4. Jahrestagung von NOBIS Austria 2. - 3. Dezember 2010

4. Jahrestagung von NOBIS Austria 

2. - 3. Dezember 2010 

Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz 

SOWI-Zentrum 

Programm und Abstracts 

Berichte des Institutes für Erdwissenschaften 

Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz 

Band 15 

Herausgeber: Harzhauser, M. & Piller, W.E.

Impressum: 

Alle Rechte für das In- und Ausland vorbehalten. 

Copyright: Institut für Erdwissenschaften, Bereich Geologie und Paläontologie, 

Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz, Heinrichstrasse 26, A-8010 Graz, Österreich 

Medieninhaber, Herausgeber und Verleger: Institut für Erdwissenschaften, 

Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz, homepage: www.uni-graz.at 

und 

Naturhistorisches Museum Wien, Burgring 7, A-1010 Wien, e-mail: nobis@nhm-wien.ac.at 

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2 Ber. Inst. Erdwiss. K.-F.-Univ. Graz, Band 15, 2010; ISSN 1608-8166

Systematics – applied? 

Donnerstag – 02. 12. 2010 

Institut für Erdwissenschaften, Bereich Geologie und Paläontologie 

Heinrichstrasse 26 – Erdgeschoß – Seminarsaal SR 09.02 

17:00 – 18:00 Generalversammlung von NOBIS Austria 

18:00 – 21:00 Icebreaker 

Freitag – 03. 12. 2010 

SOWI-Zentrum – Universitätsstraße 15 – 1. Stock/ HS 15.13 

09:00 Registrierung und Kaffee 

10:00 Begrüßung W. E. Piller, Leiter des Fachbereichs für Geologie und 

Paläontologie der Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz 

10:10 Begrüßung U. Aspöck, Präsidentin von NOBIS Austria 

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Ber. Inst. Erdwiss. K.-F.-Univ. Graz, Band 15, 2010; ISSN 1608-8166 3

10:20 – 12:20 Vorträge 1 Chair: W. E. Piller 

10:20 – 10:40 G. Aubrecht 

“Do you know EDIT, CETAF, DEST, EJT, EoL and so on?” 

Initiatives for the promotion of taxonomy on a European level. 

10:40 – 11:00 A. Kroh 

WoRMS and the World Echinoidea Database 

11:00 – 11:20 B. Berning, J.-G. Harmelin & B. Bader 

Long-distance travels with short-lived larvae – the peculiarities of seamount bryozoans 

11:20 – 11:40 M. Gross & W.E. PiIler 

Linking high-resolution environmental analyses and taxonomy: a case study on ostracods in 

deep time 

11:40 – 12:00 A. Kern, M. Harzhauser, A. Soliman, W.E. Piller & M. Gross 

From taxonomy to deep time resolution: decadal scale Late Miocene vegetation dynamics 

deciphered from palynomorph assemblages 

12:00 – 12:20 T. Suttner 

What are conodonts? 

12:20 – 13:30 Mittagspause – Mensa, Sonnenfelsplatz 1 

13:30 – 15:10 Vorträge 2 Chair: E. Haring 

13:30 – 13:50 H. Schuler 

The endosymbiont Wolbachia in fruit flies of the genus Rhagoletis: Horizontal transfer and 

impact in speciation 

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13:50 – 14:10 J. Walochnik & H. Aspöck 

Is Babesia still Babesia? 

14:10 – 14:30 W. Foissner 

Boden-Protozoen als Indikatoren der Bodenqualität 

14:30 – 14:50 E. Lerceteau-Köhler, U. Schliewen, T. Kopun & S. Weiss 

Genetic variation in brown trout Salmo trutta across the Danube, Rhine, and Elbe 

headwaters: a failure of the phylogeographic paradigm? 

14:50 – 15:50 Poster-Präsentation 

15:50 – 16:10 Kaffeepause 

16.10 – 17.30 Vorträge 3 Chair: H. Aspöck 

16:10 – 16:30 L. Muggia & M. Grube 

Systematics and cryptic species in lichenized fungi 

16:30 – 16:50 T. Spribille, S. Pérez-Ortega, T. Tønsberg & D. Schirokauer 

Mining lichen diversity: systematics as a framework for identifying 'known unknowns' in 

Alaska (U.S.A.) 

16.50 – 17.10 L. Greimler 

Crypitc diversity in European Gentianella section Gentianella (Gentianaceae) 

17.10 – 17.30 D. Rakosy & H.F. Paulus 

Biology and phylogeny of the Ophrys tenthredinifera species group in Crete 

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Astonishing Diversity of Somatic Ciliary Patterns in Oligotrichid 

Ciliates (Protista, Ciliophora) 

Agatha, S. 

Dept. Organismic Biology, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunnerstrasse 34, A-5020 Salzburg, 

e-mail: sabine.agatha@sbg.ac.at 

Although the Oligotrichida (Ciliophora, Spirotricha) typically possess only two somatic ciliary rows, the 

diversity of ciliary patterns is tremendous, i.e., eleven, occasionally very complicated arrangements 

are distinguished. The evolution of these somatic ciliary patterns is reconstructed, using the orientation 

of the ciliary rows (which of the paired basal bodies bears the cilium) and the position of the oral 

primordium, the developing oral ciliature of the daughter cell. Even though molecular phylogenies are 

still in their infancies concerning the oligotrichids, the genealogy of the small subunit ribosomal RNA 

gene sequences is congruent with the current hypothesis. It is most parsimonious to assume a 

convergent pattern development in the tailless taxa and the tailed tontoniids, as the contractile tail is 

considered a strong synapomorphy due to its complex and unique ultrastructure. Indeed, ontogenetic 

data suggest that the Ω-shaped pattern evolved not only convergently in the tailed and tailless taxa, 

but also originated from different patterns. On the other hand, gene sequence data indicate that the 

sinistrally spiralled arrangement did not develop twice, but represents a synapomorphy of the tailed 

genus Spirotontonia Agatha, 2004 and the secondarily tailless monotypic genus Laboea Lohmann, 

1908. The curious genera Apostrombidium Xu et al., 2009 and Varistrombidium Xu et al., 2009 were 

intuitively affiliated with the strombidiids. The present concept corroborates this assignment and 

proposes a position for the two genera within the family Strombidiidae. Furthermore, new ontogenetic 

data necessitate a split of the species-rich genus Strombidium. While the oral primordium forms 

posteriorly to the horizontal ciliary row in the type species of Strombidium, it develops anteriorly in 

three congeners, justifying the establishment of two new genera, which differ in the arrangement of 

their extrusomes (extrusive organelles): they insert along the anterior margin of the horizontal ciliary 

row and posteriorly to the oral primordium in one genus, while distinctly apart from the ciliary row and 

anteriorly to the oral primordium in the other; probably, both patterns evolved convergently (Agatha 

2010). 

This study was supported by the Austrian Science Foundation (FWF, Project P20461-B17). 

Agatha, S. 2010. Updated hypothesis on the evolution of oligotrichid ciliates (Ciliophora, Spirotricha, Oligotrichida) 

based on somatic ciliary patterns and ontogenetic data. Eur. J. Protistol. (2010), 

doi:10.1016/j.ejop.2010.09.001. 

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“Do you know EDIT, CETAF, DEST, EJT, EoL and so on?” 

Initiatives for the promotion of taxonomy on a European level. 

Aubrecht, G. 

Biology Centre of the Upper Austrian State Museums, J.-W.-Klein-Straße 73, 4040 Linz, Austria, 

e-mail: g.aubrecht@landesmuseum.at 

The Darwin Declaration 1998 referring to the „taxonomic impediment“ started highlighting the global 

problems of taxonomic research. Calls for help and for improvement of this bad situation from museum 

and university taxonomists are already commonplace nationally and internationally. 

Usually taxonomists are organized in their specific scientific societies, but it needs concerted 

communication and action on a much broader base to be heard politically. The recent improvement of 

communication and organization among taxonomists must not hide the fact that operative actions are 

needed in order to reverse the fatal situation. 

The „Global Taxonomy Initiative – GTI“ is an intergovernmental project within the Biodiversity 

Convention and was ratified in 2002. Thus the problem was outlined and set into an institutional 

framework. But it did not yet bring a measureable improvement of the situation. New projects were 

initiated but especially the education of taxonomists at university and non-university level is still 

decreasing rapidly. This fact is really threatening and still unsolved. The foundation of NOBIS-Austria 

was an initiative on the national level with the aim of improving communication between Austrian 

taxonomists, of strengthening group dynamics and of offering a joint approach to the public. 

Here some international projects are introduced concerning the wider frame of taxonomy. These might 

be of interest because project proposals often need a view an a broad scale. Recent projects are for 

example EDIT (European Distributed Institute of Taxonomy), CETAF (Consortium European 

Taxonomic Facilities), DEST (Distributed European School of Taxonomy), EJT (European Journal of 

Taxonomy), EoL (Encyclopedia of Life), etc. 

Both national and international approaches will be necessary in the future in order to promote the legal 

concerns of taxonomists and to find political acceptance. 

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Long-distance travels with short-lived larvae – the peculiarities 

of seamount bryozoans 

Berning, B. 1 , Harmelin, J.-G. 2 & Bader, B. 3 

1 Geowissenschaftliche Sammlungen, Oberösterreichische Landesmuseen, Welser Str. 20, 4060 

Leonding, Austria, e-mail: b.berning@landesmuseum.at 

2 Centre d’Océanologie de Marseille, Station Marine d’Endoume, 13007 Marseille, France, e-mail: 

jean-georges.harmelin@univmed.fr 

3 Institut für Geowissenschaften, Christian-Albrechts-Universität Kiel, Ludewig-Meyn-Str. 10, 24118 

Kiel, Germany, e-mail: bbader@online.no 

In the intensified effort to study seamount biota during the last decade, the Bryozoa have almost 

completely been neglected, although they may form a major component of the sessile benthic 

community. A first screening of the sparse literature and some of the samples taken during several 

scientific cruises shows that cheilostome bryozoans are regularly found on NE Atlantic seamounts: 36 

spp. on Gettysburg Smt, 27 on the Great Meteor Bank (GMB), 24 on Ampère Smt, 23 on Atlantis Smt, 

21 on Hyères Smt, 14 on Irving Smt, and 13 on Conception Smt. 

Due to the short-lived bryozoan larvae, dispersal is generally very restricted and long-distance 

transport of bryozoans to or between isolated offshore sites presumably only achieved by means of 

rafting of the colony. However, this mechanism is less likely for species adapted to bathyal habitats. 

Endemism, particularly on remote seamounts, is therefore expected to be comparatively high. Indeed, 

at least 18 of the 27 spp. (67%) found on the GMB are endemic to this seamount. Of the remaining 

species, one arrived on Sargassum from the W Atlantic, three species are known from the E Atlantic 

shelf, and another five are restricted to the Azores and other Atlantic seamounts. Moreover, at least 17 

species, three genera and one family from the GMB are new to science. 

Regarding the entire region, several higher taxa are endemic to seamounts, or are significantly more 

speciose there than on the continental shelf, indicating a long history of seamount faunas and, 

possibly, sporadic dispersal of founder species from seamounts to the shelf. 

Given the number of scientific cruises to these and other NE Atlantic seamounts, and the great 

amount of unscreened samples that exist, a thorough taxonomic study of seamount bryozoans will 

certainly increase the number of taxa. With this knowledge it will then be possible to address more 

precise questions concerning the ecology, biogeographic patterns and processes, and the 

evolutionary history of seamount faunas. 

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Lichenized Fungi diversity of the Balkan Peninsula 

Bilovitz, P.O. & Mayrhofer, H. 

Institut für Pflanzenwissenschaften, Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz, Holteigasse 6, 8010 Graz, e- 

mails: pe.bilovitz@uni-graz.at, helmut.mayrhofer@uni-graz.at 

The present knowledge of lichenized fungi of the Balkan Peninsula is still rather incomplete and there 

are relatively few recent floristic papers. While numerous lichen collections from coastal parts revealed 

a lot of new species towards the end of Habsburg period and several important studies were published 

between World War I and World War II by the lichenologists F. Kušan, A. Popnikolov, M. Servít, J. 

Suza and Ö. Szatala, lichenological exploration of former Yugoslavia was interrupted almost 

completely in the period between World War II and the segregation of nations in the 1990s. In the 

1970s first steps were undertaken to revitalize the lichenological investigation of the Dinaric region by 

J. Poelt and his students in Graz resulting in the description of several new species as well as by the 

Czech lichenologist A. Vežda and the Slovak lichenologist I. Pišút. In the late 1970s and early 1980s it 

was M. Murati, who published a series of floristic papers on the lichen flora of Macedonia. During the 

last twenty years H. Mayrhofer (Graz), his students and collaborators intensified lichenological 

activities on the Balkan Peninsula by establishing co-operations with local biologists, starting with 

floristic papers, followed by catalogues of lichens and lichenicolous fungi of Slovenia (2000), Bulgaria 

(2005), Montenegro (2009), Bosnia & Herzegovina (in press) and Macedonia (in prep.). 

The area of the southern Dinaric mountains with its glacial refugia is highly attractive for biodiversity 

studies, because it represents one of the last remaining large virgin forest areas in Europe (e.g. 

