SYSTEMATICS OF THE ZYGNEMATACEAE (CHLOROPHYCEAE). III. TRANSEAU COLLECTION OF THE ZYGNEMATACEAE: AN OLD COLLECTION WITH MODERN USES

Edgar Nelson Transeau, botanist-ecologist-phycologist, accumulated a worldwide collection of algal specimens for the compilation of a monograph on the algal family Zygnemataceae, published in 1951. Following his death on January 26, 1960 this Collection remained at The Ohio State University, Columbus until 1978 when it was transferred to the University of Arizona, Tucson. A set of glycerine-preserved specimens on microscope slides is the major item of the Collection with the number of species represented as follows: Spirogyra (138), Mougeotia (52), Zygnema (45), Zygnemopsis (16), Sirogonium (9), Debarya (9), Zygogonium (4), Mougeotiopsis (1) and Entransia (1). All specimens of Pleurodiscus, Sirocladium, Temnogametum and Temnogyra are unidentified. With the Transeau Collection it was demonstrated that an old collection need not be an historical relic, but does have continued usefulness. Potential future use is a powerful justification for maintaining seemingly useless collections whose accumulation often represents the expenditure of untold time, effort and money on the part of many persons and institutions worldwide. Further, as man continues to alter his environment and species are destroyed, collections with long histories become increasingly more valuable. Specimens of the Transeau Collection were subjected to modern techniques, not available earlier, resulting in improved characterization of zygospore-wall structure by scanning electron microscopy and the determination of nuclear DNA by cytofluorometry.     

PALEOZOIC LYCOPSID FRUCTIFICATIONS. III. CONSPECIFICITY OF BRITISH AND NORTH AMERICAN LEPIDOSTROBUS PETRIFACTIONS

A study was made of 30 apparently similar microsporangiate cone specimens of the lycopsid fructification Lepidostrobus found in coal balls of Middle Pennsylvanian age from Illinois and Kansas. None of these specimens was a complete cone, but at least 19 were large enough and well enough preserved to provide information regarding variation both within one cone and among several specimens. The data obtained substantiated the original assumption that all 30 specimens represented one species. Attempts to equate this one species with any of the similar, previously described North American taxa, Lepidostrobus coulteri, L. pulvinatus and Lepidocarpon magnificum-microsporangiate form, and the British taxon Lepidostrobus oldhamius, including the forms (α), (β), (γ) and pilosus, revealed that no significant differences existed among any of these taxa. Furthermore, all characteristics described for these taxa were referable to, and well within the range of variation of, the one species here analyzed. Differences among the taxa were found to represent only differences in maturation or normal variation. All these taxa are, therefore, conspecific and are assigned to one species which by priority is named Lepidostrobus oldhamius. The common association of the megasporangiate Lepidocarpon lomaxi with all these miorosporangiate cones, now recognized as representing the single taxon Lepidostrobus oldhamius, is strong evidence for the probability that Lepidocarpon lomaxi and Lepidostrobus oldhamius were produced by the same parent plant species.     

Unusual records of deepwater teleosteans trawled off the western coast of Mexico

The first records of three midwater species for the Mexican ichthyofauna (Holtbyrnia laticauda, Brama dussumieri and Cubiceps baxteri), caught off the coast of Baja California, Mexico, in mid 2014, are reported. As far as is known, they are the first verified specimens, geo‐referenced and catalogued in a reference fish collection for the west coast of Mexico. The species' known distributions were extended northward in the eastern Pacific Ocean, ranging from 3495 to 8300 km.     

The nomenclature and taxonomy of Macrocoma lycopodioides (Schwaegr.) Vitt

Abstract

Macrocoma lycopodioides (Schwaegr.) Vitt is the correct name for those southern African specimens of the genus which are characterized byfragile leaves, bistratose upper leaf cells, peristome reduced to a double basal membrane, hairy calyptras, and dioicous sexual condition. A key is given to the four African members of Macrocoma. The habit drawing provided by Schwaegrichen in his original 1827 protologue of Macromitrium lycopodioides is remarkably similar to one portion of the collection presently found in his herbarium, and this portion of his specimen is suggested as the most appropriate Lectotype. Historically M. lycopodioides has been confused with various taxa, but in particular with M. tenue and a discussion is given of the treatment of the names in the 1800's.     

