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The purging of deleterious alleles has been hypothesized to mitigate inbreeding depression, but its effectiveness in endangered species remains debatable. To understand how deleterious alleles are purged during population contractions, we analyzed genomes of the endangered Chinese crocodile lizard (Shinisaurus crocodilurus), which is the only surviving species of its family and currently isolated into small populations. Population genomic analyses revealed four genetically distinct conservation units and sharp declines in both effective population size and genetic diversity. By comparing the relative genetic load across populations and conducting genomic simulations, we discovered that seriously deleterious alleles were effectively purged during population contractions in this relict species, although inbreeding generally enhanced the genetic burden. However, despite with the initial purging, our simulations also predicted that seriously deleterious alleles will gradually accumulate under prolonged bottlenecking. Therefore, we emphasize the importance of maintaining a minimum population capacity and increasing the functional genetic diversity in conservation efforts to preserve populations of the crocodile lizard and other endangered species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two previously known northernmost localities of the Sharp-snouted rock lizard in Montenegro were the entrance of the Komarnica Canyon (Nevidio), and the middle part of the Tara River Canyon (village Tepca). It was presumed that Komarnica and Piva canyons were once corridors for the spreading of this species from the Eastern Adriatic sub-Mediterranean area to the Tara River Canyon in the north. However, it had not been hitherto known if there were any other relict populations in the area. In the autumn of 2019 a localized population of D. oxycephala was discovered in the middle part of the Komarnica Canyon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The taxon cycle concept provides a geographically explicit and testable set of hypotheses for exploring the evolutionary processes underlying the distribution of species in space and time. Here, we test taxon cycle predictions within a large avian island radiation, the core Campephagidae and explicitly integrate the concepts of 'supertramps', 'great speciators' and relictualization. Location: The Indo‐Pacific, Australia, Asia and Africa. Taxon: Corvoid passerine birds. Methods: We constructed a new time‐calibrated molecular phylogeny of the core Campephagidae (cuckooshrikes, cicadabirds and trillers) using Bayesian phylogenetic methods. Ancestral range estimation methods and diversification rate analyses were used to explore the dispersal and diversification history of the group. We used an extensive dataset on wing morphology and range distributions to test for correlations between evolutionary age of species and dispersal capacity, diversification and distribution, while accounting for phylogenetic non‐independence. Results: The core Campephagidae represents an ecologically homogeneous radiation distributed across the Indo‐Pacific, Australia, Southeast Asia and Africa. Its members represent a continuum of dispersal abilities; some species are widespread and undifferentiated ('supertramps') or show strong differentiation of local populations ('great speciators'), and a few are endemic to single islands (relicts). We show that older species relative to younger species inhabit fewer and larger islands at higher elevations. The level of intraspecific variation measured as the number of subspecies also decreases with species age, and is highest in 'great speciators' with intermediate levels of dispersal abilities (as per hand‐wing index). Main conclusions: Based on trait correlations with species age, we infer phases of range expansion and contraction over millions of years (taxon cycles), within a single monophyletic group of birds. These observations demonstrate reconciliation of the concepts of 'supertramps', 'great speciators' and relictual palaeoendemics within the temporal stages of the taxon cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Juniperus drupacea is a unique relict species found in the mountains of southern Greece, southern Turkey, and western Syria and Lebanon. The aim of this study was to describe the natural range of this juniper by determining the current locations of its populations and to predict a theoretical range for the species based on current, past, and future climatic conditions. We used data from the literature, herbarium materials, and our unpublished field notes (about 500 georeferenced points in total) to determine the current natural distribution of J. drupacea (realized niche). To predict suitable conditions with the program MaxEnt, we used data from the WordClim database, which allowed estimation of the potential niche. The potential niche of J. drupacea was much wider during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and was severely restricted during the Eemian interglacial period. Depending on the climate scenario, this species could become endangered in the future due to climate changes. Considering the relatively restricted geographic range of J. drupacea and the decreasing numbers of localities where it is found, conservation strategies should be adopted to allow for preservation of its genetic and morphological diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The northern portion of the Atlantic Forest, namely Pernambuco Endemism Center (PEC), faces an extreme level of forest loss, with only 2% of its original forest remaining. In the PEC, mesocarnivores are the only remaining carnivores and, among them, the ocelot and South American coati present a poorly known or even ignored distribution. Our goal is to provide an overview of the current distribution and conservation status of both species in the PEC through camera trap