First record of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pojetaia runnegari</Emphasis> Jell, 1980 and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fordilla</Emphasis> Barrande, 1881 from the Middle East (Taurus Mountains,Turkey) and critical review of Cambrian bivalves

Cambrian bivalves from the Middle East are reported here for the first time. They come from early “Middle Cambrian” and latest “Early Cambrian” limestones of the lower Çal Tepe Formation at the type locality (near Seydi?ehir, western Taurides). The majority of the new findings consists of Pojetaia runnegari Jell, 1980, but a few specimens of Fordilla sp. represent the first report of this genus from “Middle Cambrian” strata. Based on a compilation of the hitherto reported, but mostly revised Cambrian bivalves, the today widely accepted taxa are discussed. The genera Pojetaia Jell, 1980 and Fordilla Barrande, 1881 are critically evaluated, and three valid species are included in Pojetaia: P. runnegari Jell, 1980, P. sarhroensis Geyer and Streng, 1998, and—with limitations—P. ostseensis Hinz-Schallreuter, 1995. Fordilla also includes three species: F. troyensis Barrande, 1881, F. sibirica Krasilova, 1977, and F. germanica Elicki, 1994. The Cambrian genera Tuarangia MacKinnon, 1982, Camya Hinz-Schallreuter, 1995, and Arhouriella Geyer and Streng, 1998 most probably belong to the class Bivalvia. Palaeoecologically, the Cambrian bivalves of the Western Perigondwanan shelf seem to occur in a relatively small window of low-energy, subtidal, open-marine, warm-water conditions on a muddy carbonate ramp or platform with reduced sedimentation rate. The frequently interpreted infaunal mode of life of Pojetaia and Fordilla is questioned by observations of similarly organized modern bivalves. The palaeogeographical distribution of Pojetaia and Fordilla is discussed with respect to their early ontogeny and to differences in the recent state of knowledge on shelly fossils from Cambrian carbonate successions of Perigondwana.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Spathebothrium vivekanandai</Emphasis> sp.n. (Platyhelminthes: Cestoidea) from a Freshwater Fish <Emphasis Type="Italic">Channa striatus</Emphasis> from West Bengal,India

The monotypic genus Spathebothrium Linton, 1922 contains the only known species Spathebothrium simplex Linton, 1922. In this paper Spathebothrium vivekanandai sp.n. is described and illustrated. The specimen was obtained from the intestine of a freshwater fish Channa striatus which was collected from Basirhat, North 24 Parganas, West Bengal, India. The species is characterized by a small scolex, rounded anteriorly; presence of neck; genital pores irregularly or regularly alternate and U-shaped ovary. In addition to these characters, absence of vaginal sphincter and absence of seminal receptacle differentiates the present species from the earlier described one. The genus Spathebothrium Linton, 1922 is being reported for the first time from West Bengal, India.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Anonchotaenia adhiraji</Emphasis> sp.n. (Platyhelminthes:Cestoidea) from a Bird <Emphasis Type="Italic">Hypsipetes madagascarensis</Emphasis> from Arunachal Pradesh,India

The genus Anonchotaenia Cohn, 1900 contains 23 valid species. In this paper Anonchotaenia adhiraji sp.n. obtained from the intestine of a bird Hypsipetes madagascarensis commonly known as black bulbul from Bomdila in Dirang district of Arunachal Pradesh, India is described and illustrated.The species is characterized by a large unarmed, square-shaped scolex; testes 7–8 in number arranged in two lateral groups and a voluminous paruterine organ that differentiates it from the rest of the described species in the genus. This is also the first report of the genus Anonchotaenia Cohn, 1900 from Arunachal Pradesh, India.     

