New data on Garra makiensis (Cyprinidae, Labeoinae) from the Awash River (Ethiopia) with remarks on its relationships to congeners on the Arabian Peninsula.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Englmaier GK
PROVIDER: S-EPMC7658184 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:In the present study, populations of small-sized smiliogastrin barbs with a thickened and serrated last simple dorsal-fin ray distributed in the Main Ethiopian Rift were analysed. An integrated approach combining genetic markers and a variety of morphological methods based on a wide set of characters, including osteology and sensory canals, proved to be very productive for taxonomy in this group of fishes. The results showed that Ethiopian Enteromius species with a serrated dorsal-fin ray are distant from the true E. paludinosus (with E. longicauda as a synonym) and the so-called E. paludinosus complex involves several supposedly valid species with two distinct species occurring in the Main Ethiopian Rift area. A new species, Enteromius yardiensis sp. nov., is described from the Afar Depression in the north-eastern part of the Northern Main Ethiopian Rift. Enteromius akakianus is resurrected as a valid species including populations from the Central Main Ethiopian Rift (basins of lakes Langano, Ziway, and Awasa). No genetic data were available for E. akakianus from its type locality. Enteromius yardiensis sp. nov. is clearly distant from E. akakianus from the Central Main Ethiopian Rift by CO1 and cytb barcodes: pairwise distances between the new species and the Ethiopian congeners were 5.4 % to 11.0 %. Morphologically, the new species most clearly differs from all examined Ethiopian congeners by three specialisations which are unique in the group: the absence of the anterior barbel, the absence of the medial branch of the supraorbital sensory canal, and few, 1-3, commonly two, scale rows between the lateral line and the anus.
| S-EPMC6978609 | biostudies-literature
Project description:This study was initiated to document information on the levels of sediment contamination with organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). Moreover, it was intended to identify compounds which impose major ecological risks to aquatic organisms. Surficial sediments were collected from 46 locations within the streams and rivers of the Awash River Basin. In total 30 compounds were included in this study: 16 OCPs, 7 PCBs and 7 PBDEs. The total concentrations of OCPs, PCBs, and PBDEs ranged from 6.63 to 206.13 ng g-1- dry weight (dw), 0.85 to 26.56 ng g-1-dw and 3.71 to 18.95 ng g-1-dw respectively. Out of all the tested OCPs, heptachlor, heptachlor epoxide, p,p'-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (p,p'-DDT) and β-hexachlorocyclohexane (β-HCH) were the most abundant in the study area. The ratio of (β-HCH/∑HCHs) indicated that HCHs were originally from earlier usage of HCH in the area whereas the ratio of (p,p'-DDT/p,p'-DDE) showed that the majority of DDT components were recently introduced into most of the sampling locations. Even though there were relatively low concentrations of PBDEs and PCBs across the sampling sites, substantial amounts of PCBs were observed in Addis Ababa City. According to the established ecological risk indices, p,p'-DDT and γ-HCH are the major concerns for potential adverse ecological impacts. This study provided the first comprehensive information on organohalogenated compounds' (OCs') occurrences, spatial distributions, and ecological risks in sediments of the Awash River Basin. Thus, the report will be very useful background information for further studies on sediment contamination with OCs' in the region. It also adds important first-hand data to the field of fresh water ecology and provides useful empirical evidence for setting pollution control priorities for an ecologically important, yet largely understudied region.