survey, review of published scientific literature and a search for voucher specimens in mammal collections. Our data confirm the presence of the ocelot and the South America coati in the PEC. The ocelots were mainly recorded in fragments smaller than 12 km2, suggesting they might access the monoculture matrix and anthropogenic areas. The few recent records of coatis suggest a worse scenario, predicting an imminent local extinction. The PEC has witnessed a historical continued deforestation, which has reduced the remaining fragments and contributed to the accentuated decline of both species populations. Nevertheless, these Atlantic Forest remnants are paramount to supporting relict populations of mesocarnivores in the PEC, and their maintenance and connectivity should be a conservation priority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Litoleptis has consisted of nine described species, seven of them Asian and only two in the New World: L.alaskensis Chillcott, known from two specimens from northwest Alaska, and L.chilensis Hennig, known from a male specimen from near Santiago, Chile. A third New World species is described here, Litoleptis tico, n. sp., based on a single female from Costa Rica. The species is unique for the genus in having a vestigial proboscis and lacking spermathecal accessory ducts and glands. Female terminalia are unknown for the other two New World species. A morphologically based, preliminary phylogeny of spaniines is provided, indicating Litoleptis is recently derived among spaniines and thus Rhagionidae; the Early Cretaceous Litoleptis fossilis is a stem group to the living species. A derived position of the genus, its apparently broad distribution, and an abundance in Japan where Litoleptis has been bred from liverworts (Imada and Kato, 2016a), all indicate that these flies are probably not at all relict, simply vastly undersampled because of a reliance on mass-collecting techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of glacial relict species has been focused on understanding how the biogeographic patterns of species have developed. A number of studies using phylogenetic and population genetics approaches have been conducted for terrestrial glacial relict species, and the mechanisms of their formation have been elucidated. On the other hand, less focus has been placed on glacial relict species inhabiting freshwater systems. In particular, stable lakes can serve as refugia during a glacial period, but research studies on freshwater relict species inhabiting lakes have not been well conducted. In order to clarify the mechanism of the glacial relict species in freshwater, we conducted a molecular phylogeny analysis, divergence time estimation, and a biogeographic reconstruction on freshwater Valvatidae molluscs, which have been considered as a glacial relict in the Japanese Archipelago. Our study shows that the valvatid fauna in the Japanese Archipelago was produced by multiple dispersal events from the Asian continent and by vicariance events during the period of the Pliocene-Quaternary glaciation. It includes multiple relict species that survived interglacial periods in different lakes. These findings suggest that the lakes can serve as refugia not only during glacial periods, but also during interglacial periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The peaceful coexistence between people and the rare Ethiopian wolf Canis simensis is being challenged by conflicts rising due to livestock predation by wild carnivores. Understanding the cultural and socio‐economic context of these conflicts can help to prevent negative attitudes and retaliatory killings, which have the potential to seriously compromise the survival of Ethiopian wolf populations in small Afroalpine relicts. With this objective in mind, questionnaire surveys were conducted in 140 households around the Aboi Gara range in north Ethiopia. Half of the households reported losing sheep and goats to wolves and golden jackals Canis aureus, with an annual average loss of 1.2 heads per year (10% of the average herd size), equivalent to 92 US$. Aboi Gara pastoralists considered wolves and jackals to be equally responsible for livestock killings. Households with large herds, closer to Afroalpine habitats, and using Afroalpine pastures for longer periods, reported more predation by wild carnivores. Most respondents (62%) expressed a positive attitude towards Ethiopian wolves, particularly literate people and those with smaller herds. We suggest ways to diminish conflict, including best livestock guarding techniques to lessen the risk of livestock predation by wild carnivores in Afroalpine areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rock shelter of Tan Zoumaitek, Tassili-n-Ajjer, Central Sahara, Algeria, famous for its paintings of humans and mammals, is found to contain as well several pictures of objects that are most likely medusae. Ii is argued that these can be identified as the afrotropical Limnocnida tanganjicae GUNTHER. The duration of their isolation, after the end of the early Holocene humid period, may be contemporaneous (c. 8000 years) with that of the extant relicts of that species in Mauretania and Chad. These figures are the oldest images of a cnidarian currently known. