerous mesophotic fish species that continue to be discovered. In contrast, many of the photosynthetic scleractinian corals observed at mesophotic depths are assumed to be depth-generalists, with very few species characterised as mesophotic-specialists. This presumed lack of a specialised community remains largely untested, as phylogenetic studies on corals have rarely included mesophotic samples and have long suffered from resolution issues associated with traditional sequence markers.

Results: Here, we used reduced-representation genome sequencing to conduct a phylogenomic assessment of the two dominant mesophotic …

Exceptional Larval Morphology Of Nine Species Of The Anastrepha Mucronota Species Group (Diptera: Tephritidae), Erick J. Rodriguez, Gary J. Steck, Matthew R. Moore, Allen L. Norrbom, Jessica Diaz, Louis A. Somma, Raul Ruiz-Arce, Bruce D. Sutton, Norma Nolazco, Alies Muller, Marc A. Branham

Papers in Evolution

Anastrepha is the most diverse and economically important genus of Tephritidae in the American tropics and subtropics. The striking morphology of the third instars of Anastrepha caballeroi Norrbom, Anastrepha crebra Stone, Anastrepha haplacantha Norrbom & Korytkowski, Anastrepha korytkowskii Norrbom, Anastrepha nolazcoae Norrbom & Korytkowski, and three newly discovered and as yet formally unnamed species (Anastrepha sp. Peru-82, Anastrepha sp. nr. protuberans, and Anastrepha sp. Sur-16), and the more typical morphology of Anastrepha aphelocentema Stone, are described using light and scanning electron microscopy. To contribute to a better understanding of the interspecific and intraspecific variation among species in the mucronota …

Taxonomic Resolution Assessment And Biodiversity Evaluations For Deep-Sea Fish Assemblages In A Pelagic Ecosystem Of The Northern Gulf Of Mexico, Krista N. Scheuerman

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Knowledge of community assemblages and biodiversity is important for monitoring health and resilience in an ecosystem. Taxonomic and functional biodiversity of mesopelagic (200- 1000 m) fishes is extremely rich in the Gulf of Mexico. The aim of this study was to compare calculations of biodiversity and community structures at varying taxonomic resolutions for deep pelagic fishes to inform future decisions about deep-sea ecosystem monitoring. This study analyzed biodiversity and assemblage structure patterns from a biological inventory of deep-sea fishes collected with a large mesh, commercial-sized, high-speed rope trawl in the Gulf of Mexico between June 21^st and July 14 …

Invasion Of Two Labidesthes Species Through The Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway In Mississippi, Benjamin H. Chaffins, Calvin R. Rezac, Robert J. Ellwanger

Southeastern Fishes Council Proceedings

We re-identified the collections of Labidesthes sicculus at Mississippi Museum of Natural Science after a 2015 publication by Werneke and Armbruster elevated Labidesthes vanhyningi to the full species level. Following re-examination of specimens, 64% were identified as L. vanhyningi and 36% were identified as L. sicculus. During our study, a chronological review of the distribution of both species suggested bi-directional invasion through the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway. Prior to the connection of the two drainages, the only Labidesthes located in the Tennessee drainage was L. sicculus, where as L. vanhyningi was allopatric within the Tombigbee drainage. However, following canal construction, we …

Two New Species Of Anacaena Thomson, 1859 (Coleoptera, Hydrophilidae) From Northern Luzon, Philippines, Enrico Gerard S. Sanchez, Emmanuel D. Delocado, Hendrik Freitag

Biology Faculty Publications

Two species of Anacaena Thomson, 1859, A. angatbuhay sp. nov. and A. auxilium sp. nov., are described from Northern Luzon, Philippines. The new species can be distinguished through colour, body shape, surface puncturation and characteristic aedeagi. Descriptions are provided and complemented with habitus photographs and drawings of the aedeagi. Data on genus distribution in the Philippines are reviewed and an updated Philippine checklist is provided.

