Search

An integrative approach is crucial in discrimination of species, especially for taxa that are difficult to identify based on morphological characters. In this study, we combine genetics and morphology to assess the diversity of Pterasteridae, a sea star family diversified in deep-sea and polar environments. Because of their derived anatomy and the frequent loss of characters during preservation, Pterasteridae are a suitable case for an integrative study. The molecular identification of 191 specimens (mostly from the Southern Ocean) suggests 26–33 species in three genera (Diplopteraster, Hymenaster and Pteraster), which match the morphological identification in 54–62% of cases. The mismatches are either different molecular units that are morphologically indistinguishable (e.g. Pteraster stellifer units 2 and 4) or, conversely, nominal species that are genetically identical (e.g. Hymenaster coccinatus/densus/praecoquis). Several species are shared between the Northern and Southern Hemispheres (e.g. Pteraster jordani/affinis). In conclusion, the taxonomic status of some groups is confirmed, but for others we find the need to re-evaluate the taxonomy at both genus and species levels. This work significantly increases the DNA barcode library of the Southern Ocean species and merges taxonomic information into an identification key that could become a baseline for future studies (pterasteridae-so.identificationkey.org)., info:eu-repo/semantics/published

16 pages, 5 figures, 5 tables, supplementary information https://doi.org/10.1007/s00438-021-01845-3.-- Availability of data and material: DNA sequences: GenBank accession numbers are provided in Table 1. All data are available in the manuscript or in the Supplementary information file, Interspecific introgression can occur between species that evolve rapidly within an adaptive radiation. Pachyptila petrels differ in bill size and are characterised by incomplete reproductive isolation, leading to interspecific gene flow. Salvin’s prion (Pachyptila salvini), whose bill width is intermediate between broad-billed (P. vittata) and Antarctic (P. desolata) prions, evolved through homoploid hybrid speciation. MacGillivray’s prion (P. macgillivrayi), known from a single population on St Paul (Indian Ocean), has a bill width intermediate between salvini and vittata and could also be the product of interspecies introgression or hybrid speciation. Recently, another prion population phenotypically similar to macgillivrayi was discovered on Gough (Atlantic Ocean), where it breeds 3 months later than vittata. The similarity in bill width between the medium-billed birds on Gough and macgillivrayi suggest that they could be closely related. In this study, we used genetic and morphological data to infer the phylogenetic position and evolutionary history of P. macgillivrayi and the Gough medium-billed prion relative other Pachyptila taxa, to determine whether species with medium bill widths evolved through common ancestry or convergence. We found that Gough medium-billed prions belong to the same evolutionary lineage as macgillivrayi, representing a new population of MacGillivray’s prion that originated through a colonisation event from St Paul. We show that macgillivrayi’s medium bill width evolved through divergence (genetic drift) and independently from that of salvini, which evolved through hybridisation (gene flow). This represents the independent convergence towards a similarly medium-billed phenotype. The newly discovered MacGillivray’s prion population on Gough is of utmost conservation relevance, as the relict macgillivrayi population in the Indian Ocean is very small, Open Access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL. PQ, JFM, TLC and LC were supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (Germany), Heisenberg program (grant number DFG, Qu 148-5 to P.Q.). Logistical and financial support was obtained from the South African Department of Environmental Affairs, through the South African National Antarctic Programme. LDS was supported by a Rutherford Discovery Fellowship from the Royal Society of New Zealand, With the institutional support of the ‘Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence’ accreditation (CEX2019-000928-S)

Littoraria snails are an important component of the food chain in the mangrove ecosystem. This study intends to examine the influence of the Western Indian Ocean currents and isolation-by-distance (IBD) on the genetic diversity and structure of Littoraria subvittata and Littoraria pallescens, which are the most dominant species of Littoraria along the East African coast. A fragment of the mitochondrial COI gene from 334 individuals of L. subvittata and 134 of L. pallescens collected from mangroves sites in Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique and Madagascar, was used in the analysis. Low values of nucleotide diversity ( L. subvittata: 0.13 ± 0.10%, L. pallescens : 0.12 ± 0.00%) and high to moderate haplotype diversity ( L. subvittata: 0.57 ± 0.03, L. pallescens: 0.55 ± 0.05) were recorded for both species. An analysis of molecular variances (AMOVA) detected a significant genetic difference among populations of L. subvittata (Φst: 0.093, P .05). The spatial analysis of molecular variance (SAMOVA) did not detect population clusters in L. subvittata. In contrast, SAMOVA revealed slight but significant genetic structuring between two groups of populations in L. pallescens. These results may indicate that L. subvittata is sensitive to impacts of population geographic IBD compared to L. pallescens. The differences in genetic structure of populations between the two species may be linked to their larval potential differences in crossing the oceanic barriers such as currents and eddies during dispersal.

The impact of salt farming on the habitats and food sources of Austruca occidentalis and Littoraria subvittata was studied in mangroves along the coast of Tanzania using stable isotopes (13C and 15N) and sediment particle size analysis. The 13C and 15N stable isotope composition in mangrove leaves, sediments and invertebrate tissues, were used to evaluate whether there are differences in feeding ecology of the crab Austruca occidentalis and the snail Littoraria subvittata collected from natural mangroves and mangroves around the salt ponds. Organic C, total N content and particle size distribution in sediments were used to assess if there are differences in habitat characteristics of mangroves around the salt ponds. Mangrove leaves and sediments were found to be 13C enriched around salt ponds compared to those from natural mangroves. Likewise the macroinvertebrates collected from mangroves around salt ponds were found be enriched in 13C relative to undisturbed mangroves. In addition, mangrove sediments around salt ponds were poorer in organic carbon and nitrogen and had more sand content compared to sediments from natural mangroves. These results indicate that salt pond activities have contributed to the modification of the habitats of macroinvertebrates by causing δ13C stable isotopes enrichment and alteration of sediment characteristics in the ecosystem.

Background: Genome-wide data are invaluable to characterize differentiation and adaptation of natural populations. Reduced representation sequencing (RRS) subsamples a genome repeatedly across many individuals. However, RRS requires careful optimization and fine-tuning to deliver high marker density while being cost-efficient. The number of genomic fragments created through restriction enzyme digestion and the sequencing library setup must match to achieve sufficient sequencing coverage per locus. Here, we present a workflow based on published information and computational and experimental procedures to investigate and streamline the applicability of RRS. Results: In an iterative process genome size estimates, restriction enzymes and size selection windows were tested and scaled in six classes of Antarctic animals (Ostracoda, Malacostraca, Bivalvia, Asteroidea, Actinopterygii, Aves). Achieving high marker density would be expensive in amphipods, the malacostracan target taxon, due to the large genome size. We propose alternative approaches such as mitogenome or target capture sequencing for this group. Pilot libraries were sequenced for all other target taxa. Ostracods, bivalves, sea stars, and fish showed overall good coverage and marker numbers for downstream population genomic analyses. In contrast, the bird test library produced low coverage and few polymorphic loci, likely due to degraded DNA. Conclusions: Prior testing and optimization are important to identify which groups are amenable for RRS and where alternative methods may currently offer better cost-benefit ratios. The steps outlined here are easy to follow for other non-model taxa with little genomic resources, thus stimulating efficient resource use for the many pressing research questions in molecular ecology., SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

Estimates of population structure and gene flow allow exploring the historical and contemporary processes that determine a species’ biogeographic pattern. In mangroves, large-scale genetic studies to estimate gene flow have been conducted predominantly in the Indo-Pacific and Atlantic region. Here we examine the genetic diversity and connectivity of Rhizophora mucronata across a > 3,000 km coastal stretch in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) including WIO islands. Based on 359 trees from 13 populations and using 17 polymorphic microsatellite loci we detected genetic breaks between populations of the (1) East African coastline, (2) Mozambique Channel Area (3) granitic Seychelles, and (4) Aldabra and northern Madagascar. Genetic structure, diversity levels, and patterns of inferred connectivity, aligned with the directionality of major ocean currents, driven by bifurcation of the South Equatorial Current, northward into the East African Coastal Current and southward into the Mozambique Channel Area. A secondary genetic break between nearby populations in the Delagoa Bight coincided with high inbreeding levels and fixed loci. Results illustrate how oceanographic processes can connect and separate mangrove populations regardless of geographic distance., SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

Coral reefs provide essential goods and services but are degrading at an alarming rate due to local and global anthropogenic stressors. The main limitation that prevents the implementation of adequate conservation measures is that connectivity and genetic structure of populations are poorly known. Here, the genetic diversity and connectivity of the brooding scleractinian coral Seriatopora hystrix were assessed at two scales by genotyping ten microsatellite markers for 356 individual colonies. S. hystrix showed high differentiation, both at large scale between the Red Sea and the Western Indian Ocean (WIO), and at smaller scale along the coast of East Africa. As such high levels of differentiation might indicate the presence of more than one species, a haploweb analysis was conducted with the nuclear marker ITS2, confirming that the Red Sea populations are genetically distinct from the WIO ones. Based on microsatellite analyses three groups could be distinguished within the WIO: (1) northern Madagascar, (2) south-west Madagascar together with one site in northern Mozambique (Nacala) and (3) all other sites in northern Mozambique, Tanzania and Kenya. These patterns of restricted connectivity could be explained by the short pelagic larval duration of S. hystrix, and/or by oceanographic factors, such as eddies in the Mozambique Channel (causing larval retention in northern Madagascar but facilitating dispersal from northern Mozambique towards south-west Madagascar). This study provides an additional line of evidence supporting the conservation priority status of the Northern Mozambique Channel and should inform coral reef management decisions in the region., SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

The Cercosaurini tribe stands out from other Gymnophthalmidae lizards for including several species with morphological adaptations to aquatic lifestyle (“Crocodile-Like Morphology” – CLM). Recent molecular phylogenies of Cercosaurini demonstrated the paraphyly of CLM species, implicitly suggesting that adaptations to the aquatic life evolved more than once. However, CLM species have remained poorly sampled, and a number of uncertainties persist, such as the monophyly of Neusticurus and the placement of Potamites apodemus within the tribe. Based on a more extensive molecular and morphological data set, we propose a phylogenetic hypothesis for Neusticurus and investigate, for the first time, the phylogenetic position of P. apodemus. We recovered a monophyletic Neusticurus clade; however, Neusticurus rudis as currently understood was recovered as paraphyletic, with two lineages that also show consistent morphological diagnosis; as a result, we resurrect and provide a taxonomic redescription of Neusticurus surinamensis Müller,. Moreover, because P. apodemus was recovered as sister to all other Echinosaura, we propose a new combination for this species (Echinosaura apodema). We also review the distribution of Neusticurus species, offering a comprehensive view of their biogeography. Lastly, our ancestral character reconstruction and dating analyses indicate that the CLM phenotype evolved four times independently during Cercosaurini′s evolutionary history. We hypothesize that the CLM phenotype and subsequent adaptation to aquatic life may be linked to the development of the Pebas Lake in western Amazonia during the Miocene.

