A contribution to the knowledge of epiphyllous bryophytes of Bioko Island (Equatorial Guinea), including additional remarks on non-epiphyllous species

Abstract

A collection of epiphyllous bryophytes from Bioko Island was investigated. It contained 57 epiphyllous bryophytes, comprising 55 hepatics and two mosses. Three taxa, Cololejeunea eustacei Pócs, Colura calderae Pócs and Lejeunea halei Robinson subsp. africana Pócs, are new to science. Cololejeunea papilliloba Steph. is new to Africa, five species of hepatics are new to West Africa, and an additional 31 species of hepatics are newly reported from Bioko Island. The second part of the paper deals with records of non-epiphyllous collections. Fourteen species are reported for the first time for Bioko Island. Actinodontium dusenii Broth. is made a synonym of Actinodontium streptopogoneum Broth. The following new combination is proposed: Wijkia rigidicaule (Müll.Hal. ex Broth.) Frank Müll., comb. nov. (Basionym: Acanthocladium rigidicaule Müll.Hal. ex Broth.).     

New records of bryophytes from the Canary Islands

Abstract

Two members each of the Adelanthaceae and Schistochilaceae and three of the Porellaceae are recorded from Mulanje Mountain, of which Adelanthus lindenbergianus (Lehm.) Mitt., Porella abyssinica (Nees) Trev. var. hoehnelii (Steph.) Pócs, Porella capensis (Gott.) Mitt. and P. subdentata (Mitt.) Steph. are first records for Malawi.     

Recent Bryological Literature, 68

Abstract

Five species of Colura are reported from Mulanje Mountain, of which four, C. ealyptrifolia (Hook.) Dum., C. digitalis (Mitten) Steph., C. hattoriana Pócs and C. tenuicornis (Evans) Steph. are new for Malawi. C. hattoriana is also reported new for mainland Africa. A key to sub-Saharan taxa is provided.     

What is Chondriolejeunea?

Chondriolejeunea, the former subgenus of Cololejeunea is raised to the generic rank on the base that the supposed large styli are in reality underleaves, inserted alternately to the two cell rows of ventral merophytes and having rhizoid initials at their base. Chondriolejeunea pseudostipulata (Schiffn.) Kis & Pócs, Chondriolejeunea shimizui (N. Kitag.) Kis & Pócs, Chondriolejeunea shimizui var. phangngana (N. Kitag.) Kis & Pócs, Chondriolejeunea chinii (Tixier) Kis & Pócs, comb. et stat. nov. Cololejeunea shimizui subsp. shihuishanensis M.L. So & R.L. Zhu, syn. nov. Speculation on the possible ways of evolution of tribe Cololejeuneae.     

Additions to the bryoflora of Réunion Island 3: new and interesting records from the Tropical Bryology Group (British Bryological Society)

Abstract

This contribution is a result of collaborative work based on the fieldwork organized during a workshop of the Tropical Bryology Group on Mascarene bryophytes in September 2008, and also from previous unpublished records of the authors. We add 35 new taxon records (17 mosses and 18 liverworts) as well as five other interesting records for Réunion Island (Mascarene Archipelago). Grimmia austrofunalis Müll. Hal., Sphagnum magellanicum Brid. subsp. magellanicum, Didymodon tectorum (Müll. Hal.) K. Saito, Anastrophyllum revolutum Steph. and Lejeunea exilis (Reinw. et al.) Grolle are reported for the first time for Africa. Syrrhopodon vardei L. T. Ellis, Ceratolejeunea papuliflora Steph. and Xylolejeunea grolleana (Pócs) X.-L. He & Grolle, previously known as endemic from Madagascar, are here recorded for Réunion. The latter species is also illustrated with SEM pictures.     

Notes on Fissidens VII–IX

Abstract

Note VII: Fissidens ah-pengae and F. aristifer spp. nov. are described and figured. The first is known from La Réunion, the second from Madagascar and La Réunion. Both belong to subgenus Aloma.

