One third of Vietnam’s 329 mammal species are threatened with extinction, according to a recent study published in our open-access journal Nature Conservation.
Conducted by German scientist Hanna Höffner of the University of Cologne and Cologne Zoo, alongside an international team, the research underscores Vietnam’s vital but fragile position as a biodiversity hub within the Indo-Burma Biodiversity Hotspot.
The study reveals that 112 mammal species in Vietnam face extinction, despite most being found in at least one protected area. Some micro-endemic species, such as the Da Lat tube-nosed bat (Murina harpioloides), are particularly vulnerable as they are not present in any protected sites.
Murina harpioloides. Credit: Son Truong Nguyen.Hipposideros alongensis. Credit: Son Truong Nguyen.
Around 40% of the threatened species lack ex situ conservation (zoo conservation breeding) programs, which increases their risk of extinction. Iconic species like the saola (Pseudoryx vuquangensis), the silver-backed chevrotain (Tragulus versicolor), and the large-antlered muntjac (Muntiacus vuquangensis) are among the Critically Endangered taxa at risk.
The study advocates for the IUCN‘s “One Plan Approach” to species conservation, which calls for combining different expertise and integrated in situ and ex situ management strategies. Establishing assurance colonies in zoos and increasing connectivity between isolated protected areas are critical recommendations for safeguarding Vietnam’s unique mammal diversity.
A gaur (Bos gaurus) in Vietnam.
By building up ex situ populations for threatened taxa, zoos can help to literally “buy time” and act as modern arks that can contribute with later releases according to the IUCN’s “Reverse the Red” conservation campaign. Ex situ species holding data by Species360 are now also integrated in the IUCN Red List species’ chapters (a “One Plan” approach to species data).
Ex situ preservation of threatened Vietnamese mammals worldwide.
Vietnam is home to a rich array of mammals, including 36 endemic species and nine micro-endemic taxa. Its primate fauna is particularly noteworthy, with 28 species, the highest number in mainland Southeast Asia. This includes the endemic tonkin snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus avunculus) and Delacour’s langur (Trachypithecus delacouri).
Northern Vietnam and the Annamite Mountain Range are biodiversity hotspots, hosting species such as the Critically Endangered Cao-vit gibbon (Nomascus nasutus), the southern white-cheeked gibbon (Nomascus siki) and the red-shanked douc (Pygathrix nemaeus).
A red-shanked douc (Pygathrix nemaeus).
The study calls for prioritising the “One Plan Approach” to conservation of highly threatened species, reassessing Data Deficient species, and enhancing habitat connectivity.
VIETNAMAZING logo.
The conservation campaign VIETNAMAZING by EAZA (European Association of Zoos and Aquaria) currently highlights Vietnam’s biodiversity treasure and advocates for improved conservation of threatened mammal species.
Original study
Höffner H, Nguyen ST, Dang PH, Motokawa M, Oshida T, Rödder D, Nguyen TQ, Le MD, Bui HT, Ziegler T (2024) Conservation priorities for threatened mammals of Vietnam: Implementation of the IUCN´s One Plan Approach. Nature Conservation 56: 161-180. https://doi.org/10.3897/natureconservation.56.128129
“You fool. No man can kill me,” said the Witch-king of Angmar.
“I am no man!” Éowyn replied, “I am a newly discovered freshwater snail species from Brazil!”
Okay, maybe that isn’t exactly how it goes – but it’s our way of letting you know that two newly discovered snail species have been named in honour of Éowyn and Meriadoc from The Lord of the Rings.
Described in the open-access journalZoosystematics and Evolution, Idiopyrgus eowynae and Idiopyrgus meriadoci were named by fans of J.R.R. Tolkien’s iconic series (who happen to also be successful researchers).
Idiopyrguseowynae.
Explaining the name Idiopyrgus eowynae, they said: “Éowyn exemplifies courage, resilience, and resistance against darkness, both internal and external, standing against Gríma Wormtongue and the Witch-king of Angmar.”
The discovered species are troglobitic and were found in a single limestone cave in the Serra do Ramalho karst area of Bahia state, northeastern Brazil. The gastropods belong to the family Tomichiidae, a group previously known for inhabiting surface freshwater environments but now shown to have adapted to subterranean ecosystems.
Both snails have unique periostracal hairs—thorn-like structures—on their shells, a feature uncommon among Brazilian freshwater snails. Their cave-specific adaptations include reduced pigmentation, fragile shells, and small size.
The Gruna do Pedro Cassiano cave, area and entrance.
The Gruna do Pedro Cassiano cave, where the snails were discovered, is a fragile ecosystem threatened by water extraction, deforestation, and climate change. Due to the species’ limited habitat and environmental threats to their subterranean ecosystem, the authors recommend a ‘Vulnerable’ classification. The findings highlight the importance of protecting Brazil’s subterranean biodiversity and raise concerns about the impact of human activities on these delicate ecosystems.
