<Emphasis Type="Italic">Hongeo</Emphasis>, a new skate genus (Chondrichthyes: Rajidae), with redescription of the type species

Hongeo gen. nov. is proposed following examinations of several individuals, including adult males, of the type species Raja koreana, previously described from a single adult female specimen from the southern coast of the Korean Peninsula. A number of external (including claspers, squamation, and ampullary and lateral line canal systems) and skeletal characters are newly described. The phylogenetic position of R. koreana among 26 nominal rajid supraspecific taxa plus 2 unnamed supraspecific taxa of Rajidae and 3 outgroups was estimated. According to a strict consensus tree of 20 equally parsimonious trees of 139 steps (CI = 0.626; RI = 0.850; RC = 0.532; HI = 0.374), Hongeo gen. nov. is defined by the two derived character states: rostral cartilage continuous with neurocranium and stout proximally, but very slender and uncalcified distally; and anterior fontanelle broad, extending forward onto the basal part of rostral cartilage slightly beyond the leading edge of nasal capsules. The new genus also differs from all other supraspecific taxa of Rajidae in the following combination of characters: dorsal surface of tail with a row of distinct thorns along midline in both sexes; most thorns directed anteriorly; a pair of longitudinally elongated black blotches having undulated contours on middle of dorsal surface of disc; three groups of outer buccal ampullae and tubules; three groups of nasal ampullae and tubules; hyoidean ampullae and tubules on ventral surface posteriorly extending past cloaca; rostral shaft narrow with filamentous cartilage at base; scapulocoracoid comparatively short and high with dorsoventrally elliptical anterior fenestra and expanded postventral fenestra; external margin of mesopterygium of pectoral fin slightly undulated, not sinuous, and not fused with pectoral radials; and clasper component eperon and pent present.     

Food habits of the longnose skate, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Raja rhina</Emphasis> (Jordan and Gilbert, 1880), in central California waters

Feeding studies can provide researchers with important insights towards understanding potential fishery impacts on marine systems. Raja rhina is one of the most common elasmobranch species landed in central and northern California demersal fisheries, yet life history information is extremely limited for this species and aspects of its diet are unknown. Specimens of R. rhina were collected between September, 2002 and August, 2003 from fisheries-independent trawl surveys. Percent Index of Relative Importance values indicated that the five most important prey items in 618 stomachs of R. rhina were unidentified teleosts (31.6% IRI), unidentified shrimps (19.6% IRI), unidentified euphausiids (10.9% IRI), Crangonidae (7.4% IRI), and Neocrangon resima (6.0% IRI). There were significant dietary shifts with increasing skate total length and with increasing depths. Smaller skates ate small crustaceans and larger skates ate larger fishes and cephalopods. With increasing depths, diet included bentho-pelagic teleosts and more cephalopods and euphausiids. The findings of this study are consistent with previous researchers that report similar diet shifts in skate species with size and depth.     

Characterization and isolation of DNA microsatellite primers in Raja clavata L. (thornback ray,Rajidae)

The thornback ray, Raja clavata, is an elasmobranch (cartilaginous fish). Since the 1950s, its stock has severely declined. In order to investigate the genetic population structure of the species, we developed microsatellite loci. The five loci reported here have eight to 48 alleles per locus and display an observed heterozygosity ranging from 0.32 to 0.98 with no deviation from the Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium. In the test panel of 122 individuals from three populations, no null alleles, band‐stuttering, large allele dropouts or linkage disequilibrium was detected.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Dipturus wuhanlingi</Emphasis>, a new species of skates (Elasmobranchii: Rajidae) from China

Dipturus wuhanlingi, a new rajid species, is described from an immature male and female collected from the southern East China Sea and off Haimen, Shantou, in the South China Sea, respectively. The specimens conform to the genus Dipturus in having the combination of the following characters: a long rostral cartilage (length more than 60% of dorsal head length), greatly depressed and laterally expanded mesocondyle, and a total length greater than 55 cm when adult. Dipturus wuhanlingi is distinct from all other Dipturus species in the following combination of characters: a pair of scapular thorns, three or four nuchal thorns, an irregular row of lumbar thorns along the dorsal midline of the disc, a single row of tail thorns in both sexes, pores of ampullae of Lorenzini extending to just anterior to the pelvic girdle, anterior fenestra of scapulocoracoid strongly horizontally elliptical, mesocondyle located at about the middle between the procondyle and metacondyle, and three pairs of obturator foramina on the pelvic girdle.     

