Biotic diversity in the Southern African winter-rainfall region

Full Issue PDF Volume 39, Issue 6

“…Geographic isolation has resulted in high endemism in individual river systems (Linder et al 2010) and CFR fish species are often restricted to a single river or tributary within a river system (Figure 1), making them particularly vulnerable to nonnative fish introductions, habitat destruction, and pollution (Tweddle et al 2009). Of the 17 currently recognized endemic species, 10 are listed as endangered and another three are listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN; Tweddle et al 2009).…”

Endemism in the Cladocera (Crustacea: Branchiopoda) of Southern Africa

“…The terrestrial flora of the Cape area is uniquely species-rich and exhibits exceptionally high levels of endemism. This south-western corner of Africa is regarded as the Cape floral kingdom, different in the understanding of different botanists (Born et al, 2007;Linder et al, 2010). Even in such a small area, there are small-sized hotspots of micro-endemism such as Table mountain (Picker and Samways, 1996), which remains poorly investigated for Cladocera.…”

“…Many authors have tried to explain this phenomenon. Within this region, the Cape peninsula is characterised physiographically by high topographical heterogeneity and a climate with very long and steep gradients in annual rainfall (Cowling et al, 1996;Linder et al, 2010). The Cape peninsula landscape is a part of the Cape Fold belt, an L-shaped band at the southwestern corner of Africa of sandstone mountains alternating with plains formed by softer shales; both appeared between 450 and 340 million years ago (Mya) (Deacon et al, 1992).…”

Deep genetic divergence between geographically isolated populations of the goldie barb (Barbus pallidus) in South Africa: potential taxonomic and conservation implications

“…Linder et al 2010;Kadarusman et al 2012;Pereira et al 2013). This is mainly because, traditionally, taxonomists have recognised species based largely on obvious morphological differences, yet speciation is not necessarily accompanied by acquisition of clearly distinguishable morphological traits (e.g.…”