Skip to main content

Biodiversity Journal 2016, 7 (2): 201-294

  • Biodiversity Journal, 7 (2): 201-202
    Cristina Cattaneo
    Campanula laciniata L. (Campanulaceae)
  • Biodiversity Journal, 7 (2): 203-214

    Khajeh Asghar, Darvish Jamshid & Razmi Gholam Reza
    A contribution on rodents fauna of the Jaz Murian depression, southeast Iran

    ABSTRACT
    The Jaz Murian depression in the southeast of Iran bounded by deserts and mountains is a special corridor for penetration of Arabian and Indian fauna. The region demonstrates harsh desert climate. This study was designed to reveal rodent diversity of the region in the light of geographic features. Totally, 127 specimens belonging to 5 families and 14 genera and 15 species were captured using live-traps and hand-net. As a result, the depression enjoys Oriental and Ethiopian elements (Acomys dimidiatus Cretzschemar, 1826, Gerbillus nanus Blanford, 1875 and Meriones libycus Lichtenstein, 1823) which could pass Arabian deserts penetrating Iran from northern shores of Persian Gulf. Also, the region is a penetration route for Oriental species such as Tatera indica Hardwicke, 1807, Golunda ellioti Gray, 1837, Meriones hurrianae (Jerdon, 1867) and Mus musculus Linnaeus, 1758. The Jaz Murian depression is considered as the southernmost boundary of distributional range of Apodemus witherbyi Thomas, 1902 in the world. The Jaz Murian depression is supposed as a cross road between Palaearctic, Ethiopian and Oriental realms.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 7 (2): 215-222

    Sreekala K. Nair & D. J. Bhat
    Diversity and seasonal appearance of aquatic fungi in three streams of Western Ghat forests of Goa, India

    ABSTRACT
    In the absence of any detailed and intensive investigation on the mycota of freshwater streams of the northern part of Western Ghats, in the present paper an effort was made to study the diversity and seasonal appearance of aquatic fungi of this region. It has been observed, from the study made among the three seasonal samplings, that monsoon season is the best for recovery of this group of fungi.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 7 (2): 223-228

    Tamer Mahmoud, Sanjay Gairola, Hatem Shabana & Ali El-Keblawy
    Contribution to the flora of United Arab Emirates: Glinus lotoides L. (Molluginaceae) and Senna occidentalis L. (Fabaceae) two new records

    ABSTRACT
    This paper reports Glinus lotoides L. (Molluginaceae) and Senna occidentalis L. (Fabaceae) as two new records to the flora of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). In the UAE, G. lotoides grows in the seasonally inundated land when the water recedes and soils have high clay contents. This is the only representative species of the genus Glinus in the UAE. Hence, we added a new genus to the country’s flora. Senna occidentalis was recorded from Wadi Al-Ain with ca. 15 individuals in its population. This species is considered as a weed elsewhere, so, there should be further assessments in order to monitor naturalization potential in its new localities in the UAE. The general distribution of the newly recorded species, habitat preferences and taxonomy with a map of localities in the UAE are presented. The occurrence of both species in different places in the UAE calls for further investigation and more extensive field studies to explore the country’s genetic resources.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 7 (2): 229-232

    Souheila Ouamane, Lyamine Mezedjri & Ali Tahar
    Quality of swimming waters in the Gulf of Skikda (Algeria)

    ABSTRACT
    The purpose of this study is to determine the bacteriological and physico-chemical quality of swimming waters in the region of Skikda (Algeria), a popular tourist area known for its many beaches, through the water analysis of ten sites. This monitoring program was carried out for a period of five months.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 7 (2): 233-240

    Amel Bellal, Naouel Amel Brahim Tazi, Zakia Hadjou & Zitouni Boutiba
    First records of digenean trematodes of two fishes (Teleostei Sparidae) from the West Algerian coast and comparative study with Tunisian coast (Mediterranean Sea West)

