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New Zealand's Genetic Diversity

1.13 NEW ZEALAND’S GENETIC DIVERSITY NEW ZEALAND’S GENETIC DIVERSITY Dennis P. Gordon National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, Private Bag 14901, Kilbirnie, Wellington 6022, New Zealand ABSTRACT: The known genetic diversity represented by the New Zealand biota is reviewed and summarised, largely based on a recently published New Zealand inventory of biodiversity. All kingdoms and eukaryote phyla are covered, updated to reﬂ ect the latest phylogenetic view of Eukaryota. The total known biota comprises a nominal 57 406 species (c. 48 640 described). Subtraction of the 4889 naturalised-alien species gives a biota of 52 517 native species. A minimum (the status of a number of the unnamed species is uncertain) of 27 380 (52%) of these species are endemic (cf. 26% for Fungi, 38% for all marine species, 46% for marine Animalia, 68% for all Animalia, 78% for vascular plants and 91% for terrestrial Animalia). In passing, examples are given both of the roles of the major taxa in providing ecosystem services and of the use of genetic resources in the New Zealand economy. Key words: Animalia, Chromista, freshwater, Fungi, genetic diversity, marine, New Zealand, Prokaryota, Protozoa, terrestrial. INTRODUCTION Article 10b of the CBD calls for signatories to ‘Adopt The original brief for this chapter was to review New Zealand’s measures relating to the use of biological resources [i.e. genetic genetic resources. The OECD deﬁ nition of genetic resources resources] to avoid or minimize adverse impacts on biological is ‘genetic material of plants, animals or micro-organisms of diversity [e.g. genetic diversity]’ (my parentheses).
Variation in the Persistence and Effects of Argentine Ants Throughout Their Invaded Range in New Zealand

Variation in the persistence and effects of Argentine ants throughout their invaded range in New Zealand A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Ecology and Biodiversity at Victoria University of Wellington January 2012 by Meghan Dawn Cooling School of Biological Sciences Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand Abstract Invasive ants are a serious ecological problem around the world. The Argentine ant has had devastating effects on resident ant communities and may negatively impact other invertebrates in its introduced range. First detected in Auckland in 1990, this invader has since spread widely around the country. The effect of Argentine ants on invertebrates in New Zealand was investigated by comparing ground-dwelling arthropod species richness and abundance between and among paired uninvaded and invaded sites in seven cities across this invader’s New Zealand range. In order to study density-dependent effects, invaded sites were chosen so as to differ in Argentine ant population density. The effects of rainfall and mean maximum temperature on Argentine ant abundance and the species richness and abundance were also examined. Argentine ant population persistence in New Zealand was examined by re-surveying sites of past infestation across this species range. The influence of climate on population persistence was investigated, and how this effect may vary after climate change. Additionally, the potential of community recovery after invasion was also examined. Epigaeic (above ground foraging) ant species richness and abundance was negatively associated with Argentine ant abundance; however, no discernable impact was found on hypogaeic (below ground foraging) ant species.
Wildlife Trade Operation Proposal – Queen of Ants

Wildlife Trade Operation Proposal – Queen of Ants 1. Title and Introduction 1.1/1.2 Scientific and Common Names Please refer to Attachment A, outlining the ant species subject to harvest and the expected annual harvest quota, which will not be exceeded. 1.3 Location of harvest Harvest will be conducted on privately owned land, non-protected public spaces such as footpaths, roads and parks in Victoria and from other approved Wildlife Trade Operations. Taxa not found in Victoria will be legally sourced from other approved WTOs or collected by Queen of Ants’ representatives from unprotected areas. This may include public spaces such as roadsides and unprotected council parks, and other property privately owned by the representatives. 1.4 Description of what is being harvested Please refer to Attachment A for an outline of the taxa to be harvested. The harvest is of live adult queen ants which are newly mated. 1.5 Is the species protected under State or Federal legislation Ants are non-listed invertebrates and are as such unprotected under Victorian and other State Legislation. Under Federal legislation the only protection to these species relates to the export of native wildlife, which this application seeks to satisfy. No species listed under the EPBC Act as threatened (excluding the conservation dependent category) or listed as endangered, vulnerable or least concern under Victorian legislation will be harvested. 2. Statement of general goal/aims The applicant has recently begun trading queen ants throughout Victoria as a personal hobby and has received strong overseas interest for the species of ants found.
Phylogeny and Classification of the Melastomataceae and Memecylaceae