Observations on the electric organ discharge of two skate species (Chondrichthyes: Rajidae) and its relationship to behaviour

Synopsis The electric organ discharge (EOD) of the little skate,Raja erinacea and winter skate,R. ocellata was recorded both from isolated individuals and from small groups using methods that allowed for the identification of individuals producing EODs. Pulse duration, train lengh, frequency, and pulse patterns are characterized and correlated with behaviour. The two species,R. erinacea andR. ocellata, were found to have characteristically different EOD pulse durations of 70 ms and 217 ms respectively. Isolated skates rarely discharged whereas groups of skates were found to discharge regularly. The EOD was evoked by tactile prodding, physical contact with other skates and electrical stimulation. Skates also discharged reflexively in response to an artificially induced head-positive DC stimulus, sine wave and monopolar square pulses. During approach and contact, skates responded to each other with interacting EOD displays. EOD interaction and pulse duration differences between other species suggest a possible intra-specific communication function of the EOD inRaja.     

Aster chusanensis (Asteraceae), a new species from Korea

Asterchusanensis is described and illustrated, and compared with its most closely related species,A. pseudoglehni andA. spathulifolius. This new species differs markedly from the latter two by its unequal inner and outer phyllaries, pubescent stem, leaves, and corolla tube, and ray florets partly in two series.     

Flagelloscypha japonica: a new species of minute basidiomycete (Niaceae) from Japan

A minute basidiomycete belonging to Flagelloscypha (Niaceae, Agaricales) was found on blighted leaves of Rodgersia podophylla in Aomori Prefecture, Japan. The fungus proved to be a new species and was named Flagelloscypha japonica based on its morphological characteristics.     

Dolichopteryx minuscula, a new species of spookfish (Argentinoidei: Opisthoproctidae) from the Indo-West Pacific

A new species Dolichopteryx minuscula is described on the basis of three specimens [49.4–59.6 mm in standard length (SL)] collected from the Indo-West Pacific. The new species is characterized by pouchlike eyes with a small lens (lens diameter 2.2% SL), an adipose fin, the anal fin base originating posterior to the dorsal fin base, and 16–17 (= 5–6 + 1 + 10–11) gill rakers. Total fecundity was relatively low, only 658 ova being obtained from one specimen, despite the ovary being mature. Ovarian eggs were clearly subdivided into “undeveloped” (0.1–0.7 mm diameter classes, n = 561) and “developed” (1.0–1.3 mm classes, n = 97) groups, based on their frequency distribution. Such relatively low fecundity and frequency distributions of ovarian eggs suggest that Dolichopteryx species spawn iteratively during spawning season.     

A new species ofAdenophora (Campanulaceae) from Korea

Adenophora erecta S. Lee, J. Lee et S. Kim, is described as a new species from an open north-facing mountain slope on the coast of Sukpo-Dong, Ullungdo Is., Kyungsangbukdo, Korea. This species resemblesA. remotiflora Miq., but is well separated by having the leaves compactly arranged along the upper part of the stem, condensed raceme, distinct veins on the corolla and especially shallow dome-shaped epigynous nectar disc.     

Engyprosopon marquisensis, a new species of bothid flounder (Pleuronectiformes: Bothidae) from the Marquesas Islands (French Polynesia)

A new bothid flounder, Engyprosopon marquisensis, is described from 11 specimens collected in deep waters (108–408 m) off the Marquesas Islands (French Polynesia) during the French exploratory cruise MUSORSTOM 9 in 1997. Engyprosopon marquisensis is similar to E. bellonaensis from the Chesterfield Islands and Bellona Plateau in the Coral Sea and E. vanuatuensis from off Vanuatsu Island, but is easily distinguished from E. bellonaensis by the following combination of characters: narrow interorbital space in both sexes, small mouth, short caudal fin, large number of vertebrae, and fewer gill rakers. It differs from E. vanuatuensis by many scales in the lateral line, small eyes, short ocular-side upper jaw, and short blind-side lower jaw. Engyprosopon marquisensis is the deepest occurring (408 m) species of the genus, and constitutes the second species of this genus with an eastern distribution.     

Saussurea chabyoungsanica Im (Compositae), a new species from Mt. Chabyoung-san, Korea

A new species, theSaussurea chabyoungsanica Im, is described from Mt. Chabyoung-san, Kangwon Province, Korea. The new species has long elliptic leaves with short petioles and a compact corymb which consists of many slender tubular heads and tiny pedicels. These characteristics are not seen in any otherSausurea species in Korea, Japan, and northeast China (Manchuria).Saussurea chabyoungsanica is an endemic species of Korea.     

A new species of the genus Seticornuta Morley (Hymenoptera,Ichneumonidae, Metopiinae) from South Korea

Old World species of the genus Seticornuta Morley are reviewed. Seven species of this genus were recorded worldwide, but only one species, Seticornuta albopilosa (Cameron), was known from the Old World. Here, we report one new species, Seticornuta koreana sp. n., from South Korea, and redescribe the other known Old World species, Seticornuta albopilosa, with photographs.     