Biogradska gora in Montenegro and Perućica in Bosnia & Herzegovina). These maintain a rich 

diversity of lichens, comprising many elsewhere rarely found oceanic species. 

Actual investigations are focusing on population genetics of Lobaria pulmonaria in and around virgin 

forests, its fungi on large decaying thalli, on the general biodiversity of remote or otherwise interesting 

sites and ecological niches with special emphasis on Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Macedonia, 

Montenegro and Slovenia, and on the taxonomy and distribution of the family Physciaceae. 

Today, Greece (incl. Crete) has a known diversity of c. 1200 lichen species, Slovenia, Croatia and 

Bulgaria c. 1000 each, Montenegro c. 700, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Serbia (incl. Kosova) and 

Macedonia c. 600 each and Albania c. 200(!). 

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How and why to achieve more objectivity in taxonomy, 

exemplified on a fossil ostracod from long-lived Lake Pannon 

Danielopol, D.L. 1 , Gross, M. 2 & Minati, K. 3 

1 Österr. Akad. Wiss., c/o Inst. Erdwiss., Geol. & Paläont., K-F-Univ. Graz, Heinrichstr. 26, A 8010 

Graz, ddanielo@oeaw.ac.at; 2 Universalmus. Joanneum, Weinzöttlstr. 16, A 8045 Graz, 

martin.gross@museum-joanneum.at; 3 Inst. Erdwiss., Geol. & Paläont., K-F-Univ. Graz, Heinrichstr. 

26, A 8010 Graz, kmg@gmx.at 

Taxonomists are commonly confronted with poor descriptions. The situation is exacerbated for fossil 

taxa which display few homologue landmarks useful for defining morphological traits. These latter are 

either necessary for building a clear taxonomic diagnosis or for further phylogenetic analysis. 

Amplocypris abscissa was briefly described by A. E. Reuss (1850) from several outcrops near Vienna 

and Sopron (Vienna Basin; Upper Miocene, Pannonian). Subsequently, it was mentioned all around 

the Pannonian Basin respectively the Palaeo-Lake Pannon, which covered this area at that time: from 

the western sites in Austria and Slovakia, to eastern and southern ones (Romania, Serbia and 

Croatia). This geographic distribution contrasts with the high number of fossil species belonging to this 

genus, which are considered to be endemic in Lake Pannon. Our project on fossil ostracods from 

Hennersdorf (Vienna Basin, Pannonian “D”) document A. abscissa as a polymorphic taxon. Moreover 

the genus Amplocypris Zalanyi 1944, displays an elusive diagnosis and an unsecured phylogenetic 

position. We demonstrate, using a precise protocol, how the taxonomic status of both of the genus 

Amplocypris and of the species A. abscissa can be achieved in an accurate and reproducible way: (a) 

A comparative morphological study of the valves, for fossil Amplocypris species and Recent 

representatives of genera belonging to higher-rank taxa, using both TL- and SE-microscopy, is 

absolutely necessary for developing a clear differential diagnosis of this genus and its allocation to one 

of the Cyprididae subfamilies (i.e. the Eucypridinae). (b) Amplocypris displays few homologue 

landmarks. Geometric morphometrics for outlines, combined with an original algorithm, which 

resemble a semi-landmark approach, offers the possibility to create morphological traits: Linhart’s B- 

spline Approach (cf. the web site “Methods in Ostracodology” at http://palstrat.uni-graz.at). (c) Data 

expressed as pair-wise resemblance matrix of Euclidean distances are further analysed using 

techniques specific to numerical taxonomy, like UPGMA-cluster analysis, Principal coordinate analysis 

and the SIMPER exploratory analysis (cf. the computer package PRIMER v6 and PERMANOVA+ for 

PRIMER). (d) A matrix of dissimilarity values of the traits, expressed as arithmetic means with their 

99% CL, allow to produce a new diagnosis of A. abscissa and to separate it from two other unnamed 

taxa. Together they form a phylogenetic lineage. 

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Habitat requirements of the pulmonate land snails Trochulus 

oreinos oreinos and Cylindrus obtusus endemic to the Northern 

Calcareous Alps, Austria 

Duda, M., Kruckenhauser, L., Haring, E., Harl, J. & Sattmann, H. 

Natural History Museum Vienna, Bugring 7, A-1010 Vienna, e-mail: michael.duda@nhm-wien.ac.at 

The Austrian endemic land snails Trochulus oreinos oreinos (Wagner 1915) and Cylindrus obtusus 

(Draparnaud 1805) have been in the focus of phylogenetic research in the course of our project about 

Austrian land snails. For T. oreinos, which was formerly regarded as a local subspecies of the wide- 

spread T. hispidus, a first phylogenetic analysis combined with more detailed morphological 

investigations was performed recently indicating that T. oreinos is an old phylogenetic lineage and 

presumably has a long independent history in the North-Eastern Calcareous Alps. Cylindrus obtusus, 

which is an old distinct lineage within the Helicidae, is – like T. oreinos - restricted to high elevations of 

the Eastern Alps. In its easternmost populations it shows some specific morphological traits, as a 

somewhat smaller size and irregular building of mucus glands. 

In this study we wanted to know, if these findings are also reflected in the habitat preferences of these 

species. Four sites, which mark the easternmost distribution border of both species, where selected 

for further investigation: the mountains Hochschwab, Schneealpe, Rax and Schneeberg. From these 

areas we had an adequate sample and exact vegetation maps were available. 

In C. obusus, the morphological specialties of the easternmost populations are perhaps a result of the 

suboptimal climatic conditions on Rax and Schneeberg Mountain. Both massifs are under strong 

influence of the warm pannonic climate, which might afflict this cryophilic species. C. obtusus and T. 

oreinos prefer rocky habitats from the subalpine ecotone upwards. While T. oreinos is restricted to 

loose Caricetum firmae meadow and alpine boulder and scree societies, C. obtusus can inhabit 

several plant communities. Both species are restricted to primarily forest free sites on rocky ground or 

thin layer of rentsina soil. Therefore they are not afflicted by abandoning of man-made meadows, the 

most important recent change of alpine agriculture. As both taxa are restricted to the subalpine and 

alpine ecotone, at least populations at the lower altitudinal distribution are potentially afflicted by 

climatic changes 

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Protists as bioindicators for soil quality 

Foissner, W. 

Universität Salzburg, FB Organismische Biologie, Hellbrunner Strasse 34, A-5020 Salzburg 

Several unique features favour the use of heterotrophic protozoa as bioindicators for soil quality: 

1. Protozoa are an essential component of soil ecosystems, because of their large standing crop and 

production. Changes in their dynamics and community structure very probably influence the rate 

and kind of soil formation and soil fertility. 

2. Protozoa, with their rapid growth and delicate external membranes, can react more quickly to 

environmental changes than any other eukaryotic organism and can thus serve as an early 

warning system. 

3. The eukaryotic genome of the protozoa is similar to that of the metazoa. Their reactions to 

environmental changes can thus be related to higher organisms more convincingly than those of 

prokaryotes. 

4. Protozoa inhabit and are particularly abundant in those soil ecosystems that almost or entirely lack 

higher organisms due to extreme environmental conditions, e.g. alpine regions above the 

timberline, Arctic and Antarctic biotopes. 

5. Protozoa are not readily dislodged in soil (Kuikman et al., 1990). Many (but not all!) are ubiquitous 

and are useful in comparing results from different regions. Differences in patterns of distribution are 

almost entirely restricted to passive vertical displacement; thus, the difficult problem, especially 

with the epigaeon, of horizontal migration does not affect the investigations. 

There are, however, several factors that have apparently restricted the use of soil protozoa and even 

metazoa as bioindicators (Aescht and Foissner, 1992): 

1. The immense number of species; more than 1000 may occur in a square metre of forest soil. Many 

specialists are needed for identification and each species has specific requirements that are often 

incompletely known. 

2. Enumeration of soil organisms is difficult and time-consuming. 

3. Animals need other organisms for food. Thus, the constellation of factors is more complex than in 

plants and bioindication often remains un-specific, i.e. different factors induce similar reactions. 

4. Most soil organisms are inconspicuous and invisible to the naked eye, making them unattractive to 

many potential investigators. 

In the lecture, I show examples from comparisons of ecofarmed and conventionally farmed fields and 

grasslands. 

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Phylogeography and synchronous diversification of the Corvus 

corvids of the world 

Gamauf, A. 1 , Däubl, B. 1 , Kryukov, A. 2 , Pinsker, W. 1 & Haring, E. 1 

1 Museum of Natural History Vienna, Dept. Vertebrate Zoology, Burgring 7, A-1010 Vienna, Austria; 

elisabeth.haring@nhm-wien.ac.at 

2 Institute of Biology and Soil Science, Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladivostok 690022, Russia. 

The genus Corvus with its approximately 40 species is world wide distributed, except S America. 

Highest diversity is found in Australasia and SE Asian islands. Ten species (25%) are coloured black 

and white/grey, the rest are completely black. 

We investigated the phylogeny of the genus Corvus employing DNA sequences of the mitochondrial 

control region. The study was based mainly on museum material allowing the analysis of more than 30 

species. Inclusion of sequences of other corvid genera as available in GenBank confirmed the 

monophyly of the genus Corvus. Within the Corvus clade several distinct subclades can be 

distinguished. Some contain only single species or species pairs (e.g., C. monedula + C. dauricus; C. 

frugilegus; C. palmarum) while other clades are composed of many species (e.g., the Holarctic and 

African clade or the SE and E Asian clade). In general, the composition of the clades reflects 

geographic contiguousness. The basal relationships among clades remain unresolved with this marker 

sequence. 

It is remarkable that each clade contains black as well as white/grey coloured representatives. None of 

the latter are found in N America, whereas almost all African species south of the Sahara show black- 

white pattern. The most parsimonious explanation for the distribution of plumage colour in the 

phylogenetic tree is that the pale markings evolved at least five times independently. The assumption 

that the white/grey colour pattern - which is found also in other genera of the family Corvidae, e.g., 

Pica - is the plesiomorphic state, is less likely. 

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Crypitc diversity in European Gentianella section Gentianella 

(Gentianaceae) 

Greimler, J. 

Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Faculty Center Botany, University of Vienna, A-1030 Vienna, 

Rennweg 14, Austria 

Gentianella section Gentianella (Gentianeae, Swertiinae) includes ca. 20 taxa in Europe of which the 

majority is found in and around the Alps. Most taxa are highly variable due to ecological polymorphism 

among populations in different habitats and in part due to seasonal dimorphism. Investigations from 

reproductive biology, common garden experiments, morphology, nrDNA, cpDNA, and AFLP have 

revealed various patterns of divergence and in some cases disagreement between genetic and 

morphological data. 

Genetic data (AFLP) in contrast to morphology indicate clear differentiation into two cryptic species 

within the widespread G. germanica agg. resulting in G. rhaetica in the Eastern Alps and G. germanica 

s.str. in northern Central Europe. These allopatric cryptic or sibling species appear to have been 

separated by Pleistocene climatic oscillations. Extensive patterns of haplotype sharing were observed 

in the cpDNA RFLP data. Both hybridization or introgresion as well as incomplete lineage sorting can 

generate such patterns. It is, however, difficult to distinguish between these two processes. In the 

case of Gentianella reticulate evolution (introgression) may explain such patterns to a high degree as 

well as the often found morphological uncertainties or gradients on range margins of severeal taxa. 

AFLP data provided evidence for various scenarios of introgression and reticulate evolution among G. 

rhaetica, G. obtusifolia, and G. austriaca in the eastern Alps. Such reticulate patterns and/or ancient 

polymorphism towards southeastern Europe may be the reason for unclear relationships within G. 

austriaca agg. and its relation to other taxa especially in south-eastern Europe. The significance of 

those various cryptic patterns for conservation is discussed. 

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Linking high-resolution environmental analyses and taxonomy: 

A case study on ostracods in deep time 

Gross, M. 1 & Piller, W.E. 2 

1 Universalmuseum Joanneum, Geologie & Paläontologie, Weinzöttlstrasse 16, A-8045 Graz, e-mail: 

martin.gross@museum-joanneum.at 

2 Karl-Franzens-Universität, Institut für Erdwissenschaften, Bereich Geologie & Paläontologie, 

Heinrichstrasse 26, A-8010 Graz, e-mail: werner.piller@uni-graz.at 

Per se taxonomic investigations of fossils can neither include molecular biological approaches nor the 

study of soft parts. Environmental parameters cannot be measured directly. Consequently, the 

palaeontological approach is strictly morphologically-based and environmental factors must be 

deduced from abiotic and biotic proxies. However, the fossil record has one striking advantage over 

the study of extant organisms: time! If an appropriate time-model is on hand, long- as well as short- 

term changes (millions of years, down to years) can be extracted. Especially, micro-fossils are of 

prime importance in this case. Due to their small size, ten thousands of preserved remains provide a 

huge dataset for profound taxonomic analyses and phylogenetical reconstructions. 

