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Sudasinghe H, Ranasinghe T, Dahanukar N, Raghavan R, Rüber L, Pethiyagoda R, Meegaskumbura M. Biogeography and evolutionary history of Puntius sensu lato (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) in Sri Lanka. Sci Rep 2023; 13:18724. [PMID: 37907560 PMCID: PMC10618540 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-45377-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Sri Lanka's biota is derived largely from Southeast Asian lineages which immigrated via India following its early-Eocene contact with Laurasia. The island is now separated from southeastern India by the 30 km wide Palk Strait which, during sea-level low-stands, was bridged by the 140 km-wide Palk Isthmus. Consequently, biotic ingress and egress were mediated largely by the climate of the isthmus. Because of their dependence on perennial aquatic habitats, freshwater fish are useful models for biogeographic studies. Here we investigate the timing and dynamics of the colonization of-and diversification on-Sri Lanka by a group of four closely-related genera of cyprinid fishes (Puntius sensu lato). We construct a molecular phylogeny based on two mitochondrial and two nuclear gene markers, conduct divergence timing analyses and ancestral-range estimations to infer historical biogeography, and use haplotype networks to discern phylogeographic patterns. The origin of Puntius s.l. is dated to ~ 20 Ma. The source of diversification of Puntius s.l. is Sri Lanka-Peninsular India. Species confined to perhumid rainforests show strong phylogeographic structure, while habitat generalists show little or no such structure. Ancestral range estimations for Plesiopuntius bimaculatus and Puntius dorsalis support an 'Out of Sri Lanka' scenario. Sri Lankan Puntius s.l. derive from multiple migrations across the Palk Isthmus between the early Miocene and the late Pleistocene. Species dependent on an aseasonal climate survived aridification in rainforest refugia in the island's perhumid southwest and went on to recolonize the island and even southern India when pluvial conditions resumed. Our results support an historical extinction of Sri Lanka's montane aquatic fauna, followed by a recent partial recolonization of the highlands, showing also that headwater stream capture facilitated dispersal across basin boundaries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiranya Sudasinghe
- Evolutionary Ecology and Systematics Laboratory, Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, 20400, Sri Lanka
- Postgraduate Institute of Science, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, 20400, Sri Lanka
- Evolutionary Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
- Naturhistorisches Museum Bern, Bernastrasse, 15, 3005, Bern, Switzerland
| | | | - Neelesh Dahanukar
- Department of Life Sciences, School of Natural Sciences, Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence, Delhi, India
| | - Rajeev Raghavan
- Department of Fisheries Resource Management, Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS), Kochi, India
| | - Lukas Rüber
- Naturhistorisches Museum Bern, Bernastrasse, 15, 3005, Bern, Switzerland
- Aquatic Ecology and Evolution, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Rohan Pethiyagoda
- Ichthyology Section, Australian Museum, 1 William Street, Sydney, NSW, 2010, Australia
| | - Madhava Meegaskumbura
- Guangxi Key Laboratory for Forest Ecology and Conservation, College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, Guangxi, People's Republic of China.
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Heighton SP, Allio R, Murienne J, Salmona J, Meng H, Scornavacca C, Bastos ADS, Njiokou F, Pietersen DW, Tilak MK, Luo SJ, Delsuc F, Gaubert P. Pangolin Genomes Offer Key Insights and Resources for the World's Most Trafficked Wild Mammals. Mol Biol Evol 2023; 40:msad190. [PMID: 37794645 PMCID: PMC10551234 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msad190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Pangolins form a group of scaly mammals that are trafficked at record numbers for their meat and purported medicinal properties. Despite their conservation concern, knowledge of their evolution is limited by a paucity of genomic data. We aim to produce exhaustive genomic resources that include 3,238 orthologous genes and whole-genome polymorphisms to assess the evolution of all eight extant pangolin species. Robust orthologous gene-based phylogenies recovered the monophyly of the three genera and highlighted the existence of an undescribed species closely related to Southeast Asian pangolins. Signatures of middle Miocene admixture between an extinct, possibly European, lineage and the ancestor of Southeast Asian pangolins, provide new insights into the early evolutionary history of the group. Demographic trajectories and genome-wide heterozygosity estimates revealed contrasts between continental versus island populations and species lineages, suggesting that conservation planning should consider intraspecific patterns. With the expected loss of genomic diversity from recent, extensive trafficking not yet realized in pangolins, we recommend that populations be genetically surveyed to anticipate any deleterious impact of the illegal trade. Finally, we produce a complete set of genomic resources that will be integral for future conservation management and forensic endeavors for pangolins, including tracing their illegal trade. These comprise the completion of whole-genomes for pangolins through the hybrid assembly of the first reference genome for the giant pangolin (Smutsia gigantea) and new draft genomes (∼43x-77x) for four additional species, as well as a database of orthologous genes with over 3.4 million polymorphic sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean P Heighton
- Laboratoire Evolution et Diversité Biologique (EDB)— IRD-UPS-CNRS, Université Toulouse III, Toulouse, France
| | - Rémi Allio
- Institut des Sciences de l'Évolution de Montpellier (ISEM), Université de Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - Jérôme Murienne
- Laboratoire Evolution et Diversité Biologique (EDB)— IRD-UPS-CNRS, Université Toulouse III, Toulouse, France
| | - Jordi Salmona
- Laboratoire Evolution et Diversité Biologique (EDB)— IRD-UPS-CNRS, Université Toulouse III, Toulouse, France
| | - Hao Meng
- The State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research of Life Sciences, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Céline Scornavacca
- Institut des Sciences de l'Évolution de Montpellier (ISEM), Université de Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - Armanda D S Bastos
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology & Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Flobert Njiokou
- Laboratoire de Parasitologie et Ecologie, Faculté des Sciences, Université de Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - Darren W Pietersen
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology & Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Marie-Ka Tilak
- Institut des Sciences de l'Évolution de Montpellier (ISEM), Université de Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - Shu-Jin Luo
- The State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research of Life Sciences, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Frédéric Delsuc
- Institut des Sciences de l'Évolution de Montpellier (ISEM), Université de Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - Philippe Gaubert
- Laboratoire Evolution et Diversité Biologique (EDB)— IRD-UPS-CNRS, Université Toulouse III, Toulouse, France
- CIIMAR/CIMAR, Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Universidade 16 do Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Porto, Portugal
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Wster W, Tillack F. On the importance of types and the perils of en passant taxonomy: a brief history of the typification of Coluber naja Linnaeus, 1758 (Serpentes: Elapidae) and its implications, with the designation of a lectotype. Zootaxa 2023; 5346:403-419. [PMID: 38221330 DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5346.4.3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
In response to the recent in passing (en passant) taxonomic decision to split Naja naja (Linnaeus) and recognise the Sri Lankan populations as a separate species, N. polyocellata Deraniyagala, we analyse the evidence underlying the proposal and its nomenclatural implications. The proposed split is weakly supported by the available evidence, so that retaining N. naja as a single species seems appropriate until further analysis. Moreover, the proposal raises several issues concerning types, type locality and nomenclature. Linnaeus description of Coluber naja was based on a single preserved specimen seen by him (now lost) and several illustrations in Sebas Thesaurus. The specimens that were the basis of these illustrations constitute part of the type series. Two of the latter specimens, ZMB 2795 and 2796, have been rediscovered in the collections of the Museum fr Naturkunde, Berlin. Here, we describe them, and determine that both are of Sri Lankan origin. To settle the question of the type and type locality of this iconic taxon, we designate ZMB 2796 as lectotype for the species, thereby implicitly restricting the type locality to Sri Lanka. The name polyocellata thus becomes a subjective junior synonym of Coluber naja, and the name Naja brasiliensis Laurenti, 1768 an objective junior synonym thereof. Any taxonomic recognition of additional diversity within N. naja would thus require the renaming of Indian, not Sri Lankan spectacled cobras, but should await a significant body of convincing evidence. We caution against taxonomic decisions taken in passing, based on limited evidence and without in-depth assessment of their nomenclatural implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wolfgang Wster
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution at Bangor; School of Natural Sciences; Bangor University; Bangor LL57 2UW; Wales; UK.
| | - Frank Tillack
- Museum fr Naturkunde; Leibniz-Institut fr Evolutions- und Biodiversittsforschung; Invalidenstrae 43; 10115 Berlin; Germany.
