<Emphasis Type="Italic">Aureobasidium mangrovei</Emphasis> sp. nov., an ascomycetous species recovered from Hara protected forests in the Persian Gulf,Iran

A new ascomycetous black yeast-like species was recovered from healthy plant (Avicennia marina) of Hara protected mangrove forests at Qeshm Island, Iran. Morphological, physiological analysis as well as a molecular analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and partial large ribosomal subunit (D1/D2 domains) confirmed the placement of this strain in the genus Aureobasidium and based on considerable sequence divergence, distinguishable cardinal growth temperatures and salt tolerance a new species Aureobasidium mangrovei sp. nov. is proposed. However, the type strain micro-morphologically is not clearly distinguishable from other members of the genus. The type strain, Aureobasidium mangrovei was preserved in a metabolically inactive state at the Iranian Biological Resource Centre, Tehran, Iran as IBRC-M 30265^T and the ex-type culture is deposited in the CBS yeast collection of the Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, Utrecht, The Netherlands as CBS 142205^T. The GenBank accession numbers for the nucleotide sequences of the large subunit ribosomal DNA and ITS region are KY089084 and KY089085, respectively. The MycoBank number of the new species is MB 823444.     

Traceability of Marketable Japanese Shoro in New Zealand: Using Multiplex PCR To Exploit Phylogeographic Variation among Taxa in the Rhizopogon Subgenus Roseoli