Aspect and modality in the interpretation of deverbal -<Emphasis Type="Italic">er</Emphasis> nominals in English

This article presents a corpus study of over 16,000 tokens of -er nominalizations on 62 verbal bases that were extracted from the Corpus of Contemporary American English and the British National Corpus. We show that an individual -er nominal can often be given a range of modal and aspectual readings and that a number of factors influence the availability of different readings for -er nominals, including verb type, syntactic context (verb tenses, adverbs), and encyclopedic information. On the basis of these data, we argue, contra Cohen (2016), that the core meaning of the affix -er (as in writer, printer, etc.) cannot be that of a dynamic modal. We show that neither Cohen’s (2016) analysis nor syntactic analyses such as that of Alexiadou and Schäfer (2010) can account for the range of readings we find. We conclude by sketching one possible analysis in terms of the Lexical Semantic Framework of Lieber (2004, 2016) that postulates underspecified lexical representations of the -er nominals and resolution of underspecification in context.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Djombangia mannai</Emphasis> sp. n. (Cestoidea: Caryophyllidea: Lytocestidae) from a Siluroid Fish in West Bengal,India

The genus Djombangia Bovien, 1926 is a monotypic genus with only one valid species Djombangia penetrans Bovien, 1926 under it. In this paper Djombangia mannai sp.n. obtained from the intestine of a siluriform fresh water fish Clarias batrachus Linnaeus, 1758 from Diamond Harbour, South-24 Parganas, West Bengal, India is described and illustrated. The species is characterized by a small, globular scolex with spherical apical organ; body without transverse grooves; absence of neck; absence of seminal receptacle and 300–350 testes that differentiates it from the only known species under this genus.     

A new species of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Diaphenchelys</Emphasis> (Anguilliformes: Muraenidae) from Thailand

A new species of moray eel, Diaphenchelys dalmatian is described based on five specimens [289.8–503.0 mm total length (TL)] collected from the western coast of peninsular Thailand and the Gulf of Thailand. It can be easily distinguished from Diaphenchelys pelonates McCosker and Randall 2007, another species of the genus Diaphenchelys McCosker and Randall 2007, by its coloration (ground color white with brown dalmatian-like spots vs. brown with pale vermiculate pattern). The present new species also differs from D. pelonates in its longer tail (62.0–64.6% TL vs. 59.6–61.5%), fewer infraorbital pores along upper lip (three vs. four), fewer mandibular pores (five vs. six or seven), and fewer vertebral counts (preanal vertebrae 43–46 vs. 55–58; total 126–131 vs. 153–155). Diaphenchelys is closely similar to the genus Strophidon McClelland 1844 in the shape of neurocranium, the elongate body, low vertical fins, eye location, jaw shape, and presence of inner mandibular teeth. However, both differ in the vertebral counts (126–155 in Diaphenchelys vs. 164–208 in Strophidon) and coloration (prominent pattern vs. uniform).     

Redescriptions of two western Pacific triplefins (Perciformes: Tripterygiidae), <Emphasis Type="Italic">Enneapterygius fuscoventer</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">E. howensis</Emphasis>

Two western Pacific triplefins, Enneapterygius fuscoventer Fricke 1997 and E. howensis Fricke 1997 (Perciformes: Tripterygiidae), are similar to each other in sharing 15–19 (usually 17) notched lateral-line scales and the mandibular pore formula 3–5 + 1 + 3–5 (usually 4 + 1 + 4), in addition to similar coloration, viz. body with four vertical bands, the first and second forked ventrally, dorsal-fin membrane semi-transparent, anal fin entirely blackish, and caudal fin blackish with a semi-transparent margin. These species have previously been known only from preserved specimens. Examination of additional specimens plus color photographs of males and females of both species when fresh, and comparisons with type specimens resulted in several features, including coloration and counts of second dorsal-fin spines, anal-fin soft rays, pored lateral-line scales and longitudinal scale rows, being regarded as new diagnostic characters. Enneapterygius fuscoventer and E. howensis have been newly recorded from southern Japan and coastal eastern Australia, respectively.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Abudefduf nigrimargo</Emphasis>, a new species of damselfish (Perciformes: Pomacentridae) from Taiwan