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The identification of climatic relicts is seldom straightforward. These species are threatened owing to current climatic trends, which underlines the importance of carrying out ecological and biogeographic investigations of them. Here we introduce a novel approach to improve the identification of climatic relicts. We are focusing on thermophilic relict plants of the Pannonian biogeographic region from the Holocene Thermal Maximum (HTM). We argue that a minimal mean annual temperature difference (MATD) of the HTM compared to the recent climate allowed a continuous northward expansion for the taxa investigated. We measured latitudinal distances between the recent occurrences of relicts and those of the main distribution found further south. Regarding estimates for MATD (1.0-2.5 °C), we only consider species with a distribution which has a 150-350 km North-South gap, since a latitudinally directed distance can be translated into temperature, showing a poleward cooling trend. Of the 15 selected species, 12 were recorded with values of 1.0-1.7 °C MATD, and three with values of 1.8-2.5 °C, some of which are presumably interglacial species. Woody species are over-represented among them (four species), using the Hungarian flora as a reference. The proposed method allows the prediction of potential climate-related changes in the future distribution of species, constrained by the topographic features of their habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relict carbonate sands dominated by ooids and faecal pellets are common on the continental shelf, between 60 and 110 m, off northwestern India. The shiny tan/white aragonitic ooids closely resemble modern Bahamian ooids, with cortex thicknesses varying from < 5 μm to 200 μm. Tangential laminae, ranging from 1 μm to 20 μm in diameter, occur as straight to contorted stacked tubules, similar in appearance to algal or microbial filaments. Bacteria associated with the decaying organic sheath of the laminae may have played an important role in subsequent aragonite precipitation. Bladed or radial aragonite microstructures are secondary features in the cortex, apparently formed during early diagenesis by mineralization of organic matter associated with the tangential laminae. Calibrated ages of the ooids range between 9.8 and > 23 ka BP, and δ 18 O values suggest that these relict ooids formed during cooler and drier post-LGM conditions and later during the re-intensified Holocene monsoon climate. An age vs. depth plot suggests that most of the ooids formed at water depths between ~ 10 and − 40 m, thereby calling into question whether relict shelf ooids are reliable indicators of past sea level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fauna of termites (Isoptera) preserved in the early Miocene Foulden Maar fossil lagerstätte, Otago, southern New Zealand, is described and figured. Six genera and species, inclusive of Stolotermes kupe Kaulfuss et al. (Stolotermitidae), are now known from Miocene New Zealand; most are attributable to the Kalotermitidae (drywood termites) and one, left as family incertae sedis, has kalotermitid-like traits. The new taxa established are Waipiatatermes matatoka Engel & Kaulfuss gen. et sp. nov., Taieritermes krishnai Engel & Kaulfuss gen. et sp. nov., Otagotermes novazealandicus Engel & Kaulfuss gen. et sp. nov. and Pterotermopsis fouldenica Engel & Kaulfuss gen. et sp. nov. The affinities of the new taxa are discussed, highlighting the composition and uniqueness of the fauna, the absence of Neoisoptera and the possibility that these species were relicts of basal Kalotermitidae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New Caledonia is a biodiversity hotspot located in the south-western Pacific, well known for its rich, unique and endangered flora. The island flora has a high level of endemism not only at the species level (75%), but also at the generic and family (three endemic) levels. We review here the taxonomic validity of the c. 100 endemic New Caledonian genera of vascular plants (13%) by using the monophyly criterion based on the available phylogenetic data. As observed in other island floras, some of these genera were recovered nested in larger genera and are consequently likely to lose their rank. After a critical review, we concluded that the New Caledonian plant vascular flora contains between 62 and 91 endemic genera. This large variation in the number of endemic genera is mainly caused by a lack of DNA sequences (eight genera) and limited phylogenetic evidence. This work highlights gaps of knowledge that will have to be addressed to stabilize the taxonomy of the New Caledonian flora. Although this study shows that several genera are not monophyletic, New Caledonia still harbours more endemic genera than any other islands in the Pacific Ocean. Preliminary results indicate that the high level of endemism at higher taxonomic levels could be explained by an accumulation of relictual lineages, rather than adaptive radiations. Hypotheses explaining this phenomenon are provided in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The restoration of endangered relict populations is challenging in conservation biology because they require specific environmental conditions within an inhospitable regional climate. Urothemis edwardsii Selys is the most endangered dragonfly in the Mediterranean with only one known relict small population (Lac Bleu) left in Northeast Algeria. With the absence of successful (re-)colonization over the last two decades, the restoration of the species became a top priority. To improve the status of the species in Northeast Algeria, we carried out a reintroduction and translocation scheme during 2011-2015 and assessed the changes in distribution and population size. Our restoration plan led to the emergence of three populations of which one was restored (Lac Noir), one resulted from successful translocation (Lac Tonga Northeast), and one established after successful colonization (Lac Tonga Southwest). In three localities (Lac Noir, Lac Tonga Northeast, and Lac Tonga Southwest), signs of population growth were observed, whereas no significant trend in the source population (Lac Bleu) was detected. A new population (El Graeate) was also recorded in 2015, but its origin is uncertain. Capture-mark-recapture on adults conducted in 2015 in two sites (Lac Bleu and Lac Noir) showed low recapture rates and no sign of dispersal between the two sites. Dispersal capacity of the species and conservation implications of adult distribution are discussed. This study highlights the importance of using biological