Search Results (39)

Mothocya parvostis Bruce, 1986 (Isopoda: Cymothoidae) is a parasite that mainly infests the branchial cavity of Japanese halfbeak, Hyporhamphus sajori (Temminck and Schlegel, 1846) (Beloniformes: Hemiramphidae) (pelagic marine fish). Although it has generally been considered to parasitize the branchial cavity throughout its life, early studies suggested that mancae (first free swimming stage) initially attach to the body surface of the host. In this study, H. sajori juveniles were collected off Ohkurokamishima Island, Hiroshima, Japan, and examined for cymothoid infestation. Of the 57 individuals that were examined, 5 were parasitized, all on the ventral surface of the fish bodies. One manca was genetically identified as M. parvostis based on the sequence of cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (100% or 99.81% identity with known sequences). These findings support the earlier claim that mancae infest the body surface of H. sajori. Due to the host’s slender body and small branchial cavity, early-stage parasites may remain external in the initial phase of infestation. Full article

Forest fires are commonly regarded as negative for ecosystems; however, they also represent a major ecological force shaping the biodiversity of invertebrates and many other organisms. The aim of this study was to better understand how multiple groups of invertebrates respond to wildfire across different forest types in Central Europe. The research was conducted following a large forest fire (ca. 1200 ha) that occurred in 2022. Data were collected over two years (2023 and 2024), from April to September. The research was conducted in coniferous forests and included six pairwise study types: burnt and unburnt dead spruce (bark beetle affected), burnt and unburnt clear-cuts, and burnt and unburnt healthy stands. In total, 96 traps were deployed each year. Across both years, 220,348 invertebrates were recorded (1.Y: 128,323; 2.Y: 92,025), representing 24 taxonomic groups. A general negative trend in abundance following forest fire was observed in the groups Acari, Auchenorhyncha, Blattodea, Dermaptera, Formicidae, Chilopoda, Isopoda, Opiliones, and Pseudoscorionida. Groups showing a neutral response included Araneae, Coleoptera, Collembola, Diplopoda, Heteroptera, Psocoptera, Raphidioptera, Thysanoptera, and Trichoptera. Positive responses, indicated by an increase in abundance, were recorded in Hymenoptera, Orthoptera, Lepidoptera, and Diptera. However, considerable differences among management types (clear-cut, dead spruce, and healthy) were evident, as their distinct characteristics largely influenced invertebrate abundance in both unburnt and burnt variants of the types across all groups studied. Forest fire primarily creates favorable conditions for heliophilous, open-landscape, and floricolous invertebrate groups, while less mobile epigeic groups are strongly negatively affected. In the second year post-fire, the total invertebrate abundance in burnt sites decreased to 59% of the first year’s levels. Conclusion: Forest fire generates a highly heterogeneous landscape from a regional perspective, creating unique ecological niches that persist more than two years after fire. For many invertebrates, successional return toward pre-fire conditions is delayed or incomplete. Full article

The ability of terrestrial isopods (Crustacea: Isopoda: Oniscidea) to protect themselves effectively from predation by birds has never been tested. They are equipped with glands producing chemical substances; moreover, some species show conspicuous coloration, which might suffice as an aposematic signal. We evaluated the palatability of isopods to birds. We tested the responses of Parus major captured in the wild (and thus possessing some experience with common native isopod species) to the following isopod species: Porcellio scaber (native, inconspicuous), Oniscus asellus (native, moderately conspicuous), Armadillo officinalis (non-native, moderately conspicuous), Armadillidium versicolor (native, conspicuous), and Armadillidium gestroi (non-native, conspicuous). We compared bird responses to isopods with reactions to the Blaptica dubia, an edible roach very similar to isopods in size and appearance. Isopods were better protected from bird attacks than roaches; however, their color pattern did not affect the level of protection. Birds were able to differentiate isopods from the roach; in experiments, where we presented isopod and roach individuals together, the birds hesitated longer in attacking and observed both prey items for a longer time. Non-native species either profited from the generalization of the protection of native isopods or from neophobia. Some isopods elicited significantly more discomfort behavior in birds, suggesting differences in the chemical protection among the tested species. Full article

Three new species of Trichorhina are described from iron ore caves in the Serra dos Carajás Mountain Range, located in the Amazon Forest, Brazil. Trichorhina tucupi n. sp. occurs in Serra Leste, Serra da Bocaina and Serra do Tarzan Mountain Ranges. Trichorhina tacaca n. sp. occurs in caves in the Serra Norte Mountain Range. Trichorhina piloi n. sp. occurs in the Serra Sul and Serra Norte Mountain Ranges. Statistical methods were applied to investigate the putative morphological patterns of these species and to investigate their potential use in distinguishing Trichorhina species from epigean and hypogean habitats. Full article

