Ultrastruktur und systematische Bedeutung des Pollens beiBocageopsis,Ephedranthus, Malmea undUnonopsis (Annonaceae)

The four genera investigated show solitary sulcate pollen grains. The structure and sculpture of the sporoderm is very similar inBocageopsis andUnonopsis, and supports the close relationship of both genera; their flower morphology also is very similar. In contrast, the sporoderm ofEphedranthus, and especially that ofMalmea, is different in some characters and suggests more remote relationships; this is also confirmed by differences in flower morphology. Within this group of genera a distinct exine progression can be recognized from non-columellate (Malmea) to granular (Unonopsis guatterioides), further to somewhat irregularly (Bocageopsis, someUnonopsis species), and finally to very regularly columellate (Ephedranthus). The sculpture of the tectum varies from a reticulum with large lumina (Malmea) to one with small performations (Ephedranthus). Within theAnnonaceae the genusMalmea is among the most primitive in respect to pollen structure. The sulcus of the four genera is very large and runs over 1/3 of the pollen grain. It is characterized by a reduction of the exine and a bulgy thickening of the intine.

     

A new species of Hyalella (Crustacea,Amphipoda, Dogielinotidae) from the Atlantic Forest of Misiones,Argentina

The freshwater genus Hyalella Smith, 1874 has a distribution restricted to the Western Hemisphere with most species being found in South America. In this report we describe a new species of Hyalella from the Atlantic Forest of the Misiones province, Argentina.     

Goeppertia mendesiana sp. nov. (Marantaceae) from Bahia,Brazil, with a key to the species of Goeppertia with ornamented leaves in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil

Goeppertia mendesiana, a new species from the Atlantic Forest of Bahia, Brazil, is described and illustrated. It resembles G. widgrenii (Körn.) Borchs. & Suárez, but differs from that species by its villose petioles and peduncles (vs glabrous in G. widgrenii) and by the absence of bracteoles and interphylls, a rare feature in the genus. The ecology, distribution and conservation status of the new species is presented, along with a key to the species of Goeppertia with ornamented leaves in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil.     

A new species of Discocyrtanus from Mato Grosso,Brazil (Opiliones: Gonyleptidae) with a key to the species of the genus

Discocyrtanus canjinjim sp. n., belonging to the family Gonyleptidae Sundevall, 1833 is described based on nineteen specimens, eleven adult males and eight adult females, collected in the Vila Bela da Santíssima Trindade, in the State of Mato Grosso, Brazil. This new species represents an endemic component for the harvestmen fauna of Chiquitano Dry Forests terrestrial eco-region, being the most occidental point of distribution of the genus, notably found in the Cerrado and the Atlantic Forest. The new species is characterized by femur IV swollen with the same length of dorsal scutum, trochanter IV with prodorsal distal apophysis as a stout hook not bifurcated, and a unique form of genitalia in the genus. This paper also includes the first identification key to the species of the genus after its revalidation.     

Two new species of Hanshumba from Southeastern Brazil and a key to males of the genus (Insecta: Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Cicadellini)

The genus Hanshumba Young, 1977 is recorded from Southeastern and Southern Brazil (Atlantic Forest) and currently includes only three species. Here we describe and illustrate, based mainly on features of the male terminalia, two new species from State of Espírito Santo, Municipality of Santa Teresa: H. setifera sp. nov. and H. teresa sp. nov. The former can be distinguished by the male pygofer and anal tube with large processes bearing numerous setae and the aedeagus with pair of dentiform processes on median portion, whereas the latter has three pairs of longitudinal flanges on the aedeagal shaft. A key to males of the genus is added and its taxonomic status is briefly discussed.     

