Natural History Museum of Geneva

Understanding how evolutionary history and ecological pressures shape plant chemical diversity is central to ecology and evolution, yet it remains unclear whether metabolomic data can reliably detect fine-scale, intraspecific divergence, particularly in morphologically cryptic taxa. While metabolomics has revealed broad patterns of chemical evolution across lineages, its power to resolve genetically structured variation within species is still underexplored. Here, we investigated the alpine Primula auricula complex, a morphologically uniform but genetically subdivided taxon distributed across the Alps. Using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry, we profiled the metabolomes of individuals sampled from 37 populations spanning three main genetic clades and an outlier group, previously identified through ddRADseq phylogeography. We found that metabolomic diversity carries a strong phylogenetic signal: each clade exhibited distinct chemical profiles, with exclusive or enriched metabolite superclasses such as carotenoids in one clade and phenylpropanoids in another. Outlier populations displayed reduced metabolomic richness, consistent with potential genetic drift or bottlenecks. While phylogenetic structure was the dominant driver of chemical variation, climatic variables, particularly temperature and precipitation, modulated certain stress-related metabolite groups, such as octadecanoids. Our results demonstrate that metabolomic profiling can capture both historical divergence and ecological adaptation in cryptic alpine taxa. By linking chemical, genetic, and environmental variation, this study highlights metabolomics as a cost-effective and high-resolution approach to uncover cryptic diversity, refine taxonomy, and inform conservation strategies in biodiversity hotspots increasingly threatened by climate change. • The metabolomic variation of P. auricula complex is related to its phylogegeography • Climatic and genetic related variation of the metabolome could be disentangled. • Complex history of the Alps shape alpine genetic and metabolomic diversification. • Metabolomics can serve to delineate crypric diversity and infer evolutionary history.

Three new mitromorphid species, two of the genus Anarithma (Anarithma pseudoiozona sp. nov. and Anarithma tsuzukii sp. nov.) one of the genus Mitromorpha (Mitromorpha laboutei sp. nov.), are described from the Indo-Pacific. In absence of DNA sequences, differentiation with their closest congeners is based on their conchological characters only.

Abstract Predation is a key driver of speciation and phenotypic diversification, yet how antipredator traits evolve and persist over evolutionary time remains poorly understood. We generated target sequence capture and whole-genome sequencing data for the skipper butterfly subfamily Eudaminae (Hesperiidae) to test whether antipredator defenses, in interaction with environmental variation, promote diversification. We focus on two antipredation wing traits: hindwing tails, which deflect predator attacks, and blue-green coloration, which may enhance motion dazzle and be used as warning coloration. Applying phylogenomics, morphometrics, and comparative methods, we model trait evolution in relation to diel activity and geographic distribution and find that hindwing tails repeatedly evolved at least seven times and blue-green coloration at least fifteen times. Both traits are associated with elevated speciation rates, but evolutionary transitions toward tailless wings and non-iridescent coloration occurred more frequently than trait gains, indicating high evolutionary lability of these antipredator defenses. Trait loss, particularly pronounced in tropical diurnal species, may reflect trade-offs in flight performance, shifts in predation guilds, or the evolution of alternative defensive traits. Our findings highlight rampant convergent evolution of wing traits that are under strong predator-mediated selection. By identifying how antipredator defenses and environmental contexts influence phenotypic and species diversification, this study provides new insights into the ecological and evolutionary processes underlying insect diversity.

The Sarmatian Basin was the largest of the Middle–Late Miocene Paratethys basins. At that time the transgression that began at the very beginning of the Sarmatian (Volhynian) time (12.65 Ma), resulted in the confluence of the Central and Eastern Paratethys and in the formation of a common rich endemic fauna in the conditions of a semi-isolated basin. As a result of the Early Sarmatian transgression, the coastal facies of the preceding Konkian basin were mostly reworked and eroded, and the Konkian fauna was partially redeposited in the basal Sarmatian beds. For the first time, vast areas on the northern and eastern shelves, from Ciscarpathia to the Transcaspian regions, were flooded. After a slight sea level drop in the second half of the Volhynian, the basin expanded and deepened again in the first half of the Bessarabian time when the transgression reached its maximum (about 11.5 Ma). The accumulation of “Cryptomactra clay” facies was widespread at that time. The degree of species endemism in the benthic fauna reached 85% of bivalves and 90% of gastropods. Although the Paratethys was largely hydrologically isolated during the Sarmatian, occasional occurrences of marine phytoplankton and benthic fauna in its western and Transcaucasian parts indicate that brief incursions from the global ocean may have occurred. From the second half of the Middle Sarmatian, climate aridization resulted in a reduction of water balance and instability of water level in the semi-isolated basin. The onset of the Greater Caucasus orogeny provided sharply increased input of coarse terrigenous material. A significant decrease in sea level occurred in the terminal Middle Sarmatian (‒150 m, about 10 Ma), resulting in the drying out of the Stavropol High in Ciscaucasia and the Dziruli Isthmus in Central Transcaucasia and in the complete separation of the Euxine and Caspian parts of the Paratethys. In the Late Sarmatian, the water level recovered but remained unstable. A catastrophic sea level drop occurred at the end of the Late Sarmatian (about 7.9 Ma).

