New species of Psilotrema and Sphaeridiotrema (Psilostomidae Odhner, 1913) in the east Asian region: Morphology of developmental stages and genetic data

Morphological and genetic data have been obtained for five new East Asian species of the Psilostomatidae. The life cycle of Psilotrema limosum n. sp. was carried out using Parafossarulus manchouricus as the first intermediate host. Compared with the East Asian species of the genus, these worms differ in morphometric characters in both the cercarial and adult stages. Its validity was also confirmed by the 28S rRNA gene data. Data on the life cycle and morphology of developmental stages of Sphaeridiotrema ussuriensis n. sp. and Sphaeridiotrema aziaticus n. sp. were also obtained. Cercariae of these species are found in Parafossarulus and Boreoelona snails, respectively. Sphaeridiotrema ussuriensis n. sp., like Sphaeridiotrema monorchis in China, has one testis, while S. aziaticus n. sp. has two testes. In addition, S. monorchis from Vietnam and Sphaeridiotrema spinoacetabulum from the Russian southern Far East are justified as belonging to the new species named Sphaeridiotrema vietnamensis n. sp. and Sphaeridiotrema pyriforme n. sp., respectively. This proposition is based on the morphology of developmental stages, the list of the first intermediate hosts and the 28S rRNA gene data. Analysis of the phylogenetic relationships within Psilostomatidae revealed three clusters, including taxa with different life cycles strategies. Sphaeridiotrema was also divided into two groups, which combine species according to their intermediate hosts and geographical localisation.     

Phylogenetic relationships of the Far Eastern Araliaceae inferred from ITS sequences of nuclear rDNA

In eight species of the family Araliaceae, inhabiting the territory of the Russian Far East, the sequences of ITS regions of nuclear rDNA were determined. A comparison of these sequences enabled establishment of phylogenetic relationships between the Far Eastern and other members of the family. It was demonstrated that Aralia sensu populations from Primorye and Sakhalin were genetically different and, hereby, could be classified as interspecific taxa. Aralia continentalis along with A. cordata were attributed to the section Aralia sensu. Oplopanax elaus and O. horridus were found to be very close to each other, possibly being the subspecies of one species or relatively young species. Legitimacy of the isolation of two sections within the genus Eleutherococcus was confirmed.     

Flavonoids from Serratula komarovii Iljin (the Asteraceae Family)

Russian Journal of Bioorganic Chemistry - The genus Serratula L. (the Asteraceae family) is represented by two species in the Russia’s Far East: Serratula manshurica Kitag. and Serratula...     

A review of scarab beetles of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Hoplia</Emphasis> (Coleoptera,Scarabaeidae) from the Russian Far East

A review of the species of the genus Hoplia from the Russian Far East is given. Lectotypes are designated for Anisoplia cincticollis Faldermann and Hoplia djukini Jacobson. Hoplia cincticollis (Faldermann) is recorded from the Russian Far East for the first time. An original key to the species of the genus Hoplia of the Russian Far East fauna is provided.     

Phylogenetic Relationships of the Far Eastern Araliaceae Inferred from ITS Sequences of Nuclear rDNA

In eight species of the family Araliaceae, inhabiting the territory of the Russian Far East, the sequences of ITS regions of nuclear rDNA were determined. A comparison of these sequences enabled establishment of phylogenetic relationships between the Far Eastern and other members of the family. It was demonstrated that Aralia elata populations from Primorye and Sakhalin were genetically different and, hereby, could be classified as intraspecific taxa. Aralia continentalis along with A. cordata were attributed to the section Aralia sensu Wen. Oplopanax elatus and O. horridus were found to be very close to each other, possibly being the subspecies of one species or relatively young species. Legitimacy of the discrimination between two sections within the genus Eleutherococcus was confirmed.__________Translated from Genetika, Vol. 41, No. 6, 2005, pp. 800–810.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Artyukova, Gontcharov, Kozyrenko, Reunova, Zhuravlev.     