Feeding habits of the four-spotted megrim, Lepidorhombus boscii, from the eastern Adriatic Sea were examined. A total of 1070 individuals collected using a bottom trawl net between July 2020 and June 2021 were analyzed. A high percentage of empty stomachs (63.27%) was recorded. The food composition proved that L. boscii is a carnivorous species. The identified prey of L. boscii was divided into seven groups: Teleostei, Bivalvia, Gastropoda, Cephalopoda, Isopoda, Mysida, and Decapoda. Decapods were the most important prey (%IRI = 58.18), followed by cephalopods (%IRI = 10.93). At the species level, the most important prey were the decapods Parapeneus longirostris (%IRI = 11.48) and Goneplax rhomboides (%IRI = 5.92). Statistically significant seasonal variations in diet were recorded; decapods dominated in spring, summer, and winter, whereas cephalopods prevailed in autumn. There were no statistically significant differences in the food composition between the three size categories. Decapods were the most important prey in all size categories (%IRI > 50). The lowest feeding intensity, as well as the highest percentage of empty stomachs, was recorded in winter, which is also the main spawning season of this species in the Adriatic Sea. Full article

Cymothoidae (Crustacea: Isopoda) infest fish in marine, brackish, and freshwater environments. Cymothoa pulchrum Lanchester, 1902 is a cymothoid commonly found in the buccal cavity of mainly Tetraodontiformes fishes, distributed in the central and western Indo-Pacific region. This study describes the morphology of each life cycle stage of C. pulchrum: adult female, transitional, adult male, juvenile, and manca. In addition, we obtained DNA sequences linked to the morphological information of this species. We compared it with the sequences in the database using the neighbor-joining tree based on cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and 16S rRNA. Prior to this study, morphological data on the immature stages of Japanese Cymothoa was limited to juveniles of Cymothoa indica Schioedte and Meinert, 1884. The research identified 12 distinct morphological features that differentiate juvenile C. pulchrum from juvenile C. indica. Molecular analysis revealed that the COI sequences obtained in this study matched some of the C. pulchrum sequences in the database, whereas other sequences in the database formed a clade with Cymothoa eremita (Brünnich, 1783). In the phylogenetic tree based on 16S rRNA, C. pulchrum was also divided into two groups. In the COI phylogenetic tree, C. pulchrum and C. eremita form a total of five groups, and these two species might need to be re-examined taxonomically and molecularly. Full article

The largescale blackfish, Girella punctata Gray, 1835, is important in the fishing industry and recreational fishing, and it is also cultured in East Asia. Cymothoidae (Crustacea: Isopoda) is a group of parasites that infest fish in marine, brackish, and freshwater environments. In this study, we report, for the first time, Ceratothoa arimae (Nunomura, 2001) (Cymothoidae) from the buccal cavity of G. punctata in the Seto Inland Sea, Japan. Ceratothoa arimae showed a prevalence of 29.4–66.7% in G. punctata. The morphology of the mancae of this species was also described in comparison with that of the adult female (ovigerous), transitional stage, and adult male. The manca of Ceratothoa arimae has more chromatophores than those of other Ceratothoa species from Japan, and is a candidate for a future taxonomic trait. This species may have a negative impact on cultured G. punctata, which would be important to determine in future studies. Currently, it is difficult to identify cymothoid mancae species based on their morphology, but the information provided in this study could be useful when combined with other methods developed in the future, such as molecular analysis. Full article

Since 2015, the invasive seaweed Rugulopteryx okamurae has triggered the most serious marine macrophyte invasion in Europe. Its huge coastal biomass dumped on beaches generates health problems, strong odors, impacts on tourism, and high clean-up costs, but it also constitutes a new potential marine resource that offers significant prospects for exploitation. In this sense, as a circular economy strategy, seaweed bioremediation with isopods (Isopoda, Crustacea, Arthropoda) was experimented on for the first time. Specimens of Porcellio laevis (native terrestrial isopod) were obtained from urban parks and kept in terrariums with adequate humidity and temperature control. A sample of 150 adult specimens was divided into six batches of 25 animals. Three batches were fed with 100 g of mulch of Quercus pyrenaica leaves (control) and three with a diet composed of 100 g of mulch of algae (treatment). P. laevis consumed up to 1.5 times their weight per day on the algae diet, with little or no weight loss and adequate reproduction rates. The weight of the isopods averaged 1.6 g in the seaweed group and 2.5 g in the control group. However, high mortality was observed in both mancas and adults in the treatment group. In this sense, the average number of mancas per cm² was 0 in the algae group and 325 in the control group. Despite this, the results are promising, and consequently, we propose to encourage research with isopods due to their high voracity, high prolificacy, and resistance to invasive algal recycling. Future work should explore what percentage of R. okamurae prevents diterpene mortality of isopods and other invertebrates. This is a preliminary step towards the massive bioremediation of spring and summer blooms of R. okamurae. This work contributes to highlighting this abundant marine resource. Full article