Molecular and Morphological Evidence Reveals a New Species in the Phyllomedusa hypochondrialis Group (Hylidae,Phyllomedusinae) from the Atlantic Forest of the Highlands of Southern Brazil

The taxonomic status of a disjunctive population of Phyllomedusa from southern Brazil was diagnosed using molecular, chromosomal, and morphological approaches, which resulted in the recognition of a new species of the P. hypochondrialis group. Here, we describe P. rustica sp. n. from the Atlantic Forest biome, found in natural highland grassland formations on a plateau in the south of Brazil. Phylogenetic inferences placed P. rustica sp. n. in a subclade that includes P. rhodei + all the highland species of the clade. Chromosomal morphology is conservative, supporting the inference of homologies among the karyotypes of the species of this genus. Phyllomedusa rustica is apparently restricted to its type-locality, and we discuss the potential impact on the strategies applied to the conservation of the natural grassland formations found within the Brazilian Atlantic Forest biome in southern Brazil. We suggest that conservation strategies should be modified to guarantee the preservation of this species.     

A new species of Myrcia (Myrteae, Myrtaceae) from the Atlantic Forest of southern Bahia, Brazil

Myrcia thomasii, a new species from the Atlantic Forest of southern Bahia, is described and illustrated. The new species is similar to M. micropetala, but differs in having the inflorescence and basal bracts puberulent, lanceolate bracts at the base of flowers, longer calyx lobes and petals, and a 3-locular ovary.     

Essential oils of four Myrtaceae species from the Brazilian southeast

The essential oils of the leaves of Eugenia acutata, Eugenia candolleana, Eugenia copacabanensis and Myrcia splendens (Myrtaceae) from Brazil’s southeastern Atlantic Forest were obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC–MS. Oxygenated sesquiterpenes were predominant in E. copacabanensis (54.3%) and E. candolleana (50.9%) whilst hydrocarbon species predominated in E. acutata (83.4%) and M. splendens (94.5%). trans-Caryophyllene was the most abundant component in E. acutata. Isomers of guaiol and cadinol alcohols, followed by δ-elemene and viridiflorene, were the major components of the essential oil of the leaves of E. candolleana. Hydrocarbons and alcohols of the cadinane-type predominated in E. copacabanensis the most abundant being epi-cubenol (14%). M. splendens had 80% α-bisabolene in the leaf oil along with <5% β-farnesene. Additionally, E. copacabanensis exhibited 13.7% monoterpenes. Whereas the bisabolene-rich M. splendens oil is highly similar to that of other Myrcia species reported elsewhere, the Eugenia species oils corroborated the complex array and differing abundances of terpene classes within this genus. This study generated data which may provide further comprehension of the phylogenetic relationships between Myrtaceae genera and species.     

Systematics of Spiny Predatory Katydids (Tettigoniidae: Listroscelidinae) from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest Based on Morphology and Molecular Data

Listroscelidinae (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) are insectivorous Pantropical katydids whose taxonomy presents a long history of controversy, with several genera incertae sedis. This work focused on species occurring in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, one of the world''s most threatened biomes. We examined material deposited in scientific collections and visited 15 conservation units from Rio de Janeiro to southern Bahia between November 2011 and January 2012, catching 104 specimens from 10 conservation units. Based on morphological and molecular data we redefined Listroscelidini, adding a new tribe, new genus and eight new species to the subfamily. Using morphological analysis, we redescribed and added new geographic records for six species, synonymized two species and built a provisional identification key for the Atlantic Forest Listroscelidinae. Molecular results suggest two new species and a new genus to be described, possibly by the fission of the genus Hamayulus. We also proposed a 500 bp region in the final portion of the COI to be used as a molecular barcode. Our data suggest that the Atlantic Forest Listroscelidinae are seriously endangered, because they occur in highly preserved forest remnants, show high rates of endemism and have a narrow geographic distribution. Based on our results, we suggest future collection efforts must take into account the molecular barcode data to accelerate species recognition.     