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Kundu S, Kamalakannan M, Kim AR, Hegde VD, Banerjee D, Jung WK, Kim YM, Kim HW. Morphology and Mitochondrial Lineage Investigations Corroborate the Systematic Status and Pliocene Colonization of Suncus niger (Mammalia: Eulipotyphla) in the Western Ghats Biodiversity Hotspot of India. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:1493. [PMID: 37510398 PMCID: PMC10379166 DOI: 10.3390/genes14071493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The Indian highland shrew, Suncus niger (Horsfield, 1851), is the least studied soricid species from its original range distribution in Southern India, with several systematics conundrums. Following its discovery in 1851, the species was synonymized with Suncus montanus (Kelaart, 1850) (endemic to Sri Lanka) and subsequently identified as a separate Indian population. However, the systematic status of S. niger from topotype specimens in Southern India has yet to be determined through an integrated approach. Both taxonomy and mitochondrial genetic data (Cytochrome b and 16S ribosomal RNA) were used to re-examine the systematics of S. niger. The mtCytb gene clearly distinguished topotypic S. niger from other Suncus species, with high genetic divergences varying from 8.49% to 26.29%. Further, the Bayesian and maximum likelihood topologies clearly segregated S. niger from other congeners and corroborated the sister relationship with S. stoliczkanus with expected divergence in the late Pliocene (2.62 MYA). The TimeTree analysis also exhibits a strong matrilineal affinity of S. dayi (endemic to India) toward the African species. The current study hypothesizes that the ancestor of the soricids evolved in Africa and that genetic lineages were subsequently shifted by plate tectonic events that subsequently colonized different continents as distinct species during the late Miocene (Tortonian) to the Holocene era. In addition to the new range expansion and elevation records of S. niger in the Central Western Ghats, we propose that additional sampling across its distribution, as well as the use of multiple genetic markers, may be useful in determining the genetic diversity and population structure of this endemic species. The present study also recommends that more molecular data on the Soricomorphs lineages, and estimates of their divergence times, will shed light on the evolution of these small mammals on Earth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shantanu Kundu
- Department of Marine Biology, Pukyong National University, Busan 48513, Republic of Korea
| | - Manokaran Kamalakannan
- Mammal and Osteology Section, Zoological Survey of India, M Block, New Alipore, Kolkata 700053, India
- Western Ghat Regional Centre, Zoological Survey of India, Kozhikode 673006, India
| | - Ah Ran Kim
- Research Center for Marine Integrated Bionics Technology, Pukyong National University, Busan 48513, Republic of Korea
| | - Vishwanath D Hegde
- Mammal and Osteology Section, Zoological Survey of India, M Block, New Alipore, Kolkata 700053, India
| | - Dhriti Banerjee
- Mammal and Osteology Section, Zoological Survey of India, M Block, New Alipore, Kolkata 700053, India
- Western Ghat Regional Centre, Zoological Survey of India, Kozhikode 673006, India
| | - Won-Kyo Jung
- Research Center for Marine Integrated Bionics Technology, Pukyong National University, Busan 48513, Republic of Korea
- Marine Integrated Biomedical Technology Center, National Key Research Institutes in Universities, Pukyong National University, Busan 48513, Republic of Korea
| | - Young-Mog Kim
- Research Center for Marine Integrated Bionics Technology, Pukyong National University, Busan 48513, Republic of Korea
- Marine Integrated Biomedical Technology Center, National Key Research Institutes in Universities, Pukyong National University, Busan 48513, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun-Woo Kim
- Department of Marine Biology, Pukyong National University, Busan 48513, Republic of Korea
- Research Center for Marine Integrated Bionics Technology, Pukyong National University, Busan 48513, Republic of Korea
- Marine Integrated Biomedical Technology Center, National Key Research Institutes in Universities, Pukyong National University, Busan 48513, Republic of Korea
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5
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Srinivasulu A, Srinivasulu B, Kusuminda T, Amarasinghe C, Ukuwela KDB, Karunarathna M, Mannakkara A, Yapa WB, Srinivasulu C. Taxonomic status of the Lesser Woolly Horseshoe bats (Chiroptera, Rhinolophidae, Rhinolophus beddomei) in peninsular India and Sri Lanka. Zootaxa 2023; 5301:199-218. [PMID: 37518565 DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5301.2.3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
Insularity provides ample opportunities for species diversification. Sri Lanka is home to a large diversity of species, many of which are endemic but morphologically similar to species found in southern India, due to recent speciation events, suggesting a complex evolutionary history. However, in some taxa although morphological diversity has been noted, the genetic level variations are minimal. Among the wide-ranging horseshoe bats such a phenomenon is noted. In this study, we used bioacoustics, morphometric and molecular data to evaluate the relationships between the taxa of lesser woolly horseshoe bats in the India and Sri Lanka. Our study reveals that the two taxa-Rhinolophus beddomei Andersen, 1905 and here we have validated the existing subspecies from peninsular India and R. sobrinus Andersen, 1918 from Sri Lanka are genetically very close to R. perniger Hodgson, 1843. Currently the taxa-beddomei and sobrinus are recognized as subspecies of Rhinolophus beddomei Andersen, 1905. We provide a detailed description of the taxa beddomei and sobrinus as the original descriptions are limited in nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aditya Srinivasulu
- Ecology and Conservation Lab; School of Biological Sciences; University of Reading; Whiteknights; Reading; UK.
| | - Bhargavi Srinivasulu
- Wildlife Biology and Taxonomy Lab; Department of Zoology; Osmania University; Hyderabad; Telangana State 500007; India; Systematics; Ecology and Conservation Laboratory; Zoo Outreach Organization; 96; Kumudham Nagar; Vilankurichi Road; Coimbatore; Tamil Nadu 641035; India.
| | - Tharaka Kusuminda
- Department of Agricultural Biology; Faculty of Agriculture; University of Ruhuna; Mapalana; Kamburupitiya; Sri Lanka.
| | - Chamara Amarasinghe
- Department of Zoology and Environment Sciences; Faculty of Science; University of Colombo; Colombo; Sri Lanka.
| | - Kanishka D B Ukuwela
- Department of Biological Sciences; Faculty of Applied Sciences; Rajarata University of Sri Lanka; Mihintale; Sri Lanka.
| | | | - Amani Mannakkara
- Department of Agricultural Biology; Faculty of Agriculture; University of Ruhuna; Mapalana; Kamburupitiya; Sri Lanka.
| | - Wipula B Yapa
- Department of Zoology and Environment Sciences; Faculty of Science; University of Colombo; Colombo; Sri Lanka.
| | - Chelmala Srinivasulu
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Studies; Osmania University; Hyderabad; Telangana State 500007; India.
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Sampaio FL, Day JJ, Mendis Wickramasinghe LJ, Cyriac VP, Papadopoulou A, Brace S, Rajendran A, Simon-Nutbrown C, Flouris T, Kapli P, Ranga Vidanapathirana D, Kotharambath R, Kodandaramaiah U, Gower DJ. A near-complete species-level phylogeny of uropeltid snakes harnessing historical museum collections as a DNA source. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2023; 178:107651. [PMID: 36306995 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2022.107651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Revised: 10/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Uropeltidae is a clade of small fossorial snakes (ca. 64 extant species) endemic to peninsular India and Sri Lanka. Uropeltid taxonomy has been confusing, and the status of some species has not been revised for over a century. Attempts to revise uropeltid systematics and undertake evolutionary studies have been hampered by incompletely sampled and incompletely resolved phylogenies. To address this issue, we take advantage of historical museum collections, including type specimens, and apply genome-wide shotgun (GWS) sequencing, along with recent field sampling (using Sanger sequencing) to establish a near-complete multilocus species-level phylogeny (ca. 87% complete at species level). This results in a phylogeny that supports the monophyly of all genera (if Brachyophidium is considered a junior synonym of Teretrurus), and provides a firm platform for future taxonomic revision. Sri Lankan uropeltids are probably monophyletic, indicating a single colonisation event of this island from Indian ancestors. However, the position of Rhinophis goweri (endemic to Eastern Ghats, southern India) is unclear and warrants further investigation, and evidence that it may nest within the Sri Lankan radiation indicates a possible recolonisation event. DNA sequence data and morphology suggest that currently recognised uropeltid species diversity is substantially underestimated. Our study highlights the benefits of integrating museum collections in molecular genetic analyses and their role in understanding the systematics and evolutionary history of understudied organismal groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filipa L Sampaio
- Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK; Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK.
| | - Julia J Day
- Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK; Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | | | - Vivek P Cyriac
- IISER-TVM Centre for Research and Education in Ecology and Evolution, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695 551, India
| | - Anna Papadopoulou
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cyprus, 2109 Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Selina Brace
- Department of Earth Sciences, The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK
| | - Albert Rajendran
- Research Department of Zoology, St. John's College, Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Cornelia Simon-Nutbrown
- The Lyell Centre for Earth and Marine Science and Technology, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh EH14 4BA, UK; Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Tomas Flouris
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Paschalia Kapli
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | | | - Ramachandran Kotharambath
- Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK; Department of Zoology, Central University of Kerala, Tejaswini Hills, Kasaragod, Kerala, India
| | - Ullasa Kodandaramaiah
- IISER-TVM Centre for Research and Education in Ecology and Evolution, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695 551, India
| | - David J Gower
- Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK; Department of Zoology, Central University of Kerala, Tejaswini Hills, Kasaragod, Kerala, India.
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Dufresnes C, Mahony S, Prasad VK, Kamei RG, Masroor R, Khan MA, Al-Johany AM, Gautam KB, Gupta SK, Borkin LJ, Melnikov DA, Rosanov JM, Skorinov DV, Borzée A, Jablonski D, Litvinchuk SN. Shedding light on taxonomic chaos: Diversity and distribution of South Asian skipper frogs (Anura, Dicroglossidae, Euphlyctis). SYST BIODIVERS 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/14772000.2022.2102686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Christophe Dufresnes
- LASER, College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Stephen Mahony
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Ireland
- Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, London, UK
| | - Vishal Kumar Prasad
- Laboratory of Animal Behaviour and Conservation, College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, People’s Republic of China
- Wildlife Institute of India, Chandrabani, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Rachunliu G. Kamei
- Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, London, UK
- 566 Kohima-Meriema Road (AH1), Meriema, Kohima, 797001, Nagaland, India
| | - Rafaqat Masroor
- Zoological Sciences Division, Pakistan Museum of Natural History, Garden Avenue, Shakarparian, 44000, Islamabad Pakistan
| | - Muazzam Ali Khan
- Department of Botany, Bacha Khan University Charsadda, Charsadda, KP, Pakistan
| | - Awadh M. Al-Johany
- Department of Zoology, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | | | | | - Leo J. Borkin
- Laboratory of Herpetology, Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Saint Petersburg, 199034, Russia
| | - Daniel A. Melnikov
- Laboratory of Herpetology, Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Saint Petersburg, 199034, Russia
| | - Juriy M. Rosanov
- Institute of Cytology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Dmitriy V. Skorinov
- Institute of Cytology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Amaël Borzée
- Laboratory of Animal Behaviour and Conservation, College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, People’s Republic of China
| | - Daniel Jablonski
- Department of Zoology, Comenius University, in Bratislava, Mlynská dolina, Ilkovičova 6, Bratislava, 842 15, Slovakia
| | - Spartak N. Litvinchuk
- Institute of Cytology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Saint Petersburg, Russia
- Dagestan State University, Makhachkala, Russia
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8
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Marshall CAM, Dabo J, Mensah M, Ekpe P, Kpadehyea JT, Haba OO, Bilivogui D, Hawthorne WD. Predictors of plant endemism in two west African forest hotspots. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.980660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Centres of endemism have been much studied by biogeographers, ecologists, and evolutionary theorists, and are considered conservation priorities. It is therefore important to understand the ecological traits of restricted range taxa, and the landscape-scale drivers of high endemism. Here, we investigate correlates of floristic endemism within two of west Africa’s forest biodiversity hotspots at local scale. We assembled distribution data for 1,042 vascular plant taxa from 114 sample locations within forest reserves of south west Ghana, and for 1,735 vascular plant taxa from 454 sample locations within the Nimba Mountains (Liberia and Guinea). A quantitative index of global endemism called the Genetic Heat Index was modelled linearly. We tested the significance of modern climate, altitude and disturbance as factors predicting endemism rates in these two forest reserves. Annual rainfall was significantly and positively related to endemism rates in both south west Ghana and the Nimba Mountains. Altitude was a significant predictor of endemism rates in the Nimba Mountains, with a quadratic relationship highlighting particularly high endemism over 1,000 m. Local topography rather than altitude was a significant predictor or endemism in SW Ghana, where altitude varies less. Areas of high rainfall and high altitude are geographically restricted across the western African forests, acting as edaphic islands driving spatial isolation. Disturbed vegetation samples had lower endemism rates than undisturbed samples in both Nimba and SW Ghana, and overall pioneer species had wider areas of occupancy than shade-bearing species. Endemism rates increased slightly with each year following clearance. Disturbance thus creates and maintains vegetation types which support a lower proportion of globally rare species in the two biodiversity hotspots surveyed. From the point of view of the conservation of globally rare plants, it is important to keep additional disturbance in the south west Ghana hotspot, particularly Ankasa, to a minimum, as is the current practice, and in the Nimba mountains to establish community forests which may be left relatively undisturbed amid farming and mining activities.