Forest litter can decompose faster at home sites than at guest sites (home-field advantage, HFA), yet few studies have focused on the response of the HFA of native plant decomposition to the presence of invasive plants. We loaded the dry leaves of native Neosinocalamus affinis (decomposition resistant) and Ficus virens (more easily decomposable) leaves into litterbags with and without invasive Alternanthera philoxeroides, and incubated these litterbags at N. affinis and F. virens sites at the edge of the forest. The results showed that positive HFA effects with litter mass loss were at least 1.32% faster at home sites than at guest sites. The addition of A. philoxeroides reduced the mean HFA of N. affinis litter and increased that of F. virens litter. The HFA index without A. philoxeroides was significantly higher than that with A. philoxeroides. Soil faunal abundance colonized at home sites was always higher than that colonized at guest sites. Compared with the F. virens site, the abundance of Collembola, Arachnida, Formicidae and Lepismatidae at the N. affinis site was significantly higher compared to the F. virens site, while the abundance of Isopoda, Oligochaeta, Nematoda and Dermaptera was significantly lower. Our results indicate that invasive plants may regulate HFA effects by promoting the decomposition of native plants and increasing fauna abundance. Particularly, soil fauna groups play a very important role in this process. Our findings help us to re-understand the role of invasive plants in material cycling and energy flow in the context of achieving carbon neutrality goals. Full article

Glossy buckthorn (Frangula alnus Miller) is an invasive alien plant species (IAPS) rapidly expanding in North America but is largely understudied compared to the common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica). Our study investigated the effects of a 27-year-old F. alnus invasion on native understory plant and saprophagous macroarthropod communities in a wet deciduous woodland in Southern Québec, Canada. We hypothesized a decreased taxonomic diversity and a change in community composition of both indicator taxa with increasing F. alnus density. The understory plant and saprophagous macroarthropod communities were characterized, respectively, through vegetation surveys and pitfall trapping across a density gradient of 43 plots invaded by F. alnus. Our results demonstrated that F. alnus did not exert a strong influence on species community composition, although the homogenization of understory plant communities was observed. Despite several decades of F. alnus invasion at our study site, the consequences on the selected indicator taxa were overall relatively small, suggesting that the magnitude of effects is variable. We suggest that further investigation at a larger scale should be performed to evaluate the effect of F. alnus on a broad diversity of indicators and understand any context dependency. Full article

Seamounts can have a strong influence on the distribution and diversity of species, creating an oasis effect that may favour diversification. In order to assess how and to what extent supra- and epibenthic crustaceans can colonise these environments, the eucarid and peracarid fauna collected from the summit of the Valencia Seamount (VS), a small deep seamount (summit depth: 1056 m), rising from a depth of ca. 1850 m, in the oligotrophic Balearic Basin, was analysed. Based on a first sampling (beam trawls, plankton nets and stomach contents), and a faunal reconstruction from a sediment core (MC2, at 1151 m), the supra(epi)benthic crustaceans at the VS summit (to 1300 m) were composed of nine Eucarida and 25 Peracarida. Polycheles typhlops, Munida tenuimana, and Aristeus antennatus were the dominant species among eucarids. Among Peracarida the most abundant species were the Mysida Boreomysis arctica, the Amphipoda Rhachtropis caeca, and the Isopoda Munnopsurus atlanticus. Among Decapoda, a species with a wide amplitude in their depth distribution and small eggs (i.e., with planktotrophic larvae), showed a higher colonisation capacity. In the absence of larvae, the colonisation of peracarids depends on the amplitude of their depth distribution and only those species that reach the highest depths in the entire Balearic Basin, at least 1600–1800 m, were able to colonise the summit of VS. The natatory capacity of the species also has some influence and whole groups with low natatory capacity, such as the Desmosomatidae, were completely absent on the VS summit; however, they are distributed throughout the Balearic Basin to depths (up to about 1500 m) exceeding the depth of the seamount summit. Therefore, colonisation by peracarids must not have occurred by swimming through the entire water column, but by swimming along or just above the bottom. Remains of some suprabenthic species (mainly the isopod M. atlanticus) in MC2 and another core collected in NW Mallorca (MC3, 1114 m), i.e., out of the VS, showed how isopod diversity and size distribution changed historically. Also, after the 1960s, a decrease in primary production due to a decrease in rainfall and river runoff associated with river damming could have reduced the abundance of M. atlanticus. These types of historical studies can be useful in interpreting long-term changes in deep-sea communities and optimising the management of these vulnerable areas. Full article

