A Cryptic Subterranean Mammal Species, the Lesser Blind Mole Rat (Nannospalax leucodon syrmiensis)-Retreated but Not Extinct.

Blind mole rats (genus Nannospalax) attract a great deal of attention because of their cancer resistance and longevity. Due to the high rate of chromosome rearrangements, 74 Nannospalax chromosomal forms have been discovered. The convergence of their external morphology complicates their taxonomy, and many cryptic species remain unrecognized. Thus, the European N. leucodon supersp. is listed in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species with "Data Deficient" status. It is crucial for the conservation of biodiversity to clarify its taxonomy, to recognize each cryptic species, and assign to them the correct conservation status. Of the more than 20 chromosomal forms described within N. leucodon, five cryptic species occur in Serbia. The most threatened among them-N. l. syrmiensis, described and named 50 years ago in the regions of Srem, Belgrade and Macva-has been declared extinct in the literature, which may have negative consequences for the conservation of wildlife genetic diversity. Through five years of fieldwork and comparison of 16SrRNA and MT-CYTB gene segments between old, archived teeth and recently collected material, we show that N. l. syrmiensis is not extinct. However, its habitat has been fragmented and reduced, owing primarily to anthropogenic impact. Therefore, detailed surveillance, population-structure studies, risk assessment, and appropriate conservation measures are needed.

A New Aculodes Species (Prostigmata: Eriophyidae) Described from an Invasive Weed by Morphological, Morphometric and DNA Barcode Analyses.

A new species of eriophyoid mite, Aculodes marcelli sp. nov., was discovered on cheatgrass, Anisantha tectorum (L.) Nevski (syn. Bromus tectorum L.), an annual grass that is native to Eurasia and Northern Africa. This grass was introduced to North America near the end of the 19th century and now is widespread and associated with the observed increases in the size, frequency, and intensity of wildfires in western N. America. In this paper, A. marcelli sp. nov., is morphologically described and illustrated. Compared with other Aculodes spp., it differs based on morphology and the sequence of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase gene, subunit I (MT-CO1). Results of morphometric analysis showed clear differentiation between A. marcelli sp. nov., and the most similar congener, A. altamurgiensis from Taeniatherum caput-medusae. Analysis of MT-CO1 sequence divergence revealed significant levels of genetic variation (17.7%) and supported the results from the morphometric analysis; therefore, it is determined that they are two different species. Aculodes marcelli sp. nov., is a new candidate agent for classical biological control of A. tectorum.

Cryptic Diversity of the European Blind Mole Rat Nannospalax leucodon Species Complex: Implications for Conservation.

We explored the cryptic speciation of the Nannospalax leucodon species complex, characterised by intense karyotype evolution and reduced phenotypic variability that has produced different lineages, out of which 25 are described as chromosomal forms (CFs), so many cryptic species remain unnoticed. Although some of them should be classified as threatened, they lack the official nomenclature necessary to be involved in conservation strategies. Reproductive isolation between seven CFs has previously been demonstrated. To investigate the amount and dynamics of genetic discrepancy that follows chromosomal changes, infer speciation levels, and obtain phylogenetic patterns, we analysed mitochondrial 16S rRNA and MT-CYTB nucleotide polymorphism among 17 CFs-the highest number studied so far. Phylogenetic trees delineated 11 CFs as separate clades. Evolutionary divergence values overlapped with acknowledged higher taxonomic categories, or sometimes exceeded them. The fact that CFs with higher 2n are evolutionary older corresponds to the fusion hypothesis of Nannospalax karyotype evolution. To participate in conservation strategies, N. leucodon classification should follow the biological species concept, and proposed cryptic species should be formally named, despite a lack of classical morphometric discrepancy. We draw attention towards the syrmiensis and montanosyrmiensis CFs, estimated to be endangered/critically endangered, and emphasise the need for detailed monitoring and population survey for other cryptic species.

Canalization and developmental stability of the yellow-necked mouse (Apodemus flavicollis) mandible and cranium related to age and nematode parasitism.

