Candida auris has emerged as a major nosocomial pathogen due to multidrug resistance (MDR), outbreak potential, and high mortality in critically ill patients. Identifying risk factors for C. auris candidemia is essential for prevention and infection control. In this single-centre, retrospective case–control study, we analysed adults with C. auris candidemia (n = 52) and matched controls (n = 104) hospitalized between February 2019 and October 2024. Matching was based on hospital unit and blood culture timing. Clinical and epidemiological variables were compared, and multivariate logistic regression identified independent risk factors. Antifungal susceptibility and 14- and 28-day all-cause mortality were evaluated as secondary outcomes. Independent risk factors included recent hospitalization (odds ratio (OR): 7.93), prolonged hospital stay (OR: 1.01), prior broad-spectrum antibiotic use (OR: 46.20), central venous catheter (CVC) (OR: 3.88), sepsis (OR: 9.43), and high Candida Colonization Index (OR: 14.10). All-cause mortality at 14 and 28 days was 30.8% and 46.2%, respectively. Fluconazole resistance was 96%, while 8.7% of isolates were pandrug resistant. C. auris candidemia represents a serious clinical challenge with substantial mortality and modifiable risk factors. Strengthening antimicrobial stewardship, colonization surveillance, and early recognition in high-risk patients may reduce its impact.

The new genera Aurantiothallia and Hertelaria are proposed for species of saxicolous lichens known only from Tasmania. Aurantiothallia is erected for the species currently known as Poeltiaria tasmanica and the newly described A. riparia, both of which have an orange thallus lacking lichen products but with an amyloid medulla and black apothecia with only brown pigments internally. Hertelaria is based on the new species H. doleritica, which has an atrobrunnea-type thallus and large adnate, red-brown apothecia up to 2.4 mm diam. Phylogenetic analyses based on the markers ITS, mtSSU and RPB1 clearly support the morphological results, each genus forming a strongly supported clade. Also newly described are: Poeltiaria caeruleorubra, with a red-pigmented inner exciple that contrasts strongly with the adjacent bright blue hymenium; Porpidia lutulata, which has small apothecia and a granular thallus with an amyloid (I+ violet) medulla; and Porpidia umbonifera var. sanguinea, which differs from the typical variety in having a reddish pigment in the inner exciple. All the new taxa are known only from silicious rocks, mostly dolerite, in Tasmania. We also report Porpidia albocaerulescens var. polycarpiza and P. hydrophila for the first time from Tasmania, confirm the presence of P. umbonifera var. umbonifera on the island, and provide a provisional key to porpidioid lichens in Tasmania.

A new phylogenetic analysis of Lecanora s. lat. is presented based on a dataset of seven loci, including recently published mitochondrial markers. In this analysis, comprising 136 specimens and 572 sequences, several clades that can be circumscribed taxonomically are recovered as monophyletic with strong support. Lecanora divides into two large monophyletic subclades. The well-supported MPRPS clade sensu Medeiros et al. (2021) combines the genera Lecanoropsis, Myriolecis, Protoparmeliopsis, Rhizoplaca and the Lecanora polytropa- and L. varia-groups. The second unsupported clade contains the genera Bryonora, Palicella, Pulvinora and Vainionora, plus the Lecanora albella/subcarnea-, L. carpinea/rupicola-, L. intumescens-, L. subfusca- and L. symmicta-groups. Japewia, Lecidella, Miriquidica, Ramboldia and members of the Lecanora fuscescens-group are placed outside these two clades. Phylogenetic, morphological and chemical evidence supports the resurrection of three genera: Glaucomaria (for the Lecanora carpinea/rupicola-group), Straminella (for the L. varia-group), and Zeora (for the L. symmicta-group). Descriptions for each of the resurrected genera are provided, including new taxonomic combinations and lists of additional Lecanora species likely to be transferred to the proposed new genera pending further studies. Comments on the nomenclature of the new genera, as well as for Lecanoropsis and Myriolecis, are provided.