These concerns played a part in the naming of Idiopyrgus meriadoci, as the researchers state: “Besides standing with Éowyn against the Witch-king in the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, Merry is also an example of the fight for nature conservation in Middle-earth, pushing the Ents into action and ultimately ending Saruman’s threat to Fangorn Forest.”
Idiopyrgusmeriadoci.
On his choice of Tolkien-inspired names for the new species, lead author Dr Rodrigo B. Salvador of the Finnish Museum of Natural History said: “I tend to use lots of pop culture references in my species names—from books, comics, Dungeons & Dragons, and video games. If we think about it, there is a long-standing tradition in taxonomy of using names from mythology and literature to name species.
“Granted, in the old days, those names mostly came from Greek and Roman myths and Shakespeare. Today, we have newer mythologies and literature classics, so in a way, we’re just continuing that tradition.”
Salvador was also resposible for naming a land snail after Shar of Dungeons and Dragons, and more recently Baldur’s Gate, fame. Read about it below!
Salvador RB, Bichuette ME (2024) Idiopyrgus Pilsbry, 1911 (Gastropoda, Tomichiidae): a relict genus radiating into subterranean environments. Zoosystematics and Evolution 100(4): 1543-1556. https://doi.org/10.3897/zse.100.136428
–
Follow ZSE on X and Facebook, and subscribe for its newsletter from the journal’s website.
Beneath the arid pre-Saharan zone of Morocco lies Aziza Cave, also known as Kef Aziza or Tazouguert Cave. The vast subterranean system stretches over 3.5 kilometers of surveyed galleries, making it Morocco’s fifth-largest cave system and one of the top ten most extensive caves in North Africa.
A view of the Sahara desert and Aziza cave’s entrance.
Beyond its sheer size and geological significance, Aziza Cave harbors a rich and diverse array of subterranean life that is only now beginning to be revealed widely. In a recent study in the journal Subterranean Biology, researchers cataloged the subterranean fauna of Aziza Cave and provided a detailed checklist of 26 different taxa potentially representing cave-restricted species. Among these are 22 troglobitic species, organisms that have adapted to life entirely within the cave environment, and four stygobitic species, which have specially evolved to live in the cave’s groundwater.
Four of the authors of the paper.
The discovery of such a variety of species highlights the cave as a critical biodiversity hotspot, not only in Morocco but for the African continent as a whole. One alarming aspect of this discovery is the large number of species that still need to be thoroughly studied or described.
Dysdera caeca, a cave spider
Only about 34.6% of the species in Aziza Cave have been formally identified and described by scientists. Further research could lead to the identification and description of many new species. The fauna found in Aziza Cave includes a wide variety of life forms, with the richest groups being beetles (Coleoptera), spiders (Araneae), springtails (Entomobryomorpha), and woodlice (Isopoda). Some have evolved remarkable adaptations to their lightless, nutrient-scarce environment, such as reduced pigmentation, elongated appendages, and heightened sensory capabilities that help them navigate and survive in this extreme habitat.
Long-tailed bat Rhinopoma hardwickei.
Despite these discoveries, much of Aziza Cave remains unexplored. Large portions of this karstic system have yet to be surveyed, and researchers believe that the biodiversity uncovered so far is just the beginning. The cave’s unexplored depths likely hold many more secrets, including potentially new species that have yet to be seen by human eyes. This prospect has sparked great interest among speleologists and conservationists, who see Aziza Cave as an important research site for studying subterranean ecosystems.
Magnezia gardei, a cave isopod.
The biodiversity of Aziza Cave is something to celebrate, but it also sheds light on the significant conservation challenges that subterranean habitats in Morocco and across North Africa are facing. Caves are delicate ecosystems that are highly sensitive to changes in their environment. Human activities such as pollution, mining, deforestation, and unsustainable tourism pose severe threats to these ecosystems and the species that depend on them. Once these habitats are damaged or destroyed, it is often impossible to restore them, and the species that inhabit them may face extinction.
Graffiti on the cave walls.
Human-induced impacts have already begun to take their toll in Aziza Cave. Visitors can disrupt the delicate balance of the cave’s ecosystem, change water quality, or introduce pollutants and alien species. These pressures underscore the urgent need for conservation measures to protect this unique environment and its inhabitants. By highlighting the importance of Aziza Cave and similar habitats, the researchers hope to encourage further exploration and study of Africa’s subterranean ecosystems and develop effective conservation strategies to protect them. By protecting these fragile ecosystems and supporting scientific exploration, we can ensure that the incredible biodiversity of Aziza Cave and other subterranean habitats continues to thrive.
