Evolution of endemism on a young tropical mountain.

Tropical mountains are hot spots of biodiversity and endemism, but the evolutionary origins of their unique biotas are poorly understood. In varying degrees, local and regional extinction, long-distance colonization, and local recruitment may all contribute to the exceptional character of these communities. Also, it is debated whether mountain endemics mostly originate from local lowland taxa, or from lineages that reach the mountain by long-range dispersal from cool localities elsewhere. Here we investigate the evolutionary routes to endemism by sampling an entire tropical mountain biota on the 4,095-metre-high Mount Kinabalu in Sabah, East Malaysia. We discover that most of its unique biodiversity is younger than the mountain itself (6 million years), and comprises a mix of immigrant pre-adapted lineages and descendants from local lowland ancestors, although substantial shifts from lower to higher vegetation zones in this latter group were rare. These insights could improve forecasts of the likelihood of extinction and 'evolutionary rescue' in montane biodiversity hot spots under climate change scenarios.

Third contribution to the knowledge of water mites from the Comoros, with the description of two new species (Acari: Hydrachnidia).

New records of water mites (Acari: Hydrachnidia) from the Comoros are presented. Two species new to science, Torrenticola comorosensis (Torrenticolidae) and Sterkspruitia comorosensis (Hygrobatidae) are described; the latter species is the second known species of the genus Sterkspruitia Cook, 2003. First records are given for Limnochares crinita Koenike, 1898 and Mamersella thienemanni K. Viets, 1929. Additional measurements, figures and information on the morphology are given for specimens assigned to the Monatractides ventriosus-species complex.

On the taxonomic state of water mite taxa (Acari: Hydrachnidia) described from the Palaearctic, part 3, Hygrobatoidea and Arrenuroidea with new faunistic data.

Following revision of material from museum collections and recent field work, new taxonomic and faunistic data are given for several representatives of the water mite superfamilies Hygrobatoidea and Arrenuroidea.

New records of water mites mainly from Vogelkop, New Guinea (Acari: Hydrachnidia), with the description of one new genus and thirteen new species.

New records are given of water mites from Vogelkop, New Guinea. A total of 33 species is recorded, including the descriptions of a representative of a new genus, i.e. Dropursides aberratus, and of twelve further species new to science, i.e. Hydrobaumia purpurea, Oxus manokwariensis, Limnesia multiscutata, Limnesia vogelkop, Australiobates elongatus, Unionicola novaeguineae, Neumania silvestris, Recifella jluviatilis, Koenikea sentaniensis, Albia ilikensis, Albia papuaensis and Axonopsella bisetosa. The female of Albia wauensis Wiles and the male of Axonopsella ovalis Wiles are described for the first time.

The water mite family Mideopsidae (Acari: Hydrachnidia): a contribution to the diversity in the Afrotropical region and taxonomic changes above species level.

A rearrangement of genera and subgenera in the water mite family Mideopsidae is proposed, resulting in the following changes: Mideopsellinae Lundblad, 1937 and Phreatomideopsinae Schwoerbel, 1986 are synonymized with Mideopsidae Koenike, 1910; Djeboa K. Viets, 1911, Mideopsides Lundblad, 1943, Neoxystonotus Lundblad, 1927, Octomideopsis K. Viets, 1931 and Xystonotus Wolcott, 1900 are redefined and proposed as distinct genera. A global key for the genera of the family is given.New records of water mites of the genus Djeboa K. Viets, 1911, Xystonotus Wolcott, 1900 and MideopsellidesK.O.Viets, 1962 (Acari: Hydrachnidia, Mideopsidae) from the Afrotropical region are presented. Twenty species new to science are described, i.e., Djeboa amendano (Madagascar), D. amethystica (Madagascar), D. angulipalpis (Madagascar), D. coelestinica (Madagascar), D. crocodilorum (South Africa), D. curtipalpis (Ghana), Djeboa depressa(Côte d'Ivoire), D. dinosaurophila (South Africa), D. elephantina (Côte d'Ivoire), D. ghanaensis (Ghana), D. gledhilli (Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana), D. globulipalpis (South Africa, Ghana), D. granatica (Madagascar), D. mandena (Madagascar), D. maromandia (Madagascar), D. nzia (Côte d'Ivoire), D. turmalinica (Madagascar), D. vanilla (Madagascar), D. wondergemi (Ghana) and Xystonotus madagascariensis (Madagascar); a first description of the male is given for Djeboa bimaculata (Cook, 1966). A key for all species of the Djeboa is presented.

New records of water mites (Acari, Hydrachnidia) from Iran with the description of one new species based on morphology and DNA barcodes.

In this study, based on morphology and DNA barcodes, new records of water mites (Acari, Hydrachnidia) collected in August 2017 in North Iran are presented. Hydrodroma golestanica n. sp. (Hydrodromidae) is described as new for science. We also resurrect three previously synonymized species: Sperchon amuzgari Bader Sepasgosarian, 1979 (Sperchontidae), Monatractides persicus Pei Saboori, 2004 and Torrenticola baueri Bader Sepasgozarian, 1987 (Torrenticolidae).

The water mite genus Aspidiobates Lundblad, 1941 from Australia (Acari: Hydrachnidia: Hygrobatidae) with the description of two new species.

Two new species of the water mite genus Aspidiobates are described from Queensland, Australia, i.e. A. imperfectus n. sp. and A. neogeometricus n. sp. Many new records are given for eastern and south-eastern Australia. Finally, a key is provided for all Australian Aspidiobates species.

A new taxonomic placement for Scutobates Cook, 1966, with the description of a new species from French Guiana (Acari: Hydrachnidia: Hygrobatidae).