The examination of a limnic–deltaic sedimentary sequence, deposited on the western margin of 

Palaeo-Ancient Lake Pannon (~11.3 Ma), focused on the occurrence of the mussel shrimp genus 

Cyprideis (ostracoda) and its linkage to environmental shifts. Based on the timing of the section, we 

achieved by our high-resolution sampling (5 mm thick rock slices) a time-resolution of only a few 

years. Qualitative as well as linear and geometric morphometric valve analyses allowed differentiating 

three co-occurring Cyprideis species, which were probably adapted to different microhabitats. One of 

them is only recognized at the peak of a limnic transgression. In contrast, one other species seems to 

be more euryplastic because it appears well before this event and is recorded in the regressive 

prodelta sediments up section likewise. The remarkable low quantity of the third species clearly 

reflects its diverging paleoecological demands, since it mainly occurs in the littoral facies. Size, 

posteroventral spines, hinge structure, ornamentation and valve outline turned out to be appropriate 

diagnostic characters to define these sympatric species in the sense of a multidimensional species 

concept. These characters enable to delineate Cyprideis populations in Lake Pannon as segments of 

evolutionary lineages and thus phylogenetic species. This is essential for any well-founded 

biostratigraphic zonation and further palaeogeographic models. 

This is a contribution to the FWF-project P 21748-N21. 

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Determination of the prevalence of Fascioloides magna (BASSI 

1875) and other digenetic trematodes in Galba truncatula (O.F. 

MÜLLER 1774) in the area of Orth/Danube (Lower Austria) 

Haider, M. 1,2 , Liesinger, K. 1,2 , Hörweg, C. 1,2 , Pecavar, V. 2 , Walochnik, J. 2 & 

Sattmann, H. 1 

1 Naturhistorisches Museum Wien, 3. Zoologische Abt. Burgring 7 1010 Wien; e-mail: 

helmut.sattmann@nhm-wien.ac.at´; 2 Molecular Parasitology, Inst. Spec. Proph.& Trop. Med., Medical 

University of Vienna, Kinderspitalgasse 15, 1090 Vienna 

Digenetic trematodes comprise numerous species of great medical and veterinary importance. These 

parasites have complicated life cycles with multiple successive hosts. The introduced large American 

liver fluke Fascioloides magna was recorded in free-living red deer and roe deer in the wetlands of the 

Danube, east of Vienna since 2000. The aim of this study was to determine the current infection rate 

of the intermediate snail host Galba truncatula with F. magna and other digenetic trematodes in the 

area. A monitoring of G. truncatula from three locations near Orth/Danube was conducted during 

2008. Single collections were taken from three locations from the opposed southern Danube banks 

(=other locations). A total of 3.871 G. truncatula were collected, measured and examined under the 

microscope for the presence of digenetic trematodes. Every tenth microscopically parasite-free snail 

was chosen as a random sample. Altogether 68 random samples and 30 microscopically detected 

isolated trematode stages were tested molecular biologically by PCR and sequencing. Two primer 

pairs were developed to enable both the detection of trematodes in general and the specific detection 

of F. magna in G. truncatula. In addition, a specific primer pair was chosen from literature for the 

detection of the common liver fluke F. hepatica, which is also a pathogen of humans. 

Overall, 96 trematode infections (prevalence 2,48%) were detected in the 3.871 examined G. 

truncatula. Trematodes of Paramphistomoidea (prevalence 1,91%), Echinostomatoidea (0,46%) 

Strigeida (0,10%) and Plagiorchiida (0,05%) were found besides Fascioloidea. F. magna was found 

with an overall prevalence of 0,26% (n = 3.871), whereby the highest prevalence was found at the 

southern locations (0,47%, n = 427), but also at two northern locations (0,20%, n = 1.975 and 0,30%, 

n = 1.347. The common liver fluke F. hepatica, was found once in a snail collected at Orth. The 

infection peak of F. magna was in July (1,15%). 

The comparison of microscopic and molecular biologic methods confirmed former studies, in which 

DNA-based methods have shown a higher sensitivity. It was possible to differentiate morphological 

similar trematode species by molecular genetic methods. 

_____________________________________________________________________________ 


Phylogeography of the East-Alpine members of the landsnail 

species Orcula dolium (Gastropoda: Pulmonata: Orculidae) 

Harl, J., Kruckenhauser, L., Sattmann, H., Duda, M. & Haring, E. 

Museum of Natural History Vienna, Burgring 7, A-1010 Vienna, Austria, e-mail: 

josef.harl@nhm-wien.ac.at, luise.kruckenhauser@nhm-wien.ac.at, helmut.sattmann@nhm-wien.ac.at, 

michael.duda@nhm-wien.ac.at, elisabeth.haring@nhm-wien.ac.at 

Orcula dolium has the widest distribution among the species of the genus Orcula and inhabits the 

calcareous parts of the Alps and the Northern Carpathians. Since it had been described in 1801 by 

DRAPARNAUD, various authors added a minimum of 23 further subspecies. Most of these subspecies 

represent local forms that inhabit only small, partly isolated regions and differ from the nominate 

subspecies in their shell shape and the expression of their aperture's folds. Besides the common O. 

dolium dolium, six subspecies have been described from the Eastern Alps. 

Two of them, O. dolium edita and O. dolium raxae, are restricted to different elevations of high 

mountain areas. According to the literature, the nominate subspecies is sporadically found in the same 

habitats as the high alpine forms, but no intermediate morphs have been detected. This observation 

raises the question if these taxa represent distinct species. To determine whether these taxa are 

differentiated genetically and to reveal their relationships, snails were collected from sites covering the 

main part of the East Alpine distribution range of the species. Two mitochondrial genes (COI and 16S 

rRNA) as well as the nuclear histone H3-H4-spacer region were sequenced and genetic distances 

calculated. Additionally, morphometric landmark analyses were conducted to examine if the phylogeny 

is in accordance with shell morphological differentiation. 

In the trees based on mitochondrial data several highly distinct clades were found, which are mostly 

not congruent with the described taxa. In particular, the high Alpine subspecies do not represent 

distinct lineages. In the H3-H4-spacer region almost no variation was found within the O. dolium group 

and the tree does not reflect the mitochondrial haplogroups. 

_____________________________________________________________________________ 


The roots of sea-turtle fouling barnacles (Chelonibiidae, 

Cirripedia, Balanomorpha) 

Harzhauser, M. 1 , Newman, W.A. 2 & Grunert, P. 3 

1 Natural History Museum Vienna, Geological-Paleontological Department, Burgring 7, A-1014 Vienna, 

Austria, e-mail: mathias.harzhauser@nhm-wien.ac.at 

2 Scripps Institution of Oceanography, California, USA. E-mail: wnewman@ucsd.edu 

3 Institute for Earth Sciences, University of Graz, Heinrichstraße 26, A-8010 Graz, Austria. E-mail: 

patrick.grunert@uni-graz.at 

The geological evidence for the phylogeny of sessile barnacles comes predominately from intertidal 

and shallow sublittoral records. Therefore, numerous balanoid species of genera such as Acasta, 

Concavus, Perforatus and Balanus are described. This wealth in data is contrasted by an extremely 

poor knowledge of open marine taxa which obligatorily cling to free swimming objects such as gars, 

cetaceans, sirenians, turtles and even sea snakes . This group is mainly represented by members of 

the coronuloid barnacles (chelonibiids, platylepadids & coronulids). The origin of the mainly sea-turtle 

fouling balanomorph family Chelonibiidae is still poorly documented. Aside from an erratic Eocene 

occurrence, assigned to an extinct subfamily, the extant subfamily Chelonobiinae did not appear in the 

fossil record before the Late Miocene. Now, a new lineage is recorded as an extinct sister-group of the 

Chelonibiinae. It is based on a 21-million-year-old fossil colony from Pucking (Ebelsberg Formation; 

Upper Austria). The new subfamily is known so far only from the proto-Mediterranean and the 

Paratethys seas and ranged from Early Miocene to Late Pliocene times. Members of the subfamily are 

characterised by large walls with tripartite rostra which display distinct sutures on the external surface. 

The tripartite rostrum, however, has evolved independently several times in the evolution of the 

balanomorphs and cannot be treated as synapomorphy. The subfamily comprises one new genus and 

two species. 

The sculpture of the host substratum is preserved as imprints along the carino laterals of one 

specimen. Although the pattern of ridges and furrows cannot be identified with certainty, the 

similarities with the sculpture of the carapax of modern Caretta suggests the new genus as earliest 

record of sea-turtle fouling in balanids. The co-existence of members of both subfamilies during the 

Miocene and Pliocene documents a higher diversity of chelonibiids in pre-Pleistocene times and 

indicates that Chelonibiinae were able to outcompete their supposed sister-group with the onset of the 

glacial cycles. 

_____________________________________________________________________________ 


Discriminating Legionella, atypical mycobacteria and 

Acanthamoeba using a MALDI biotyper 

Hasanacevic, D. 1 , Blaschitz, M. 1 , Rehak, S. 1 , Indra, A. 1 & Walochnik, J. 2 

1 Mycobacteriology and Clinical Molecular Biology, Institute for Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, 

Austrian Agency for Health & Food Safety (AGES), Währingerstrasse 25a, 1090 Vienna, e-mail: 

h_dzenita@hotmail.com 

2 Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of 

Vienna, Kinderspitalgasse 15, 1090 Vienna 

The genus Mycobacterium including more than 100 described species is divided into three subgroups: 

the M. tuberculosis complex, M. leprae and NTM – non-tuberculosis mycobacteria. The latter have 

been isolated from hospitals, water, humid rooms, soil and from the mucosa of humans and animals. 

NTM can provoke potentially lethal lung infections in children or immunocompromised persons. 

Legionella spp. an anaerobic, gram-negative, rod-shaped, non-spore forming bacterium is the 

causative agent of legionellosis (Legionnaires´ disease). Legionellosis, which represents 4% of 

community-acquired pneumonia cases worldwide, can have a lethal outcome in 18-20% of cases if 

untreated. Legionella spp. has been isolated from air condition units, swimming pools, ground- and 

surface water. Legionnaires´ disease is acquired by the inhalation of infectious aerosols. 

Acanthamoeba spp., single-celled eukaryotic organisms, can provoke severe infections, including 

Acanthamoeba keratitis, GAE (granulomatous amoebic encephalitis) and infections of the lung and the 

skin. Acanthamoebae have two life cycle stages – a trophozoite and a cyst – and play a significant 

role as vectors for bacteria (particularly also Legionella spp. and MOTT). 

The aim of the present study is the establishment of a reference database for protein mass spectra of 

Legionella spp., NTM and Acanthamoeba spp. using MALDI TOF MS (Matrix Assisted Laser 

Desorption Ionisation Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry) and the MALDI Biotyper software. This 

reference database is aimed to serve as an essential tool for the identification of Legionella spp., NTM 

and Acanthamoeba spp. and furthermore for the detection of Legionella spp. and NTM in 

Acanthamoeba spp. 

_____________________________________________________________________________ 


Integrative taxonomy: Combining chemical, morphological and 

molecular data for delineation of the parthenogenetic 

Trhypochthonius tectorum complex (Acari, Oribatida, 

Trhypochthoniidae) 

Heethoff, M. 1 , Laumann, M. 2 , Weigmann, G. 3 & Raspotnig, G. 1 

1 Institute of Zoology, Karl-Franzens University Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, 8010 Graz, Austria, e-mail: 

michael@heethoff.de, guenther.raspotnig@uni-graz.at 

2 Institute for Evolution and Ecology, University Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28E, 72076 Tübingen, 

Germany, e-mail: michael.laumann@email.de 

3 Insitute of Zoology, Free University Berlin, Koenigin-Luise-Straße 1-3, 14195 Berlin, Germany, e-mail: 

weigmann@zedat.fu-berlin.de 

There is a long-standing controversial about how parthenogenetic species can be defined in absence 

of a generally accepted species concept for this reproductive mode. An integrative approach was 

suggested, combining molecular and morphological data to identify distinct entities, and propose them 

as distinct taxa. Using this approach, speciation of parthenogenetic lineages was recently 

demonstrated for groups of bdelloid rotifers and oribatid mites. We investigated Austrian populations 

of the parthenogenetic oribatid mite Trhypochthonius tectorum. Besides morphological and molecular 

data, we included the chemical composition of complex exocrine gland secretions in our analyses. 

This is the first attempt to combine these three types of data for a delineation of parthenogenetic 

oribatid mites. 

We show that Austrian T. tectorum underwent a parthenogenetic radiation and now consists of three 

distinct lineages, each separated by morphology including morphometry, gland secretion profiles and 

mitochondrial cox1 sequences. This diversification happened in the last ten million years. 

