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The following new species of Gypsonoma Meyrick, 1895 from tropical Africa are described: G. basinigra sp. n., G. flavimaculana sp. n., G. zambensis sp. n., G. katanga sp. n., G. discretana sp. n. and G. trispina sp. n. The female genitalia of G. opsonoma (Meyrick, 1918) are figured for the first time. A new genus, Ainambili gen. n., is established to accommodate G. ngangaona Razowski, 2012, resulting in the combination Ainambili ngangaona (Razowski, 2012) comb. n. Ainambili albifascia sp. n. is described.
Rhodophaea madaricola Slagsvold, Berggren & Voith, sp. nov . from Greece, Crete, is described based on morphology of the male and female genitalia, external characters and DNA barcodes. It is compared with and distinguished from the closely related and widespread species R. formosa (Haworth, 1811). The relationship of Rhodophaea to Sciota Hulst, 1888, Nephopterix Hübner, [1825] and other Phycitini taxa is briefly explored, including a larger analysis of publicly available DNA barcodes. A new combination for the Eastern Palaearctic Nephopterix shantungella Roesler, 1969 is established: Sciota shantungella (Roesler, 1969), comb. nov .
Two new species of Phalarocarpa Meyrick, 1937 are described: P. citrina sp. nov. from The Democratic Republic of the Congo and Malawi, and P. suffusicosta sp. nov. from Tanzania. Phalarocarpa is transferred from the tribe Olethreutini Walsingham, 1895 to Enarmomiini Diakonoff, 1953. Phalarocarpa harmographa Meyrick, 1937 is newly recorded from Ghana and P. kryphaios Razowski & Wojtusiak, 2012 is newly recorded from Uganda.
Among modern aquatic amniote clades that evolved pelagic locomotion, whales are a prime example, but timing and mode of evolutionary changes in their swimming are poorly understood. Here, we use 3D vertebral microanatomy derived from CT scanning to investigate swimming patterns in extinct whales. All vertebral centra from a single specimen of the extant common dolphin Delphinus delphis were used to provide a baseline for the correlation of microanatomical parameters and spinal movements in our dataset of fossil whales. We find that bone anisotropy, and to some extent bone compactness, mirrors the amount of compression and movement in vertebral regions. We use these parameters to infer regional movements and thus swimming mode for several lineages of stem cetaceans ( Natchitochia jonesi , Pachycetus wardi , Zygorhiza kochii ) and crown cetaceans ( Maiabalaena nesbittae, an undescribed Oligocene odontocete and a modern minke whale). Natchitochia jonesi could walk on land, whereas Pachycetus wardi and Zygorhiza kochii were obligately aquatic, but show more spinal flexibility than modern taxa. The early Oligocene mysticete and odontocete differ in microstructural properties and might have experienced a different trajectory towards their extant bauplans. Overall, microanatomical data confirm increasing pelagic specializations in cetacean evolution that include a stiffer torso, but our data also highlight modular patterns of compactness within vertebral regions. Our approach is promising for future use of three‐dimensional vertebral microanatomical data to understand locomotory patterns.
Ichthyosaurs were widespread and diverse across Europe from the Triassic to the beginning of the late Cretaceous. However, they are relatively rare within Scandinavia, with specimens only known from Arctic Norway. In Denmark, plesiosaur fossils are known from the Jurassic of the island of Bornholm, but no ichthyosaur remains have ever been published either in situ or ex situ. Here we report, for the first time, an ichthyosaur vertebra found in a loose block on the shore at Lodbjerg Klint in western Jylland, and a second block containing ribs from an indeterminate marine reptile, most likely a plesiosaur. The vertebra can be identified as originating from the anterior portion of the tail in a thunniform ichthyosaur and shows similarity to several Jurassic taxa including Ichthyosaurus communis, Eurhinosaurus longirostris, Temnodontosaurus trigonodon and Ophthalmosaurus, although an exact determination is not possible. The most prolific sites for ichthyosaurs in the neighbouring countries, in the UK and Germany, are ruled out as a source due to long distance, and lack of glacial transport from these directions. We postulate the origin of the specimen is from Jurassic outcrops within the Skagerrak–North Sea region, transported by south and south-westerly flow of Pleistocene glaciers.
