Fatigue among vessel traffic service operators (VTSOs) poses critical risks to maritime safety, requiring objective, real-time monitoring solutions. This study integrates thermographic imaging and subjective self-reports to assess fatigue and mental workload in operational environments. A total of 23 VTSOs from two Spanish Maritime Rescue Coordination Centers (MRCCs), with an average of 7.74 years of experience, were observed for 200 h. Using facial thermography, specifically nasal temperature variations, and validated psychological assessments, we analyzed the physiological and cognitive effects of shift work. Results show that night shifts significantly increase fatigue, with a 15% increase in perceived exertion and a 2 °C decrease in nasal temperature. Automated face recognition via YOLO5Face facilitated real-time thermographic analysis, improving the accuracy of fatigue monitoring. Thermographic imaging successfully correlated nasal temperature changes with cognitive workload, demonstrating its potential as a non-invasive tool for fatigue assessment. In addition, pre-task rest was inversely related to fatigue, highlighting the importance of rest management in mitigating operator fatigue. By bridging cognitive systems engineering and socio-technical perspectives, this study provides a novel framework for fatigue assessment in safety–critical environments. The results support the integration of thermographic methods into maritime traffic management, contributing to human-centered safety technologies. Future research will explore broader applications of automated thermal analysis and additional physiological fatigue markers in high-risk industries.

Himantariella scutellaris Brolemann, 1926 has previously been considered a French endemic species from the eastern Pyrenees. New collecting data from the Spanish Pre-Pyrenees, the Prelitoral Mountain Range and the Cantabric Region, make it possible to expand its known distribution to the northern Iberian Peninsula. Intraspecific variability, habitat preferences and ethology are assessed for the first time. New figures on the morphology of H. scutellaris and identification keys for the European Himantariidae with terminal pore-fields are provided. Results showed a wider range of morphological variability than previously reported and allowed to update the diagnostic characters needed for identification. Additionally, results showed monticolous, synanthropic and nocturnal habits for the Iberian populations and suggest that H. scutellaris is a common species at a local scale. Finally, morphology and ecology of H. scutellaris from the Iberian Peninsula and the Pyrenees are discussed in depth.

Cantabrian mixed forests, located in areas of Spain, Portugal, and France, serve as an essential biogeographic transition region, noted for its extraordinary plant diversity and ecological intricacy. To aid conservation and research initiatives, a uniform checklist of vascular plants was created, incorporating information from citizen science platforms, scientific databases, herbarium records, and local floras. The outcome is a carefully selected collection of more than 8000 taxa, with over 76% recognized as native, highlighting the area’s importance as a reservoir of biodiversity and a climate refuge. Taxonomic discrepancies were resolved via expert verification and adherence to international naming standards, establishing a dependable basis for ecological research. The checklist demonstrates notable variations in organisms, ecological approaches, and evolutionary lineages, influenced by geographical diversity, climate variations, and past land use patterns. Importantly, the study emphasizes the drawbacks of unchecked biodiversity data and shows the benefits of expert-driven synthesis for addressing gaps and biases in species documentation. The floristic information presented here can act as a basis for transboundary conservation planning, ongoing biodiversity tracking, and the development of adaptive management approaches in response to climate change and ecological decline. This initiative represents an important move towards safeguarding the distinct natural heritage of this distinctive biogeographic region.

The introduction of non-indigenous species presents an increasing threat to marine ecosystems and aquaculture activities worldwide. We report the first confirmed record of the invasive polyclad flatworm Postenterogonia orbicularis in the eastern Adriatic Sea, based on samples collected from mussel farms in Slovenia, Croatia and Montenegro. Specimens were identified through morphological examination and phylogenetic analyses using multiple markers (COI, 16S, 28S) with maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference. Results for all genetic markers were consistent, confirming their taxonomic assignment within a well-supported clade, comprising the Adriatic specimens and previously reported specimens of P. orbicularis from the sea around Shikoku Island (Japan) and the Bay of Biscay (coast of Spain and France). Phylogenetic results support the proposed synonymy between Idiostylochus tortuosus and P. orbicularis, further highlighting the taxonomic complexity within this group. Postenterogonia orbicularis was misidentified during the first observations in 2020, and the economic loss was generally attributed anecdotally to flatworms. There is an urgent need for monitoring at mussel farms and focused research on this species to develop effective management strategies.

Ischyropsalis C.L. Koch, 1839 is a genus of harvestmen inhabiting both terrestrial surface habitats and caves in central and southern Europe. The accepted number of species is controversial due to feature similarities and their strong sexual dimorphism. The northern part of the Iberian Peninsula harbours 16 accepted species, seven of which are epigean, while the other nine exclusively live in caves. Some of these species have not been included in the only phylogenetic study conducted on this genus, so their taxonomic status has not yet been evaluated within a phylogenetic framework. In this context, we aim to unravel the phylogenetic relationships among the taxa within this genus, from the northern part of the Iberian Peninsula, by conducting morphological and phylogenetic analyses based on mitochondrial (COI) and nuclear (EF1-α) molecular markers. Our results revealed three previously undescribed species from karstic caves in Cantabria and Asturias, herein described as I. damiani sp. nov., I. impressa Luque & Labrada sp. nov. and I. aguerana Luque & Labrada sp. nov. and a new designation, nodifera-group, for those Iberian species related with I. nodifera.

Alien Invasive Species (AIS) are among the principal threats to humanity due to their substantial ecological, social, and economic impacts. International efforts to harmonize national AIS checklists and databases is often hindered by fragmented data across multiple platforms. The Celtic Fringe, a biogeographically coherent unit within the European Atlantic Floristic Region, includes part of the Iberian Peninsula, France and the British Isles, and is notable for its extensively documented flora. Here, we present the first unified AIS checklist and georeferenced occurrence database for the entire Celtic Fringe, with occurrences mapped to a 10 × 10 km UTM grid resolution. Occurrence data were aggregated from public datasets, while the harmonized AIS checklist of 271 taxa was developed through the integration of national and international sources. The resulting database comprises 164,974 occurrences, each enriched with taxonomic, floristic, and administrative metadata to facilitate use across multiple geographic and governance levels. This harmonized and standardised resource is designed to support AIS management at local, national, and transnational scales, while facilitating conservation planning and research on invasion dynamics.