Myrothecium-like (Ascomycota,Hypocreales) species from tropical areas: <Emphasis Type="Italic">Digitiseta</Emphasis> gen. nov. and additions to <Emphasis Type="Italic">Inaequalispora</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Parvothecium</Emphasis>

Inaequalispora and Parvothecium are two myrothecium-like, closely related genera of Hypocreales. They are also morphologically similar, sharing sporodochial conidiomata, penicillate conidiophores, fusiform to ellipsoidal conidia accumulating in a green slimy drop, and hypha-like setoid extensions emerging through the conidial mass. During a revision of myrothecium-like isolates originating from rainforest areas of South America (Ecuador, Brazil) and Southeast Asia (Singapore), multilocus phylogenetic inferences (based on DNA sequence data of ITS, partial nuc 28S, and partial tef1a, rpb2 and tub2) and morphological studies concordantly revealed the occurrence of two undescribed species of Inaequalispora (I. longiseta sp. nov. and I. cylindrospora sp. nov.) and one undescribed species of Parvothecium (P. amazonensesp. nov.). Myrothecium setiramosum, M. dimorphum, and two undescribed taxa form the base of a new lineage, sister to the current Parvothecium lineage. This lineage is recognized as Digitiseta gen. nov., typified by D. setiramosa comb. nov. Digitiseta dimorpha comb. nov. is also proposed, and the new species D. parvodigitata sp. nov. and D. multidigitata sp. nov. are described.     

New species of the pelecypod genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Crassatella</Emphasis> (Bivalvia) from the Upper Eocene of Dnepropetrovsk,Ukraine

Two new species of the genus Crassatella, C. imitatoris sp. nov. and C. pseudolamellosa sp. nov., from Upper Eocene detrital sands of the Rybal’sky quarry of Dnepropetrovsk are described. The species Crassatella oblongula Klushnikov, 1958 is redescribed as a variety.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Cacopsylla biwa</Emphasis> sp. nov. (Hemiptera: Psyllidae): a new pest of loquat <Emphasis Type="Italic">Eriobotrya japonica</Emphasis> (Rosaceae) in Japan

A new psyllid species, Cacopsylla biwa Inoue, sp. nov., is described from Tokushima Prefecture, Shikoku, Japan. This new species develops only on Eriobotrya japonica (Thunb.) Lindl. (Rosaceae), causing severe damage to its fruits and flowers. It is strongly suspected that C. biwa is an alien species. Morphological similarities and host-plant relationships indicate that C. biwa is most closely related to Cacopsylla eriobotryae (Yang) comb. nov. (transferred from Edentatipsylla Li), which occurs in Taiwan and feeds on Eriobotrya deflexa (Hemsl.) Nakai. Morphological diagnostic characteristics of C. biwa and differences from the other congeners are discussed. Information is provided on the biology and life cycle of the new species.     

Taxonomic revisions in the Microstromatales: two new yeast species,two new genera,and validation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Jaminaea</Emphasis> and two <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sympodiomycopsis</Emphasis> species

Environmental sampling yielded two yeast species belonging to Microstromatales (Exobasidiomycetes, Ustilaginomycotina). The first species was collected from a leaf phylloplane infected by the rust fungus Coleosporium plumeriae, and represents a new species in the genus Jaminaea, for which the name Jaminaea rosea sp. nov. is proposed. The second species was isolated from air on 50% glucose media and is most similar to Microstroma phylloplanum. However, our phylogenetic analyses reveal that species currently placed in Microstroma are not monophyletic, and M. phylloplanum, M. juglandis and M. albiziae are not related to the type species of this genus, M. album. Thus, Pseudomicrostroma gen. nov. is proposed to accommodate the following species: P. glucosiphilum sp. nov., P. phylloplanum comb. nov. and P. juglandis comb. nov. We also propose Parajaminaea gen. nov. to accommodate P. albizii comb. nov. and P. phylloscopi sp. nov. based on phylogenetic analyses that show these are not congeneric with Jaminaea or Microstroma. In addition, we validate the genus Jaminaea, its respective species and two species of Sympodiomycopsis and provide a new combination, Microstroma bacarum comb. nov., for the anamorphic yeast Rhodotorula bacarum. Our results illustrate non-monophyly of Quambalariaceae and Microstromataceae as currently circumscribed. Taxonomy of Microstroma and the Microstromataceae is reviewed and discussed. Finally, analyses of all available small subunit rDNA sequences for Jaminaea species show that J. angkorensis is the only known species that possess a group I intron in this locus, once considered a potential feature indicating the basal placement of this genus in Microstromatales.     