Rhizopogon roseolus Corda (synonym Rhizopogon rubescens Tul.), an economically important edible mushroom associated with the Pinaceae (mostly Pinus sp.), has a global distribution resulting from the introduction of exotic trees into the Southern Hemisphere for plantation forestry. However, the marketability of R. roseolus varies with the place of origin. R. roseolus strains cultivated in New Zealand from local carpophores for the Japanese market are morphologically and biologically distinct from those produced in Japan and are consequently considered less valuable. In this study, the ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 rRNA (internal transcribed spacer [ITS]) region was used to examine the phylogenetic relationships of R. roseolus and other closely related fungi belonging to Rhizopogon subgenus Roseoli to determine the genetic basis for phenotypic differences among R. roseolus isolates from different geographic regions. Phylogenetic comparison revealed phylogeographic variation within Rhizopogon subgenus Roseoli. Collections from the United States and Europe grouped into four distinct clades. Rhizopogon roseolus isolates found in New Zealand were closely related to those from the United States, likely due to introduction of Pinus radiata from its native California in the United States. In contrast, Japanese R. roseolus isolates clustered closely with European collections. Phylogenetic differences between Japanese and New Zealand R. roseolus isolates may explain the morphological and biological properties attributed to these geographical variants. The ITS region was subsequently used to design a multiplex PCR for the simultaneous identification of Japanese and New Zealand R. roseolus isolates to track the establishment of ectomycorrhiza on P. radiata seedlings inoculated with commercially valuable R. roseolus. This diagnostic demonstrated the first fruiting of Japanese shoro cultivated on P. radiata in the Southern Hemisphere.Since the latter half of the 19th century, Northern Hemisphere species of exotic trees, in particular Pinus radiata, have been planted in the Southern Hemisphere (e.g., Chile, Argentina, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand). Indeed, over 1,000,000 ha of exotic trees have been established in New Zealand alone (32, 9). Over 200 nonnative basidiomycete and ascomycete ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungal species are associated with Pinus or Eucalyptus plantations in the Southern Hemisphere from the introduction of plants with intact root systems (46).The genus Rhizopogon Fries (Basidiomycota, Boletales) contains more than 100 species of hypogeous fungi (24), which form ECM associations mostly with members of the Pinaceae (44). The greatest diversity of Rhizopogon can be found in the coniferous forests of the Pacific northwestern United States (40, 30), although a number of species are known to occur in Europe (40) and Asia (3). At least four introduced species of Rhizopogon have also been reported in New Zealand, including R. clelandii Cunn., R. luteolus Fr., R. roseolus (7), and R. vinicolor A. H. Smith (5). At least two species, R. luteolus and R. roseolus, have been associated with P. radiata seedlings in forest nurseries in the North Island of New Zealand (6).In Japan, R. roseolus is known locally as shoro. Shoro is considered a delicacy (20), and its production is dependent on the collection of the carpophores in the field. In fact, only 200 years ago, shoro was the fourth most commonly consumed mushroom in Japan (34). However, the number of natural shoro has declined in the second half of the 20th century (15), resulting in its cultivation in forestry plantations since the late 1980s (50). To fulfill Japanese demand, plantations of P. radiata artificially inoculated with R. roseolus have been established in New Zealand since 1999 using spores from fruiting bodies collected locally (47). Three of the four plantations have subsequently produced fruiting bodies, but the crop has been deemed unsuitable due to consumer sensitivity in Japan to the origin of the products and doubts surrounding the authenticity of the fruiting bodies as Japanese shoro. The quality and market price of other edible fungi differ not only with species but also with their origin. In Japan, domestic Tricholoma matsutake is considered the premium source of matsutake, traded at $500/kg, while South Korean matsutake and those from China are considered less valuable ($250/kg and $100/kg, respectively) (31). Highly prized edible fungi have also been found to be contaminated with less valuable species. Tuber rufum Pico is a truffle species that is found alongside other valuable species in countries where truffles are commercially important. However, it is considered to be a poorly flavored species with no marketable value and is deemed a “contaminant” in truffières (4).Unfortunately, the taxonomy of the genus Rhizopogon is surrounded by many unresolved issues, which makes differentiation of shoro-like fungi found in different geographical locations difficult. In 1966, Smith and Zeller (40) completed the first taxonomic study of the genus Rhizopogon, dividing it into two subgenera, Rhizopogonella (subsequently transferred to Alpova [45]) and Rhizopogon. The subgenus Rhizopogon was further divided into four sections based on differences in the host plant, sporocarp morphology, and color of the peridium. All species associated with Pinus spp. were classified in Rhizopogon section Rhizopogon. Rhizopogon roseolus and R. rubescens were placed in subsection Angustispori, stirps Rubescens. A third species, Rhizopogon vulgaris Vittad., was placed in subsection Angustispori, stirps Vulgaris, due to differences in its spore morphology.Similarities between species in stirps Rubescens and stirps Vulgaris were recorded, with stirps Vulgaris considered a continuation of stirps Rubescens into the narrow-spore species. However, classification was based only on examinations of North American collections even though these species were originally described in Europe in the 19th century (40). Taxonomic reexamination of Rhizopogon using phylogenetic analyses of internal transcribed spacer (ITS) DNA sequences showed that Rhizopogon burlinghamii, R. roseolus, and R. vulgaris formed Rhizopogon section Rhizopogon clade C, separate from the other species sampled from section Rhizopogon (clades A and B). Their ITS sequences lacked insertions and deletions that are diagnostic of other section Rhizopogon clades. Rhizopogon roseolus and R. vulgaris were placed together under Rhizopogon subgenus Roseoli (13). Unfortunately, collections classified as R. rubescens were not included in the phylogenetic study. More recently, species concepts in the R. roseolus species group were examined by Martín and García (25). ITS sequence analyses separated the collections into five possible phylogenetic species.The continued taxonomic instability of Rhizopogon subgenus Roseoli has created ongoing confusion, and the correct species names are still not clear. In Japan, until now, shoro has been referred to as R. rubescens; however, R. rubescens is used widely as a synonym for R. roseolus. In this study, R. roseolus will be used to describe all collections unless specifically stated, as this taxonomic name appears to have precedence in previous phylogenetic studies of Rhizopogon (13, 19, 40) and since Mycobank (http://www.MycoBank.org/) considers R. rubescens to be a synonym of R. roseolus.Molecular diagnostic tools capable of distinguishing genetic differences in ECM fungi have been developed, allowing the differentiation of commercially important species from contaminants or similar species of less economic value. There are many studies where PCR primers designed for the amplification of the ITS region have been used to identify basidiomycetes (12, 18). Species-specific primers were created to identify and differentiate marketable boletes (28), to detect black truffle species (37), and to distinguish Asiatic black truffles from Tuber melanosporum in commercialized products (22). A multiplex PCR has also been developed to simultaneously detect different white truffle species and one of the most aggressive contaminant fungi for monitoring the persistence of a selected truffle in inoculated seedlings (1).Due to the sensitivity of consumers to the origins of shoro and the existing taxonomic complexity of the genus Rhizopogon, morphological and molecular methods were used to establish the diversity and genetic structure of Rhizopogon subgenus Roseoli. Phylogenetic relationships between shoro-like species (originally classified as R. vulgaris, R. rubescens, and R. roseolus) from different geographical locations were investigated to verify previously observed differences between shoro grown in Japan and New Zealand. A multiplex PCR was then developed for the rapid identification of ECMs and fruiting bodies grown from Japanese shoro in New Zealand to track the commercial production of this economically valuable edible fungus.     