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Tharmarajan M, Benjamin SP. Origin and diversification of free-living stick spiders of Sri Lanka including the description of four new species of Rhomphaea L. Koch, 1872 and two new species of Neospintharus Exline, 1950. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0273105. [PMID: 36070288 PMCID: PMC9451084 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0273105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Sri Lanka is a biologically diverse South Asian island, and together with the Western Ghats (Southern India) is one of the 36 world’s most biologically diverse areas. Here, we investigated the origin and diversification of Rhomphaea and Neospintharus of Sri Lanka using sequences of three genes: mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) and 16S rRNA (16S); and nuclear 28S rRNA (28S). Our phylogeny included 32 taxa (30 ingroup and 2 outgroup). We used Bayesian Inference and maximum likelihood methods to reconstruct the placement of species, divergence time estimations and their foraging behavior with an emphasis on species from Sri Lanka. Our phylogenetic hypothesis support the monophyly of Argyrodinae as well as the monophyly of Rhomphaea, where Rhomphaea is a sister group of Neospintharus. Further, our analysis also suggests that Sri Lanka was colonized by Argyrodinae several times. Additionally, the following new species are described: Rhomphaea shanthisp. nov., Rhomphaea jackosp. nov., Rhomphaea martinisp. nov., Rhomphaea maranisp. nov., Neospintharus kandelensissp. nov. and Neospintharus ohiyiaensissp. nov.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathura Tharmarajan
- National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Kandy, Sri Lanka
- * E-mail: (SPB); (MT)
| | - Suresh P. Benjamin
- National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Kandy, Sri Lanka
- * E-mail: (SPB); (MT)
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10
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Malsawmdawngliana F, Muansanga L, Malsawma R, Vabeiryureilai M, Lalremsanga HT, Biakzuala L. Systematics and Ecological Data Enrichment for the Recently Described Lushai Hills Dragon Snake, Stoliczkia vanhnuailianai Lalronunga, Lalhmangaiha, Zosangliana, Lalhmingliani, Gower, Das & Deepak, 2021 (Squamata: Xenodermidae) from Northeast India. CURRENT HERPETOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.5358/hsj.41.163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Fanai Malsawmdawngliana
- Developmental Biology and Herpetology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Mizoram University, Aizawl 796004, Mizoram, INDIA
| | - Lal Muansanga
- Developmental Biology and Herpetology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Mizoram University, Aizawl 796004, Mizoram, INDIA
| | - Ro Malsawma
- Developmental Biology and Herpetology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Mizoram University, Aizawl 796004, Mizoram, INDIA
| | - Mathipi Vabeiryureilai
- Developmental Biology and Herpetology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Mizoram University, Aizawl 796004, Mizoram, INDIA
| | - Hmar Tlawmte Lalremsanga
- Developmental Biology and Herpetology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Mizoram University, Aizawl 796004, Mizoram, INDIA
| | - Lal Biakzuala
- Developmental Biology and Herpetology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Mizoram University, Aizawl 796004, Mizoram, INDIA
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11
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Dinelka Thilakarathne, Gayan Hirimuthugoda. Can the Sri Lankan endemic-endangered fish Labeo fisheri (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) adapt to a new habitat? JOURNAL OF THREATENED TAXA 2022. [DOI: 10.11609/jott.7621.14.8.21579-21587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Labeo fisheri is an endemic and endangered freshwater fish of Sri Lanka. Mainly restricted to the upper reaches of the Mahaweli River basin, it has been previously reported living in deep rapids and among large rocks and boulders. An accidental record of a Labeo fisheri specimen from Victoria Reservoir led us to further study this habitat during the period from January to August 2017. This study was carried out to confirm the presence of a population of Labeo fisheri within the Victoria Reservoir and report its new habitat type in deep stagnant waters. We further investigated the food habits by analyzing the gut contents of L. fisheri in the Victoria Reservoir. Seven individuals were recorded from fishermen’s gill net catch in three fish landing sites along Victoria Reservoir, with an average total length of 24.80 ± 4.30 cm, average standard length of 19.70 ± 3.86 cm and average body weight of 197.69 ± 107.12 g. Based on gut content analysis, only phytoplankton, especially diatoms and cyanobacteria, were found in the gut of L. fisheri. This new population is facing the direct threat of fishing. Effective conservation measures are doubtful, since a fishery is well established in the Victoria Reservoir and the fishing gear used is not species-specific. More research is necessary to understand the population dynamics of L. fisheri in the Victoria Reservoir. In order to conserve it at this locality, community-based conservation measures are recommended.
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12
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Wickramasinghe N, Wickramasinghe LJM, Vidanapathirana DR, Tennakoon KH, Samarakoon SR, Gower DJ. A molecular-genetics perspective on the systematics of the parthenogenetic flowerpot blindsnake Indotyphlops braminus (Daudin, 1803) (Squamata: Serpentes: Typhlopidae). SYST BIODIVERS 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/14772000.2022.2062478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nethu Wickramasinghe
- Institute of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biotechnology, University of Colombo, 90, Thurstan Road, Colombo 3, Colombo, 00300, Sri Lanka
- Department of Herpetology, Herpetological Foundation of Sri Lanka, 31/5, Alwis Town, Hendala, Wattala, Sri Lanka
| | - L. J. Mendis Wickramasinghe
- Department of Herpetology, Herpetological Foundation of Sri Lanka, 31/5, Alwis Town, Hendala, Wattala, Sri Lanka
| | - Dulan Ranga Vidanapathirana
- Department of Herpetology, Herpetological Foundation of Sri Lanka, 31/5, Alwis Town, Hendala, Wattala, Sri Lanka
| | - Kamani H. Tennakoon
- Institute of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biotechnology, University of Colombo, 90, Thurstan Road, Colombo 3, Colombo, 00300, Sri Lanka
| | - Sameera R. Samarakoon
- Institute of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biotechnology, University of Colombo, 90, Thurstan Road, Colombo 3, Colombo, 00300, Sri Lanka
| | - David J. Gower
- Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, UK
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13
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Amarasinghe P, Barve N, Kathriarachchi H, Loiselle B, Cellinese N. Niche dynamics of Memecylon in Sri Lanka: Distribution patterns, climate change effects, and conservation priorities. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:18196-18215. [PMID: 35003667 PMCID: PMC8717329 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Revised: 10/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent climate projections have shown that the distribution of organisms in island biotas is highly affected by climate change. Here, we present the result of the analysis of niche dynamics of a plant group, Memecylon, in Sri Lanka, an island, using species occurrences and climate data. We aim to determine which climate variables explain current distribution, model how climate change impacts the availability of suitable habitat for Memecylon, and determine conservation priority areas for Sri Lankan Memecylon. We used georeferenced occurrence data of Sri Lankan Memecylon to develop ecological niche models and assess both current and future potential distributions under six climate change scenarios in 2041-2060 and 2061-2080. We also overlaid land cover and protected area maps and performed a gap analysis to understand the impacts of land-cover changes on Memecylon distributions and propose new areas for conservation. Differences among suitable habitats of Memecylon were found to be related to patterns of endemism. Under varying future climate scenarios, endemic groups were predicted to experience habitat shifts, gains, or losses. The narrow endemic Memecylon restricted to the montane zone were predicted to be the most impacted by climate change. Projections also indicated that changes in species' habitats can be expected as early as 2041-2060. Gap analysis showed that while narrow endemic categories are considerably protected as demonstrated by their overlap with protected areas, more conservation efforts in Sri Lankan forests containing wide endemic and nonendemic Memecylon are needed. This research helped clarify general patterns of responses of Sri Lankan Memecylon to global climate change. Data from this study are useful for designing measures aimed at filling the gaps in forest conservation on this island.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prabha Amarasinghe
- Department of BiologyUniversity of FloridaGainesvilleFloridaUSA
- Florida Museum of Natural HistoryUniversity of FloridaGainesvilleFloridaUSA
- Biodiversity InstituteUniversity of FloridaGainesvilleFloridaUSA
- Cooperative Agricultural Research CenterPrairie View A&M UniversityPrairie ViewTexasUSA
| | - Narayani Barve
- Florida Museum of Natural HistoryUniversity of FloridaGainesvilleFloridaUSA
| | | | - Bette Loiselle
- Biodiversity InstituteUniversity of FloridaGainesvilleFloridaUSA
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and ConservationUniversity of FloridaGainesvilleFloridaUSA
- Tropical Conservation and Development ProgramCenter for Latin American StudiesGainesvilleFloridaUSA
| | - Nico Cellinese
- Florida Museum of Natural HistoryUniversity of FloridaGainesvilleFloridaUSA
- Biodiversity InstituteUniversity of FloridaGainesvilleFloridaUSA
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14
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Jha A, Seneviratne S, Prayag HS, Vasudevan K. Phylogeny identifies multiple colonisation events and Miocene aridification as drivers of South Asian bulbul (Passeriformes: Pycnonotidae) diversification. ORG DIVERS EVOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s13127-021-00506-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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15
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Diversification and biogeography of Dawkinsia (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) in the Western Ghats-Sri Lanka biodiversity hotspot. ORG DIVERS EVOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s13127-021-00515-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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16
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Deepak V, Cooper N, Poyarkov NA, Kraus F, Burin G, Das A, Narayanan S, Streicher JW, Smith SJ, Gower DJ. Multilocus phylogeny, natural history traits and classification of natricine snakes (Serpentes: Natricinae). Zool J Linn Soc 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlab099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Natricine snakes are geographically widespread, species rich (with ~250 extant species) and both morphologically and ecologically diverse. We present a multilocus DNA sequence phylogeny for 249 natricine specimens representing 189 named species, including 69 specimens and 21 species not previously sampled. Our inferred Bayesian and maximum likelihood trees form the basis for evaluations of genus-level classification, historical biogeography, lineage diversification, and dietary, habit and reproductive-mode diversity and evolution, although several, mostly deeper, relationships remain poorly resolved. The optimal trees support natricine origins in Asia, with dispersals to Australo-Melanesia, sub-Saharan Africa (including Seychelles Archipelago, excluding Aldabra), Europe and North Africa and into North and Central America. Viviparity appears to have evolved independently three times in Natricinae but was not significantly associated with an aquatic habit. We found limited associations between habit and diet categories. We propose generic reallocations for four natricine species and highlight other points of uncertainty in natricine classification.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Deepak
