Abstract The genus Scotophilus is composed of 15 recognized species with 7 species distributed throughout sub-Saharan Africa, 4 distributed across southern and southeastern Asia, 3 endemic to Madagascar, and 1 endemic to Reunion Island. Scotophilus is plagued with problems in species definition, and systematic relationships among members of the genus are poorly understood. We used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and Y-chromosome sequence data from 11 of the 15 recognized species, which represent the most comprehensive taxonomic coverage to date, to examine phylogenetic patterns within Scotophilus. All trees have S. kuhlii from Asia as the most basal species followed by S. nux from Africa. However, S. heathii from Asia is embedded within the other African Scotophilus, indicating a complex biogeography with multiple continental exchanges. Furthermore, the Malagasy taxa are most closely related to 2 different African species, suggesting independent colonizations of Madagascar from the continental mainland. In addition, African S. dinganii did not comprise a monophyletic group but exhibited at least 2 additional cryptic species based on high levels of genetic divergence in the cyotchrome-b gene. The large-bodied S. nigrita is closely related to S. dinganii with a similar mtDNA haplotype but distinct zfy haplotype, suggesting a possible hybridization event in the most recent common ancestor that potentially represents a mitochondrial capture. Overall measures of interspecific genetic distances ranged from 4.2% to 19.2% for mtDNA data and 0.18% to 2.14% for Y-chromosome data, indicating that members of the genus Scotophilus are highly divergent from one another.

Molecular phylogenetics of the bat genus Scotophilus (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae): Perspectives from paternally and maternally iInherited genomes

The genus Scotophilus contains 21 currently recognized species ranging throughout Africa and Southeast Asia. Among the 13 species recognized from continental Africa, systematic relationships remain poorly understood. Taxonomic uncertainty regarding names, suggestions of polytypic species complexes, and undescribed cryptic diversity all contribute to the current confusion. To gain insights into the systematics of this group, we inferred single locus and multi-locus phylogenies and conducted lineage delimitation analyses using seven unlinked genes for specimens from across Africa. Recent collections from Kenya allowed us to carry out population-level analyses for the diverse assemblage of East African Scotophilus. Multi-locus coalescent delimitation methods indicated strong support for three recently named lineages thought to be restricted to Kenya and Tanzania; it also uncovered two new distinctive lineages at present known only from Kenya. Subsequent taxonomic assessments that integrate these genetic data with phenotypic, distributional, and/or ecological traits are needed to establish these lineages as valid species. Nevertheless, as many as 15 Scotophilus species may occur in continental Africa, 10 of these in Kenya alone. Our analysis highlights the importance of population-level surveys for the detection of cryptic diversity in understudied regions such as the Afrotropics.

Hidden Diversity of African Yellow House Bats (Vespertilionidae, Scotophilus): Insights from Multilocus Phylogenetics and Lineage Delimitation

The effects of various aquatic habitats on the abundance, species richness, diversity and taxonomic distinctness of Odonata were studied. The impact of environmental factors and living conditions in lentic habitats were expressed by the composition of coenoses, on the evaluation we used the Dragonfly Biotic Index. The positive effects of habitat heterogeneity on biodiversity are well known, but it is not clear how the diversity of studied and ecologically important taxa, such as odonates, may vary in different water reservoirs. We investigated how Odonata community metrics (composition, abundance, diversity and environmental compatibility) differ in lentic water: ponds, fishponds, excavation of mineral material and in marshlands, where biodiversity plays an important role. Using an entomological mesh, we took samples in the south-western part of Slovakia in six geo-morphological units at 54 study sites during four years. This study detected distinct odonates assemblage variations among habitats and heterogeneity among gradients. Wide ranges of microhabitats with different environmental properties create appropriate conditions for living span of them. Surprisingly, the highest species richness was recorded in the excavation of mineral materials habitats. Stagnicolous Odonata species correlated (CCA) with the habitats of excavation of mineral material and marshlands; showed links to the littoral vegetation and dense vegetation cover. While the euryecious species have been linked to the ponds and fishponds; and correlated with the water body size. It seems to be degraded habitats are not so much suitable for rare and endangered species, but to preserve the biological value of the environment and for the existence of the high abundance and species richness of odonates.

