2017 Issues

Jana Bingemer & Karin Hohberg

Title: An illustrated identification key to the eutardigrade species (Tardigrada, Eutardigrada) presently known from European soils

Abstract

The present paper aims at providing a practical identification tool for soil zoologists. It shall facilitate taxonomic examination of tardigrade communities in order to encourage further investigations and by this expand our scarce knowledge on soil tardigrades. From faunistic studies on soil tardigrades a list of the eutardigrade species presently known from European soils was gathered comprising 22 genera, 58 species, 3 species groups. Based on the most important standard works and on up-to-date nomenclature an illustrated key to the eutardigrade genera of European soils was created. Genus descriptions and identification keys to the soil species were added while those genera that hold only one or two soil species were accomplished with short species descriptions. Additional information is given on the relevant determination features, such as claws and bucco-pharyngeal apparatus. Difficulties in tardigrade identification and taxonomy are discussed. Due to the comparably small number of studies that so far exist on soil tardigrades, the key will most likely not cover all species present in European soils, but shall provide a basis to facilitate further research.

Keywords: Eutardigrada | Identification key | Soil tardigrades

PDF

Authors

Jana Bingemer
Senckenberg Museum für Naturkunde Görlitz,
Am Museum 1, 02826 Görlitz, Germany

Karin Hohberg
Senckenberg Museum für Naturkunde Görlitz,
Am Museum 1, 02826 Görlitz, Germany
karin.hohberg@senckenberg.de 

Satoshi Shimano, Yuka Onodera & Manfred Wanner

Title: Testate amoebae collected from moss on urban buildings with different age, height and distance to a possible source habitat – are there obvious colonization patterns?

Abstract

Testate amoebae cultures were analyzed from moss samples collected at seven buildings of different age, height, and distance to a putative source habitat in Sendai City, Japan. In total, 13 amoeba taxa colonized buildings. We discussed causes as air currents, animals, or human activities. Neither amoebae from adjacent buildings, nor taxa from buildings with the same age or moss species were grouped by a cluster analysis, pointing to rather stochastic colonization patterns.

Keywords: terrestrial protists | resource of urban biodiversity | urban habitat colonization | moss on the roof | Japan

PDF

Authors:

Satoshi Shimano
Miyagi University of Education, Sendai, Miyagi 980-0845, Japan
Hosei University, Science Research Center, Tokyo, 102-8160, Japan

Yuka Onodera
Miyagi University of Education, Sendai, Miyagi 980-0845, Japan

Manfred Wanner
Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg,
Department Ecology, 03013 Cottbus, Germany
wanner@b-tu.de

Bernhard Seifert & Alexander Prosche

Title: Long-term development of ant assemblages of recultivated woodland and free-succession open-land habitats in a former strip mining area

Abstract

Ant assemblages in two woodland recultivations, one semi-natural forest and three open habitats in free succession were investigated in the former strip mining area of Berzdorf near Görlitz / Germany in 1997 / 98 and 2017. Seven structural and six physico-chemical habitat parameters, including mean and maximum calibrated soil temperatures were recorded numerically. Vascular plants, bryophytes and lichens were collected for estimation of soil moisture, nutrient and calcium figures. A four-partite search method (integrating scrutiny-, quick-, spot-inspection- as well as large-scale search) resulted in 373 ant nests, belonging to 9 genera and 23 species. Fourty five years after afforestation, ant assemblages in afforestions on spoil heaps showed 74 % typical woodland species and 5 % typical open-land species remaining from earliest successional stages. The long survival of the latter appears remarkable as epigaean habitat structure and microclimate of the plots showed a clear woodland character already 22 years after afforestation. Sixty five years after afforestation, typical woodland species had increased their share to 93 % and typical openland species had completely vanished. The retarded immigration of typical woodland species after 65 years is explained through restrictions by dependent colony foundation, requirement for increased tree trunk diameters, and a weaker long-range dispersal capacity. The two afforestation plots showed 65 years after initiation only 50 % of the species richness and nest density of the seminatural woodland which indicates the long time span needed for completion of ant assemblages. Within 20 years of observation, the development of ant assemblages on the study plots left in free succession from an open-land situation was largely determined by physico-chemical factors and to a lesser degree by structural changes. High soil moisture, good nutrient supply and low soil temperatures reduced species richness. The opposite conditions, as found in the strongly sun-exposed erosion area on basaltic tuff, prevented shrub encroachment and the upgrowth of a high and dense herb layer and allowed a development from a very poor antassemblage with few pionier species into a very rich open-land ant community of high value for nature conservation.