The lichen genus Lecanora is one of the largest genera of lichenized fungi. The core part of the genus is the L. subfusca group and within this group, Lecanora hybocarpa (Tuck.) Brodo, initially described from North America and thought to be endemic, has been reported from several European countries. However, the identity of these European specimens has been increasingly questioned. This study aimed to clarify the relationship between North American L. hybocarpa and European collections, including the morphologically similar L. sinuosa Herk & Aptroot. We performed morphological, chemical (TLC) and molecular analyses (nrITS and mtSSU) on a broad collection of specimens from Europe, Macaronesia and North America. Our phylogenetic analyses revealed that true L. hybocarpa has not yet been confirmed in Europe. Instead, several genetically distinct European taxa share the L. hybocarpa morphotype. Our findings resulted in the description of three new species: Lecanora cryptosinuosa (differing only genetically from L. sinuosa), L. macaronesica (characterized by quite large apothecia with constricted bases and a finely crenulate margin, and the presence of gangaleoidin) and L. subsinuosa (difficult to separate from L. sinuosa, but may sometimes be recognized by darker apothecial discs with inconsistent pigmentation, the occasional presence of a tiny pruina on young discs, and the usually thicker apothecial margin, dentate in the inner edge). Furthermore, we report L. pseudargentata as a new species for Europe. Due to the high morphological variability and cryptic speciation within this group, reliable identification often requires DNA analysis. Therefore, we propose using the name Lecanora hybocarpa agg. for all species sharing this particular morphotype. A key to the epiphytic esorediate species of the L. subfusca group in Europe and northern Africa is provided.

This paper examines associations between maternal exposure to a radio programme, Bhanchhin Aama (Mother Knows Best), and the programme’s most promoted maternal and child nutrition-related practices, using the Nepal Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) from 2022. We limited our sample to mothers of children less than 2 years (n = 1,933). The primary exposure variable was whether the mother listened to the Bhanchhin Aama radio programme. The five primary outcomes were: maternal dietary diversity, maternal use of modern family planning methods, exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) of children less than 6 months, dietary diversity among children 6 to 24 months, and participation in growth monitoring and promotion among children 0 to 24 months. Descriptive analyses followed by logistic regression models, adjusted for potentially confounding factors and clustering, were conducted. Maternal exposure to Bhanchhin Aama was associated with nearly 70% higher odds of meeting both maternal (OR: 1.67; p: <0.001; CI: 1.26–2.21) and child minimum dietary diversity (OR: 1.70; p: 0.005; CI: 1.18–2.45), as well as 83% higher odds of a child participating in growth monitoring and promotion (OR: 1.83; p: 0.001; CI: 1.28–2.63). No associations were found for use of modern family planning methods and EBF. These findings suggests that radio programmes may be an effective tool to improve some maternal and child nutrition-related practices. Further research is needed to understand why certain behaviours are modifiable from this type of intervention versus others that are not and for which population groups this intervention would be most effective.

Tackling environmental crime is an international priority, as stated by many individual nations and by multinational organizations such as Europol. Quantifiable evidence to highlight efforts to address environmental crimes, however, remains scant. We use Interpol Red Notices, a global enforcement tool used to apprehend criminals, including environmental criminals, to examine how environmental crime is represented in this database. Notwithstanding the fact that these Notices have evidenced utility in apprehending environmental criminals, we find low application of this tool in apprehension of these criminals, with only 21 Red Notices of a sample of 4,464 (of the 7,010 active Notices) published as of 3 December 2023 being for catagorized as for environmental crimes. We argue this may indicate gaps or weaknesses in environmental enforcement pathways, and suggest that barriers to use of global enforcement tools should be addressed.

Evidence suggests that numbers of African rhinoceroses can increase when annual poaching rates remain below 3.5% of the continental population. In 2020, the global response to the Covid-19 pandemic coincided with a poaching rate of 2.3% (the lowest recorded since 2015) suggesting favourable conditions for recovery. This study had two aims: (1) to examine trends in continental poaching rates since 2020 as pandemic-related restrictions eased, and (2) to assess whether reduced poaching rates have translated into growth in rhinoceros numbers. We found that poaching rates remained relatively low during 2020–2023, ranging from 2.3 to 2.5% annually. During this period, the continental rhinoceros population increased at an average annual rate of 2.9% (95% CI 1.7–4.1%), reaching an estimated 23,995 individuals by the end of 2023. However, population trends varied by site, with some areas experiencing declines as a result of localized increases in poaching. These findings highlight the importance of continued efforts to mitigate poaching, address habitat fragmentation, and adapt to broader environmental changes to support the long-term recovery of African rhinoceroses.

The phylogeny of the highly diverse bivalve order Venerida can be traced back to the Triassic, thanks to the well-understood evolution of its hinge system. I here suggest that the Early or Middle to Late Triassic genus Pseudocorbula is at the root of this phylogenetic lineage. The hinge of Pseudocorbula is primitive relative to the Early Jurassic Eotrapezium in the lack of a chevron-shaped AII–2b complex below the umbo of the left valve. However, both Pseudocorbula and Eotrapezium lack cardinal tooth 3a in the right valve. It is suggested that this lack stimulated the evolution of cardinal tooth 1, which first appeared as a small tubercle at the posterior end of lateral tooth AI that fits below the AII–2b complex; this early stage evolved into the well-known veneroid hinge with a differentiated cardinal tooth 1 in the pivotal position below the umbo of the right valve and the 2a–2b pair of cardinal teeth in the left valve. Pseudocorbulinae new subfamily is proposed for taxa that represent the earliest stage of veneroid hinge evolution, which is placed in Isocyprinidae. This phylogenetic hypothesis extends the roots of Venerida back to the Early or early Middle Triassic, a time that also saw the first appearance of oysters and modern scallops.

