Tetrablemmidae (Arachnida, Araneae), a spider family newly recorded from China

The family Tetrablemmidae is reported for the first time from China, with five new species and one new genus. Lehtinenia gen. n., which is erected to accommodate Lehtinenia bicornis sp. n., is characterized by the modified embolus, special modifications on chelicerae, and a Tetrablemma-type vulva. The other four new species are: Ablemma prominens sp. n., Brignoliella caligiformis sp. n., Brignoliella maoganensis sp. n., and Tetrablemma brevidens sp. n., all collected from caves. A phylogenetic analysis of the subfamily Tetrablemminae based on 41 morphological characters shows that the tribe Brignoliellini is the most basal group in the subfamily, rather than the sister group to the tribe Fallablemmini. Lehtinenia gen. n. and the genera Ablemma, Sulaimania, and Maijana together form a monophyletic group.     

Molecular phylogeny,analysis of character evolution,and submersible collections enable a new classification of a diverse group of gobies (Teleostei: Gobiidae: Nes subgroup), including nine new species and four new genera

The Nes subgroup of the Gobiosomatini (Teleostei: Gobiiformes: Gobiidae) is an ecologically diverse clade of fishes endemic to the tropical western Atlantic and eastern Pacific oceans. It has been suggested that morphological characters in gobies tend to evolve via reduction and loss associated with miniaturization, and this, coupled with the parallel evolution of adaptations to similar microhabitats, may lead to homoplasy and ultimately obscure our ability to discern phylogenetic relationships using morphological characters alone. This may be particularly true for the Nes subgroup of gobies, where several genera that are diagnosed by ‘reductive characters’ have been shown to be polyphyletic. Here we present the most comprehensive phylogeny to date of the Nes subgroup using mitochondrial and nuclear sequence data. We then evaluate the congruence between the distribution of morphological characters and our molecular tree using maximum‐likelihood ancestral state reconstruction, and test for phylogenetic signal in characters using Pagel's λ tree transformations (Nature, 401 , 1999 and 877). Our results indicate that all of the characters previously used to diagnose genera of the Nes subgroup display some degree of homoplasy with respect to our molecular tree; however, many characters display considerable phylogenetic signal and thus may be useful in diagnosing genera when used in combination with other characters. We present a new classification for the group in which all genera are monophyletic and in most cases diagnosed by combinations of morphological characters. The new classification includes four new genera and nine new species described here, many of which were collected from rarely sampled deep Caribbean reefs using manned submersibles. The group now contains 38 species in the genera Carrigobius gen. nov., Chriolepis, Eleotrica, Gobulus, Gymneleotris, Nes, Paedovaricus gen. nov., Pinnichthys gen. nov., Psilotris, and Varicus. Lastly, we provide a key to all named species of the Nes subgroup along with photographs and illustrations to aid in identification.     

Phylogenetic reassessment of the Teloschistaceae (lichen-forming Ascomycota, Lecanoromycetes)

The Teloschistaceae is a widespread family with considerable morphological and ecological heterogeneity across genera and species groups. In order to provide a comprehensive molecular phylogeny for this family, phylogenetic analyses were carried out on sequences from the nuclear ribosomal ITS region obtained from 114 individuals that represent virtually all main lineages of Teloschistaceae. Our study confirmed the polyphyly of Caloplaca, Fulgensia and Xanthoria, and revealed that Teloschistes is probably non-monophyletic. We also confirm here that species traditionally included in Caloplaca subgenus Gasparrinia do not form a monophyletic entity. Caloplaca aurantia, C. carphinea and C. saxicola s. str. groups were recovered as monophyletic. The subgenera Caloplaca and Pyrenodesmia were also polyphyletic. In the subgenus Caloplaca, the traditionally recognized C. cerina group was recovered as monophyletic. Because this study is based solely on ITS, to maximize taxon sampling, the inclusion of phylogenetic signal from ambiguously aligned regions in MP (recoded INAASE and arc characters) resulted in the most highly supported phylogenetic reconstruction, compared with Bayesian inference restricted to alignable sites.     

Targeted sequencing supports morphology and embryo features in resolving the classification of Cyperaceae tribe Fuireneae s.l.