Nord. J. Bot. - Section of tropical taxonomy Phylogeny and classification of the Melastomataceae and Memecy laceae Susanne S. Renner Renner, S. S. 1993. Phylogeny and classification of the Melastomataceae and Memecy- laceae. - Nord. J. Bot. 13: 519-540. Copenhagen. ISSN 0107-055X. A systematic analysis of the Melastomataceae, a pantropical family of about 4200- 4500 species in c. 166 genera, and their traditional allies, the Memecylaceae, with c. 430 species in six genera, suggests a phylogeny in which there are two major lineages in the Melastomataceae and a clearly distinct Memecylaceae. Melastomataceae have close affinities with Crypteroniaceae and Lythraceae, while Memecylaceae seem closer to Myrtaceae, all of which were considered as possible outgroups, but sister group relationships in this plexus could not be resolved. Based on an analysis of all morph- ological and anatomical characters useful for higher level grouping in the Melastoma- taceae and Memecylaceae a cladistic analysis of the evolutionary relationships of the tribes of the Melastomataceae was performed, employing part of the ingroup as outgroup. Using 7 of the 21 characters scored for all genera, the maximum parsimony program PAUP in an exhaustive search found four 8-step trees with a consistency index of 0.86. Because of the limited number of characters used and the uncertain monophyly of some of the tribes, however, all presented phylogenetic hypotheses are weak. A synapomorphy of the Memecylaceae is the presence of a dorsal terpenoid-producing connective gland, a synapomorphy of the Melastomataceae is the perfectly acrodro- mous leaf venation. Within the Melastomataceae, a basal monophyletic group consists of the Kibessioideae (Prernandra) characterized by fiber tracheids, radially and axially included phloem, and median-parietal placentation (placentas along the mid-veins of the locule walls).
Radiation in Socially Parasitic Formicoxenine Ants

RADIATION IN SOCIALLY PARASITIC FORMICOXENINE ANTS DISSERTATION ZUR ERLANGUNG DES DOKTORGRADES DER NATURWISSENSCHAFTEN (D R. R ER . N AT .) DER NATURWISSENSCHAFTLICHEN FAKULTÄT III – BIOLOGIE UND VORKLINISCHE MEDIZIN DER UNIVERSITÄT REGENSBURG vorgelegt von Jeanette Beibl aus Landshut 04/2007 General Introduction II Promotionsgesuch eingereicht am: 19.04.2007 Die Arbeit wurde angeleitet von: Prof. Dr. J. Heinze Prüfungsausschuss: Vorsitzender: Prof. Dr. S. Schneuwly 1. Prüfer: Prof. Dr. J. Heinze 2. Prüfer: Prof. Dr. S. Foitzik 3. Prüfer: Prof. Dr. P. Poschlod General Introduction I TABLE OF CONTENTS GENERAL INTRODUCTION 1 CHAPTER 1: Six origins of slavery in formicoxenine ants 13 Introduction 15 Material and Methods 17 Results 20 Discussion 23 CHAPTER 2: Phylogeny and phylogeography of the Mediterranean species of the parasitic ant genus Chalepoxenus and its Temnothorax hosts 27 Introduction 29 Material and Methods 31 Results 36 Discussion 43 CHAPTER 3: Phylogenetic analyses of the parasitic ant genus Myrmoxenus 46 Introduction 48 Material and Methods 50 Results 54 Discussion 59 CHAPTER 4: Cuticular profiles and mating preference in a slave-making ant 61 Introduction 63 Material and Methods 65 Results 69 Discussion 75 CHAPTER 5: Influence of the slaves on the cuticular profile of the slave-making ant Chalepoxenus muellerianus and vice versa 78 Introduction 80 Material and Methods 82 Results 86 Discussion 89 GENERAL DISCUSSION 91 SUMMARY 99 ZUSAMMENFASSUNG 101 REFERENCES 103 APPENDIX 119 DANKSAGUNG 120 General Introduction 1 GENERAL INTRODUCTION Parasitism is an extremely successful mode of life and is considered to be one of the most potent forces in evolution. As many degrees of symbiosis, a phenomenon in which two unrelated organisms coexist over a prolonged period of time while depending on each other, occur, it is not easy to unequivocally define parasitism (Cheng, 1991).
Ants of the Dominican Amber (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). 1. Two New Myrmicine Genera and an Aberrant Pheidole