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, UK
- Senckenberg Dresden, Königsbrücker Landstraße, Dresden, Germany
| | - Natalie Cooper
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, UK
| | - Nikolay A Poyarkov
- Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Biological Faculty, M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
- Joint Russian–Vietnamese Tropical Research and Technological Center, Nghia Do, Cau Giay, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Fred Kraus
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Gustavo Burin
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, UK
| | - Abhijit Das
- Wildlife Institute of India, Chandrabani, Dehradun, India
| | - Surya Narayanan
- Suri Sehgal Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation, Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE), Srirampura, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
| | | | - Sarah-Jane Smith
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, UK
- Imperial College London, South Kensington, London, UK
| | - David J Gower
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, UK
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17
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Sudasinghe H, Ranasinghe T, Herath J, Wijesooriya K, Pethiyagoda R, Rüber L, Meegaskumbura M. Molecular phylogeny and phylogeography of the freshwater-fish genus Pethia (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) in Sri Lanka. BMC Ecol Evol 2021; 21:203. [PMID: 34758736 PMCID: PMC8582130 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-021-01923-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sri Lanka is a continental island separated from India by the Palk Strait, a shallow-shelf sea, which was emergent during periods of lowered sea level. Its biodiversity is concentrated in its perhumid south-western 'wet zone'. The island's freshwater fishes are dominated by the Cyprinidae, characterized by small diversifications of species derived from dispersals from India. These include five diminutive, endemic species of Pethia (P. bandula, P. cumingii, P. melanomaculata, P. nigrofasciata, P. reval), whose evolutionary history remains poorly understood. Here, based on comprehensive geographic sampling, we explore the phylogeny, phylogeography and morphological diversity of the genus in Sri Lanka. RESULTS The phylogenetic analyses, based on mitochondrial and nuclear loci, recover Sri Lankan Pethia as polyphyletic. The reciprocal monophyly of P. bandula and P. nigrofasciata, and P. cumingii and P. reval, is not supported. Pethia nigrofasciata, P. cumingii, and P. reval show strong phylogeographic structure in the wet zone, compared with P. melanomaculata, which ranges across the dry and intermediate zones. Translocated populations of P. nigrofasciata and P. reval in the Central Hills likely originate from multiple sources. Morphological analyses reveal populations of P. nigrofasciata proximal to P. bandula, a narrow-range endemic, to have a mix of characters between the two species. Similarly, populations of P. cumingii in the Kalu basin possess orange fins, a state between the red-finned P. reval from Kelani to Deduru and yellow-finned P. cumingii from Bentara to Gin basins. CONCLUSIONS Polyphyly in Sri Lankan Pethia suggests two or three colonizations from mainland India. Strong phylogeographic structure in P. nigrofasciata, P. cumingii and P. reval, compared with P. melanomaculata, supports a model wherein the topographically complex wet zone harbors greater genetic diversity than the topographically uniform dry-zone. Mixed morphological characters between P. bandula and P. nigrofasciata, and P. cumingii and P. reval, and their unresolved phylogenies, may suggest recent speciation scenarios with incomplete lineage sorting, or hybridization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiranya Sudasinghe
- Evolutionary Ecology and Systematics Laboratory, Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, 20400, Sri Lanka.,Postgraduate Institute of Science, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, 20400, Sri Lanka.,Evolutionary Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, 3012, Bern, Switzerland.,Naturhistorisches Museum Bern, Bernastrasse, 15, 3005, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Tharindu Ranasinghe
- Butterfly Conservation Society of Sri Lanka, 762/A, Yatihena, Malwana, 11670, Sri Lanka
| | - Jayampathi Herath
- Guangxi Key Laboratory for Forest Ecology and Conservation, College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, Guangxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Kumudu Wijesooriya
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, 20400, Sri Lanka
| | - Rohan Pethiyagoda
- Ichthyology Section, Australian Museum, 6 College Street, Sydney, NSW, 2010, Australia
| | - Lukas Rüber
- Naturhistorisches Museum Bern, Bernastrasse, 15, 3005, Bern, Switzerland.,Aquatic Ecology and Evolution, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Madhava Meegaskumbura
- Guangxi Key Laboratory for Forest Ecology and Conservation, College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, Guangxi, People's Republic of China.
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18
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Thilakarathne D, Lakkana T, Hirimuthugoda G, Wijesundara C, Kumburegama S. Diversity and distribution of avifauna at Warathenna-Hakkinda Environmental Protection Area in Kandy, Sri Lanka. JOURNAL OF THREATENED TAXA 2021. [DOI: 10.11609/jott.7447.13.12.19689-19701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The present study was carried out in the recently established Warathenna-Hakkinda EPA in the Kandy District, Sri Lanka to investigate the avifaunal diversity and conservation threats. Sampling was conducted in two main habitat types: river islands and riverine forests. Both point count (10 m radius) and line transect (200 m long) methods were utilized and maximum of 30 minutes was used to sample the birds in each point. Food habit, niche type, endemism, abundance, and diversity indices (Shannon & Margalef) were calculated to compare the two habitats in this area. A total of 74 bird species belonging to 61 genera and 35 families were encountered from the study site. Among these, seven species are endemic: Sri Lanka Grey Hornbill, Sri Lanka Green Pigeon, Sri Lanka Wood Pigeon, Sri Lanka Hanging Parrot, Crimson-fronted Barbet, Yellow-fronted Barbet, and Sri Lanka Hill Mynah; while six were migratory: Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Indian Pitta, Asian Brown Flycatcher, Yellow Wagtail, and Grey Wagtail and the rest were non-endemic natives. Most of them were canopy and sub canopy dwellers associated with riverine forests and islands. According to the National Red List of Sri Lanka, three species, the Sri Lanka Wood Pigeon, Sri Lanka Hill Mynah, and Alpine Swift, are listed as threatened. Ardeidae, Alcedinidae, Columbidae, Accipitridae, and Apodidae were the most species rich families in this habitat. Out of the sampled species, 31% and 25% of the birds were carnivores and insectivores, respectively, while 5% were nectarivores. According to the avifauna, the riverine forests are more diverse (Shannon index H’= 2.55; Margalef’s index M= 10.92) than the river islands (H’= 2.29; M= 5.07) in this landscape. The variety of habitats along the Mahaweli River at Warathenna appears to aid in sustaining a rich bird community and this Environmental Protection Area will help create a safe haven for the birds.
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19
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Mitigating Spatial Conflict of Land Use for Sustainable Wetlands Landscape in Li-Xia-River Region of Central Jiangsu, China. SUSTAINABILITY 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/su132011189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Li-Xia-river Wetlands make up the biggest freshwater marsh in East China. Over the last decades, social and economic developments have dramatically altered the natural wetlands landscape. Mitigating land use conflict is beneficial to protect wetlands, maintain ecosystem services, and coordinate local socioeconomic development. This study employed multi-source data and GIS-based approaches to construct a composite index model with the purpose of quantitatively evaluating the intensity of land use conflict in Li-Xia-river Wetlands from 1978 to 2018. The results showed that the percentage of the wetlands’ area declined from 20.3% to 15.6%, with an overall reduction rate of 23.2%. The mean index of land use conflict increased from 0.15 to 0.35, which suggests that the conflict intensity changed from “no conflict” to “mild conflict.” The number of severe conflict units increased by about 25 times. A conspicuous spatial variation of land use conflict was observed across different periods, although taking land for agricultural activities was the overriding reason for wetlands reduction. However, in recent years, urban sprawl has posed the greatest threat to Li-Xia-river Wetlands. Coordinating land use conflict and formulating a practical strategy are the initial imperative steps to mitigate the threat to wetlands.
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20
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Gowri Shankar P, Swamy P, Williams RC, Ganesh SR, Moss M, Höglund J, Das I, Sahoo G, Vijayakumar SP, Shanker K, Wüster W, Dutta SK. King or royal family? Testing for species boundaries in the King Cobra, Ophiophagus hannah (Cantor, 1836), using morphology and multilocus DNA analyses. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2021; 165:107300. [PMID: 34474153 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2021.107300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Revised: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
In widespread species, the diverse ecological conditions in which the populations occur, and the presence of many potential geographical barriers through their range are expected to have created ample opportunities for the evolution of distinct, often cryptic lineages. In this work, we tested for species boundaries in one such widespread species, the king cobra, Ophiophagus hannah (Cantor, 1836), a largely tropical elapid snake distributed across the Oriental realm. Based on extensive geographical sampling across most of the range of the species, we initially tested for candidate species (CS) using Maximum-Likelihood analysis of mitochondrial genes. We then tested the resulting CS using both morphological data and sequences of three single-copy nuclear genes. We used snapclust to determine the optimal number of clusters in the nuclear dataset, and Bayesian Phylogenetics and Phylogeography (BPP) to test for likely species status. We used non-metric multidimensional scaling (nMDS) analysis for discerning morphological separation. We recovered four independently evolving, geographically separated lineages that we consider Confirmed Candidate Species: (1) Western Ghats lineage; (2) Indo-Chinese lineage (3) Indo-Malayan lineage; (4) Luzon Island lineage, in the Philippine Archipelago. We discuss patterns of lineage divergence, particularly in the context of low morphological divergence, and the conservation implications of recognizing several endemic king cobra lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Gowri Shankar
- Maharaja Shrirama Chandra Bhanja Deo University, Baripada, Takatpur, Odisha, India; CES, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India; Department of Ecology and Genetics, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Sweden; Kālinga Foundation, Agumbe, Karnataka, India.