Molecular phylogenetic studies based on Sanger sequences have shown that Cyperaceae tribe Fuireneae s.l. is paraphyletic. However, taxonomic sampling in these studies has been poor, topologies have been inconsistent, and support for the backbone of trees has been weak. Moreover, uncertainty still surrounds the morphological limits of Schoenoplectiella, a genus of mainly small, amphicarpic annuals that was recently segregated from Schoenoplectus. Consequently, despite ample evidence from molecular analyses that Fuireneae s.l. might consist of two to four tribal lineages, no taxonomic changes have yet been made. Here, we use the Angiosperms353 enrichment panel for targeted sequencing to (i) clarify the relationships of Fuireneae s.l. with the related tribes Abildgaardieae, Eleocharideae, and Cypereae; (ii) define the limits of Fuireneae s.s., and (iii) test the monophyly of Fuireneae s.l. genera with emphasis on Schoenoplectus and Schoenoplectiella. Using more than a third of Fuireneae s.l. diversity, our phylogenomic analyses strongly support six genera and four major Fuireneae s.l. clades that we recognize as tribes: Bolboschoeneae stat.nov., Fuireneae s.s., Schoenoplecteae, and Pseudoschoeneae tr. nov. These results are consistent with morphological, micromorphological (nutlet epidermal cell shape), and embryo differences detected for each tribe. At the generic level, most sub-Saharan African perennials currently treated in Schoenoplectus are transferred to Schoenoplectiella. Our targeted sequencing results show that these species are nested in Schoenoplectiella, and their treatment here is consistent with micromorphological and embryo characters shared by all Schoenoplectiella species. Keys to recognized tribes and genera are provided.     

Morphology disentangles the systematics of a ubiquitous but elusive meiofaunal group (Kinorhyncha: Pycnophyidae)

Kinorhyncha is a group of benthic, microscopic animals distributed worldwide in marine sediments. The phylum is divided into two classes, Cyclorhagida and Allomalorhagida, congruent with the two major clades recovered in recent phylogenetic analyses. Allomalorhagida accommodates more than one‐third of the described species, most of them assigned to the family Pycnophyidae. All previous phylogenetic analyses of the phylum recovered the two genera within Pycnophyidae, Pycnophyes and Kinorhynchus, as paraphyletic and polyphyletic. A major problem in these studies was the lack of molecular data of most pycnophyids, due to the limited and highly localized distribution of most species, often in the Arctic and the deep‐sea. We here overcame the problem by adding a morphological partition with data for 79 Pycnophyidae species, 15 of them also represented by molecular data. Model‐based analyses yielded seven clades, which each was supported by several morphological apomorphies. Accordingly, Kinorhynchus is synonymized with Pycnophyes and six new genera are described for the remaining recovered clades: Leiocanthus gen. nov., Cristaphyes gen. nov., Higginsium gen. nov., Krakenella gen. nov., Setaphyes gen. nov. and Fujuriphyes gen. nov.     

早寒武世马哈螺类的骨骼化特征、分类和演化意义

马哈螺类（maikhanellids)是已知最古老的单板类,以往缺乏系统研究,并在分类上争议较大,文中以滇东早寒武世梅树村阶微小骨骼化石的丰富材料为依据,详细阐述该类群的形态特征和超微结构,探讨其亲缘关系和演化趋势,研究表明,马哈螺类由6个属组成,包括Maikhanella,Ramenta,Ramentoides gen.nov.,Mediata gen.nov.,Yunnanopleure和Purella。各属之间壳形变化较大,但裸露的壳顶和普遍发育的鳞片状或条状突起表明它们在明显的亲缘关系,并显示两个演化方向,即Maikhanella Ramentoides gen.nov.Ramenta和Maikhanella Mediata gen.nov.Yunanopleura-Purella。马哈螺类分布于梅树村期早,中期,Maikhanella是最原始的马哈螺,最先出现在梅树村阶小歪头山段,也是中谊村段下磷矿层唯一的马哈螺,而在该段上磷矿层马哈螺类发生了明显的属种分异,在大少段所有的马哈螺类突然消失,马哈螺类的壳体曾被描述为：骨针状的外骨骼”,“骨片状外骼”和“包裹在中间基质中的骨针”,但当前研究表明,以Maikhanella pristinis和Ramenta cambrina为代表的马哈螺类的内壳层具有早期单板类中较常见的水平交错纤状结构,指示了马哈螺类具有致密成层的壳壁,文中新建2亚科,2属和5种,即Maikhanellinae subfamily nov.,Purellinae subfamily nov.,Maikhanella Perelegans sp.nov.,Ramenta superata sp.nov.,Ramentoides latispinus gen.et sp.nov.,Mediata kunyangensis gen.et sp.nov.,Yunnanopleura longidens sp.nov。     