Note VIII: Fifteen new synonyms are proposed: Fissidens bryoides Hedw. var. glaucus Brid. is subsumed under F. crassipes Wilson ex Bruch & Schimp., F. comorensis Müll.Hal. under F. crispulus Brid., F. sigmocarpoides P.de la Varde under Fissidens erosulus (Müll.Hal.) Paris, F. atroviridis Besch., and F. luridus Renauld & Cardot under F. flaccidus Mitt., Moenkemeyera rarotongae Dixon and Fissidens jonesii Bizot ex Pócs under F. lagenarius Mitt. var. lagenarius, F. onraedtii Bizot nom. nud. under F. madecassus Schimp. ex Müll.Hal., F. bryum var. terrestris P.de la Varde under F. metzgeria (Müll.Hal.) Broth., F. edamensis M. Fleisch. under F. pallidinervis Mitt., F. brunnthaleri var. filipes Dixon & P.de la Varde under F. ramulosus Mitt., F. desertorum (Müll.Hal.) Paris and F. bambariensis Broth. & P.de la Varde under F. reflexus Hampe, F. usambaricus var. acutifolius P.de la Varde under F. usambaricus Broth. and F. glauculus var. circinicaulis (Cardot) P.de la Varde under F. weirii Mitt. Fissidens gedehensis M. Fleisch. is re-instated as a good species.

Note IX: Fifty-five new country and state records including F. anguste-limbatus Mitt. new to Africa. Fissidens pocsii Bizot & Dury ex Pócs is the first record of an epiphyllous species of this genus. The African distributions of F. flaccidus and F. pallidinervis are amended.     

Foliikole Flechten aus Tanzania (Ost-Afrika)

In einer umfangreichen Kollektion foliikoler Flechten gesammelt von Dr.T. Pócs in Tanzania wurden 107 Arten festgestellt. Von diesen wurden 20 Arten und 2 Varietäten als neu beschrieben. Ein neuer Typus von „Isidia scutelliformia”, ein morphologisch ungewöhnlicher Pyknidium-Typus und ein komplizierter konidientragender Fruchtkörper wurden auch beschrieben. Ein Bestimmungschlüssel der afrikanischen foliikolenBacidia-Arten und Bermerkungen für die Umgrenzung der FamilieMegalosporaceae (ad interim) sind angeführt.     

On the number of balanced signed graphs

The classical enumeration theorem of Pólya (Acta Math.,68, 145–254, 1937) is applied to a modified version of Harary’s (Pacific J. Math.,8, 743–755, 1958) generating functions for counting bicolored graphs to derive a counting function for the number of balanced signed graphs. Methods for computing these counting polynomial functions are discussed.     

Fissidens monguilloni Thér. in England

Abstract

The 1996 Chagos Expedition provided an opportunity to study the archipelago's bryophyte flora: 25 of the 55 islands were ecologically investigated, some in more detail than others, and lists and representative collections of mosses, hepatics and other cryptogamic plants were assembled for many of them. Although the islands have a low biodiversity for most of these groups, as would be expected in terms of their relatively young age, remoteness and small terrestrial surface areas, those organisms that are present are often found in abundance and play significant ecological roles. Where the status of taxa on islands has been determined, there appears to be a good correlation between bryophyte biodiversity and island size. Epiphytic bryophytes were not host specific and no epiphyllous species was observed. Biogeographic details are provided, where possible, for the 19 taxa recorded, of which four are new to the Indian Ocean and seven are new to the Chagos Archipelago. A new taxon, Cololejeunea planissima var. chagosensis Pócs var. nov. is described, and notes and illustrations of a probably new Lejeunea species are provided.     