Distinct Odonata assemblage variations in lentic reservoirs in Slovakia (Central Europe)

Sierra Leone is situated at the western edge of the Upper Guinean Forests in West Africa, a recognised biodiversity hotspot which is increasingly threatened by habitat degradation and loss through anthropogenic impacts. The small mammal fauna of Sierra Leone is poorly documented, although bats and rodents account for the majority of mammalian diversity. Based on morphological, genetic and echolocation data, we recorded 30 bat (Chiroptera), three shrew (Soricomorpha) and eleven rodent (Rodentia) species at the Seli River in the north of the country in 2014 and 2016, during a baseline study for the Bumbuna Phase II hydroelectric project. In 2016, 15 bat species were additionally documented at the western fringe of the Loma Mountains, a recently established national park and biodiversity offset for the Bumbuna Phase I dam. Three bat species were recorded for the first time in Sierra Leone, raising the total number for the country to 61. Further, two bat species are threatened and endemic to the Upper Guinean Forest and several taxa of small mammals are poorly known or represent undescribed species. Overall, the habitats of the project area supported a species-rich small mammal fauna including species of global conservation concern. Suitable mitigation measures and/or offsets are necessary to maintain biodiversity and ecosystems in a region that is under high human pressure.

New records of bats and terrestrial small mammals from the Seli River in Sierra Leone before the construction of a hydroelectric dam.

Puerto Rico’s dragonfly and damselfly (Odonata) fauna, while abundant and diverse, is not well known, with the most recent surveys being over 80 years old. This work reports on sampling conducted on the island between late 2015 and early 2017. A total of 1,754 specimens in 19 genera and 30 species were collected, representing 61.2% of the species reported for the island. The number of individuals, number of genera, and number of species were higher on sites with a mean annual precipitation between 1300 mm and 1900 mm and a mean maximum annual temperature between 28.51oC and 32.50oC. Similarly, the number of individuals, number of genera, and number of species were higher on the woodland and shrubland cover types than on any of the other cover types. While some inferences can be made from our data, an increased collection effort in less sampled areas is necessary.

/pdf/ecological-factors-and-the-distribution-of-adult-odonata-in-46ddwiger8.pdf

Ecological Factors and the Distribution of Adult Odonata in Puerto Rico

Our study examined Odonata assemblages distribution pattern and the predictive factors that accounted for this in the lotic and lentic water systems within the Ankasa Conservation Area (Ghana). A total of 23 sites with sampling protocol of 2 researchers per hour per sampling site were used to survey Odonata species over two seasons in the three water bodies (streams, rivers, and ponds). Broken stick model, individual-based rarefaction, and Renyi diversity ordering were employed to quantify community assemblages. Ordination technique was also used to determine the Odonata-environmental relationship. A total of 1403 individuals, belonging to 47 species (22 Zygoptera and 25 Anisoptera) in six families, were recorded. Species richness (Hc = 3.414, p = 0.169) and diversity (Hc = 1.661, p = 0.44) generally did not differ among the three water systems. However, from individual sites, ponds appeared mostly diverse (α-scale = 0.04, Renyi index (r) = 5.86 to α = 3.5, r = 3.12), in spite of their lowest species abundance and richness. At the suborder level, ponds equally exhibited the highest Anisoptera species richness (9.90 ± SE 0.640) compared with Zygopterans (0.80± SE 0.291). Overall, Anisopterans (K= 16.51, p= 0.00026) and Zygopterans richness (K= 16.39, p= 0.00023) differed significantly among the three subsystems, while Odonata composition also differed significantly among the various water bodies (ANOSIM: global R= 0.94, p<0.001). Flow rate, water temperature, channel width, and turbidity were the key predictive factors that influence the structure of Odonata species assemblages. The results highlight the need to improve the functional status of the lentic and lotic systems, with the ultimate goal of conserving diverse Odonata fauna and other sympatric freshwater biodiversity.