    ABSTRACT
    Two species of the Teleostean Diplodus Rafinesque, 1810 Sparidae fish, Diplodus sargus (Linnaeus, 1758) (n = 134) and D. annularis (Linnaeus, 1758) (n = 60), from the Algerian west coast were examined with regards to Digenea parasites occurrence between March 2013 and December 2014. This investigation led to inventory 12 species of Digenea (Lepidauchen stenostoma, Arnola microcirrus, Magnibursatus bartolii, Proctoeces maculatus, Holorchis pycnoporus, Lepocreadium album, Wardula sarguicola, Monorchis sp., Macvicaria crassigula, Pseudopycnadena fischtali, Diphterostomum brusinae and Zoogonus rubellus). These species are reported in the selected locality situated in Oran bay for the first time. Furthermore, Lepidauchen stenostoma in D. annularis is reported for the first time in the western Mediterranean. The majority of the recorded digeneans colonize one or two parts of the host digestive tract, the intestine being the most parasitized site. The calculation of epidemiologic indices provides information on the occurrence of digeneans identified in these two hosts. The diversity of Digenea is compared with that of the Gulf of Tunis, the Bizerte lagoon and another locality in the western Mediterranean. The Algerian west coast shows the highest value in the species richness of digeneans as compared to that of all the Mediterranean coasts.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 7 (2): 241-248

    Sitthi Kulabtong & Rujira Mahaprom
    Preliminary survey of hill stream fishes in Upper Cyber Stream, outside Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary, West Thailand

    ABSTRACT
    Fields survey of freshwater fish in Cyber Stream, outside Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary, at Ban Cyber, Khok Khwai Subdistrict, Hui Kod District, Uthai Thani Province, West Thailand were carried out in December 2015. We found 10 families and 22 species of hill stream fishes. Schistura desmotes (Fowler, 1934) and Homalopteroides smithi (Hora 1932) (Cypriniformes Balitoridae) are dominant in transparent and running fast stream ecosystem and Neolissochilus stracheyi (Day, 1871) and Mystacoleucus marginatus (Valenciennes, 1842) (Cypriniformes Cyprinidae) are dominant in running slowly stream and pool of the headwater stream ecosystem. One alien species in this area is Poecilia reticulata Peters, 1859 (Cyprinodontiformes Poeciliidae). Two species, Pseudohomaloptera cf. leonardi (Hora, 1941) (Cypriniformes Balitoridae) and Channa cf. gachua (Hamilton, 1822) (Perciformes Channidae), still have an unclear taxonomic status. The Thai local names, habitat and distribution data of hill stream fishes are provided.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 7 (2): 249-252

    Calogero Muscarella & Maurizio Pavesi
    Princidium (Testedium) laetum (Brullé, 1836) new to Italian fauna (Coleoptera Carabidae Trechinae Bembidiini)

    ABSTRACT
    The Mediterranean ground beetle Princidium (Testedium) laetum (Brullé, 1836) (Coleoptera Carabidae Trechinae Bembidiini) is herewith first recorded for Italy, on Favignana Island (Egadi Archipelago). The site of the species is a small complex of coastal temporary pools. Notes on the species and considerations on the significance of its local occurrence are given.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 7 (2): 253-256

    Sitthi Kulabtong
    Biological data of Burmese carplet Amblypharyngodon atkinsonii (Blyth, 1860) in South Myanmar (Cypriniformes Cyprinidae): a preliminary report

    ABSTRACT
    The present paper reports on biological data of Burmese carplet, Amblypharyngodon atkinsonii (Blyth, 1860) in Tanintharyi River, Tavoy, Tanintharyi Division, South Myanmar. The study indicated that this fish is a surface and mid-water feeder. According to stomach content, it can be considered as planktivorous and insectivorous. Food items can be separated into five groups, namely phytoplanktons, zooplanktons, aquatic insects, plant materials and organic matters, the first two being the main items. Females of A. atkinsonii were found to be predominant. The length-weight relationship was related by the equation, W = 0.0000031SL3.5221; (R2 = 0.94). Fecundity ranged from 1,548–4,020 eggs. Fecundity-length relationship was related by the equation, Fe = 0.88046SL1.9560; (R2 = 0.87) and Fecundity-weight by Fe = 914.4292W0.6182; (R2 = 0.88).

