We compiled Red List data from all listed cycad taxa to determine the current status of the world's most threatened plant group. Each Red List threat category had different proportions of genera, and the genera comprised different proportions of threat categories. Each Red List threat category consisted of different proportions of Red List criteria. Each genus was composed of different proportions of Red List criteria, and every genus was represented by different proportions of listed versus non-listed species. Differences among the genera and categories were substantial, revealing no canonical characteristics that define the members of this plant group. Species that are missing from the Red List or Data Deficient deserve high priority for completion of assessment and listing. Cycas is the genus that may change the most as taxonomy and Red List threat assessments continue to be modified. Distinctive overviews of the Red List data such as this one provide a unique snapshot of the conservation status of the world's cycads, and should be repeated as trends evolve.
Chilades pandava (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) larval food quality was studied to determine its influence on adult life history traits. A wild population from Cycas nongnoochiae (Cycadales: Cycadaceae) endemic habitat behaved similarly to the population collected from a garden setting. Cycas micronesica, Cycas revoluta, and Cycas seemannii leaves were used as high-quality food, whereas C nongnoochiae, Cycas taitungensis, and Cycas condaoensis leaves were used as low-quality food. The daily oviposition rate was not influenced by food quality, but longevity and lifetime fecundity of females were increased by high-quality larval food. These results indicate that in situ Cycas species impose a physiological constraint on the genetic capacity to produce offspring by C pandava. The removal of that constraint by high-quality novel Cycas species may be one reason this butterfly can increase in population rapidly after an invasion event and express greater herbivory of Cycas species within invaded regions.
The scale predator Rhyzobius lophanthae Blaisdell was introduced to Guam and Rota to control invasive Aulacaspis yasumatsui Takagi armored scale infestations on the native Cycas micronesica K.D. Hill populations. The predator demonstrated a clear preference for A. yasumatsui infesting adult plants, resulting in 100% seedling mortality due to the lack of a biocontrol of the scale on seedlings. A Y-tube olfactometer was employed to determine if scale-infested seedling leaves were less attractive to R. lophanthae than scale-infested mature tree leaves. Five paired combinations of seedling versus mature tree leaves were used. The R. lophanthae adults navigated toward scale-infested and un-infested leaves of adults and seedlings when paired with an empty chamber. However, a clear preference for adult leaves occurred when paired with seedling leaves. The results were unambiguous in charcoal-filtered air, intermediate in unfiltered air from an open laboratory, and most ambiguous when conducted with unfiltered in-situ air. The number of predators that did not make a choice was greatest for in-situ air and least for charcoal-filtered air. These results indicated that the substrate used in olfactometry influenced the results, and interpretations of charcoal-filtered air assays should be made with caution. Volatile chemical cues are involved in R. lophanthae preferring A. yasumatsui located on C. micronesica adults when infested adult and seedling leaves are present.
The Palawan Pangolin Manis culionensis is restricted to the Palawan faunal region in the Philippines. The species’ distribution and natural history are poorly known due, in part, to it only recently being recognized as a distinct species. Pangolin species around the world are threatened due to habitat loss and the illegal wildlife trade. Understanding the conservation requirements of the Palawan Pangolin will inform efforts to avert its extinction. Presently, information on the status, distribution, and natural history of pangolins is largely derived from interviews with local people, radio-telemetry, transect surveys for pangolin sign, and camera trapping. Here we test the ability of fish oil- and pig blood-baited camera traps to document the presence of Palawan Pangolin. We obtained three photos at two localities in Palawan in mangrove, lowland forest, and riverine forest.
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