Phylogenetic and population systematics of the Mangabeys (primates: Cercopithecoidea)

On the basis of original craniological studies, it is concluded that recently published claims based on blood proteins that the Mangabeys are diphletic are valid, and it is proposed to divide them into two distinct genera:Cercocebus (with three species:torquatus (includingatys),agilis, andgaleritus), which belongs to the Cercocebini but has a somewhat isolated position in this tribe, andLophocebus (with one species,albigena: includingaterrimus as a subspecies), which is closer toPapio. The inter-relationships within each genus are discussed, with particular reference to the problem of subspeciesvs. allopatric species. A new subspecies is named and described,Lophocebus albigena osmani, and the anomalous position of the poorly-known subspeciesL.a. opdenboschi is extensively discussed.     

Three new marine ascomycetes from driftwood in Australia sand dunes

Caryospora australiensis sp. nov.,Platystomum scabridisporum sp. nov. andSavoryella melanospora sp. nov. are described from driftwood collected from a sand dune at Rye, on the Mornington Peninsula Nature Park, Victoria, Australia. These species are compared with other taxa in these and related genera.     

Contributions to the Cladocera fauna from Papua New Guinea

Twenty-eight taxa of the Cladocera are identified in collections from Papua New Guinea, 17 being new records for New Guinea, bringing the total number of Cladocera taxa reported for this region to 39. Most of the taxa are circumtropical. One species (Sarsilatona papuana) is endemic to Papua New Guinea and northern Australia. The species list includes two species that are normally listed as Holarctic:Alonella nana andAlona rustica. Widespread genera such asDaphnia, Pleuroxus, Disparalona, Acroperus were strikingly absent from the Papua New Guinean material.     

Chemotaxonomic studies onArachniodes (Dryopteridaceae) II. Phloroglucinol derivatives and taxonomic evaluation

Seven species ofArachniodes from Japan and the Philippines were examined for phloroglucinol derivatives and glandularity of rhizome and petiole bases. For comparison 3 species ofDryopteris, 2 species ofNothoperanema, 3 species ofPolystichum, 1 species ofAcrophorus and 2 species ofCtenitis were investigated as well. Phloroglucinol derivatives were detected for the first time in the following taxa:Arachniodes assamica, A. cavalerii, A. tripinnata, A. yasu-inouei, Dryopteris pulvinulifera, D. cochleata, Polystichum rigens, Acrophorus nodosus, Ctenitis setosa andC. subglandulosa. The phloroglucinols ofDryopteris, Arachniodes andPolystichum are structurally related in agreement with the taxonomic relationships of these genera. On the other hand, the less related generaAcrophorus andCtenitis contain several unknown phloroglucinols not identical with those occurring in the former genera. The phloroglucinol containing species ofArachniodes, Polystichum, Acrophorus andCtenitis contain external glands, whereasDryopteris pulvinulifera andD. cochleata have both internal and external glands. The species of the genusNothoperanema seem to completely lack phloroglucinols and glands. The phloroglucinol composition of most taxa investigated is almost constant except for that inArachnoides amabilis and its varieties,A. aristata (A. exilis) andPolystichum tsus-simense. These species show varying phloroglucinol spectra in materials collected from different geographical sources.     

Molecular evidence for the phylogenetic position ofHanabusaya asiatica Nakai (Campanulaceae), an endemic species in Korea

The phylogenetic relationship of the Korean endemic genus,Hanabusaya, to other campanulaceous genera has been controversial since it was described by Nakai in 1911. Three genera of Campanuloideae,Symphyandra, Adenophora, andCampanula, have been considered closely related by various taxonomists on the basis of anther shape, gross morphology, and pollen characters, respectively. We have tested these competing taxonomic hypotheses using the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences of nuclear ribosomal DNA from 12 taxa representing 7 genera of Campanulaceae. The molecular phylogeny indicates strongly thatHanabusaya is more closely allied toAdenophora than toCampanula orSymphyandra. The phylogenetic affinity ofHanabusaya andAdenophora is supported by a 100% bootstrap value and a high decay index (13). The average sequence divergence value (Kimura’s 2-parameter method) betweenHanabusaya and theAdenophora species is 2.58. The value is significantly (about ten times) lower than the ones observed betweenHanabusaya and the species ofCampanula (average of 23.52) and betweenHanabusaya andSymphyandra (24.95). The ITS sequence phylogeny suggests that some morphological characters, such as fused anthers and corolla shape, are homoplastic in the Campanulaceae genera.     

Novae Gesneriaceae Neotropicarum XI. New genera and species from the Guianas

Two new genera of Gesneriaceae are described,Lampadaria andCremersia, each with one new species:Lampadaria rupestris from Guyana andCremersia platula from French Guiana, both belonging to the tribe Episcieae. The placement ofLembocarpus in the Episcieae nearCremersia andRhoogeton is proposed.     

Spatial study of juvenile corals in the Northern region of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System (MBRS)

Juvenile coral abundance and community composition depend on the spatial scale studied. To investigate this, an evaluation was made of juvenile coral density with hierarchical spatial analysis in the northern Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System (MBRS) at ~10 m depth. Study scope included semi-protected and unprotected areas located in this region. A total of 19 juvenile coral taxa were found, including 10 scleractinian species, 8 scleractinian coral genera not identified to species, and 1 Millepora species (Hydrozoa-Milleporidae). In terms of relative abundance, Agaricia spp., Siderastrea spp., and Porites spp. were the main juvenile taxa in the coral community at the surveyed sites, reefs, and regions levels. Greater variance was seen at smaller scales, at site level for taxa richness, and at the transect level for juvenile density, and lower variance was seen at larger scales (reefs and regions). The variance component contribution from each scale likely differed from other studies because of the different factors affecting the community and the different extensions of each scale used in each study. Densities (1–6.4 juvenile corals/m²) and dominant taxa found in this study agree with other studies from the Western Atlantic. Detected variability was explained by different causal agents, such as low grazing rates by herbivorous organisms, turbidity, and/or sediment suffocation and some nearby or distant localized disturbance (human settlement and a hurricane).     

Phylogeny of split‐footed lacewings (Neuroptera,Nymphidae), with descriptions of new Cretaceous fossil species from China

A phylogeny of the lacewing family Nymphidae based on morphology and DNA sequences is presented including representatives of all living genera and selected fossil genera. Widely distributed Jurassic and Cretaceous genera gave rise to recent taxa now restricted to Australasia. Two previously defined clades (i.e. Nymphinae and Myiodactylinae) were recovered and reflect the diverging adult and larval morphology of members of these two subfamilies. From Chinese Cretaceous deposits, a new genus (Spilonymphes gen. nov.) is described with one new species, as well as new species described in the genera Baissoleon Makarkin and Sialium Westwood.     

Allozyme diversity and systematics inAnnonaceae—a pilot project

Five species ofAnnona and one species fromArtabotrys, Cananga, Polyalthia, andRollinia were investigated in regard to 11 different allozyme loci. Preliminary studies on small population samples ofAnnona suggest genetic uniformity in three species and variability within and between populations in two other species. The allotetraploid origin ofA. glabra is clearly shown by its hybrid enzyme bands. The genetic distance between fiveAnnona species partly corresponds with their morphological relationships; onlyA. muricata appears more separated than is suggested by morphology. A comparison of the five genera demonstrates close relationship betweenAnnona andRollinia. Two enzyme loci are identical within all taxa investigated and possibly may serve as a genetic marker for the family.