Nematops nanosquama, a new species of righteye flounder (Pleuronectiformes: Poecilopsettidae) from off the Marquesas Islands

A new poecilopsettid flounder, Nematops nanosquama, is described from 10 specimens (4 males, 6 females) collected from deep waters (96–650 m) off Hiva Oa, Marquesas Islands. This species is easily separated from the three recognized species of the genus Nematops by having large numbers of dorsal fin rays, anal fin rays, lateral line scales, and vertebrae, five dark transverse broad bands on the body, and a black blotch on the distal area of the pectoral fin. N.nanosquama shows the easternmost record of this genus from the Pacific Ocean.     

The arrangement of neurosecretory and catecholamine fibres in relation to the pituitary intermedia cells of the skate,Raja radiata

Summary The innervation pattern of the intermediate lobe of the skate (Raja radiata) was studied with histological and fluorescence histochemical methods. Neurosecretory fibres, stained with i.a. pseudo-iso-cyanine, were found running in bundles in the central parts of the cell cords. They terminated partly around the perinuclear parts of the intermedia cells, partly around the apices of the cells close to the vascular walls.A catecholamine innervation of the intermedia was also established. Catecholaminecontaining fibres with the appearance of nerve terminals were found around the intermedia cell apices close to the vessels. In some specimens, catecholamine fibres also seemed to terminate at the perinuclear parts of the cells.Thus it is possible, judging solely from structural relations, that both the cell body (the synthesis pole) and the cell apex (the release pole) receive a dual innervation. Recent experimental evidence indicates that the release of MSH from the pars intermedia is controlled by catecholamine fibres, but as yet there is only structural evidence for a special control of hormone synthesis.This study was supported by grants from the Swedish Natural Science Research Council (No. 99-35 and 2126-2) and was carried out within a research organization sponsored by the Swedish Medical Research Council (Projects No. B70-14X-712-05 and B70-14X-56-06).     

A new species of the genusamblyeleotris (pisces: Gobiidae) from Japan

A new shrimp-associated goby,Amblyeleotris melanocephala, is described on the basis of specimens from Okinoshima Island. Kochi Prefecture, and Okinawa Island, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. The species is distinguished from other members of the genus by the following combination of characters: head dark brown, a few yellow spots on pectoral fin base and opercular margin, 13 second dorsal and 13 anal fin soft rays, 20 pectoral fin rays, longitudinal scales 92–101, proportional length of interpelvic connecting membrane relative to longest pelvic fin ray (CM-value) 0.46–0.55, presence of a ventral frenum, midline of nape naked, sides scaled above midpoint between preopercle and opercle.     

A new species of Nidalia Gray, 1835 from Mid-Atlantic seamounts (Octocorallia, Alcyonacea, Nidaliidae)

A new soft coral species of the genus Nidalia, from seamounts to the south of the Azores Archipelago is described. The main features of Nidalia aurantia n. sp. are as following: colony torch-like, a capitulum light orange in colour, not laterally flattened, dome-shaped and not distinctly projecting beyond the stalk, an introvert with sparse sclerites transversally placed, and an anthocodial crown with 13–17 sclerite rows. The new species is compared with its closest congeners. This is the first time that a species of Nidalia has been located in the Mid-Atlantic Ocean.     

Dolichopteryx rostrata, a new species of spookfish (Argentinoidea: Opisthoproctidae) from the eastern North Atlantic Ocean

A new species, Dolichopteryx rostrata, is described on the basis of a single specimen (66.2 mm in standard length) collected west of the Hebrides Islands, eastern North Atlantic Ocean. The new species is characterized by an elongate snout and head, small pouchlike eyes, an adipose fin, short dorsal fin base, anal fin base originating under dorsal fin base, a clear longitudinal suborbital brownish band extending forward from behind posterior margin of orbit to snout tip, and 41 (=26 + 15) vertebrae. Total fecundity is low; the ovarian eggs number only 473, despite the ovary having developed ova. Ovarian eggs could be clearly subdivided into an “undeveloped group” (0.1–0.7 mm diameter classes, n = 405) and a “developed group” (0.9–1.3 mm classes, n = 68), based on their frequency distribution. Supplementary material to this paper is available in electronic format at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10228-005-0306-2     

Asplenium (sect. Hymenasplenium) basiscopicum, a new species from Bolivia

Asplenium basiscopicum is described, illustrated, and compared to the most similar species,A. purpurascens.     

A new Philocheras species (Decapoda,Crangonidae) from Hansa Bay,Papua New Guinea

A new species of crangonid shrimp, Philocheras wilkinsae (Decapoda, Crangonidae) is described from Hansa Bay, Madang Province, Papua New Guinea. The new species belongs to the japonicus group, and can be distinguished from the other members of this group by carapace dentition and carination. The pleopod structure is unique in the genus.