A5083153151- Fish biology, ecology, and behavior
- Fish Biology and Ecology Studies
- Crustacean biology and ecology
- Genetic diversity and population structure
- Tardigrade Biology and Ecology
- Amphibian and Reptile Biology
- Protist diversity and phylogeny
- Polar Research and Ecology
- Coral and Marine Ecosystems Studies
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Identification and Quantification in Food
- Mollusks and Parasites Studies
- Evolution and Paleontology Studies
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Fish Ecology and Management Studies
- Turtle Biology and Conservation
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Parasite Biology and Host Interactions
- Subterranean biodiversity and taxonomy
- Marine Biology and Ecology Research
- Environmental DNA in Biodiversity Studies
- Biocrusts and Microbial Ecology
- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Aquatic Invertebrate Ecology and Behavior
- Aquatic Ecosystems and Biodiversity
Stellenbosch University
2016-2025
GS1 South Africa
2025
Natural History Museum
2015
Scientific Services
2015
Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology
2015
Northern Michigan University
2007-2015
Goethe University Frankfurt
2015
Chengdu Institute of Biology
2015
Chinese Academy of Sciences
2015
Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen
2015
A number of recent studies have shown the importance mammalian gut microbiome in host health. In context endangered species, a few examined relationship between wild versus captive populations due to digestive and other health issues. Unfortunately, results seem vary across taxa terms animals having higher, lower, or equivalent diversity relative their counterparts. Here, we focus on black rhinoceros as suffer from potentially dietary related effects. We compared microbiomes rhinos test for...
The current distributions of widespread groups terrestrial animals and plants are supposedly the result a mixture either vicariance owing to continental split or more recent trans-oceanic dispersal. For organisms exhibiting vicariant biogeographic pattern—achieving their distribution by riding on plates former supercontinents—this view is largely inspired belief that Pangaea lacked geographical ecological barriers, extinctions dispersal would have erased any signal since early Mesozoic. We...
Abstract Recent biological surveys of ancient inselbergs in southern Malawi and northern Mozambique have led to the discovery description many species new science, overlapping centres endemism across multiple taxa. Combining these endemic taxa with data on geology climate, we propose ‘South East Africa Montane Archipelago’ (SEAMA) as a distinct ecoregion global importance. The encompasses 30 granitic reaching > 1000 m above sea level, hosting largest (Mt Mabu) smallest Lico) mid-elevation...
Phylogenetic reconstruction, divergence time estimations and ancestral range estimation were undertaken for 66% of the Afrotropical freshwater crab fauna (Potamonautidae) based on four partial DNA loci (12S rRNA, 16S cytochrome oxidase one [COI], histone 3). The present study represents most comprehensive taxonomic sampling any family globally, explores impact paleodrainage interconnectivity cladogenesis among crabs. analyses total evidence data using maximum-likelihood (ML), maximum...
Patterns and processes of cladogenesis among taxa living on the Mozambique ‘sky islands’ remain poorly studied. During present study, we report a new freshwater crab species from Mount Lico, an inselberg island’ in Zambezia Province Mozambique. Phylogenetic analyses using three mitochondrial DNA sequence loci (12S rRNA, 16S rRNA COI) were used to determine evolutionary placement specimens Lico. The Lico retrieved sister Potamonautes choloensis. species, licoensis sp. nov., is described...
Sampling of remote inland aquatic habitats in South Africa has constantly been yielding novel endemic freshwater crab species (Potamonautes MacLeay,1838). During the present study, we report on discovery and description two new baziya sp. nov., P. mariepskoppie nov.) from Afrotemperate forested mountain regions Eastern Cape Mpumalanga provinces Africa, respectively. Phylogenetic evidence derived DNA sequence data three partial mitochondrial loci (12S rRNA, 16S rRNA cytochrome oxidase subunit...
Abstract Aim The distribution of Onychophora across the southern continents has long been considered result vicariance events. However, it recently hypothesized that New Zealand was completely inundated during late Oligocene (25–22 Ma) and therefore entire biota is long‐distance dispersal. We tested this assumption using phylogenetic molecular dating DNA sequence data from Onychophora. Location Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Chile (South America). Methods obtained nuclear genes 28S 18S...