International audience; Our ability to predict the identity of future invasive alien species is largely based upon knowledge of prior invasion history. Emerging alien species-those never encountered as aliens before-therefore pose a significant challenge to biosecurity interventions worldwide. Understanding their temporal trends, origins, and the drivers of their spread is pivotal to improving prevention and risk assessment tools. Here, we use a database of 45,984 first records of 16,019 established alien species to investigate the temporal dynamics of occurrences of emerging alien species worldwide. Even after many centuries of invasions the rate of emergence of new alien species is still high: Onequarter of first records during 2000-2005 were of species that had not been previously recorded anywhere as alien, though with large variation across taxa. Model results show that the high proportion of emerging alien species cannot be solely explained by increases in well-known drivers such as the amount of imported commodities from historically important source regions. Instead, these dynamics reflect the incorporation of new regions into the pool of potential alien species, likely as a consequence of expanding trade networks and environmental change. This process compensates for the depletion of the historically important source species pool through successive invasions. We estimate that 1-16% of all species on Earth, depending on the taxonomic group, qualify as potential alien species. These results suggest that there remains a high proportion of emerging alien species we have yet to encounter, with future impacts that are difficult to predict.

To investigate gene-flow patterns in the western Indian Ocean (WIO), tissue samples of Terebralia palustris were collected along the coasts of East Africa and Madagascar. A fragment of the mitochondrial cyto- chrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene was sequenced in 308 individuals from 18 sites. Based on a COI fragment of 624 base pairs, 43 haplotypes were identified. The two most abundant haplotypes were shared among all sample sites, but 20.9% of the haplotypes were restricted to the sites in southern Mozambique. Population expansion was found and confirmed by moderate haplotype diversity, low nucleotide diversity and the analysis of demographic history. Analysis of molecular variances (AMOVA) revealed significant genetic differentiation among populations (φst = 0.10, P ≤ 0.001). Pairwise φst and a hierarchical AMOVA (φct = 0.04, P = 0.01) suggest significant genetic differentiation among five regions: (1) northern Kenya, (2) Kenya, Tanzania and western Madagascar, (3) northeastern Madagascar, (4) southern Madagascar and (5) southern Mozambique. Since the analysis of isolation by distance did not show a sig- nificant correlation between geographic distance and genetic differentiation, even though the maximum distance between sites is about 3,050 km (Z = 7,513.89, r = 0.12, P = 0.08), the complex oceanography in the WIO could be the main factor that restricts gene flow.

Os dados estão depositados em Australian Antarctic Data Centre e disponíveis em https://doi.org/10.4225/15/5955d989a1940 Gelatinous zooplankton are a large component of the animal biomass in all marine environments, but are considered to be uncommon in the diet of most marine top predators. However, the diets of key predator groups like seabirds have conventionally been assessed from stomach content analyses, which cannot detect most gelatinous prey. As marine top predators are used to identify changes in the overall species composition of marine ecosystems, such biases in dietary assessment may impact our detection of important ecosystem regime shifts. We investigated albatross diet using DNA metabarcoding of scats to assess the prevalence of gelatinous zooplankton consumption by two albatross species, one of which is used as an indicator species for ecosystem monitoring. Black-browed and Campbell albatross scats were collected from eight breeding colonies covering the circumpolar range of these birds over two consecutive breeding seasons. Fish was the main dietary item at most sites; however, cnidarian DNA, primarily from scyphozoan jellyfish, was present in 42% of samples overall and up to 80% of samples at some sites. Jellyfish was detected during all breeding stages and consumed by adults and chicks. Trawl fishery catches of jellyfish near the Falkland Islands indicate a similar frequency of jellyfish occurrence in albatross diets in years of high and low jellyfish availability, suggesting jellyfish consumption may be selective rather than opportunistic. Warmer oceans and overfishing of finfish are predicted to favour jellyfish population increases, and we demonstrate here that dietary DNA metabarcoding enables measurements of the contribution of gelatinous zooplankton to the diet of marine predators. Australian Antarctic Science; Winifred Violet Scott Charitable Trust; Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Pulau Redang and Pulau Tioman have experienced huge tourism growth over the last two decades, but minimal sewage treatment may threaten the resilience of their coral reefs. This study uses stable isotope techniques to identify suitable bioindicators of sewage nutrients (δ15N) at these islands by measuring macroalgae (Lobophora spp.), gastropods (Drupella spp.), scleractinian coral (Acropora spp.), and leather coral (Sinularia spp.). At tourist hubs using seepage septic tank systems, enrichment of Acropora δ15N (Redang, +0.7‰) and Sinularia δ15N (Tioman, +0.4‰) compared to pristine background levels indicate enhanced sewage nutrient discharge. Carbon isotopes and survey data suggest that sedimentation did not confound these δ15N trends. Potential damaging effects of sewage discharge on the coral reef communities at both islands are highlighted by strong correlations between Acropora δ15N and regional variation in coral reef community structure, and exclusive occurrence of degraded reefs at regions of high sewage influence.

Soil organisms, including earthworms, are a key component of terrestrial ecosystems. However, little is known about their diversity, their distribution, and the threats affecting them. We compiled a global dataset of sampled earthworm communities from 6928 sites in 57 countries as a basis for predicting patterns in earthworm diversity, abundance, and biomass. We found that local species richness and abundance typically peaked at higher latitudes, displaying patterns opposite to those observed in aboveground organisms. However, high species dissimilarity across tropical locations may cause diversity across the entirety of the tropics to be higher than elsewhere. Climate variables were found to be more important in shaping earthworm communities than soil properties or habitat cover. These findings suggest that climate change may have serious implications for earthworm communities and for the functions they provide., 677232 to N.E.). K.S.R. and W.H.v.d.P. were supported by ERC-ADV grant 323020 to W.H.v.d.P. Also supported by iDiv (DFG FZT118) Flexpool proposal 34600850 (C.A.G. and N.E.); the Academy of Finland (285882) and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (postdoctoral fellowship and RGPIN-2019-05758) (E.K.C.); DOB Ecology (T.W.C., J.v.d.H., and D.R.); ERC-AdG 694368 (M.R.); and the TULIP Laboratory of Excellence (ANR-10-LABX-41) (M.L.). In addition, data collection was funded by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (12-04-01538-a, 12-04-01734-a, 14-44-03666-r_center_a, 15-29-02724-ofi_m, 16-04-01878-a 19-05-00245); Tarbiat Modares University; Aurora Organic Dairy; UGC(NERO) (F. 1-6/Acctt./NERO/2007-08/1485); Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (RGPIN-2017-05391); Slovak Research and Development Agency (APVV-0098-12); Science for Global Development through Wageningen University; Norman Borlaug LEAP Programme and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); São Paulo Research Foundation - FAPESP (12/22510-8); Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station; INIA - Spanish Agency (SUM 2006-00012-00-0); Royal Canadian Geographical Society; Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland) (2005-S-LS-8); University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa (HAW01127H; HAW01123M); European Union FP7 (FunDivEurope, 265171); U.S. Department of the Navy, Commander Pacific Fleet (W9126G-13-2-0047); Science and Engineering Research Board (SB/SO/AS-030/2013) Department of Science and Technology, New Delhi, India; Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) of the U.S. Department of Defense (RC-1542); Maranhão State Research Foundation (FAPEMA); Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES); Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic (LTT17033); Colorado Wheat Research Foundation; Zone Atelier Alpes, French National Research Agency (ANR-11-BSV7-020-01, ANR-09-STRA-02-01, ANR 06 BIODIV 009-01); Austrian Science Fund (P16027, T441); Landwirtschaftliche Rentenbank Frankfurt am Main; Welsh Government and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (Project Ref. A AAB 62 03 qA731606); SÉPAQ; Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Finland; Science Foundation Ireland (EEB0061); University of Toronto (Faculty of Forestry); National Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada; Haliburton Forest and Wildlife Reserve; NKU College of Arts and Sciences Grant; Österreichische Forschungsförderungsgesellschaft (837393 and 837426); Mountain Agriculture Research Unit of the University of Innsbruck; Higher Education Commission of Pakistan; Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi, Kerala; UNEP/GEF/TSBF-CIAT Project on Conservation and Sustainable Management of Belowground Biodiversity; Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Finland; Complutense University of Madrid/European Union FP7 project BioBio (FPU UCM 613520); GRDC; AWI; LWRRDC; DRDC; CONICET (National Scientific and Technical Research Council) and FONCyT (National Agency of Scientific and Technological Promotion) (PICT, PAE, PIP), Universidad Nacional de Luján y FONCyT [PICT 2293 (2006)], Fonds de recherche sur la nature et les technologies du Québec (131894), Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft [SCHR1000/3-1, SCHR1000/6-1, 6-2 (FOR 1598), WO 670/7-1, WO 670/7-2, and SCHA 1719/1-2], CONACYT (FONDOS MIXTOS TABASCO/PROYECTO11316); NSF (DGE-0549245, DGE-0549245, DEB-BE-0909452, NSF1241932); Institute for Environmental Science and Policy at the University of Illinois at Chicago; Dean’s Scholar Program at UIC; Garden Club of America Zone VI Fellowship in Urban Forestry from the Casey Tree Endowment Fund; J. E. Weaver Competitive Grant from the Nebraska Chapter of The Nature Conservancy; the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at DePaul University; Elmore Hadley Award for Research in Ecology and Evolution from the UIC Dept. of Biological Sciences; Spanish CICYT (AMB96-1161; REN2000-0783/GLO; REN2003-05553/GLO; REN2003-03989/GLO; CGL2007-60661/BOS); Yokohama National University; MEXT KAKENHI (25220104); Japan Society for the Promotion of Science KAKENHI (25281053, 17KT0074, 25252026); ADEME (0775C0035); Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities of Spain (CGL2017-86926-P); Syngenta Philippines; UPSTREAM; LTSER (Val Mazia/Matschertal); Marie Sklodowska Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship (747607); National Science and Technology Base Resource Survey Project of China (2018FY100306); McKnight Foundation (14-168); Program of Fundamental Researches of Presidium of Russian Academy of Sciences (AAAA-A18-118021490070-5); Brazilian National Council of Research CNPq; and French Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs. Author contributions: H.R.P.P. led the analysis, data curation, and writing of the original manuscript draft. C.A.G. assisted in analyses and writing of the original manuscript draft. E.K.C. and N.E. revised subsequent manuscript drafts. J.v.d.H., D.R., and T.W.C. provided additional analyses. E.K.C., N.E., and M.P.T. acquired funding for the project. J.K., K.B.G., B.S., M.L.C.B., M.J.I.B., and G.B. contributed to data curation. H.R.P.P., C.A.G., M.L.C.B., M.J.I.B., G.B., O.F., A.O., E.M.B., J.B., U.B., T.D., F.T.d.V., B.K.-R., M.L., J.M., C.M., W.H.v.d.P., K.S.R., M.C.R., D.R., M.R., M.P.T., D.H.W., D.A.W., E.K.C., and N.E. contributed to the project conceptualization. All authors reviewed and edited the final draft manuscript. The majority of the authors provided data for the analyses. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests. Data and materials availability: Data and analysis code are available on the iDiv Data repository (DOI: 10.25829/idiv.1804-5-2593) and GitHub (https://github.com/helenphillips/GlobalEWDiversity; DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.3386456).