The scent of your enemy is my friend? The acquisition of large carnivore scent by a smaller carnivore

Scent marking is critical to intraspecific communication in many mammal species, but little is known regarding its role in communication among different species. We used 4 years of motion-triggered video to document the use of scent marking areas—termed “community scrapes”—by pumas (Puma concolor) (http://www.momo-p.com/showdetail-e.php?movieid=momo160812pc01a) and other carnivore species. We found that gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) routinely rubbed their cheeks on puma scrapes (http://www.momo-p.com/showdetail-e.php?movieid=momo160812uc01a), and tested a series of hypotheses to determine its function. We found that gray foxes selected puma scrapes over other objects, and cheek rubbing by foxes was also correlated with how recently a puma had visited the scrape, suggesting that foxes were intent upon accumulating fresh puma scent. Cheek rubbing by foxes was not correlated with their breeding season or with how recently another fox had visited the site. Finally we found a cascading pattern in the occurrence of pumas, coyotes (Canis latrans) and gray foxes at community scrapes, suggesting that gray foxes may use puma scent to deter predation. This is the first published study to find evidence of a subordinate species using the scent of a dominant species to communicate with heterospecifics. The behavioral cascade we found in scent marking patterns also suggests that scent marking could be a mechanism that impacts the distribution and abundance of species. Additional videos pertaining to this article include http://www.momo-p.com/showdetail-e.php?movieid=momo160812uc02a, and http://www.momo-p.com/showdetail-e.php?movieid=momo160812uc03a.     

ChiloKey,an interactive identification tool for the geophilomorph centipedes of Europe (Chilopoda,Geophilomorpha)

ChiloKey is a matrix-based, interactive key to all 179 species of Geophilomorpha (Chilopoda) recorded from Europe, including species of uncertain identity and those whose morphology is known partially only. The key is intended to assist in identification of subadult and adult specimens, by means of microscopy and simple dissection techniques whenever necessary. The key is freely available through the web at: http://www.biologia.unipd.it/chilokey/ and at http://www.interactive-keys.eu/chilokey/.     

Senwot Wharton,a new genus for the Oriental region with description of two new species from Thailand (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Alysiinae)

SenwotWharton 1983, is a small braconid genus with only two previously described species. The genus is revised using morphological characters and a phylogenetic analysis of COI sequence. Senwot Wharton is reported for the first time from Thailand and two new species: Senwot yinxianggaoae Yao n. sp. and Senwot jiyuanyaoi Yao n. sp. are described and illustrated. A key to species of the genus Senwot is presented.www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:D7E79499-491E-4845-991B-0FE763A45162     