Abstract Environmental DNA metabarcoding is a powerful monitoring tool for assessing aquatic biodiversity, as well as the sustainability and impacts of fisheries and aquaculture. However, conventional laboratory workflows remain time-consuming and dependent on dedicated infrastructures. Here, we present a field trial of a fully portable, off-site eDNA metabarcoding pipeline that enables end-to-end analysis within a few days using compact equipment, including a BentoLab workstation and an Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) MinION sequencer. The workflow was implemented during two international training courses in Norway and Brazil, where students and early career researchers collected environmental samples, extracted and amplified DNA, prepared DNA libraries, and sequenced on-site before performing bioinformatics and statistical analyses. In the case study detailed here, seven eDNA samples collected and analysed on-site in the Oslofjord allowed detection of 16 fish and elasmobranch species. Although overall diversity was lower than in earlier studies using Illumina-based sequencing, our protocol reliably detected key species and demonstrates that portable eDNA metabarcoding is feasible for rapid ecological assessment, surveillance of high-risk regions and/or deployment in remote or resource-limited settings.
Here we report the first occurrence of the conifer genus Quadrocladus from the Lower Permian Gipshuken Formation on Spitsbergen, Svalbard, Arctic Norway. The plant-bearing interval occurs within stacked anhydrite–dolomite–marl successions of the Vengeberget member that record a shallow-marine to supratidal sabkha system on an extensive carbonate platform in a semi-arid climate, characterized by hypersalinity, low taxonomic diversity, and evidence for palaeosol formation and vegetation growth on exposed shoals and platform interiors. The Quadrocladus shoots display pronounced xeromorphic traits, notably very short and narrow leaves, consistent with adaptation to water stress in semi-arid, periodically desiccated playa–sabkha settings. Comparison with younger occurrences from the Kungurian Tregiovo flora and Late Permian Angaran and Zechstein successions shows that the Spitsbergen record is so far, both the oldest and the northernmost known occurrence of Quadrocladus. It provides a key high-latitude data point for reconstructing Early Permian vegetation dynamics and the subsequent palaeobiogeographical expansion of Quadrocladus across Pangaea.
In large-scale biodiversity genomics projects, the number of species that could be sequenced exceeds the resources available. Species selection is therefore a crucial component, requiring clear criteria and procedures. In a bottom-up approach, the Biodiversity Genomics Europe (BGE) project implemented an Automated Decision-Making (ADM) process for species selection based on objective criteria and tested it on simulated and empirical data. Here, we present this species ranking ADM process, which includes three stages: exclusion, ranking, and feasibility check. The composition of selected species retained the diversity of the community-nominated species pool for key taxonomic, geographic, and demographic assessment criteria while reducing bias. Feasibility and funding limits influenced the final selection more than other factors, indicating that investments in these areas would improve available reference-genome diversity. The ADM achieved species selection for genome sequencing in a large-scale biodiversity project in a relatively objective manner consistent with the broader European biodiversity genomic community’s priorities.
Climate change is disrupting myriad biological processes, including the ability of species to synchronize life-history events with optimal environmental conditions, with potential fitness impacts. Changes in migratory and breeding phenology and their consequences on fitness have been well studied in birds and some mammals. By contrast, changes in the phenology of overwinter sheltering and their influence on fitness have rarely been investigated. Pregnant female polar bears (Ursus maritimus) spend the winter fasting in a maternity den where they give birth and nurse their cubs until emergence in early spring. To sustain their fast, females rely on energy stores built primarily through consumption of ice-associated seals. Here, we assess the impact of sea-ice loss driven by climate change on early reproductive success acting through disrupted denning phenology and other unspecified factors. To do so, we develop a Bayesian hierarchical model combining capture–recapture and path modeling. We apply it to 38 years of capture–recapture data along with biologging data on denning status and phenology, while accounting for imperfect detection and uncertainty in individual denning schedules. We found that low sea-ice availability led to earlier den emergence, which in turn reduced early litter survival and possibly litter size. By contrast, there was little evidence that sea-ice availability affected early reproductive success through pathways independent of denning phenology (e.g., litter mass). Considering both direct and indirect effects, low sea-ice availability reduced early litter survival but not the size of surviving litters. Given the strong link between sea-ice conditions and body condition in female polar bears, we conclude that sea-ice loss exerts an energetic constraint on denning females, forcing them to depart from dens early, which jeopardizes their cubs, ultimately reducing maternal fitness. Similar impacts of climate change may occur in other species where phenology is determined by body condition.
