A multi-taxon analysis of European Red Lists reveals major threats to biodiversity.

Biodiversity loss is a major global challenge and minimizing extinction rates is the goal of several multilateral environmental agreements. Policy decisions require comprehensive, spatially explicit information on species' distributions and threats. We present an analysis of the conservation status of 14,669 European terrestrial, freshwater and marine species (ca.

Johnius sasakii, a new species of croaker (Perciformes: Sciaenidae) with a key to Johnius from East Malaysia, Borneo.

A new sciaenid fish, Johnius sasakii sp. nov. from the East Malaysian coastal waters of Sabah and Sarawak, Borneo is described herein.

Five new species of Western Atlantic stardrums, Stellifer (Perciformes: Sciaenidae) with a key to Atlantic Stellifer species.

Five new species of Stellifer are described from the Caribbean Sea and tropical southwestern Atlantic. Among the previously recognized stelliferine genera, Stellifer is unique by having a pair of variably developed appendages on the posterior margin of the anterior gas chamber, which is lacking in Bairdiella, Corvula, Elattarchus, Odontoscion and Ophioscion. However, recent genetic studies indicated that Stellifer and Ophioscion are not monophyletic.

Delimitation of Tigertooth Croaker Species (Teleostei: Sciaenidae) from the Western Arabian Gulf Using an Integrative Approach, with a Description of sp. nov.

Two species, and , are currently recognized in the sciaenid genus . Recent findings suggest that likely has multiple genetically and morphologically distinct lineages and one of them, sp. West Indian Ocean II group (WIO II group), has been previously identified in the Arabian Gulf.

Johnius taiwanensis, a new species of Sciaenidae from the Taiwan Strait, with a key to Johnius species from Chinese waters.

A new sciaenid fish, Johnius taiwanensis, is described from the southeast coast of mainland China from Zhejiang to Guangdong, Hong Kong, and west coast of Taiwan. Johnius taiwanensis sp. nov.

A new species of Larimichthys from Terengganu, east coast of Peninsular Malaysia (Perciformes: Sciaenidae).

A new species of Larimichthys from Terengganu, east coast of Peninsular Malaysia is described from specimens collected from the fish landing port at Pulau Kambing, Kuala Terengganu. Larimichthys terengganui can be readily distinguished from other species of the genus by having an equally short pair of ventral limbs at the end of the gas bladder appendages, which do not extend lateral-ventrally to the lower half of the body wall, and fewer dorsal soft rays (29-32 vs. 31-36) and vertebrae (24 vs.

A multi-gene dataset reveals a tropical New World origin and Early Miocene diversification of croakers (Perciformes: Sciaenidae).

Widely distributed groups of living animals, such as the predominantly marine fish family Sciaenidae, have always attracted the attention of biogeographers to document the origins and patterns of diversification in time and space. In this study, the historical biogeography of the global Sciaenidae is reconstructed within a molecular phylogenetic framework to investigate their origin and to test the hypotheses explaining the present-day biogeographic patterns. Our data matrix comprises six mitochondrial and nuclear genes in 93 globally sampled sciaenid species from 52 genera.

Ecological speciation in the tropics: insights from comparative genetic studies in Amazonia.

Evolution creates and sustains biodiversity via adaptive changes in ecologically relevant traits. Ecologically mediated selection contributes to genetic divergence both in the presence or absence of geographic isolation between populations, and is considered an important driver of speciation. Indeed, the genetics of ecological speciation is becoming increasingly studied across a variety of taxa and environments.

Spatiotemporal variability and sound characterization in silver croaker Plagioscion squamosissimus (Sciaenidae) in the Central Amazon.

Background: The fish family Sciaenidae has numerous species that produce sounds with superfast muscles that vibrate the swimbladder. These muscles form post embryonically and undergo seasonal hypertrophy-atrophy cycles. The family has been the focus of numerous passive acoustic studies to localize spatial and temporal occurrence of spawning aggregations.

Five cryptic species in the amazonian catfish Centromochlus existimatus identified based on biogeographic predictions and genetic data.

Accurately quantifying biodiversity is fundamental for both evolutionary theory and conservation strategies. DNA-based studies are exposing high cryptic diversity irrespective of taxonomic group or environmental setting, and increasing the ever-growing estimates of global biodiversity. This has severe implications for under-sampled and species-rich tropical regions, such as the Amazon Basin.

Divergent natural selection with gene flow along major environmental gradients in Amazonia: insights from genome scans, population genetics and phylogeography of the characin fish Triportheus albus.

The unparalleled diversity of tropical ecosystems like the Amazon Basin has been traditionally explained using spatial models within the context of climatic and geological history. Yet, it is adaptive genetic diversity that defines how species evolve and interact within an ecosystem. Here, we combine genome scans, population genetics and sequence-based phylogeographic analyses to examine spatial and ecological arrangements of selected and neutrally evolving regions of the genome of an Amazonian fish, Triportheus albus.

The impact of conservation on the status of the world's vertebrates.

Using data for 25,780 species categorized on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List, we present an assessment of the status of the world's vertebrates. One-fifth of species are classified as Threatened, and we show that this figure is increasing: On average, 52 species of mammals, birds, and amphibians move one category closer to extinction each year. However, this overall pattern conceals the impact of conservation successes, and we show that the rate of deterioration would have been at least one-fifth again as much in the absence of these.