Notes on the species of Naarda Walker, 1866 (Lepidoptera: Erebidae,Hypeninae) from mainland China,with the description of a new species and establishment of a new synonymy

The species Naarda postpallida de Joannis, 1929 is reported for the first time from mainland China. Naarda pectinata Sugi, 1982 is synonymised with N. postpallida on the basis of material from Vietnam. This species can immediately be recognised by its dark grey forewing, white hindwing and several genital characters. The female genitalia of N. postpallida, together with those of N. lingualis Tóth and Ronkay, 2015 are presented for the first time. Naarda macrostigma sp. n. is described. The hitherto known nine Chinese Naarda species are listed. With nineteen figures.www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:092AE905-08AA-4818-BDA8-2B9EF150793A     

Reclassification of Saccharomycodes sinensis,Proposal of Yueomyces sinensis gen. nov., comb. nov. within Saccharomycetaceae (Saccharomycetales,Saccharomycotina)

The phylogenetic position of Saccharomycodes sinensis has been debated by yeast taxonomists. In this study, a multigene phylogenetic analysis based on four regions, namely the 18S ribosomal DNA (rDNA), the D1/D2 domains of the 26S rDNA, the second largest subunit of RNA polymerase II gene (RPB2) and translation elongation factor 1-α gene (EF1-α), were performed to address the phylogenetic placement of S. sinensis. Our result indicated that S. sinensis belongs to Saccharomycetaceae instead of Saccharomycodaceae, and forms a single species lineage divergent from the other genera within Saccharomycetaceae. Yueomyces gen. nov. (MycoBank No. MB 811648) is proposed in the Saccharomycetaceae with Y. sinensis comb. nov. (MycoBank No. MB 811649, type strain CGMCC 2.01395^T = IFO 10111^T = CBS 7075^T) as the type species.     

Recombination Facilitates Adaptive Evolution in Rhizobial Soil Bacteria

Homologous recombination is expected to increase natural selection efficacy by decoupling the fate of beneficial and deleterious mutations and by readily creating new combinations of beneficial alleles. Here, we investigate how the proportion of amino acid substitutions fixed by adaptive evolution (α) depends on the recombination rate in bacteria. We analyze 3,086 core protein-coding sequences from 196 genomes belonging to five closely related species of the genus Rhizobium. These genes are found in all species and do not display any signs of introgression between species. We estimate α using the site frequency spectrum (SFS) and divergence data for all pairs of species. We evaluate the impact of recombination within each species by dividing genes into three equally sized recombination classes based on their average level of intragenic linkage disequilibrium. We find that α varies from 0.07 to 0.39 across species and is positively correlated with the level of recombination. This is both due to a higher estimated rate of adaptive evolution and a lower estimated rate of nonadaptive evolution, suggesting that recombination both increases the fixation probability of advantageous variants and decreases the probability of fixation of deleterious variants. Our results demonstrate that homologous recombination facilitates adaptive evolution measured by α in the core genome of prokaryote species in agreement with studies in eukaryotes.     

DNA barcoding and description of new species of Paradorydium Kirkaldy (Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae: Eupelicini) from India

A new species of leafhopper Paradorydium kirkaldyi sp. nov. (from Himachal Pradesh: Kinnaur: Powri) from India, is described. Detailed photographic illustration, annotated checklist and modified key to the species of India is also provided. This species closely resembles P. khasianum Viraktamath but differs in male genitalia characters and molecular analysis using COI gene confirmed the difference and also the taxonomic positon of species in the tribe is established with Histone H3 gene.http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:066F6658-ABB4-4585-A4DF-D8735A0230B5     

UBCG: Up-to-date bacterial core gene set and pipeline for phylogenomic tree reconstruction

Genome-based phylogeny plays a central role in the future taxonomy and phylogenetics of Bacteria and Archaea by replacing 16S rRNA gene phylogeny. The concatenated core gene alignments are frequently used for such a purpose. The bacterial core genes are defined as single-copy, homologous genes that are present in most of the known bacterial species. There have been several studies describing such a gene set, but the number of species considered was rather small. Here we present the up-to-date bacterial core gene set, named UBCG, and software suites to accommodate necessary steps to generate and evaluate phylogenetic trees. The method was successfully used to infer phylogenomic relationship of Escherichia and related taxa and can be used for the set of genomes at any taxonomic ranks of Bacteria. The UBCG pipeline and file viewer are freely available at https://www.ezbiocloud.net/tools/ubcg and https://www.ezbiocloud.net/tools/ubcg_viewer, respectively.     