The giant stream lacewing, Osmylus fulvicephalus (Scopoli, 1763), is a widespread European species belonging to the insect order Neuroptera. Its cryptic larvae are predators found at the banks of streams and smaller rivers where they use their piercing, lance-shaped stylets to inject venom into their arthropod prey. Here, we present the reference genome of the giant stream lacewing as a crucial resource for uncovering the genetic basis of venom evolution in Neuroptera. The chromosome-level genome encompasses 674.7 Mb and is composed of 60 contigs and 24 scaffolds where 99.2% of the assembly is distributed among the 6 contiguous chromosomal pseudomolecules and two sex chromosomes (X and Y). Contig and scaffold N50 have a value of 51.5 Mb and 116.2 Mb, respectively. This reference genome is the first genomic resource from the family of lance lacewings, providing valuable data for clarifying the phylogenetic placement of the family Osmylidae within Neuroptera.
The genus Microporella is highly diverse worldwide, with its greatest diversity documented to date in New Zealand, where it appears in the Early Miocene, the earliest known record of the genus, and persists to the present day. Owing to its successful evolutionary history, Microporella has become a model system for addressing macroevolutionary questions, which in turn require a robust understanding of its true taxonomic diversity. This study provides the first comprehensive revision of all available Recent and fossil material of Microporella from New Zealand. We redefine the encrusting species M. agonistes, M. discors, M. intermedia and M. speculum, which appeared widely distributed through time and across New Zealand; a neotype is designated for M. agonistes. In several cases, we identify and describe cryptic taxa that had long been referred to one of these species. We further describe 16 new Recent species, namely M. anomopora sp. nov., M. bairdi sp. nov., M. bifora sp. nov., M. diadematoides sp. nov., M. diaphora sp. nov., M. maerloides sp. nov., M. mucronata sp. nov., M. murdochi sp. nov., M. perissospinosa sp. nov., M. plentyensis sp. nov., M. polaris sp. nov., M. pseudolineata sp. nov., M. puncticulata sp. nov., M. speculoides sp. nov., M. taylori sp. nov., M. tenuidistans sp. nov., some also including Pliocene or Pleistocene records, most of which are associated with poorly investigated deep-water environments. A detailed morphological comparison among all species is presented, and we summarise diagnostic characters, including size-related traits, for all remaining species described in recent studies, which are mostly erect bifoliate forms or encrusting forms known only from the fossil record. We recognize a total of 29 Microporella species, five of which are known exclusively from the fossil record. Distributional maps are compiled to provide a clear regional overview of Microporella diversity. The observed pattern is consistent with New Zealand’s long-recognized status as a centre of marine endemism and diversification, shaped by its prolonged geographic isolation, complex tectonic history, and wide range of environmental settings.
Body size is a key phenotypic trait of living organisms, reflecting ecological function and individual metabolism. Evolutionary changes in body size also provide information on interactions between the organisms and their changing physical and biotic environments. Despite the utilitarian value of body size for understanding evolution and past environments, we lack a standardized, occurrence-based, Phanerozoic body size database for most groups of organisms, limiting large-scale studies of size evolution and size-environment interactions. Foraminifera are an ideal group to fill this data gap, given their abundant fossil record, extensive palaeogeographic distribution, and sensitivity to environmental changes. Here, we present PhaFoS, short for Phanerozoic Foraminifera Size database. PhaFoS compiles 118,885 specimens, of which 103,121 from 963 published papers and the remaining 15,764 from our field colletions, representing 4,167 genera and 34,256 species. Each record is linked to standardized and queryable metadata fields, including test volume (log₁₀ μm³), taxonomy, stratigraphic age, and both modern and paleogeographic coordinates. This database can be used to quantify temporal and spatial patterns of foraminiferal body-size over the Phanerozoic, and to explore the body size relationships with environmental conditions and their changes. The data files described in this paper are available at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20777319 (Feng et al., 2026).