UUID: http://zoobank.org/1ba1e7c4-a6c1-4fb2-9e4c-2c1097649365

Fishing has historically altered marine ecosystems around the Mediterranean, so that present assessments often reveal a distorted representation of past, pristine marine assemblages and food webs. Marine protected areas (MPAs), where fishing is restricted or prohibited, could provide reference information about the structure of fish assemblages under healthier (protected) conditions. Here, we collected rocky reef fish data using visual census at three MPAs in the Ligurian Sea (Bergeggi Island, Portofino, and Cinque Terre; NW Mediterranean) across a protection gradient: fully and partially protected conditions within the MPAs, and conditions open to fishing outside MPAs. Results show that: (i) fish assemblages’ structures (i.e. taxa composition and relative biomasses) change with the protection level; (ii) total fish biomass and the biomass of high-level fish predators are positively correlated with the level of protection; (iii) biomass of target species (i.e. Epinephelus marginatus, Sciaena umbra, Diplodus sargus, and D. vulgaris) are positively correlated with the protection level. In conclusion, this study shows that: (i) effective protection against fishing may allow the recovery of rocky reef fish assemblages; (ii) MPAs may enable us to better understand the structure of coastal assemblages, which are dominated in terms of biomass by high-level fish predators under healthier (protected) conditions. This study thus offers grounds for discussion of how important is the adoption of systematic ecological monitoring to assess the effectiveness of each individual MPA, but also, more importantly, to properly effectively achieve international conservation targets, such as the ‘30×30’ target, agreed by the international community.

Visual methods of surveying snakes are subject to observer bias and their accuracy is often questioned. Data collection by non-specialists offers an alternative way to record sightings. We present citizen science as a valuable tool for surveying the viperid snake Lachesis rhombeata, yielding more data than a traditional visual census in a remnant of the Atlantic Forest in north-east Brazil. From visits to local museum/university collections and a literature search, we obtained only 10 georeferenced historical records for this species in the study area dating from 1990 to 2020. In 218 h of visual field surveys during 2022 and 2023, covering 15,000 m2, we did not locate any L. rhombeata individuals, probably because their low population density and cryptic habits made their detection difficult. However, during the same period we acquired 110 georeferenced records through citizen science. The high number of records from citizen science underscores the value of this approach when working with an elusive and threatened snake. Lachesis rhombeata is often implicated in human–wildlife conflict but engaging local people in the project led to positive behavioural changes. Through citizen science we were able to examine live individuals, map the species’ current distribution, investigate threats to its survival and contribute data for studies on taxonomy, diet, home range, diseases and ethno-herpetology.

While blue fluorescence has previously been reported in several genera of carnivorous plants, green fluorescence has not been formally documented in previous literature. Here, we present the first confirmed record and qualitative documentation of vivid green biofluorescence in a member of the genus Nepenthes (Nepenthaceae). This study aims to examine this distinctive trait and interpret its ecological and taxonomic implications. The specimens exhibited intermediate morphological characteristics—including leaf margins lined with brown hairs, distinctly petiolated leaves, and a peristome bearing spike-like teeth—indicating a hybrid origin between two sympatric species, N. benstonei and N. rafflesiana. Under UV light (365 nm excitation), the peristomes of mature pitchers from the Nepenthes hybrid (N. benstonei × rafflesiana) exhibited intense green fluorescence. In contrast, both putative parental species emitted blue fluorescence: N. benstonei uniformly across its peristome, while N. rafflesiana displayed sparse yellow-green streaks on its peristome. The natural hybrid was discovered at elevations of 700–900 metres above sea level (MASL) in the Timur Range, Peninsular Malaysia, with only nine individuals recorded. In addition to providing preliminary data on the occurrence of an undescribed taxon, this represents the first recorded instance of green autofluorescence in Nepenthes—hitherto unobserved in the wild—that may contribute to its insect-luring strategy. Our findings underscore the rich biodiversity of the region’s rainforests and highlight the urgent need for conservation efforts to safeguard these ecosystems, which may harbour as-yet-undiscovered taxa.