Article
Zoology
Paul Valentich-Scott, Jeffrey H. R. Goddard
Summary: This article documents the discovery of a small bivalve mollusk, Cymatioa cooki, in the intertidal zone near Santa Barbara, California. The habitat of C. cooki is described and compared with another species of the same genus found in the region. Although C. cooki is rare, its specific commensal relationships remain unknown.
Article
Geography, Physical
Yinqiang Li, Kefu Yu, Lizeng Bian, Yeman Qin, Weihua Liao, Yang Yang, Yifang Ma
Summary: The study examines the Miocene coralline algal compositions in the South China Sea to understand their role in recording sea level changes. The research reveals that early and late Miocene had higher diversity and abundance of coralline algae compared to the middle Miocene, indicating fluctuations in coral reef development and sea level during different time periods.
PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Zoology
Nathan Whelan, Nathan A. Johnson, Ashantye' S. Williams, Michael A. Perkins, Caitlin E. Beaver, Jason W. Mays
Summary: Inaccurate taxonomy can lead to species in need of conservation being overlooked. In this study, the taxonomy of the freshwater mussel genus Alasmidonta was assessed using a phylogenetic approach. Results showed that Alasmidonta is polyphyletic and species delimitation methods disagreed about the status of certain species. However, an undescribed species was identified in the Uwharrie Mountains region and formally described as Uwharrie elktoe, Alasmidonta uwharriensis sp. nov.
ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Diego G. Zelaya, Marina Guller
Summary: Hiatella is a poorly understood bivalve genus, with most species known only from shell morphology. This study provides the first integrative analysis of hiatellids occurring in southern South America, identifying three distinct entities and suggesting that worldwide hiatellids might have originated from South American species. The study also reveals the loss of hinge teeth during ontogeny and life on hard substrates as derived traits within the genus Hiatella.
ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Katie L. Cramer, John N. Kittinger
Summary: The overexploitation of coral reef fisheries poses a threat to both the reef ecosystems and the livelihoods of millions of people. Market-based interventions can help improve sustainability in different types of coral reef fisheries, with approaches ranging from traditional regulatory efforts to sustainable purchasing commitments and fisher empowerment programs. However, specific approaches need to be tailored to the unique ecological and social challenges faced by each fishery, considering factors such as limited governance capacity and financial support, and the overall vulnerability of coral reef ecosystems.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Li-Li Lu, Yi-Feng Yao, Guo-An Wang, Gan Xie, Kai-Qing Lu, Bin Sun, Jin-Feng Li, Angela A. Bruch, David K. Ferguson, Yi-Ming Cui, Qiang Wang, Xin-Ying Zhou, Feng Gao, Yu-Fei Wang
Summary: By analyzing paleobotanical evidence and multidisciplinary data, we found that vegetation shifts in East Africa may have stimulated the emergence of human bipedalism, while the stable living conditions of the southeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau acted as a refuge for arboreal primates, preventing further evolution.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yi-Tao Lin, Yi-Xuan Li, Yanan Sun, Jun Tao, Jian-Wen Qiu
Summary: This study described a new species of deep-sea glass scallops, Catillopecten margaritatus, collected from Haima cold seep in the South China Sea. Morphological and genetic analyses were performed to identify the new species and estimate its divergence time. The mitogenome of C. margaritatus was also reported, which differed substantially in gene order arrangement from other scallops.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Martina Prazeres, T. Edward Roberts, Shadrina Fildzah Ramadhani, Steve S. Doo, Christiane Schmidt, Marleen Stuhr, Willem Renema
Summary: The study found that local habitat is the main factor influencing the overall composition of the algal symbiont community, while host identity and phylogenetic relationship among hosts are also relevant in shaping the specific endosymbiont diatom community. The ability of Amphistegina species to associate with a diverse array of diatoms and possibly other algal groups likely underpins the ecological success of these crucial calcifying organisms across their extensive geographic range.
Article
Engineering, Marine
Yibing Li, Xinyu Liu, Weiwei Chen, Liang Yi
Summary: The study reveals a close link between the evolution of biogenic reefs and global climate change, likely influenced by the Asian monsoon with varying responses to global temperature, CO2, and sea-level changes. The formation of biogenic reefs in the Xisha Islands was likely paced by orbital obliquity over the long term.
JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Bastien Mennecart, Gregoire Metais, Loic Costeur, Leonard Ginsburg, Gertrud E. Roessner
Summary: Amphimoschus is an extinct Eurasian ruminant genus, primarily found in Europe, with an unknown systematic position due to lack of detailed taxonomic work in recent years. Despite abundant material, the family affiliation of this genus remains uncertain. The study on ontogenetic variation reveals certain morphological changes with age, but the primary focus is on proposing the validity of the species A. ponteleviensis.
Article
Biology
Kevin G. Daly, Benjamin S. Arbuckle, Conor Rossi, Valeria Mattiangeli, Phoebe A. Lawlor, Marjan Mashkour, Eberhard Sauer, Josephine Lesur, Levent Atici, Cevdet Merih Erek, Daniel G. Bradley
Summary: This article explores Direkli Cave, located in the Taurus Mountains of southern Turkey, and reveals a new lineage of Capra called "Taurasian tur". The genomic data analysis shows that the genome of Direkli4 specimen, which is about 14,000 years old, is closely related to the Caucasian tur species found in the Caucasus region. The study also uncovers the presence of Direkli4-specific alleles in past West Eurasian domestic goats.
Article
Plant Sciences
Maxim S. Kulikovskiy, Mital Thacker, Anton M. Glushchenko, Irina V. Kuznetsova, Anton A. Iurmanov, Balasubramanian Karthick, John Patrick Kociolek
Summary: A new genus of naviculoid diatom, Gandhia gen. nov., was described based on a detailed morphological investigation. This genus differs from other naviculoid diatoms by the presence of an internal siliceous lamina. Further investigations revealed biogeographic patterns and disjuncts between Europe and Asia.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Arthur E. Bogan, Van Tu Do, Elsa Froufe, Manuel Lopes-Lima
Summary: This study aims to define the species of Anodontini in Vietnam and describe their evolutionary relationships and distributions. It identified five species divided among three genera, including a new species. The study emphasizes the importance of surveys, molecular work, and taxonomic expertise in describing the biodiversity of understudied regions.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Joseph R. Pawlik, Denise C. Manker, James S. Evans, Patrick M. Erwin, Susanna Lopez-Legentil
Summary: Giant barrel sponges, belonging to a cryptic species complex, exhibit variations in morphology on tropical reefs worldwide, with sponges off the southwest coast of Barbados showing unique clam and tub shapes. Haplotype identification did not reveal genetic differentiation between these morphotypes, leaving the underlying cause of this morphological variation unexplained.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Carra Williams, Victorien Paumard, Jody M. Webster, Jonathon Leonard, Tristan Salles, Michael 'Leary, Simon Lang
Summary: North and South Scott Reefs in Australia's North West Shelf are isolated carbonate platforms that evolved from a barrier reef and developed into isolated carbonate build-ups. The timings of coral reef turn on and off in relation to global climatic changes in this region are not well understood. The availability of high resolution and extensive 3D seismic data allows for the investigation of these reefs' evolution using seismic stratigraphy and seismic geomorphology.
MARINE AND PETROLEUM GEOLOGY
(2023)