Taxonomy and molecular phylogeny of three freshwater scuticociliates,with descriptions of one new genus and two new species (Protista,Ciliophora, Oligohymenophorea)

Three freshwater scuticociliates, Apouronema harbinensis gen. nov. spec. nov., Cyclidium vorax spec. nov., and C. glaucoma Müller, 1773, collected from rivers in Hulan District, Harbin, northeastern China, were investigated using morphological and phylogenetic criteria. Apouronema gen. nov., assigned to the family Uronematidae, is mainly distinguished from the other genera of the family by its paroral membrane extending anteriorly to the middle of membranelle 1. Apouronema harbinensis spec. nov. is defined by body size in vivo about 45–55 × 20–25 μm, buccal field about 70–80% of cell length; 12 or 13 somatic kineties; membranelle 1 having two rows, with 16–18 basal bodies in each kinety; membranelle 2 and membranelle 3 both having two rows each; scutica X-shaped with five pairs of basal bodies. Cyclidium vorax spec. nov. is characterized by the following features: body size 35–40 × 18–20 μm in vivo; 9 or 10 somatic kineties; membranelle 1 having two longitudinal rows, much shorter than M2; M2 triangle-shaped. The phylogenetic analyses show that: (1) Apouronema clustered in the Uronematidae clade, and grouped with genera Uronemita and Uronema; (2) Cyclidium vorax spec. nov. grouped with C. glaucoma and C. sinicum, which supports the assignment of the new species to the genus Cyclidium; (3) Cyclidium remains non-monophyletic with the addition of the new sequence.     

Description of Phaeobola aeris gen. nov., sp. nov (Rhizaria,Cercozoa, Euglyphida) Sheds Light on Euglyphida’s Dark Matter

The majority of Euglyphida species are characterised by shells with imbricated silica scales. Environmental surveys indicate a large unexplored diversity and recent efforts hinted at a certain diversity of yet undescribed, inconspicuous, scale-lacking Euglyphida. Here we describe Phaeobola aeris gen. nov., sp. nov. that shows a variety of morphological characters typical for the Euglyphida but lacks silica scales-instead, this species bears an agglutinated test. Neither its morphology nor phylogenetic placement allows its assignment to any currently described family. We erected the yet monospecific genus Phaeobola gen. nov., which with yet available data remain Euglyphida incertae sedis.     

A new genus of schizomids (Arachnida: Schizomida: Hubbardiidae) from Mexico,with notes on its systematics

During the systematic revision of Mayazomus, the third most diverse genus of micro whip-scorpions in North America, we found three species with peculiar morphological variation, which are different from those diagnostic characters for Mayazomus. These species share with Mayazomus the large body size and the unusual development of the male pedipalps; however, these three species share the shape of the female spermathecae with Stenochrus rather than with Mayazomus. Therefore, their phylogenetic placements create a dilemma. Here we perform analyses with morphological evidence, using two different methodologies (Parsimony and Bayesian inference) in order to hypothesize the phylogenetic relationships of the three species mentioned with each other and with respect to other North American and/or Central American genera. The results confirm our initial hypothesis that the species belong to a different genus, Olmeca gen. nov., which is recovered as the sister group of all hubbardiine genera included in these analyses, except for the genus Hubbardia. The results also indicate that despite sharing some morphological similarities, it is distantly related with Mayazomus. Three species are described herein: Olmeca brujo sp. nov., Olmeca cruzlopezi sp. nov., and Olmeca santibanezi sp. nov. Additionally, we provide a hypothesis of the relationships and biogeography of Olmeca gen. nov. with other genera.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:F64CE801-7D82-4827-A5B9-0C0B41F58043     

Uncovering hidden coral diversity: a new cryptic lobophylliid scleractinian from the Indian Ocean