indicators in selecting host habitats for the restoration of critically threatened populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glacial relict populations at the rear-edge of species' distributions are expected to respond dramatically to climate warming, yet very few studies have compared their conservation status in current refugia. Here we combine population genetics with species distribution modelling to assess patterns and causes of extinction or persistence in two cold-adapted species, Salix hastata and Juncus balticus , which survived post-glacial retractions in calcareous fens of the Iberian Peninsula. In both species, we detected extremely-low genetic diversity and clonal strategies in red-listed populations of the most marginal region (Cantabrian Range), but high genetic diversity linked with sexual reproduction in populations from a less marginal region of the rear edge (Pyrenees). Genetic patterns were partially explained by past and present species´ climatic niches, more remarkably in the arctic-alpine S . hastata than in the boreo-atlantic J . balticus , suggesting different biogeographic history but similar sensitivity to global change. Our results show different magnitudes of extinction debt in regional populations that have survived in mountain refugia since the Last Glacial Maximum. Functional extinction of the most marginal populations can be explained by postglacial climate change and the historical decline of mire habitats. In contrast with the current trend of predicting future effects of climate change, we highlight that glacial relict populations might be currently going into extinction in climatically marginal regions. These populations can provide valuable information about the processes involved in species extinctions, improving our capacity to anticipate the effect of global change across regions and habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we study a two-loop induced radiative neutrino model at TeV scale with global symmetry, in which we analyze dark matter and resonant leptogenesis. The model includes two kinds of dark matter candidates. We discuss what kind of dark matter can satisfy the observed relic density as well as the current direct detection bound, and be simultaneously compatible with the leptogenesis. We also discuss whether our resonant leptogenesis can be differentiated from the other scenarios at TeV scale or not. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the systematics of the Nearctic shield-back katydids ("Tettigoniinae"), a paraphyletic group thought to include genera from a distinctive Gondwanan tribe, the Nedubini, among an otherwise Holarctic fauna. From exemplars of five genera of Nedubini and the majority of other genera of Nearctic "Tettigoniinae," five gene regions were sequenced, aligned with publicly available sequence data that represent diverse subfamilies of Tettigoniidae, and subjected to phylogenetic analysis under Bayesian and likelihood criteria. Our results render the worldwide Nedubini polyphyletic, strongly support the Nearctic Nedubini as a basal clade that is sister to the remaining Tettigoniidae, and group the remaining Nearctic shield-back katydid genera into a Holarctic clade. Having shared a common ancestor with the remaining katydids 175 ± 24 million years ago, the Nearctic Nedubini joins a considerable assemblage of relict groups that are found in California and the Pacific Northwest of North America. The symmetrical development and ambidextrous overlap of the tegmina of male Nearctic nedubines is re-evaluated as a plesiomorphic character. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The term hotspots of subterranean biodiversity has been used to define subterranean habitats with an arbitrary cutoff of twenty or more obligate stygobitic and troglobitic species. Until present, no hotspots of subterranean biodiversity had been identified in South America. Thus, the objective of this work is to present the first two hotspots of subterranean biodiversity in that continent. The two hotspots of subterranean biodiversity are the Toca do Gonçalo cave (22 spp.) and Areias cave systems (28 spp.). The cave species, some of them considered relict species, belong to the Platyhelminthes (1 sp.), Nemertea (1 sp.), Gastropoda (2 spp.), Amphipoda (2) Isopoda (7), Decapoda (1), Collembola (5), Coleoptera (5), Ensifera (1), Sternorrhyncha (1), Zygentoma (1), Diplopoda (6) Chilopoda (5) Araneae (2), Opiliones (1) Palpigradi (2), Pseudoscorpiones (4), and Osteicthyes (2). Although both caves, together, have 50 troglobitic species, only 38% of these species are formally described. Both caves have perennial water bodies, but terrestrial obligate cave invertebrates are dominant in number of species in both systems (around 77%). While the Areias system is partially contained in a conservation unit, Toca do Gonçalo cave is currently unprotected, although it certainly deserves protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The name Phoberus capensis (Scholtz) is applied to a small lightless, keratinophagous beetle endemic to the Cape Floristic Region of South Africa. Its gross distribution stretches from roughly 1000 km from the Cederberg (32°24'22" S, 19°04'50" E) to Grahamstown (33°20'07" S, 26°32'50" E). The populations are spatially discrete, restricted to relict forests of the southern Cape and disjunct high montane refugia of the Cape Fold Mountains. We test the hypothesis that there is more than one distinct species nested within the name P. capensis. Phylogenetic relationships among populations were inferred using molecular sequence data. The results support three distinct evolutionary lineages, which were also supported by morphological characters. Divergence time estimates suggest Pliocene-Pleistocene diversiication. Based on these results, it is suggested that the P. capensis lineage experienced climatically-driven allopatric speciation with sheltered Afrotemperate forests