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Biodiversity Journal 2012, 3 (1): 1-96

  • Biodiversity Journal, 3 (1): 001-002
    Nathalie Yonow
    The genus Nembrotha (Bergh, 1877)
  • Biodiversity Journal, 3 (1): 003-012

    Michel Delaugerre, Flavia Grita, Pietro Lo Cascio & Ridha Ouni
    Lizards and Eleonora’s Falcon (Falco eleonorae Gené, 1839), a Mediterranean micro-insular commensalism

    ABSTRACT
    Lizards and Eleonora’s falcon occur on many Mediterranean islets. Data given in literature and new observations concerning their asymmetrical interactions, which have been reviewed and illustrated, allow to regard those as a commensal relationship typical on these micro-insular ecosystems. Some considerations on the ecological, ecomorphological and phenological traits involved on this commensalism are also briefly discussed.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 3 (1): 013-040

    Qudsia Tahseen
    Nematodes in aquatic environments: adaptations and survival strategies

    ABSTRACT
    Nematodes are found in all substrata and sediment types with fairly large number of species that are of considerable ecological importance. Despite their simple body organization, they are the most complex forms with many metabolic and developmental processes comparable to higher taxa. Phylum Nematoda represents a diverse array of taxa present in subterranean environment. It is due to the formative constraints to which these individuals are exposed in the interstitial system of medium and coarse sediments that they show pertinent characteristic features to survive successfully in aquatic environments. They represent great degree of morphological adaptations including those associated with cuticle, sensilla, pseudocoelomic inclusions, stoma, pharynx and tail. Their life cycles as well as development seem to be entrained to the environment type. Besides exhibiting feeding adaptations according to the substrata and sediment type and the kind of food available, the aquatic nematodes tend to withstand various stresses by undergoing cryobiosis, osmobiosis, anoxybiosis as well as thiobiosis involving sulphide detoxification mechanism.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 3 (1): 041-048

    Ahlem Amina Taleb Bendiab, Salim Mouffok & Zitouni Boutiba
    Reproductive biology and growth of Lesser Spotted Dogfish Scyliorhinus canicula (Linnaeus, 1758) in Western Algerian coasts (Chondrichthyes, Scyliorhinidae)

    ABSTRACT
    Elasmobranch fishes have a large distribution. At the level of the Mediterranean fisheries, a low density of elasmobranchs is noted at the assemblages, these fisheries appearing near to the point of best efficiency or even to over-exploitation. Indeed, a general decline of shark populations was observed over the last decade on the Mediterranean coast. The aim of this work was to evaluate different biological characteristics of the species Scyliorhinus canicula (Linnaeus, 1758). A sampling of 461 specimens was realized between September 2009 and August 2010 from the western coast of Algeria. The oviduco-somatic index OSI, the hepatosomatic index (HSI) and the condition factor (Kn) were estimated monthly for 249 females to identify the reproduction period. Obtained results show a rapid maturation from September to November and from February to April when the Kn values are very low.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 3 (1): 049-054

    Maria Vladimirtseva
    Ecological features of Tundra Cranes in North-Eastern Siberia (Aves, Gruidae)

    ABSTRACT
    In sub-arctic tundra of North-Eastern Siberia (Yakutia region) the breeding areas of Siberian Crane, Grus leucogeranus (Pallas, 1773) and Lesser Sandhill Crane, Grus canadensis сanadensis (Linnaeus, 1758), overlap. In the present paper ecological interrelations between these two crane species are reported. Siberian Crane is the dominant species and occupies more productive ecological niche such as damp lowlands. Sandhill Cranes have to content themselves with less productive but more extensive habitats such as drier and higher levels of tundra. Generally speaking, Sandhill Cranes prefer to feed in damp lowlands, as can be observed in areas where Siberian Cranes are absent. Such a displacement toward another ecological niche has not a significant impact on Sandhill Crane thanks to the plasticity and tolerance of this species.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 3 (1): 055-058

    Eric Moise Bakwo Fils, Alima Bol A Anong & Fernand-Nestor Tchuenguem Fohouo
    First record of the Giant House Bat Scotophilus nigrita (Schreber, 1774) in Cameroon (Mammalia, Chiroptera)

    ABSTRACT
    We report the first record of the Giant House Bat Scotophilus nigrita (Schreber, 1774) (Mammalia, Chiroptera), from Cameroon where this species was never documented before. Scotophilus nigrita is one of the biggest species of Microchiropterans. Some misidentifications were noted before 1978 with S. dingani (A. Smith, 1833) being identified as S. nigrita.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 3 (1): 059-068

    Francisco Javier Peris-Felipo & Ricardo Jiménez-Peydró
    Cerambycidae (Coleoptera) richness in Mediterranean landscapes of Spain: diversity and community structure analysis

    ABSTRACT
    The aim of the present work was to analyse the diversity of Cerambycidae (Coleoptera) in 3 Spanish protected Mediterranean natural parks affected by bioclimatic conditions: La Font Roja, Las Lagunas de la Mata-Torrevieja and La Tinença de Benifassà. Sampling was conducted by direct and indirect collection (light and Malaise traps) between 2004 and 2009. During this period, 1,102 specimens, belonging to 61 different species, were captured. Alpha, beta and gamma diversities, as well as the structure of the communities were subsequently analysed. Our results indicate that Tinença de Benifassà has higher diversity than Font Roja and Las Lagunas de la Mata-Torrevieja. Based on analysis of structural models, these communities were observed to be unstable and are composed of only a few abundant species and a large number of rare species. All 3 parks conform to log-series and log-normal distributions. These results demonstrate that it is not possible consider the habitat influence in community structure, since each habitat displays very different botanical and faunal compositions, and climate conditions.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 3 (1): 069-078

    Maria Grazia Pennino & José Maria Bellido
    Can a simple Pelagic-Demersal ratio explain ecosystem functioning?