The study of systematics in wide-ranging seabirds can be challenging due to the vast geographic scales involved, as well as the possible discordance between molecular, morphological and behavioral data. In the Southern Ocean, macaroni penguins (Eudyptes chrysolophus) are distributed over a circumpolar range including populations in Antarctic and sub-Antarctic areas. Macquarie Island, in its relative isolation, is home to a closely related endemic taxon — the royal penguin (Eudyptes schlegeli), which is distinguishable from E. chrysolophus mainly by facial coloration. Although these sister taxa are widely accepted as representing distinct species based on morphological grounds, the extent of their genome-wide differentiation remains uncertain. In this study, we use genome-wide Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms to test genetic differentiation between these geographically isolated taxa and evaluate the main drivers of population structure among breeding colonies of macaroni/royal penguins. Genetic similarity observed between macaroni and royal penguins suggests they constitute a single evolutionary unit. Nevertheless, royal penguins exhibited a tendency to cluster only with macaroni individuals from Kerguelen Island, suggesting that dispersal occurs mainly between these neighboring colonies. A stepping stone model of differentiation of macaroni/royal populations was further supported by a strong pattern of isolation by distance detected across its whole distribution range, possibly driven by large geographic distances between colonies as well as natal philopatry. However, we also detected intraspecific genomic differentiation between Antarctic and sub-Antarctic populations of macaroni penguins, highlighting the role of environmental factors together with geographic distance in the processes of genetic differentiation between Antarctic and sub-Antarctic waters.

15 pages, 7 figures, 2 tables, supplementary material, Speciation through homoploid hybridization (HHS) is considered extremely rare in animals. This is mainly because the establishment of reproductive isolation as a product of hybridization is uncommon. Additionally, many traits are underpinned by polygeny and/or incomplete dominance, where the hybrid phenotype is an additive blend of parental characteristics. Phenotypically intermediate hybrids are usually at a fitness disadvantage compared with parental species and tend to vanish through backcrossing with parental population(s). It is therefore unknown whether the additive nature of hybrid traits in itself could lead successfully to HHS. Using a multi-marker genetic data set and a meta-analysis of diet and morphology, we investigated a potential case of HHS in the prions (Pachyptila spp.), seabirds distinguished by their bills, prey choice, and timing of breeding. Using approximate Bayesian computation, we show that the medium-billed Salvin’s prion (Pachyptila salvini) could be a hybrid between the narrow-billed Antarctic prion (Pachyptila desolata) and broad-billed prion (Pachyptila vittata). Remarkably, P. salvini’s intermediate bill width has given it a feeding advantage with respect to the other Pachyptila species, allowing it to consume a broader range of prey, potentially increasing its fitness. Available metadata showed that P. salvini is also intermediate in breeding phenology and, with no overlap in breeding times, it is effectively reproductively isolated from either parental species through allochrony. These results provide evidence for a case of HHS in nature, and show for the first time that additivity of divergent parental traits alone can lead directly to increased hybrid fitness and reproductive isolation, This work was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (Germany), Heisenberg program (grant number DFG, Qu 148-5 to P.Q.), a CGS award from the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), the Institut Polaire Français Paul Emile Victor (Programme N°109, to H.W.), the Terres Australes et Antarctiques Françaises (Kerguelen), Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund and the Brian Mason Scientific and Technical Trust (Chatham Islands)

The protection of marine biodiversity is considered a global priority, as exemplified in the Convention on Biological Diversity's Aichi targets and in Sustainable Development Goal 14. Marine protected areas (MPAs) are considered to be effective conservation and fisheries management tools that generate various ecological and social-economic benefits. MPAs come in all types and sizes, and are managed following different principles, users' needs, and preferences. Madagascar's unique marine biodiversity is currently protected under a range of MPA regimes that emerged comparatively recently, long after the terrestrial protected areas. This study describes the historical outline of the MPA development process in Madagascar, and proposes inputs for the future management of MPAs. A policy arrangement approach to structure an iterative Delphi survey was used to analyse how discourse, actors, rules and resources have shaped MPA development in Madagascar. The findings suggest that international initiatives and funding have played a key role in the early days of MPA emergence, while currently co-management between governmental and non-governmental actors shows mixed results regarding conservation effectiveness. Challenges include a better coordination of efforts among various stakeholders, granting a large responsibility to local communities, e.g. in the successful locally managed marine areas (LMMAs), and integrating customary law into the set of regulations for marine conservation and sustainable management in Madagascar.

Aim: To test hypothesized biogeographic partitions of the tropical Indo-Pacific Ocean with phylogeographic data from 56 taxa, and to evaluate the strength and nature of barriers emerging from this test. Location: The Indo-Pacific Ocean. Time period: Pliocene through the Holocene. Major taxa studied: Fifty-six marine species. Methods: We tested eight biogeographic hypotheses for partitioning of the Indo-Pacific using a novel modification to analysis of molecular variance. Putative barriers to gene flow emerging from this analysis were evaluated for pairwise ΦST, and these ΦST distributions were compared to distributions from randomized datasets and simple coalescent simulations of vicariance arising from the Last Glacial Maximum. We then weighed the relative contribution of distance versus environmental or geographic barriers to pairwise ΦST with a distance-based redundancy analysis (dbRDA). Results: We observed a diversity of outcomes, although the majority of species fit a few broad biogeographic regions. Repeated coalescent simulation of a simple vicariance model yielded a wide distribution of pairwise ΦST that was very similar to empirical distributions observed across five putative barriers to gene flow. Three of these barriers had median ΦST that were significantly larger than random expectation. Only 21 of 52 species analysed with dbRDA rejected the null model. Among these, 15 had overwater distance as a significant predictor of pairwise ΦST, while 11 were significant for geographic or environmental barriers other than distance. Main conclusions: Although there is support for three previously described barriers, phylogeographic discordance in the Indo-Pacific Ocean indicates incongruity between processes shaping the distributions of diversity at the species and population levels. Among the many possible causes of this incongruity, genetic drift provides the most compelling explanation: given massive effective population sizes of Indo-Pacific species, even hard vicariance for tens of thousands of years can yield ΦSTvalues that range from 0 to nearly 0.5.