Research article:
Moutaouakil S, Souza-Silva M, Oliveira LF, Ghamizi M, Ferreira RL (2024) A cave with remarkably high subterranean diversity in Africa and its significance for biodiversity conservation. Subterranean Biology 50: 1-28. https://doi.org/10.3897/subtbiol.50.113919
Decades after it was first found in Japan, a species of crustacean with unique black-and-white coloring that resembles a panda has been confirmed to be new to science. Melitid amphipods are shrimp-like crustaceans found worldwide. The newly classified Melita panda — named after the charismatic mammal — was first found in the 1990s. Details of the discovery and morphological analysis were published in a ZooKeysarticle on 21 September.
A panda sitting on a rock outdoors, holding a bamboo branch
The discovery of the Melita panda highlights the importance of studying species taxonomy, which is the naming and classification of organisms, for conservation efforts. It is impossible to know if a species is in danger of disappearing if it hasn’t even been identified.
“Despite the fact that biodiversity conservation is a global issue, species diversity and other aspects of biodiversity are still not fully understood. As a first step toward species conservation, we conducted a taxonomic study of amphipod Crustacea, which boasts high species diversity around Japan,” said Ko Tomikawa, a professor at Hiroshima University’s Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences in Hiroshima, Japan.
A new species of amphipod with a unique panda pattern was found in the intertidal zone of the Japanese coast. Photo credit: Ko Tomikawa/Hiroshima University
Before the discovery of Melita panda, there were 63 known species of Melita amphipods, with 16 of those found in Japan. Melita panda was found in intertidal waters in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. There are likely even more unidentified and undescribed species of Melita amphipods in Japan’s coastal waters.
“Study on the amphipod Crustacea in the coastal zone of Japan is lagging behind. In order to accurately assess species diversity, taxonomic studies are necessary. We hope the discovery of a new species of amphipod with the familiar coloring of the panda pattern will increase the public’s interest in biodiversity and taxonomy,” said Tomikawa.
A line drawing of Melita panda.
To identify the Melita panda, researchers did both a morphological study and molecular phylogeny using genomic DNA. The morphological description of Melita panda found unique features including its panda-like colors and other physical characteristics, while molecular phylogeny is used to identify how closely related the Melita panda is to other Melita amphipods. This information is used to create a phylogenetic tree or evolutionary tree of the known Melita amphipods. Phylogenetic trees are diagrams that show the evolutionary relationships between species.
A line drawing of Melita Panda‘s gnathopod 1.
The molecular phylogeny found that Melita panda is closely related to two other Melita amphipods, the Melita nagatai and Melita koreana. The panda-like coloring distinguishes Melita panda from these two other amphipods, along with other physical differences. Its gnathopods, which are claws that extend from the second thoracic segment, sit more forward than other Melita amphipods, covering another one of its appendages. Its setae, which are hair-like structures that look like bristles, are also distinguishable from other Melita amphipods. Together, the Melita nagatai, Melita koreana, and newly discovered Melita panda form a monophyletic group. This means they have a common evolutionary ancestor. In this case, it is the Melita hoshinoi.
Looking ahead, researchers will continue to study the Melita panda.
“Hopefully, a detailed study of the ecology and behavior of Melita panda will reveal the reason for its panda pattern,” said Tomikawa.
Beyond Melita panda, Tomikawa emphasized that there is still more to study.
“Further taxonomic studies on amphipods in uninvestigated areas are expected to lead to the discovery of additional new species. Continued taxonomic studies are expected to elucidate the biodiversity in the coastal environments of the Japanese archipelago and provide important basic data for species conservation,” he said.
Other contributors include Shigeyuki Yamato of Shirahama Katata in Wakayama, Japan, and Hiroyuki Ariyama at the Osaka Museum of Natural History in Osaka, Japan.
The Japan Society for the Promotion of Science KAKENHI grants supported this research.
Research article:
Tomikawa K, Yamato S, Ariyama H (2024) Melita panda, a new species of Melitidae (Crustacea, Amphipoda) from Japan. ZooKeys 1212: 267-283. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1212.128858
Happy World Animal Day! Today is all about celebrating the incredible species roaming our planet and promoting action for animal rights and welfare.
To mark this special day, we have collected some of our favourite animals published across Pensoft’s journal portfolio.
1. The ‘cute but deadly’ velvet worm
The Tiputini velvet worm (Oroperipatus tiputini). Credit: Roberto José León.
Look at those adorable little legs!
Oroperipatus tiputini is a velvet worm that researchers published as a new species in Zoosystematics and Evolution. These invertebrates are known as “living fossils” because they evolved over 500 million years ago, long before the dinosaurs.
The Tiputini velvet worm (Oroperipatus tiputini) adult and juvenile.
Despite its friendly appearance, the Tiputini velvet worm is an accomplished hunter that shoots a sticky substance from a pair of glands near its face to trap its prey!