and high mountain peaks serving as important refugia in response to climatic ameliorations. The P . capensis complex thus represents a speciation process in which light-restricted populations evolved in close allopatry, possibly as recently as the Pleistocene. Two diver- gent and geographically distinct lineages are described as novel species: The new species, P. disjunctus sp. n. and P. herminae sp. n., are illustrated by photographs of habitus and male aedeagi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anillini are a tribe of minute, euedaphic ground beetles (Carabidae) characterized by the loss of eyes, loss of wings and high levels of local endemism. Despite their presumed low dispersal, they have a nearly cosmopolitan distribution, including isolated islands such as New Zealand and New Caledonia. We used a time calibrated molecular phylogeny to test, first, if the tribe as currently understood is monophyletic and, second, whether the time of divergence is compatible with an early vicariant diversification after the breakup of Gondwana. We sequenced portions of 6 mitochondrial and 3 nuclear genes for 66 specimens in 17 genera of Anillini plus 39 outgroups. The resulting phylogenetic tree was used to estimate the time of diversification using two independent calibration schemes, by applying molecular rates for the related genus Carabus or by dating the tree with fossil and geological information. Rates of molecular evolution and lineage ages were mostly concordant between both calibration schemes. The monophyly of Anillini was well-supported, and its age was consistent with a Gondwanian origin of the main lineages and an initial diversification at ca. 100 Ma representing the split between the eyed Nesamblyops (New Zealand) and the remaining Anillini. The subsequent diversification, including the split of the Nearctic Anillinus and the subsequent splits of Palaearctic lineages, was dated to between 80 and 100 Ma and thus was also compatible with a tectonic vicariant origin. On the contrary, the estimated age of the New Caledonian blind Orthotyphlus at ca. 30 ± 20 Ma was incompatible with a vicariant origin, suggesting the possibility of trans-oceanic dispersal in these endogean beetles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smolt-to-adult survival (SAS) and straying of subyearling fall Chinook SalmonOncorhynchus tshawytschathat were acclimated in waters of their release site before river release was compared with those of fish that were transported to the river and released directly into the river. Results showed that there were no differences in average SAS, which was 0.08% for both acclimated and direct-release groups, or straying, which averaged 33.8% and 35.3% for direct and acclimated release groups, respectively. We conclude that an acclimation period may not improve these metrics in subyearling-released salmon. Received June 19, 2015; accepted October 31, 2015 [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper examines the distribution of unconsolidated sediment in the KwaZulu-Natal Bight located along the east coast of South Africa. Results show that there is a general shelf-wide sediment distribution of coarser grain sizes between depths of 60 and 100 m, punctuated by a broad swathe of mud offshore of the Thukela River. Seasonal changes in sediment distribution patterns are small, being restricted to seaward fining on the inner shelf off the fluvial sources. Sediment distribution reflects a partitioning between sediment populations that are currentinfluenced and relict (palimpsest) populations associated with submerged shorelines. Wave ravinement during the deglacial transgression, the reworking of submerged shorelines during sea-level stillstands and, to a lesser extent, the Agulhas Current system, are the dominant controls on sediment distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the occurrence of ephemeral hoarfrost crystals at funnel openings (funnel hoarfrost) detected between large blocks at the surface of the presumably relict Schöneben Rock Glacier. Field mapping on 25 November 2011 identified 51 individual funnel openings with notable hoarfrost crystals distributed over the entire rock glacier. Hoarfrost was no longer detectable a few days after the initial mapping campaign. At least in the period 20-25 November 2011 temperature conditions at the rock glacier surface were favourable for hoarfrost formation and preservation as indicated by different types of measurements. A period of 24-48 h of hoarfrost-suitable weather conditions would have been sufficient to form the observed hoarfrost if crystal growth rates of 2-4 mm h−1 are assumed. The void systems with funnel hoarfrost seem to be rather localised and limited in horizontal (10s of metres) and vertical (some metres) extent. Presumably the observed funnel hoarfrost was caused by the so-called chimney effect, although no larger reversible air circulation systems with warm air exhalation were identified. Continuous ground temperature data from several sites at the rock glacier surface (period November 2011-December 2012) showed that hoarfrost sites are cooler and thermally buffered compared with non-hoarfrost sites at similar elevations. This seems to be related to the decoupling of the air above the rock glacier and the pore air during periods of atmospheric warming. Only the combination of specific micro-climatic (temperature/humidity), geometric (open void systems) and sedimentological (grain size/sediment structure) conditions allow the formation of the ephemeral funnel hoarfrost at this rock glacier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the result of palynological research of peat relicts, found in the Westerkoggepolder (North-Holland, The Netherlands). In general, such relicts of peat in the actual landscape point to an extensive peat cover in the past that disappeared due to land reclamation and agricultural management. Improvement of the drainage