Evolutionary and climatic factors affecting tooth size in the red foxVulpes vulpes in the Holarctic

Research into the geographical pattern of tooth size in the red fox,Vulpes vulpes (Linnaeus, 1758) in the Holarctic was conducted on a sample of 3806 skulls belonging to 41 fox populations. The Nearctic was represented by 948 specimens (249 females, 359 males, 340 specimens of unknown sex) belonging to 13 populations, whereas the Palearctic was represented by 2858 red foxes (1034 females, 1256 males, 568 specimens of unknown sex) from 32 populations. In the Nearctic, the largest foxes live on Kodiak Island (V. v. harrimani) and the Kenai Peninsula (V. v. kenaiensis), while the smallest ones live in California (V. v. necator) and Georgia (V. v. fulvus). In the Palearctic, the largest foxes come from the Far East (V. v. jakutensis, V. v. beringiana, V. v. tobolica), while the smallest are from the southern borders of the Eurasian range (V. v. pusilla, V. v. barbara, V. v. arabica). In both the Palearctic and Nearctic, tooth size in the fox varies depending on the geo-climatic factors. The fox’s tooth size confirms the general basis of Bergmann’s rule. In the Palearctic, specimens with larger teeth occur in cooler habitats with greater seasonality. These are first and foremost Northern and Far Eastern populations. In the Nearctic, tooth size in red foxes depends on the temperature and humidity of their habitat. Competition within the species and between species has important impact on the variation and dimorphism of tooth size in the red fox. Both in the Nearctic and Palearctic, red foxes from regions of sympatric co-occurrence with other closely relatedVulpes species, are more sexually dimorphic in terms of tooth size than red foxes from allopatric regions. Analysis of morphological distance on the basis of the size of dental characteristics shows, that in the Palearctic, the foxes from India (V. v. pusilla), while in the Nearctic, the population from Kodiak Island (V. v. harrimani) are most distant from the remaining populations. Geographic barriers such as the Bering Strait, Parry Channel, Mackenzie River, Kolyma and Omolon River systems have had a critical impact on red fox evolution. The most likely place for the evolution and diversification of the phyletic lineVulpes vulpes seems to be the Middle East region.     

Type specimens of G. E. Post in Beirut and The Natural History Museum,London

The Flora of Syria, Palestine and Sinai, a pioneer Flora of the region, was published in 1896 by George Edward Post (1838–1909). Lesser known are his series of Diagnoses plantarum novarum orientalium, published in the Journal of the Linnean Society Botany, and 10 papers, Plantae Postianae, which appeared in Swiss journals from 1890 to 1900. A greatly expanded second edition of the Flora was prepared by John Edward Dinsmore and published in Beirut in 1932 and 1933. Post's plant collection is part of the Post Herbarium (BEI), with about 63 000 specimens, that has been well maintained, despite civil war and inadequate staffing. This work involves the identification of around 150 types in BEI and BM, and improvement of the accessibility of the specimens. © 2009 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2009, 159 , 315–321.     

广西植物标本馆馆藏模式标本现状与分析

模式标本是植物分类和命名的依据和凭证,也是植物资源保护与持续利用的重要基本资料。为提高模式标本的管理水平,促进其充分利用和互惠共享,该文对广西植物标本馆(IBK)馆藏模式标本的种类组成、采集地、采集年代及采集人等方面进行了统计和分析。结果表明:(1)本馆完成信息数字化的模式标本共计4 645号,5 736份,隶属于170科619属2 128种(含种下等级),馆藏模式标本收集的优势科有樟科、苦苣苔科、茜草科、山茶科、兰科、荨麻科、百合科、猕猴桃科、大戟科、柿科和杜鹃花科等,优势属有秋海棠属、蜘蛛抱蛋属、马兜铃属、紫金牛属和冬青属等。(2)模式标本分别采自中国的20个省(区、市)以及其他2个国家,模式标本采集较多的省区有广西(48.19%)、海南(24.14%)和广东(11.63%)。(3)历年模式标本采集高峰期在20世纪30年代和50年代,模式标本命名高峰期在20世纪80年代,与我国植物分类学的兴起,以及开展《中国植物志》编研等有关,模式标本的橱柜时间(标本采集到命名的时间间隔)平均为21年,橱柜时间最长为82年。该文还对模式标本的馆藏现状及数字化工作进行了讨论和展望。     