BACKGROUND: Mammalian mandible and cranium are well-established model systems for studying canalization and developmental stability (DS) as two elements of developmental homeostasis. Nematode infections are usually acquired in early life and increase in intensity with age, while canalization and DS of rodent skulls could vary through late postnatal ontogeny. We aimed to estimate magnitudes and describe patterns of mandibular and cranial canalization and DS related to age and parasite intensity (diversity) in adult yellow-necked mice (Apodemus flavicollis). RESULTS: We found the absence of age-related changes in the levels of canalization for mandibular and cranial size and DS for mandibular size. However, individual measures of mandibular and cranial shape variance increased, while individual measures of mandibular shape fluctuating asymmetry (FA) decreased with age. We detected mandibular and cranial shape changes during postnatal ontogeny, but revealed no age-related dynamics of their covariance structure among and within individuals. Categories regarding parasitism differed in the level of canalization for cranial size and the level of DS for cranial shape. We observed differences in age-related dynamics of the level of canalization between non-parasitized and parasitized animals, as well as between yellow-necked mice parasitized by different number of nematode species. Likewise, individual measures of mandibular and cranial shape FA decreased with age for the mandible in the less parasitized category and increased for the cranium in the most parasitized category. CONCLUSIONS: Our age-related results partly agree with previous findings. However, no rodent study so far has explored age-related changes in the magnitude of FA for mandibular size or mandibular and cranial FA covariance structure. This is the first study dealing with the nematode parasitism-related canalization and DS in rodents. We showed that nematode parasitism does not affect mandibular and cranial shape variation and covariance structure among and within individuals. However, parasite intensity (diversity) is related to ontogenetic dynamics of the levels of canalization and DS. Overall, additional studies on animals from natural populations are required before drawing some general conclusions.

Phenetic and phylogenetic relationships among Aceria spp. (Acari: Eriophyoidea) inhabiting species within the family Brassicaceae in Serbia.

We examined morphological and genetic differences among Aceria spp. inhabiting six Brassicaceae species in Serbia. Five of them have been already mentioned in the literature as original or alternate hosts of Aceria spp. (Berteroa incana (L.) DC., Capsella bursa-pastoris (L.) Medik., Cardamine hirsuta L., Lepidium draba L. and Sisymbrium orientale L.), whereas Aurinia petraea (Ard.) Schur was registered here for the first time as a host for Aceria sp. Results of morphometric analyses indicated clear differentiation of Aceria spp. from B. incana, L. draba, A. petraea and S. orientale, whereas the other two entities were less diverse and clustered together. Molecular analyses indicated that the average mean divergence over all sequence pairs was 18.3% (11.8-25.9%) and disclosed that the observed mtCOI distances between the six host-associated Aceria entities are large enough to represent differences between species. The Aceria sp. hosted by B. incana was morphologically and genetically most distinctive, whereas discrepancy between phenetic and phylogenetic relationships was found in the position of Aceria sp. hosted by L. draba when compared with those inhabiting C. hirsuta, S. orientale and C. bursa-pastoris.

Geometric morphometric study of geographic and host-related variability in Aceria spp. (Acari: Eriophyoidea) inhabiting Cirsium spp. (Asteraceae).

The russet mite, Aceria anthocoptes (Nalepa), is the only eriophyoid that has been recorded on Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop. It has been noted in several European countries and recently in the USA. In this study we explored the geographic and host-related variability of Aceria spp. inhabiting different Cirsium spp. We applied landmark-based geometric morphometric methods to study morphological variability of three body regions (ventral, coxigenital and prodorsal) of 13 Aceria spp. populations inhabiting five Cirsium spp. in Serbia (Europe) and four Cirsium spp. in Colorado (North America). Analyses of size and shape variation revealed statistically significant differences between Aceria spp. living on European native and North American native Cirsium spp., as well as between A. anthocoptes s.s. inhabiting European C. arvense and North American C. arvense. The coxigenital region was the most informative when considering inter-population shape differences. European Aceria spp. dwelling on Cirsium spp., including A. anthocoptes s.s. from C. arvense, are characterized by higher inter-population size and shape variability than their North American counterparts. This finding supports a Eurasian origin of A. anthocoptes, presumed to consist of a complex of cryptic taxa probably coevolved with host plants in the native environment. Morphological similarity among Aceria spp. inhabiting North American native Cirsium spp. may indicate that speciation of A. anthocoptes started relatively soon after the host shift to plants different from C. arvense in the invaded region.