Abstract Clade-clade interactions are thought to be a major force in the changing representation of organisms with similar ecological niches over time and space. It has long been known that the global number of cheilostome bryozoan species have increasingly outnumbered cyclostome bryozoan species, due to higher rates of both origination and extinction in cheilostomes. However, the latitudinal differences in this evolutionary turnover, and their ecological mechanisms, have been underexplored. Here we test the hypothesis that the numerical dominance of cheilostome species is enhanced at low latitudes today, and quantify this dominance in the geological past. Our data comes from 288 extant and 1257 fossil bryozoan assemblages reported in the published literature. We show using generalized linear mixed models that assemblages contain a greater proportion of cheilostome species in lower latitudes through the last 100 million years. We discuss why higher latitudes may have represented a stronghold for cyclostomes, even as cheilostomes have continued to outnumber cyclostomes in species richness over the Cenozoic. We hypothesize that a combination of lower average temperatures and greater seasonality could give cyclostome bryozoans with relatively slower metabolism an edge in higher latitudes, even as cheilostome bryozoan species numbers dominate globally.
We report the first systematic description of Permian plant macrofossils from the Lower Permian Gipshuken Formation on Spitsbergen, Svalbard, Arctic Norway. Several conifer shoots from a fossil plant horizon in the lower Vengeberget member are assigned to the genus Quadrocladus. The plant-bearing interval occurs within stacked anhydrite–dolomite–marl successions of the Vengeberget member that record a shallow marine to supratidal sabkha system on an extensive carbonate platform in a semi arid climate, characterized by hypersalinity, low taxonomic diversity, and evidence for palaeosol formation and vegetation growth on exposed shoals and platform interiors. The Quadrocladus shoots display pronounced xeromorphic traits, notably very short and narrow leaves, consistent with adaptation to water stress in semi arid, periodically desiccated playa–sabkha settings. Comparison with younger occurrences from the Kungurian Tregiovo flora and Late Permian Angaran and Zechstein successions shows that the Spitsbergen record is so far, both the oldest and the northernmost known occurrence of Quadrocladus. These findings imply a boreal, semi arid origin for this xeromorphic, stress tolerant conifer and provide a key high latitude data point for reconstructing Early Permian vegetation dynamics and the subsequent palaeobiogeographic expansion of Quadrocladus across Pangaea.
Flightless organisms are generally expected to have limited dispersal, yet some occupy remarkably large geographic ranges. This thesis investigates this apparent paradox in Aegialites, a genus of small, flightless beetles specialized to rocky intertidal habitats and distributed across much of the North Pacific. By combining molecular, genomic and population genomic approaches, the thesis establishes the first comprehensive evolutionary framework for Aegialites. The results support substantially fewer species than previously proposed based on morphology, while also revealing previously unrecognized diversity. The first mitochondrial and high-quality nuclear genomes for the genus were generated. The genomes were relatively compact, and comparisons with other beetles revealed no evidence that adaptation to the intertidal environment involved extensive changes in genome organization or gene content. Population genomic analyses revealed strong geographic structure, but striking differences in connectivity among regions. California populations were strongly genetically differentiated across relatively short distances, whereas populations from Russia and Japan retained evidence of connectivity across more than 1,500 kilometers. Together, these findings show that limited active dispersal can generate strong population structure locally without preventing broad geographic distributions over evolutionary timescales. Historical demographic processes and occasional long-distance dispersal may therefore both contribute to the distribution of these flightless beetles.