| | | | - Rhiannon C Williams
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution at Bangor, School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Environment Centre Wales, Bangor LL57 2UW, Wales, UK
| | - S R Ganesh
- Chennai Snake Park, Raj Bhavan Post, Chennai, India
| | - Matt Moss
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution at Bangor, School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Environment Centre Wales, Bangor LL57 2UW, Wales, UK
| | - Jacob Höglund
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Sweden
| | - Indraneil Das
- Institute of Biodiversity and Environmental Conservation, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, 94300 Kota Samarahan, Malaysia
| | | | | | | | - Wolfgang Wüster
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution at Bangor, School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Environment Centre Wales, Bangor LL57 2UW, Wales, UK
| | - Sushil K Dutta
- Maharaja Shrirama Chandra Bhanja Deo University, Baripada, Takatpur, Odisha, India; Department of Zoology, Assam Don Bosco University, Tapesia, Assam, India
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21
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Trageser S, Al-Razi H, Maria M, Nobel F, Asaduzzaman M, Rahman SC. A new species of Phrynoglossus Peters, 1867; Dicroglossidae) from southeastern Bangladesh, with comments on the genera Occidozyga and Phrynoglossus. PeerJ 2021; 9:e11998. [PMID: 34466290 PMCID: PMC8380431 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.11998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
We describe a new cryptic species of Phrynoglossus from Chattogram Division, Bangladesh based on an integrative taxonomic analysis based on morphology, phylogenetics, and bioacoustics which unambiguously support the placement of the species in the genus Phrynoglossus. We also present a compilation of published morphological characters for all twelve Phrynoglossus species and two species of Occidozyga as well as comments on taxonomy, morphology, and geographic distribution for the two genera. The new species is found to be most morphologically similar to P. martensii, however a provided set of character states visibly differentiates these two species. Finally, habitat for Phrynoglossus swanbornorum sp. nov. is highly fragmented and faces imminent threats from development and agriculture, and although it is confirmed to occur within government protected areas in the southeastern region of Bangladesh, few wildlife regulations are enforced within them. Thus, following IUCN criteria, we consider the new species as Endangered based on criteria B1ab(i,ii,iii,iv) + 2ab(i,ii,iii,iv).
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott Trageser
- Creative Conservation Alliance, Dhaka, Dhaka District, Bangladesh
| | - Hassan Al-Razi
- Creative Conservation Alliance, Dhaka, Dhaka District, Bangladesh
| | - Marjan Maria
- Creative Conservation Alliance, Dhaka, Dhaka District, Bangladesh
- Department of Zoology, Jagannath University, Dhaka, Dhaka District, Bangladesh
| | | | - Md. Asaduzzaman
- Department of Zoology, Jagannath University, Dhaka, Dhaka District, Bangladesh
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22
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Edwards SV, Robin V, Ferrand N, Moritz C. The evolution of comparative phylogeography: putting the geography (and more) into comparative population genomics. Genome Biol Evol 2021; 14:6339579. [PMID: 34347070 PMCID: PMC8743039 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evab176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Comparative population genomics is an ascendant field using genomic comparisons between species to draw inferences about forces regulating genetic variation. Comparative phylogeography, by contrast, focuses on the shared lineage histories of species codistributed geographically and is decidedly organismal in perspective. Comparative phylogeography is approximately 35 years old, and, by some metrics, is showing signs of reduced growth. Here, we contrast the goals and methods of comparative population genomics and comparative phylogeography and argue that comparative phylogeography offers an important perspective on evolutionary history that succeeds in integrating genomics with landscape evolution in ways that complement the suprageographic perspective of comparative population genomics. Focusing primarily on terrestrial vertebrates, we review the history of comparative phylogeography, its milestones and ongoing conceptual innovations, its increasingly global focus, and its status as a bridge between landscape genomics and the process of speciation. We also argue that, as a science with a strong “sense of place,” comparative phylogeography offers abundant “place-based” educational opportunities with its focus on geography and natural history, as well as opportunities for collaboration with local communities and indigenous peoples. Although comparative phylogeography does not yet require whole-genome sequencing for many of its goals, we conclude that it nonetheless plays an important role in grounding our interpretation of genetic variation in the fundamentals of geography and Earth history.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott V Edwards
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA.,Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Vv Robin
- Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Tirupati, Karakambadi Road, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, 517507, India
| | - Nuno Ferrand
- CIBIO/InBIO, Laboratório Associado, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, Portugal
| | - Craig Moritz
- Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 0200, Australia
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23
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Wikramanayake SA, Wikramanayake ED, Pallewatta N, Leaché AD. Integration of genetic structure into conservation of an endangered, endemic lizard,
Ceratophora aspera
: A case study from Sri Lanka. Biotropica 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.12970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Shanelle A. Wikramanayake
- Department of Biology & Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture University of Washington Washington, Seattle WA USA
| | | | - Nirmalie Pallewatta
- Department of Zoology and Environment Science Faculty of Science University of Colombo Colombo Sri Lanka
| | - Adam D. Leaché
- Department of Biology & Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture University of Washington Washington, Seattle WA USA
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24
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Yunus AP, Fan X, Subramanian SS, Jie D, Xu Q. Unraveling the drivers of intensified landslide regimes in Western Ghats, India. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 770:145357. [PMID: 33736370 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Revised: 01/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The Western Ghats (WG) mountain range in the Indian sub-continent is a biodiversity hotspot, now faces a severe threat to the valley population and ecosystem because of changing rainfall patterns and land-use changes. Here, we use the 2018-2019 landslide inventory data together with various geo-environmental factors and show that the landslide activity in the WG region is amplified by anthropogenic disturbances. We applied a generalized feature selection algorithm and a random forest susceptibility model to demonstrate the major topographic controls of landslides and the risk associated with them in the WG region. Our results show that road cutting and slopes modified to plantations are the strongest environmental variable (50% - 73% within 300 m buffer distance) related to the landslide patterns, whereas short-duration intense precipitation in the high elevated terrain, profile concavity, and stream power contributed to the initiation of landslides. The susceptibility models made for the present, and Global Climate Models (GCM) under the representative concentration pathway (RCP) 8.5 scenario predicts the vulnerable nature of WG for future climate extremes. Our results highlight the impacts of Anthropocene hazards and sensitivity of the WG ecosystem, and a greater focus therefore should be placed to reduce the vulnerability and increase preparedness for future events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali P Yunus
- State Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention and Geoenvironment Protection, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu 610059, People's Republic of China
| | - Xuanmei Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention and Geoenvironment Protection, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu 610059, People's Republic of China.
| | - Srikrishnan Siva Subramanian
- State Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention and Geoenvironment Protection, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu 610059, People's Republic of China
| | - Dou Jie
- Three Gorges Research Center for Geohazards, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiang Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention and Geoenvironment Protection, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu 610059, People's Republic of China
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25
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An Overview of Ecosystem Service Studies in a Tropical Biodiversity Hotspot, Sri Lanka: Key Perspectives for Future Research. FORESTS 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/f12050540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Tropical island countries are often highly populated and deliver immense ecosystem service benefits. As human wellbeing depends on these ecosystems, proper management is crucial in the resource-rich tropical lands where there is less related research. Though ecosystem service and biodiversity studies are a promising path to inform the ecosystem management for these mostly developing countries, published evidence of using ecosystem service studies in decision making is lacking. The purpose of this study is to provide an overview of ecosystem services and related research in Sri Lanka, examining trends and gaps in how these studies are conceptualized. Out of the considered 220 peer-reviewed articles, the majority of articles (48.2%) were terrestrial and forest related while coastal ecosystems were considered in 33.2% of studies. In most studies, the ecosystem service category studied was provisioning (31.5%) followed by regulatory service (28.7%). Studies investigating and quantifying ecosystem services, pressures on ecosystems, and their management were fewer compared to studies related to biodiversity or species introduction. Moreover, studies investigating the value of ecosystem services and biodiversity to the communities or involvement of stakeholders in the development of management actions regarding the ecosystem services were rare in Sri Lanka, and an intense focus from future studies in these aspects is timely and necessary.
