Antennal sensilla of whiteflies: Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood), the glasshouse whitefly,and Aleyrodes proletella (Linnaeus), the cabbage whitefly, (Homoptera : Aleyrodidae). Part 2: Ultrastructure

A transmission electron microscope study of the antennal sensilla of the whitefly Trialeurodes vaporariorum and Aleyrodes proletella (Homoptera : Aleyrodidae) revealed that of the sensilla unique to the antennal flagellum (basiconic, coeloconic and small digitate-tipped sensory pegs), basiconic and coeloconic sensilla occur as subtypes. Four subtypes of basiconic cone sensilla occur on the flagella of T. vaporariorum and 3 on A. proletella. All the subtypes of basiconic sensilla have an ultrastructure typical of olfactory sensilla and probably have a primary olfactory function. Two subtypes of coeloconic sensilla occur on the flagella of both species. Their ultrastructure suggests primarily a chemosensory function. The digitate-tipped sensory peg of both species possesses a triad of neurones which have ultrastructural characteristics similar to the known thermo-/hygroreceptors of other insect species. The other sensilla, which occur on the antennae of the whiteflies, include cheatae, campaniform and subcuticular sensilla, all of which have an ultrastructure typical of mechanoreceptors.     

STUDIES ON SOME SPECIES OFARTHOTHELIUMOCCURRING IN THE WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN

We present a survey of the six known species ofArthotheliumoccurring in the western Mediterranean. The oceanicA. lirellans, which may occur in the study area, is included for comparison;A. taediosoidesis described as new and a key to all species is given.Arthotheliumas understood today is composed of more-or-less distinct natural groups of species, some of them being compared here. Representatives of theA. sardoumgroup are related to species of theArthonia radiataorA. galactitesgroup on the basis of anatomical characters of the ascomata.     

Ecology of spionid polychaetes in the swash zone of exposed beaches in Tahiti (French Polynesia)

The high-energy black sand beaches around the island of Tahiti show low species richness. Most of the individuals collected in the swash zone belong to two recently described species of polychaete Scolelepis sp. A, and Scolelepis sp. B (Spionidae). Densities of the first species can reach up to 1900 individuals.m⁻² and biomasses up to 47.5 g dry weight (gD.W.).m⁻². These high densities and biomasses occur because of their adaptation to this high-energy habitat, where they are restricted to the swash zone on the beach. Scolelepis sp. A appears to be a suspension feeder and feeding occurs only as the wave recedes. This suggests that the species is highly efficient at obtaining nutrients in this oligotrophic environment. Scolelepis sp. B, sampled in one station, exhibits the same patterns as Scolepis sp. A. Only three other species are present in this environment; carnivores or suspension feeders, they occur in low densities (< 10 individuals.m⁻²).     

New records of a rare species of spariform fish Acanthopagrus schlegelii (Bleeker, 1854) (Osteichthyes: Sparidae) from Russian waters of the sea of Japan, with notes on the taxonomy of the genus Acanthopagrus Peters, 1855

A rare species of the spariform fish Acanthopagrus schlegelii from Russian waters is described. The synonymy of this species and the related literature data are analyzed. It is suggested that two species occur in Russian waters that differ in body coloration: A. schlegelii and A. czerskii.     

Two new species of Paraclius from China (Diptera,Dolichopodidae)

Thirty-one species of Paraclius Loew were known to occur in China. In this paper, two species are described as new to science: Paraclius ventralis sp. nov. and Paraclius wutongshanus sp. nov. A key to the Chinese species of Paraclius is provided.www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:3E803E27-5E44-4A55-91D5-DA088F986485.     

The genus Platychara from the Western Hemisphere

The systematics of four species belonging to the genus Platychara (Charophyta) from the Western Hemisphere is discussed. Three of the species, as defined herein, occur in Cretaceous and Paleocene rocks from Mexico through South America. The type species, P. compressa (Peck and Reker) Grambast, also of Cretaceous and Paleocene age, is herein restricted to deposits north of Mexico. These latter restrictions geographically separate P. compressa and P. perlata as presently defined but the relationship between these two species is still uncertain. A new species, P. grambastii, is proposed for specimens from Maestrichtian sediments in Jamaica.     

DNA barcodes identify Central Asian Colias butterflies (Lepidoptera,Pieridae)

A majority of the known Colias species (Lepidoptera: Pieridae, Coliadinae) occur in the mountainous regions of Central-Asia, vast areas that are hard to access, rendering the knowledge of many species limited due to the lack of extensive sampling. Two gene regions, the mitochondrial COI ‘barcode’ region and the nuclear ribosomal protein RpS2 gene region were used for exploring the utility of these DNA markers for species identification. A comprehensive sampling of COI barcodes for Central Asian Colias butterflies showed that the barcodes facilitated identification of most of the included species. Phylogenetic reconstruction based on parsimony and Neighbour-Joining recovered most species as monophyletic entities. For the RpS2 gene region species-specific sequences were registered for some of the included Colias spp. Nevertheless, this gene region was not deemed useful as additional molecular ‘barcode’. A parsimony analysis of the combined COI and RpS2 data did not support the current subgeneric classification based on morphological characteristics.     