Chromosomes of five artiodactyl mammals

Somatic chromosomes of six specimens belonging to the following five species of artiodactyls (Artiodactyla: Mammalia) are described: A female nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus), 2n=46; male baresingha (Rucervus duvauceli), two specimens, 2n=56; a female Himalayan tahr (Hemitragus jemlahicus), 2n=48; a female Kirk's dik-dik (Rhynchotragus kirki), 2n=46; and a male sambar (Cervus unicolor), 2n=58. In the baresingha and the sambar, one or more acrocentric chromosomes carried satellites on their long arms. ³H-thymidine radioautographs of cultured cells of the Himalayan tahr showed a long acrocentric chromosome to be late-replicating, suggesting that it is an X chromosome.     

Food spectrum of the deepwater squid Moroteuthis ingens (Cephalopoda: Onychoteuthidae) in New Zealand waters

Prey species of the deepwater squid Moroteuthis ingens were examined for 37 large specimens captured in New Zealand waters. Caecum contents were predominantly less than 80% full and covered a range of digestion stages. The diet consisted of fish (at least seven species, of which four were myctophids) and squid. The most abundant prey was the myctophid Lampanyctodes hectoris, which was represented by 1323 otoliths from 22 caeca. The second most abundant prey was viperfish (Chauliodus sloani) and/or dragonfish (Stomias boa), represented by 537 otoliths from 17 caeca. Individual squid appeared to ingest surprisingly large numbers of fish (up to 100) during a single feeding period and could achieve feeding rates greater than 10% of their body weight per day. While some males appeared to ingest larger numbers of L. hectoris, females targeted significantly larger individuals of L. hectoris thereby ingesting a greater biomass of fish. Received: 31 July 1997 / Accepted: 15 January 1998     

MOLECULAR ASSESSMENT OF ULVA SPP. (ULVOPHYCEAE,CHLOROPHYTA) IN THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS1

Sequences of the nuclear internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) region and the chloroplast rbcL gene were obtained from 86 specimens of Ulva (including “Enteromorpha”) from five of the main Hawaiian Islands. These 86 specimens were divided into 11 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) based on analyses of primary sequence data and comparisons of ITS1 secondary structure. Of the 11 OTUs, six have not previously been reported from anywhere in the world. Only three represented exact sequence matches to named species (Ulva lactuca L., syn. U. fasciata Delile; U. ohnoi Hiraoka et Shimada); two others represented exact sequence matches to unnamed species from Japan and New Zealand. Of the 12 species names currently in use for Hawaiian Ulva, only one, U. lactuca (as U. fasciata), was substantiated. General morphology of the specimens did not always correspond with molecular OTUs; for example, reticulate thallus morphology, previously considered diagnostic for the species U. reticulata Forssk., was expressed in thalli assigned to U. ohnoi and to one of the novel OTUs. This finding confirms a number of recent studies and provides further support for a molecular species concept for Ulva. These results suggest that Ulva populations in tropical and subtropical regions consist of species that are largely unique to these areas, for which the application of names based on types from temperate and boreal European and North American waters is inappropriate. Ulva ohnoi, a “green tide” species, is reported from Hawaii for the first time.     