_____________________________________________________________________________ 


From taxonomy to deep time resolution: decadal scale Late 

Miocene vegetation dynamics deciphered from palynomorph 

assemblages 

Kern, A.K. 1 , Harzhauser, M. 1 , Soliman, A. 2 , Piller, W.E. 2 & Gross, M. 3 

1 Natural History Museum Vienna, Geological-Paleontological Department, Burgring 7, 1010 Vienna, 

Austria, e-mail: andrea.kern@nhm-wien.ac.at; mathias.harzhauser@nhm-wien.ac.at 

2 Institute of Earth Sciences, Graz University, Heinrichstrasse 26, 8010 Graz, Austria, e-mail: 

ali.soliman@uni-graz.at; werner.piller@uni-graz.at 

3 Abteilung für Geologie & Paläontologie, Universalmuseum Joanneum, Weinzöttlstraße 16, 8045 

Graz, Austria, e-mail: martin.gross@museum-joanneum.at 

Lake systems are fast responding to environmental changes, which makes their detection in the 

geological record challenging. However, fine sediments from lakes provide ideal preconditions to 

analyse different environmental proxy data in high resolution sampling method including pollen as in 

indicator for terrestrial adaptation. 

To demonstrate such high frequent vegetation changes far back in the Late Miocene (Pannonian, 11.4 

Ma), a continuous 98-cm core from the locality Mataschen in the Styrian Basin was studied each 

centimeter corresponding to approximately a decade in time. The vegetation at the beginning of the 

sequence was mainly characterized by a far distributed brackish marsh around Lake Pannon merging 

into forested swampy Taxidoideae wetlands. A moderate drop of the mean annual precipitation 

caused a change in the structure of the marsh as the formally dominating Poaceae were replaced by 

the more dry adapted Cyperaceae grasses within a few decades. 

The subsequent increase in annual rainfall is reflected by a rise of the lake level with a lag of 5 

decades. This led to an almost complete dieback of the marsh vegetation due drowning, but coincides 

with the expansion of the open-water dinoflagellate cyst Impaginium sp. As soon as the rainfall 

switched back to moderate levels of ~1100–1200 mm/yr, the rise of the lake level slowed down, the 

marsh plants could keep up again and the former vegetation belts became re-established. During the 

whole period of less than 1400 years, the other climatic parameters did not vary much, resulting in a 

constant composition of the zonal hinterland forests. 

For the first time, high-frequency interactions between climate and plants can be documented on a 

decadal scale in Late Miocene. 

This study is financially supported by FWF-project no. P 21414-B16 and P 21746-N21. 

_____________________________________________________________________________ 


Morphological distinctness despite large-scale phenotypic 

plasticity – analysis of wild and pond-bred juveniles of allopatric 

populations of Tropheus moorii 

Kerschbaumer, M., Postl, L., Koch, M., Wiedl, T.& Sturmbauer, C. 

Department of Zoology, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, 8010 Graz, Austria; 

e-mail: michaela.kerschbaumer@uni-graz.at, lisbeth.postl@uni-graz.at, martin.koch@uni-graz.at, 

wiedl@uni-graz.at, christian.sturmbauer@uni-graz.at 

Cichlids are an excellent model to study explosive speciation and adaptive radiation. Their 

evolutionary success has been attributed to their ability to undergo rapid morphological changes 

related to diet, and their particular breeding biology. Relatively minor changes in morphology allow for 

exploitation of novel food resources. The importance of phenotypic plasticity and genetically based 

differences for diversification was long recognized, but their relationship and relative magnitude 

remained unclear. We compared morphology of individuals of four wild populations of the Lake 

Tanganyika cichlid Tropheus moorii with their pond raised F1 offspring. The magnitude of 

morphological change via phenotypic plasticity between wild and pond-bred F1-fish exceeds pairwise 

population differences by a factor of 2.4 (mean Mahalanobis distances). 

The genetic and environmental effects responsible for among population differentiation in the wild 

could still be recognized in the pond-bred F1-fish. All four pond populations showed the same trends 

in morphological change, mainly in mouth orientation, size and orientation of fins and thickness of the 

caudal peduncle. As between population differentiation was lower in the wild than differentiation 

between pond-raised versus wild fish, we suggest the narrow ecological niche and intense 

interspecific competition in rock habitats is responsible for consistent shape-similarity, even among 

long-term isolated populations. 

_____________________________________________________________________________ 


Increase of the corallum in the Silurian rugose coral Idiophyllum 

(Arachnophyllidae) from the Ningqiang Formation, China 

Kido, E. 1 

1 University of Graz, Institute for Earth Sciences (Geology & Paleontology), Heinrichstrasse 26, A- 

8010 Graz, e-mail: erikakido07@yahoo.co.jp 

Rugose corals are a fossil marine group which appeared in the middle Ordovician and became extinct 

end of Permian. Rugosa are identified based on the morphological features of their skeletal elements 

such as septa, tabulae, dissepiments, and wall, which are observed from serial transverse and 

longitudinal thin sections. The Silurian rugose coral Idiophyllum Cao occurs in the Ningqiang 

Formation (Upper Llandovery), Ningqiang-Guangyuan area near the border of Shaanxi and Sichuan, 

China. This coral occurs as both compound and solitary forms. Its corallum is characterized by 

possessing carinate septa displaying pinnate arrangement, convex tabularium which consists of 

incomplete tabulae, wide dissepimentarium, and distinct cardinal fossula. Idiophyllum has major, minor 

and tertiary septa. Tertiary septa are inserted irregularly and partly. The total number of septa in this 

coral reaches up to more than two hundred. Seven species have been assigned to Idiophyllum (He 

and Chen, 1986; Kido and Sugiyama, 2005); Idiophyllum dabashanense, I. multifurcatum, I. 

ningqiangense, I, tenuiseptatum, I. major, I. shaanxiense and I. massulatum. One of them, I. 

massulatum has a compound thamnasterioid corallum. He and Chen (1986) indicated that in the 

compound corallum of I. massulatum generally 2 to 5 offsets arise in the axial or peripheral region of 

the corallum of the parent. Lin et al. (1995) mentioned that the increase in the solitary corallum of 

Idiophyllum is parricidal. However, characteristics of the increase in corallum of Idiophyllum and septal 

insertion which is observed in the offsets have not been described in detail. Additional specimens of 

Idiophyllum massulatum and the species of Idiophyllum with solitary form were collected in the 

Ningqiang Formation of Yanzishi, Guangyuan, Sichuan. In these species peripheral and parricidal 

increase were observed, respectively. Modes of increase in Idiophyllum, together with the septal 

insertion observed in the offsets, are presented. 

He, X.Y. and Chen, J.Q. 1986. On the genus Idiophyllum. Acta Palaeontologica Sinica, 25(5), 525-530. 

Kido, E. and Sugiyama, T. 2005. Taxonomic comparison between Nanshanophyllum from Southwest Japan and 

Idiophyllum from Northwest China. Palaeontological Society of Japan, 46. 

Lin, B.Y., Xu, S.Y., Jia, H.Z. et al. 1987. Monograph of Palaeozoic corals, Rugosa and Heterocorallia. 788p, 

Geological Publishing House, Beijing. 

_____________________________________________________________________________ 


The eastern wolf: truths and myths – a molecular perspective 

Koblmüller, S. 1 & Leonard, J. A. 2 

1 Department of Zoology, Karl-Franzens-University Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, 8010 Graz, Austria, 

e-mail: stephan.koblmueller@uni-graz.at 

2 Estación Biológica de Doñana-CSIC, Avd. Americo Vespuccio s/n, 41092 Seville, Spain 

There has been an extensive debate on origin and taxonomic status of wolf-like canids in the North 

American Great Lakes region and the consequences for conservation politics regarding these 

enigmatic predators. Many different hypothesis have been put forward, but in recent years the 

hypothesis that the eastern wolf represents a distinct species Canis lycaon that evolved in North 

America as sister species of the coyote C. latrans and not a sub-species of the old world evolved gray 

wolf C. lupus received an increasing number of followers despite questionable evidence for this 

particular hypothesis, which largely rests on the presence of exclusively coyote-like mtDNA in (present 

and historic) samples from the Great Lakes region. 

Many recent studies have focused on elucidating the evolutionary history of this enigmatic canid 

taxon, but have used a restricted geographic and taxonomic sampling and/or applied insufficient 

amount of molecular markers. Using a broad geographic and taxonomic sampling (including historic 

samples) and applying maternally, paternally and biparentally inherited molecular markers, we 

demonstrate that the wolves of the Great Lakes regions do not represent a native North American wolf 

species but rather are a population of gray wolves that has repeatedly experienced introgression from 

the coyote. Increased genetic drift as a consequence of reduced population size during Pleistocene 

glaciations likely resulted in fixation of coyote-like haplotypes in this geographic region. 

Thus, we demonstrate that both broad taxonomic and geographic sampling and large amounts of 

molecular markers with different modes of inheritance are required to elucidate the complex 

evolutionary history and hybridization dynamics of North American wolf-like canids. 

_____________________________________________________________________________ 


Biodiversität – Wer soll sie in Zukunft erforschen? 

Köck, G. 

Internationale ÖAW-Forschungsprogramme, Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften, Dr. Ignaz 

Seipel Platz 2, 1010 Wien, e-mail: guenter.koeck@oeaw.ac.at 

Das österreichische Nationalkomitee für das UNESCO-Programm „Man and the Biosphere“ (MAB) an 

der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften (ÖAW) will die Öffentlichkeit und die Politik mit 

einer Deklaration, die bislang von über 230 Wissenschaftler(innen) und Institutionen (darunter der 

Präsident der ÖAW, der Bürgermeister der Stadt Wien, WWF-Österreich u.v.m.) unterschrieben 

wurde, auf den eklatanten Mangel an Fachleuten mit fundierter Artenkenntnis hinweisen. 

Das rasante Aussterben von Pflanzen, Tieren und Lebensräumen bedeutet nicht nur einen Kultur- und 

Erkenntnisverlust für uns und unsere Nachkommen. Die Abnahme der „Dienstleistungen“ von 

natürlichen und naturnahen Ökosystemen („ecosystem services“) bewirkt auch einen enormen 

wirtschaftlichen Schaden und eine Verringerung von Zukunftschancen. Aber um den Verlust 

überhaupt bemerken zu können, bedarf es einer genauen Dokumentation der noch existierenden 

Lebensformen. Leider hat die Faszination von Molekularbiologie und Genetik die Fachbereiche 

Taxonomie, Systematik, Pflanzen- und Tierökologie eine Zeitlang vergleichsweise unattraktiv 

erscheinen lassen. Die Zahl der Lehrstühle und Professuren wurde verringert, immer weniger 

Studierende wurden umfassend ausgebildet. Jetzt aber fehlen weltweit Expertinnen und Experten mit 

fundierter Artenkenntnis an Universitäten, naturkundlichen Museen, Schulen, in der Feldforschung 

und in der Naturschutzpraxis. So auch in Österreich. 

Die Erhaltung der biologischen Vielfalt setzt aber fundierte Artenkenntnis voraus. Top ausgebildete 

Fachleute der Taxonomie und Systematik sind also unerlässlich, damit Österreich auch weiterhin 

seinen internationalen Verpflichtungen zur Erhaltung der biologischen Vielfalt nachkommen kann. 

Das österreichische MAB-Nationalkomitee fordert daher gemeinsam mit zahlreichen 

WissenschaftlerInnen und Institutionen, dass der Ausbildung in Taxonomie und Systematik an den 

Universitäten und den naturkundlichen Museen höchste Priorität eingeräumt und darüber hinaus die 

beruflichen Perspektiven junger TaxonomInnen verbessert werden. 

_____________________________________________________________________________ 


WoRMS and the World Echinoidea Database 

Kroh, A. 1 & Mooi, R. 2 

1 Naturhistorisches Museum Wien, Geologie & Paläontologie, Burgring 7, 1010 Wien, Austria; E-mail: 

andreas.kroh@nhm-wien.ac.at 

2 California Academy of Sciences, 55 Music Concourse Drive, San Francisco, CA 94118, USA; ; E- 

mail: rmooi@calacademy.org 

The aim of the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) is to provide an authoritative and 

comprehensive list of names of marine organisms, including information on their synonymy. While 

highest priority goes to valid names, other combinations in use are included to facilitate linking data 

from various sources, both online and offline. Echinoids (sea urchins) are covered by the World 

Echinoid Database (part of WoRMS). Taxonomic coverage of the database includes all currently 

known extant echinoid genera and species, as well as most of the valid fossil echinoid genera. Extinct 

species, which surpass modern echinoid diversity by a factor of 10, are at present included only when 

they have erroneously been reported from modern faunas or are type species of extant genera. 

The information contained in the World Echinoidea Database (WED) derives largely from Mortensen’s 

epochal Monograph of the Echinoidea (1928-1951), updated by the data contained in the Index of 

Living and Fossil Echinoids by Kier & Lawson (1978) covering the years 1925-70 and Kroh (2010) 

covering the years 1971-2008. Information on distribution, ecology, and physiology are still largely 

missing from database, but are included progressively as the database is complemented with data 

from additional, detailed studies. The classification used in the WoRMS and the World Echinoid 

Database is that of Kroh & Smith (2010). 

With about 1,070 valid extant echinoid species known from the world oceans, sea urchins constitute a 

relatively small group compared to other echinoderms. Only extant crinoids are less diverse than 

echinoids. However, in the fossil record things look different, with echinoids and crinoids dominating 

while asteroids, ophiuroids, and holothuroids are less diverse. This shift in diversity patterns is due to 

differing lifestyles, skeletal construction, and concomitant biostratinomic and taphonomic pathways. 

