Diversity and ecology of desmids of peat bogs in the Jizerské hory Mts

The present study focuses on diversity and ecological preferences of desmids in peat bogs in the Jizerské hory Mts (Czech Republic). Altogether 76 desmid algae taxa have been recorded at 18 sites of the study area during our investigation in 2003–2006. Taxa Actinotaenium crassiusculum (De Bary) Teiling, Hyalotheca dissiliens var. tatrica Racib., Staurastrum avicula var. subarcuatum (Wolle) West & G. S. West, S. borgeanum Schmidle, S. simonyi var. semicirculare Coesel, Staurodesmus extensus var. isthmosus (Heimerl) Coesel, S. extensus var. vulgaris (Eichler & Racib.) Croasdale and S. spencerianus (Mask.) Teiling are new for the Czech Republic. In addition, several rare and remarkable taxa were also encountered. The species richness was relatively high in comparison to similar localities in the Czech Republic. Desmid distribution was influenced by pH and conductivity. Presented at the International Symposium Biology and Taxonomy of Green Algae V, Smolenice, June 26–29, 2007, Slovakia.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Epipactis albensis</Emphasis> (Orchidaceae): a new species in the flora of Romania

A small population of Epipactis albensis Nováková & Rydlo, a species previously unknown in the flora of Romania, was found in Gorge Turda (Cheile Turzii, county Cluj) in 2011. The occurrence is currently the easternmost known population of this strictly autogamous species originally described from the Czech Republic, and recently known only from five other Central-European countries. Morphological features, habitat preference, soil reaction, currently known distribution and biological characteristics of the plant are presented.     

Geomyces destructans associated with bat disease WNS detected in Slovakia

The paper describes macro- and micromorphological features of Geomyces destructans, the fungus which is associated with the white-nose syndrome (WNS) bat disease in North America. This species was isolated from hibernating Myotis myotis at two sites in Malé Karpaty Mts (the old mine Pod medveđou skalou and the Zbojnícka Cave) in Western Slovakia. Besides Geomyces destructans, the species Isaria farinosa, Cladosporium macrocarpum and Alternaria tenuissima were isolated, too. All strains are deposed at the Department of Soil Science, Comenius University in Bratislava (Slovakia) and in CMF at Institute of Soil Biology in Českějovice (Czech Republic).     

Contribution to the occurrence and former distribution of Tephroseris palustris (Compositae) in the Central Europe

Tephroseris palustris (syn. Senecio palustris) is a circumboreal species with large distribution range. The European part of the recent distribution area extends southwards to central France, Germany, Poland, and Ukraine, while in Great Britain, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, and Romania, T. palustris has been treated as extinct species. The southern boundary of its distribution in Poland does not reach the Carpathian territory. Herbarium specimens, formerly collected in Czech Republic, were found, however, all Czech localities are extinct. No herbarium specimens confirming the old literature data from Slovakia, Hungary, and Romania have been found. Some herbarium specimens coming from this area, and declared as T. palustris (S. palustris), in fact, refer to Senecio paludosus L. Contrary to previous nomenclature review (Jeffrey & Chen 1984), the name Tephroseris palustris (L.) Rchb. seems to be correct (Reichenbach Fl. Saxon.: 146, 1842).     

A monograph of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Octoknema</Emphasis> (Octoknemaceae — Olacaceae <Emphasis Type="Italic">s.l.</Emphasis>)

A revision of Octoknema Pierre is provided, based on morphological data gathered from a study of herbarium specimens and observations in the field. Fourteen species of Octoknema are recognised including six new species: O. bakossiensis Gosline & Malécot, O. belingensis Gosline & Malécot, O. chailluensis Malécot & Gosline, O. kivuensis Gosline & Malécot, O. mokoko Gosline & Malécot and O. ogoouensis Malécot & Gosline. Data are given for four additional poorly known taxa (Octoknema species A, B, C and D).     

New Genera and Higher Taxa of Septate Gregarines (Protozoa,Apicomplexa)*

SYNOPSIS The following new taxa of septate gregarines are established: METAMERIDAE fam. nov. includes genera Metamera Duke, Deutomera Bhatia & Setna, and Cognettia gen. n., the last with the type and only species C. legeri (Cognetti de Martiis); family GREGARINIDAE Labbé includes Degiustia gen. n. with the type and only species D. hyallela (Batten & DeGiusti); Cirrigregarina gen. n., with the type species C. spissa (Henry) and another species, C. kamenote (Hoshide); and Molluskocystis gen. n., with the type and only species M. pterotracheae (Stuart). Family HIRMOCYSTIDAE (Grassé) includes Arachnocystis gen. n., with the type species A. arachnoidea (Devdhar & Gourishankar) and 3 other species A. nitida (Geus), A. oribatidae (Geus), A. scutovertexi (Erhardová). Family ACTINOCEPHALIDAE (Léger), subfamily Actinocephalinae (Léger), includes Chilogregarina gen. n., with the type species C. striata (Léger & Duboscq) and 3 other species C. brasiliensis (Pinto), C. dujardini (Schneider), and C. stella (Léger).     