    ABSTRACT
    In quantity terms, the proportion of the total marine fish landings which is accounted for by pelagic fish has increased continuously, with large oscillations reflecting natural variations of resources productivity and fishing strategies. The aim of the present work is to assess this trend in different Mediterranean fishing areas from 1970 to 2005 using the Pelagic/Demersal ratio (P/D). The P/D ratio is a simple ecosystem indicator based on commercial landings and provides a measure of the status of the fish community also in data-poor fisheries situations. Simple statistical techniques were used to study fishery ecosystem through the collection and comparison of geographical parameters as chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) pigmentation intensity and rainfall. In all the Mediterranean the P/D ratio appears to be correlated with the mean Chl-a value and increased with time, this may depend both on a better availability of nutrients in the water column and the overexploitation of resources. The areas where there is a greater presence of zones of upwelling and nutrient inputs are the ones with the highest values of the index. Additionally, comparison with the analysis of the multispecies landings shows that the trend of the index is influenced by the landings of Clupeidae and Engraulidae, a fact showing that fisheries in these areas are increasingly relying on the smaller, short-lived fishes from the lower part of marine food webs.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 3 (1): 079-084

    Sathianeson Satheesh & Samuel Godwin Wesley
    Diversity and distribution of seaweeds in the Kudankulam coastal waters, South-Eastern coast of India

    ABSTRACT
    The macroalgal resources of inter-tidal region of Kudankulam coastal waters are presented in this paper. A total of 32 taxa were recorded in the Kudankulam region: 15 belonging to Chlorophyta, 8 to Phaeophyta and 9 to Rhodophyta. Ulva fasciata Delil, Sargassum wightii Greville, Chaetomorpha linum (O.F. Müller) Kützing, Hydropuntia edulis (Gmelin) Gurgel et Fredericq, Dictyota dichotoma (Hudson) Lamouroux, Caulerpa sertulariodes (Gmelin) Howe, Acanthophora muscoides (Linnaeus) Bory de Saint-Vincent and Ulva compressa Linnaeus were the commonly occurring seaweeds in the rocky shores and other submerged hard surfaces. The seasonal abundance of seaweeds was studied by submerging wooden test panels in the coastal waters. The seaweed abundance on test panels was high during pre-monsoon and monsoon periods and low in post-monsoon season. In general, an updated checklist and distribution of seaweeds from Kudankulam region of Southeast coast of India is described.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 3 (1): 085-090

    Ivan Rapuzzi & Ignazio Sparacio
    Carabus (Eurycarabus) faminii Dejean, 1826 (Coleoptera, Carabidae) in Sicily: distribution and taxonomic considerations with description of a new taxon

    ABSTRACT
    The study of large series from many localities from all over Sicily of Carabus (Eurycarabus) faminii Dejean, 1826 confirmed that in Sicily live two different subspecies. After examination of the holotypus of C. faminii we found that C. faminii sabellai Sparacio, 2007 is a synonym of the nominal form widespread in south-east part of Sicily. The western subspecies is described in this paper.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 3 (1): 091-092

    Francesco Giusti & Carlo Sbrana
    Lurifax vitreus Warén & Bouchet, 2001 (Gastropoda, Orbitestellidae), a new record for deep waters of the Tuscan Archipelago (Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy)

    ABSTRACT
    We record a finding of one perfect adult, one young specimen, and other two no-well conserved adults of Lurifax vitreus Warén & Bouchet, 2001 (Gastropoda, Orbitestellidae) coming from deep waters of Tuscan Archipelago.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 3 (1): 093-095

    Sitthi Kulabtong, Siriwan Suksri & Chirachai Nonpayom
    A new species of genus Laubuca Bleeker, 1860 cyprinid fish from Bangladesh (Cypriniformes, Cyprinidae)

    ABSTRACT
    A new species of cyprinid fish (Cypriniformes, Cyprinidae), Laubuca brahmaputraensis n. sp. from Brahmaputra River, Bangladesh, is described. This species is distinguished from other species of genus Laubuca Bleeker, 1860 by the combination of the following characters: lateral line scales comprising 31-32 + 1-2 scales, transverse line scales of ½6-½7/ 1 / 2½ - 3½ scales, body depth ranging from 25.1 to 29.3 % Standard length (SL), pelvic fin not reaching beyond the anus, anal fin with 3 unbranched rays and 19½-20½ branched rays, black blotch above the pectoral fin base and no tubercles on lower jaw.