The diversity of fossil Echinoidea vastly surpasses present sea urchin biodiversity. More than 10,000 

nominal species and 1,000 genera have been described. Although large numbers of these turn out to 

be junior synonyms, new species continue to be discovered. 

_____________________________________________________________________________ 


Endoparasitic bivalves in Philippine palaeopneustid sea urchins 

(Echinoidea: Spatangoida) 

Kroh, A. 1 , Mandic, O. 1 , Ziegler, A. 2 & Miskelly, A. 3 


andreas.kroh@nhm-wien.ac.at, oleg.mandic@nhm-wien.ac.at 

2 Institut für Immungenetik, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Thielallee 73, 14195 Berlin, Germany; 

E-mail: alexander.ziegler@charite.de 

3 9 Kirkwood Ave, Blackheath, NSW, Australia; E-mail: seaurchins1@optusnet.com.au 

Recently, a large number of Philippine upper shelf sea urchins (Echinodermata: Echinoidea) became 

available, presumably due to shifting of local fishing activity from over-exploited shallow water habitats 

to deeper areas. The use of tangle nets and bottom fishing accounts for a huge number of by-catch, 

including echinoids. The faunal spectrum recovered from these fishing nets is rather selective, 

consisting mainly of large and epifaunal species, while burrowing or small species are 

underrepresented. Among the echinoids recovered, members of the genus Plesiozonus (Irregularia: 

Spatangoida) are especially large, often exceeding 120 mm test length and are thus commonly 

collected by the fishermen. Previously, Plesiozonus species were known by very few specimens only. 

Consequently, little is known on their biology, ecology, and physiology. While cleaning specimens of 

Plesiozonus hirsutus, we discovered double-valved bivalves in their rectum. Our first assumption, 

namely that these animals were simply swallowed by the deposit-feeding sea urchins proved to be 

unlikely: in every specimen with preserved intestine, a single articulated bivalve was located close to 

the periproct and contained mummified tissue. This strongly suggested that the bivalves were actually 

living inside the intestine of the sea urchins, rather than having been accidentally swallowed during 

feeding. Considering the size of the bivalves, which approaches or exceeds that of the respective 

echinoid peristome, the latter possibility seems even less likely. The bivalves are characterized by an 

extremely thin shell as well as a reduced hinge region and represent yet unknown galeomatid or 

montacutid species. Both taxa are known to live in association with echinoderm hosts, mainly 

holothurians. From sea cucumbers, the minute endoparasite Entovalva mirabilis has been reported. In 

echinoids, endoparasitic bivalves have not yet been described, although three galeomatid species are 

known to live externally attached to the periproct of the spatangoid Brissus latecarinatus. We 

hypothesize that it is probably only a small evolutionary step from such a life style to an endoparasitic 

one. Especially so, as Entovalva has been observed to actively force its way back into the intestine of 

its holothurian host when artificially removed. 

_____________________________________________________________________________ 


Population genetics and phylogeography of Cylindrus obtusus 

(Gastropoda: Pulmonata: Helicidae) an endemic of the Austrian 

Alps 

Kruckenhauser, L., Haring E., Däubl, B. Cadahia, L., Zopp, L. & Sattmann, H. 

Museum of Natural History Vienna, Burgring 7, A-1010 Vienna, Austria 

E-mail: luise.kruckenhauser@nhm-wien.ac.at 

Cylindrus obtusus (Helicidae) is a hermaphroditic land snail, endemic in the Austrian Alps, which is 

restricted to high elevations (1600 to 2500 m asl) and limestone. As a specialist of high alpine rocky 

habitats, C. obtusus has a quite patchy distribution area which may become even further reduced in 

the future due to global warming. Previous investigations revealed geographic differences in the 

genital apparatus: All specimens from the more western populations had one stylophore and two 

equally developed mucus glands more than twice the length of the stylophore. In contrast, in 

individuals from the eastern margin of the species distribution one or two mucus glands were found 

and the size ratio between stylophore and mucus gland(s) was highly variable. To find out whether 

these anatomical differences reflect a genetic differentiation, which might be an indication for distinct 

glacial refugia, we investigated a 650 bp fragment of the COI sequence (200 individuals) and 9 

microsatellite loci (500 individuals from 29 populations) from samples covering the whole distribution 

range of the species. The COI sequences showed a geographic differentiation between eastern, 

central and western populations. However, genetic distances are small (max. 1.7 %). The 

microsatellite analysis reveals a high differentiation between the populations implying restriction of 

gene flow. The highest genetic variability was found in the central populations. Remarkable nearly all 

individuals from the eastern populations, which are variable in their genital morphology, are 

homozygous in all microsatellite loci (although different alleles were found within populations). The 

most plausible explanation for this finding is an altered mode of reproduction. Further investigations 

shall elucidate whether this lack of heterozygotes is caused by selfing and if so, why it occurs at such 

a high frequency. 

_____________________________________________________________________________ 


Genetic variation in brown trout Salmo trutta across the 

Danube, Rhine, and Elbe headwaters: a failure of the 

phylogeographic paradigm? 

Lerceteau-Köhler, E. 1 , Schliewen, U. 2 , Kopun. T. 1 & Weiss, S. 1 

1 Institute of Zoology, Karl-Franzens University Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, A-8010 Graz, Austria 

2 Department of Ichthyology, Bavarian State Collection of Zoology (ZSM), Münchhausenstr. 21, D- 

81247 München, Germany 

Population genetic screening (N = 97) of brown trout Salmo trutta across the Danube/Rhine/Elbe 

catchments of Austria and Bavaria revealed a counter-intuitive phylogeographic structure with near 

fixation of the Atlantic lineage in the Bavarian Danube. Along the Austrian Danube, phylogeographic 

markers (mtDNA and LDH-C1) revealed increasing percentages of Danube-specific alleles with 

downstream distance. Pure Danube lineage populations in Austria were rare, occurring as isolate 

relicts either within or on the edge of previously glaciated regions north, south, and east of the Alps, 

whereby unglaciated regions revealed high percentages of Atlantic lineage genotpyes. Both empirical 

data and simulated hybrid comparisons support that trout in non-glaciated regions of Austria have an 

admixed origin largely based on natural colonization from Atlantic basin watersheds. In contrast, most 

trout populations in glaciated regions of Austria south of the Alps revealed admixture based primarily 

on human-mediated release of hatchery strains. Despite the extensive use of Atlantic lineage hatchery 

strains in management, little evidence of first generation stocked fish or F1 hybrids between stocked 

and wild fish was found. 

The distribution pattern of the Atlantic and Danube lineages, as well as the clear signal of natural 

admixture is difficult to explain without invoking strong biological mechanisms in combination with a 

not-yet-visualized complex paleo-hydrological scenario. We conclude that the Atlantic lineage of 

brown trout is native to regions of the upper Danube and has been a very successful invader into 

unglaciated regions of the Austrian Danube north and east of the Alps, but there is no sign of its 

natural occurrence on the previously glaciated south slopes of the Alps. 

_____________________________________________________________________________ 


Microscopic and molecular analyses on digenean trematodes in 

red deer (Cervus elaphus). 

Liesinger, K. 1 , Haider, M. 2 , Hörweg, C. 3 , Pecavar, V. 4 , Walochnik, J. 4 & Sattmann, H. 3 

1 University of Vienna, Department of Anthropology, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna 

2 University of Vienna, Department of Genetics, Dr. Bohr- Gasse 9, 1030 Vienna 

3 Natural History Museum Vienna, 3. Zoological Department, Burgring 7, 1010 Vienna 

4 Department of Medical Parasitology, Institute of Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine, Medical 

University of Vienna, Kinderspitalgasse 15, 1095 Vienna 

e-mail: kliesinger@gmx.at 

Digenean trematodes are a large group of internal metazoan parasites that are characterized by a 

complex life cycle including mollusc and vertebrate hosts. This study focuses on trematodes of the red 

deer (Cervus elaphus) in the Danube backwater forests southeast of Vienna. Particular emphasis was 

given to the naturally occurring liver fluke Fasciola hepatica and the introduced American liver fluke 

Fascioloides magna and the species specific differentiation between these two species. The former is 

a pathogen of medical and veterinarian, the latter only of veterinarian relevance. 

Between May and November 2008, a F. magna-monitoring within the area of the “Nationalpark 

Donau-Auen” has been performed. Altogether, 158 deer faeces samples were collected from 13 sites. 

All samples were processed for microscopy with a modified Benedek sedimentation method and 

subsequently screened for trematode eggs. A collection of samples was chosen for molecular biology. 

109 samples were homogenized, the DNA was extracted by two different types of DNA-extraction kits 

and subjected to three different kinds of PCR (trematodes, F. magna, F. hepatica). Species-specific 

differentiation was achieved by sequencing. In 49 of 158 samples (31%) trematode eggs were found 

by microscopical means. Additionally, there were eggs found in six samples which could not be 

specified. With molecular methods, 35 of 109 samples (32%) showed positive results during PCRs. 

The most frequent trematode species were members of the family Fasciolidae (29 samples), followed 

by Paramphistomidae (eleven samples). One sample contained eggs of Dicrocoeliidae and eleven 

samples showed eggs/DNA of more than one trematode species. 

The overall trematode burden in the investigated area was 37%. This was not surprising concerning a 

naturally parasite load of wild living ruminants. However, the remarkably high percentage of positive F. 

magna samples points out the dangerous potential of an introduced parasite. No one sample was 

positive with F. hepatica. 

_____________________________________________________________________________ 


Echinoids from the Late Miocene-Early Pliocene & Pleistocene 

of Santa Maria Island, Azores 

Madeira, P. 1,2,3 , Kroh, A. 4 & Ávila, S.P. 2,3,5 

1 Centro do IMAR da Universidade dos Açores, 9901-862 Horta, Azores, Portugal; 

e-mail: tamissa@uac.pt 

2 MPB – Marine PalaeoBiogeography Working Group of the University of the Azores, Rua da Mãe de 

Deus, 9501-801 Ponta Delgada, Azores, Portugal 

3 Departamento de Biologia, Universidade dos Açores, 9501-801 Ponta Delgada, Azores, Portugal 

4 Natural History Museum Vienna, Department of Geology & Palaeontology, Burgring 7, 1010 Vienna, 

Austria; e-mail: andreas.kroh@nhm-wien.ac.at 

5 CIBIO - Pólo Açores, Departamento de Biologia, Universidade dos Açores, Rua Mãe de Deus, 9501- 

855 Ponta Delgada, Azores, Portugal; e-mail: sergio.pa.marques@azores.gov.pt 

The Azores is an archipelago composed of nine volcanic islands, located almost midway between the 

North American and European continents. In this relatively young island system, fossiliferous deposits 

are only found on the oldest island, Santa Maria. These strata are mainly Late Miocene to Early 

Pliocene in age. A second set of outcrops is associated with Pleistocene wave-cut platforms and 

presumably of Eemian age (Pleistocene). These deposits are relatively small, outcropping mostly in 

the coastal areas, and consist of lithic sandstones and carbonates intercalated by volcanic material, 

testifying periods of relative calm between intensive volcanic activity, during the formation of the 

island. During the international workshops ‘Palaeontology in the Atlantic islands’ (2002, 2006–2009), 

new echinoid material was collected, mainly composed of disarticulated fragmented skeletal material. 

The echinoid fauna found in the Mio-Pliocene outcrops of Santa Maria island, is dominated by tropical 

shallow waters taxa (Eucidaris tribuloides, Echinoneus cf. cyclostomus, Clypeaster altus, Meoma ? 

sp.), all locally disappeared with the exception of the temperate species Echinocyamus pusillus. 

Additionally, remains of two undetermined species of Echinocardium were also found. The Pleistocene 

material, in contrast, represents a fauna more typical of temperate waters: Arbacia lixula, 

Paracentrotus lividus and Sphaerechinus granularis. All three species are common present day 

inhabitants of Azorean rocky shores. In spite of the facies restriction and thus the palaeoenvironments 

preserved, it is clear that the fossiliferous deposits of the Santa Maria can aid in the understanding of 

how the fauna in this oceanic island system was shaped through time. 

_____________________________________________________________________________ 


Lichen diversity of Armenia 

Mayrhofer, H. 1 & Harutyunyan, S. 2 

1 Institut für Pflanzenwissenschaften, Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz, Holteigasse 6, 8010 Graz, e- 

mail: helmut.mayrhofer@uni-graz.at 

2 310 Lanthier, apt. 17, Pointe Claire QC, H9S 4G5, Canada, e-mail: h_shagane@yahoo.com 

The lichen mycota of Armenia has been poorly studied to date, especially when compared to the 

mycota of the other Caucasian countries Georgia and Azerbaijan. Only very few studies have been 

undertaken by Armenians like V. Nikogosyan in the Sixties and A. Abrahamyan in the Eighties but Sh. 