A new species of damselfish, Abudefduf nigrimargo (Pomacentridae), is described on the basis of six specimens (91.8–119.5 mm standard length; SL) from Taiwan. Although similar to A. caudobimaculatus Okada and Ikeda 1939, A. saxatilis (Linnaeus 1758), A. troschelii (Gill 1862) and A. vaigiensis (Quoy and Gaimard 1825) in having five dark bands on the lateral surface of the body with yellowish interspaces dorsally, the new species can be distinguished from the others by the following combination of characters: 18–19 (mode 19) pectoral-fin rays; 20–23 (22) tubed lateral-line scales; 7–8 (7)?+?14–16 (16)?=?21–24 (23) gill rakers; relatively greater body depth and longer pectoral-fin length [57.3–60.8% (mean 59.0%) of SL and 36.8–40.8% (38.5%) of SL, respectively]; 5 scale rows on cheek; scales on suborbit, usually continuous over basal area of lacrimal; many scales on anteroventral region of head; scale covering on preopercle and interopercle continuous; scales on dorsal and lateral body surfaces with blackish margin (indistinct in subadult), second and third black bands on body not extending dorsally onto membranes of spinous dorsal fin; anterior and upper margins of fourth black band usually level with sixth dorsal-fin soft ray base and not extending onto small scales on the dorsal-fin base, respectively; and caudal-fin base without black spots.     

Further progress towards the delimitation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cheilanthes</Emphasis> (Cheilanthoideae,Pteridaceae), with emphasis on South American species

Cheilanthoid ferns (Cheilanthoideae sensu PPG 1 2016) constitute an important group within the Pteridaceae and are cosmopolitan in distribution. In South America, there are 155 species distributed in 13 genera, among which the largest are Adiantopsis (35), Cheilanthes (27), and Doryopteris (22). Most of the cheilanthoid species are morphologically adapted to grow in arid to semi-arid conditions and show convergent evolution, which has implied difficulties in defining the genera throughout their taxonomic history (Copeland 1947, Tryon & Tryon 1973, Gastony & Rollo 1995, 1998, Kirkpatrick Systematic Botany, 32: 504–518, 2007, Rothfels et al. Taxon, 57: 712–724, 2008). Here, we sequenced two plastid markers (rbcL?+?trnL-F) of 33 South American cheilanthoid species, most of which have not been included in phylogenetic analyses previously. The South American species were analyzed together with South African and Australasian Cheilanthes and representatives of related cheilanthoid genera. The phylogenetic analysis showed that most Cheilanthes species are related to the genus Hemionitis, constituting different groups according to their distribution; moreover, three species—C. hassleri, C. pantanalensis, and C. obducta—appear as the sister clade of Hemionitis. Cheilanthes micropteris, the type species, is strongly supported in a clade with Australasian Cheilanthes plus five South American Cheilanthes species, all of which show a reduction in the number of spores per sporangium; this feature would be a synapomorphy for core Cheilanthes s.s. We found no support uniting other South American Cheilanthes to either the group of South African Cheilanthes or to core Cheilanthes s.s. On the other hand, C. geraniifolia, C. goyazensis, and C. bradei formed a clade related to Doryopteris that, with further study, could be considered as a new genus. The phylogenetic hypotheses presented here contribute substantially to the delimitation of Cheilanthes s.s. and related groups and provide the basis for re-examining the generic taxonomy.     

Redescription of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lagocephalus cheesemanii</Emphasis> (Clarke 1897), a senior synonym of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lagocephalus gloveri</Emphasis> Abe and Tabeta 1983, based on morphological and genetic comparisons (Actinopterygii: Tetraodontiformes: Tetraodontidae)

Lagocephalus gloveri Abe and Tabeta 1983 is shown to be a junior synonym of Tetrodon cheesemanii Clarke 1897 based on examination of morphological characters and DNA analysis of specimens collected from the western North Pacific, Australia and New Zealand. Lagocephalus cheesemanii is distinguished from other species of Lagocephalus by the following combination of characters: spinules on the back in a rhomboidal patch extending from the region between the nasal organ to the posterior part of the pectoral fin; caudal fin double emarginate with middle rays posteriorly produced; dorsal-fin rays 11–15; anal-fin rays 11–14; pectoral-fin rays 15–18; vertebrae 8+11=19; dorsal half of the body dark brown to brownish black; caudal fin dark brown to black with dorsal and ventral white tips. A neotype of L. cheesemanii is designated.     