Some creatures look like they belong to an era long ago.
But this one has only just been discovered! Found near American Samoa at a depth of 300 m, Nautilus samoaensis was one of three new nautilius species published in ZooKeys in 2023.
Underwater photos of living Nautilus samoaensis.
Sadly, these enigmatic molluscs with beautiful shells are facing population decline, and even extinction, due to the activity of unregulated fisheries.
Any ideas why Neopalpa donaldtrumpi was given its name?
Found in California, Arizona, and some areas of Mexico, this species was named days before Donald J. Trump became the the 45th President of the United States of America.
Neopalpa donaldtrumpi.
Researcher Dr Vazrick Nazari hoped that the fame around the blonde-haired moth would raise awareness for the importance of further conservation efforts for the species’ fragile habitat.
We think this fish may have taken the advice “keep your chin up” a bit too literally.
The longnosed stargazer (Ichthyscopus lebeck) looks like this for good reason – it buries itself in sand, with just its eyes visible, and leaps upwards to ambush prey.
Blue is a rare colour in nature, which is a shame because this tarantula from Thailand looks spectacular. The stylish spider sports iridescent streaks of neon colour on its legs, back, and mouthparts.
Chilobrachys natanicharum was already known in the pet trade as the electric blue tarantula, but a study published ZooKeys finally confirmed it as a unique species.
Tailless whip scorpion (Phrynus whitei). Credit: Fugus Guy via WikiMedia Commons.
Sorry about this one.
Phrynus whitei is an amblypygid – an order of arachnids also known as whip spiders or tailless whip scorpions. Despite its unsettling appearance, it is generally calm around humans and is non-venomous.
While we have enjoyed collecting a few of our favourite species featured in Pensoft journals, it is important to remember the value of every animal, regardless of cuteness or weirdness.
By supporting research and action that aims to protect our planet’s species, we can continue to enjoy our planet’s bizarre biodiversity that never fails to surprise and delight. Happy World Animal Day!
By combining and improving digitally available data and models, BioDT offers approaches for sustainable biodiversity management and ecosystem conservation.
Biodiversity is essential for the processes that support all life on Earth. It provides critical resources such as food and energy, and supports ecosystem health. However, climate change, deforestation, and pollution are destroying habitats, altering ecosystems, and eliminating – or introducing – species that are fundamental for planet’s biosphere.
Cover of the “Building Biodiversity Digital Twins” article collection in RIO journal.
The BioDT project aims to revolutionise our understanding of biodiversity dynamics by integrating advanced modelling, simulation, and prediction capabilities. By combining and improving digitally available data and models, BioDT offers approaches for sustainable biodiversity management and ecosystem conservation. BioDT’s combines expertise in biodiversity, ecological modelling, FAIR data, high-performance computing, and artificial intelligence.
BioDT aims to enhance the accuracy and predictive performance of biodiversity models through iterative development and validation against independent data. This approach can be critical for developing decision support tools and policy development. By continuously updating data, BioDT will provide real-time predictions of biodiversity patterns and processes through interactive maps and summaries. The consortium leverages existing technologies and data from major research infrastructures (GBIF, eLTER, DiSSCo, and LifeWatch ERIC) to achieve this goal.
A screenshot of the BioDT homepage.
The project’s impact extends to addressing critical issues, including impact of environmental change on species and ecosystems, food security, and the implementation of the EU and international policies. The project contributes to the UN Sustainable Development Goals 2 (Zero Hunger), 3 (Good Health and Well-being), 13 (Climate Action), and 15 (Life on Land).
BioDT develops prototype Digital Twins for biodiversity conservation
In order to test its modelling system, BioDT is developing ten prototype digital twins (pDTs) focused on species and ecosystems of high conservation and policy concern, such as invasive species, pollinators and grasslands. The pDTs are divided into four main groups:
Species Response to Environmental Change: focus on the interactions between species and ecosystems. By incorporating temporal dynamics rather than pure space-for-time substitutions, BioDT improves temporal predictions and accuracy. Different sources of uncertainty are quantified using extensive geographic data combined with high-resolution time-series data in a single modelling framework.
Genetically Detected Biodiversity: addressing food security and challenging environments by integrating genomic methods based on DNA data with traditional biodiversity data. These twins focus on crop wild relatives and other genetic resources for farming and food security, as well as DNA-detected biodiversity in poorly known habitats.
Dynamics of Species of Policy Concern: applying modelling and high-performance computing to invasive and alien species recognised at EU and national levels. This twin involves using current species occurrence data, and tackling crucial environmental conditions and invasive effects on native taxa and ecosystems.
Influence of Species Interactions: predicting disease outbreaks using vector species and exploring the patterns and processes of insect pollinators. Work on interaction twins involves further development of data exchange models and establishing temporal historic reference points through digitisation of collection specimens.