Two new species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Mezilaurus</Emphasis> (Lauraceae) from Brazil

Ongoing taxonomic work on Mezilaurus has revealed two new species of the genus in Brazil, which are here described and illustrated. The first one, Mezilaurus glabriantha, from the state of Espírito Santo, represents the third endemic species known from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, and Mezilaurus microphylla occurs in seasonally dry forests from the central Brazilian state of Tocantins. A key to distinguish the extra-Amazonian species of Mezilaurus from Brazil is provided.     

Miconia atlantica, a new species of Melastomataceae from the eastern mountains of Brazil

A new species of Miconia from the mountains in the Atlantic Forest of eastern Brazil is presented here. Miconia atlantica has been collected in the states of São Paulo and Espírito Santo. It belongs to section Glossocentrum and can be recognized among others species in this section by the leaves with acute bases, an indumentum consisting of stellate trichomes moderately covering the abaxial surface of mature leaves, glomerulate inflorescences, and stamens with unappendaged connectives. Marsupiform domatia were found in São Paulo populations.     

Four new species of Ixora (Rubiaceae, Ixoreae) from Brazil

Four new species of Ixora (Rubiaceae, Ixoreae) from Brazil are described and illustrated and their relationships to morphologically similar species as well as their conservation status are discussed. The new species, Ixora cabraliensis, Ixora emygdioi, Ixora grazielae, and Ixora pilosostyla are endemic to the Atlantic Forest of southern Bahia and Espirito Santo.     

A new species and a new subspecies of the stargazer genusGnathagnus from Northwestern Australia

Heretofore the genusGnathagnus (Uranoscopidae) has been composed of three species:G. elongatus (Temminck et Schlegel) from northern Australia to Japan,G. innotabilis (Waite) from Australasia, andG. egregius (Jordan et Thompson) from the western Atlantic Ocean. In this paper, a new species and a new subspecies from northwestern Australia are described and a key to the known species and subspecies of the genus is presented.     

DNA barcoding in Atlantic Forest plants: What is the best marker for Sapotaceae species identification?

The Atlantic Forest is a phytogeographic domain with a high rate of endemism and large species diversity. The Sapotaceae is a botanical family for which species identification in the Atlantic Forest is difficult. An approach that facilitates species identification in the Sapotaceae is urgently needed because this family includes threatened species and valuable timber species. In this context, DNA barcoding could provide an important tool for identifying species in the Atlantic Forest. In this work, we evaluated four plant barcode markers (matK, rbcL, trnH-psbA and the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer region - ITS) in 80 samples from 26 species of Sapotaceae that occur in the Atlantic Forest. ITS yielded the highest average interspecific distance (0.122), followed by trnH-psbA (0.019), matK (0.008) and rbcL (0.002). For species discrimination, ITS provided the best results, followed by matK, trnH-psbA and rbcL. Furthermore, the combined analysis of two, three or four markers did not result in higher rates of discrimination than obtained with ITS alone. These results indicate that the ITS region is the best option for molecular identification of Sapotaceae species from the Atlantic Forest.     

A remarkable new species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ormosia</Emphasis> (Leguminosae: Papilionoideae: Sophoreae) from Bahian Atlantic Rain Forest,Brazil

Ormosia timboënsis is described and illustrated as a new species based on fruit and leaf material collected in a fragment of Atlantic Rain Forest in central Bahia State, Brazil. This new species can be recognized by possessing the largest seed and hilum of those that have been reported in Ormosia. In addition, O. timboënsis has leaves that in combination with the fruit characters do not match any species currently described in the genus.     

Two new species of swallowerfishes of the genera Chiasmodon and Kali (Chiasmodontidae)

Described are two new species of swallowerfishes—Chiasmodon lavenbergi sp. n. from the western Pacific, differing from other species of the genus by the retaining of epidermal spinules on the skin in adult fishes and by a fixed marginal teeth in the jaws, and Kali caribbaea sp. n. from the southern part of the Caribbean Sea (western Atlantic), differing from other species of the genus by features of dentition and a set of certain other characters.