Extant biodiversity can easily be underestimated owing to the presence of cryptic taxa, even among commonly observed species. Scleractinian corals are challenging to identify because of their ecophenotypic variation and morphological plasticity. In addition, molecular analyses have revealed the occurrence of cryptic speciation. Here, we describe a new cryptic lobophylliid genus and species Paraechinophyllia variabilis gen. nov., sp. nov., which is morphologically similar to Echinophyllia aspera and E. orpheensis. The new taxon occurs in Mayotte Island, Madagascar, the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea. Six molecular markers (COI, 12S, ATP6-NAD4, NAD3-NAD5, histone H3 and ITS) and 46 morphological characters at three different levels (macromorphology, micromorphology and microstructure) were examined. The resulting molecular phylogenetic reconstruction showed that Paraechinophyllia gen. nov. represents a distinct group within the Lobophylliidae that diverged from the lineage leading to Echinophyllia and Oxypora in the Early Miocene, approximately 21.5 Ma. The morphological phylogenetic reconstruction clustered Paraechinophyllia gen. nov., Echinophyllia and Oxypora together in a single clade. A sole morphological character, calice relief, discriminated Paraechinophyllia gen. nov. from the latter two genera, suggesting that limited morphological variation has occurred over a long period. These results highlight the importance of cryptic taxa in reef corals, with implications for population genetics, ecological studies and conservation.     

Megadraconema cornutum, a new genus and species from Korea, with a discussion of its classification and relationships within the family Draconematidae (Nematoda, Desmodorida) based on morphological and molecular characters

A new genus and species of Draconematidae Filipjev, 1918, Megadraconema cornutum gen. nov., sp. nov., inhabiting subtidal sediments in Jejudo, Korea is described. Megadraconema cornutum gen. nov., sp. nov. is mainly characterized by a long body (1630-2220 μm), presence of a transverse circle of well-developed papillae-like cuticular protrusions at the base of the lip region, a head capsule with reticular structure of subcuticle, an amphid with a pore-like opening, and an internal, bar-shaped fovea. The diagnosis of the family Draconematidae is emended and a key to genus is provided based on their major differential diagnostic characteristics, summarized in a table. Phylogenetic relationships of all the genera within the Draconematidae are discussed for the first time, based on molecular analyses and morphological features. The phylogenetic position of the new genus and relationships within the family Draconematidae based on analysis of molecular sequence data are examined. Analysis of 18S rRNA gene sequences does not support the currently accepted classification, and indicates paraphyly of the subfamily Draconematinae.     

Systematic reappraisal of species in Phoma section Paraphoma, Pyrenochaeta and Pleurophoma

Sequence data from the 18S nrDNA (SSU) and 28S nrDNA (LSU) regions of isolates of Phoma section Paraphoma were compared with those of representative isolates of the morphologically similar anamorph genera Pleurophoma and Pyrenochaeta and of the type species of Phoma sections Phoma, Pilosa and Plenodomus. Phoma section Paraphoma was found to be highly polyphyletic within the Pleosporales and only distantly related to Phoma section Phoma. The genus Paraphoma, which is based on Paraphoma radicina, is reintroduced in the Phaeosphaeriaceae with two additional taxa. The new genera Setophoma and Neosetophoma, type species Setophoma terrestris comb. nov. and Neosetophoma samarorum comb. nov., are introduced and represent species that are closely related to Paraphoma but differ based on morphological characters and molecular phylogeny. Phoma coonsii is transferred to genus Chaetosphaeronema that also belongs to the Phaeosphaeriaceae. Pyrenochaetopsis gen. nov. is introduced to accommodate the type species Pyrenochaetopsis leptospora comb. nov., as well as several other species formerly accommodated in Phoma and Pyrenochaeta. Pyrenochaetopsis is closely related to Pyrenochaeta and classified in the Cucurbitariaceae. Pleurophoma cava is transferred to genus Pyrenochaeta. The new genera elucidate the confusing taxonomy of species in genera Phoma, Pyrenochaeta and Pleurophoma and recognize monophyletic genera with distinct teleomorph affinities.     