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Project description:Landscape management practices (LMP) support addressing the vulnerability of small-scale producers (SSPs) through providing a means of sustaining and strengthening community livelihoods and building their resilience and the environment. However, addressing the vulnerability of SSPs through the implementation of LMP requires meaningful community engagement and assessing the benefits and costs from the perspective of local communities. This study was conducted in two watersheds, Maybar-Felana and Gelana, in the Awash River basin, Ethiopia. The study assessed the links between natural resource degradation and the vulnerability of SSPs, local communities' opinion on the benefits and costs of LMP and the implications of implementing LMP for addressing vulnerability. It gathered and analyzed data through key informant interviews (KII), focus group discussions (FGDs) and GIS and remote sensing techniques. Diverse LMP such as afforestation/reforestation, exclosures, terrace and bunds and crop- and soil-based soil amendments were adopted in the studied watersheds. These practices contributed to the improvement of natural resources such as forests and the services they provide. Over the last 21 years (2000-2021), forest cover increased by 11.5 and 42.5% in Maybar-Felana and Gelana watersheds, respectively, while shrublands increased by 41.1% in Maybar-Felana. In line with this, the SSPs identified multiple benefits of LMP including the restoration of degraded vegetation, reducing runoff and soil loss, improving access to water for multiple uses and increasing agricultural productivity. The adopted LMP contributed to reducing livelihood vulnerability through reducing incidents of weather extremes such as flood and drought, improving food and water security, enhancing resource availability, and building livelihood assets. The SSPs also identified multiple economic and social costs of LMP, suggesting that addressing the economic and social costs through balancing short-term economic losses with long-term environmental benefits of interventions is crucial to sustaining the LMP and the benefits they provide.
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Project description:Garra motuoensis, an endemic labeonine fish, was reported distributed in the lower Yarlung Tsangpo River drainage with little published biological information. Herein, we sequenced and characterized the complete mitochondrial genome of G. motuoensis, which was 16,806 bp in length, containing 13 PCGs, 22 tRNA genes, two rRNA genes, one light strand replication origin (OL ), one control region (D-loop), and one replication region. Phylogenetic analysis based on 13 PCGs sequences revealed that G. motuoensis had a closest relationship with G. qiaojiensis. Then, both species clustered with other species of Garra, and next grouped with other genera of subfamily Labeoninae.
| S-EPMC9037219 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BACKGROUND:Phenotypic similarities among cave-dwelling animals displaying troglomorphic characters (e.g. reduced eyes and lack of pigmentation) have induced a long-term discussion about the forces driving convergent evolution. Here we introduce Garra barreimiae Fowler & Steinitz, 1956, as an interesting system to study the evolution of troglomorphic characters. The only hitherto known troglomorphic population of this species lives in Al Hoota Cave (Sultanate of Oman) close to a surface population. As a first approach, we assessed the genetic differentiation between the two morphotypes of G. barreimiae to determine whether gene flow still occurs. RESULTS:We analysed the mitochondrial control region (CR). In G. barreimiae the CR starts immediately downstream of the tRNA-Thr gene, while the tRNA-Pro gene is missing at this genomic location. Interestingly, a putative tRNA-Pro sequence is found within the CR. The phylogenetic analyses of the CR sequences yielded a tree divided into three clades: Clade 1 has a high genetic distance to the other clades and contains the individuals of three populations which are separated by a watershed from all the others. Clade 2 comprises the individuals from Wadi Bani Khalid, the geographically most remote population. Clade 3 comprises all other populations investigated including that of Al Hoota Cave. The latter forms a haplogroup which also includes individuals from the adjacent surface population. CONCLUSIONS:Our data indicates that the troglomorphic cave population is of quite recent origin supporting the hypothesis that selection drives the fast evolution of troglomorphic traits. In this context pleiotropic effects might play an important role as it has been shown for Astyanax. There seems to be some gene flow from the cave population into the adjacent surface populations. One blind individual, found at a surface locality geographically distinct from Al Hoota Cave, is genetically differentiated from the other blind specimens indicating the probable existence of another cave population of G. barreimiae. The phylogeographic analyses show that while some of the surface populations are either still in contact or have been until recently, the population Wadi Bani Khalid is genetically separated. One group consisting of three populations is genetically highly differentiated questioning the conspecifity with G. barreimiae.