  • Biodiversity Journal, 7 (2): 257-260

    Salvatore Giacobbe & Antonio Di Bella
    About the wide Mediterranean distribution of the “geographically localized” Clelandella myriamae (Gofas, 2005) (Gastropoda Trochidae)

    ABSTRACT
    Almost one thousands of empty shells recognized as Clelandella myriamae (Gofas, 2005) (Gastropoda Trochidae) have been collected from the Gioia Basin (South Tyrrhenian) and, in minor number, from the Strait of Messina. The records remarkably increase the areal known for this bathyal species, previous known only from Levantine Basin.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 7 (2): 261-272

    Khaldoun Ali & Pierpaolo Rapuzzi
    Second contribution to the knowledge of Longhorn Beetles of the Syrian Coastal Region (Coleoptera Cerambycidae)

    ABSTRACT
    Knowledge relating to the Longhorn Beetles of Syria was extended in this study, with special emphasis on the Coastal Region (SCR), which was the focal point of a previous study we published last year (2015). This contribution provides a detailed account about additional species and subspecies that were collected from different areas and localities of the SCR, in as much as reporting two new species to be recorded for the first time from the Syrian territory, namely: Stenopterus atricornis Pic, 1891 and Pogonocherus barbarae Rapuzzi et Sama, 2012. Among the examined catches, one specimen was identified down to the genus level, but its species status is doubtful and its validity still needs further examination. All availabe faunistics, biogeographies and bionomics of all the reported species and subspecies are given. Moreover, a complete, refined and annotated checklist of the Syrian Cerambycidae was introduced, with special reference to all taxa recoreded from SCR up to the time of publication of this work.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 7 (2): 273-286

    Vaishali Gupta, Jaishree Dubey & Naveen K. Verma
    Seasonal biodiversity of cyanobacteria in besmirched habitats

    ABSTRACT
    Cyanobacteria inhabit a diverse range of ecosystems, a number of features often contribute to their success. Growth of these organisms in many ecosystems is limited by the availability of nutrients. High load of solids, carbon and nutrients indicate proliferation of cyanobacteria, while low nutrient condition diminishes cyanobacterial growth. This study examines cyanobacterial diversity in domestic and hospital sewage of Sagar, Madhya Pradesh (M.P), India, from January 2013 to December 2013. Cyanobacterial biodiversity was higher during study period and dominated by Aphanocapsa, Chroococcus, Phormidium and Nostoc species. The present investigation exhibits a baseline of information on cyanobacterial diversity associated with wastewater under the influence of urbanization. Massive urbanizations in developing countries have polluted fresh water bodies and terrestrial areas nearby. This information can be utilized to identify cyanobacterial species for bioremediation of sewage. There are a number of Cyanophyceae members which are tolerant to organic pollution and resist environmental stress by pollutants. These species may be further used as pollution indicators for such habitats. Cyanobacterial species can constrain future pollution and can play a key role to accomplish the dream of pollution-free environment.

  • Biodiversity Journal, 7 (2): 287-293

    Danilo Scuderi & Douglas J. Eernisse
    A new alien limpet for the Mediterranean: Lottia sp. (Patellogastropoda Lottiidae)

    ABSTRACT
    Some living specimens of a new limpet were found between January and August 2015 in the intertidal of the eastern coast of Sicily (Jonian Sea, Mediterranean). The study of the shell morphology and anatomical soft parts of these specimens has revealed fundamental differences compared with the native, mostly Patellidae, species. Further observations of the morphology of the radula led to the provisional identification of the newly introduced limpet as a Lottiidae, tentatively a Lottia sp. A more precise species identification was not achieved, and will need to await ongoing DNA sequencing and further comparative studies. The new record of an introduced species for the Mediterranean is the first limpet so recognized, and the species appears to be represented by a range of sizes, implying that is well established along the intertidal Sicilian rocky-shores and is successfully recruiting in this region.