The updated check list of Dolichopodidae (Diptera) of the Czech Republic and Slovakia: Background information,data and considerations

The 1997 check list of Dolichopodidae of the Czech Republic and Slovakia has recently been reviewed and updated. The new species list includes 346 species with 22 species added as new to the fauna of the Czech Republic. While the check list itself is published elsewhere, largely unpublished new records of Hercostomus argentifrons, H. nigrilamellatus, Medetera adjaniae, M. melancholica and M. setiventris are presented here, together with data on their distribution in Europe and their biology and ecology. The status of the newly added Sympycnus desoutteri is discussed. H. argentifrons is recorded here for the first time from the Czech Republic (Bohemia; Moravia) and background information is given on its discovery. While the Czech fauna with 324 species can be considered well known, the fauna of Slovakia is definitely much richer than its current national list of 217 species suggests. In the latter country, in particular surveys of sandy habitats with heathland or peatmoor, saltmarshes, reedmarshes, humid forests on loamy soils, and of rothole and saprun microhabitats on trees might quickly yield new species records.     

Xylosandrus germanus in Central Europe: Spread into and within the Czech Republic

Invasive organisms represent great threats to ecosystems and great challenges to forest management. In Europe, the black timber bark beetle (Xylosandrus germanus) is an invasive secondary pest that mostly attacks the logs of felled trees. We showed the invasion history for Europe and using many local surveys, we summarize the current distribution and other available information on X. germanus in the Czech Republic. We report that this species is distributed from the lowlands to the mountains in the Czech Republic; it is widespread in the eastern half of the country, where it is more abundant in the warmer south and southeast areas than in the cooler areas. Most (78%) of the known localities are at elevation below 400 m a.s.l. Although an ice storm greatly increased X. germanus abundance near the border with Austria, its high abundance did not result in damage to standing trees. Presence of X. germanus in the Czech Republic for over 10 years has not led to heavy tree infestation.     

L'entomophthoraleNeozygites fumosa pathogène de la Cochenille du manioc,Phenacoccus manihoti [Hom.: Pseudococcidae], en République populaire du Congo

Résumé Uniquement connue du sud des Etats-Unis d'Amérique, l'EntomophthoraleNeozygites fumosa (Speare) Remaudière & Keller a été retrouvée en République populaire du Congo, où elle attaque la Cochenille du manioc,Phenacoccus manihoti Matile-Ferrero [Hom.: Coccoidea Pseudococcidae]. De légères variations d'ordre biométrique sont mises en évidence au sein de l'espèce fongique. A ce jour, parmi les Entomophthorales mentionnées dans la littérature comme pathogènes de Cochenilles, seules deux espèces peuvent être retenues avec certitude:Neozygites fumosa etConidiobolus pseudococci Speare (Tyrrell & MacLeod), toutes deux pathogènes dePseudococcidae.

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Summary The entomophthoraceous fungus,Neozygites fumosa (Speare) Remaudière and Keller, which was only known from the south of the U.S.A., was found in the People's Republic of the Congo, on the Cassava mealybug,Phenacoccus manihoti Matile-Ferrero [Homoptera: Coccoidea, Pseudococcidae]. Slight biometrical variations appear within the fungal species. At the present time, among the Entomophthorales cited in the literature as parasitizing Coccoidea, two species only can be retained with certainty:Neozygites fumosa andConidiobolus pseudococci Speare (Tyrrell and MacLeod), both attackingPseudococcidae.

     

New information on the invasive to Europe aphid species <Emphasis Type="Italic">Brachycaudus divaricatae</Emphasis> Shaposhnikov, 1956 (Hemiptera: Aphididae)

Brachycaudus divaricatae (Hemiptera: Aphididae), a recent invader to Europe, has already reached Czech Republic. Partial sequences of mitochondrial COI and nuclear EF-1α genes have been analysed across the sixteen Czech samples of B. divaricatae, together with morphometric analysis of the same samples based on eighteen morphological characters of the apterous viviparous females. For comparative studies, thirteen samples from the Eastern Baltic region of Europe (Latvia, Lithuania and Poland) were used. All sampled populations appeared similar in their genetic and morphological characters studied. One haplotype of mitochondrial COI gene was predominant; it was characteristic for all samples from Czech Republic and 8 out of 13 samples from Eastern Baltic region. Two other haplotypes were found in the Eastern Baltic region only. Four different haplotypes of EF-1α gene were detected. Most of the samples (except one sample from the Eastern Baltic region and two samples from Czech Republic) had the same haplotype. Out of remaining three haplotypes, one was unique for the Eastern Baltic region, whilst two were found in Czech Republic only. For the present, Moravia is the southernmost region in Europe, where B. divaricatae has been already reported. Presumably, this invasive aphid species has entered the Czech Republic from the north via the Moravian Gate, a natural pass formed by the depression between the Western Carpathians and Eastern Sudetes.