Barchalow from Azerbaijan has mentioned 195 species from Armenia in a series of papers dedicated 

to the Caucasus region in the Sixties of last century. The Czech lichenologist A. Vězda has visited the 

country and distributed some species in his famous exsiccate. The Czech naturalist V. Vašak and the 

Viennese botanist E. Vitek have collected specimens and deposited in the lichen herbaria GZU (Graz) 

and W (Vienna). In order to obtain more representative data about the lichen biodiversity a large range 

of habitats from low to high elevations and from dry to humid sites have been sampled. More than 900 

specimens have been collected in 2005 and 2006 containing 246 taxa, of which 114 have been new 

for Armenia (Harutyunyan & Mayrhofer 2009). In addition a phylogenetic study of black fungi inhabiting 

lichens from seasonally arid habitats in Armenia has been carried out (Harutyunyan et al. 2009). 

Based on a comprehensive evaluation of the literature (more than 50 publications), herbarium and 

field studies, Armenia has an actually known diversity of c. 400 species. Crustose saxicolous taxa 

dominate, which is in accordance with the dry climate and mountainous nature of the country. 

A catalogue is in preparation which includes information regarding references, localities placed under 

provinces, ecology and herbarium specimens as a solid basis for further inventories or taxonomic 

projects in this country. 

Harutyunyan, S. & Mayrhofer, H. 2009. A contribution to the lichen mycota of Armenia. – Bibliotheca 

Lichenologica 100: 137–156. 

Harutyunyan, S., Muggia, L. & Grube, M. 2009. Black fungi in lichens from seasonally arid habitats. – Studies in 

Mycology 61: 83–90. 

_____________________________________________________________________________ 


Systematics and cryptic species in lichenized fungi 

Muggia, L. & Grube, M. 

Institute of Plant Sciences, Karl-Franzens-University Graz, Holteigasse 6, 8010 Graz, Austria, 

e-mail: lucia.muggia@uni-graz.at, lucia_muggia@hotmail.com, martin.grube@uni-graz.at 

In lichen systematics the naming of species results from their accurate delimitation based on 

morphological and, increasingly, on phylogenetic data. During the last years several studies have 

presented multilocus phylogenetic analyses that elucidated the identity of many sterile lichen species, 

or conclusively placed morphologically well known taxa to well defined phylogenetic groups. The 

microfilamentous lichens Cystocoleus ebeneus and Racodium rupestre were confirmed to be 

ascomycetes belonging to the Dothideomycetidae but not close to lichenized members within the 

subclass. Similarly, the genus Normandina turned out to be a monophyletic group within the 

Verrucariaceae. Morphological and phylogenetic species concepts complement each other. In-depth 

molecular studies focusing on critical lichen groups often reveal the presence of cryptic species 

forming well defined phylogenetic clades and result in the description of new taxa. However, the 

phylogenetic species concept should also be carefully considered when applied to cosmopolitan 

lichens which exhibit a high degree of morphological diversity, such as species constituting the 

Tephromela atra complex. In such cases what might appear to be clear genetic differentiation at a 

small scale may dissolve when the sampling is extended to wider geographic areas, owing to ongoing 

genetic differentiation and/or incomplete lineage sorting. 

Muggia, L., Grube, M., Tretiach, M. 2008. A combined molecular and morphological approach to species 

delimitation in black-fruited, endolithic Caloplaca: high genetic and low morphological diversity, Mycological 

Research, 112, 36-49. 

Muggia, L., Grube, M., Tretiach, M. 2008. Genetic diversity and photobiont association in selected taxa of the 

Tephromela atra group (Lecanorales, lichenized Ascomycota), Mycological Progress, 7, 147-160. 

Muggia, L., Gueidan, C., Grube, M. 2010. Phylogenetic placement of some morphologically unusual member of 

Verrucariaceae, Mycologia, 102, 835-846. 

Muggia, L., Gueidan, C., Perlmutter, G.B., Eriksson, O.E., Grube, M. 2009. Molecular data confirm the position of 

Flakea papillata in the Verrucariaceae, Bryologist, 15, 538-543. 

Muggia, L., Hafellner, J., Wirtz, N., Hawksworth, D.L., Grube, M. 2008. The sterile microfilamentous lichenized 

fungi Cystocoleus ebeneus and Racodium rupestre are relatives of plant pathogens and clinically important 

dothidealean fungi, Mycological Research, 112, 50-56. 

_____________________________________________________________________________ 


Species evolution in lichen symbiosis: Tephromela atra species- 

complex as a model study 

Muggia, L. & Grube, M. 

Institute of Plant Sciences, Karl-Franzens-University Graz, Holteigasse 6, 8010 Graz, Austria, 

e-mail: lucia.muggia@uni-graz.at, lucia_muggia@hotmail.com, martin.grube@uni-graz.at 

Lichens constitute one of the most wide-spread fungal symbioses. However, the contribution of 

symbiotic relationships to species diversification is still under-investigated among this group of fungi. 

Lichenized fungi (mycobionts) depend on their association with an algal partner to form the symbiotic 

structure. These fungi are found only in the lichenized stage, and therefore represent interesting 

models to address questions of evolution under symbiotic conditions. The classification of lichens 

relies largely on morphology, but many species are heterogeneous and represent unresolved species 

complexes. In these cases the morphological classification fails to resolve species complexes and 

identify uniform species. Furthermore, species complexes prevent the understanding to what extent 

mycobiont genotypes correlate with photobiont selectivity. We investigate the genetic aspects of the 

symbiotic speciation of lichens using taxa belonging to the cosmopolitan Tephromela atra species 

complex as models. Tephromela atra has been considered as a phenotypically and ecologically 

plastic, cosmopolitan species occurring on diverse substrata. It is an example par excellence for a 

lichen species complex in Europe with taxa that were controversially considered as varieties or 

species. Further, the association of Tephromela atra with different photobiont species could indicate a 

certain degree of selectivity or specificity for the algal partners in diverse habitats, and can play a 

determinant role in speciation processes. 

Ahmadjian, V. 1967. A guide to the algae occurring as lichen symbionts: isolation, culture, cultural physiology, and 

identification, Phycologia, 6, 127-160. 

Muggia, L., Grube, M., Tretiach, M. 2008. Genetic diversity and photobiont associations in selected taxa of the 

Tephromela atra group (Lecanorales, lichenised Ascomycota), Mycological Progress, 7, 147-160. 

Muggia, L., Rabensteiner, J., Zellnig, G., Grube, M. 2010. Morphological and phylogenetic study of algal partners 

associated with the lichen-forming fungus Tephromela atra from the Mediterranean region, Symbiosis, 51, 

149-160. 

_____________________________________________________________________________ 


Photobiont association and genetic diversity of the optionally 

lichenized fungus Schizoxylon albescens 

Muggia, L. 1 , Baloch, E. 2 , Stabentheiner, E. 1 , Grube, M. 1 & Wedin, M. 3 

1 Institute of Plant Sciences, Karl-Franzens-University Graz, Holteigasse 6, 8010 Graz, Austria, 

e-mail: lucia.muggia@uni-graz.at, lucia_muggia@hotmail.com. 

2 Jodrell Laboratory, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 3AB, UK 

3 Cryptogamic Botany, The Swedish Museum of Natural History, P.O. Box 50007, SE-104 05 

Stockholm, Sweden 

The fungus Schizoxylon albescens occurs both as lichen and as saprobe. Lichenized colonies grow 

on bark of Populus tremula, saprotrophic morphs grow on dead Populus branches. We wanted to (i) 

test if lichenized and saprotrophic Schizoxylon albescens are genetically distinct, (ii) investigate 

photobiont association and diversity, (iii) investigate interactions between fungi and algae that occur 

during co-cultivation, (iiii) test if Schizoxylon shows algal selectivity during the lichenization. Fungal 

and algal genetic diversity were investigated for three markers. Algae from lichenized thalli were 

isolated in axenic cultures, and the isolate sequence diversity was compared with the algae amplified 

directly from thallus fragments. Co-culture experiments of fungi and algae were performed to study 

morphological interaction patterns. Two distinct phylogenetic units are revealed in S. albescens, which 

are interpreted as phenotypically cryptic species. 

The algae are related to Coccomyxa and Pseudococcomyxa, and form two distinct sister-clades 

separating samples isolated in cultures from those amplified directly from thallus fragments, indicating 

that more easily cultured strains of algae are not necessarily major components of the lichens. 

Schizoxylon albescens interacts with isolated algal strains, similarly to fungal-Coccomyxa-symbioses 

in nature. As the system is maintained without difficulty in culture, it can potentially be an easily 

controlled lichen symbiosis study system under lab conditions. 

_____________________________________________________________________________ 


Quantifying evolution – paleolake mollusks from the Dinaride 

Lake System (Middle Miocene, Sinj Basin, SE Croatia) 

Neubauer, T.A., Mandic, O. & Harzhauser, M. 

Department of Geology and Paleontology, Natural History Museum Vienna, Burgring 7, 1010 Vienna, 

Austria 

e-mail: thomas@indmath.uni-linz.ac.at, oleg.mandic@nhm-wien.ac.at, 

mathias.harzhauser@nhm-wien.ac.at 

The present investigation deals with the mollusk evolutionary patterns and environmental change in a 

lower Middle Miocene succession in the Sinj Basin (Dalmatia, SE Croatia) reflecting the depositional 

history of a long-lived freshwater lake. Despite its mature investigation stage, an analysis of a 

quantified mollusk record, providing insight into species contributions, taxonomic relationships and the 

nature of the morphologic changes, is completely missing up to now. 

The taxonomic diversification of freshwater gastropods and its connection with morphologic disparity 

events are documented for a ca. 100-m-thick section representing the topmost infill of the Sinj Basin. 

Based on the available age model, these alterations occur extremely fast on a millennial scale, re- 

proving the significance of long-lived lakes for evolutionary research. Furthermore, the simultaneity of 

morphologic shifts in systematically independent taxa suggests them to be tightly linked to 

environmental changes. Most probably, climatic fluctuations leading to variations in lake-level and 

habitat types are the driving factors for these radiation events. 

The study provides statistical treatment of quantified samples accompanied by a taxonomic revision of 

the taxa. Additionally, based on the mollusk distribution a paleoenvironmental interpretation is given, 

supported by sedimentological data and previous palynological analysis. Actually, it supports previous 

results of the section’s division into two limestone-coal cycles, grading from shallow intermediate- 

energy settings with high freshwater input via fossil-poor transgressive limestones to shallow low- 

energy conditions, resulting finally in a total lake drought at the section top. 

The discussion will focus on the evolutionary lines of four species, two of Melanopsis and two of 

Prososthenia. All four species appear almost continuously and can be divided into several 

morphotypes based on different sculpture features; in some cases also size plays a role. It will be 

demonstrated that the morphs occur sequentially, each more or less limited to a special interval. 

Moreover, the changes in morphology appear at the same time in different taxa. 

_____________________________________________________________________________ 


Biology and phylogeny of the Ophrys tenthredinifera species 

group in Crete 

Rakosy, D. & Paulus, H.F. 

Univ. Wien, Department of Evolutionary Biology 

e-mail: hannes.paulus@univie.ac.at 

The species of the genus Ophrys rely on sexual deception for pollinator attraction, imitating the 

complex olfactory, visual and tactile cues of their pollinator’s females in order to attract males. This 

plant – pollinator relationship is highly specific, allowing for strong prezygotic isolation of Ophrys 

species, coupled with comparatively week postzygotic isolation mechanisms. The occurrence of 

hybrids and the high morphological variability of most species, have led to a confusing classification 

system of the genus. This is also the case of the newly described species complex Ophrys 

tenthredinifera. Till recently there was only one species (Op. villosa DESFONTAINES 1807) or 

subspecies (Op. tenthredinifera subsp. villosa WILLDENOW 1805) described from the eastern Medi- 

terranean basin. Delforge (2005) describes, based mainly on phenological and morphological criteria, 

3 new species for the region: Op. Ulyssea (Ionian Islands), Op. leochroma (Egean Islands) and Op. 

dyctinnae (Crete). A fourth new species Op. dimidiata has been recently descoverd in Crete. Due to 

the absence of evident morphological differences, because of high interspecific variability the 

taxonomic status of these taxa has been questioned. 

The present study employs genetic fingerprinting, biotests and morphometry to investigate the 

strength of prezygotic reproductive isolation (based on pollinator specificity) and genetic separateness 

of the four taxa occurring in Crete: Op. dyctinnae, Op. leochroma, Op. dimidiata and Op. villosa. Using 

classic morphometric analysis we attempt to identify reliable traits for species delimitation. At this 

moment only partial results are available, these being mainly the results from pollinator experiments 

and partial results from morphometrics. From the four occurring species, only three could be analyzed, 

as Op. villosa seems to be extremely rare in Crete. Pollinator experiments indicate that these three 

species are indeed reproductively isolated from each other, with only few cases where one Ophrys 

species attracted two different pollinators. Additionally, it became apparent that in several locations 

two or all three species occurred sympatrically. The molecular analysis will have to confirm the species 

delimitation drawn by pollinator experiments, thus certifying the species status of these taxa. 

_____________________________________________________________________________ 


Oil gland chemistry as a source of novel taxonomic characters 

in glandulate Oribatida (Acari) 

Raspotnig, G. 

Institute of Zoology, Karl-Franzens University Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, 8010 Graz, Austria, 

e-mail: guenther.raspotnig@uni-graz.at 

Oil glands (syn. opisthonotal glands) constitute the major exocrine system in oribatid and astigmatid 

mites. These glands are present in many different character states in more than 15.000 species. 