PSYCHE Vol. 92 1985 No. ANTS OF THE DOMINICAN AMBER (HYMENOPTERA: FORMICIDAE). 1. TWO NEW MYRMICINE GENERA AND AN ABERRANT PHEIDOLE BY EDWARD O. WILSON Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, U.SoA Ants rival dipterans as the most abundant fossils in the Doini,, can Republic amber. Since they are also phylogenetically compact and relatively easily identified, these insects offer an excellent opportunity to study dispersal and evolution in a Tertiary West Indian fauna. The age of the Dominican amber has not yet been determined, but combined stratigraphic and foraminiferan analyses of its matrix suggest an origin at least as far back as the early Miocene (Saunders in Baroni Urbani and Saunders, 1982). am inclined to favor ttis minimal age (about 20 million years) or at most a late Oligocene origin, for the following reason. In a sample of 596 amber pieces containing an estimated 1,248 ants that recently examined (439 now deposited in the Museum of Comparative Zoology), found 36 genera and well-defined subgenera, to which may be added one other, Trachymyrmex, reported earlier by Baroni Urbani (1980a). Of these 37 taxa only three, or 8%, are unknown from the living world fauna (see Table 1). The relative contemporaneity of the Dominican amber ants contrasts with that of the Baltic amber, which is Eocene to early Oligocene in age (Larsson, 1978) and pos- sesses 44% extinct genera; that is, 19 of the 43 genera recorded by Wheeler (1914) are unknown among living ants. The Dominican amber ants also differ to a similar degree from those of the Floris- sant, Colorado, shales, which are upper Oligocene in age and con-.
Origins and Affinities of the Ant Fauna of Madagascar

Biogéographie de Madagascar, 1996: 457-465 ORIGINS AND AFFINITIES OF THE ANT FAUNA OF MADAGASCAR Brian L. FISHER Department of Entomology University of California Davis, CA 95616, U.S.A. e-mail: [email protected] ABSTRACT.- Fifty-two ant genera have been recorded from the Malagasy region, of which 48 are estimated to be indigenous. Four of these genera are endemic to Madagascar and 1 to Mauritius. In Madagascar alone,41 out of 45 recorded genera are estimated to be indigenous. Currently, there are 318 names of described species-group taxa from Madagascar and 381 names for the Malagasy region. The ant fauna of Madagascar, however,is one of the least understoodof al1 biogeographic regions: 2/3of the ant species may be undescribed. Associated with Madagascar's long isolation from other land masses, the level of endemism is high at the species level, greaterthan 90%. The level of diversity of ant genera on the island is comparable to that of other biogeographic regions.On the basis of generic and species level comparisons,the Malagasy fauna shows greater affinities to Africathan to India and the Oriental region. Thestriking gaps in the taxonomic composition of the fauna of Madagascar are evaluatedin the context of island radiations.The lack of driver antsin Madagascar may have spurred the diversification of Cerapachyinae and may have permitted the persistenceof other relic taxa suchas the Amblyoponini. KEY W0RDS.- Formicidae, Biogeography, Madagascar, Systematics, Africa, India RESUME.- Cinquante-deux genres de fourmis, dont 48 considérés comme indigènes, sontCOMUS dans la région Malgache. Quatre d'entr'eux sont endémiques de Madagascaret un seul de l'île Maurice.
Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Entomology

Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) A review of the Solenopsis genus-group and revision of Afrotropical Monomorium Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Barry Bolton Entomology series Vol 54 No 3 25 June 1987 The Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History), instituted in 1949, is issued in four scientific series, Botany, Entomology, Geology (incorporating Mineralogy) and Zoology, and an Historical series. Papers in the Bulletin are primarily the results of research carried out on the unique and ever-growing collections of the Museum, both by the scientific staff of the Museum and by specialists from elsewhere who make use of the Museum's resources. Many of the papers are works of reference that will remain indispensable for years to come. Parts are published at irregular intervals as they become ready, each is complete in itself, available separately, and individually priced. Volumes contain about 300 pages and several volumes may appear within a calendar year. Subscriptions may be placed for one or more of the series on either an Annual or Per Volume basis. Prices vary according to the contents of the individual parts. Orders and enquiries should be sent to: Publications Sales, British Museum (Natural History), Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, England. World List abbreviation: Bull. Br. Mus. nat. Hist. (Ent.) ©British Museum (Natural History), 1987 The Entomology series is produced under the general editorship of the Keeper of Entomology: Laurence A. Mound Assistant Editor: W. Gerald Tremewan ISBN 565 06026 ISSN 0524-6431 Entomology
Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae)

Zootaxa 3669 (3): 287–301 ISSN 1175-5326 (print edition) www.mapress.com/zootaxa/ Article ZOOTAXA Copyright © 2013 Magnolia Press ISSN 1175-5334 (online edition) http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3669.3.5 http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:46C8F244-E62F-4FC6-87DF-DEB8A695AB18 Revision of the Australian endemic ant genera Pseudonotoncus and Teratomyrmex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formicinae) S.O. SHATTUCK1 & A.J. O’REILLY2 1CSIRO Ecosystem Sciences, GPO Box 1700, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia. E-mail: [email protected] 2Centre for Tropical Biodiversity & Climate Change, School of Marine & Tropical Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland 4811 Abstract The Australian endemic formicine ant genera Pseudonotoncus and Teratomyrmex are revised and their distributions and biologies reviewed. Both genera are limited to forested areas along the east coast of Australia. Pseudonotoncus is known from two species, P. eurysikos (new species) and P. hirsutus (= P. turneri, new synonym), while Teratomyrmex is known from three species, T. greavesi, T. substrictus (new species) and T. tinae (new species). Distribution modelling was used to examine habitat preferences within the Pseudonotoncus species. Key words: Formicidae, Pseudonotoncus, Teratomyrmex, Australia, new species, key, MaxEnt Introduction Australia has a rich and diverse ant fauna, with over 1400 native species assigned to 100 genera. Of these 100 genera, 18 are endemic to Australia. These include Adlerzia, Anisopheidole, Austromorium, Doleromyrma, Epopostruma, Froggattella, Machomyrma, Mesostruma, Myrmecorhynchus, Nebothriomyrmex, Nothomyrmecia, Notostigma, Melophorus, Onychomyrma, Peronomyrmex, Pseudonotoncus, Stigmacros and Teratomyrmex. In the present study we revise two of these endemic genera, Pseudonotoncus and Teratomyrmex. Pseudonotoncus is found along the Australian east coast from the wet tropics in North Queensland to southern Victoria in rainforest and wet and dry sclerophyll forests.
Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae

support with databasing, imaging processing, proofreading, and her overall support in the lab. We are very thankful to our current and past AntWeb imagers Ms. April Nobile, Ms. Estella Ortega, and Ms. Shannon Hartman. We appreciate the support from Dr. Bernhard Merz (MHNG) who loaned important type material and welcomed us to image type material. We also want to thank Prof. Phil S. Ward (University of California, Davis, U.S.A.) for providing material collected in Madagascar. Moreover, the fieldwork on which this study is based could not have been completed without the gracious support of the Malagasy people and the Arthropod Inventory Team (Balsama Rajemison, Jean-Claude Rakotonirina, Jean-Jacques Rafanomezantsoa, Chrislain Ranaivo, Hanitriniana Rasoazanamavo, Nicole Rasoamanana, Clavier Randrianandrasana, Dimby Raharinjanahary, Njaka Ravelomanana, Manoa Ramamonjisoa, and Mihary Razafimamonjy). Research, collecting and export permits were obtained through collaboration with the “Ministère de l' Environnement et des Forêts” and the Madagascar National Parks. This study was supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. DEB-0072713, DEB-0344731, and DEB-0842395. REFERENCES Anderson, A.N., Azcárate, F.M. & Cowie, I.D. (2000) Seed selection by an exceptionally rich community of harvester ants in the Australian seasonal tropics. Journal of Animal Ecology, 69, 975–984. http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2656.2000.00452.x Anderson, A.N. (2006) A systematic overview of Australian species of the myrmicine ant genus Meranoplus F. Smith, 1853 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Myrmecologische Nachrichten, 8, 157–170. André, E. (1892) Matériaux myrmécologiques. Revue d'Entomologie (Caen), 11, 45–56. Bernard, F. (1953) La réserve naturelle intégrale du Mt Nimba.
SHORT COMMUNICATION Discovery of Aneuretus Simoni Emery in A