Keywords: Ant ecology | habitat succession | species richness | nest density | species conservation

PDF

Authors:

Bernhard Seifert
Senckenberg Museum für Naturkunde Görlitz,
Am Museum 1, 02826 Görlitz, Germany
bernhard.seifert@senckenberg.de

Alexander Prosche
Senckenberg Museum für Naturkunde Görlitz,
Am Museum 1, 02826 Görlitz, Germany
Bahnhofstraße 1, 02763 Zittau, Germany

PDF

Gerd Alberti^† &  Rainer Ehrnsberger

Title: Fine Structure of the Rhagidial-Organs of the Prostigmatid mite Rhagidia halophila (Laboulbène, 1851) (Actinotrichida, Rhagidiidae)

Abstract

The rhagidial organs of Rhagidia halophila were studied using scanning (SEM) and transmission (TEM) electron microscopy. They are located on the legs I and II and consist of 4 recumbent setae on tarsi I and of 4 setae on tarsi II and 1 on tibiae I. In addition to the 4 anterior setae there is a very small stellate setae at the medial base of the second proximal recumbent seta. All setae are innervated and thus represent sensilla. The recumbent sensillae are innervated by three sensory cells with distal dendrites and a lattice-like cuticular sheath and many wall pores (wp-sensillum, likely olfactory). The innervation of the stellate sensillum could only partly been observed. This sensillum bears a terminal pore (tp-sensillum, likely gustatory) and is provided with an additional internal cuticular layer, likely bearing the birefringence properties of almost all setae of actinotrichid mites, except for the so-called solenidia. We regard the recumbent setae as peculiar solenidia and the stellate setae as reduced so-called eupathidia. Certainly, the rhagidial organs are an important chemical receptor for these mites and deserve further experimental research.

Keywords: Rhagidial-organs | Actinotrichida | fine structure

PDF

Authors

Gerd Alberti^†

Rainer Ehrnsberger
Fakultät II, Biologie, Universität Vechta,
Driverstr. 22, 49377 Vechta, Germany
rainer@ehrnsberger.de

Jörg Römbke, Theo Blick & Wolfgang H. O. Dorow

Title: Allolobophoridella eiseni (Lumbricidae), a truly arboreal earthworm in the temperate region of Central Europe

Abstract

In a long-term survey of the Strict Forest Reserves in Hesse (Central Germany) a faunistic inventory was conducted using a wide range of traps and hand sampling over a period of two years. Five of the six sites are beech forest types (dominating: Fagus sylvatica), and one is a floodplain oak forest (dominating: Quercus robur). Although no special  research program was run for the earthworms, pitfall traps and eclectors at tree trunks and logs provided an unexpectedly high number (9 to 13) of species of earthworms. A comparison of data from pitfall traps and trunk eclectors shows that highly different sets of lumbricids do occur in both types. In the pitfall traps Lumbricus rubellus (22–43 % of adults) and Dendrobaena octaedra (10–16 % of adults) were dominant. In the trunk eclectors the community consisted mainly (60–83 %) of Allolobophoridella eiseni. In addition, Dendrodrilus rubidus (3–25 %) and Dendrobaena octaedra (6–16 %) were regularly found in these eclectors. Based on our findings Allolobophoridella eiseni is a regular element of the invertebrate fauna of forests, occurring both in decaying logs and predominantly at the bark of living and dead trees. Therefore, this species can be classified as predominantly corticolous. For the first time it could be proven that Allolobophoridella eiseni regularly climbs on trees, which it does surprisingly mainly in late-autumn and in the winter.