The water mite taxon Scutobates Cook, 1966 was originally described from Liberia, and treated by Cook (1966) as a subgenus of Hygrobates Koch, 1837. One of the most striking characters of Scutobates is the absence of a dorsal furrow, a ring or partial ring of unsclerotised cuticle between the dorsal plate or closely fitting platelets and the ventral shield. In the Hygrobatidae, secondary sclerotization, where the integument of the idiosoma other than the coxae, gnathosoma, genital field and glandularia bases, hardens to form sometimes extensive and merging plates can be extensive. For example, in the genus Thoracohygrobates Lundblad, 1936 the secondary sclerotization extends from the venter laterally onto the dorsum leaving a strip of membranous integument, but there is no dorsal plate development and therefore no dorsal furrow (Cook 1974). In Scutobates, the dorsum is completely sclerotized and seamlessly merges with the venter. The absence of a dorsal furrow on a completely sclerotized watermite is very rare.

New records of water mites (Acari: Hydrachnidia) from the Khuzestan Province (South Iran) with description of three new species.

New records of water mites (Acari: Hydrachnidia) from the Khuzestan Province of Iran are presented. Three species, i.e. Torrenticola khuzestanica, T. neoungeri (Torrenticolidae), and Atractides khuzestanicus (Hygrobatidae) are described as new to science.

A new species of the genus Decussobates Cook, 1988 from Argentina, with the first description of the male (Acari: Hydrachnidia: Hygrobatidae).

In 1988 Cook described the hygrobatid genus Decussobates from Chile (Cook 1988). The description was based on females only. He described two species of the genus. A new record of the genus from southern Argentina, including males, necessitates an emendation of the description of the genus. The new material from Argentina belongs to a new species, which will be described below.

New records of aturid water mites from Australia (Acari: Hydrachnidia; Aturidae), with the description of fifteen new species.

The following fifteen new species are described of the water mite family Aturidae from Australia: Austraturus cavatus n. sp., A. denticulatus n. sp., A. dilatipalpis n. sp., A. extendens n. sp., A. sagittalis n. sp., A. triprojectus n. sp., A. villosus n. sp. and Axonopsella bipartita n. sp., A. carnarvon n. sp., A. curtiseta n. sp., A. elongata n. sp., A. kakadu n. sp., A. magniseta n. sp., A. purpurea n. sp. and A. rosea n. sp.. New records are given for Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales, Northern Territory and Western Australia. New distributional records are provided for many species.

Fifth contribution to the knowledge of water mites (Acari: Hydrachnidia) from the Comoros: a checklist and description of one new genus and four new species.

New records of water mites (Acari: Hydrachnidia) from the Comoros are presented. One genus, i.e. Lagoenaxonopsalbia Pesic Smit, and four species, i.e. Platymamersopsis mayottensis (Anisitsiellidae), Torrenticola mayottensis (Torrenticolidae), Lagoenaxonopsalbia comorosensis (Aturidae) and Djeboa davecooki (Mideopsidae) are described as new to science. Arrenurus comorosensis Pesic Smit, 2015 is synonymized with Arrenurus flavus Smit, 2012. The first description of the female of Sterkspruitia comorosensis Pesic Smit, 2015 is given. The number of water mites known from Comoros now tallies 17 species in ten families.

Notoaturine water mites from New Zealand (Acari: Hydrachnidia: Notoaturinae) with the description of five new species.

The following new notoaturine species from New Zealand are described in this paper: Paratryssaturus stewartensis n. sp., Planaturus pileatus n. sp., P. serratus n. sp., Taintaturus indentatus n. sp. and T. longipileatus n. sp. Paratryssaturus morimotoi (Imamura, 1979) is synonymized with P. minutus. A key is given for the genus Taintaturus Cook. Numerous new records are given, including the first for Stewart Island.

New species of aturid water mites from southern Africa (Acari: Hydrachnidia: Aturidae).

One new subgenus, i.e. Shebaturus and one new species, Amperaturus globulipes n. sp. is described from South Africa. Hexaxonopsis clavigera (Walter, 1922) is re-described. New records are given for South Africa and Namibia, including the first records of the genera Aturus Kramer and Kongsbergia Thor.

The water mite genus Gretacarus K.O. Viets, 1978 from Australia (Acari: Hydrachnidia, Mideopsidae: Gretacarinae), with the description of three new species.

Three new species of the genus Gretacarus K.O. Viets, 1984 are described from Australia, G. gereckei n. sp., G. occidentalis n. sp. and G. yorkensis n. sp.. Moreover, many new records are given for other members of the genus.

A new hydryphantid genus from the Tien Shan Mountains of Kazakhstan (Acari, Hydrachnidia: Hydryphantidae).

Kazakhithyas pectinatus, n. gen. n. sp., is described from a rheohelocrene spring from the Tien Shan Mountains, Kazakhstan.

The Transition from Animal to Linguistic Communication.

Darwin's theory predicts that linguistic behavior gradually evolved out of animal forms of communication (signaling). However, this prediction is confronted by the conceptual problem that there is an essential difference between signaling and linguistic behavior: using words is a normative practice. It is argued that we can resolve this problem if we (1) note that language evolution is the outcome of an evolutionary transition, and (2) observe that the use of words evolves during ontogenesis out of babbling. It is discussed that language evolved as the result of an expansion of the vocalizing powers of our ancestors. This involved an increase in the volitional control of our speech apparatus (leading to the ability to produce new combinations of vowels and consonants), but also the evolution of socially guided learning. It resulted in unique human abilities, namely doing things with words and later reasoning and giving reasons.