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26
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Singh B, Kumar A, Uniyal VP, Gupta SK. Phylogeography and population genetic structure of red muntjacs: evidence of enigmatic Himalayan red muntjac from India. BMC Ecol Evol 2021; 21:49. [PMID: 33757420 PMCID: PMC7989103 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-021-01780-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Identifying factors shaping population genetic structure across continuous landscapes in the context of biogeographic boundaries for lineage diversification has been a challenging goal. The red muntjacs cover a wide range across multiple vegetation types, making the group an excellent model to study South and Southeast Asian biogeography. Therefore, we analysed mitogenomes and microsatellite loci, confirming the number of red muntjac lineages from India, gaining insights into the evolutionary history and phylogeography of red muntjacs. RESULTS Our results indicated the Northwestern population of red muntjac or the Himalayan red muntjac (M. aureus) in India as genetically diverse and well-structured, with significant genetic differentiation implying a low level of gene flow. The phylogenetic, population genetic structure, as well as species delimitation analyses, confirm the presence of the lineage from Western Himalayan in addition to the previously identified red muntjac lineages. Relatively low genetic diversity was observed in M. aureus compared to M. vaginalis, M. malabaricus and M. muntjak. The M. aureus and M. vaginalis lineages have split during the late Pleistocene, ~ 1.01 million years ago (Mya), making M. aureus the youngest lineage; whereas, M. malabaricus split earlier, ~ 2.2 Mya and appeared as the oldest lineage among red muntjacs. CONCLUSIONS Pronounced climate fluctuations during the Quaternary period were pivotal in influencing the current spatial distribution of forest-dwelling species' restriction to Northwestern India. Our finding confirms the distinct Himalayan red muntjac (M. aureus) within the red muntjac group from Northwestern India that should be managed as an Evolutionary Significant Unit (ESU). We recommend a reassessment of the conservation status of red muntjacs for effective conservation and management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bhim Singh
- Wildlife Institute of India, Chandrabani, Dehradun, 248001, UK, India
| | - Ajit Kumar
- Wildlife Institute of India, Chandrabani, Dehradun, 248001, UK, India
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Sudasinghe H, Dahanukar N, Raghavan R, Senavirathna T, Shewale DJ, Paingankar MS, Amarasinghe A, Pethiyagoda R, Rüber L, Meegaskumbura M. Island colonization by a ‘rheophilic’ fish: the phylogeography of Garra ceylonensis (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) in Sri Lanka. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blaa221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Despite exhibiting multiple morphological adaptations to living in swiftly flowing water (rheophily), Garra ceylonensis is one of the most widely distributed freshwater fish in Sri Lanka. It is thus an ideal organism to reconstruct the evolutionary history of a widespread, yet morphologically specialized, freshwater fish in a tropical-island setting. We analysed the phylogenetic and phylogeographic relationships of G. ceylonensis based on two mitochondrial and one nuclear genes. G. ceylonensis is shown to be monophyletic, with a sister-group relationship to the Indian species Garra mullya. Our results suggest a single colonization of Sri Lanka by ancestral Garra, in the late Pliocene. This suggests that the Palk Isthmus, which was exposed for most of the Pleistocene, had a hydroclimate unsuited to the dispersal of fishes such as Garra. G. ceylonensis exhibits strong phylogeographic structure: six subclades are distributed as genetically distinct populations in clusters of contiguous river basins, albeit with two exceptions. Our data reveal one or more Pleistocene extirpation events, evidently driven by aridification, with relict populations subsequently re-colonizing the island. The phylogeographic structure of G. ceylonensis suggests inter-basin dispersal largely through headwater capture, likely facilitated by free-swimming post-larvae. The Peninsular-Indian species G. mullya comprises two genetically distinct parapatric clades, which may represent distinct species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiranya Sudasinghe
- Evolutionary Ecology and Systematics Laboratory, Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
- Postgraduate Institute of Science, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
| | - Neelesh Dahanukar
- Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune, India
| | - Rajeev Raghavan
- Department of Fisheries Resource Management, Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS), Kochi, India
| | - Tharani Senavirathna
- Evolutionary Ecology and Systematics Laboratory, Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
| | | | | | - Anjalie Amarasinghe
- Evolutionary Ecology and Systematics Laboratory, Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
| | | | - Lukas Rüber
- Naturhistorisches Museum Bern, Bernastrasse, Bern, Switzerland
- Aquatic Ecology and Evolution, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Madhava Meegaskumbura
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology & Conservation, College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning, People's Republic of China
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Garg S, Suyesh R, Das S, Bee MA, Biju SD. An integrative approach to infer systematic relationships and define species groups in the shrub frog genus Raorchestes, with description of five new species from the Western Ghats, India. PeerJ 2021; 9:e10791. [PMID: 33717674 PMCID: PMC7936570 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.10791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 12/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The genus Raorchestes is a large radiation of Old World tree frogs for which the Western Ghats in Peninsular India is the major center for origin and diversification. Extensive studies on this group during the past two decades have resolved long-standing taxonomic confusions and uncovered several new species, resulting in a four-fold increase in the number of known Raorchestes frogs from this region. Our ongoing research has revealed another five new species in the genus, formally described as Raorchestes drutaahu sp. nov., Raorchestes kakkayamensis sp. nov., Raorchestes keirasabinae sp. nov., Raorchestes sanjappai sp. nov., and Raorchestes vellikkannan sp. nov., all from the State of Kerala in southern Western Ghats. Based on new collections, we also provide insights on the taxonomic identity of three previously known taxa. Furthermore, since attempts for an up-to-date comprehensive study of this taxonomically challenging genus using multiple integrative taxonomic approaches have been lacking, here we review the systematic affinities of all known Raorchestes species and define 16 species groups based on evidence from multi-gene (2,327 bp) phylogenetic analyses, several morphological characters (including eye colouration and pattern), and acoustic parameters (temporal and spectral properties, as well as calling height). The results of our study present novel insights to facilitate a better working taxonomy for this rather speciose and morphologically conserved radiation of shrub frogs. This will further enable proper field identification, provide momentum for multi-disciplinary studies, as well as assist conservation of one of the most colourful and acoustically diverse frog groups of the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonali Garg
- Systematics Lab, Department of Environmental Studies, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Robin Suyesh
- Systematics Lab, Department of Environmental Studies, University of Delhi, Delhi, India.,Department of Environmental Studies, Sri Venkateswara College, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Sandeep Das
- Forest Ecology and Biodiversity Conservation Division, Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi, Kerala, India.,EDGE of Existence programme, Conservation and Policy, Zoological Society of London, London, UK
| | - Mark A Bee
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, St. Paul, MN, USA
| | - S D Biju
- Systematics Lab, Department of Environmental Studies, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
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29
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Hanle J, Singhakumara BMP, Ashton MS. Complex Small-Holder Agriculture in Rainforest Buffer Zone, Sri Lanka, Supports Endemic Birds. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.608434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The Sinharaja rainforest in southwestern Sri Lanka is a protected forest in a largely agriculture-dominated landscape. In keeping with global UNESCO global biosphere reserves planning, the Sinharaja is surrounded by a buffer zone of regenerating forest and villages with small tea plots and multi-strata tree gardens (homegardens). Globally, however, conservation planning lacks standards on buffer zone management. We ask what relationships exist between village land use and bird assemblages, which are effective ecosystem indicators. Birds have been little studied across land use and vegetation structure in actively managed, large, protected forest buffer zones. To that end, we ran spatially- and temporally-replicated bird point counts across tree gardens, forest fragments, and tea plots within a Sinharaja village. Tree gardens held a greater abundance of birds across habitat association, conservation concern, diet, and endemic species than forest fragments or tea plots. Forest fragments and tree gardens hosted statistically similar numbers of birds in some subsets, but their species assemblages differed. In tea plots, greater shade tree species richness correlated with greater bird abundance and species richness. Our results support the argument for programs to support complex small-scale tree-based agroforestry embedded in buffer zone regenerating forest.
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30
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Species richness patterns, hotspots and phytogeographic affinities of thalloid liverworts (Marchantiophyta) and hornworts (Anthocerotophyta) of Sri Lanka. Trop Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s42965-020-00132-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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31
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Dias RKS, Guénard B, Akbar SA, Economo EP, Udayakantha WS, Wachkoo AA. The Ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of Sri Lanka: a taxonomic research summary and updated checklist. Zookeys 2020; 967:1-142. [PMID: 32999587 PMCID: PMC7508952 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.967.54432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 07/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
An updated checklist of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Sri Lanka is presented. These include representatives of eleven of the 17 known extant subfamilies with 341 valid ant species in 79 genera. Lioponeralongitarsus Mayr, 1879 is reported as a new species country record for Sri Lanka. Notes about type localities, depositories, and relevant references to each species record are given. Accounts of the dubious and some undetermined species from Sri Lanka are also provided. 82 species (24%) are endemic whereas 18 species that are non-native to Sri Lanka are recorded. The list provides a synthesis of the regional taxonomical work carried out to date and will serve as a baseline for future studies on the ant fauna of this biodiversity hotspot.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Benoit Guénard
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China he University of Hong Kong Hong Kong China
| | - Shahid Ali Akbar
- Central Institute of Temperate Horticulture, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, 191132, India Central Institute of Temperate Horticulture Srinagar India
| | - Evan P Economo
- Biodiversity and Biocomplexity Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Onna, Okinawa, Japan Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University Kunigamigun Japan
| | | | - Aijaz Ahmad Wachkoo
- Department of Zoology, Government Degree College, Shopian, Jammu and Kashmir, 190006, India Government Degree College Jammu and Kashmir India
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32
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Britz R, Dahanukar N, Anoop VK, Philip S, Clark B, Raghavan R, Rüber L. Aenigmachannidae, a new family of snakehead fishes (Teleostei: Channoidei) from subterranean waters of South India. Sci Rep 2020; 10:16081. [PMID: 32999397 PMCID: PMC7527459 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-73129-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Pronounced organism-wide morphological stasis in evolution has resulted in taxa with unusually high numbers of primitive characters. These ‘living fossils’ hold a prominent role for our understanding of the diversification of the group in question. Here we provide the first detailed osteological analysis of Aenigmachanna gollum based on high-resolution nano-CT scans and one cleared and stained specimen of this recently described snakehead fish from subterranean waters of Kerala in South India. In addition to a number of derived and unique features, Aenigmachanna has several characters that exhibit putatively primitive conditions not encountered in the family Channidae. Our morphological analysis provides evidence for the phylogenetic position of Aenigmachanna as the sister group to Channidae. Molecular analyses further emphasize the uniqueness of Aenigmachanna and indicate that it is a separate lineage of snakeheads, estimated to have split from its sister group at least 34 or 109 million years ago depending on the fossil calibration employed. This may indicate that Aenigmachanna is a Gondwanan lineage, which has survived break-up of the supercontinent, with India separating from Africa at around 120 mya. The surprising morphological disparity of Aenigmachanna from members of the Channidae lead us to erect a new family of snakehead fishes, Aenigmachannidae, sister group to Channidae, to accommodate these unique snakehead fishes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ralf Britz
- Museum of Zoology, Senckenberg Natural History Collections Dresden, E01109, Dresden, Germany. .,Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, SW75BD, UK.
