Journal of Asia-Pacific Biodiversity最新文献

From the alpine region of India, a hitherto undocumented lichenicolous species of Didymocyrtis colonizing the thallus and soredia of Pertusaria species thriving on rocky substrates is meticulously described as a novel taxon (D. pertusariae), from the Indian subcontinent, and is compared with other lichenicolous Didymocyrtis species. A key to all known Didymocyrtis species known so far is also provided.

Peucedanum L. (Apiaceae) is broadly distributed in the Old World, and 11 taxa, including five endemic species, have been reported in Korea. In this study, we used scanning electron microscopy to describe petal epidermal cell patterns and evaluated their systematic implications for all Korean Peucedanum species except for one. This included two recently reported endemic species, P. miroense and P. tongkangense, which are closely associated with Heracleum moellendorffii. The epidermal characteristics of the petals, including cell type (papillose conical, papillose knobby rugose, tabular conical, or tabular rugose), anticlinal wall shape (straight, sinuous, or curved), cuticle sculpture (striate or wrinkled), and stomata (presence or absence) were observed. The petal epidermis could be categorized into three types and two subtypes. We concluded that petal epidermal characteristics provide evidence supporting the recent robust phylogeny that suggests the non-monophyly of the genus Peucedanum. In particular, P. japonicum and P. praeruptorum, which are positioned in different clades to the other species in the recent phylogeny, had different types of petal epidermis among the studied species. These petal epidermal micro-characteristics were evaluated as possible consistent parameters for the taxonomic delimitation of species of the genus Peucedanum.

The genus Pangora Moore (1879) is endemic to south Asia, with four known species distributed in India, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. The current study offers the scientific community the first mitochondrial genome sequence of the known species Pangora matherana (Moore). The phenotypic and phylogenetic tree analysis reveals a new species, Pangora keralaensis Abhilash & Adarsh sp. nov., from India. The male genitalia and morphological analysis of the new taxa are also provided. A preliminary phylogenetic tree based on the mt COI DNA sequence is also provided for the new species and the known species, Pangora matherana (Moore, 1879).

Owls are popular pets in Japan, with the country being the largest importer of live owls in the world. Although several studies have looked at the welfare implications of the country's “owl cafés,” the scale and scope of the Japanese owl trade, and its potential consequences for conservation, remain largely unexplored. Here we present an overview of the volumes and species of owl found in a selection of Japanese pet stores and cafés, based on two physical surveys, an online survey, and an analysis of CITES import data. We found a high number of owls (n = 1914) from a large variety of species (n = 49) across a total of 92 establishments. CITES import records show that species variety has highly increased over time. Although the majority of owls in Japanese pet stores and cafés are likely to be of captive-bred origin, trade histories are often difficult to trace, and the legality of parent stock is impossible to determine. Further complicating monitoring efforts are gaps in international trade data, the mislabeling of species, selective breeding, and the use of outdated taxonomy. Considering the large scale of the Japanese market, efforts to facilitate the improved monitoring of the owl trade are highly warranted to ensure its legality and sustainability.

This study represents the first report of the complete mitochondrial genome of a carnivorous stag beetle, Figulus punctatus. The genome is 17,664 bp long with a total of 37 genes including 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNA, and 2 rRNA. The nucleotide composition is 37.25% A, 31.71% T, 10.00% G, and 20.99% C (GC contents 30.99%). Our molecular phylogenetic analysis based on the maximum-likelihood method recognizes Figulini and Nigidiini as a monophyletic clade, with a robust support value, and suggests that their carnivorous feeding trait may have evolved once within the family.

Dracocephalum is a large genus comprises approximately 80 species of perennial herbs, mainly distributed in high elevation regions of temperate and Central Asia, with about half native to China. Within the genus, D. argunense and D. integrifolium are important herbs with great medicinal value. We sequenced plastomes of these two species for the first time. These plastomes showed a typical quadripartite structure and the length varied from 149,978 bp (D. integrifolium) to 150,802 bp (D. argunense). Plastomes of D. argunense and D. integrifolium included 127 and 133 genes, respectively. Phylogenetic analyses supported the monophyly of the redefined Dracocephalum and systematic relationships within the sampled species were well resolved. Our study added new genetic information about D. argunense and D. integrifolium and has great potential for further diversity studies, phylogenetic studies, and understanding of evolutionary history in Dracocephalum.

Herein, we determined and analyzed the chloroplast (cp) genome sequence of Lonicera harae for the first time. The chloroplast genome was 154,959 bp and contained a large single copy (LSC) of approximately 88,849 bp as well as a small single copy (SSC) of 18,832 bp separated by a pair of 23,639 bp inverted repeats (IRs). The overall G+C content in the L. harae chloroplast genome was 38.4%. A total of 114 unique genes were annotated, comprising 80 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 30 transfer RNAs (tRNAs), and four ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs). Of these, 17 contained one or two introns. Phylogenetic analysis of 54 accessions revealed that L. harae forms a clade with L. fragrantissima. This newly sequenced chloroplast genome provides valuable molecular phylogenomic information for future studies to determine the taxonomic position of L. harae and the phylogenetic relationships within the genus Lonicera.

A new species of the genus Sphecodes, i.e. Sphecodes solanensis sp. nov. is described from India. Also, two species of the genus, namely Sphecodes binghami Blüthgen 1924 and Sphecodes hakkarensis Warncke 1992 are recorded for the first time from India. An annotated checklist with valid names of the genus, synonyms, and seven new regional records within India is also included.