A new species of Japanagallia Ishihara (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Megophthalminae) from Southern China

The paper deals with a new leafhopper species from Southern China, Japanagallia confusasp. nov., previously misidentified as J. hamataZhang and Li, 1999 by Viraktamath et al., 2012. The species is described and figured and compared to the similar J. hamata and J. neohamata Li et al. 2014.www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:6BABEE67-3F22-4A47-A2C0-27112C6835FA     

The first record of genus Bruggmanniella (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) from Taiwan with description of a new species inducing bud galls on Neolitsea parvigemma (Lauraceae)

The genus Bruggmanniella Tavares is newly discovered from Taiwan and Bruggmanniella brevipes sp. n. is described as new to science. This is the southernmost species of Bruggmanniella found in the Old World. Furthermore, the gall midge induces bud galls on Neolitsea parvigemma (Hayata) Kaneh (Lauraceae), an endemic species in Taiwan, and the plant genus Neolitsea is the third host genus of Lauraceae-associated Bruggmanniella in East Asia. The knowledge of its distribution and host information provide us to shed the light on evolutionary and biogeography issue of East Asian Bruggmanniella.www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:820320EC-17BC-4E00-A401-2DBDA3EEE9C4     

A new black fly species of the subgenus Gomphostilbia (Simulium: Simuliidae: Diptera) from India

Simulium (Gomphostilbia) agasthyamalaiense sp. nov. is described based on adults, pupae and mature larvae from a medium-flowing stream of Southern Western Ghats, India. This new species is placed in the Simulium batoense species-group of the subgenus Gomphostilbia Enderlein. This new species is characterized in the female by a scutum with three brownish-black longitudinal vittae and the hind basitarsus 5.7 times as long as wide; in the female by the large facets of upper eye with 20 vertical columns and 19 horizontal rows; in the pupa the respiratory gill with medium-long common basal stalk; and in the larva arrowhead-shaped postgenal cleft. Taxonomic notes are provided for this new species and it can be distinguished from closely related species of S. (G.) peteri. Keys are constructed to distinguish this species from ten species of the batoense species-group recorded in India.www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:1D1CFEE5-A762-4F68-9EAE-9E31133146C0     

Two new species of Chrysis Linnaeus (Hymenoptera,Chrysididae) from Iran

The Iranian species in the Chrysis pulchella and C. varidens species groups are investigated. Six species are recognized, two of which are described for the first time: Chrysis gamberoonensis Farhad, Rosa and Talebi sp. nov. and Chrysis brunneamarginata Farhad, Rosa and Talebi sp. nov.. Chrysis gamberoonensis Farhad, Rosa and Talebi sp. nov. belongs to the C. pulchella group and is recognizable within this species group by its unique blue body coloration, scattered mesosoma punctures, polished pit row with elongated pits, and a small median tooth on the lateral edge of metasomal tergum 3. Chrysis brunneamarginata Farhad, Rosa and Talebi sp. nov. belongs to the C. varidens group and is recognizable by the usually colorless apical rim of metasomal tergum 3, and the unique shape of the anterior corners of the scutellum which are enlarged, thickened and directed backward covering the axillary trough. Dichotomous keys and distributional data for Iranian species included in these species groups are provided. Chrysis schwarzi Linsenmaier, 1968 is raised to species rank. The number of Iranian Chrysis species and subspecies is raised to 122.www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:F419F860-3B90-4679-9A19-2CF5C255AE6B     