Neotropical sipo snakes (Chironius) are large diurnal snakes with a long tail and big eyes that differ from other Neotropical snakes in having 10 or 12 dorsal scale rows at midbody. The 22 currently recognized species occur from Central America south to Uruguay and northeastern Argentina. Based on the largest geographical sampling to date including ∼90% of all species, we analyzed one nuclear and three mitochondrial genes using phylogenetic methods to (1) test the monophyly of Chironius and some of its widely distributed species; (2) identify lineages that could represent undescribed species; and (3) reconstruct ancestral distributions. Our best hypothesis placed C. grandisquamis (Chocoan Rainforest) + C. challenger (Pantepui) as sister to all other species. Based on phylogeny and geographic distribution, we identified 14 subclades as putative species within Chironius fuscus, C. multiventris (including C. foveatus and C. laurenti), C. monticola, and C. exoletus. Under current taxonomy, these species show nearly twice as much genetic diversity as other species of Chironius for ND4. Biogeographical analyses using BioGeoBEARS suggest that current distribution patterns of Chironius species across South America resulted from multiple range expansions. The MRCA of the clade C. challenger + C. grandisquamis was most likely distributed over the Pantepui region, the Andes, and the Chocoan Rainforest, whereas the remaining lineages probably evolved from an Amazonian ancestor.

Made available in DSpace on 2019-10-04T12:36:27Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2019-01-01 Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) Guyana Environmental Protection Agency Agencia Nacional de Promocion Cientifica y Tecnologica (ANPCyT) Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) Fonds voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek Vlaanderen Belgian Directorate-General for Development Cooperation King Leopold III Fund for Nature Exploration and Conservation National Science Foundation National Geographic The non-monophyly of both the genus Myersiohyla and the Boana punctata group has been recovered in a number of published phylogenetic analyses. In this paper we report on the analysis of sequences of Boana liliae, a species originally assigned to the B. punctata group, in a dataset of Cophomantini that recovered novel phylogenetic relationships for this hylid tribe. Our results reveal Myersiohyla to be paraphyletic with respect to B. liliae. Support for the placement of Myersiohyla kanaima is poor, but this taxon is recovered as the sister taxon of the other Cophomantini genera (excluding Myersiohyla) or as the sister taxon of the remaining species of Myersiohyla (including B. liliae). These results lead us to propose two taxonomic changes in order to remedy the paraphyly of Myersiohyla: (1) a new genus is described for M. kanaima, and (2) Boana liliae is transferred to Myersiohyla. We further provide notes on the natural history and vocalizations of the new monotypic genus, a new diagnosis of the former B. liliae in the context of Myersiohyla, and discuss the evolution of tadpole morphology and biogeography of the earlier diverging clades of Cophomantini. Univ Estadual Paulista, Dept Zool, Lab Herpetol, Av 24A 1515, BR-13506900 Rio Claro, SP, Brazil Univ Estadual Paulista, Inst Biociencias, Ctr Aquicultura, Av 24A 1515, BR-13506900 Rio Claro, SP, Brazil Vrije Univ Brussel, Biol Dept, Amphibian Evolut Lab, Pleinlaan 2, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium Univ Mississippi, Box 1848, University, MS 38677 USA Coastal Plains Inst & Land Conservancy, 1313 Milton St, Tallahassee, FL 32303 USA Florida State Univ, Dept Biol Sci, Tallahassee, FL 32306 USA Consejo Nacl Invest Cient & Tecn, Museo Argentino Ciencias Nat Bernardino Rivadavia, Div Herpetol, Angel Gallardo 470,C1405DJR, Buenos Aires, DF, Argentina Univ Buenos Aires, Fac Ciencias Exactas & Nat, Dept Biodiversidad & Biol Expt, Buenos Aires, DF, Argentina Univ Estadual Paulista, Dept Zool, Lab Herpetol, Av 24A 1515, BR-13506900 Rio Claro, SP, Brazil Univ Estadual Paulista, Inst Biociencias, Ctr Aquicultura, Av 24A 1515, BR-13506900 Rio Claro, SP, Brazil CNPq: 158681/2013-4 Guyana Environmental Protection Agency: 100703BR009 Guyana Environmental Protection Agency: 011206BR065 Guyana Environmental Protection Agency: 120707BR075 Guyana Environmental Protection Agency: 061212BR020 Agencia Nacional de Promocion Cientifica y Tecnologica (ANPCyT): PICT 2013-404, 2015-820 FAPESP: 2012/10000-5 FAPESP: 2013/50741-7 Fonds voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek Vlaanderen: FWO12A7614N/FWO12A7617N National Science Foundation: DEB-0206562 National Geographic: 7509-03

The identification of research questions with high relevance for biodiversity conservation is an important step towards designing more effective policies and management actions, and to better allocate funding among alternative conservation options. However, the identification of priority questions may be influenced by regional differences in biodiversity threats and social contexts, and to variations in the perceptions and interests of different stakeholders. Here we describe the results of a prioritization exercise involving six types of stakeholders from the Mediterranean biome, which includes several biodiversity hotspots spread across five regions of the planet (Europe, Africa, North and South America, and Australia). We found great heterogeneity across regions and stakeholder types in the priority topics identified and disagreement among the priorities of research scientists and other stakeholders. However, governance, climate change, and public participation issues were key topics in most regions. We conclude that the identification of research priorities should be targeted in a way that integrates the spectrum of stakeholder interests, potential funding sources and regional needs, and that further development of interdisciplinary studies is required. The key questions identified here provide a basis to identify priorities for research funding aligned with biodiversity conservation needs in this biome. AFB, Grant/Award Number: 17008; Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Grant/Award Number: IF/01053/2015; National Research Foundation Incentive Funding, Grant/Award Number: 103841; REN Biodiversity Chair; EDP Biodiversity Chair; COMPETE, Grant/Award Number: PTDC/AAG‐MAA/2261/2014 POCI‐01‐0145‐FEDER‐356 016824; The Society for Conservation Biology

Climate shifts are key drivers of ecosystem change. Despite the critical importance of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean for global climate, the extent of climate-driven ecological change in this region remains controversial. In particular, the biological effects of changing sea ice conditions are poorly understood. We hypothesize that rapid postglacial reductions in sea ice drove biological shifts across multiple widespread Southern Ocean species. We test for demographic shifts driven by climate events over recent millennia by analyzing population genomic datasets spanning 3 penguin genera ( Eudyptes , Pygoscelis , and Aptenodytes ). Demographic analyses for multiple species (macaroni/royal, eastern rockhopper, Adélie, gentoo, king, and emperor) currently inhabiting southern coastlines affected by heavy sea ice conditions during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) yielded genetic signatures of near-simultaneous population expansions associated with postglacial warming. Populations of the ice-adapted emperor penguin are inferred to have expanded slightly earlier than those of species requiring ice-free terrain. These concerted high-latitude expansion events contrast with relatively stable or declining demographic histories inferred for 4 penguin species (northern rockhopper, western rockhopper, Fiordland crested, and Snares crested) that apparently persisted throughout the LGM in ice-free habitats. Limited genetic structure detected in all ice-affected species across the vast Southern Ocean may reflect both rapid postglacial colonization of subantarctic and Antarctic shores, in addition to recent genetic exchange among populations. Together, these analyses highlight dramatic, ecosystem-wide responses to past Southern Ocean climate change and suggest potential for further shifts as warming continues.

The Northern Mozambique Channel is a treasure of unique oceanography, rich coral reefs, migrating tuna, and whales, bounded by the Comoros, France, Madagascar, Mozambique, Seychelles, and Tanzania. Its living resources are relatively intact and of great importance for food and livelihood security and the developing economies of its surrounding countries. It holds newly discovered natural gas fields of global importance that could fuel unprecedented development pressure, and its 10 million coastal population could grow an order of magnitude by the turn of the century. With these immense pressures against the backdrop of rapid climate change, effective governance across different sectors and among countries will be essential to maintain the region's natural capital and deliver on the promise of sustainable development and “blue economy” subscribed by the surrounding countries. This chapter outlines some of the novel ocean management and governance approaches that may provide the best chance to deliver on a prosperous future.

Hybridization can leave genealogical signatures in an organism's genome, originating from the parental lineages and persisting over time. This potentially confounds phylogenetic inference methods that aim to represent evolution as a strictly bifurcating tree. We apply a phylotranscriptomic approach to study the evolutionary history of, and test for inter-lineage introgression in the Salamandridae, a Holarctic salamanders group of interest in studies of toxicity and aposematism, courtship behavior, and molecular evolution. Although the relationships between the 21 currently recognized salamandrid genera have been the subject of numerous molecular phylogenetic studies, some branches have remained controversial and sometimes affected by discordances between mitochondrial vs. nuclear trees. To resolve the phylogeny of this family, and understand the source of mito-nuclear discordance, we generated new transcriptomic (RNAseq) data for 20 salamandrids and used these along with published data, including 28 mitochondrial genomes, to obtain a comprehensive nuclear and mitochondrial perspective on salamandrid evolution. Our final phylotranscriptomic data set included 5455 gene alignments for 40 species representing 17 of the 21 salamandrid genera. Using concatenation and species-tree phylogenetic methods, we find (1) Salamandrina sister to the clade of the “True Salamanders” (consisting of Chioglossa, Mertensiella, Lyciasalamandra, and Salamandra), (2) Ichthyosaura sister to the Near Eastern genera Neurergus and Ommatotriton, (3) Triturus sister to Lissotriton, and (4) Cynops paraphyletic with respect to Paramesotriton and Pachytriton. Combining introgression tests and phylogenetic networks, we find evidence for introgression among taxa within the clades of “Modern Asian Newts” and “Modern European Newts”. However, we could not unambiguously identify the number, position, and direction of introgressive events. Combining evidence from nuclear gene analysis with the observed mito-nuclear phylogenetic discordances, we hypothesize a scenario with hybridization and mitochondrial capture among ancestral lineages of (1) Lissotriton into Ichthyosaura and (2) Triturus into Calotriton, plus introgression of nuclear genes from Triturus into Lissotriton. Furthermore, both mitochondrial capture and nuclear introgression may have occurred among lineages assigned to Cynops. More comprehensive genomic data will, in the future, allow testing this against alternative scenarios involving hybridization with other, extinct lineages of newts., LR, MH and MVen were supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (grant VE247/16-1 – HO 3492/6-1) in the framework of the “TaxonOmics” priority program. II was supported by a Juan de la Cierva Incorporación postdoctoral fellowship (IJCI-2016- 29566) from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiviness (MINECO). ES was supported by the Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD).

