Allozyme variation amongst populations of the freshwater crab,Potamonautes perlatus (Decapoda: Potamonautidae) in the Berg River system,Western Cape

The Cape river crab, Potamonautes perlatus, is widely distributed in streams and rivers of the Western Cape where it exhibits considerable morphological variation. Recent genetic work on populations in the Olifants River system has demonstrated the existence of a new cryptic species of river crab, while populations of P. perlatus in the nearby Berg River system remained uninvestigated. Six populations of P. perlatus were collected from along the length of the Berg River system (125 km) and the genetic structure was investigated using allozyme electrophoresis. Results from 14 allozyme loci showed that the populations were genetically invariant across the river system. It is suggested that gene flow may be responsible for the poor genetic differentiation amongst populations in the Berg River system. The implication for future management of the system is briefly discussed.     

Helminths of seven species of lacertid lizards from southern Africa

Two hundred and forty five lacertid lizards representing seven species (Heliobolus lugubris, Ichnotropis squamulosa, Meroles anchietae, M. cuneirostris, M. suborbitalis, Pedioplanis lineoocellata, P. namaquensis) from southern Africa were examined for helminths. Adults of one species of cestode, Oochoristica ubelakeri, and four species of nematodes, Maxvachonia dimorpha, Parapharyngodon rotundatus, Spauligodon smithi, Thubunaea fitzsimonsi and metacestodes of a cyclophyllid cestode, the nematodes, Abbreviata sp. and an undetermined ascarid species, and an acanthocephalan species (as cystacanths) were found. Mean helminth species richness for adult helminths was 2.4 ± 1.3 S.D. (range = 1–4 per host species).     

Procamacolaimus tubifer Gerlach, 1953, Procamacolaimus africanus sp.nov. and Eontolaimus capensis gen.nov., sp.nov., (Nematoda,Leptolaimidae) from South Africa

A female and three males of Procamacolaimus tubifer Gerlach, 1953 are described and illustrated from Cape Receife Beach, Port Elizabeth. P. africanus sp.nov. is also described fromCape Receife Beach. It is compared with P. tubifer which it resembles but from which it can be differentiated by length of the buccal cavity, amphid size and the shape of the spicules. Eontolaimus capensis gen.nov., sp.nov. is described, also from the same sandy beach. This new genus is related to Deontolaimus papillatus de Man, 1880 from which it can be distinguished, among other things, by the absence of a tooth-like structure in the buccal cavity and the presence of pre-anal tubuli.     

A new Barbus minnow (Pisces,Cyprinidae) from the eastern Cape Province,South Africa

A new cyprinid minnow taken from a tributary of the Kei River system, eastern Cape Province, Barbus amatolicus sp. nov., is described. The Amatola barb is most similar to the widespread and sympatric chubbyhead barb (Barbus anoplus) and the redtail barb (Barbus gumeyl) but differs most clearly in male secondary sexual characteristics (breeding colours and nuptial tubercles).     

Invasion of a South African Anguilla mossambica (Anguillidae) opulation by the alien gill worm Pseudodactylogyrus anguillae (Monogenea)

The parasitic gill monogenean Pseudodactylogyrus anguillae is alien to Africa. In an investigation of 227 longfin eel, Anguilla mossambica, and 26 mottled eel, Anguilla marmorata, sampled from four river systems in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, this parasite was only present on the gills of A. mossambica sampled from the Great Fish River system. In the Great Fish River, it infected 73.2% of the sampled population at a mean intensity of 63.8±34.3 parasites per fish. High prevalence and intensity are indicative of a well-established alien invasive parasitic species. Results showing the absence of P. anguillae from the co-occurring but less abundant A. marmorata indicate that this species may be less susceptible to P. anguillae infection.     

Three new Chromadoropsis species (Nematoda,Desmodoridae) from Southern Africa and the North Sea

Three new Chromadoropsis species with four pharyngeal bulbi are described from Southern Africa, Namibia (S.W.A.) and the North Sea. C. granulosus sp.nov. is described from a sandy beach near Port Elizabeth. This species is characterized by a very distinct layer of yellow granules just below the cuticle. C. namibiensis sp.nov. is described from a sandy beach at Langstrand, Namibia. This species can be distinguished by the length and shape of the gubernaculum and spicules as well as the size of the capitulum. C. longispiculosa sp.nov. is described from the North Sea and is characterized by the long spicules and the presence of numerous porids. The genus Chromadoropsis Filipjev, 1918 is revised.     

Inshore small-mesh trawling survey of the Cape south coast. Part 5. Crustacea,Stomatopoda, Isopoda and Decapoda

Forty-six species of Crustacea from the shallow marine waters of the southern Cape coast are listed. Five new records for the area are dealt with, of which two are described as new species. These include a sphaeromatid isopod Cymodoce davleae and a dromiid crab Cryptodromia hirsutimana.     