New Genera and Species of Psychodoid Flies from the Lower Cretaceous Amber Lebanon

Until now, only two Psychodoidea were known from Lebanese amber. We describe two new genera and species of Phlebotomidae ( Mesophlebotomites hennigi gen. et sp. nov., Libanophlebotomus lutfallahi gen. et sp. nov.) and four new genera with six new species of Psychodidae ( Paleopsychoda solignaci gen. et sp. nov., Paleopsychoda jacquelinae sp. nov., Protopsychoda nadiae gen. et sp. nov., Protopsychoda hammanaensis sp. nov., Libanopsychoda abillamai gen. et sp. nov., Cretapsychoda inexpectata gen. et sp. nov.) from the Lower Cretaceous amber of Hammana/Mdeirij, Lebanon. These fossils are included in a phylogenetic analysis of the subfamilies of Psychodoidea. This superfamily was probably as diverse in the Early Cretaceous as now.     

中国靴耳属6个新种

本文在形态学及分子系统学基础上,对6个采自云南、广西、福建和江西的靴耳属新种进行描述,分别命名为齿缘靴耳、异囊靴耳、假黏靴耳、网孢靴耳、条纹靴耳和毛缘靴耳,并编制中国靴耳属已知物种检索表。基于已知的靴耳属ITS序列,对靴耳属的系统发育分析表明球孢亚属是并系群,并确定了锁状联合的有无及菌盖表皮是否具有凝胶层是靴耳亚属的主要分类特征。     

云南鹤庆盆地晚第四纪介形类新属种

云南鹤庆盆地晚第四纪（１５ ０００－１２ ０００ａＢＰ）ＨＱ钻孔剖面建立介形类２新属６新种,即玻璃介科的Ｃａｎｄｏｎａ ｐａｒｕａ ｓｐ．ｎｏｖ．,Ｙｕｎｎａｎｉｃａｎｄｏｎａ ｏｂｌｏｎｇａ ｓｐ．ｎｏｖ．,Ｌｉｎｅｏｃｙｐｒｉｓ ｇｒａｎｕｌｏｓａ ｓｐ．ｎｏｖ．,Ｌ．ｇｉｂｂａ ｓｐ．ｎｏｖ．以及湖花介科的Ｐａｒａｃｈｉｎｏｃｙｔｈｅｒｅ ｒｅｔｉｃｕｌａｔａ ｇｅｎ．ｅｔ ｓｐ．ｎｏｖ．,     

Molecular and morphological evidence for a new grass genus,Dupontiopsis (Poaceae tribe Poeae subtribe Poinae s.l.), endemic to alpine Japan,and implications for the reticulate origin of Dupontia and Arctophila within Poinae s.l.

Phylogenetic analyses within Poaceae tribe Poeae subtribes Puccinellinae (=Coleanthinae), Phleinae, Poinae s.l. (including Alopecurinae), and Miliinae (PPAM clade), revealed that one species formerly placed in Poa represents a new monotypic genus belonging to subtribe Poinae s.l., Dupontiopsis gen. nov., D. hayachinensis comb. nov. (based on Poa hayachinensis), endemic to wet, gravelly, serpentine, alpine habitats in northern Japan. This genus forms a strongly supported clade (DAD) with two circumarctic Poinae genera, Arctophila and Dupontia, in phylogenetic analyses of plastid and nuclear ribosomal DNA sequence data. Both morphology and DNA sequence analyses provide support for D. hayachinensis as a lineage distinct from either Arctophila or Dupontia, with moderate DNA support for a position as sister to these two genera. Dupontiopsis resembles these other monotypic genera in its several-flowered spikelets, lemmas usually 3-nerved, with frequently awned attenuate scarious apices (as in Dupontia) and calluses with a crown of hairs around the base of the lemma, but differs in its keeled lemmas, scabrous palea keels, glumes shorter than the first lemma. Our investigation suggests that the most recent shared ancestor of the DAD clade evolved from a single hybridization event, as a hexaploid, probably in western Beringia. The probable parentage of the ancestor is considered to be within the Poinae–Alopecurinae clade excluding Poa. We provide evidence for possible secondary hybridization and introgression of duodecaploid Dupontia fisheri with Puccinellia. A key to perennial genera of PPAM with hairy calluses, and a supplemental table of morphological characters in the genera accepted in PPAM are provided.