Keywords: Corticolous | Fagus sylvatica | Germany | pitfall traps | Strict Forest Reserves | trunk eclectors

PDF

Authors:

Jörg Römbke
ECT Oekotoxikologie, Böttgerstr. 2-14, 65439 Flörsheim am Main, Germany
j-roembke@ect.de

Theo Blick
Senckenberg Research, Project Strict Forest Reserves in Hesse,
Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Wolfgang H. O. Dorow
Senckenberg Research, Project Strict Forest Reserves in Hesse,
Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Walter P. Pfliegler, Axel Schönhofer, Wojciech Niedbała, Patrick Vella^†, Arnold Sciberras & Antoine Vella

Title: New records of mites (Acari) and harvestmen (Opiliones) from Malta with a preliminary checklist of Maltese Arachnida

Abstract

We present new faunistic records of mites and harvestmen from the Maltese Archipelago and reviewed available data on the faunistics of the class Arachnida of the Archipelago. Literature records of Arachnids are rather scarce and uncomprehensive and up to date, checklists dealing with them have not been published except for spiders and gall mites. Along with newly recorded families, genera and species, we compiled a preliminary checklist and review of Maltese Arachnida to facilitate faunistic research on these groups. In regard to mites, Geckobia sarahae Bertrand, Pfliegler & Sciberras, 2012 is established as a lapsus calami that refers to G. estherae Bertrand, Pfliegler & Sciberras, 2012.

Keywords: Mediterranean | endemic | soil fauna | faunistics | distribution | anthropogenic habitat

PDF

Authors

Walter P. Pfliegler
Department of Biotechnology and Microbiology, University of Debrecen,
of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1., 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
walterpfliegler@gmail.com

Axel Schönhofer
Johannes Gutenberg Universität Mainz,
Institut für Zoologie, Abteilung Evolutionsbiologie
Johannes-von-Müller-Weg 6, 55128 Mainz, Germany

Wojciech Niedbała
Department of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology,
Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University,
ul. Umultowska 89, 61-614 Poznań, Poland

Patrick Vella^†

Arnold Sciberras
Nature Trust Malta, PO Box9, VLT 1000, Valetta Malta

Antoine Vella
74, Buontempo Estate, BZN1135 Balzan, Malta

PDF

Wataru Hagino, Satoshi Shimano & Shimpei F. Hiruta

Title: A new species of the subgenus Cosmogalumna (Acari: Oribatida: Galumnidae: Galumna) from Kagoshima Prefecture, the southern part of Japan

Abstract

A new species of oribatid mites, Galumna (Cosmogalumna) kirishimaensis n. sp., is described from the soil and litter of a Cryptomeria forest, Kirishima City, Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern part of Japan. The new species is morphologically most similar o Galumna (Cosmogalumna) praeoccupata Subías, 2004 and Galumna (Cosmogalumna) areticulata Ermilov, Sandmann, Klarner, Widyastuti & Scheu, 2015, but it differs from these species in bifurcate lamellar lines, distinctive patterns suggestive of a neural network on the middle part of notogaster and ventral plate, several nodules (Aa) or one central nodule (A1, A2 and A3) on the surface of porose areas, conspicuous granular ornamentation on the pteromorphs, and conspicuous linear structure on the middle part on the genital plates.

Keywords: Galumnid mites | Morphology | SEM | subgenus Cosmogalumna | Taxonomy |Zoobank: A84377DB-2836-4D84-8821-BCE9A3DC56F9

PDF

Authors

Wataru Hagino
Graduate School of Science, Hokkaido University,
Kita 10 Nishi 8, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060-0810 Japan
haginomite@gmail.com

Satoshi Shimano
Science Research Center, Hosei University,
Fujimi 2-17-1 Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 102-8160 Japan

Shimpei F. Hiruta
Center for Molecular Biodiversity Research,
National Museum of Nature and Science,
Amakubo 4-1-1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0005 Japan

Meike M. Schuppenhauer & Ricarda Lehmitz

Floating Islands: A method to detect aquatic dispersal and colonisation potential of soil microarthropods

Abstract

In floodplains and river marshes, aquatic dispersal is a potential way of migration for soil microarthropods. However, this migration pathway and particularly the colonisation potential after aquatic dispersal in freshwater systems has never been studied before, probably because suitable methods were missing. We therefore developed a method based on artificial floating islands that are filled with defaunated soil as colonisation medium. The islands can be installed in freshwater streams to investigate colonisation potential of soil microarthropods after aquatic dispersal. In combination with small fishing nets and sticky covers they allow disentangling just drifting species from actually colonising ones as well as the detection of individuals introduced to the stream by wind. First testing showed that the islands are a valuable, low-priced and easy-to-handle tool that already allowed recording colonisation of Oribatida, Gamasina, Collembola and Myriapoda after aquatic dispersal.