A screenshot from the BioDT homepage showing the purposes of prototype digital twins.
The pDTs aim to make essential datasets, best practices, expertise, and lessons learned available and ready for use to researchers and research infrastructures in implementing the use cases, while providing.
The pDTs test the models predictive performance and data availability scenarios, and apply them to address biodiversity challenges through scenario simulations, predictions, and biomonitoring methods. This iterative approach aims to integrate and compare the predictive performance of various modelling approaches, stimulating the development of next-generation prototypes.
Building Biodiversity Digital Twins: a BioDT collection of scientific papers
To further advance the development and reliability of Biodiversity Digital Twins, the BioDT team has produced 10 scientific papers, compiled in the “Building Biodiversity Digital Twins” issue of the open-science scholarly journal Research Ideas and Outcomes (RIO).
“The collection offers an in-depth understanding of the conceptual and technical advancements achieved towards developing digital twins for a wide range of biodiversity topics. Through the BioDT project, we are enabling a broad audience to interactively understand and predict biodiversity changes across space and time.” says Gabriela Zuquim, Scientific Coordinator at CSC for the BioDT project
The collection serves as a centralised access point to project outputs by the BioDT initiative. Publication of rather unconventional and not traditionally published research outputs is in fact amongst the unique features of the open-science RIO journal. Another feature is the possibility of individual publications to be mapped to the SDGs they contribute to, thereby further underlining their significance.
A conceptual diagram of a digital twin prototype from this paper. The core aim of this project is to test the feasibility of generating essentially real-time updating predictions on bird spatiotemporal distributions and singing activity by combining prior information, based on long-term monitoring data with continuously accumulating new information provided by citizen scientists.
In the case of BioDT, RIO has made it possible for the project team to illustrate the process of prototyping Biodiversity Digital Twins in the format of a peer-reviewed scientific article, thereby ensuring its discoverability, credibility, citability, reusability and long-term public availability. By opting for this transparent approach to sharing their scientific work that has standed the rigour of formal scientific review, the BioDT project ensures that future scientists can make better and more efficient use of the models developed by the consortium’s researchers, data, and cutting-edge technology.
For example, one publication describes the HONEYBEE Prototype Digital Twin. The prototype will allow, after the ongoing calibration with land use and hive weight data, predictions of honeybee population dynamics, mite infestation and honey production. The model was developed based on a previously developed one, devised to simulate foraging of a single bee colony. By using the prototype digital twin, users can interactively apply the model on various time and geographic scales ranging from local sites to whole regions or even country level. Thus, it can become an essential tool for the assessment of the viability and productivity of honey bee colonies around Germany, regardless of the specificity of landscapes and management strategies.
Overview of the prototype HONEYBEE-pDT
Our vision is that the assessment can even be run to take into account different climate-change scenarios. The publication also provides guidelines to potential users of the prototype. The authors of the paper, led by Dr Jürgen Groeneveld (Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, Germany) reminds that despite honey bees “being a managed species, they are severely affected by climate change, emerging parasites and diseases, modern agricultural land use and possibly inappropriate beekeeping practices”, while going on to cite worrying data about the trends in both Europe and the USA.
Similarly, other publications already available from the collection address equally crucial and pressing issues with impact on a global scale, including disease outbreaks, crop management, invasive species, bird and vegetation dynamics.
“The Building Biodiversity Digital Twins collection of project papers suited our needs perfectly,” said Dmitry Schigel, GBIF Scientific officer and a coordinating editor of the collection. “The project team agreed to capture the project’s iterations and reveal our two-thirds stage prototypes two years into the project with one more to go. The innovative platform that the Pensoft’s RIO journal provides lets us describe our progress in a less formal but still peer-reviewed setting. Thanks to the efficient work of the author teams, reviewers and co-editors, this special issue came together quickly and now enables our prototype digital twin teams to attract and process feedback from broader audiences”
As a growing number of species face extinction, both researchers and the general public tend to focus on attractive, well-known and charismatic fauna and flora. But what about the species that have disappeared from scientific recognition altogether?
Research published in our open-access journal Nature Conservation sheds light on how historic taxonomic errors and misinterpretations have led to the disappearance of many species from science’s radar, highlighting the crucial role that taxonomy and natural history collections (NHCs) can play in rediscovering and conserving biodiversity.
Many species that were described long ago have been overlooked due to erroneous synonymisation, a process whereby one species is mistakenly classified under another’s name, generally because of the scarce number of specimens available. These species, the authors now refer to as ‘long-lost synonymised species,’ can fall out of awareness for decades, even centuries.