According to current ideas, oil glands evolved only once in ancient oribatids several hundred million 

years ago and represent an important synapomorphic character of the “glandulate” Oribatida (= the 

four more derivative cohorts of Oribatida [Parhyposomata, Mixonomata, Desmonomata, Brachypylina] 

and the Astigmata). Moreover, oil glands produce multicomponent secretions that have been proven 

valuable complex data for phylogenetic studies on different taxonomic levels. 1) With respect to 

oribatid gross taxonomy, major evolutionary traits are reflected by oil gland chemistry: The (primitive) 

Parhyposomata are characterized by phenols and naphthols while distinct sets of terpenes and 

aromatics (so-called “Astigmata-compounds”) are considered to have evolved stepwise within ancient 

mixonomatans, now characterizing all rectant taxa above middle-derivative Mixonomata (i.e., higher 

Mixonomata, Desmononata, Brachypylina and the Astigmata). In these terms, the evolutionary origin 

of Astigmata within Oribatida is strongly supported by chemical data. In some of the groups mentioned 

above, the “Astigmata-compounds” have again been reduced and replaced by novel components such 

as iridoid monoterpenes in some Euphthiracaroidea (Mixonomata) or by alkaloids in some groups of 

Brachypylina. 2) In addition, regarding oribatid alpha-taxonomy, species- or even population-specific 

secretion patterns have already successfully been applied to the delineation of phyletic lines within 

species complexes or even led to the discovery of cryptic species. 

In all, about 100 different oil gland secretion components have already been identified. Another 200 - 

so far unknown - components await their structural elucidation. I here summarize the importance of oil 

gland secretions profiles as independent character sets for modern integrative taxonomic studies in 

the Oribatida. 

_____________________________________________________________________________ 


Middle Miocene holothurians (Echinodermata) from the Vienna 

Basin (Austria) 

Reich, M. 1,2 & Kroh, A. 3 

1 Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Museum, Sammlungen & Geopark, Goldschmidtstr. 1-5, 

D-37077 Göttingen, Germany; E-mail: mreich@gwdg.de 

2 Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Abt. Geobiologie, Goldschmidtstr. 3, D-37077 Göttingen, 

Germany 



Compared to other modern echinoderm groups, the evolutionary history of holothurians is poorly 

understood, owing to their preservation almost exclusively as microfossils. In comparison to older 

strata, the Cenozoic fossil record of sea cucumbers is particularly scarce. This is in stark contrast to 

most other invertebrate groups, in which the fossil record tends to improve with declining age. 

The Central Paratethys (Europe) is one of the most intensely studied Neogene basins and has yielded 

a rich echinoderm fauna including representatives of all modern echinoderm classes. Unfortunately, 

most of the holothurian sclerites reported from that area by previous authors have been lost. Here we 

present new data based on a survey of old micropalaeontological samples (second half of the 19 th 

century), deposited in the Natural History Museum of Vienna, as well as new samples collected from 

deposits rich in echinoderm remains. The samples studied derive from silty clays and marls from the 

Austrian part of the Vienna Basin and are Badenian (= Langhian to Early Serravallian) in age. The 

samples were processed to preserve the fine fractions needed for the successful recovery of 

holothurian sclerites. Out of more than twenty-five samples, only two yielded well preserved 

holothurian echinoderms. 

At least ten biological species of the Molpadiida (Molpadiidae), Dendrochirotida, Aspidochirotida 

(Holothuriidae), Apodida (Synaptidae, Chiridotidae, and Myriotrochidae) could be documented in form 

of sclerites from the body wall, as well as calcareous ring elements. Especially the classic ‘Badener 

Tegel’-samples of Baden near Wien (former brickyards between Baden and Sooss) yielded 

exceptionally well-preserved material. Infaunal molpadiid representatives dominate the faunal 

holothurian association of the ‘Badener Tegel’. This includes the first fossil record of small amorphous 

ferric phosphatic dermal granules, which are typical for members of the Molpadiidae and a unique 

biomineralogical phenomenon for the Echinodermata as a whole. 

_____________________________________________________________________________ 


The endosymbiont Wolbachia in fruit flies of the genus 

Rhagoletis: Horizontal transfer and impact in speciation 

Schuler, H. 

Institute of Forest Entomology, Department of Forest and Soil Sciences, Boku, University of Natural 

Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria 

e-mail: hannes.schuler@boku.ac.at 

Wolbachia is an endosymbiotic bacteria present in up to 65% of all insects. Wolbachia infections are 

described in all major insect orders. This bacterium manipulates the reproduction and causes male- 

killing, parthenogenesis, feminization and cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI). The most common effect is 

CI, an incompatibility between sperm and egg caused by crossing of infected males with uninfected 

females. This incompatibility can lead to a reduction of gene flow in a population and hence lead to 

reproductive isolation. 

The Apple Maggot R. pomonella has been the focus of sympatric speciation over more than a century. 

In the middle of the 19 th century a population shifted from the native host hawthorn to the newly 

introduced apple. These populations are ecologically and genetically different. Different Wolbachia- 

infections were found in the two host species and potential impact in speciation will be discussed. 

The Eastern Cherry Fruit Fly, R. cingulata, infests different Prunus species. Native to North America, 

this species was introduced to Europe in the 1980ies where it coexists with the European Cherry Fruit 

Fly Rhagoletis cerasi. R. cerasi, is an established field model species for multiple Wolbachia infections 

and CI. Two strains of R. cerasi were detected in R. cingulata and a potential horizontal Wolbachia 

transfer will be discussed. 

_____________________________________________________________________________ 


Miocene dinoflagellate cysts as links between taxonomy and oil 

industry 

Soliman, A. 1 , Harzhauser, M. 2 , Kern, A.K. 2 & Piller, W.E 1 

1 Institute of Earth Sciences, Geology and Palaeontology, University of Graz, Heinrichstrasse 26, A- 

8010 Graz, Austria, ali.soliman@uni-graz.at 

2 Department of Geology and Paleontology, Natural History Museum Vienna, Burgring 7, 1010 Vienna, 

Austria 

At about 11.6 Ma a glacioeustatic sea-level drop caused the final disintegration of the Paratethys Sea, 

and Lake Pannon arose in the Pannonian basin system. The benthic ecosystem collapsed at that 

point and marine life completely vanished. The lake was initially brackish, slowly freshening and 

slightly alkaline. Lake Pannon attained a maximum length of 860 km (from the Karlovac Basin close to 

Zagreb in the west to the Transylvanian Basin in Romania in the east) and a width of 550 km (from the 

Vienna Basin in the north to Belgrade in the south). It covered an area of c. 290,000 km 2 . The lake 

was highly structured by numerous islands and mountain ranges. Its maximum water depth may have 

reached 800 m in its central part but less than 200 m elsewhere. The aberrant water chemistry and the 

decline of marine taxa gave rise to the evolution of an impressive assemblage of dinoflagellate cysts. 

Whilst the dinoflagellate cyst assemblages are fairly similar to assemblages recorded from adjacent 

areas during the Middle Miocene, the assemblage is nearly fully endemic thereafter in Lake Pannon. 

Simultaneously, the high diversity of 126 taxa declines strongly to about 40 taxa. The paleoecological 

interpretation of the dinoflagellate assemblages in Lake Pannon is complex. Most taxa have roots in 

marine ancestors, which became adapted to brackish water conditions of Lake Pannon with the onset 

of the Late Miocene. Therefore, a straightforward comparison with congeneric open marine taxa is 

difficult. A more promising source for comparison are the marine-derived assemblages from the Black 

Sea, the Marmara Sea, the Caspian Sea, the Aral Sea and some adjacent lakes. 

This endemism is reflected by the absence of cosmopolitan taxa and the appearance and dominance 

of new morphotypes. Well studied examples are Spiniferites bentorii and Impagidinium sphaericum 

and their allies. Both taxa exhibit, an enormous morphological variability within Lake Pannon. This 

variability has been used to introduce several endemic species/subspecies. These taxa are probably 

mere eco-morphotypes and are difficult to define as systematic units. Nevertheless, they are valuable 

tools for Pannonian stratigraphy. A typical application is their use in biostratigraphic correlations of well 

cores in the Pannonian Basin by oil companies. Thus, despite the problematic taxonomic status of 

many of these morphotypes, their applicability in industry is obvious. 

This study is financially supported by FWF-project no. P 21414-B16 and the Austrian Academy of 

Sciences / Commission for the Paleontological and Stratigraphical Research of Austria. 

_____________________________________________________________________________ 


Clypeasteroid echinoids of the Indian Subcontinent 

Srivastava, D.K. 1 & Kroh, A. 2 

1 Department of Geology, Centre of Advanced Study, University of Lucknow, Lucknow – 226 007, 

India, sirdkdr@gmail.com 

2 Naturhistorisches Museum Wien, Geologie & Paläontologie, Burgring 7, 1010 Wien, Austria, 


Clypeasteroid echinoids are common members of shallow benthic habitats in late Eocene to modern 

echinoid faunas of the tropical and warm temperate zones. Due to their high fossilization potential, 

they have an exceptionally good fossil record and have been intensely studied in the past. From the 

Indian subcontinent, clypeasteroids have been recorded by Grant (1837), Duncan & Sladen (1882-86) 

and a number of subsequent authors. Many of these records, however, lack proper stratigraphical 

information and data on associated taxa. 

We are currently revising the clypeasteroid taxa documented from the Indian Subcontinent based on 

the type material housed at the Geological Survey of India, as well as new material collected from the 

field by one of us (DKS). Clypeasteroid diversity is low in the Eocene, rises in the Oligocene and 

reaches a peak in the Early Miocene of the Indian subcontinent. From the Early Miocene onwards, 

clypeasteroid and echinoid diversity as a whole drops to comparatively low levels in the Pliocene. 

Many of the taxa reported previously from the Eocene, actually derive from Oligocene deposits 

records. The genus Clypeaster, for example, does not occur in the Indian Eocene at all, despite 

several previous records stating the contrary. The Eocene deposits, so far, yielded only 

representatives of Echinocyamus and the enigmatic fibulariid Tridium. Clypeaster is the most diverse 

of the Indian clypeasteroid genera, being represented by almost 20 species in the Indian Cenozoic. In 

the Miocene a second group becomes important – the astriclypeids, with forms that share 

characteristics of the two astriclypeid genera Amphiope and Echinodiscus. 

_____________________________________________________________________________ 


Mining lichen diversity: systematics as a framework for 

identifying ‘known unknowns’ in Alaska (U.S.A.) 

Spribille, T. 1 , Pérez-Ortega, S. 2 , Tønsberg, T. 3 & Schirokauer, D. 

1 Institute of Plant Sciences, Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz, Holteigasse 6, A-8010 Graz, Austria, 

toby.spribille@uni-graz.at 

2 Instituto de Recursos Naturales, Centro de Ciencias Medioambientales CSIC, E-28006 Madrid, 

Spain 

3 Museum of Natural History, University of Bergen, Allégt. 41, P.O. Box 7800, N-5020 Bergen, Norway 

4 Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park, P.O. Box 517, Broadway & Second, Skagway, AK 99840, 

U.S.A. 

Lichens are a species-rich group of symbiotic organisms found in every ecosystem on the planet. 

Relatively few areas of the globe have had the benefit of comprehensive lichen inventories and many 

species remain to be discovered. In a recent project in southeast Alaska (U.S.A.) we inventoried 

lichens and lichen-dwelling parasitic fungi in the 53 km 2 Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park, 

largely without the benefit of a written flora and consolidated identification keys. We documented a 

total of 766 species, the largest ever found for a comparable study area in the New World (Spribille et 

al. 2010). More remarkably, fully 10% of the documented species were either new to science or in a 

category we called ‘known unknowns’ – species with an identity but currently without a name, for a 

variety of reasons. Lichen inventory in poorly known regions is an exercise in observational feedback 

that requires an organic interaction with applied systematics and a deep knowledge of the global 

literature dataset. It is critical that the nuances of the systematic decision-making process are 

explained to conservationists and land managers with an eye to fully accounting for biodiversity and 

adequately protecting species of unresolved taxonomic status. 

Spribille, T., Pérez-Ortega, S., Tonsberg, T., Schirokauer, D. 2010. Lichens and lichenicolous fungi of the 

Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park, Alaska, in a global biodiversity context. The Bryologist, 113, 439- 

515. 

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What are conodonts? 

Suttner, T.J. 1 

1 Austrian Academy of Sciences (CPSA) c/o University of Graz - Institute for Earth Sciences (Geology 

& Paleontology), Heinrichstrasse 26, A-8010 Graz, e-mail: thomas.suttner@uni-graz.at 

Conodonts are a group of extinct marine organisms that are divided into Proto-, Para- and 

Euconodonta. Commonly fossil remains are represented by 0.5-4-mm sized discrete elements 

consisting of apatite. These elements were in use as biostratigraphic tool for Palaeozoic to low 

Mesozoic strata long before the first “conodont-animal” was discovered (Briggs et al., 1983). As soon 

as fused conodont clusters, bedding plane or natural assemblages were known, it became obvious 

that several element types (S, M and P elements) belong to distinctive apparatuses. Since its 

discovery by Pander in 1856 about 284 genera are described, which result in more than 3000 species. 