震旦博物院哺乳动物头骨标本收藏目录

天主教传教士Pierre Marie Heude(1836-1902)1867年自法国来到中国,他特别钟情于自然历史研究,把几乎所有的精力倾注于他在东亚地区的标本收藏上。1868年,他在现上海市郊的徐家汇建立了一座博物馆并收藏大量的动物标本。1933年徐家汇博物馆被震旦大学（现复旦大学）接管,并建立了一座新馆,更名为震旦博物院（欧洲称为Musee Heude),在Heude收藏的标本中,一部分是他在菲律宾,印度尼西亚,日本,印度及中国等地区探险时采集的,而绝大多数标本则是他通过各种方法联络各国同僚收集而来,在他死后,由他的接班人Courtois和Sowerby等继承了他的研究,1952年,上海自然历史博物馆接收了原震旦博物院,1958年原震旦博物院的标本被送至上海自然历史博物馆和中国科学院 研究所收藏。源自原震旦博物院的哺乳动物头骨标本可能是目前仍保存在国内有关亚洲地区收藏数量最大的一部分,然而,由于历史久远和中国近代变迁等因素的影响,Heude当时收藏的原始记录资料和标本标签大多遗佚或破损,使这批具有极高学术价值的头骨标本一直在标本馆中沉睡了一百多年。2000年4月中旬至5月中旬,作者将存放在上海和北京的所有兽类头骨标本进行了整理,重新进行标识和编目,经整理,共清理出兽类头骨2139件,根据Heude当时的分类,共查出模式标本188件（其中正模54,副模6,配模79,余模49）,用红色圆点在模林标本上进行了标记,并将其名写于其上,尽管Heude标本中模式标本绝大多数为同物异名,这在一定程度上降低了它们的价值,但仍有一部分模式标本是名符其实的,如Bubalus mindorensis和Sus cebifrons等。在本文中,作者按现代分类顺序进行排列,并将保存于上海和北京两地的标本分开排列,以便于查找,同时用现代学术界认可的种名,在每一种名之后,分别列出标本中雌,雄个体,亚成体和性别不明标本的数量,如3．4．7＋5表示,标本中有3个雄性成体,4个雌性成体,7个亚成体和5只性别不明个体。在种名的下面,按Heude在标本上标识的种名进行排列,在种名后是作者名和在著作中进行描述的时间,模式标本排列在前,其它标本在后。目录中的地名来自Heude在头骨上的标记,在目录最后列出了所有在目录中出现的地名。Heude在标签和头骨上书写的地名,可能是他根据当地口音或其他方式所确定,多数不是学术上公开使用的有效名称,给现在及将来使用带来诸多不便,因此在研究历史文献的基础上尽可能地附上了这些地名的现代名称。     

Improving representativeness of genebank collections through species distribution models, gap analysis and ecogeographical maps

An efficient germplasm collecting method was evaluated using six Lupinus species and the Spanish Lupinus collection as a study case. This method includes the application of geographic information systems, ecogeographical land characterization maps, species distribution models and gap analysis to identify prioritized collecting sites. To evaluate the efficiency of this collecting method, field collecting expeditions were carried out focusing on prioritized sites and the results of these collections were analyzed. Prioritized sites were identified using spatial and ecogeographical gaps, and potential species richness maps. The spatial gaps corresponded to populations non-included in the collection but recorded by other information sources while ecogeographical gaps corresponded to spatial gaps that were located in ecogeographical categories (obtained from the ecogeographical map) that were scarcely represented in the collection. A potential Lupinus species richness map was obtained by adding the information of single maps of Lupinus species distribution models. Subsequently, prioritized sites were obtained in ecogeographical gaps with high potential species richness values. Collecting expeditions were made in Spain in 2006, 2007 and 2008. Results showed that using the efficient germplasm collecting methodology was highly positive not only from a quantitative viewpoint (between 7.8 and 11% increase) but also in qualitative terms, focusing collection efforts in ecogeographical categories with low or null representation in the Spanish Lupinus collection (41% of the new accessions). Phenotypic differences related to adaptation to environment were observed in the field between the populations that grow in low or null represented categories and those that grow in highly represented categories.     

COMPARISON OF CULTURED TRICHODESMIUM (CYANOPHYCEAE) WITH SPECIES CHARACTERIZED FROM THE FIELD1

The filamentous, colonial cyanobacterium Trichodesmium has six well‐described species, but many more names. Traditional classification was based on field samples using morphological characteristics such as cell width and length, gas vesicle distribution, and colony morphology. We used the Woods Hole Trichodesmium culture collection to identify 21 cultured strains to species using cell morphology; phycobiliprotein absorption spectra; and sequences of the 16S rRNA gene, the 16S–23S internal transcribed spacer (ITS), and the heterocyst differentiation gene hetR. We compared our results to previous studies of field specimens and found similar clades, though not all phylogenetic groups were represented in culture. Our culture collection represented two of the four major clades of Trichodesmium: clade I, made up of Trichodesmium thiebautii Gomont, Trichodesmium tenue Wille, Katagnymene spiralis Lemmerm., and Trichodesmium hildebrandtii Gomont; and clade III, consisting of Trichodesmium erythraeum Ehrenb. and Trichodesmium contortum Wille. These clades were genetically coherent with similar phycobiliprotein composition, but morphologically diverse. In the continual revision of cyanobacterial taxonomy, genetic and biochemical information is useful and informative complements to morphology for the development of a functional classification scheme.     