An integrated health risk assessment of indigenous children exposed to arsenic in Sonora,Mexico

Exposure to inorganic arsenic (InAs) through drinking water, even at low to moderate concentrations, is a global public health problem. The objectives of this study were to estimate the risk ratio (HQ), cancer risk (R), and DNA damage (comet assay) of children from three indigenous Yaqui populations located in southern Sonora, Mexico, who were exposed to InAs through drinking water. A cross-sectional study was employed, and analysis of InAs in water and urine was performed via HPLC/ICP-MS. InAs levels in drinking water from Pótam, Vícam, and Cócorit were 108.2, 36.0, and 6.2 μg/L^?1 respectively. Children from Pótam had arsenic concentrations in urine of 107.1 μg As L^?1 compared with 40.3 μg As L^?1 for the children of Cócorit. The HQ values for the children of Pótam, Vícam, and Cócorit were 16.64, 6.02, and 0.94, while the R values were 9.4E-04, 3.5E-04, and 5.7E-05, respectively. Children with the highest arsenic exposure had significantly increased DNA damage (OTM = 14.4 vs. 4.3) [p < 0.0005] which positively correlated with urinary arsenic levels (r = 0.56, p < 0.0001). In conclusion, children of Pótam and Vícam are at significant risk of developing chronic diseases and cancers associated with chronic exposure to this metalloid.     

African Hepatics. XXXI. Some new or little-known Lejeuneaceae and extensions of range

Abstract

Lejeunea brenanii sp. nov. and Microlejeunea ankasica sp. nov. are described. Lejeunea autoica Schuster and Pycnolejeunea contigua (Nees) Grolle are described and recorded as new to Africa. Lejeunea longirostris (Steph.) E.W. Jones, nom. inval., is a synonym of L. grossecristata (Steph.) E.W. Jones. Critical notes and/or new localities are provided for Colura digitalis (Mitt.) Steph., C. dusenii Steph., C. humbertii S. Jovet-Ast, C. sp. ad inornata Jovet-Ast, Marchesinia moelleriana Pearson.     

Thinouia restingae (Sapindaceae: Paullinieae), una nueva especie de Brasil

Resumen  La especie nueva Thinouia restingae, de las regiones nordeste y sudeste de Brasil, es descrita, ilustrada y comparada con la especie más próxima, T. ventricosa. Adicionalmente se describen caracteres de venación de los folíolos y micromorfológicos del polen. La especie nueva pertenece a Thinouia sección Petalodine, la cual se caracteriza por los pétalos iguales o mayores que el apéndice. También se presenta una clave para todas las especies de Thinouia reportadas hasta la fecha para Brasil.

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A new species, Thinouia restingae, from northeastern and southeastern Brazil, is described, illustrated, and compared to its putative closest relative, T. ventricosa. Additionally, venation characters of the leaflets and micromorphological characters of pollen grains are described. The new species belongs to Thinouia section Petalodine, which is characterized by petals that are equal or longer than their appendage. A key to species of Thinouia presently known from Brazil is also included.

     

A Primer of Ecology with R by STEVENS,M. H. H.

A Primer of Ecology with R (M. H. H. Stevens) Péter Sólymos Handbook on Analyzing Human Genetic Data: Computational Approaches and Software (S. Lin and H. Zhao, Editors) Peter M. Visscher From Finite Sample to Asymptotic Methods in Statistics (P. K. Sen, J. M. Singer, and A. C. Pedroso de Lima) Miodrag Lovric Dynamic Linear Models with R (G. Petris, S. Petrone, and P. Campagnoli) Helio S. Migon Functional Data Analysis with R and Matlab (J. O. Ramsay, G. Hooker, and S. Graves) Hervé Cardot Continuous Bivariate Distributions, 2nd edition (N. Balakrishnan and C.‐D. Lai) Márcia D'Elia Branco Brief Reports by the Editor The Elements of Statistical Learning: Data Mining, Inference, and Prediction, 2nd edition. (T. Hastie, R. Tibshirani, and J. Friedman) Gene Expression Studies Using Affymetrix Microarrays (H. Göhlmann and W. Talloen)     

Assessment of strains of Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato from Tanzania for resistance to copper and streptomycin

Abstract

Fifty-six strains of Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato (P.s. pv. tomato) were collected from tomato-producing areas in Tanzania and assessed for resistance to copper and antibiotics. The collection was done from three tomato-producing regions (Morogoro, Arusha and Iringa), representing three different ecological conditions in the country. After isolation and identification, the P. s. pv. tomato strains were grown on King's medium B (KB) amended with 20% copper sulphate (w/v). The strains were also assessed for resistance to antibiotics. Results indicated that there was widespread resistance of the P. s. pv. tomato strains to copper sulphate. The highest level of resistance was recorded from the Arusha region (Northern Tanzania), 83.3% of the P. s. pv. tomato strains from that region showed resistance to copper sulphate. This was followed by Iringa region (Southern Tanzania), from where strains of the pathogen were moderately resistant to copper sulphate, such that 54.0% of them were able to grow on the KB medium amended with 20% (w/v) of the copper compound.