Until now the phylogeny of conodonts is still controversial. 

Szaniawski (2002) discussed the chemical composition and anatomical similarity of simple cone 

elements of protoconodonts in comparison with spines of the grasping apparatus of chaetognaths. On 

the basis of molecular investigations he concluded that chaetognaths should have originated at about 

the same time as protoconodonts, and that protoconodonts of the lineage of Phakelodus probably 

formed a stem group of chaetognaths. In contrast, Euconodonta are considered as early vertebrates 

probably being more derived than hagfish or lamprey (Donoghue and Purnell, 2005). This is based on 

about 13 natural assemblages of Euconodonta from Scotland, South Africa and Canada. Specimens 

are about 4-10-cm large, elongate, possessing a head with eyes, extrinsic eye muscles, a notochord, 

chevron-shaped muscle blocks, a caudal fin, features that they share with jawless vertebrates. But 

they also possess a mineralized dermal skeleton, which is considered as gnathostome apomorphy. 

That shows that within the Conodonta fossil groups of different origin might be lumped and that 

Euconodonta may be more closely related to living jawed vertebrates rather than to lampreys. The 

only way to learn more about the true nature of conodonts is the discovery of additional natural 

assemblages and the examination of diagenetic processes affecting hard and soft tissue during 

fossilization (e.g. solution of calcium carbonate, emplacement of phosphate). 

Briggs, D.E.G., Clarkson, E.N.K., Aldridge, R.J. 1983. The conodont animal, Lethaia, 16, 1-14. 

Donoghue, P.C.J., Purnell, M.A. 2005. Genome duplication, extinction and vertebrate evolution. TRENDS in 

Ecology and Evolution, 20, 312-319. 

Szaniawski, H. 2002. New evidence for the protoconodont origin of chaetognaths, Acta Palaeontologica Polonica, 

47, 405-419. 

_____________________________________________________________________________ 


Morphological and genetic analysis of moss-dwelling 

tardigrades 

Übelleitner, B. & Weiss, S. 

1 Institute of Zoology, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, 8010 Graz, bybeatecom@yahoo.de 

Tardigrades, or water bears, are a diverse phylum of microscopic invertebrates that have existed since 

the Cambrian. They are especially noted for being polyextremophilic existing both in hot springs as 

well as in solid ice. They are among the few organisms capable of suspending metabolism and 

entering a state of cryptobiosis. To date there are approximately 1000 described species although it is 

widely recognized that the group has attracted little research attention and their diversity is thus vastly 

underestimated. The armored tardigrades, or Heterotardigrades, have morphological characteristics 

such as cephalic appendages, cuticular extensions, claws and the pattern of dorsal cuticular plates, 

whereas the main characteristics of the naked tardigrades (Eutardigrade) are claws, the 

buccopharyngeal apparatus and a cuticle structure, which can be smooth, granulated or bearing 

tubercles. The phrase "naked" refers to the absence of cuticular dorsal plates, which are present in 

Heterotardigrada. We investigated a total of 192 moss samples from both man-made (botanical 

gardens) and natural habitats (Graz vicinity) for the presence of tardigrades. From a total of 88 moss 

samples with tardigrades, 104 individual slide preparations were made for morphological evaluation. 

Nearly all preparations (N = 103) could be assigned to the genus level, whereby 59 individuals were 

assigned to one of six species. An additional four species were determined with the aid of an mtDNA 

sequence (COI gene). Eutardigrades dominated the collected moss samples with Macrobiotus as the 

most frequent genus and Macrobiotus cf. hufelandi (N = 47) as the most common species. 

Macrobiotus cf. hufelandi was found at different altitudinal levels in Styria, whereas other species were 

only found in specific locations. There was no apparent species-specific relationship between moss 

and tardigrade taxa and there was no apparent relationship between the colonization of tardigrades 

and various man-made substrates within the botanical gardens. Further molecular genetic analysis 

was hindered by the extreme divergence of the group, and thus lack of universal primers for species- 

level identification. Based on our own phylogenetic reconstruction of available GenBank sequences it 

is clear that the current systematic and taxonomic assignment of tardigrades requires substantial 

revision. 

_____________________________________________________________________________ 


Is Babesia still Babesia? 

Walochnik, J. & Aspöck, H. 

Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of 

Vienna, Kinderspitalgasse 15, 1090 Vienna, e-mail: julia.walochnik@meduniwien.ac.at 

The babesias belong to the Apicomplexa (Alveolata; Eukaryota), as do the causative agents of 

malaria. Likewise they also parasitize red blood cells of vertebrates. Human babesiosis is a zoonosis 

transmitted by ixodid ticks, in which the relevant hosts are bovines, other mammals, and also birds. 

Most human cases are caused either by Babesia divergens, which occurs exclusively in Europe, or B. 

microti, which mainly occurs in the northeastern eastern parts of the USA. 

In 1888 the Romanian pathologist Victor Babes described Haematococcus bovis, a blood parasite of 

cattle. Later he found a similar parasite in the blood of sheep and named it H. ovis. One year after 

Babes’ first description, Smith and Kilbourne, described Pyrosoma bigeminum (later re-described as 

Piroplasma bigeminum) isolated from blood specimens of cattle suffering from Texas fever. Finally, the 

genus Babesia was established by Starcovici in 1893, uniting B. bovis and B. ovis, and later also 

including B. bigemina. 

Meanwhile, more than 100 species have been described, mainly according to their respective 

vertebrate hosts. In the past years, however, the validity of many species has been questioned and 

also new species have been described, including B. venatorum, Herwaldt et al. 2003 and B. duncani 

Conrad et al. 2006, both isolated from humans. Moreover, it has been shown that B. microti is more 

closely related to the genus Theileria than to other Babesia species. According to molecular data, five 

distinct groups can be discriminated within the Piroplasmidae: Babesia sensu stricto I, Babesia sensu 

stricto II, Babesia microti group, Theileria-like group and Theileria sensu stricto. 

Three cases of human babesiosis have been described in Austria, two caused by to the newly 

described species B. venatorum (Herwaldt et al. 2003, Gattringer et al. in preparation) and one by B. 

microti (Ramharter et al. 2010). 

Herwaldt, B.L., Cacciò, S., Gherlinzoni, F., Aspöck, H., Slemenda, S.B., Piccaluga, P., Martinelli, G., Edelhofer, 

R., Hollenstein, U., Poletti, G., Pampiglione, S., Löschenberger, K., Tura, S., Pieniazek, N.J. .2003. Molecular 

characterization of a non-Babesia divergens organism causing zoonotic babesiosis in Europe, Emerg. Infect. 

Dis., 9, 942-948. 

Ramharter, M., Walochnik, J., Lagler, H., Winkler, S., Wernsdorfer, W.H., Stoiser, B., Graninger, W. 2010. Clinical 

and Molecular Characterization of a Near Fatal Case of Human Babesiosis in Austria, J. Travel Med., Epub 

ahead of print. 

_____________________________________________________________________________ 


Is there independent anatomical support for the Odontophora 

(Echinoidea: Echinoida)? 

Ziegler, A. 1 & Kroh, A. 2 

1 Institut für Immungenetik, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Thielallee 73, 14195 Berlin, Germany; 

E-mail: alexander.ziegler@charite.de 



The taxon Odontophora has recently been established and comprises camarodont sea urchins with a 

distinct skeletal protrusion on the epiphysis. This process, termed tooth support, lies on the adaxial 

edge of the wing of the epiphysis and flanks the proximal part of the sea urchin tooth at the point 

where the plumula merges with the solid tooth shaft. Although the function of the tooth support is still 

unknown, it constitutes a skeletal feature that can be easily observed both in fossil as well as extant 

material and could therefore be useful for classification purposes. Originally, three taxa are included in 

the Odontophora: the Echinometridae, the Strongylocentrotidae, and the Toxopneustidae. Although 

closely related to the former taxa, the Parasaleniidae, the Parechinidae, and the Echinidae were 

excluded based on the absence of a tooth support as well as other characters. Here, we try to show 

whether the hypothetical grouping based on a cladistic analysis on the family level also holds true on 

the genus level. We combined classical dissection and SEM imaging of skeletal structures with µCT 

imaging of whole specimens, thereby improving our understanding of the position and potential 

function of the tooth support. Representatives of almost all extant genera of the Odontophora were 

examined. Further results, acquired using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), strongly indicate that 

there is indeed independent anatomical support for the taxon Odontophora, as exemplified by the 

presence of highly specialised protractor muscles present in the Echinometridae, the 

Strongylocentrotidae, and the Toxopneustidae. 

_____________________________________________________________________________ 


Sabine Agatha – Universität Salzburg 

sabine.agatha@sbg.ac.at 

Horst Aspöck – Medizinische Universität Wien 

horst.aspoeck@meduniwien.ac.at 

Teilnehmer 

Ulrike Aspöck – Naturhistorisches Museum Wien 

ulrike.aspoeck@nhm-wien.ac.at 

Gerhard Aubrecht – Biologiezentrum der Oberösterreichischen Landesmuseen 

g.aubrecht@landesmuseum.at 

Björn Berning – Oberösterreichische Landesmuseen 

b.berning@landesmuseum.at 

Dan L. Danielopol – Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften 

ddanielo@oeaw.ac.at 

Barbara Däubl – Naturhistorisches Museum Wien 

barbara.daeubl@nhm-wien.ac.at 

Michael Duda – Naturhistorisches Museum Wien 

michael.duda@nhm-wien.ac.at 

Franz Essl – Umweltbundesamt 

franz.essl@umweltbundesamt.at 

Wilhelm Foissner – Universität Salzburg 

wilhelm.foissner@sbg.ac.at 

Petra Föttinger – Universität Graz 

petra.foettinger@uni-graz.at 

Anita Gamauf – Naturhistorisches Museum Wien 

anita.gamauf@nhm-wien.ac.at 

Johannes Gepp – Institut für Naturschutz, Graz 

j.gepp@naturschutzinstitut.at 

Elisabeth Geiser 

elisabethgeiser@hotmail.com 

Josef Greimler – Universität Wien 

greimler@univie.ac.at 

Martin Gross – Universalmuseum Joanneum 

martin.gross@museum-joanneum.at 

_____________________________________________________________________________ 


Elisabeth Haring – Naturhistorisches Museum Wien 

elisabeth.haring@nhm-wien.ac.at 

Josef Harl – Naturhistorisches Museum Wien 

josef.harl@nhm-wien.ac.at 

Mathias Harzhauser – Naturhistorisches Museum Wien 

mathias.harzhauser@nhm-wien.ac.at 

Dzenita Hasanacevic – Mycobacteriology and Clinical Molecular Biology, Vienna 

h_dzenita@hotmail.com 

Michael Heethoff – Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz 

michael@heethoff.de 

Christoph Hörweg – Naturhistorisches Museum Wien 

christoph.hoerweg@nhm-wien.ac.at 

Andrea Kern – Naturhistorisches Museum Wien 

andrea.kern@nhm-wien.ac.at 

Michaela Kerschbaumer – Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz 

michaela.kerschbaumer@uni-graz.at 

Erika Kido – Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz 

erikakido07@yahoo.co.jp 

Stephan Koblmüller – Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz 

stephan.koblmueller@uni-graz.at 

Andreas Kroh – Naturhistorisches Museum Wien 


Luise Kruckenhauser – Naturhistorisches Museum Wien 

luise.kruckenhauser@nhm-wien.ac.at 

Helmut Mayrhofer – Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz 

helmut.mayrhofer@uni-graz.at 

Lucia Muggia – Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz 

lucia.muggia@uni-graz.at 

Thomas Neubauer – Naturhistorisches Museum Wien 

thomas@indmath.uni-linz.ac.at 

Werner E. Piller – Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz 

werner.piller@uni-graz.at 

Demetra Rakosy – Universität Wien 

hannes.paulus@univie.ac.at 

_____________________________________________________________________________ 


Günther Raspotnig – Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz 

guenther.raspotnig@uni-graz.at 

Helmut Sattmann – Naturhistorisches Museum Wien 

helmut.sattmann@nhm-wien.ac.at 

Hannes Schuler – Universität für Bodenkultur, Wien 

hannes.schuler@boku.ac.at 

Ali Soliman – Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz 

ali.soliman@uni-graz.at 

Toby Spribille – Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz 

toby.spribille@uni-graz. 

Christian Sturmbauer – Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz 

christian.sturmbauer@uni-graz.at 

Thomas Suttner – Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften 

thomas.suttner@uni-graz.at 

Melanie Tista – Universität Wien 

melanie.tista@univie.ac.at 

Beate Übelleitner – Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz 

bybeatecom@yahoo 

Julia Walochnik – Medizinische Universität Wien 

julia.walochnik@meduniwien.ac.at 

Steven Weiss – Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz 

steven.weiss@uni-graz.at 

Dominique Zimmermann – Naturhistorisches Museum Wien 

dominique.zimmermann@nhm-wien.ac.at 

_____________________________________________________________________________

4. Jahrestagung von NOBIS Austria 2. - 3. Dezember 2010

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