Background Differences in species richness among phylogenetic clades are attributed to clade age and/or variation in diversification rates. Access to ecological opportunity may trigger a temporary increase in diversification rates and ecomorphological variation. In addition, lower body temperatures in poikilothermic animals may result in decreasing speciation rates as proposed by the metabolic theory of ecology. For strictly freshwater organisms, environmental gradients within a river continuum, linked to elevation and temperature, might promote access to ecological opportunity and alter metabolic rates, eventually influencing speciation and extinction processes. To test these hypotheses, we investigated the influence of environmental temperature and elevation, as proxies for body temperature and ecological opportunity, respectively, on speciation rates and ecomorphological divergence. As model systems served two closely related gastropod genera with unequal species richness and habitat preferences – Pseudamnicola and Corrosella. Results Lineage-through-time plots and Bayesian macroevolutionary modeling evidenced that Pseudamnicola species, which typically live in lower reaches of rivers, displayed significantly elevated speciation rates in comparison to the ‘headwater genus’ Corrosella. Moreover, state-dependent speciation models suggested that the speciation rate increased with decreasing elevation, supporting the ecological opportunity hypothesis. In contrast, a significant effect of environmental temperature, as proposed by the metabolic theory of ecology, could not be observed. Disparity-through-time plots, models of ecomorphological evolution, and ancestral habitat estimation showed for Pseudamnicola species rapid morphological divergence shortly after periods of elevational and habitat divergence. In contrast, Corrosella species did not deviate from null models of drift-like evolution. Conclusion Our finding that speciation rates are correlated with elevation and ecomorphological disparity but not with environmental temperatures suggests that differences in ecological opportunity may have played a key role in Corrosella and Pseudamnicola diversifications. We propose that Pseudamnicola lineages experienced higher ecological opportunity through dispersal to new locations or habitats in lowlands, which may explain the increase in speciation rates and morphological change. In contrast, the evolution of Corrosella in headwaters is likely less facilitated by the environment and more by non-ecological processes. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12862-018-1169-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Aim: The aim of this study was to test historical and contemporary influences on population structure in the giant clams, Tridacna maxima (Roding, 1798) and T. crocea (Lamarck, 1819). To refine the location of clade boundaries within a newly resurrected species, Tridacna noae (Roding, 1798). Location: Indo-Australian archipelago, including Indonesia, the Philippines, Australia, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Republic of Kiribati, the Line Islands and Taiwan. Methods: We used isolation-migration (IMa) coalescent models and distance-based redundancy analyses (dbRDA) to test the relative influence of barriers and continuous distances on historical divergence, gene flow and population structure of T. maxima and T. crocea. Continuous metrics of distance included present-day and Last Glacial Maximum overwater distances along with probability of larval dispersal (LD) among sampling sites. We combined new mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (mtDNA COI) sequences with existing data to compile the largest data set of these species yet analysed. Results: The Pleistocene land barriers of the Sunda Shelf and Torres Strait were associated with old (>0.5 Myr) divergence times. The western and eastern boundaries of the Halmahera Eddy were also locations of significant, but more recent, divergence. No gene flow was detected across any of the four barriers tested. Larval dispersal distances between sampling sites were significant predictors of T. crocea population structure, accounting for differentiation above and beyond the contribution of barriers. We further delineated the species range of T. noae and showed that its two known clades are sympatric in central Indonesia. Main conclusions: The strong signature of historical barriers on genetic differentiation argues against the assumption that Indo-Pacific Tridacna are open meta-populations. Despite similar life histories, T. maxima and T. crocea differ in their mtDNA population structure. The widespread species (T. maxima) exhibits population structure linked solely with historical factors, whereas T. crocea's population structure reflects both historical factors and LD distances.

In this contribution, we determine the genetic population structure in the Skunk Clownfish (Amphiprion akallopsisos) across the Indian Ocean, and on a smaller geographic scale in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO). Highly restricted gene flow was discovered between populations on either side of the Indian Ocean using the control region as a mitochondrial marker (mtDNA). We verify this conclusion using 13 microsatellite markers and infer fine scale genetic structuring within the WIO. In total 387 samples from 21 sites were analysed using mtDNA and 13 microsatellite loci. Analysis included estimation of genetic diversity and population differentiation. A haplotype network was inferred using mtDNA. Nuclear markers were used in Bayesian clustering and a principal component analysis. Both markers confirmed strong genetic differentiation between WIO and Eastern Indian Ocean (EIO) populations, and a shallower population structure among Malagasy and East African mainland populations. Limited gene flow across the Mozambique Channel may be explained by its complex oceanography, which could cause local retention of larvae, limiting dispersal between Madagascar and the East African coast. Two other potential current-mediated barriers to larval dispersal suggested in the WIO, the split of the SEC at approximately 10° S and the convergence of the Somali Current with the East African Coast Current at approximately 3° S, were not found to form a barrier to gene flow in this species.

Populations of the clown anemonefish in Spermonde Archipelago, one of the main collection sites for ornamental fish in Indonesia, are potentially overfished, which might lead to a reduction in population size and genetic diversity. Loss of genetic diversity can reduce the adaptability, population persistence and productivity of the targeted species. Therefore, a study investigating the genetic diversity and its potential correlation to population densities of A. ocellaris was conducted. Two islands were chosen as study sites that differed in the degree of exploitation. Barrang Lompo has a high fishing pressure, whereas Samalona has less. Underwater visual censuses showed that population densities in Samalona were threefold higher than in Barrang Lompo (p = 0.005). Analysis of eight microsatellite loci in 364 tissue samples of A. ocellaris revealed that genetic diversity (numbers of alleles, private alleles, and allelic richness) was significantly reduced at the island with high fishing pressure. Allelic richness was also positively correlated with fish density (p < 0.05). These results indicate that ornamental fishery might be a factor contributing to the loss of genetic diversity in A. ocellaris. Therefore, the marine ornamental trade in Spermonde Archipelago needs to be managed (e.g., management of the fishing strategy, implementation of marine protected areas, regular monitoring, and quota determination). Otherwise the populations of A. ocellaris might collapse.

Benthic habitat composition is a key factor that structures assemblages of coral reef fishes. However, natural and anthropogenic induced disturbances impact this relationship. This study investigates the link between benthic habitat composition and fish functional groups in four countries in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO). Benthic composition of 32 sites was quantified visually from percentage cover of hard and soft corals, rubble, turf, fleshy and crustose coralline algae. At each site, abundance of 12 coral-associated fish functional groups in 50 × 5 m transects was determined. Cluster analysis characterized reefs based on benthic cover and revealed five habitat types (A, B, C, D and E) typified by decreasing cover of hard corals, increasing cover of turf and/or fleshy algae and differences in benthic diversity. Habitat type A was present in all four countries. Other habitats types showed geographic affiliations: notably Comoros sites clustered in either habitats B or E, northern Madagascar had B, C and D type habitats, whereas sites in central Tanzania and northern Mozambique had habitats D and E. Fish functional groups showed significant linkages with some habitat types. The abundances of corallivores, invertivores, detritivores and grazers were higher in habitat B, whereas planktivores and small excavators showed lower abundances in the same habitat. These linkages between benthic habitat types and fish functional groups are important in informing priority reefs that require conservation and management planning.

A large portion of the amphibian species occurring in Amazonia remains undescribed. A recent study on species delineation in Anomaloglossus , a genus endemic to the Guiana Shield, demonstrated the existence of two undescribed species previously identified as A. degranvillei , which we describe herein. In addition to divergence at the molecular level, these two new taxa are also distinguished by subtle morphological characters and substantial differences in the advertisement calls (note length, dominant frequency, note structure). One species occurs in the hilly lowlands of north-eastern French Guiana and is mainly distinguished from its closest relatives by a small body size (15.9–18.8 mm in males) and by vocalisations characterized by the emission of short notes of 0.09 s on average. The other species is only known from the Itoupe Massif in southern French Guiana and is mainly distinguished from its closest relatives by a moderate body size (19.4–20.4 mm in males) and by vocalisations characterized by the emission of long notes of 0.23 s on average. We also provide amended definitions for two previously described species in the A. degranvillei species group: A. degranvillei , which is endemic to a few massifs in central French Guiana, and A. surinamensis , which is distributed throughout Suriname and French Guiana. The new species described here and A. degranvillei have very narrow ranges within French Guiana and seem to have rapidly declined during the last decade. Therefore, we suggest A. degranvillei and A. dewynteri to be considered as “Critically Endangered” and A. blanci as “Vulnerable” according to the IUCN standards.