Taxonomy of phytopathogenic viruses identified in the Russian far east

The work is devoted to a problem of study of the taxonomy phytopathogenic viruses of Far East. The performance to genera, species and strain of viruses identified in Far East region is briefly given. A genus Potyvirus in more detail is described, as the greatest number identified on Far East phytoviruses is included into structure of this genus. In the given article the classification phythopathogenic of Russian Far East is represented, for which basis the classification of viruses of the message of International Committee on the taxonomy of viruses (1995) is taken.     

New species of Early Bajocian Megateuthididae (Belemnitida) from the Pacific coast of Russia

The belemnite rostrum from the upper Lower Bajocian of the Russian Far East that was earlier attributed to the Family Cylindroteuthididae, the species Cylindroteuthis confessa Nalnjaeva, and considered as the most ancient representative of the genus Cylindroteuthis is here placed in the family Megateuthididae. This belemnite is here described as Mesoteuthis soloniensis Nalnjaeva et Dzyuba, sp. nov. The analysis of belemnite distribution suggests that only representatives of the family Megateuthididae (genera Megateuthis, Mesoteuthis, and Paramegateuthis) inhabited the Far East seas in the Bajocian.     

The first fossil Petaurista (Mammalia: Sciuridae) from the Russian Far East and its paleogeographic significance

For the first time in the south of the Russian Far East in the Late Pleistocene cave deposits, fragments of the giant flying squirrel of the genus Petaurista were discovered. Petaurista tetyukhensis n. sp. is described based on a fragment of the upper jaw with two teeth and five isolated teeth from two cave locations. The main differences between the new species and living forms as well as other fossil species of the genus Petaurista are the absence of vertical groove on the lingual wall between the protocone and hypocone on M2, the absence of the anterior cross loph on the upper P4-M3, and the absence of mesoconids on lower, as a result of which the hypoflexid is not w-shaped. It is suggested that the Sikhote-Alin refugium allowed individual species to survive there during long unfavourable period of time and was the centre of speciation.     

Relictolepis gen. n.--a new cestode genus (Cyclophyllidea: Hymenolepididae) from rodents of the Russian Far East and the description of R. feodorovi sp. n

A new cestode genus and species Relictolepis feodorovi gen. et sp. n. having armed scolex is described ex Clethrionomis rufocanus Sundevall, 1846 (Rodentia, Microtinae) from the Russian Far East.     

Phycodrys valentinae sp. nov. (Delesseriaceae, Rhodophyta) with Discussion of Other Species of the Phycodrys Genus from the North Pacific

A new species Phycodrys valentinae Seliv. et Zhigad. from the northwest of the Bering Sea, distinct from other species of the genus Phycodrys by the presence of a distromatic lamina and by the arrangement of basal generative prolifications, was described. Based on the analysis of the morphological and anatomic traits of species of the genus Phycodrys, P. serratiloba (Rupr.) A. Zin., which was considered as synonym of P. riggii Gardn. to the present [27, 28, 30], was reinstated as an independent species. The taxonomic status of other representatives of the genus Phycodrys of the studied region is considered. In our opinion, five species of the genus Phycodrys (P. serratiloba, P. riggii, P. amchitkensis, P. vinogradovae, and P. valentinae) grow in the seas of the Russian Far East.     

The lichen genus Phaeophyscia in China and Russian Far East

Moberg, R. 1995. The lichen genus Phaeophyscia in China and Russian Far East. -Nord. J. Bot. 15: 319–335. Copenhagen ISSN 0107–055X.
Fifteen species, more than half of the total known species in the lichen genus Phaeophyscia , are shown to be present in China and Russian Far East. Morphology, anatomy, chemistry, distribution, habitat, relations to other taxa and some evolutionary trends are discussed. A key to the species is presented and regional distribution maps of all species are given. Several species are new to the area. New combinations are: Phaeophyscia endococcina var. endococcinodes and Phaeophyscia hispidula var. exornatula . The following names are reduced to synonymy: Phaeophyscia endococcinodes, Physcia endococcinodes var. megalospora, Physcia endococcinodes var. stellata, Phaeophyscia imbricata, Phaeophyscia exornatula, Phaeophyscia limbata , and Physcia endococcina var. latiloba .     