A Systematic And Biogeographic Study Of Trillium (Melanthiaceae), Jayne A. Lampley

Doctoral Dissertations

Trillium (Melanthiaceae, Parideae) has a disjunct distribution occurring in eastern and western North America, and eastern Asia. Past studies have examined the phylogeny and historical biogeography of Melanthiaceae and Parideae, however these studies either did not fully examine these aspects within Trillium or did not employ sufficiently broad taxonomic or character sampling to clarify relationships among taxa. The first phylogenetic analysis presented in this study provides a resolved phylogeny for Trillium s.l. and Paris s.l. by using a dataset of 70 plastid coding genes and by sampling broadly from Trillium s.s., Pseudotrillium, Trillidium, Paris s.s., Daiswa, and Kinugasa. The results …

Dna Barcoding Enhances Large-Scale Biodiversity Initiatives For Deep-Pelagic Crustaceans Within The Gulf Of Mexico And Adjacent Waters, Carlos Varela

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation I investigate the biodiversity of marine deep-water crustaceans of the Gulf of Mexico and adjacent waters, focusing on pelagic crustaceans. Taxonomic and molecular techniques were utilized to document adult and larval crustacean specimens to better under their taxonomy, life history, evolutionary relationships and cryptic biodiversity. The use of molecular techniques to study organisms from habitats with limited accessibility provides tremendous potential. With prevalent anthropogenic threats and the delicate nature of deep-water habitats, the need to improve our understanding of these systems is clear. Molecular techniques can act as a fundamental tool to complement traditional taxonomy. The application …

Nematode Biodiversity In Lincoln, Nebraska's Tallgrass Prairie Corridor, Abigail Borgmeier

Department of Plant Pathology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The tallgrass prairie was once one of the most diverse grasslands on the planet, however over 95% has been converted to agriculture in the past 150 years. The remaining prairie is still host to a wide variety of plants, insects, mammals, and soil-dwelling microorganisms, creating an incredibly complex ecosystem. The first aim of this study is to compare three approaches for the measurement of nematode diversity within a 10-mile-long protected prairie habitat corridor near Lincoln, Nebraska. The methods are 1) a traditional morphological analysis of 150 nematodes per study site, 2) a metabarcoding analysis using the 18S genetic marker of …

Construction Of Dichotomous Taxonomic Keys For San Francisco Bay Planktonic Diatoms, Ria Angelica Laxa

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Planktonic diatoms exhibit high biodiversity in marine systems and make a significant contribution to water column primary productivity. This makes research on planktonic diatoms particularly important in measuring the health of coastal marine ecosystems. At the University of San Francisco (USF), undergraduate research has been conducted since September 2015 to study planktonic diatoms in San Francisco Bay. A previous study by Keith (2018), Planktonic Diatom Species Succession in San Francisco Bay, documented changes in species diversity over time, observing seasonal patterns in species richness as well as the effect of environmental factors such as salinity, temperature, and rainfall on species …

Taxonomy And Systematics Of Plumeria L. (Apocynaceae) In The Caribbean Islands, Nichole M. Tiernan

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Plumeria L. (Apocynaceae) is a genus of flowering trees and shrubs that are often cultivated in tropical gardens worldwide. The majority of its species occur in the Greater Antilles with many as single-island endemics. The only comprehensive revision for the genus was done by Robert E. Woodson Jr. (1937) who recognized only seven species and created a ‘Plumeria obtusa complex’ with a plethora of synonyms. The first study provides an overview of the Caribbean Island members of the genus with a focus on Plumeria filifolia Griseb., a thin-leaved species endemic to Cuba that is featured because of its incredible …

Observations On The Distribution And Status Of Selected Nebraska Mammals, Zachary P. Roehrs, Russell A. Benedict, Thomas E. Labedz, Hugh H. Genoways

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

Information on the distribution and current status of 25 species or subspecies of mammals occurring in Nebraska are presented. The species covered include one shrew, an armadillo, eight bats, 10 rodents (including two subspecies of one species), three carnivores, and one artiodactyl. Distributional information reported includes the first state record for one species (Sorex nanus) and new county records for 18 species. In Nebraska, we know that mammals are shifting their geographic ranges with some extending populations into the state, whereas others are expanding their geographic ranges within the state. The current status of six additional mammalian taxa …

Hypsugo Stubbei Sp. Nov., A Novel Cryptic Bat Species Of The Genus Hypsugo (Vespertilionidae, Chiroptera, Mammalia) From Mongolia, Dietrich Dolch, Nyamsuren Batsaikhan, Annegret Stubbe, Dirk Steinhauser