The frog Pristimantis marmoratus was originally described as Hylodes marmoratus by George A. Boulenger in 1900 based on a single specimen reported to have been collected at the foot of Mount Roraima in Guyana in 1898. We herein discuss the exact location of the type locality of P. marmoratus and provide a redescription of the species based on new material from Kaieteur National Park and from the slopes of Maringma-tepui in Guyana. We also describe the previously unknown vocalization and breeding ecology of the species, and conducted an exploratory molecular analysis of the phylogenetic relationships within the genus Pristimantis represented by the members of the “unistrigatus species group” in the Guiana Shield. Pristimantis marmoratus is a small-sized species mainly distinguished from its known Guiana Shield congeners by the combination of F I < II, SVL ≤ 20.4 in males, presence of vocal slits in males, granular/pustulate dorsal skin with well-developed scapular ridges, basal webbing between fingers, fringes on fingers and toes, crossed iris, diffuse yellow or pale green wash on groin, and absence of flashy colour on axillary/pre-axillary region. The advertisement call consists of a single note repeated at a rate of ca 11 calls/min with a dominant frequency ranging from 2756 to 3101 Hz. Pristimantis marmoratus is primarily arboreal, exclusively active at dusk, and probably restricted to the pristine rainforests of the Pantepui uplands and highlands, east of the Gran Sabana between ca 600 and 1800 m above sea level. Preliminary molecular analyses recovered Pristimantis marmoratus as sister to an unnamed species from the Eastern Guiana Shield. On grounds of the newly established distributional extent we suggest maintaining the IUCN conservation status as Least Concern.

Recent extinctions and drastic population declines have been documented in the Guiana Shield endemic frog genusAnomaloglossus, hence the importance to resolve its alpha-taxonomy. Based on molecular phylogenies, the literature has long reported the occurrence of an undescribed species in the Pakaraima Mountains of Guyana in the Pantepui region. We here describe this new taxon and demonstrate that in addition to divergence at the molecular level the new species differs from congeners by a unique combination of morphological characters, notably a small size (maximum SVL in males 18.86 mm, maximum SVL in females 21.26 mm), Finger I = Finger II when fingers adpressed, Finger III swollen in breeding males, fringes on fingers absent, toes basally webbed but lacking fringes, in life presence of a thin dorsolateral stripe from tip of snout to tip of urostyle, and a black throat in preserved males (immaculate cream in females). Virtually nothing is known about the ecology of the new species. We suggest the new species to be considered as Data Deficient according to IUCN standards.

This study investigates the genetic population structure and connectivity of Acanthurus triostegus in five Indo-Pacific biogeographic regions (western and eastern Indian Ocean, western, central and eastern Pacific Ocean), using a mitochondrial DNA marker spanning the ATPase8 and ATPase6 gene regions. In order to assess the phylogeography and genetic population structure of A. triostegus across its range, 35 individuals were sampled from five localities in the western Indian Ocean and complemented with 227 sequences from two previous studies. Results from the overall analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) without a priori grouping showed evidence of significant differentiation in the Indo-Pacific, with 25 (8.3%) out of 300 pairwise ΦST comparisons being significant. However, the hierarchical AMOVA grouping of Indian and Pacific Ocean populations failed to support the vicariance hypothesis, showing a lack of a genetic break between the two ocean basins. Instead, the correlation between pairwise ΦST values and geographic distance showed that dispersal of A. triostegus in the Indo-Pacific Ocean follows an isolation-by-distance model. Three haplogroups could be deduced from the haplotype network and phylogenetic tree, with haplogroup 1 and 2 dominating the Indian and the Pacific Ocean, respectively, while haplogroup 3 exclusively occurring in the Hawaiian Archipelago of the central Pacific Ocean.

The gymnophthalmid lizard genus Neusticurus Duméril and Bibron, 1839 currently contains six described species. One of them, Neusticurus rudis Boulenger, 1900 has a long history of taxonomic confusion, and uncertainty remains about the number of species involved under that name, especially in the Pantepui region. Our molecular phylogenetic (concatenation and species tree) and morphological (morphometrics, external and hemipenial morphology) analyses confirm Neusticurus rudis as a species complex with several candidate species in the eastern Pantepui region. Neusticurus rudis is here redescribed based on the re-examination of the holotype and 10 specimens from the vicinity of the type locality (ca. 15 km airline) in Guyana. The geographic distribution of N. rudis sensu stricto is restricted to east of the Venezuelan Gran Sabana, extending from the slopes of Mount Roraima in Venezuela through the slopes of Maringma-tepui and Wayalayeng to Mount Ayanganna in Guyana, between 678 and 1500 m elevation. Populations tentatively assigned to N. rudis also occur from Mount Wokomung in the Pakaraima Mountains of Guyana to the Iwokrama Forest Reserve in Guyana, between 159 and 1234 m elevation. A new Neusticurus species is described from the uplands and highlands of the eastern Pantepui region, west of the Venezuelan Gran Sabana in Brazil and Venezuela, between 900 and 2200 m elevation. Populations provisionally assigned to the new species were also found from the La Escalera region to Chivatón, the summit of Abakapá-tepui and the slopes and summit of Auyán-tepui, Venezuela, between 1100 and 2203 m elevation. Our results suggest the Gran Sabana as a possible recent biogeographical barrier for the genus in the region and indicate that tepui-summit Neusticurus populations derive from uplands populations that shifted their habitat preference. www.zoobank.org/lsid:zoobank.org:pub:33DCF862-11CF-4FD0-B4D6-706E2C6A339E.

DNA barcoding has been successfully applied to a very large number of taxa, but remains problematic for basal diploblasts, and debates about suitable molecular markers are ongoing. Sea anemones (Anthozoa: Hexacorallia: Actiniaria) populate most any marine environment and often play an ir- replaceable role as hosts to other animals. Three genetic markers were tested to assess their utility for molecular species identification in members of the Actiniaria, namely the cyto- chrome oxidase subunit I (COI), a COI Intron with a Homing Endonuclease Gene (HEG), and the Internal Transcribed Spacer II (ITS II). Both the power of COI and the COI Intron to distinguish species is limited by events of very low inter-specific sequence differences and not by high intra- specific diversity. This finding implies that more comprehen- sive taxon sampling will not resolve this problem and other markers need to be investigated in several families. Results should discourage the use of ITS II as alternative to COI for barcoding in Actiniarians, since it shows similar limitations to COI.

The coastal population in East Africa is grow- ing rapidly but sewage treatment and recycling facilities in major cities and towns are poorly developed. Since estuarine mangroves are the main hotspots for pollut- ants, there is a potential for contaminants to accumulate in edible fauna and threaten public health. This study analysed trace metals in muscle tissues of the giant mud crabs (Scylla serrata) and the giant tiger prawns (Penaeus monodon) from the Tanzanian coast, in order to determine the extent of bioaccumulation and public health risks. A total of 180 samples of muscle tissues of S. serrata and 80 of P. monodon were collected from nine sites along the coast. Both species showed high levels of trace metals in the wet season and significant bioaccumulation of As, Cu and Zn. Due to their burrowing and feeding habits, mud crabs were more contaminated compared to tiger prawns sampled from the same sites. Apart from that, the measured levels of Cd, Cr and Pb did not exceed maximum limits for human consumption. Based on the current trend of fish consumption in Tanzania (7.7 kg/person/year), the mea- sured elements (As, Cd, Co, Cu, Mn, Pb and Zn) are not likely to present health risks to shellfish consumers. Nevertheless, potential risks of As and Cu cannot be ruled out if the average per capita consumption is exceeded. This calls for strengthened waste manage- ment systems and pollution control measures.

The skunk clownfish (Amphiprion akallopisos) has a disjunct distribution, occurring in the Eastern Indian Ocean (EIO) and the Western Indian Ocean (WIO), separated by several thousands of kilometres. Information on connectivity of marine species is very important for the correct spacing of marine protected areas, a powerful instrument for the protection of coral reefs. The population genetic structure of A. akallopisos was analysed in order to investigate connectivity amongst populations and to explain the disjunct distribution of the species. A fragment of the mitochondrial control region was used to investigate the genetic population structure. Fin clips were collected from 263 individuals at 14 sites in the WIO and three sites in the EIO. The obtained DNA sequences were used to calculate genetic diversity, evaluate demographic history and to construct a haplotype network. An analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) was conducted to evaluate the significance of the observed genetic population structure. None of the identified 69 haplotypes was shared between the WIO and EIO. Haplotype as well as nucleotide diversity was considerably higher in the EIO than in the WIO. Significant genetic population structure was revealed by an AMOVA with an overall φst-value of 0.28 (P < 0.001) in the Indian Ocean. The overall AMOVA (φst = −0.00652) was not significant in the EIO, but was significant in the WIO (φst = 0.016; P < 0.01). Demographic analysis indicated population expansion in the EIO and WIO. Population genetic analysis revealed highly restricted gene flow between the EIO and WIO. Genetic diversity was much higher in the EIO than in the WIO, suggesting that the EIO is the geographical origin of the species. Given the large distance between the disjunct populations and the short pelagic larval duration, long-distance dispersal is rather unlikely. A stepping stone model involving islands in the Central Indian Ocean is a more likely scenario for colonization of the WIO.

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is a single, usually non-recombining locus, and often uniparentally inherited. Therefore, its ability to reveal recent gene flow among populations is usually questioned. In this study, the genetic population structure of 16 populations of Tridacna crocea (n = 366) from the Indo-Malay Archipelago (IMA) was examined with 10 microsatellite markers and compared to previous studies using mtDNA, in order to test if the revealed population structure was congruent between the two marker systems. The results showed that the genetic population structure revealed by the two marker systems was mostly congruent, with a high correlation between cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and microsatellites. The studied populations could be divided by both marker systems as follows: (i) Eastern Indian Ocean, (ii) Central IMA, and (iii) Western Pacific. Populations in the Central IMA showed high gene flow. However, populations in the Java Sea (Karimunjava, Pulau Seribu) were grouped into a separate cluster by mtDNA analysis, while this grouping was not detected by microsatellites. It was also noteworthy that there is obvious heterozygosity deficiency in most of the populations, which may be caused by null alleles, inbreeding or population expansion. Overall, these results indicate that the mitochondrial COI gene is applicable for population genetic analysis and precise recovery of connectivity patterns of giant clams. Therefore, the combination of mtDNA and nuclear DNA markers can lead to a more complete understanding of population genetics. Moreover, this study is expected to facilitate fully displaying the population genetic structure of giant clams combining with other researchers' results.