ASIAN MYRMECOLOGY Volume 4, 99–102, 2011 ISSN 1985-1944 © R.K.S. DIA S , H.A.W.S. PEI R I S AN D H.P.G.R.C. RU ch I R ANI SHORT COMMUNICATION Discovery of Aneuretus simoni Emery in a disturbed forest in Kalutara, and Stereomyrmex horni Emery in Anuradhapura Sanctuary, Sri Lanka R.K.S. DIA S *, H.A.W.S. PEI R I S AN D H.P.G.R.C. RU ch I R ANI *Department of Zoology, University of Kelaniya, Kelaniya Keywords: Aneuretus simoni Emery, Stereomyrmex horni Emery, Kalutara District, “Kirikanda,” Anuradhapura Sanctuary The sole extant species of Subfamily Aneuretinae, (Fig. 2), which is located in Ratnapura District, Aneuretus simoni Emery, 1893 (Fig. 1), is from 2005 (Perera et al. 2006; Dias 2008) to endemic to Sri Lanka (Wilson et al. 1956; February 2007 (Gunawardene et al. 2008). Jayasuriya & Traniello 1985; Bolton 1994, 1995) Sinharaja Forest Reserve, a World Heritage site, and has been recorded as a Critically Endangered lies in three districts—Ratnapura, Kalutara and species by IUCN (2010). It has been recorded Matara—in the three provinces: Sabaragamuwa, from “Udawatta Kele” and Peradeniya in Western and Southern, respectively (Gunawardene Kandy District and “Pompekelle”—a disturbed 2003). Here we discovered a group of A. simoni forest—and Gilimale and Adam’s Peak Forest workers (collector: H.P.G.R.C. Ruchirani) in Reserves in Ratnapura District (Wilson et al. December 2009 and two colonies of the species 1956), but in 1979, its presence was confirmed in January 2010 from the floor of a wet evergreen only from Gilimale Forest Reserve (Jayasuriya rainforest, “Kirikanda” (06°25´N, 80°20´E; & Traniello 1985).
JAMES PURSER PITTS a Cladistic Analysis of the Solenopsis Saevissima Species-Group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) (Under the Directio

JAMES PURSER PITTS A cladistic analysis of the Solenopsis saevissima species-group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) (Under the direction of JOSEPH VINCENT MCHUGH and KENNETH GEORGE ROSS) The cosmopolitan genus Solenopsis Westwood 1840 contains 185 species of ants. Probably the best known species of Solenopsis are the fire ants. Several of the fire ants, including S. invicta Buren, the red imported fire ant, belong to the S. saevissima species- group, a primarily Neotropical assemblage formerly called the S. saevissima complex of the S. geminata species-group. In this study, the S. saevissima species-group is characterized, its males, queens, and larvae are described, its workers are diagnosed, a key to the group is provided, and the distributions of the species are summarized. Solenopsis altipunctata sp. nov., discovered in the Serra Geral mountains in Santa Catarina State, Brazil, is described as new. A cladistic analysis of the S. saevissima species-group, including the social parasite S. daguerrei Santschi, yields the following results based on characters from workers, males, queens, and larvae: (daguerrei + ((electra + pusillignis)+(saevissima +(pythia +((altipunctata sp. nov. + weyrauchi)+ (interrupta +(richteri +(invicta +(megergates +(quinquecuspis + macdonaghi)))))))))). It is hypothesized that the social parasite S. daguerrei occupies a basal position in this species-group and is the sister group to all other species. It is not closely related to its hosts. As such, the results do not support “Emery’s Rule,” which claims that social parasites evolve directly from their hosts in Hymenoptera. A review of literature shows that all the modern cladistic analyses that have tested “Emery’s Rule” failed to support it.