Disjunct performance and distribution in the sedge Carex prasina

Efforts to understand species distributions and predict responses to environmental changes depend on specifying how the abiotic environment determines distributions. At landscape scales, it is critical to distinguish effects of environmental factors from other mechanisms such as competition and dispersal limitation. We examined how environmental factors affect the distribution and performance of the sedge Carex prasina across a 10-km² old-growth forest in southern Québec. We isolated the effects of soil characteristics by conducting a greenhouse experiment that assessed the performance of C. prasina on soils from a range of wetland habitats where it could potentially occur. This allowed us to compare how the species’ performance and its distribution across the landscape relate to the same soil characteristics. In the experiment, the biomass and leaf chlorophyll content of C. prasina increased with increasing soil organic matter (OM). Across the landscape, however, the species’ probability of occurrence and abundance decreased with increasing soil OM. C. prasina had similar biomass on soils from sites where it did and did not occur, but it had higher leaf chlorophyll content on soils from sites where it did not occur. We found no evidence that differential performance across environments determines the distribution of this species, as C. prasina tended to occur on soils where it showed reduced performance. Rather, other processes such as competition or dispersal limitation likely override any direct effects of the soil environment on distribution. Our results caution against the common assumption that the environments where a species tends to occur or be most abundant are the environments where it performs best. C. prasina presents a clear example of a species whose performance, at least along edaphic gradients, cannot explain its distribution. This example highlights the importance of distinguishing the relative roles of biotic and abiotic factors that shape species distributions across landscapes.     

Physiological response of symbiotic polychaetes to host saponins

Two species of the genus Arctonoe occur as host-isolated populations in the tidal and subtidal areas of Puget Sound. A saponin has been isolated from Evasterias troschelii (Stimpson) which has deleterious physiological effects on Arctonoe pulchra (Johnson), a species not associated with the asteroid. This same substance has no adverse effect on the viability and only a slight positive effect on the respiration of Arctonoe fragilis (Baird), the normal companion of Evasterias. These results suggest a possible mechanism for the strict isolation of these polychaetes and provide additional evidence for the biological significance of asterosaponins.     

Mexican species of the genus Stethantyx Townes (Hymenoptera,Ichneumonidae, Tersilochinae)

Six species of the genus Stethantyx Townes are found to occur in Mexico. One species, S. mexicana sp. n., is described as new, and four recently described Neotropical species, S. alajuela Khalaim & Broad, S. heredia Khalaim & Broad, S. osa Khalaim & Broad and S. sanjosea Khalaim & Broad, are new records from Mexico. A key to species of Stethantyx occurring in Mexico is provided.     

Saurian malaria in the Caribbean: Plasmodium azurophilum sp. nov., a malarial parasite with schizogony and gametogony in both red and white blood cells

A survey of 466 Caribbean lizards found Plasmodium parasites present in Anolis species only of five islands. Parasites presently considered to be P. floridense occurred on Grand Cayman, North Bimini, Jamaica, Hispaniola (Haiti), and Puerto Rico. A second species, P. azurophilum, is described as new from Anolis cybotes of Haiti, A. krugi of Puerto Rico, and A. lineatopus and A. grahami of Jamaica. It lacks visible pigment in erythrocytic host cells but can produce it occasionally. Both asexual and sexual forms occur in a variety of white blood cells, notably in azurophil granulocytes and polymorphonuclear leucocytes. Experimental infections indicate that the leucocytic phase occurs after the acute erythrocytic infection declines, thus suggesting that the schizogonic and gametogonic cycles in white cells may represent an adaptive defense against immune mechanisms of the host. Mean numbers of nuclei in schizonts and mean gametocyte size are influenced by host species and type of host cell.     

Botryosphaeriaceae associated with Acacia heterophylla (La Réunion) and Acacia koa (Hawaii)

Acacia koa and A. heterophylla are commonly occurring native trees on the Hawaiian Islands and La Réunion, respectively. A recent phylogenetic study suggested that A. heterophylla renders A. koa paraphyletic, and that the former likely arose from the Hawaiian Islands around 1.4 million years ago. An intriguing question is whether their microbiota is similar, although they occur naturally in two very distant geographical locations. In this study, we compared the fungi in the Botryosphaeriaceae isolated from natural populations of A. koa and A. heterophylla. These fungi were chosen because they commonly occur on woody plants and some are important pathogens. They are also known to have been moved globally on asymptomatic plant materials. Isolates were identified based on comparisons of DNA sequence data for the rDNA-ITS, TEF1-α and β-tubulin loci. Ten Botryosphaeriaceae species were identified, of which four species were specific to A. koa from the Hawaiian Islands and five to A. heterophylla in La Réunion. Only one species, Neofusicoccum parvum, which is known to have a wide global distribution, was common to both hosts. The overall results of this study suggest that although A. koa and A. heterophylla share a recent evolutionary history, they have established independent microbiota, at least in terms of the Botryosphaeriaceae.     