Preliminary Observations on the Relationships of Barbus Species From Cape Coastal Rivers,South Africa (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae)

Observations on the phylogenetic relationships of Barbus species from the southern Cape Province are made in the light of new data on the post-cranial axial skeleton and other osteological and anatomical features. Particular attention is paid to the relationships of the ‘red fin’ Barbus species, and new evidence on the problematical relationships of the rare African cyprinid species Oreodaimon quathlambae, is presented.     

A New Species of Parategastes (Copepoda,Harpacticoida) from South Africa

A new species of the genus Parategastes Sars, 1904 (Copepoda, Harpacticoida) was found during an ecological study of zooplankton in Langvlei, one of the Wilderness Lakes near George on the southern Cape coast. The species, Parategastes coetzeel, is described and a key is given for the identification of the various species of Parategastes.     

Stomach content analyses of Gilchristella aestuarius and Hepsetia breviceps from the Swartvlei system and Groenvlei,southern Cape

Over the period October 1978 to April 1979 a total of 180 specimens of the estuarine round-herring Gilchristella aestuarius and 218 specimens of the Cape silverside Hepsetia breviceps were collected for stomach content analysis in the Swartvlei system and Groenvlei on the southern Cape coast. The diets of these two species were found to be fairly similar, with crustaceans forming their main food source in both water bodies. 6. aestuarius appears to filter feed throughout most of its length range, although the bigger food items are probably actively caught. Young H. breviceps also filter feeds, but it seems to catch most of its food actively as it grows older. Some H. breviceps consumed adult polychaetes and tube-dwelling amphipods covered by sand particles, indicating that these were probably removed from the substrate.     

Additional material of the enigmatic golden mole Cryptochloris zyli,with notes on the genus Cryptochloris (Mammalia: Chrysochloridae)

Van Zyl’s golden mole (Cryptochloris zyli) is a distinctive but little-known species from the northwestern Cape Province of South Africa. Many authors have mentioned that it is known only by the holotype. Two other specimens are now known to exist; one was discovered in the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard University, and the other, which has been mentioned in publication but overlooked, is in the Natural History Museum in London. Differentiation of C. zyli from sympatric chrysochlorids, and from its congener C. wintoni, are discussed.     

On the Sexual Cycle of Mature Bachelor Bontebok Rams at the Bontebok National Park,Swellendam

The morphology of Cephalochlamys namaquensis (Cohn 1906) Blanchard (1908), a diphyllid^a cestode from the African clawed toad, Xenopus laevis, is examined with respect to variability reported in the literature. The parasite has a high prevalence of infection (68,9%) in the X. laevis population studied and shows a preference for attachment in the anterior duodenum. Approximately 76% of the worms recovered were juveniles. Coracidia had an LT50 of 6 h and transmission is thought to take place in darkness at the sediment/water interface. The copepod Eucydops gibsoni serves as an intermediate host and it is suggested that chaoborid larvae may act as paratenic hosts.     

On the Behaviour of the Crabeater Seal Lobodon Carcinophagus (Hombron & Jacquinot)

The sharp-nosed reed frog is widespread in Africa. Although currently recognized as one species, suggestions have been made that more than one species might exist. We analysed 237 calls of 69 males from 19 localities in the western to southern parts of Africa. Calls fall into three groups, which we recognize as cryptic species. Of eight published sound spectrograms, all can be assigned to one of the three species. We recognize Hyperolius nasutus, distributed from western Africa to the Okavango Delta in Botswana; Hyperolius viridis, from the central highlands of northwestern Zambia to southern Tanzania; and Hyperolius acuticeps> which occurs from the Ivory Coast to the southeastern coast of South Africa. We assign published names to the synonymies of these three species. No call data are available for populations in the Congo basin.     

DNA barcoding for identification of cryptic species in the field and existing museum collections: a case study of Aethomys and Micaelamys (Rodentia: Muridae)

DNA barcoding has been proposed as a method for species identification. However, this method has been criticised for its over-reliance on a single mitochondrial gene. In this study, four mitochondrial gene regions and one nuclear gene region were used to investigate their different abilities to identify tissue associated with museum specimens of Aethomys chrysophilus, Aethomys ineptus and Micaelamys namaquensis. Aethomys chrysophilus and the more recently elevated A. ineptus are indistinguishable on morphological grounds; however, their ranges are largely parapatric with only one syntopic locality currently known. All of the mitochondrial gene regions were able to separate M. namaquensis from A. chrysophilus and A. ineptus, but they varied in their abilities to resolve differences between A. chrysophilus and A. ineptus. The sequence results identified a specimen from KwaZulu-Natal that was misclassified and should have been identified as A. ineptus. Seven specimens that had not been reclassified following the elevation of A. ineptus to species level were identified as A. ineptus. Individuals of A. chrysophilus from Malawi could not be classified as either A. chrysophilus or A. ineptus, and may be a hybrid or a new, distinct species. This study indicates that DNA barcoding may be used to separate M. namaquensis from A. chrysophilus and A. ineptus, and although it was not able to separate A. chrysophilus and A. ineptus, it did indicate specimens from Malawi may be a new cryptic species.     