in historical time resulted in shrinkage and bio-oxidation of peat. This caused a land surface lowering of at least 3 m and a transformation of Histosols in original peat deposits into eluvial clay covers with Mollic Gleysols. Similar processes occur in other regions in the world were people settled in areas with histosols and reclaimed land for food production. The last relicts of the former peat cover are valuable parts of the national soil archives and deserve the status of geoheritage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Western Carpathians, we identified a strongly isolated stand of a species belonging in the fern genus Woodsia. Based on morphological characters, nuclear DNA content analysis and chromosome counts, we determined that the species occurring in the Polish Tatra Mts. is W. pulchella and not W. alpina, as was supposed before. The population is situated 365 km from the nearest one in the eastern Alps in Austria. Woodsia pulchella grows on northern slopes of the Giewont massif in the Western Tatra, on dolomite rocks between 1100-1480 m a.s.l. at two closely-situated localities. The current distribution of W. pulchella in Europe is detailed and the evolutionary origin of this very rare and relict species is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The endangered freshwater snail Theodoxus fluviatilis is a widely distributed European member of the gastropod family Neritidae. This taxon was abundantly found in the River Rhine until the end of the 20th century, and was considered to be extinct there since the late 1990s. Since 2006, a new, but morphological different form of T. fluviatilis has been recorded in the Upper Rhine region. Our aim was to identify the source of the recent populations by analysing individuals from five sites throughout the current known distribution along the River Rhine. Therefore, we sequenced the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene, and compared the data with those from individuals collected in the early 1990s and 40 already known haplotypes from a pan-European study. Our results show that all studied recent Rhine individuals harbour only one COI haplotype that corresponds to an already known haplotype described from the River Danube and the Ukraine region near the Black Sea. This suggests that a re-colonisation of the River Rhine by T. fluviatilis from the River Danube is the most likely scenario of the re-establishment of the species. This route of invasion is known for other freshwater taxa that originate from the Ponto-Caspian region. Even though the current Rhine populations belong to T. fluviatilis their invasion may have consequences for the native Central European populations. Therefore, we recommend considering the current Rhine population as ' cryptic invader'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relict species have always beguiled evolutionary biologists and biogeographers, who often view them as fascinating ‘living fossils’ or remnants of old times. Consequently, they are believed to provide interesting and important information on a vanished past and are used to understand the evolution of clades and biotas. The information that relicts provide can, however, be misleading and overemphasised when it is not remembered that they belong to groups or biotas that are mostly extinct. For example, relict species imply regional extinctions and, for this reason, they cannot simultaneously provide evidence of local biota permanence. Here we consider carefully misconceptions about relict species and highlight more clearly their evolutionary and biogeographical significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work presents records of Geastraceae for northeastern Brazil, collected in remnants of the Atlantic Rainforest and Atlantic Rainforest relicts "Brejo de Altitude". The species were identified based on macro- and micromorphology with the aid of specific literature. Eleven species of the family are distributed into two genera: Geastrum fimbriatum, G. javanicum, G. lageniforme, G. lloydianum, G. minimum, G. pectinatum, G. rusticum, G. schweinitzii, G. setiferum, G. triplex, and Myriostoma coliforme. Nine of these records are new for Rio Grande do Norte state, five for Paraíba and five for Ceará. Geastrum minimum is the first record for Northeastern Brazil; G. rusticum is the first report for the semiarid region, while G. pectinatum and M. coliforme are the first records for the Northeastern Atlantic rainforest and "Brejo de Altitude" vegetation. We also provide observations, habitat, and species distribution in Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tethyan plant disjunctions, including Mediterranean-African-Asian disjunctions, are thought to be vicariant, but their temporal origin and underlying causes remain largely unknown. To address this issue, we reconstructed the evolutionary history of Smilax aspera, a hypothesized component of the European Tertiary laurel forest flora., Thirty-eight populations and herbarium specimens representing 57 locations across the species range were sequenced at seven plastid regions and the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer region. Time-calibrated phylogenetic and phylogeographic inferences were used to trace ancestral areas and biogeographical events., The deep intraspecific split between Mediterranean and African-Asian lineages is attributable to range fragmentation of a southern Tethyan ancestor, as colder and more arid climates developed shortly after the mid-Miocene. In the Mediterranean, climate-induced vicariance has shaped regional population structure since the Late Miocene/Early Pliocene. At around the same time, East African and South Asian lineages split by vicariance, with one shared haplotype reflecting long-distance dispersal., Our results support the idea that geographic range formation and divergence of Tertiary relict species are more or less gradual (mostly vicariant) processes over