Contributions to the knowledge of the leaf beetles (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae) of Russia

A new species, Macroplea skomorokhovi sp. n., is described from the Russian Far East, and a key to species of the genus Macroplea Curtis is given. Cryptocephalus oxysternus Jacobson (Primorskii Territory) and Longitarsus truncatellus Weise (northern Caucasus) are recorded for the Russian fauna for the first time.     

Species divergence in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Iris</Emphasis> series <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lacteae</Emphasis> (Iridaceae) in Russia and adjacent countries based on chloroplast DNA sequence data

In Russia, the species of the genus Iris L., series Lacteae Doronkin, the taxonomic structure of which still remains controversial, are found in the south of Siberia and the Russian Far East, as well as in other regions of Asia. Sequence analysis of three chloroplast DNA regions (rps4, trnL–trnF, and trnS–trnG) shows that, in Russia and adjacent countries, there are two genetically and geographically isolated Lacteae species. I. oxypetala Bunge grows in the south of the Russian Far East, and I. lactea Pall. grows in Siberia, Mongolia, and Kazakhstan. Genetic differentiation between the populations of I. lactea is extremely low and statistically insignificant (the fixation index Φ_ST = 0.057, P > 0.05), pointing to the unity of the gene pool and the absence of other Lacteae species in this area.     

Two new species of the genus Probles Förster (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Tersilochinae) from South Korea and Russian Far East

Two species of the genus Probles Förster, P. interruptor sp . nov . and P. segaza sp . nov ., from South Korea and Russian Far East, are described. Probles interruptor differs from its congeners by occipital carina mediodorsally narrowly interrupted and polished occipital surface extending partly on the vertex. Probles segaza differs from other species of Euporizon by its robust ovipositor with a deep and narrow dorsal subapical notch.     

Phylogeographic patterns in widespread corvid birds

Intraspecific genetic diversity and phylogeography of Corvus corone was investigated using the mitochondrial (mt) control region as a molecular marker. A split into two distinct mt lineages was observed. One represents individuals from a wide geographic range spanning from England to the Russian Far East (Kamchatka), while the other one was found in the Primorye and Khabarovsk regions (southern parts of Russian Far East) as well as Japan. For comparison, we investigated several widespread Palearctic corvid taxa with respect to their phylogeographic patterns. A deep split into two lineages was revealed in five cases: Besides C. corone, within Corvus frugilegus, Pica pica, and between the species pairs Corvus monedula-Corvus dauuricus and Cyanopica cyanus-Cyanopica cooki. Although these taxa display a variety of distribution patterns, from disjunct, para/allopatric to continuous, the genetic pattern and level of divergence between clades is very similar. This implies that the differentiation started in about the same time range. In contrast, no differentiation into highly divergent lineages was detected in Corvus corax, Perisoreus infaustus, and Nucifraga caryocatactes. We try to explain the two phylogeographic patterns in corvid birds with ecological factors accompanying the changing climatic conditions during the Pleistocene. The deep genetic splits within several widely distributed Palearctic corvids are discussed with respect to taxonomic questions.     

Insect taxonomic diversity in the Russian Far East

The insect fauna of the Russian Far East comprises 634 families from 31 orders. The estimated species number is 31500. The largest orders are Hymenoptera (76 families, 9000 estimated species), Diptera (120 families, 8000 estimated species), Coleoptera (114 families, 5500 estimated species), and Lepidoptera (81 families, 5000 estimated species). The fractions of the main insect orders in the fauna of the Russian Far East correspond to those in the Holarctic temperate zone. The high biodiversity of insects in the Russian Far East results from the position of this region extending across several climatic zones. There are four levels of diversity both for the families and for the species, corresponding to the tundra, taiga, the transitional area between taiga and broadleaved forests, and the broadleaved forest zone. The number of insect families increases by 3 times while that of species increases by 20 times from the tundra to the broadleaved forests. Differentiation of the insect fauna of the Russian Far East results from the recent climatic situation (the influence of the Pacific monsoon) and the geologic history (broadleaved forest refugia resulting from the absence of complete ice cover during Pleistocenic glaciation in the south of the Russian Far East); it reflects deep faunistic connections of the eastern Palaearctic with the Nearctic and Oriental Regions. The mountain areas in the North Pacific are the refugia of the Mesozoic and Tertiary insect faunas. The Pacific may have substantially reduced the Cenozoic aridization in the northern hemisphere, which was one of the important factors of formation of the recent biota in the Palaearctic and Nearctic regions.     