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

The occurrence of two members of the genus Hypsugo, namely H. alaschanicus and H. savii caucasicus, have been reported for Mongolia in the literature. Due to various taxonomic reassignments within and between genera, the number of records for the genus Hypsugo in Mongolia is quite scarce and sometimes not resolved at species or subspecies level. Despite recognition of the two above-mentioned species, recent reports based on genetic analyses describe only new and further records of H. alaschanicus. Thus, it exists a large uncertainty regarding the occurrence and distribution of H. savii caucasicus in Mongolia. Here, our efforts …

The Corvonirmus Group (Insecta, Psocodea, Phthiraptera, Ischnocera) Of Corvids (Aves, Corvidae). I. Stubbenirmus Gen. Nov., Eberhard Mey

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

1. The genera Corvonirmus Eichler, 1944 (with 11 spp.), Hecatrishula Gustafsson & Bush, 2017 (with 8 spp.), and Lycocoranirmus Mey, 2017 (with 5 spp.), which belong to the Brueelia complex (Philopteridae s. l.), are morpho-structurally characterized mainly by head structures and chaetotaxy. They are defined as a group of related taxa that should be placed in the rank of a subfamily (Corvonirminae subfam. nov.) if the former Brueeliinae sensu EICHLER (1963:177) would get the status of a separate family (Brueeliidae).

2. Within the Corvonirmus group, the former Hecatrishula biguttata species group is assumed to be classified as new …

Aquatic Coleoptera Of Northern Negros, Philippines, Marc Ryan Sabordo, Carl Michael Buyco, Gwendalyn Henares, Jessica Pacalioga, Hendrik Freitag

Biology Faculty Publications

The water beetle fauna of northern Negros Island has not been comprehensively studied. In this study, aquatic Coleoptera of northern Negros have been compiled from various collections. Specimens were sampled through manual sampling and light trap. Twenty-six (26) species were recorded including 21 which are Philippine endemics. Nine genera and three known species are recorded for the first time from Negros. Notes on distribution, ecology and identification are provided. Possible new species, future potential discoveries as well as current significance in terms of conservation are discussed.

Connections In The Underworld: A Morphological And Molecular Study Of Diversity And Connectivity Among Anchialine Shrimp., Robert Eugene Ditter

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research investigates the distribution and population structure of crustaceans, endemic to anchialine systems in the tropical western Atlantic focusing on cave-dwelling shrimp from the family Barbouriidae. Taxonomic and molecular tools (genetic and genomic) are utilized to examine population dynamics and the presence of phenotypic hypervariation (PhyV) of the critically endangered species Barbouria cubensis (von Martens, 1872). The presence of PhyV and its geographic distribution is investigated among anchialine populations of B. cubensis from 34 sites on Abaco, Eleuthera, and San Salvador, Bahamas. Examination of 54 informative morphological characters revealed PhyV present in nearly 90% (n=463) of specimens with no …

Systematic Studies In Myrtaceae Of The Greater And Lesser Antilles, Jonathan A. Flickinger

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Myrtaceae, or myrtle family, are a group of flowering trees and shrubs represented in the Americas by over 2000 species of the predominantly Neotropical tribe Myrteae. Recent progress on the challenging systematics of the group has been achieved through molecular phylogenetics, but few of the almost 500 species endemic to the islands of the Greater and Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean have been included in either phylogenetic or revisionary studies. The purpose of my dissertation is therefore to contribute to the description and phylogenetic classification of Antillean Myrtaceae. The first study describes Eugenia walkerae, a new species of …

Systematics Of Amanita (Amanitaceae, Agaricales, Basidiomycota) From The Guiana Shield And Central Africa, Kennan S. Mighell

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

This study is a systematic assessment of ten species of ectomycorrhizal fungi of the genus Amanita (Amanitaceae, Agaricales, Basidiomycota) from the lowland tropical rainforests of the Guiana Shield and Central Africa. Fungi were collected in each of the above regions, analyzed morphologically, and compared to the literature on Amanita diversity worldwide. All species addressed herein are given full formal taxonomic descriptions including complete macro- and microscopic character profiles, habit, habitat, and distribution. Phylogenetic assessments using ribosomal DNA and protein coding genes are provided for Guiana Shield taxa, and sequence data for two non-protein coding regions, the …