Mastigopterus imperator Smith and Radcliffe, 1913, a senior synonym of M. praetor Smith and Radcliffe, 1913 (Ophidiidae, Ophidiiformes)

 A rare deep-sea ophidiid genus Mastigopterus known to contain two species, M. imperator Smith and Radcliffe, 1913 and M. praetor Smith and Radcliffe, 1913, was reviewed on the basis of six specimens including the holotypes of both species. Dorsal and anal fin ray counts and the size of cephalic sensory pores previously thought to be diagnostic characteristics to discriminate the two species did not suggest the presence of two forms, the large (M. imperator) and the small species (M. praetor), in the genus. Apparently the genus is represented by a single species, M. imperator, known from off Madagascar, the East and South China Seas and Papua New Guinea. Received: September 7, 1999 / Revised: July 9, 2001 / Accepted: November 13, 2001     

Synopsis of a new collection of sea spiders (Arthropoda: Pycnogonida) from the Ross Sea,Antarctica

The biodiversity research expedition TAN0204 with RS Tangaroa to the Ross Sea in 2004 yielded a new collection of 2,687 specimens of pycnogonids. As much as 25 different species encompassing 14 genera and eight families were identified and their records are discussed herein. The collection is archived in the Marine Invertebrate Collection of the New Zealand National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA). The majority (69%) of specimens are from the Nymphon australe group (Nymphonidae), although species richness and abundance varied among the stations sampled. The collection includes several specimens from polymerous taxa; Pentanymphon antarcticum (Nymphonidae), Decolopoda australis (Colossendeidae) and Pentapycnon bouvieri (Pycnogonidae). All species were classified based on morphological characters, and DNA sequences (from the 18S, 12S, 16S and COI regions) for 21 of the representative morphotypes are given. The DNA sequences confirmed the species-level distinctiveness of these morphotypes. No species new to science were identified, although further detailed morphometric and/or molecular analyses may reveal cryptic or sibling species, especially in species such as the highly abundant Nymphon australe group. An erratum to this article can be found at     

Zooplankton of Lake Titicaca on the Bolivian side

Summary The zooplankton, especially the Cladocera and the Copepoda, of Lake Titicaca on the Bolivian side is reported on the basis of a collection made in April 1961. The zooplankton at that time was sparse, consisting only of seven species. Boeckella titicacae Harding is the dominant copepod and B. occidentalis Marsh is also abundant, as in the previous records obtained by the Percy Sladen Expedition in 1937. The Cladocera are poorly represented in the plankton by Ceriodaphnia quadrangula (O. F. Müller), Bosmina cf. hagmanni Stingelin and a few Daphnia pulex Leydig. In a pond near the village of Belen, close to the east coast of the large lake were found 14 species of zooplankters, most of which were living among aquatic vegetation and did not occur in Lake Titicaca. Some taxonomic and zoogeographic remarks are given on some species.Kyoto UniversitySakarazuka-Hondori 2–18, Toyonaka-shi near Osaka, Japan     

Molecular identification of Taenia spp. in wolves (Canis lupus), brown bears (Ursus arctos) and cervids from North Europe and Alaska

Taenia tapeworms of Finnish and Swedish wolves (Canis lupus) and Finnish brown bears (Ursus arctos), and muscle cysticerci of Svalbard reindeer (Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus), Alaskan Grant's caribou (Rangifer tarandus granti) and Alaskan moose (Alces americanus) were identified on the basis of the nucleotide sequence of a 396 bp region of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene. Two species were found from wolves: Taenia hydatigena and Taenia krabbei. The cysticerci of reindeer, caribou and one moose also represented T. krabbei. Most of the cysticercal specimens from Alaskan moose, however, belonged to an unknown T. krabbei-like species, which had been reported previously from Eurasian elks (Alces alces) from Finland. Strobilate stages from two bears belonged to this species as well. The present results suggest that this novel Taenia sp. has a Holarctic distribution and uses Alces spp. as intermediate and ursids as final hosts.