/pdf/patterns-of-odonata-assemblages-in-lotic-and-lentic-systems-4xc7qwv6lr.pdf

Patterns of Odonata Assemblages in Lotic and Lentic Systems in the Ankasa Conservation Area, Ghana

Despite increasing pressures on freshwater resources worldwide, and the threatened status of most freshwater turtles, there is still limited knowledge of habitat use and niche partitioning in Afrotropical freshwater turtle communities. In this study, we describe habitat associations, community diversity, and temporal patterns of occurrence of freshwater turtle species in the Dahomey Gap ecoregion of Ghana (West Africa). We gathered data from 13 sites in central Ghana and along the Sene Arm of Lake Volta in the Digya National Park (Bono East Region). We employed opportunistic short-term surveys (at seven sites) together with longer-term (six-months duration) standardized evaluations of turtle presence and numbers in different habitats (at six sites). Overall, a total of 210 turtle individuals of four species (Trionyx triunguis, Cyclanorbis senegalensis, Pelomedusa sp. and Pelusios castaneus) were recorded; precise capture sites and habitat type were recorded for 139 individuals, but the 71 individuals observed in marketplaces were not considered in our analyses. At a local scale, we observed three sympatric species in various study sites. In each of these sites, the dominant species was either C. senegalensis or Pelomedusa sp., with the latter species being more abundant in temporary waterbodies and C. senegalensis more numerous in permanent ones. A Multiple Correspondence Analysis suggested that, in permanent waterbodies all species were associated with similar physical habitat variables. In a Canonical Correspondence Analysis, we showed that the density of herbaceous emergent vegetation was more important for P. castaneus than for C. senegalensis. Comparisons of diversity metrics between our study sites and previous studies revealed that turtle community composition was similar across savannah sites.

/pdf/community-characteristics-of-sympatric-freshwater-turtles-3823q7whpv.pdf

Community Characteristics of Sympatric Freshwater Turtles from Savannah Waterbodies in Ghana

. Evolutionary parallelism complicates taxonomy of the bat genus Scotophilus. This implies the necessity for a careful examination of morphologically similar species. Robbins' — or “nutlet” — house bat Scotophilus nucella is an insufficiently known taxon of the African rainforest zone based on just a handful of recorded specimens previously included in the nut-coloured house bat S. nux. Because its phylogenetic relationship to S. nux and other congeneric species is unknown, it was assessed using analysis of DNA sequences of single mitochondrial and nuclear genes. Based on the mitochondrial cytochrome b sequences, S. nucella was placed in sister position to S. nux. A genetic divergence of 7.8–9.4 % between them supports the recognition of S. nucella as a distinct species. Analysis of partial sequences of the nuclear zinc finger protein gene on the Y-chromosome corroborated the sister relationship of S. nucella and S. nux, while showing sufficient differences to consider them as two species. Mitocho...

https://bioone.org/journals/Folia-Zoologica/volume-65/issue-4/fozo.v65.i4.a2.2016/Nutlet-is-a-little-nut--disclosure-of-the-phylogenetic/10.25225/fozo.v65.i4.a2.2016.pdf

Nutlet is a little nut: disclosure of the phylogenetic position of Robbins' house bat Scotophilus nucella (Vespertilionidae)

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Patterns of Odonata Assemblages in Lotic and Lentic Systems in the Ankasa Conservation Area, Ghana

Community Characteristics of Sympatric Freshwater Turtles from Savannah Waterbodies in Ghana

Nutlet is a little nut: disclosure of the phylogenetic position of Robbins' house bat Scotophilus nucella (Vespertilionidae)