In tropical coastal ecosystems mangrove forests are important as feeding, spawning, breeding and nursery grounds for many marine species. High human population pressure in coastal areas has led to the loss and deterioration of mangrove habitats. Solar salt production can affect these habitats along the East African coast. Littorinid snails live on mangrove trees, forming an important component of the mangrove ecosystem and have been used as bioindicators of environmental health and community stress. Littoraria subvittata is the most abundant littorinid species in mangroves along the East African coast. Partial mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI) gene sequences of 298 individuals were used to assess the impact of mangrove deforestation at salt ponds on the genetic diversity and structuring of L. subvittata populations, as well as to infer the demographic history of the species. Nucleotide and haplotype diversities were found to be lower in samples from mangroves at salt ponds than in samples from natural mangroves. The mean nucleotide diversity was 0.049 ± 0.036% and 0.115 ± 0.068% in mangroves at salt ponds and natural mangroves, respectively. The mean haplotype diversity was 0.23 ± 0.14 and 0.50 ± 0.14 in mangroves at salt ponds and natural mangroves, respectively. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) detected a significant population structure (Фst = 0.049; P < 0.0001) for the combined populations. Hierarchical AMOVA detected a significant population genetic structure only between populations from mangroves at salt ponds and natural mangroves (Φct = 0.022; P < 0.05), but not between any other groupings. Populations from natural mangrove sites showed a significant genetic structure (Фst = 0.054, P < 0.0001), while populations from sites at salt ponds could not be differentiated (Фst = −0.0026, P = 0.64). Reduced effective population size was observed in most samples from mangrove sites at salt ponds compared with natural mangrove. The direction of migrants was mostly from salt ponds to natural mangroves. These results show that salt ponds have a negative impact on the genetic diversity of L. subvittata populations and modify the population's genetic structure.

The fiddler crab Austruca occidentalis is a dominant species in mangrove forests along the East African coast. It enhances soil aeration and, through its engineering activities, makes otherwise-inaccessible food available for other marine organisms. Despite its importance, the habitat of A. occidentalis is threatened by human activities. Clearing the mangroves for salt farming and selective logging of mangroves trees continue to jeopardise mangrove ecosystems in the Western Indian Ocean. This study aims to use partial mitochondrial COI gene sequences and nuclear microsatellites to determine whether salt farming activities in mangroves have a negative impact on the genetic diversity and gene flow of A. occidentalis collected along the Tanzania coast. The level of genetic diversity for both mitochondrial DNA and nuclear microsatellites are relatively lower in samples from salt ponds compared to natural mangrove sites. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) among all populations showed low but significant differentiation (COI: Fst = 0.022, P < 0.05; microsatellites: Fst = 0.022, P < 0.001). A hierarchical AMOVA indicates lower but significant genetic differentiation among populations from salt ponds and natural mangroves sites (COI: Fct = 0.033, P < 0.05; microsatellites: Fct = 0.018, P = < 0.01). These results indicate that salt farming has a significant negative impact on the genetic diversity of A. occidentalis. Since higher genetic diversity contributes to a stable population, restoring the cleared habitats might be the most effective measures for the conservation of genetic diversity and hence adaptive potential to environmental change in this species.

Science-based strategies to tackle biological invasions depend on recent, accurate, well-documented, standardized and openly accessible information on alien species. Currently and historically, biodiversity data are scattered in numerous disconnected data silos that lack interoperability. The situation is no different for alien species data, and this obstructs efficient retrieval, combination, and use of these kinds of information for research and policy-making. Standardization and interoperability are particularly important as many alien species related research and policy activities require pooling data. We describe seven ways that data on alien species can be made more accessible and useful, based on the results of a European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) workshop: (1) Create data management plans; (2) Increase interoperability of information sources; (3) Document data through metadata; (4) Format data using existing standards; (5) Adopt controlled vocabularies; (6) Increase data availability; and (7) Ensure long-term data preservation. We identify four properties specific and integral to alien species data (species status, introduction pathway, degree of establishment, and impact mechanism) that are either missing from existing data standards or lack a recommended controlled vocabulary. Improved access to accurate, real-time and historical data will repay the long-term investment in data management infrastructure, by providing more accurate, timely and realistic assessments and analyses. If we improve core biodiversity data standards by developing their relevance to alien species, it will allow the automation of common activities regarding data processing in support of environmental policy. Furthermore, we call for considerable effort to maintain, update, standardize, archive, and aggregate datasets, to ensure proper valorization of alien species data and information before they become obsolete or lost.

International audience; The identification of feeding events is crucial to our understanding of the foraging ecology of seabirds. Technology has made small devices, such as time-depth recorders (TDRs) and accelerometers available. However, TDRs might not be sensitive enough to identify shallow dives, whereas accelerometers might reveal more subtle behaviours at a smaller temporal scale. Due to the limitations of TDRs, the foraging ecology of many shallow-diving seabirds has been poorly investigated to date. We thus developed an algorithm to identify dive events in a shallow-diving seabird species, the Scopoli’s shearwater, using only accelerometer data. The accuracy in the identification of dives using either accelerometers or TDRs was compared. Furthermore, we tested if the foraging behaviour of shearwaters changed during different phases of reproduction and with foraging trip type. Data were collected in Linosa Island (35°51′33″N; 12°51′34″E) from 12 June to 8 September 2015 by deploying accelerometer data loggers on 60 Scopoli’s shearwaters. Four birds were also equipped with TDRs. TDRs recorded only 17.7% of the dives detected by the accelerometers using the algorithm. A total of 82.3% of dives identified by algorithm were too short or shallow to be detected by TDRs. Therefore, TDRs were not accurate enough to detect most of the dives in Scopoli’s shearwaters, which foraged mostly close to the sea surface. Our data showed that birds performed shorter foraging trips and dived more frequently in the early chick-rearing period compared with the late chick-rearing and incubation phases. Furthermore, parents dived more frequently during short foraging trips. Our results suggest that Scopoli’s shearwaters maximised their foraging effort (e.g. number of dives, short trips) during shorter foraging trips and during early chick-rearing

The giant mud crab Scylla serrata provides an important source of income and food to coastal communities in East Africa. However, increasing demand and exploitation due to the growing coastal population, export trade, and tourism industry are threatening the sustainability of the wild stock of this species. Because effective management requires a clear understanding of the connectivity among populations, this study was conducted to assess the genetic diversity and connectivity in the East African mangrove crab S. serrata. A section of 535 base pairs of the cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene and eight microsatellite loci were analysed from 230 tissue samples of giant mud crabs collected from Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Madagascar, and South Africa. Microsatellite genetic diversity (He) ranged between 0.56 and 0.6. The COI sequences showed 57 different haplotypes associated with low nucleotide diversity (current nucleotide diversity = 0.29%). In addition, the current nucleotide diversity was lower than the historical nucleotide diversity, indicating overexploitation or historical bottlenecks in the recent history of the studied population. Considering that the coastal population is growing rapidly, East African countries should promote sustainable fishing practices and sustainable use of mangrove resources to protect mud crabs and other marine fauna from the increasing pressure of exploitation. While microsatellite loci did not show significant genetic differentiation (p > 0.05), COI sequences revealed significant genetic divergence between sites on the East coast of Madagascar (ECM) and sites on the West coast of Madagascar, mainland East Africa, as well as the Seychelles. Since East African countries agreed to achieve the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) target to protect over 10% of their marine areas by 2020, the observed pattern of connectivity and the measured genetic diversity can serve to provide useful information for designing networks of marine protected areas.

The market demand for octopus grows each year, but landings are decreasing, and prices are rising. The present study investigated (1) diversity of Octopodidae in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) and (2) connectivity and genetic structure of Octopus cyanea and O. vulgaris populations in order to obtain baseline data for management plans. A fragment of the cytochrome C oxidase subunit 1 (COI) gene was sequenced in 275 octopus individuals from Madagascar, Kenya and Tanzania. In addition, 41 sequences of O. vulgaris from South Africa, Brazil, Amsterdam Island, Tristan da Cunha, Senegal and Galicia were retrieved from databases and included in this study. Five different species were identified using DNA barcoding, with first records for O. oliveri and Callistoctopus luteus in the WIO. For O. cyanea (n = 229, 563 bp), 22 haplotypes were found, forming one haplogroup. AMOVA revealed shallow but significant genetic population structure among all sites (ϕST = 0.025, p = 0.02), with significant differentiation among: (1) Kanamai, (2) southern Kenya, Tanzania, North and West Madagascar, (3) Southwest Madagascar and (4) East Madagascar (ϕCT = 0.035, p = 0.017). For O. vulgaris (n = 71, 482 bp), 15 haplotypes were identified, forming three haplogroups. A significant genetic population structure was found among all sites (ϕST = 0.82, p ≤ 0.01). Based on pairwise ϕST-values and hierarchical AMOVAs, populations of O. vulgaris could be grouped as follows: (1) Brazil, (2) Madagascar and (3) all other sites. A significant increase in genetic distance with increasing geographic distance was found (Z = 232443, 81 r = 0.36, p = 0.039). These results indicate that for O. cyanea four regions should be considered as separate management units in the WIO. The very divergent haplogroups in O. vulgaris from Brazil and Madagascar might be evolving towards speciation and therefore should be considered as separate species in FAO statistics.