The 20th century saw a general trend of ‘lumping’ species together, reducing the number of recognised taxa, especially within well-known vertebrate groups. Taxonomic inertia – the persistence of outdated classifications – has caused many species to remain under-recognised, with their conservation statuses too often overlooked. This problem is described among better-known vertebrates, but is also likely present in some of the best studied invertebrates.
The importance of natural history collections
More than simply relics of the past, natural history collections provide a contemporary and essential resource for taxonomists working to untangle these historical errors. Museum specimens allow scientists to re-examine old classifications, using modern tools and methods to correct mistakes and uncover new taxa. Recent advances in ‘museomics’ – the study of genetic material from museum specimens – have opened new possibilities for species identification and conservation.
Leopardus geoffroyi. Credit: diegocarau via iNaturalist.
Such breakthroughs have led to the revalidation of the Neotropical genus Leopardus and the African wolf, Canis anthus, which had been synonymised for decades. Without natural history collections and the associated holotypes, the nomenclature of these species might have remained obscured, and their conservation needs unmet or delayed.
Natural History Collections and Museomics
Pensoft recently launched a new journal titled Natural History Collections and Museomics(NHCM).The publication comes at a pivotal moment in which taxonomists face the challenges of dwindling resources and fewer scientists entering the field. Through the publication of important open-access research, the journal aims to play a crucial role in bridging the gap between traditional taxonomy and modern conservation efforts.
Furthermore, by highlighting the essential role of taxonomy and natural history collections, NHCM will support the rediscovery of species long lost to science and help to conserve the world’s forgotten biodiversity. As the field of museomics grows, so too does the hope of rediscovering species that have been hidden in plain sight. The new journal already benefits from a competent and varied editorial board, including two of the authors of the Nature Conservation paper, Franco Andreone and Spartaco Gippoliti.
If the scientific community rally behind taxonomy and natural history collections, ensuring these vital tools are integrated into future biodiversity assessments, we can hope to preserve not just the species we know, but those we have forgotten.
Original source:
Gippoliti S, Farina S, Andreone F (2024) Lost species, neglected taxonomy, and the role of natural history collections and synonymization in the identification of the World’s forgotten biodiversity. Nature Conservation 56: 119-126. https://doi.org/10.3897/natureconservation.56.132036
Guest blog post by Iryna Kapshyna, Gritta Veit-Köhler, Leon Hoffman and Sahar Khodami.
During a relaxing beach vacation, most people probably give little thought to whether the beach would still be there if it was not regularly replenished.
In fact, sand nourishment is a common and frequently used coastal protection measure whereby sand is sucked up from the seabed by a flushing ship, transported to the coast, washed up and spread with bulldozers.
Beach extent before and its changes after sand nourishment: Immediately before the sand nourishment (T0, beige); After the sand nourishment the beach reached its maximum extent (T1, burgundy); Two more sampling dates (T2 and T3, dark and light pink).
Due to continuous erosion – the removal of sand by storms, waves and currents – sand nourishment has to be repeated regularly. Otherwise, uncontrolled erosion would mean the loss of beaches, shore areas, coastal cliffs and dunes.
But, while they are important, coastal protection measures such as sand nourishments incur high costs and often lead to the disturbance of ecosystems.
At Ahrenshoop on the Baltic Sea, researchers investigated the effects of sand nourishment on the meiofauna – organisms less than one millimeter in size – and found significant results.
We took a total of 246 sediment samples for the investigation of meiofauna from the beach at Ahrenshoop and analysed them in the laboratory in Wilhelmshaven. Photo: Leon Hoffman
“State-of-the-art genetic methods and the traditional method of identifying and counting the animals under the microscope show the same result. The communities of meiofauna changed drastically after the sand was washed up and slowly recovered over the course of a year.”
Project coordinator, Dr Gritta Veit-Köhler.
Immediately after the impact, mites (Acari) and annelid worms (Annelida) had almost completely disappeared from the swash zone, copepods (Copepoda) declined significantly, while the number of flatworms (Platyhelminthes) increased.
Meiofauna organisms are the most numerous animals on the seabed and play an important role in the food webs there. They are well suited as ‘bioindicators’ to detect and study environmental impacts and various forms of ecosystem disturbance, including those caused by humans. Due to their small body size, ubiquity and large numbers, their communities can be studied with small sample sizes.
Over a period of one and a half years, the researchers took and analysed a total of 246 sand samples from the beach-water interface.
“Using the classic taxonomic method, we identified 27,445 individuals under the microscope, which we assigned to ten higher taxonomic groups such as nematodes and copepods. But it was only the genetic analysis that brought the full diversity of species to light.”
Iryna Kapshyna, doctoral student and first author of the study.