long time spans, rather than point events in history. They also highlight the importance of the Mediterranean Basin as a centre of intraspecific divergence for Tertiary relict plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neolithic and Bronze Age topsoil relicts revealed enhanced extractable phosphorus (P) and plant available inorganic P fractions, thus raising the question whether there was targeted soil amelioration in prehistoric times. This study aimed (i) at assessing the overall nutrient status and the soil organic matter content of these arable topsoil relicts, and (ii) at tracing ancient soil fertilizing practices by respective stable isotope and biomarker analyses. Prehistoric arable topsoils were preserved in archaeological pit fillings, whereas adjacent subsoils served as controls. One Early Weichselian humic zone represented the soil status before the introduction of agriculture. Recent topsoils served as an additional reference. The applied multi-proxy approach comprised total P and micronutrient contents, stable N isotope ratios, amino acid, steroid, and black carbon analyses as well as soil color measurements. Total contents of P and selected micronutrients (I, Cu, Mn, Mo, Se, Zn) of the arable soil relicts were above the limits for which nutrient deficiencies could be assumed. All pit fillings exhibited elevated δ15N values close to those of recent topsoils (δ15N>6 to 7‰), giving first hints for prehistoric organic N-input. Ancient legume cultivation as a potential source for N input could not be verified by means of amino acid analysis. In contrast, bile acids as markers for faecal input exhibited larger concentrations in the pit fillings compared with the reference and control soils indicating faeces (i.e. manure) input to Neolithic arable topsoils. Also black carbon contents were elevated, amounting up to 38% of soil organic carbon, therewith explaining the dark soil color in the pit fillings and pointing to inputs of burned biomass. The combination of different geochemical analyses revealed a sufficient nutrient status of prehistoric arable soils, as well as signs of amelioration (inputs of organic material like charcoal and faeces-containing manure). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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A decreasing population size is often causing species extinction, however, relict species persisting in small-sized populations counter this. We analysed spatial genetic variation and past changes in population size at the maternally-inherited mitochondrial DNA level to clarify the origin of all recently known isolated populations of Pholidoptera frivaldskyi occurring in the range of Carpathian Mountains. Along with that we analysed also morphological variation as some phenotypic traits can retain useful information on population genetic structure. We found a relatively low genetic diversity within isolated populations as 778 bp COI gene sequences revealed only 13 unique haplotypes ( n = 173 individuals from 10 populations). The spatial analysis of molecular variance identified three geographically homogenous genetic clusters (one in Slovakia and two in Romania) with a high level of differentiation among them, suggesting restricted gene flow, whilst Bayesian skyline simulation reconstructed a negative demographic change through evolutionary time. Inferred genetic pattern clearly coincides with differences in males' colour phenotype as the extent of pigmentation on the lateral pronotum varied significantly among genetic lineages. We suggest that geographical variation in the species populations has relict-like character and their isolated occurrence is not a result of recent introduction events. Identification of 'evolutionary units' may help in the conservation and management of this rare insect species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Rosalia longicorn Rosalia alpina is regarded as a primeval forest relict and occurs mainly in old beech woodland in mountain areas. This paper describes a locality of the species in a copse surrounded by pastures, lying in open farmland situated at some distance from woodlands. The larval host plant was Wych Elm Ulmus glabra. The trees at this locality were dying from Dutch elm disease, which is caused by the fungus Ophiostoma sp. It is demonstrated that under favourable circumstances R. alpina can also colonise copses in pastureland, a hitherto unknown habitat for this species. At the same time this newly discovered locality may signify a change in the species' habitat preferences. R. alpina is under threat, however, from the possible felling of the dead trees by the landowner; conservation measures should therefore include a mechanism for financial compensation in return for not cutting the trees down. This work has shown that copses may be used by endangered saproxylic species. The discovery of a R. alpina locality in a pastureland copse gives an indication of the importance of pockets of unmanaged habitat in the farming landscape, which could be contributing to the preservation of populations of rare species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conservation policies usually focus on in situ protection of native populations, a priority that requires accurate assessment of population status. Distinction between native and introduced status can be particularly difficult (and at the same time, is most important) for species whose natural habitat has become both rare and highly fragmented. Here, we address the status of the white elm (Ulmus laevis Pallas), a European riparian tree species whose populations have been fragmented by human activity and is protected wherever it is considered native. Small populations of this species are located in Iberia, where they are unprotected because they are considered introductions due to their rarity. However, Iberia and neighbouring regions in southwestern France have been shown to support discrete