| | - Neelesh Dahanukar
- Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, Pashan, Pune, 411 008, India.,Zoo Outreach Organization, No. 12 Thiruvannamalai Nagar, Saravanampatti - Kalapatti Road, Coimbatore, 641 035, India
| | - V K Anoop
- School of Ocean Science and Technology, Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS), Kochi, 682 506, India
| | - Siby Philip
- Department of Zoology, Nirmalagiri College, Kannur, India
| | - Brett Clark
- Imaging and Analysis Centre, The Natural History Museum, London, SW7 5BD, UK
| | - Rajeev Raghavan
- Department of Fisheries Resource Management, Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS), Kochi, 682 506, India
| | - Lukas Rüber
- Naturhistorisches Museum Bern, 3005, Bern, Switzerland.,Aquatic Ecology and Evolution, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
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Ramesh V, Vijayakumar SP, Gopalakrishna T, Jayarajan A, Shanker K. Determining levels of cryptic diversity within the endemic frog genera, Indirana and Walkerana, of the Western Ghats, India. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0237431. [PMID: 32877402 PMCID: PMC7467320 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0237431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2018] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
A large number of species in the tropics are awaiting discovery, many due to their cryptic morphology ie. lack of discernable morphological difference. We explored the presence of cryptic lineages within the frog genera, Indirana and Walkerana, which are endemic to the Western Ghats of Peninsular India. By reconstructing a phylogeny using 5 genes and robust geographic sampling, we delimited 19 lineages along a population—species continuum, using multiple criteria including haplotype clusters, genetic distance, morphological distinctness, and geographical separation. Of these 19 lineages, 14 belonged to the genus Indirana and 5 to the genus Walkerana. Divergence dating analyses revealed that the clade comprising Indirana and Walkerana began diversifying around 71 mya and the most recent common ancestor of Indirana and Walkerana split around 43 mya. We tested for the presence of cryptic lineages by examining the relationship between genetic and morphological divergence among related pairs within a pool of 15 lineages. The pairs showed strong morphological conservatism across varying levels of genetic divergence. Our results highlight the prevalence of morphologically cryptic lineages in these ancient endemic clades of the Western Ghats. This emphasizes the significance of other axes, such as geography, in species delimitation. With increasing threats to amphibian habitats, it is imperative that cryptic lineages are identified so that appropriate conservation measures can be implemented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vijay Ramesh
- Department of Ecology, Evolution & Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States of America
- Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
- * E-mail:
| | - S. P. Vijayakumar
- Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
| | - Trisha Gopalakrishna
- School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Aditi Jayarajan
- Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
| | - Kartik Shanker
- Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
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Sudasinghe H, Pethiyagoda R, Raghavan R, Dahanukar N, Rüber L, Meegaskumbura M. Diversity, phylogeny and biogeography ofSystomus(Teleostei, Cyprinidae) in Sri Lanka. ZOOL SCR 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/zsc.12445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hiranya Sudasinghe
- Evolutionary Ecology and Systematics Lab Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology University of Peradeniya Peradeniya Sri Lanka
- Postgraduate Institute of Science University of Peradeniya Peradeniya Sri Lanka
| | | | - Rajeev Raghavan
- Department of Fisheries Resource Management Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS) Kochi India
| | - Neelesh Dahanukar
- Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Pune India
| | - Lukas Rüber
- Naturhistorisches Museum Bern Bern Switzerland
- Aquatic Ecology and Evolution Institute of Ecology and Evolution University of Bern Bern Switzerland
| | - Madhava Meegaskumbura
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology & Conservation College of Forestry Guangxi University Nanning China
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35
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Sudasinghe H, Pethiyagoda R, Ranasinghe RHT, Raghavan R, Dahanukar N, Meegaskumbura M. A molecular phylogeny of the freshwater‐fish genusRasbora(Teleostei: Cyprinidae) in Sri Lanka reveals a remarkable diversification—And a cryptic species. J ZOOL SYST EVOL RES 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/jzs.12395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hiranya Sudasinghe
- Evolutionary Ecology and Systematics Lab Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology University of Peradeniya Peradeniya Sri Lanka
- Postgraduate Institute of Science University of Peradeniya Peradeniya Sri Lanka
| | | | | | - Rajeev Raghavan
- Department of Fisheries Resource Management Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS) Kochi India
| | - Neelesh Dahanukar
- Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Pune India
| | - Madhava Meegaskumbura
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology & Conservation College of Forestry Guangxi University Nanning China
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36
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Evolution of Sri Lanka’s Giant Danios (Teleostei: Cyprinidae: Devario): Teasing apart species in a recent diversification. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2020; 149:106853. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2020.106853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2019] [Revised: 05/05/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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37
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Ganesh S, Rameshwaran M, A. Joseph N, M. Jerith A, K. Dutta S. Records of two toads Duttaphrynus scaber and D. stomaticus (Amphibia: Anura: Bufonidae) from southeastern India. JOURNAL OF THREATENED TAXA 2020. [DOI: 10.11609/jott.6110.12.10.16272-16278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
We document two toad species Duttaphrynus scaber and D. stomaticus from southeastern India, in the Coromandel Coastal Plains. Owing to incorrect data presented in previous reports denoting the occurrence of these toad species, their occurrence in the said region has remained obscure. Our results, presented here, on both the species are based on morphological data from 15 preserved voucher specimens and direct field observations made by the authors in situ. In this work, we report D. scaber from Chengelpet and D. stomaticus from Thoothukudi. We revisited these places after studying the labeled specimens in Chennai Snake Park Trust Museum, to confirm their occurrences in the respective region and provide natural history notes based on our field observations.
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38
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Sudasinghe H, Pethiyagoda R, Meegaskumbura M. A molecular phylogeny of the genusLaubuka(Teleostei: Cyprinidae) in Sri Lanka reveals multiple origins and a cryptic species. SYST BIODIVERS 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/14772000.2020.1771468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hiranya Sudasinghe
- Evolutionary Ecology and Systematics Lab, Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
- Postgraduate Institute of Science, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
| | - Rohan Pethiyagoda
- Ichthyology Section, Australian Museum, 6 College Street, Sydney, 2010, NSW, Australia
| | - Madhava Meegaskumbura
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology & Conservation, College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning, P.R. China
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Mehrabian A, Sayadi S, Majidi Kuhbenani M, Hashemi Yeganeh V, Abdoljabari M. Priorities for conservation of endemic trees and shrubs of Iran: Important Plant Areas (IPAs) and Alliance for Zero Extinction (AZE) in SW Asia. JOURNAL OF ASIA-PACIFIC BIODIVERSITY 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.japb.2019.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
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40
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Sreekar R, Koh LP, Mammides C, Corlett RT, Dayananda S, Goodale UM, Kotagama SW, Goodale E. Drivers of bird beta diversity in the Western Ghats-Sri Lanka biodiversity hotspot are scale dependent: roles of land use, climate, and distance. Oecologia 2020; 193:801-809. [PMID: 32447456 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-020-04671-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2019] [Accepted: 05/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
In the last 50 years, intensive agriculture has replaced large tracts of rainforests. Such changes in land use are driving niche-based ecological processes that determine local community assembly. However, little is known about the relative importance of these anthropogenic niche-based processes, in comparison to climatic niche-based processes and spatial processes such as dispersal limitation. In this study, we use a variation partitioning approach to determine the relative importance of land-use change (ranked value of forest loss), climatic variation (temperature and precipitation), and distance between transects, on bird beta diversity at two different spatial scales within the Western Ghats-Sri Lanka biodiversity hotspot. Our results show that the drivers of local community assembly are scale dependent. At the larger spatial scale, distance was more important than climate and land use for bird species composition, suggesting that dispersal limitation over the Palk Strait, which separates the Western Ghats and Sri Lanka, is the main driver of local community assembly. At the smaller scale, climate was more important than land use, suggesting the importance of climatic niches. Therefore, to conserve all species in a biodiversity hotspot, it is important to consider geographic barriers and climatic variation along with land-use change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachakonda Sreekar
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, 5000, Australia.
| | - Lian Pin Koh
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, 5000, Australia
| | - Christos Mammides
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Conservation, College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China
| | - Richard T Corlett
- Center for Integrative Conservation, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, 666303, Yunnan, China
| | - Salindra Dayananda
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Conservation, College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China.,Foundation for Nature Conservation and Preservation, Panadura, 12500, Sri Lanka
| | - Uromi M Goodale
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Conservation, College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China
| | - Sarath W Kotagama
- Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka, Department of Zoology, University of Colombo, Colombo 03, Sri Lanka
| | - Eben Goodale
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Conservation, College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China
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41
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Al-Razi H, Maria M, Muzaffar SB. A new species of cryptic Bush frog (Anura, Rhacophoridae, Raorchestes) from northeastern Bangladesh. Zookeys 2020; 927:127-151. [PMID: 32341678 PMCID: PMC7180169 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.927.48733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2019] [Accepted: 02/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Raorchestes is a speciose genus of bush frogs with high diversity occurring in the Western Ghats of India. Relatively fewer species have been recorded across India, through Bangladesh, southern China, into Vietnam and Peninsular Malaysia. Many bush frogs are morphologically cryptic and therefore remain undescribed. Here, a new species, Raorchestes rezakhani sp. nov., is described from northeastern Bangladesh based on morphological characters, genetics, and bioacoustics. The 16S rRNA gene distinguished this species from 48 known species of this genus. Bayesian Inference and Maximum Likelihood analyses indicated that the new species was most similar to R. tuberohumerus, a species found in the Western Ghats, and to R. gryllus, a species found in Vietnam. Bioacoustics indicated that their calls were similar in pattern to most Raorchestes species, although number of pulses, duration of pulses, pulse intervals and amplitude differentiated it from a few other species. It is suggested that northeastern India, Bangladesh, northern Myanmar, and southern China represent important, relatively unexplored areas that could yield additional species of Raorchestes. Since many remaining habitat patches in Bangladesh are under severe threat from deforestation, efforts should be made to protect these last patches from further degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hassan Al-Razi
- Faculty of Life and Earth Science, Department of Zoology, Jagannath University, Dhaka, BangladeshJagannath UniversityDhakaBangladesh
| | - Marjan Maria
- Faculty of Life and Earth Science, Department of Zoology, Jagannath University, Dhaka, BangladeshJagannath UniversityDhakaBangladesh
| | - Sabir Bin Muzaffar
- Department of Biology, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab EmiratesJagannath UniversityAl AinUnited Arab Emirates
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42
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Integrative evidence confirms new endemic island frogs and transmarine dispersal of amphibians between Madagascar and Mayotte (Comoros archipelago). Naturwissenschaften 2019; 106:19. [DOI: 10.1007/s00114-019-1618-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2018] [Revised: 04/07/2019] [Accepted: 04/11/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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43
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Nair RR, Karumathil S, Udayan PS, Prakashkumar RP, Sérsic AN. Evolutionary history of Kingiodendron pinnatum(Fabaceae: Caesalpinoideae), an endangered species of the Western Ghats, India: a phylogeographical approach. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blz004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rahul Raveendran Nair