New <Emphasis Type="Italic">Penicillium</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Talaromyces</Emphasis> species from honey,pollen and nests of stingless bees

Penicillium and Talaromyces species have a worldwide distribution and are isolated from various materials and hosts, including insects and their substrates. The aim of this study was to characterize the Penicillium and Talaromyces species obtained during a survey of honey, pollen and the inside of nests of Melipona scutellaris. A total of 100 isolates were obtained during the survey and 82% of those strains belonged to Penicillium and 18% to Talaromyces. Identification of these isolates was performed based on phenotypic characters and β-tubulin and ITS sequencing. Twenty-one species were identified in Penicillium and six in Talaromyces, including seven new species. These new species were studied in detail using a polyphasic approach combining phenotypic, molecular and extrolite data. The four new Penicillium species belong to sections Sclerotiora (Penicillium fernandesiae sp. nov., Penicillium mellis sp. nov., Penicillium meliponae sp. nov.) and Gracilenta (Penicillium apimei sp. nov.) and the three new Talaromyces species to sections Helici (Talaromyces pigmentosus sp. nov.), Talaromyces (Talaromyces mycothecae sp. nov.) and Trachyspermi (Talaromyces brasiliensis sp. nov.). The invalidly described species Penicillium echinulonalgiovense sp. nov. was also isolated during the survey and this species is validated here.     

Some New Species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Crassatella</Emphasis> (Bivalvia) from the Upper Eocene of Ukraine

Three new bivalve species of Crassatella (C. necopina sp. nov., C. personata sp. nov., C. singulata sp. nov.) from detrital sand of the Rybal’sky quarry of Dnepropetrovsk are described. Based on the study of additional material, the subspecies C. (C.) parisiensis Orbigny duplex Berezovsky, 2004 is ranked species (Upper Eocene; Ukraine Dnepropetrovsk, Rybal’sky quarry, Mandrikovka Beds).     

New weevils (Curculionidae) in Baltic amber

The new subtribes Palaeorhamphina subtrib. nov. of the tribe Rhamphini and Eocenesibiniina subtrib. nov. of the tribe Tychiini, new genera Archaeoeugnomus gen. nov. (type species A. balticus sp. nov.), Palaeorhamphus gen. nov. (type species P. primitivus sp. nov.), and Eocenesibinia gen. nov. (type species E. prussica sp. nov.), new subgenus Palaeoleiosoma subgen. nov. (type species L. klebsi sp. nov.) of the genus Leiosoma Stephens, and new species Leiosoma klebsi sp. nov., Caulophilus rarus sp. nov., C. squamosus sp. nov., Ceutorhynchus alekseevi sp. nov., C. electrinus sp. nov., Dorytomus nudus sp. nov., Pachytychius eocenicus sp. nov., Archaeoeugnomus balticus sp. nov., Palaeorhamphus primitivus sp. nov., Orchestes tatjanae sp. nov., and Eocenesibinia prussica sp. nov. are described. Electrotribus Hustache, 1942 placem. nov. is transferred from the tribe Derelomini of the subfamily Curculioninae to the tribe Acicnemidini of the subfamily Molytinae. Succinostyphlus erectosquamata (Rheinheimer, 2007) placem. nov. et comb. nov. is transferred from the genus Electrotribus Hustache, 1942 to the genus Succinostyphlus Ku?ka, 1996. These are the first records of representatives of the tribes Plinthini, Acicnemidini, Eugnomini, and Rhamphini in the Baltic amber.     

Molecular taxonomy and morphological characterization reveal new species and new host records of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Torula</Emphasis> species (Torulaceae,Pleosporales)

Four new species and two new host records of Torula (Torulaceae, Pleosporales) are described and illustrated from herbaceous litter collected in Italy and Thailand. The new species possess colony, conidiophore and conidial characteristics that fit within the generic concept of Torula. Detailed morphological observations clearly demarcate four of these from extant species and are hence described as new (Torula chiangmaiensis sp. nov., Torula pluriseptata sp. nov., Torula chromolaenae sp. nov., Torula mackenziei sp. nov.). Details of asexual morphs are described, and justifications for establishing these new species are provided. The nuclear are sequenced ribosomal RNA genes as well as protein coding genes to infer phylogenetic relationships and discuss phylogenetic affinities with morphologically similar species. Our morphological distinction is further supported by phylogenetic discrimination. In particular, phylogenies depict a close relationship of Torula chiangmaiensis and T. pluriseptata to T. hollandica, while T. chromolaenae and T. mackenziei constitute an independent phylogenetic lineage basal to T. herbarum and T. ficus. Torula ficus and T. masonii are also described and their phylogeny investigated as new host records from Bidens pilosa and Iris germanica, respectively.     