| S-EPMC3146880 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundTwo potential migratory routes followed by modern humans to colonize Eurasia from Africa have been proposed. These are the two natural passageways that connect both continents: the northern route through the Sinai Peninsula and the southern route across the Bab al Mandab strait. Recent archaeological and genetic evidence have favored a unique southern coastal route. Under this scenario, the study of the population genetic structure of the Arabian Peninsula, the first step out of Africa, to search for primary genetic links between Africa and Eurasia, is crucial. The haploid and maternally inherited mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) molecule has been the most used genetic marker to identify and to relate lineages with clear geographic origins, as the African Ls and the Eurasian M and N that have a common root with the Africans L3.ResultsTo assess the role of the Arabian Peninsula in the southern route, we genetically analyzed 553 Saudi Arabs using partial (546) and complete mtDNA (7) sequencing, and compared the lineages obtained with those present in Africa, the Near East, central, east and southeast Asia and Australasia. The results showed that the Arabian Peninsula has received substantial gene flow from Africa (20%), detected by the presence of L, M1 and U6 lineages; that an 18% of the Arabian Peninsula lineages have a clear eastern provenance, mainly represented by U lineages; but also by Indian M lineages and rare M links with Central Asia, Indonesia and even Australia. However, the bulk (62%) of the Arabian lineages has a Northern source.ConclusionAlthough there is evidence of Neolithic and more recent expansions in the Arabian Peninsula, mainly detected by (preHV)1 and J1b lineages, the lack of primitive autochthonous M and N sequences, suggests that this area has been more a receptor of human migrations, including historic ones, from Africa, India, Indonesia and even Australia, than a demographic expansion center along the proposed southern coastal route.
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| S-EPMC8459957 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The ant genus Carebara of the Arabian Peninsula is revised. Carebara abuhurayri Sharaf & Aldawood, 2011 is synonymized under Carebara arabica Collingwood & van Harten, 2001. Carebara arabica is redescribed and a Neotype is fixed based on a specimen collected from southwestern Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. A new species, C. fayrouzae sp. n. is described from Saudi Arabia based on queens, major and minor workers. Keys to major and minor workers of the two Arabian Carebara species are given.
| S-EPMC3867170 | biostudies-other
Project description:The Acheulean is the longest lasting cultural-technological tradition in human evolutionary history. However, considerable gaps remain in understanding the chronology and geographical distribution of Acheulean hominins. We present the first chronometrically dated Acheulean site from the Arabian Peninsula, a vast and poorly known region that forms more than half of Southwest Asia. Results show that Acheulean hominin occupation expanded along hydrological networks into the heart of Arabia from Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 7 until at least ~190 ka ? the youngest documented Acheulean in Southwest Asia. The site of Saffaqah features Acheulean technology, characterized by large flakes, handaxes and cleavers, similar to Acheulean assemblages in Africa. These findings reveal a climatically-mediated later Acheulean expansion into a poorly known region, amplifying the documented diversity of Middle Pleistocene hominin behaviour across the Old World and elaborating the terminal archaic landscape encountered by our species as they dispersed out of Africa.
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Project description:This paper reports on some interesting taxa recently found in the Arabian Peninsula and the island of Socotra. Among them is a new species of brachypterous grasshopper Sphodromerus carapezzanussp. n. (Acrididae: Calliptaminae), described from an isolated area in Dhofar (Oman). A female Heteracris hemiptera (Uvarov, 1935) (Acrididae: Eyprepocnemidinae) is reported, with morphological characters which do not fully comply with those of any known subspecies. Two species, hitherto rarely documented, are also reported, Phaneroptila insularis Uvarov, 1957 (Tettigoniidae: Phaneropterinae) from Socotra and Cataloipus thomasi Uvarov, 1933 (Acrididae: Eyprepocnemidinae) from Oman. Pycnodictya dentata Krauss, 1902 (Acrididae: Oedipodinae) is reported from Saudi Arabia, constituting a new record for the country.
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