Polyamines stimulate non-photochemical quenching of chlorophyll <Emphasis Type="Italic">a</Emphasis> fluorescence in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Scenedesmus obliquus</Emphasis>

Polyamines (PAs) are small metabolites that are produced and oxidized in chloroplasts with an obscure mode of action. Recently, we showed that qE is stimulated by PAs in higher plants (Nicotiana tabacum) and in genetically modified plants with elevated thylakoid-associated PAs (Ioannidis and Kotzabasis Biochim Biophys Acta 1767:1371–1382, 2007; Ioannidis et al. Biochim Biophys Acta 1787:1215–1222, 2009). Here, we investigated further their quenching properties both in vivo in green algae and in vitro is isolated LHCII. In vivo spermine up-regulates NPQ in Scenedesums obliquus about 30%. In vitro putrescine—the obligatory metabolic precursor of PAs—has a marginal quenching effect, while spermidine and spermine exhibit strong quenching abilities in isolated LHCII up to 40%. Based on available 3D models of LHCII we report a special cavity of about 600 Å³ and a near-by larger pocket in the trimeric LHCII that could be of importance for the stimulation of qE by amines.     

Validity of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Abudefduf caudobimaculatus</Emphasis> Okada and Ikeda 1939 and synonymies of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Abudefduf vaigiensis</Emphasis> (Quoy and Gaimard 1825) (Perciformes: Pomacentridae)

Abudefduf caudobimaculatus Okada and Ikeda 1939, having long been regarded as a junior synonym of Abudefduf vaigiensis (Quoy and Gaimard 1825), is herein redescribed as a valid species on the basis of the holotype and 77 additional specimens. Abudefduf caudobimaculatus can be distinguished from A. vaigiensis in having 11–13 (modally 12) dorsal-fin soft rays, 4 scale rows above the lateral line, 2½ scale rows between the middle of the spinous portion of the dorsal-fin base and lateral line, 3–4 (4) scale rows on the cheek, scales always present on the anteroventral region of the head, eleventh and last dorsal-fin spines and pectoral-fin length 15.5–18.4%, 17.1–20.6%, and 33.5–39.9% of SL, respectively, two black spots on the caudal-fin base, anteriormost bar descending to behind the pectoral-fin base, 0–1 tubed lateral-line scales on the fourth vertical bar, and third to seventh (usually fifth or sixth) dorsal-fin soft ray base at the anterior margin of the fourth vertical bar. Synonymies of A. vaigiensis are discussed with designations of lectotypes for Glyphisodon vaigiensis and Glyphisodon rahti.     

Notes on <Emphasis Type="Italic">Teskeyellus</Emphasis> Philip &amp; Fairchild (Diptera: Tabanidae: Diachlorini) and Description of <Emphasis Type="Italic">T</Emphasis>. <Emphasis Type="Italic">cyanommatus</Emphasis> Sp. Nov., a Non-blood Sucking Horsefly from the Amazon Basin

The monotypic genus Teskeyellus was described for T. hirsuticornis Philip & Fairchild 1974, from Mexico. After more than 40 years, another species is described in the genus, T. cyanommatus sp. nov., based on two females and one male specimens from Amazon basin. The type specimens of T. hirsuticornis were studied and we concluded that there are enough similarities to include the new species in Teskeyellus.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Hypoanthraconaia</Emphasis>: a new genus of non-marine bivalve molluscs from the Early Permian of Far East Russia

Early Permian continental deposits include a large number of localities containing anthracosiid-like non-marine bivalves traditionally assigned to Anthraconaia Trueman and Weir, 1946, Palaeanodonta Amalitzky, 1895, and Palaeomutela Amalitzky, 1892. In most cases, these classifications are only tentative due to insufficient preservation in which the shells are missing their main characteristics: the ligament and the hinge. Non-marine bivalves from the Early Permian Upper Pospelovka Subformation of Russky Island (South Primorye, Far East Russia), described here as Hypoanthraconaia gen. nov., differ morphologically from the above genera by a set of external features including the initial shell, the mode of intersection of the growth lines with the dorsal margin, and the details of the sculpture. Hypoanthraconaia gen. nov. shows the most external similarity with “atypical” anthracosiid-like morphotypes of Anthraconaia that are widespread in the Late Pennsylvanian and Early Permian of eastern North America, and the Stephanian and Early Permian Lower Rotliegend of northwestern Europe. On this basis, the new genus is conventionally assigned to the family Naiaditidae Scarlato and Starobogatov, 1979.     