In this study, we conducted a comprehensive survey aimed at assessing the diversity of yeast species inhabiting the guts of various insect species collected mainly from two Bulgarian National Parks, namely, Rila, and Pirin. The insect specimens encompass a broad taxonomic spectrum, including representatives from Coleoptera, Orthoptera, Lepidoptera, Hymenoptera, Dermaptera, Isopoda, and Collembola. Yeast strains were identified with DNA barcoding using the ribosomal markers, specifically, the D1/D2 domains of the ribosomal large subunit (LSU) and the internal transcribed spacers regions ITS 1 + 2 (ITS). The analysis unveiled the presence of 89 ascomycetous and 18 basidiomycetous yeast isolates associated with the insect specimens. Furthermore, our study identified 18 hitherto unknown yeast species. Full article

A review and partial revision of the diversity of freshwater stygobiotic crustaceans in the territory of the Republic of North Ossetia–Alania, in the North Caucasus, is presented here. Previously, two species of the genus Proasellus Dudich, 1925 (Isopoda, Asellidae), P. uallagirus Palatov & Sokolova, 2020 and P. irystonicus Palatov & Sokolova, 2020, and one species of the genus Niphargus Schiödte, 1849 (Amphipoda, Niphargidae), N. alanicus Marin & Palatov, 2021, were described from the hyporhean/underground habitats (hyporhea) in the area. However, further research using an integrative approach has revealed that only a single species of the genus Proasellus (P. uallagirus) is actually widely distributed in the hyporhean riverbed habitats in the area, while the diversity of the genus Niphargus is higher than previously known. Six more new Niphargus species— namely, N. ardonicus sp. nov., N. sadonicus sp. nov., N. fiagdonicus sp. nov., N. tschertschesovae sp. nov., N. osseticus sp. nov. and N. zeyensis sp. nov., were discovered from the various hypogean underground water sources (i.e., springs and seeps) and are described in this article. Their phylogenetic relationships with their congeners, as well as their ecology and known distribution, are discussed. Furthermore, molecular genetic analysis, with an interpretation of the estimated divergence time, suggests that the studied hyporheic/stygobiotic crustaceans started to diverge from related European and Balkan sister species during the Late Miocene, approximately 8–5.8 Mya, with the reduction in the Paratethys and the uplifting of the Caucasus Mountains. Local speciation was led by local geological processes and karst fragmentation during the Late Pliocene and Early Pleistocene periods, starting around 5.3 Mya. The obtained data suggest that the mountainous area of the North Ossetia–Alania could be considered as a post-Pliocene glacial refugium for subterranean and stygobiotic fauna—the first known for the North Caucasus region. Full article

The Ilyarachninae are a diverse and widely distributed subfamily of the asellote family Munnopsidae. This paper describes nine new deep-sea species from two Ilyarachninae genera, Ilyarachna and Notoapais, from the southwestern Pacific, namely from New Zealand and the east coast of Australia. Ilyarachna aculeatus n. sp., Ilyarachna brucei n. sp., Ilyarachna franki n. sp., Ilyarachna mclayi n. sp., Ilyarachna pacifica n. sp., Ilyarachna sami n. sp., Ilyarachna taranui n. sp. and Notopais chathamensis n. sp. are described from New Zealand waters, while Notopais likros n. sp. is described from off the east coast of Australia. Additionally, a redescription of Notopais spinosa from the Balleny Islands, Antarctica, and a revised key to the Ilyarachna and Notopais species from the southwest Pacific are included, and the distribution, affinities, and diagnostic characters of the new species are discussed. Full article

Details regarding the synonymy of Nesaea Leach, 1814 and Dynamene Leach, 1814 are given and a type species is selected for Dynamene. The genus Heteruropus Verhoeff, 1942 is shown to be the senior objective synonym of Harrieta Kensley, 1987 and an expanded synonymy list for the type species, Heteruropus faxoni (Richardson, 1905) is provided. Full article