Out of seven strains of P. s. pv. tomato from Morogoro region (Central Tanzania) included in the study, five (71.5%) were resistant to copper sulphate. The only strain of P. s. pv. tomato from the Dodoma region (Central Tanzania, but with a different ecological condition from the Morogoro region) included in the study was unable to grow on the medium containing 20% copper sulphate. None of the P. s. pv. tomato strains in the four regions included in the study were resistant to streptomycin sulphate. These results suggest that in the Arusha and Iringa regions of Tanzania, there might be possibilities of excessive use of copper compounds in tomato production, such that strains of P. s. pv. tomato strains in the areas have become resistant to the compounds.     

Physalis (Solanaceae) and allied genera: Tzeltalia, a new genus from the highlands of southern Mexico and northwestern Guatemala

A morphological analysis ofPhysalis and several closely related genera, with emphasis on a group of species known as “atypicalPhysalis,” showed that two of the atypical species are better treated as a distinct genus.Tzeltalia is described and two new combinations are made:T. amphitricha andT. calidaria. Restricted to the highlands of Chiapas, Mexico, and adjacent Guatemala,Tzeltalia is distinguished fromPhysalis by a combination of characters including shrubby habit; fasciculate flowers; lobed corolla; scabrate pollen; and non-invaginated, partially open, coriaceous, and reticulate-veined fruiting calyx.

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Resumen  El análisis de un grupo de especies atípicas dePhysalis y otros géneros relacionados demostró que dos especies deben considerarse como otro género. Se describeTzeltalia, un género restringido a los altos de Chiapas, México, y Guatemala y se hacen dos nuevas combinaciones,T. amphitricha yT. calidaria.Tzeltalia se distingue dePhysalis por una combinación de caracteres que incluyen un habito arbustivo, flores fasciculadas, corola lobulada, polen escabroso, cáliz del fruto no invaginado, parcialmente abierto, coriáceo y con venación reticulada.

     

African Hepatics XXXIX. Some dioecious species of Lejeunea

Abstract

Lejeunea obtusata Gott. is described and recorded from Madagascar, Mauritius, Tanzania, Ghana, Sierra Leone and probably Uganda. L. cantabrigiensis E.W. Jones sp. nov. is described from Cameroon Mountain. L. obtusistipula (Steph.) E.W. Jones, comb. nov. (Cheilolejeunea obtusistipula Steph.) is described from Sierra Leone. Taxonomic notes on allied species, including L. confusa E.W. Jones, are included.     

The genus Typhlocharis Dieck 1869 (Coleoptera: Carabidae): description of a new species from Portugal and remarks on the external microsculpture of the last abdominal sternum “belt”

The endogean carabid Typhlocharis zaballosi n. sp., belonging to the T. gomezi group, is described and illustrated. The work provides diagnostic characters, in particular the structure of male and female genitalia, affinities to putative relatives and some remarks on its ecology and distribution. A key for the identification of all known species of the T. gomezi species group are provided. Some remarks on the external microsculpture of the last abdominal sternum “belt” of T. carinata Serrano & Aguiar 2006, T. quarta Pérez-González & Zaballos 2013, T. crespoi Serrano & Aguiar 2007 and T. zaballosi n. sp. are given. An overall revision of the presence/absence of this structure in the genus is provided and its taxonomic relevance is also discussed.     

Considerations for the inclusion of 2x mammalian genomes in phylogenetic analyses

A response to 2x genomes - depth does matter by MC Milinkovitch, R Helaers, E Depiereux, AC Tzika and T Gabaldón. Genome Biol 2010, 11:R16.