A scientific note on the evidence for the production and use of wax by a captive female <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bombus</Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">sylvestris</Emphasis>

The presence of wax glands in the socially parasitic subgenus Bombus (Psithyrus) was established only recently (Sramkova and Ayasse, 2008), but the uses for the produced wax are unknown. In this investigation nest-searching Bombus sylvestris females were collected and kept in darkness, in conditions of controlled temperature and relative humidity, using rearing conditions for non-parasitic bumblebees. The results show that in Bombus sylvestris not only wax glands are present but they also can produce wax which can be used as a building material.     

Transmembrane topology of subunit N of complex I (NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase) from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Escherichia coli</Emphasis>

The transmembrane topology of subunit N from E. coli Complex I has been investigated. Chemical labeling of mono-substituted cysteine mutants was carried out in inverted membrane vesicles, and in whole cells, using 3-N-maleimidyl-propionyl biocytin (MPB). The results support a model of 14 transmembrane spans with both termini in the periplasm, and are consistent with the models of subunits L, M and N from the crystal structure of the membrane arm of the E. coli Complex I (Efremov et al. (2010) Nature 465, 441–445). In particular, the results do not support an unusual cytoplasmic localization of two likely transmembrane regions, as proposed in previous studies (Mathiesen and Hägerhäll (2002) Biochim Biophys Acta 1556, 121–132; Torres-Bacete, et al. (2009) J Biol Chem 284, 33062–33069).     

Redescription of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Gaeolaelaps deinos</Emphasis> (Acari: Mesostigmata): an ant-associated laelapid mite

In this paper, we redescribe Gaeolaelaps deinos (Zeman 1982) based on morphological characters of female and male specimens collected from nests of Lasius sp. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Khuzestan and Chaharmahal va Bakhtiari Provinces, Iran, and based on its holotype photos. We also present an identification key for Gaeolaelaps aculeifer-like species group from Iran.     

Review of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ostichthys japonicus</Emphasis> complex (Beryciformes: Holocentridae: Myripristinae) in the northwestern Pacific Ocean,with description of a new species

A taxonomic review of the northwestern Pacific Ocean members of the Ostichthys japonicus complex (Holocentridae: Myripristinae), defined by 3.5 scale rows between the lateral line and spinous dorsal-fin base, recognized three valid species: Ostichthys alamai sp. nov., Ostichthys hypsipterygion Randall, Shimizu and Yamakawa 1982 and Ostichthys japonicus (Cuvier in Cuvier and Valenciennes 1829). Ostichthys alamai, based on 10 specimens (118–179 mm SL) from Panay Island, the Philippines and Sulawesi, Indonesia, is similar to O. hypsipterygion in having longitudinal rows of white spots laterally on the body, but has 17 or 18 (modally 17) pectoral-fin rays [vs. 15 or 16 (15) in the latter], the last dorsal-fin spine fused to the first dorsal-fin soft ray (vs. spine and ray separated), and no white blotch on the pectoral-fin base (vs. white blotch present). It differs from O. japonicus, also occurring in the Philippines, in having relatively longer dorsal- and anal-fin spines, a greater number of well-developed long spinules on the body scales, and rows of white spots laterally on the body (vs. generally absent). Detailed comparisons of O. alamai with other members of the complex are made, and revised diagnoses given for O. hypsipterygion and O. japonicus. Ostichthys sheni Chen, Shao and Mok 1990 and Holotrachys major Whitley 1950 are both regarded as junior synonyms of O. japonicus.