More Than Meets The Eye: A Taxonomic Revision Of The Nearctic Species In The Eye-Gnat Genus Amiota Loew (Diptera: Drosophilidae), Lance E. Jones

Dissertations and Theses

Thorough biotic inventories are still needed even in families as seemingly well-studied as fruit flies (Diptera: Drosophilidae). Drosophilidae have had an outsize effect on the history of biology because of their pivotal role in the study of genetics, development, and evolution. Even with more than a century of intensive study, large gaps remain in our understanding of diversity in this fly family, including well-studied areas such as North America. This thesis presents a taxonomic revision of the Nearctic species of the genus Amiota Loew. Twenty-three species are identified as being new to science for publication at a later date. This …

Repositories For Taxonomic Data: Where We Are And What Is Missing, Aurélian Miralles, Teddy Bruy, Katherine Wolcott, Mark D. Scherz, Dominik Begerow, Bank Beszteri, Michael Bonkowski, Janine Felden, Birgit Gemeinholzer, Frank Glaw, Frank Oliver Glöckner, Oliver Hawlitschek, Ivaylo Kostadinov, Tim W. Nattkemper, Christian Printzen, Jasmin Renz, Nataliya Rybalka, Marc Stadler, Tanja Weibulat, Thomas Wilke, Susanne S. Renner, Miguel Vences

Harold W. Manter Laboratory: Library Materials

Natural history collections are leading successful large-scale projects of specimen digitization (images, metadata, DNA barcodes), thereby transforming taxonomy into a big data science. Yet, little effort has been directed towards safeguarding and subsequently mobilizing the considerable amount of original data generated during the process of naming 15,000–20,000 species every year. From the perspective of alpha-taxonomists, we provide a review of the properties and diversity of taxonomic data, assess their volume and use, and establish criteria for optimizing data repositories. We surveyed 4,113 alpha-taxonomic studies in representative journals for 2002, 2010, and 2018, and found an increasing yet comparatively limited use …

A New Petrophilous Tiger Beetle From The Trans-Pecos Region Of Texas And Revised Key To The Genus Amblycheila (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Cicindelinae), Daniel P. Duran, Stephen J. Roman

School of Earth & Environment Faculty Scholarship

A new rock-dwelling (petrophilous) tiger beetle, Amblycheila katzi Duran & Roman, sp. nov. is described from calcareous canyons and steep hillsides in the Trans-Pecos region of western Texas. It is distinguished from all other Amblycheila based on multiple morphological characters, biogeography, and ecology. A revised key to the genus Amblycheila is provided.

The Neotropical Variegated Squirrel, Sciurus Variegatoides (Rodentia: Sciuridae) In Nicaragua, With The Description Of A New Subspecies, Hugh H. Genoways, Robert M. Timm

University of Nebraska State Museum: Mammalogy Papers

The Neotropical variegated squirrel, Sciurus variegatoides, is represented in Nicaragua by five known subspecies—adolphei, belti, boothiae, dorsalis, and underwoodi. Analyses of morphometrics, color, and color patterns of 394 specimens from throughout the country and all available literature support the retention of these subspecies, but also reveal the presence of a sixth population of these squirrels, which is worthy of description and recognition as a new subspecies. This new subspecies is confined to Isla de Ometepe in Lago de Nicaragua. Variegated squirrels on Ometepe are on average the smallest variegated squirrels in the country …

Systematics Of Carex Section Laxiflorae (Cyperaceae), Jenna Dorey

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Carex, with more than 2100 species, is the most species-rich genus of flowering plants in temperate regions of the world. Members of the family Cyperaceae are colloquially known as sedges, and members of the genus Carex are called “true sedges.” Carex occur on every continent except for Antarctica, they thrive in a panoply of habitats, and are ecologically important as a forage source for wildlife, carbon sequestration, prevention of soil erosion, and providing habitat for fresh water invertebrates. Despite their importance many sedges are still poorly known, such as the woodland sedges in Carex section Laxiflorae, which is …