Revision of citrus trees pests of Agrilus angulatus species–group (Coleoptera,Buprestidae) from South and Southeast Asia with description of one new species

The revision of Agrilus (Coleoptera, Buprestidae) pests of citrus trees from A. angulatus species–group comprising six species: A. angulatus (Fabricius, 1798); A. connatus sp. nov.; A. livensKerremans, 1892a, Kerremans, 1892b; A. mediocrisKerremans, 1900; A. nubilusKerremans, 1892a, Kerremans, 1892b and A. olivaceidorsisObenberger, 1917 from South and Southeast Asia is provided. The study is based on examination of all relevant types and 2498 additional specimens. The key to species is given and complemented with illustrations of morphology, habitus, genitalia, size variability, color variability, type specimens and distribution. Comprehensive commented literature references, data on type specimens, faunal records, revised and updated distribution and host plant data are cited for each species. The new species A. connatus sp. nov. from Laos and Thailand is described. The following taxonomic and nomenclatural acts are proposed: the name grisatorKerremans, 1893syn. nov. (Agrilus) is a junior subjective synonym of the name nubilusKerremans, 1892a, Kerremans, 1892b (Agrilus); the name macellusBourgoin, 1922syn. nov. (Agrilus) is a junior subjective synonym of the name olivaceidorsisObenberger, 1917 (Agrilus); the lectotype of Buprestis angulataFabricius, 1798 (now in Agrilus) is designated.www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:BAE5BD51-2811-44CE-8BC1-AEEC76075667     

Mating and aggressive behaviour of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Brachyrhaphis olomina</Emphasis> (Cyprinodontiformes: Poeciliidae)

Despite the increasing interest in the use of intromittent male genitalia and coercive mating behaviour in poeciliids, detailed studies of the mating behaviour of most species in this family are lacking. We describe here the mating and aggressive behaviours of Brachyrhaphis olomina, and correlate them with the condition of the female’s ovum and embryos (immature, mature and pregnant). B. olomina performed a wide range of aggressive (sidle spread, tail beating, coordinate) and mating behaviours (approximation, touch, lateral display, touch-lateral display). Some behaviours (e.g. tail beating) are shared with other poeciliids, but two sexual behaviours (touch and lateral display) and one aggressive (coordinate) behaviour may be unique to B. olomina and were not reported in a previous study. Differences in male behaviour when paired with a female with mature ovum (more mating displays, no agonistic movements) suggest that males detect the female’s reproductive condition from some distance. The distinctive nature of mating behaviour in B. olomina highlights the importance of studying different species to have a better understanding of the evolution of mating and aggressive behaviours in poeciliids. Digital video images related to the article are available at http://www.momo-p.com/showdetail-e.php?movieid=momo170720bo01a, http://www.momo-p.com/showdetail-e.php?movieid=momo170720bo02a and http://www.momo-p.com/showdetail-e.php?movieid=momo170720bo03a.     

Afrotropical Cynipoidea (Hymenoptera)

The Afrotropical Cynipoidea are represented by 306 described species and 54 genera in four families: Cynipidae, Figitidae, Liopteridae and Ibaliidae, the latter represented by a single introduced species. Seven of these genera are only represented by undescribed species in the region. Seven new genus-level synonymies, one genus resurrected from synonymy, 54 new combinations, one combination reinstated, and one new replacement name are presented. We provide identification keys to the families, subfamilies and genera of cynipoid wasps occurring in the Afrotropical region (Africa south of the Sahara, including Madagascar and southern Arabian Peninsula). Online interactive Lucid Phoenix and Lucid matrix keys are available at: http://www.waspweb.org/Cynipoidea/Keys/index.htm. An overview of the biology and checklists of species for each genus are provided. This paper constitutes the first contributory chapter to the book on Afrotropical Hymenoptera.