Buea gen. nov. is established to accommodate the freshwater crab Potamonemus asylos, from south-western Cameroon, Central Africa. This new genus defined based on molecular evidence combined with morphological characters of mandible and first second gonopods. asylos comb. endemic here compared with, distinguished from, other crabs occurring in that country. fifth known Cameroon. The removal P. leaves this two species, mambilorum sachsi, both which are illustrated genus. An amended key...
For much of terrestrial biodiversity, the evolutionary pathways adaptation from marine ancestors are poorly understood and have usually been viewed as a binary trait. True crabs, decapod crustacean infraorder Brachyura, comprise over 7600 species representing striking diversity morphology ecology, including repeated to non-marine habitats. Here, we reconstruct history Brachyura using new published sequences 10 genes for 344 tips spanning 88 109 brachyuran families. Using 36 newly vetted...
Abstract During the present study, evolutionary relationship within a clade of mountain freshwater crabs ( Potamonautes ) was examined using mtDNA sequence data for species from Cape Fold Mountain (CFM) and Great Escarpment (Drakensberg range). We undertook phylogenetic analyses, divergence time estimation, an ancestral area reconstruction to explore period cladogenesis understand biogeographic history in this high‐altitude clade. Furthermore, we applied four delimitation methods ASAP, bPTP,...
A recent collection of freshwater crabs from the Sava and Diana regions in northern Madagascar was examined. The specimens were assigned to five species, one which is new science described here. This raises number species found 27. All are endemic island belong Afrotropical family Deckeniidae Ortmann, 1897, subfamily Hydrothelphusinae Bott, 1955. Hydrothelphusa sava sp. nov., compared other this genus. It distinguished four congeners by characters carapace cheliped molecular evidence. map...
Abstract Aim The phylogeographic relationships among populations of the common Cape River crab, Potamonautes perlatus , are examined to investigate whether contemporary population genetic structure is congruent with hypothesized hydrographic evolution drainage systems established during Pliocene, or it reflects an older Miocene climatic amelioration. Location 139 samples P. were collected from 31 distributed five major perennial and a number smaller catchments in Western Eastern Cape, South...
The endemic South African velvet worm genus Peripatopsis currently contains eight recognized species described from variable morphological characters and the current taxonomy is unsatisfactory. In an attempt to investigate evolutionary relationships within Peripatopsis, we collected 137 individuals 34 sample localities for six of species. Sequence data derived two partial mitochondrial (mt)DNA gene loci (COI 12S rRNA), as well sequence ribosomal nuclear 18S rDNA locus in combination with...
Abstract Habitat specialists such as soft‐bodied invertebrates characterized by low dispersal capability and sensitivity to dehydration can be employed examine biome histories. In this study, the Cape velvet worm ( Peripatopsis capensis ) was used impacts of climatic oscillations on historical Afromontane forest in Western Cape, South Africa. Divergence time estimates suggest that P. species complex diverged during Pliocene epoch. This period dramatic topographical change. Subsequently,...
Onychophorans, or velvet worms, are cryptic but extremely charismatic terrestrial invertebrates that have often been the subject of interesting biogeographic debate. Despite great interest, a well resolved and complete phylogeny group reliable chronogram elusive due to their broad geographic distribution, paucity samples, challenging molecular composition. Here we present phylogenetic analysis Onychophora includes previously unsampled undersampled lineages analyse expanded dataset using...
Abstract The taxonomy of 185 species Afrotropical freshwater crabs is revised to conform the updated phylogenetic relationships within this large assemblage, based on largest taxonomic sampling date (that includes almost all genera and 57% species). Four DNA loci were sequenced including three mitochondrial (COI, 12S rRNA, 16S rRNA) one nuclear locus (histone 3), evolutionary estimated using maximum likelihood Bayesian approaches. divergence times major clades with a Yule tree prior an...