Meiofauna organisms collected on the beach at Ahrenshoop. Top left: Tardigrade, flatworm, top right: copepod, nematode, bottom left to right: marine mite, annelid. Scales 0.1 mm each. Images: Iryna Kapshyna, Olena Uzun, Tobias Fischer
Using the ‘metabarcoding’ method, in which all animals in a sample are analysed together and differences in specific gene segments (here V1&V2) are searched for, a large number of samples can be analysed quickly and reliably.
The researchers were able to identify a total of 843 so-called ‘operational taxonomic units’ (OTUs) – in simple terms, different species.
“843 species sounds like a lot – but in fact, the beach studied had a lower diversity of meiofauna compared to the deep sea or other marine areas.”
Dr Sahar Khodami, Senckenberg am Meer.
The size of the organisms studied means they have previoulsy been difficult to study and have not received as much attention as larger species.
“When considering the effects of coastal protection measures on ecosystems, the smallest marine animals should not be overlooked! Metabarcoding can replace the traditional morphological method, after initial studies using both methods.”
The research team.
Original study:
Kapshyna I, Veit-Köhler G, Hoffman L, Khodami S (2024) Impact of a coastal protection measure on sandy-beach meiofauna at Ahrenshoop (Baltic Sea, Germany): results from metabarcoding and morphological approaches are similar. Metabarcoding and Metagenomics 8: e127688. https://doi.org/10.3897/mbmg.8.127688
Follow Metabarcoding and Metagenomics on social media:
A new species of tarantula spider, Aphonopelma jacobii, has been discovered from the Chiricahua Mountains in southeastern Arizona. This small, black and grey tarantula species has fiery red hairs on its abdomen and can be found in the high-elevation habitats of the Chiricahua Mountains, where it survives through bitterly cold winters.
A male and a female Aphonopelma jacobii. Their small size can be seen when compared to the acorn cap, pine needles, and oak leaf. Photo by Brent E. Hendrixson
The discovery was rather unexpected. “We often hear about new species being discovered from remote corners of Earth, but it is remarkable that these spiders are found in our own backyard, albeit in somewhat difficult-to-access areas of our backyard,” said Dr. Chris Hamilton, assistant professor at the University of Idaho and co-lead author of a study in ZooKeys that reports on the spider. “With Earth in the midst of a human-mediated extinction crisis, it is astonishing how little we know about our planet’s biodiversity, even for conspicuous and charismatic groups such as tarantulas.”
A mature female Aphonopelma jacobii. Photo by Brent E. Hendrixson
The Chiricahuas, renowned for their exceptional biodiversity and high levels of endemism, compose part of the Madrean Archipelago (colloquially referred to as the Madrean Sky Islands), a complex of forested mountain ranges that span the cordilleran gap between the Colorado Plateau and Rocky Mountains in the southwestern United States and the Sierra Madre Occidental in northwestern Mexico. These montane forest “islands”—separated from each other by low-elevation deserts and arid grasslands—have evolved in isolation, leading to the origin of numerous short-range endemic species, and resulting in a mosaic of biodiversity unlike that of any other region in the United States.
A mature male Aphonpelma jacobii. Photo by Brent E. Hendrixson
The forests where these tarantulas live are threatened by several factors, perhaps most notably from climate change. Recent studies in the sky island region suggest that these forests will be “pushed off” the mountains over the next several decades as temperatures and precipitation continue to increase and decrease, respectively. Organisms adapted to these cooler and more humid mountain tops—such as these spiders—will likely become extinct as suitable habitat disappears.
Dr. Brent Hendrixson, professor at Millsaps College and co-lead author of the study adds, “These fragile habitats are also threatened by increased exurban development in the San Simon Valley and Portal areas, destructive recreational activities, and wildfires. In addition, there is some concern that these tarantulas will be exploited for the exotic pet trade due to their rarity, striking coloration, and docile disposition. We must consider the impact that unethical collectors might have on these spiders when determining the threats to this species and the implications for its conservation.”
A photograph of Aphonopelma jacobii‘s habitat high up in the Chiricahua Mountains. Photo by Michael A. Jacobi
Aphonopelma jacobii is named after Michael A. Jacobi, who helped find several of the first specimens which led to the description of this new species.
“This discovery represents the 30th species of tarantula documented from the United States. Aphonopelma is the most species diverse tarantula genus on the planet (at least for documented species). Our research adds to this number and continues to advance our understanding of the true species diversity in this incredibly interesting and important biodiversity hotspot,”Dr. Hamilton says in conclusion.
Research article:
Hamilton CA, Hendrixson BE, Silvestre Bringas K (2024) Discovery of a new tarantula species from the Madrean Sky Islands and the first documented instance of syntopy between two montane endemics (Araneae, Theraphosidae, Aphonopelma): a case of prior mistaken identity. ZooKeys 1210: 61-98.https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1210.125318
Accelerating global change continues to threaten Earth’s vast biodiversity, including in the oceans, which remain largely unexplored. To date, only a small fraction of an estimated two million total living marine species have been named and described. A major challenge is the time it takes to scientifically describe and publish a new species, which is a crucial step in studying and protecting these species. The current scientific and publishing landscape often results in decade-long delays (20-40 years) from the discovery of a new species to its official description. As an alternative to this, the Ocean Species Discoveries initiative was launched, offering a new platform for rapid but thorough taxonomic description of marine invertebrate species.