Phylogenetic relationships in the genus Aethomys (Rodentia: Muridae)

Phylogenetic relationships in the genus Aethomys were examined based on qualitative cranial data for all currently recognized species. A cladistic analysis suggested the presence of three clades: 1) A. bocagei, A. thomasi, A. silindensis, A. kaiseri, and A. nyikae;2) A. chrysophilus, A. ineptus, and A. hindei;3) A. granti, A. namaquensis, and A. stannarius. These phylogenetic groupings are largely inconsistent with previously postulated supraspecific relationships for the genus. Nonetheless, relationships within each clade broadly correspond with some previously suggested evolutionary hypotheses among some members of the genus, the only notable exception being a close affinity between two southern African taxa (A. namaquensis and A. granti) and the geographically disjunct West African endemic, A. stannarius. A phylogram derived from an analysis of anagenetic divergence among taxa supported the widely-held view of a close affinity between A. namaquensis and A. granti that has traditionally led to their inclusion in the subgenus Micaelamys. These results are relatively concordant with recent molecular studies based on microcomplement fixation of albumin, mitochondrial DNA cytochrome b and 16S rRNA data, which collectively suggest that the genus Aethomys is paraphyletic. Possible paraphyly is also reflected by a relatively low bootstrap value at the node uniting all ingroup taxa in this study, as well as previous studies on dental morphology, modes of karyotypic change, and gross sperm and bacular morphology, and strongly supports the taxo-nomic elevation of the currently recognized subgenera Micaelamys and Aethomys to full generic rank. Despite the broad correspondence between the morphological and molecular data, homoplasy and low bootstrap support in the present investigation point to the need for a careful consideration of the power and choice of morphological characters in future studies on this and related groups of murine rodents.     

The phyllophorid holothurians of southern Africa with the erection of a new genus

The southern African dendrochirotid holothurians of the family Phyllophoridae (sensu Pawson & Fell, 1965) are revised and a new genus Thyonina is erected to accommodate Thyone articulata Vaney, 1908, which possesses only slender spectacle-shaped rods as body wall deposits. In addition, Thyone proceracorona Cherbonnier, 1952 and T. turrisolida Cherbonnier, 1954, are declared junior subjective synonyms of T. aurea (Quoy & Gaimard, 1833); Havelockia imperfecta Cherbonnier, 1970 is transferred to the genus Thyone, and T. venusta Selenka, 1868 (synonym T. okeni Bell, 1884) is recorded for the first time from southern Africa. These changes bring the total number of phyllophorid holothurians now known from southern Africa to five genera and 11 species. All species are keyed, briefly described and/or discussed, and their local distributions mapped.     

Distribution and reproduction of the reef fish Petrus rupestris (Pisces: Sparidae) off the coast of South Africa

The red steenbras (Petrus rupestris) is endemic to the south and south-east coasts of South Africa and is the largest member of the family Sparidae. Morphometric relationships between length and mass are given for whole and eviscerated fish. The size distribution of P. rupestris is related to locality and water depth. Juveniles and sub-adults are common in shallow (< 50 m) Cape waters between False Bay and East London. Adults are more common offshore, in deep waters (> 50 m), especially off the coast between East London and Coffee Bay, throughout the year. P. rupestris were found to be rudimentary hermaphrodites. The development of the functional sexes, and the occurrence of sexual dichromatism, are described. Sexual maturity is attained at about 575 mm fork length in those fishes in the spawning areas. Reproductively ripe fishes were taken from Transkei, East London and a small collection was made from the Agulhas Bank. Peak spawning is between August and October. Current management regulations are discussed and advantages of large marine reserves in conservation of this mobile apex predator are outlined.     

A new euryhaline copepod from Cape Town: Halicyclops dedeckeri n.sp. (Copepoda:Cyclopoida)

A new species of the widely distributed cyclopid genus Halicyclops Norman is described from hypersaline summer pools on the bed of Milnerton Lagoon, Cape Town, South Africa. H. dedeckeri n. sp. appears to be most closely related to H. thermophilus Kiefer, 1929 and H. spinifer Kiefer, 1935 in that the females of all three species bear a sharp chitinous spine on each side of the genital double-somite. Unlike H. thermophilus and H. spinifer, the new species bears one spiniform and one normal seta (in addition to the three spines) on the P4 enp 3 in both sexes. The new species is being mass-cultured in laboratory tanks for use in feeding studies on marine fish larvae.     

Ant species richness of fynbos and forest ecosystems in the southern Cape

The ant fauna in fynbos and forest habitats in the southern Cape are compared. There is no significant difference in ant species richness between the two undisturbed habitat types, and the only two species common to both are Acantholepis capensis and Camponotus maculatus. The degree of Hakea sericea infestation in the fynbos negatively affected ant species richness. Ant species richness in the Afromontane forest decreased from the drier to the wetter sites. The aggressive alien ant species, Iridomyrmex humilis, has not invaded natural areas to any great extent.