As the demand for copper increases, processing increasingly low-grade ore has become a critical challenge. Most of these ores are dominated by aluminosilicate gangue minerals, among which Fe-bearing phyllosilicates are the most reactive. The effect of Fe-bearing minerals on the acid leaching of chalcopyrite, the most common primary Cu ore mineral was investigated by comparing mixtures of chalcopyrite with (i) chamosite, (ii) berthierine-chamosite, and (iii) pyrite. The lixiviant consisted of solutions with 0.1 m Fe 2 (SO 4 ) 3 + 0.3 m H 2 SO 4 , and the experiments were conducted in an orbital shaking water bath at 50 ° C for 43 days. The solution pH increased and Eh decreased for all systems, resulting in conditions that became less optimal for Cu recovery. Scanning electron microscope imaging highlighted the porous nature and variable elemental composition of the (partially) dissolved phyllosilicate minerals/amorphous-silica-residue after leaching. Micro X-ray Absorption Near Edge Structure (μXANES) measurements revealed that sulfur exists in multiple oxidation states both within the silicate gangue and around chalcopyrite, emphasising how the formation of an amorphous-silica-residue increased the complexity of the system. This complexity is related to the fact that (partial) dissolution of phyllosilicate gangue minerals during acid leaching results in the release of ions that change the solution chemistry; and form an amorphous-silica-residue, that contains numerous pores. These pores can act as local micro-reactors with non-equilibrium conditions and promote a heterogenous chemical composition. Subsequent mineral surface-fluid interactions in (partially) dissolved phyllosilicate/amorphous-silica-residue pores can vary, depending on the local chemical composition, making the leaching behaviour of chalcopyrite highly dependent on local conditions and on the mineralogical composition of the ores. • Porous, non-crystalline Si residue formed during leaching of (Phyllo-) silicates • Leaching solution can penetrate and interact with Si residue, leading to ion sorbtion • Sulfur exists in multiple oxidation states in and around the silicates and ore minerals • Ions from dissolving aluminosilicate gangue can influence the S oxidation state

Abstract The genus Harttiella, belonging to the armoured catfish family Loricariidae subfamily Loricariinae (Siluriformes), comprises species with narrow geographical ranges, predominantly endemic to river basins in French Guiana and Suriname. Despite recent taxonomic advancements, including the description of new species, Harttiella faces conservation challenges due to its rarity, limited dispersal capacities, and habitat fragmentation. To elucidate the evolutionary history and aid in conservation efforts, we sequenced complete mitochondrial genomes for all known Harttiella species. Our analysis revealed distinctive molecular features, including unique stop codon usage and positioning, potentially serving as molecular synapomorphies for the genus. Phylogenetic reconstructions supported previous findings and highlighted the complex evolutionary relationships within the genus. Furthermore, our study provides foundational genomic resources for developing targeted environmental DNA approaches to monitor and conserve Harttiella populations effectively. These findings contribute to a comprehensive understanding of Harttiella evolution and inform conservation strategies aimed at preserving this unique group of freshwater fish.

Globally, a significant percentage of bat species are classified as Data Deficient indicating a shortage of sufficient data on distribution and abundance to make a status assessment. Among these species, 12 species also occur within the political boundary of India. Based on scattered data generated over the last eight years, an update is presented on the occurrence status of five of the Data Deficient bat species in India. A call for a renewed push in field studies is needed to enhance the understanding of the chiropteran fauna of India. A National Red List Assessment of Indian Bat fauna is also suggested as a priority exercise for developing a country- specific conservation plan.

Ground beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) fauna of Bulgaria is relatively well studied, but recent research showed that there are still some unknown distributional patterns or new taxonomical issues to be faced and resolved. In this paper we describe and figure a new subspecies of the rare and protected steppe ground beetle Carabus (Tomocarabus) bessarabicus Fischer von Waldheim, 1823, named tangra. Carabus bessarabicus tangra subsp. n. was collected from the Chepan Planina and Tri Ushi Mountains in Bulgaria, where some preserved steppe refugia and peculiar faunistic complexes seem to exist. The established new steppe stenobiont subspecies is significantly distant and isolated from the modern limits of the species range by more than 1000 km. The significant morphological differences and the range of C. bessarabicus tangra suggest that its potential separation as species is very probable and should be confirmed with genetic studies.

Recent advances in high-throughput molecular analyses of collagen peptides, especially ZooMS (Zooarchaeology by Mass Spectrometry), have permitted breakthroughs in the analysis of archaeological material that is highly fragmented, a factor that hinders morphological identification. Despite these advances, the challenge of successfully analysing archaeological samples with poorer collagen preservation persists. This paper examines the potential of two mass analysers, TOF (Time of Flight) and FTICR (Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance), and addresses how they can be used to optimise the ZooMS workflow. Type 1 collagen (COL1) was extracted from 89 archaeological bones from the French Palaeolithic site of Le Piage (37-34 ka cal BP). Three ZooMS extraction protocols were applied, an acid-free buffer method (AmBic), offering rapid and less destructive analysis, and two methods of acid demineralisation (HCl and TFA) that provide higher peptide resolution. After analysing the specimens with MALDI-TOF and MALDI-FTICR, we used bottom-up and PRM (Parallel Reaction Monitoring) LC-MS/MS, and MALDI-CASI-FTICR (Continuous Accumulation of Selected Ions) to verify 26 ambiguous identifications. Overall, 99% of the samples could be identified to at least family level, with the rate of identification and precision varying by method. Despite challenges in detecting specific biomarkers with MALDI-FTICR-especially peptide A (COL1ɑ2 978-990), which tends to be unstable and poorly ionised-the high resolution of this method allowed the successful identification of more degraded specimens, including burnt bones. Our work highlights the robustness of traditional MALDI-TOF ZooMS for retrieving collagen and for providing taxonomic identifications with low failure rates, features that are critical when processing large numbers of samples. MALDI-FTICR shows better potential when working with precious samples or degraded collagen. This study advances the analytical detection of peptides by optimising the ZooMS workflow and by tailoring it to specific archaeological contexts showing variation in degree of preservation.