Pædomorphic patterns of the Cambrian genus Alueva (Trilobita, Ellipsocephalidae) from the Iberian Chains (NE Spain)

Three hundred protaspid and meraspid specimens of the trilobite species Alueva undulata Sdzuy, 1961 from the uppermost Bilbilian limestones of the Valdemiedes Formation (Iberian Chains, NE Spain) have been released by the action of acid. A pædomorphocline is proposed embracing the different species of Alueva, based on the comparison of the ontogenic patterns of the species Alueva undulata Sdzuy, 1961, and the adult morphologies of Alueva moratrix (Sdzuy, 1958). This analysis suggests that the species Alueva? hastata (Sdzuy, 1958) is not related to the pædomorphocline, and provides an approach for evaluating the phylogenetic relationships between the species A. undulata and A. moratrix, which occur across the Lower-Middle Cambrian transition in the Iberian Chains, directly linked with the Valdemiedes event.     

Studies of pacific island plants,XXX. Notes on Fijian Apocynaceae and Asclepiadaceae

In the Apocynaceae the new combinationAlstonia pacifica (Seem.) A. C. Sm. is required. In the Asclepiadaceae the genusGymnema R. Br. is found not to occur in Fiji; for the two Fijian species previously referred to it the new combinationsLeichardtia stenophylla (A. Gray) A. C. Sm. andTylophora subnuda (A. Gray) A. C. Sm. are proposed. The species ofTylophora occurring in the Fijian Region are reviewed and a new Fijian species,T. venulosa, is described.     

Paradiscogaster flindersi and P. oxleyi n. sp. (Digenea: Faustulidae): overlapping host and geographical distributions in corallivore chaetodontid fishes in the tropical Indo-west Pacific

A total of 2,868 individuals of 47 species of chaetodontids were examined for faustulids at seven major localities in the Tropical Indo-West Pacific (TIWP). Combined morphological and molecular analyses allowed us to describe Paradiscogaster oxleyi n. sp. from three localities in the TIWP and in three host species, Chaetodon lunulatus Quoy & Gaimard (type-host), C. ornatissimus Cuvier and C. meyeri Bloch & Schneider. Molecular analysis of the ITS2 region of rDNA from two host species and three localities supports the morphology-based conclusion that P. oxleyi n. sp. is the same species at the three localities. Paradiscogaster flindersi Bray, Cribb & Barker, 1994 is reported from three new localities in the TIWP and is now known from 13 chaetodontid species. Sequences from samples consistent with P. flindersi differed from those from P. oxleyi n. sp. in 11–12 base pairs. The host ranges of the two species overlap broadly. Neither species was found in French Polynesia but both were found at Swain Reefs on the Great Barrier Reef. Only one of the two species was found at each of the five other sites. Both species occur almost exclusively in specialist corallivores allowing the inference that the metacercariae occur in corals. Finally, a key to the species of Paradiscogaster is provided.     

Current knowledge of the species complex Anastrepha fraterculus (Diptera,Tephritidae) in Brazil

The study of the species complex Anastrepha fraterculus (Af complex) in Brazil is especially important in a taxonomical, evolutionary and pest management context, because there are evidences that some of them may occur in sympatry. In this review, we analyzed the main results supporting evidences that three cryptic species occur in Brazil. The taxonomical and phylogenetic relationships based on eggshell morphology, adult morphometrics, as well as cytotaxonomy and genetic differentiations are discussed. We also review available information on sexual behavior including acoustic communication of males during courtship and sexual incompatibility; and chemical signals involved in the communication between sexes, with a special focus on sex pheromones. We examined the role of long- and short-range pheromones (male-produced volatiles and cuticular hydrocarbons, respectively), their implications in sexual isolation, and their possible use for chemotaxonomic differentiation of the putative species of the Af complex.     

A Unique pattern of anthocyanins in Daucus carota and other umbelliferae

Three cyanidin glycosides have been identified in the black carrot: the known 3-lathyroside and two new pigments, a 3-xylosylglucosylgalactoside and its ferulyl derivative. The same pigments, together with the sinapyl derivative of the triglycoside, occur variously in other tissues of Daucus carota. Ferulyl and sinapyl derivatives of cyanidin 3-glucosylgalactoside occur exceptionally in stem of one subspecies, maritimus. One or other of the same pigments have been found to occur variously in 20 of 22 other umbellifer species surveyed. Both ferulyl and sinapyl derivatives occur in stem of Conium maculatum and Foeniculum vulgare. A further novel acylated pigment based on p-coumaric acid was found in wild celery, Apiurn graveolens. The systematic significance of these various findings is discussed.