- Centre for Evolutionary Ecology, Aushmath Biosciences, Coimbatore District, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Sudeesh Karumathil
- Centre for Evolutionary Ecology, Aushmath Biosciences, Coimbatore District, Tamil Nadu, India
| | | | | | - Alicia N Sérsic
- Laboratorio de Ecología Evolutiva – Biología Floral, Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (IMBIV), CONICET–Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
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44
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Vijayakumar SP, Pyron RA, Dinesh KP, Torsekar VR, Srikanthan AN, Swamy P, Stanley EL, Blackburn DC, Shanker K. A new ancient lineage of frog (Anura: Nyctibatrachidae: Astrobatrachinae subfam. nov.) endemic to the Western Ghats of Peninsular India. PeerJ 2019; 7:e6457. [PMID: 30881763 PMCID: PMC6419720 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.6457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2018] [Accepted: 01/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The Western Ghats (WG) is an escarpment on the west coast of Peninsular India, housing one of the richest assemblages of frogs in the world, with three endemic families. Here, we report the discovery of a new ancient lineage from a high-elevation massif in the Wayanad Plateau of the southern WG. Phylogenetic analysis reveals that the lineage belongs to Natatanura and clusters with Nyctibatrachidae, a family endemic to the WG/Sri Lanka biodiversity hotspot. Based on geographic distribution, unique morphological traits, deep genetic divergence, and phylogenetic position that distinguishes the lineage from the two nyctibatrachid subfamilies Nyctibatrachinae Blommers-Schlösser, 1993 and Lankanectinae Dubois & Ohler, 2001, we erect a new subfamily Astrobatrachinae subfam. nov. (endemic to the WG, Peninsular India), and describe a new genus Astrobatrachus gen. nov. and species, Astrobatrachus kurichiyana sp. nov. The discovery of this species adds to the list of deeply divergent and monotypic or depauperate lineages with narrow geographic ranges in the southern massifs of the WG. The southern regions of the WG have long been considered geographic and climatic refugia, and this new relict lineage underscores their evolutionary significance. The small range of this species exclusively outside protected areas highlights the significance of reserve forest tracts in the WG in housing evolutionary novelty. This reinforces the need for intensive sampling to uncover new lineages and advance our understanding of the historical biogeography of this ancient landmass.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seenapuram Palaniswamy Vijayakumar
- Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Robert Alexander Pyron
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - K. P. Dinesh
- Western Regional Centre, Zoological Survey of India, Pune, Maharashtra, India
| | - Varun R. Torsekar
- Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
| | | | - Priyanka Swamy
- Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
| | - Edward L. Stanley
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - David C. Blackburn
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Kartik Shanker
- Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
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45
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Diversification of shrub frogs (Rhacophoridae, Pseudophilautus) in Sri Lanka – Timing and geographic context. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2019; 132:14-24. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2018.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2018] [Revised: 11/07/2018] [Accepted: 11/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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46
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Sudasinghe H, Pethiyagoda R, Maduwage K, Madhava Meegaskumbura. The identity of the Sri Lankan Amblypharyngodon (Teleostei, Cyprinidae). Zookeys 2019:25-49. [PMID: 30745797 PMCID: PMC6367594 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.820.29632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2018] [Accepted: 12/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Morphological and molecular analyses of specimens representative of the geographic range of the cyprinid genus Amblypharyngodon in Sri Lanka suggest the presence of only a single species in the island, for which the name Amblypharyngodongrandisquamis Jordan & Starks, 1917, is available. Amblypharyngodongrandisquamis is a species endemic to Sri Lanka, distributed across the lowlands of both of the island’s main climatic zones. It is distinguished from all other species of Amblypharyngodon, including the three species recorded from peninsular India (A.mola, A.microlepis, and A.melettinus), by a suite of characters that includes a body depth of 26.9–31.2% of the standard length (SL), 42–56 scales in the lateral series (of which usually 8–16 are pored), 20–24 circumpeduncular scales, 14–17 scale rows between the origins of the dorsal and pelvic fins, a dorsal-fin height of 21.1–27.6% SL, 18–19 caudal vertebrae and an eye diameter of 22.7–30.5% of the head length. Amblypharyngodongrandisquamis differs from A.melettinus and A.mola by uncorrected pairwise genetic distances of more than 9% and 6%, respectively, for the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI) gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiranya Sudasinghe
- Evolutionary Ecology and Systematics Lab, Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.,Postgraduate Institute of Science, Faculty of Science, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
| | - Rohan Pethiyagoda
- Ichthyology Section, Australian Museum, 6 College Street, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Kalana Maduwage
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
| | - Madhava Meegaskumbura
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology & Conservation, College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning, China.,Evolutionary Ecology and Systematics Lab, Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
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47
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Abraham RK, Mathew JK, Raju DV, Rao R, Zachariah A. Reproduction and metamorphosis in the Myristica Swamp tree frog, Mercurana myristicapalustris (Anura: Rhacophoridae). PeerJ 2018; 6:e5934. [PMID: 30498632 PMCID: PMC6252067 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.5934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2018] [Accepted: 10/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The reproductive biology of the Myristica Swamp tree frog (Mercurana myristicapalustris), a monotypic rhacophorid frog endemic to the foothills of the Western Ghats mountains of India, has remained unknown since the description of the genus and species. We monitored individuals from parental generation amplexus to the completion of offspring generation tadpole metamorphosis. Surprisingly, our observations revealed that this species exhibits many previously unknown characteristics, including the first ever record of the female, and a diverse call repertoire, consisting of five different call types (the functions of which remain incompletely known). We were also able to determine that reproductive activity peaked during the late pre-monsoon season, that males engaged in intraspecific aggressive encounters to occupy and to defend desirable territories, and that oviposition took place in terrestrial nests made by females. Embryonic development in the unattended nest was followed by tadpole development, which concluded within 40 days. The specific breeding mode employed by Mercurana, which restricts its range to the endangered Myristica swamp ecosystem, likely renders it susceptible to multiple threats, which should be considered jointly in future conservation planning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin Kurian Abraham
- Biodiversity Institute and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
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48
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de Mazancourt V, Klotz W, Marquet G, Mos B, Rogers DC, Keith P. The complex study of complexes: The first well-supported phylogeny of two species complexes within genus Caridina (Decapoda: Caridea: Atyidae) sheds light on evolution, biogeography, and habitat. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2018; 131:164-180. [PMID: 30423441 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2018.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2018] [Revised: 11/08/2018] [Accepted: 11/08/2018] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Atyid shrimps, a key component of tropical freshwater ecosystems, face multiple anthropogenic threats and thus need special attention. With more than 300 described species, the genus Caridina is the most speciose of all the Caridea infra-order. Caridina spp. occupy diverse habitats in tropical freshwaters of the Indo-West Pacific region. Several species complexes have been recognized, based on common morphological features, but little is known about how well these morphological characteristics align with phylogenetic characteristics. Furthermore, no phylogeny of the genus Caridina published so far has provided well-resolved and supported relationships among different species, thus impeding the possibility of proposing evolutionary hypotheses. In this study we used next generation sequencing (NGS) to provide new insights into the phylogenetic relationships among the genus Caridina, focusing on two complexes: 'Caridina nilotica' and 'Caridina weberi'. We collected 92 specimens belonging to these two groups from most of their known geographical range, representing 50 species, for which we sequenced seven mitochondrial genes and two nuclear markers using ion torrent NGS. We performed a phylogenetic analysis, which yielded the first well-supported tree for the genus Caridina. On this tree were mapped the geographic ranges and the habitats used by the different species, and a time calibration was tested. We found the driving factors that most likely account for separation of clades are differences in habitat and to a lesser extent geography. This work provides new insights into the taxonomy of this group and identifies opportunities for further studies in order to fill knowledge gaps that currently impede the management and conservation of atyid species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentin de Mazancourt
- Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Département Adaptations du Vivant, UMR 7208, CP026, 57, rue Cuvier, F-75231 Paris, Cedex 05, France.
| | | | - Gerard Marquet
- Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Département Adaptations du Vivant, UMR 7208, CP026, 57, rue Cuvier, F-75231 Paris, Cedex 05, France
| | - Benjamin Mos
- National Marine Science Centre, Southern Cross University, PO Box 4321, Coffs Harbour, NSW 2450, Australia
| | - D Christopher Rogers
- Kansas Biological Survey and the Natural History Museum (Biodiversity Institute), Kansas University, Higuchi Hall, 2101 Constant Avenue, Lawrence, KS 66047-3759, USA
| | - Philippe Keith
- Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Département Adaptations du Vivant, UMR 7208, CP026, 57, rue Cuvier, F-75231 Paris, Cedex 05, France
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49
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Lajmi A, Bansal R, Giri V, Karanth P. Phylogeny and biogeography of the endemic Hemidactylus geckos of the Indian subregion suggest multiple dispersals from Peninsular India to Sri Lanka. Zool J Linn Soc 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zly047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Aparna Lajmi
- Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, India
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bengaluru, India
| | - Rohini Bansal
- Department of Medical Neurobiology, School of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Varad Giri
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bengaluru, India
| | - Praveen Karanth
- Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, India
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50
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Vijayakumar SP, Menezes RC, Jayarajan A, Shanker K. Glaciations, gradients, and geography: multiple drivers of diversification of bush frogs in the Western Ghats Escarpment. Proc Biol Sci 2017; 283:rspb.2016.1011. [PMID: 27534957 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2016.1011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2016] [Accepted: 07/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The historical processes underlying high diversity in tropical biodiversity hotspots like the Western Ghats of Peninsular India remain poorly understood. We sampled bush frogs on 13 massifs across the Western Ghats Escarpment and examined the relative influence of Quaternary glaciations, ecological gradients and geological processes on the spatial patterns of lineage and clade diversification. The results reveal a large in situ radiation (more than 60 lineages), exhibiting geographical structure and clade-level endemism, with two deeply divergent sister clades, North and South, highlighting the biogeographic significance of an ancient valley, the Palghat Gap. A majority of the bush frog sister lineages were isolated on adjacent massifs, and signatures of range stasis provide support for the dominance of geological processes in allopatric speciation. In situ diversification events within the montane zones (more than 1800 m) of the two highest massifs suggest a role for climate-mediated forest-grassland persistence. Independent transitions along elevational gradients among sub-clades during the Miocene point to diversification along the elevational gradient. The study highlights the evolutionary significance of massifs in the Western Ghats with the high elevations acting as centres of lineage diversification and the low- and mid-elevations of the southern regions, with deeply divergent lineages, serving as museums.
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Affiliation(s)
- S P Vijayakumar
- Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 12, India
| | - Riya C Menezes
- Research Group Mass Spectrometry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Beutenberg Campus, Hans-Knoell-Strasse 8, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Aditi Jayarajan
- Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 12, India
| | - Kartik Shanker
- Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 12, India
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