glacial refuge populations of many European trees, and the possibility remains that Iberian white elms are native relicts. We used chloroplast RFLPs and nuclear microsatellites to establish the relationship between populations in Iberia and the Central European core distribution. Bayesian approaches revealed significant spatial structure across populations. Those in Iberia and southwestern France shared alleles absent from Central Europe, and showed spatial population structure within Iberia common in recognized native taxa. Iberian populations show a demographic signature of ancient population bottlenecks, while those in Central European show a signature of recent population bottlenecks. These patterns are not consistent with historical introduction of white elm to Iberia, and instead strongly support native status, arguing for immediate implementation of conservation measures for white elm populations in Spain and contiguous areas of southern France. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Not all butterflies are innocuous plant-feeders. A small number of taxa in the family Lycaenidae have graduated from mutualistic partnerships with ants to predatory or parasitic associations. These highly-specialized life histories, involving butterfly larvae living inside ant colonies, are often associated with rarity and vulnerability to extinction. In the present study, we examined the evolutionary relationships of a poorly-known group of seven taxa herein referred to as the idmo-group within the Australian lycaenid genus Ogyris. The idmo-group has a relictual distribution across southern Australia and includes taxa with highly-specialized phytophagous and myrmecophagous life histories. A phylogeny based on mitochondrial DNA (cytochrome oxidase I and cytochrome b] and the nuclear DNA locus elongation factor 1α ( EF1α), generally agrees with current taxonomy and supports the recent elevation of endangered taxon Ogyris halmaturia to full species status. The transition to myrmecophagy was dated to the mid- Miocene (approximately 16 Mya), when southern Australia experienced a humid climate and extensive mesic biome. The arid Nullarbor Plain, a major biogeographical feature of central southern Australia, divides the remnants of this mesic biome into south-eastern and south-western isolates. Late- Miocene to Pliocene divergence estimates for polytypic Ogyris species across the Nullarbor were older than estimates made for similarly distributed birds, butterflies, mammals, and reptiles, which mostly date to the Pleistocene. The concept of highly-specialized life histories as evolutionary dead-end strategies is well exemplified by the idmo-group. Data compiled on the known extant subpopulations for idmo-group taxa show that all of these extraordinary butterflies are scarce and several face imminent threat of extinction. © 2013 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2014, 111, 473-484. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relict species provide a unique opportunity to understand past and recent biogeographical and evolutionary processes. Zelkova abelicea (Ulmaceae), which is endemic to the island of Crete (Greece), is one of the most prominent Tertiary relict trees of the Mediterranean region. We collected distribution, threat and population structure data by reviewing literature and herbaria and through field surveys at 14 study plots throughout the range of the species. The present distribution of Z. abelicea is extremely fragmented. Although the total estimated number of individuals is relatively high, the populations are dominated by dwarf, severely browsed, non-flowering individuals. The population structure is asymmetric. At most, 5% of a plot's trees are large and fruit-bearing. The asymmetric structure is particularly pronounced in isolated and small populations. Based on its limited geographical range, the fragmented spatial pattern, and data on distribution and population structure, our study confirms that Z. abelicea is a threatened species (IUCN category Endangered). Our research aim is to promote the development of new approaches for the improvement of conservation strategies for Tertiary relict trees characterized by major local disjunctions. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Ectobius kohlsi sp. n. and three undetermined species of the common Eurasian cockroach genus Ectobius Stephens, 1835 are reported from the lower middle Eocene of North America. This species indicates a cosmopolitan distribution of the genus during the mid Paleogene, and supports its current relict distribution in modern north-temperate and African ecosystems. When compared with the living species, E. kohlsi was either neutral or plesiomorphic in all characters, but exhibited a close relationship to the extant Ectobius kraussianus Ramme, 1923 Species Group in the identical structure of the pronotum. E. kohlsi also was similar to extant Ectobius ticinus Bohn, 2004, in the character of its wing venation (see Bohn 2004), in particular the forewing vein M, and to extant Ectobius vittiventris (Costa 1847) in details of forewing coloration. These latter two species are members of the Ectobius sylvestris Species Group (Bohn 1989). Ectobius balticus Germar et Berendt, 1856—a conspicuously dominant cockroach from mid-Eocene Baltic amber—also appears plesiomorphic in all characters despite being a few million years younger than E. kohlsi. One reason for the complete disappearance of this dominant genus from North America is the peculiar consequence that, after 49 million years, a cool-adapted Ectobius lapponicus (L.) was capable of being reintroduced to a significantly cooler North America than that its antecedents which inhabited North America during a warmer European Eocene. Modern E. lapponicus is synanthropic in North America, even though no synanthropism is recorded for this species in its native habitat throughout Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]