Keywords: Oribatida | Collembola | water transport | dispersal | river marshes

PDF

Authors

Meike M. Schuppenhauer
Senckenberg Museum für Naturkunde Görlitz,
Am Museum 1, 02826 Görlitz, Germany
meike.schuppenhauer@senckenberg.de

Ricarda Lehmitz
Senckenberg Museum für Naturkunde Görlitz,
Am Museum 1, 02826 Görlitz, Germany

Bernhard Seifert

Title: The ecology of Central European non-arboreal ants – 37 years of a broad-spectrum analysis under permanent taxonomic control

Abstract

– Methods: A broad spectrum analysis on ant ecology was carried out in Central Europe in 1979–2015, including 232 study plots from 5 to 2382 meters a.s.l. Basically each type of terrestrial, non-arboreal ant habitat was investigated. The full gradient for nearly each environmental variable was covered. The whole study was under permanent taxonomic control, assisted by holding a curated museum collection with updating of the data regarding newly discovered cryptic species. Ant biodiversity and abundance recording was based on direct localization of altogether 17,000 nest sites with nest density determination per unit area. Two new biomass and species richness calculation methods are introduced. Recorded niche dimensions included 6 physico-chemical, 7 structural and 4 species-defined factors. The paper represents the first ecological study with a thorough application of the soil temperature determination system CalibSoil which provides comparability of data on thermal behavior of hypo- and epigaean organisms within the context of global warming. It is shown that approximations of fundamental niche space and niche overlap are possible from field data based on 3 factors: (a) temporal disclosure of hidden fundamental niche space during dynamic processes, (b) mathematic decoupling of fundamental niche space from particular study plot situations by subdivision of niche dimensions into classes and (c) idealization of niche space by smoothing of frequency distributions for all niche variables. A method to estimate interspecific competitive exclusion based on a model that relates realized niche overlap to fundamental niche overlap is provided.
– Results: Thanks to the broad environmental gradients considered and the high number of data points, highly significant relations of species richness and biomass of ant assemblages to nearly each investigated environmental variable could be shown with curve characteristics mostly resembling skewed or unskewed optimum curves whereas quasi-linear relations were rare. The most important directly niche-segregating factors are soil moisture and maximum and mean soil temperature whereas herb-layer phytodensity, ranking at the penultimate place among the assessed environmental variables, is thought to have strong indirect effect by altering moisture and temperature conditions. The distribution of 86 ant species relative to environmental variables is shown. 27 habitat categories were compared for species richness and biomass. Xerothermous to mesoxerophytic grasslands on limestone showed the highest average species richness and biomass of open land habitats with 13.1 species / 100 m² and 8.8 g fresh weight / m². Xerothermous to tempered Quercus wood (12.5 species / 100 m², 5.5 g fresh weight / m²) and mature Faguswoods (0.35 species / 100 m², 0.07 g fresh weight / m²) showed the richest and poorest ant assemblages within woodland habitats. Convincing evidence was presented for E. Odum’s theory that narrow niche spaces increase the number of species a habitat may hold. Species richness and evenness of ant assemblages showed a clearly positive correlation. Gause‘s Law is demonstrated to be valid on the biocenotic level: interspecific competitive displacement increases with growing relatedness – 20 pairs of sibling species had significantly lower coexistence values than 214 congeneric pairs of all other species from the genera to which the sibling species belonged (ANOVA F_1,232 = 9.98, p < 0.002). It is shown that predictions of zoogeographic shifts due to global warming based on only meteorological simulations will remain inaccurate because 22–31% of variance of mean seasonal soil temperature T_MEAN was attributable to the habitat-specific factors stratification and density of phytolayers, orography (aspect) and properties of ground material.

Keywords: ant biomass | ant species richness | realized and fundamental niche | sibling species | Gause’s Law, calibrated soil temperature | global warming | range prediction | nature conservation

PDF

Digital supplementary material

Authors

Bernhard Seifert
Senckenberg Museum für Naturkunde Görlitz,
Am Museum 1, 02826 Görlitz, Germany
bernhard.seifert@senckenberg.de