One of the newly described species, Lepechinella naces.
The project coordinated 25 different researchers and produced data on thirteen marine invertebrate taxa, including one new genus, eleven new species, and one redescription and reinstatement. The species, which originate from all over the globe and at depths from 5.2 to 7081 meters, are brought together in an open-access publication in the Biodiversity Data Journal.
Only by leveraging the collective strengths of global progress, expertise, and technological advancements, will we be able to describe the estimated 1.8 million unknown species living in our oceans.
Prof. Dr. Julia Sigwart
This is the first of a series of publications related to SOSA’s initiative, in collaboration with Biodiversity Data Journal, presenting a revolutionary approach in new species descriptions, thanks to which the publication of new species takes years, sometimes even decades, less. The ARPHA publishing platform, which powers the Biodiversity Data Journal, further expedites species descriptions and their use in studies and conservation programs by employing a streamlined data publishing workflow. ARPHA automatically exports all species data, complete with images and descriptions, to GBIF—the Global Biodiversity Information Facility and the Biodiversity Literature Repository at Zenodo, from where other researchers can easily find and use them.
One of the new OSD species – a hydrothermal vent limpet, Lepetodrilus marianae. Photo credit: Chong Chen, Hiromi Kayama Watanabe, and Miwako Tsuda
One of the new species described in the Ocean Species Discoveries is Cunicolomaera grata, a curious amphipod whose burrows along the seafloor perplexed scientists. Another is a wrinkly-shelled limpet called Lepetodrilus marianae that lives on hydrothermal vents, underwater volcanoes in the deep-sea where temperatures can reach 400 degrees C. Normally, the descriptions for these two very different species wouldn’t be in the same publication, but this new publication format allows for species descriptions from different marine invertebrate taxa to be published together in one ‘mega-publication,’ offering a huge incentive for researchers to make their discoveries public.
One of the new OSD species – a hole-making amphipod, Cunicolomaera grata. Photo credit: Anne Helene S. Tandberg and Anna M. Jażdżewska
“Currently, there’s a notable delay in naming and describing new animals, often because journals expect additional ecological or phylogenetic insights. This means many marine species go undescribed due to lack of data. OSD addresses this by offering concise, complete taxonomic descriptions without requiring a specific theme, refocusing attention on taxonomy’s importance,” says Dr. Torben Riehl, who is one of the researchers featured in Ocean Species Discoveries.
The reinstated OSD species – a purple long-tailed sea cucumber, Psychropotes buglossa. Photo credit: Amanda Serpell-Stevens, Tammy Horton, and Julia Sigwart
Reducing the time it takes to get from discovering a new animal to a public species description is crucial in our era of increasing biodiversity loss. The wrinkly-shelled limpet and two other species described in the Ocean Species Discoveries live in hydrothermal vent zones – an environment threatened by deep-sea mining. Another OSD species, Psychropotes buglossa, a purple sea cucumber (sometimes also called a gummy squirrel), lives in the North Atlantic, but similar species live in areas of high economic interest, where polymetallic-nodule extraction could soon endanger sea life. Threats like these risk driving species to extinction before we even get the chance to know and study them. Through efforts like SOSA’s Ocean Species Discoveries, we can get closer to understanding the biodiversity of our oceans and protecting it before it’s too late.
One of the new OSD species – a deep-sea chiton, Placiphorella methanophila. Photo credit: Katarzyna Vončina
“Only by leveraging the collective strengths of global progress, expertise, and technological advancements, will we be able to describe the estimated 1.8 million unknown species living in our oceans. Every taxonomist specialized on some group of marine invertebrates is invited to contribute to the Ocean Species Discoveries,” says Prof. Dr. Julia Sigwart in conclusion.
Research article:
(SOSA) SOSA, Brandt A, Chen C, Engel L, Esquete P, Horton T, Jażdżewska AM, Johannsen N, Kaiser 5, Kihara TC, Knauber H, Kniesz K, LandschoffJ, Lörz A-N, Machado FM, Martínez-Muñoz CA, Riehl T, Serpell-Stevens A, Sigwart JD, Tandberg AHS, Tato R, Tsuda M, Vončina K, Watanabe HK, Went C, Williams JD (2024) Ocean Species Discoveries 1-12 — A primer for accelerating marine invertebrate taxonomy. Biodiversity Data Journal 12: e128431. https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.12.e128431