The coral reef sea star Linckia laevigata is common on shallow water coral reefs of the Indo-West Pacific. Its large geographic distribution and comprehensive data from previous studies makes it suitable to examine genetic differentiation and connectivity over large geo- graphical scales. Based on partial sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene this study investigates the genetic population structure and connectivity of L. laevigata in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) and compares it to previous studies in the Indo-Malay-Philippines Archipelago (IMPA). A total of 138 samples were collected from nine locations in the WIO. AMOVA revealed a low but significant ΦST-value of 0.024 for the WIO populations. In the hierarchical AMOVA, the following grouping rejected the hypothe- sis of panmixia: (1) Kenya (Watamu, Mombasa, Diani) and Tanzanian Island populations (Misali and Jambiani) and (2) the rest of the WIO sites (mainland Tanzania and Madagas- car; ΦCT = 0.03). The genetic population structure was stronger and more significant (ΦST = 0.13) in the comparative analysis of WIO and IMPA populations. Three clades were identi- fied in the haplotype network. The strong genetic differentiation (ΦCT = 0.199, P < 0.001) suggests that Indo-West Pacific populations of L. laevigata can be grouped into four bio- geographic regions: (1) WIO (2) Eastern Indian Ocean (3) IMPA and (4) Western Pacific. The findings of this study support the existence of a genetic break in the Indo-West Pacific consistent with the effect of lowered sea level during the Pleistocene, which limited gene flow between the Pacific and Indian Ocean.

Pheromones are an important component of sexual communication in courting salamanders, but the number of species in which their use has been demonstrated with behavioral evidence remains limited. Here we developed a behavioral assay for demonstrating courtship pheromone use in the aquatically courting Iberian ribbed newt Pleurodeles waltl. By performing an in-depth study of the courtship behavior, we show that females invariably open their cloaca (cloacal gaping) before engaging in pinwheel behavior, the circling movement that is the prelude to spermatophore uptake. In contrast, cloacal gaping was not observed in failed courtships, where females escaped or displayed thanatosis. Since gaping mainly occurred during male amplexus and cloacal imposition, which is the obvious period of pheromone transfer, we next investigated whether male courtship water (i.e., water holding courtship pheromones) alone was able to induce this reaction in females. These tests showed that courtship water induced cloacal gaping significantly more than water, even in the absence of a male. Cloacal gaping thus provides a simple and robust test for demonstrating courtship pheromone use in the Iberian ribbed newt. Since opening the cloaca is an essential prerequisite for spermatophore pick-up in all internally fertilizing salamanders, we hypothesize that variations on this assay will also be useful in several other species.

Aim: The Red Sea is characterised by a unique fauna and historical periods of desiccation, hypersalinity and intermittent isolation. The origin and contemporary composition of reef-associated taxa in this region can illuminate biogeographical principles about vicariance and the establishment (or local extirpation) of existing species. Here we aim to: (1) outline the distribution of shallow water fauna between the Red Sea and adjacent regions, (2) explore mechanisms for maintaining these distributions and (3) propose hypotheses to test these mechanisms. Location: Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, Arabian Gulf and Indian Ocean. Methods: Updated checklists for scleractinian corals, fishes and non-coral invertebrates were used to determine species richness in the Red Sea and the rest of the Arabian Peninsula and assess levels of endemism. Fine-scale diversity and abundance of reef fishes within the Red Sea were explored using ecological survey data. Results: Within the Red Sea, we recorded 346 zooxanthellate and azooxanthellate scleractinian coral species of which 19 are endemic (5.5%). Currently 635 species of polychaetes, 211 echinoderms and 79 ascidians have been documented, with endemism rates of 12.6%, 8.1% and 16.5% respectively. A preliminary compilation of 231 species of crustaceans and 137 species of molluscs include 10.0% and 6.6% endemism respectively. We documented 1071 shallow fish species, with 12.9% endemic in the entire Red Sea and 14.1% endemic in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. Based on ecological survey data of endemic fishes, there were no major changes in species richness or abundance across 1100km of Saudi Arabian coastline. Main conclusions: The Red Sea biota appears resilient to major environmental fluctuations and is characterized by high rates of endemism with variable degrees of incursion into the Gulf of Aden. The nearby Omani and Arabian Gulfs also have variable environments and high levels of endemism, but these are not consistently distinct across taxa. The presence of physical barriers does not appear to explain species distributions, which are more likely determined by ecological plasticity and genetic diversity.

Mangroves ecosystems support livelihood and economic activities of coastal communities in the tropics and subtropics. Previous reports have documented the inefficiency of waste treatment facilities in Tanzania to contain trace metals. Therefore, the rapidly expanding coastal population and industrial sector is likely to threaten mangrove ecosystems with metal pollution. This study analysed trace metals in 60 sediment samples and 160 giant tiger prawns from the Tanzanian coast in order to document the distribution of trace metals and to establish if measured levels present a threat to mangrove fauna and are of public health importance. High levels of Cr, Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, and V was observed in mangroves of river Pangani, Wami, and Rufiji. Multivariate analysis showed that they originate mainly from weathering and erosion in the river catchments. Extreme enrichment of Cd was observed in a mangrove affected by municipal sewage. The distribution of Hg, Pb, and Zn was related with urbanisation and industrial activities along the coast. The metal pollution index was high at Pangani, Saadani, and Rufiji, suggesting that these estuarine mangroves are also affected by human activities in the catchment. Moderate to considerable ecological risks were observed in all sampled mangroves, except for Kilwa Masoko. It was revealed that As, Cd, and Hg present moderate risks to fauna. High levels of Cu, Fe and Zn were observed in prawns but the level of the non-essential Cd, Hg, and Pb did not exceed the maximum allowed levels for human consumption. However, based on the trends of fish consumption in the country, weekly intake of Hg is likely to exceed provisional tolerable weekly intake level, especially in fishing communities. This calls for measures to control Hg emissions and to strengthen sewage and waste treatment in coastal cities and urban centres in the basin of major rivers.

Information on the genetic population structure of endangered giant clams is important for conservation programmes and the understanding of ecological and evolutionary processes. In this study, the genetic population structures of three codistributed and ecologically similar giant clam species (Tridacna crocea, T. maxima and T. squamosa) are compared. A fragment of the cytochrome c oxidase I gene was sequenced as a genetic marker in three giant clam species sampled throughout the Indo-West Pacific, from the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) and Red Sea (RS) to the Eastern Indian Ocean (EIO), across the centre of marine biodiversity in the Indo-Malay Archipelago (IMA) to the Western Pacific (WP) and the Society Islands in the Central Pacific (CP). All three species showed limited gene flow and a highly significant genetic population structure. The Φst-values (P < 0.001) are 0.46, 0.81 and 0.68 for T. crocea, T. maxima and T. squamosa, respectively. Based on a hierarchical AMOVA they could be divided into three to six groups from West to East: (1) WIO (T. maxima and T. squamosa), (2) RS (T. maxima and T. squamosa), (3) EIO (including Java Sea in T. maxima), (4) central IMA, (5) WP and (6) CP (T. maxima). The distribution of the haplotype clades in the populations and the pairwise Φst-values between populations indicated a high level of gene flow in the central IMA for the three species. The concordant patterns suggest that geological history, sea-level changes during glacial periods of the Pliocene and Pleistocene, and oceanography are important factors shaping the genetic population structure of giant clams. The observed deep evolutionary lineages in the peripheral areas of the IMA might include cryptic species.

Aim The aim of this study is to determine the genetic diversity, population structure and connectivity of the broadcast-spawning coral Acropora tenuis (Cnidaria; Scleractinia; Acroporidae). Based on the long pelagic larval duration (PLD) of the species, long-distance dispersal resulting in high connectivity among populations is hypothesized. Location East Africa (Kenya and Tanzania; 2.5°S ~ 10°S) Methods A total of 269 samples were collected from 11 sample sites in Kenya and Tanzania spanning a distance of 900 km. The coral fragments were genotyped using seven microsatellite markers. Analyses included population genetic estimations of diversity and population differentiation, principal coordinate analysis (PCoA), Bayesian clustering approaches and testing for isolation by distance (IBD). Results Moderate, but significant, genetic structure was found when comparing all sample sites, but IBD could not be detected. Based on Bayesian cluster analyses three groups of samples sites could be identified: (1) Kenya and northern Tanzania, (2) southern Tanzania and (3) sample sites located in the Zanzibar and Pemba channels. Main conclusions High connectivity can be explained by the long-distance dispersal capacity of A. tenuis and by the influence of the northbound East African Coastal Current facilitating dispersal by effectively spreading larvae along the coast. Oceanographic characteristics rather than distance are factors that determine connectivity among populations of A. tenuis in Kenya and Tanzania. No clear genetic break was identified. However, variable connectivity between sample sites does occur, with limited connectivity of the sample sites Misali and Stonetown.

WOS: 000422633100002, The European Alien Species Information Network (EASIN) aims to facilitate the exploration of alien species information in Europe, and is recognized as the information system supporting European Union Member States in the implementation of the recently published Invasive Alien Species Regulation. In this paper, we present the role and activities of the EASIN Editorial Board (EB), which is responsible for the quality assurance, safeguarding and constant improvement of EASIN. The EB is supported by a web platform that facilitates online discussions about alien species. This platform creates a virtual community by providing a forum-like interface that is moderated by the EB Members but is freely accessible to the scientific community and the general public. It allows all registered users to make comments, raise questions and share experience and expertise on alien species in Europe. Moreover, it provides a means for exchanging opinions and solving disputes in a transparent way. The overall EB activity is commonly agreed upon procedures and standards., European Commission's Directorate-General for Environment (DG ENV), The authors wish to thank the European Commission's Directorate-General for Environment (DG ENV) for their support. We thank also the anonymous reviewers for their useful comments and corrections.