New tempospondyl amphibians from the basal Triassic of the Obshchii Syrt Highland,Eastern Europe

Two new genera (monotypic Samarabatrachus gen. nov. (S. bjerringi sp. nov.) and Syrtosuchus gen. nov. (including S. samarensis (Sennikov, 1981) and S. morkovini sp. nov) and a new species of the genus Selenocara Bjerring (S. rossica sp. nov.) are described based on revision of the original material of the form previously known as Wetlugasaurus samarensis. The genera Selenocara and Samarabatrachus gen. nov. positioned at the base of radiation of Triassic capitosaurids are combined into a new subfamily, Selenocarinae subfam. nov. The genus Syrtosuchus gen. nov., which is undoubtedly a derivative of early capitosaurids (Selenocara or a closely related genus), shows some typical benthosuchid features and is assigned to a separate benthosuchid subfamily, Syrtosuchinae subfam. nov. The diagnoses of the genera Wetlugasaurus Riabinin and Selenocara are amended. For the territory of the Obschii Syrt Highland, the genera Selenocara, Samarabatrachus gen. nov., and Syrtosuchus gen. nov. are regarded as key members of a separate Early Triassic tetrapod assemblage (Selenocara–Syrtosuchus Fauna), which is intermediate between the Tupilakosaurus and Benthosuchus faunas and dated Late Induan (Dienerian).     

Opisthobranch gastropods from the Lower Cretaceous of the Ulyanovsk Volga Region: 1. Genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Tornatellaea</Emphasis> Conrad

Five new species of the genus Tornatellaea from the Lower Cretaceous of the Volga Region near Ulyanovsk, T. kabanovi sp. nov. (Hauterivian), T. densistriata sp. nov., T. gracilis sp. nov., T. volgensis sp. nov. (Barremian), and T. sinzovi sp. nov. (Aptian), are described. The data on geographical and stratigraphical distribution of new taxa are provided.     

Four novel <Emphasis Type="Italic">Talaromyces</Emphasis> species isolated from leaf litter from Colombian Amazon rain forests

Various Talaromyces strains were isolated during a survey of fungi involved in leaf litter decomposition in tropical lowland forests in the Caquetá and Amacayacu areas of the Colombian Amazon. Four new Talaromyces species are described using a polyphasic approach, which includes phenotypic characters, extrolite profiles and phylogenetic analysis of the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) barcode, and beta-tubulin (BenA) and calmodulin (CaM) gene regions. Talaromyces amazonensis sp. nov., T. francoae sp. nov. and T. purgamentorum sp. nov. belong to Talaromyces section Talaromyces, and T. columbiensis sp. nov. is located in section Bacillispori. The new species produce several bioactive compounds: T. amazonensis produces the potential anticancer agents duclauxin, berkelic acid and vermicillin, and T. columbiensis produces the effective anticancer agent wortmannin (together with duclauxin). In addition to the new species, T. aculeatus and T. macrosporus were isolated during this study on leaf litter decomposition.     

New Species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Inoceramus</Emphasis>-like Bivalves of the Subfamily Kolymiinae from the Middle Permian of Northeastern Asia

Middle Permian Inoceramus-like bivalves of the genera Kolymia Licharew and Cyrtokolymia Astafieva endemic to the East Boreal Biogeographic Realm are considered. Cyrtokolymia, previously regarded by the author as endemics of the Verkhoyansk–Okhotsk Province and including only the type species, are also recorded in the Kolyma–Omolon Province, where they are represented by the endemic species C. bobini sp. nov. An emended diagnosis of the genus Cyrtokolymia is provided. The genus Kolymia comprises about 30 species. The greatest diversity of Kolymia (24 species, 13 of which are endemic) is known from the Verkhoyansk–Okhotsk Province, which is the center of diversification of this genus. The Kolyma–Omolon Province is characterized by 12 species, only three of which are endemic. In other provinces of the East Boreal Realm, only individual members of Kolymia are known. From the Middle Permian of the Omolon Massif, northern Verkhoyansk Region, and Penzhinsky Ridge, the following new species are described: Kolymia posneri Muromzeva, Kusnezov et Biakov, sp. nov., K. pontoneica Biakov, sp. nov., K. simkiniformis Biakov, sp. nov., and Cyrtokolymia bobini Biakov, sp. nov.     

<Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">d</Emphasis>-Xylose fermentation,xylitol production and xylanase activities by seven new species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sugiyamaella</Emphasis>

Sixteen yeast isolates identified as belonging to the genus Sugiyamaella were studied in relation to D-xylose fermentation, xylitol production, and xylanase activities. The yeasts were recovered from rotting wood and sugarcane bagasse samples in different Brazilian regions. Sequence analyses of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and the D1/D2 domains of large subunit rRNA gene showed that these isolates belong to seven new species. The species are described here as Sugiyamaella ayubii f.a., sp. nov. (UFMG-CM-Y607^T = CBS 14108^T), Sugiyamaella bahiana f.a., sp. nov. (UFMG-CM-Y304^T = CBS 13474^T), Sugiyamaella bonitensis f.a., sp. nov. (UFMG-CM-Y608^T = CBS 14270^T), Sugiyamaella carassensis f.a., sp. nov. (UFMG-CM-Y606^T = CBS 14107^T), Sugiyamaella ligni f.a., sp. nov. (UFMG-CM-Y295^T = CBS 13482^T), Sugiyamaella valenteae f.a., sp. nov. (UFMG-CM-Y609^T = CBS 14109^T) and Sugiyamaella xylolytica f.a., sp. nov. (UFMG-CM-Y348^T = CBS 13493^T). Strains of the described species S. boreocaroliniensis, S. lignohabitans, S. novakii and S. xylanicola, isolated from rotting wood of Brazilian ecosystems, were also compared for traits relevant to xylose metabolism. S. valenteae sp. nov., S. xylolytica sp. nov., S. bahiana sp. nov., S. bonitensis sp. nov., S. boreocarolinensis, S. lignohabitans and S. xylanicola were able to ferment d-xylose to ethanol. Xylitol production was observed for all Sugiyamaella species studied, except for S. ayubii sp. nov. All species studied showed xylanolytic activity, with S. xylanicola, S. lignohabitans and S. valenteae sp. nov. having the highest values. Our results suggest these Sugiyamaella species have good potential for biotechnological applications.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Cocconeis nanoburyatica</Emphasis> sp. nov.—a new monoraphid diatom species from Lake Baikal

The new monoraphid diatom species C. nanoburyatica sp. nov. is described from Lake Baikal. This taxon differs from closely related taxa C. neodiminuta Krammer, C. neothumensis Krammer, and C. pseudothumensis Reichard by less developed striae, a very large axial area, and broader rounded ends.     

Two New Species and New Occurrences of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Syneches</Emphasis> Walker for Brazilian Biome of Caatinga (Diptera: Hybotidae: Hybotinae)

Syneches from Brazilian biome of Caatinga were studied, two new species are described, Syneches atratus sp. nov. and Syneches limeirai sp. nov., and three species, Syneches annulipes Bezzi, 1909, Syneches moraballi Smith, 1963, and Syneches rafaeli Ale-Rocha & Vieira, 2008, are recorded for the biome. An identification key for the species of Syneches from Caatinga biome is provided.     

The contribution of foliar micromorphology and anatomy to the circumscription of species within the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Chusquea ramosissima</Emphasis> informal group (Poaceae,Bambusoideae, Bambuseae)

Chusquea is a diverse but monophyletic genus of Neotropical woody bamboos from primarily montane forests that comprises four well-supported lineages: subg. Magnifoliae, subg. Platonia, subg. Rettbergia, and the Euchusquea clade (comprising subg. Swallenochloa and subg. Chusquea). However, the relationships among clades or taxa within the Euchusquea clade inferred from molecular data are mostly not congruent with those inferred from morphological evidence, consequently limiting our ability to understand species relationships. In this study we generated foliar micromorphological and anatomical data for the Chusquea ramosissima informal group (Chusquea ramosissima, C. tenella, and C. tenuiglumis), and for the putative new species from Bolivia in this group, in order to test the value of these types of data for defining species and to seek potential synapomorphies for this group. Our results demonstrate that epidermal features, mainly with regard to the stomatal apparatus, proved to be more valuable in distinguishing species than anatomical characters. The presence of horizontally elongated silica cells over the veins and adaxial arm cells with invaginations from the abaxial side was shared by all the studied species but is not unique to this group. The type of trichomes, shape of silica bodies, type of arm cells, and midrib structure may be useful to lesser degree. All four species exhibited intraspecific variation in development of the papillae on the long cells. Support for the recognition of the new species from Bolivia is provided by micromorphological characters. An identification key based on leaf blade features is provided for the four studied species.