New insights into the geographical distribution, ecology and conservation status of South Africa’s endemic Coastal Leaf-toed Gecko, Cryptactites peringueyi (Boulenger, 1910)
- Authors: Nicolau, Gary K , Petford, Melissa , Edwards, Shelley , Busschau, Theo , Lynch, Kier , Kemp, Luke , Balmer, Jonathan P , Keates, Chad , Hundermark, Courtney R , Weeber, Joshua , Conradie, Werner C
- Date: 2021
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/461517 , vital:76209 , xlink:href="https://www.biotaxa.org/hn/article/view/63908"
- Description: Range-restricted species are generally poorly known and at higher risk of extinction than species with wider distributions. In the past, the Coastal Leaf-toed Gecko, Cryptactites peringueyi (Boulenger, 1910) caused much confusion and was once referred to as “one of the herpetological mysteries of the region”. Knowledge on the species has grown substantially, predominately due to new insights into its ecological preferences. Surveys from 2018 through early 2020 re-established the presence of C. peringueyi at three of four historical localities, as well as documenting four new localities. In 2018, preliminary data from these surveys resulted in an IUCN Red List downgrading from Critically Endangered to Near Threatened. However, with further investigation into the distribution of the species, the results from the present study more than doubled the previously estimated Extent of Occurrence from 785 km2 to 1504 km2 and the populations appear to be stable, despite environmental and anthropogenic disturbance. By incorporating environmental niche modelling, we further discuss the distribution, habits and ecology of C. peringueyi. The results presented here highlight the importance of fully understanding a species’ ecology to address its conservation status and we suggest that a new listing of Least Concern is appropriate for C. peringueyi.
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- Date Issued: 2021
Trophic preference of southern African dung beetles (Scarabaeoidea: Scarabaeinae and Aphodiinae) and its influence on bioindicator surveys:
- Authors: Tocco, Claudia , Balmer, Jonathan P , Villet, Martin H
- Date: 2018
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/140796 , vital:37919 , DOI: 10.1111/aje.12523
- Description: Environmental assessments using bioindicators gain value if the interpretability of the indicator used is high, and it is clear how survey methods affect survey comparisons. Because dung beetles are favoured as bioindicators, we studied the trophic preference of a southern African beetle community and its potential effects on surveys of beetle diversity using manual sampling of droppings and pitfall traps baited with carnivore, ruminant or nonruminant dung. Manual sampling showed no significant differences between dung types in either dung beetles abundance or species richness. Generalised linear mixed models of total and endocoprid abundances, species richness and Real Shannon index of trap samples showed higher dung beetle diversity associated with ruminant than with nonruminant dung, which in turn was significantly preferred over carnivore dung.
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- Date Issued: 2018