Rutela lineola (Linnaeus, 1758) is aphytophagous Neotropical beetle and the most widely distributed species of the genus in South America. However, there is a lack of detailed knowledge regarding the distribution and seasonality of this species in any geographic area. This information would be useful for horticulture and agriculture. To fill this gap, this study presents data on the distribution and seasonality of R. lineola based on adult beetles from the South Region of Brazil.
Nahan’s Partridge Ptilopachus nahani is a lowland forest bird species, classified as Vulnerable. This study reports new camera trap detections in southeastern Cameroon, suggesting a potential westward range extension of over 1,000 km, given that the nearest known population is located in western Uganda. Between May 2016 and December 2023, six detection events confirmed the presence of at least nine distinct individuals within semi-deciduous logged forests. These findings highlight the need to update distribution maps and conservation strategies for this vulnerable species. Future ecological and genetic studies are essential to clarify the species’ full range, assess population connectivity, and guide conservation efforts.
Understanding the activity budgets of primates is essential for assessing behavioral adaptations to environmental changes. This study investigates the seasonal variation in activity budgets of olive baboons (Papio anubis) in Kainji Lake National Park, Nigeria. Data were collected over two consecutive years using direct observations and scan sampling to categorize behaviors, including feeding, grooming, resting, locomotion, and social interactions. We observed that feeding remained the dominant activity across seasons, with no significant differences between wet and dry periods. Grooming and social interactions declined during the wet season, likely due to environmental constraints such as heavy rainfall. Enforced resting increased significantly in the wet season, while movements remained consistent in duration but increased in distance traveled, suggesting seasonal behavioral shifts in response to resource availability. Our results confirmed the adaptability of olive baboons in response to climatic variations, demonstrating behavioral flexibility to optimize energy expenditure and foraging efficiency. Our study also revealed a remarkable impact of environmental variables, such as temperature and precipitation, on primate activity patterns. Understanding these adaptive responses is crucial for conservation planning, particularly as climate change, habitat disturbances and other anthropogenic activity affect primate habitats in tropical savannahs.
Terrestrial small mammals, including rodents, shrews and a few allied species, are a diverse group among mammals. Nyungwe National Park, located in Rwanda, is a biologically rich tropical rainforest in the Albertine Rift. This article generates an annotated species checklist of terrestrial small mammals of Nyungwe National Park, considering the results of field reassessments from 2009 to 2023 and existing checklists. Voucher specimens and Cytb sequencing results were examined to confirm the identification of many cryptic species. The results indicated 58 species of terrestrial small mammals of Nyungwe natural habitat, including 40 rodents (Rodentia), 16 shrews (Eulipotyphla), one mole, and one otter-shrew (Afrosoricida). Six species were recorded outside the natural forest, such as the buffer zone or agricultural lands. An annotation on each species indicates details of its occurrence, updated taxonomic information, and key ecological characteristics based on our surveys and the literature. Around 20 species were added to the existing checklists of Nyungwe terrestrial small mammals owing to field survey efforts and advanced taxonomic approaches. The current checklist promotes small mammal studies in Nyungwe and will be a valuable reference for future studies. Furthermore, the park managers will use this checklist in tourism and biodiversity monitoring plans.
The malacological biodiversity of the Tizi-Ouzou region was studied in two areas, Ait Bouaddou and Yakouren. Sampling was carried out on 100 m² sites across seven stations in the two areas. Three sampling methods were used in the field: sight hunting, trapping and litter sieving. A soil sample was taken at each site. The results revealed a richness of 27 snail and slug species, divided into 16 families and 23 genera. The results of the Pearson correlation analysis showed a positive correlation between species richness and the levels of Fine Sand (LF) and Coarse Sand (LG), and a negative correlation between species richness and coarse sand (SG). Soil physico-chemical parameters have a significant influence on the distribution and abundance of terrestrial gastropod species.