Contribution to the Fauna of the Ichneumon-Wasp Genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rynchobanchus</Emphasis> Kriechbaumer, 1894 (Hymenoptera,Ichneumonidae: Banchinae) in the Russian Far East

A new species, Rynchobanchus trjapitzinisp. n., named after the prominent hymenopterologist Vladimir Aleksandrovich Trjapitzin, is described from the Russian Far East based on the material of the Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg. A new record of R. niger Sheng, Li et Pang, 1997 from Russia (Khabarovsk Territory) and a key to the Russian species of this genus are given.     

Contribution to the fauna of mollusk-eating marsh flies (Diptera,Sciomyzidae) of Yakutia

A total of 38 species belonging to 14 genera and 2 tribes of the family Sciomyzidae were recorded from Yakutia. Among these species, 23, 6, and 8 species were recorded from Yakutia, eastern Siberia, and Siberia, respectively, for the first time. The fauna of Central Yakutia, comprising 33 species, is examined best of all. The range diversity of investigated sciomyzids is classified into 13 types. Species with Holarctic and trans-Eurasian ranges constitute the largest groups comprising 12 species each. Colobaea punctata, Ilione albiseta, Pherbellia brunnipes, and Sepedon sphegea are very abundant. The species composition of the Yakut fauna noticeably differs from neighboring faunas of the Russian Far East, Mongolia, and Alaska, but the generic composition of these faunas is more similar. The Yakut fauna of the Sciomyzidae is intermediate between the fauna of Mongolia and the faunas of the Russian Far East and Alaska. The fraction of marsh flies in dipteran assemblages of meadow cenoses is usually small, but their abundance in some years grows significantly. The population density of marsh flies in the valleys of large rivers is higher in comparison with that found in isolated alas hollows in the plakors (= euclimatopes). Analysis of the trophic associations of the larvae of the Yakut sciomyzids has revealed 5 out of the 7 groups known in the family.     

Siganidae,a new family of fishes for the Russian fauna

A representative of the family Siganidae, Mottled spinefoot (Siganus fuscescens), has been found for the first time in Russian waters. It is a Pacific, subtropical-equatorial, and Asian wide-ranging species: from the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and Japan to Papua New Guinea and Australia. In September 2013, it was collected in Far Eastern State Marine Reserve, Far East Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, near Ostrovok Fal’shivyi Cape (42°26′ N, 130°47′ E).     

Galaziella baikalensis, a new genus and species of chirocephalid (Crustacea: Branchiopoda: Anostraca) from Russia and the zoogeography of East Asian Anostraca

Galaziella baikalensis gen. et sp. nov. is described from Olkhon Island, Lake Baikal, Russia. The genus is assigned to the family Chirocephalidae Daday, 1910, on the basis of the following features: the male has two-segmented antenna, its basal segment bearing two leaf-shaped antennal appendages, all thoracopods with two distinctly divided pre-epipodites, and genital segments containing two clearly defined seminal vesicles. Galaziella is well distinguished from other genera of the family by the apical part of the penes, armed with "two spiniform processes" at each apex, instead of a single spine or toothed plate. Such male genital processes have not yet been found in Chirocephalidae, so that the diagnosis of the family is revised and two sub-families are proposed herein. Up to the present, 10 species belonging to 7 genera, including Galaziella baikalensis, and 5 families of Anostraca – Artemiidae, Branchinectidae, Branchipodidae, Chirocephalidae, and Thamnocephalidae – have been found in East Asia and its adjacent areas, including the Russian Far East, Mongolia, China, Korea, and Japan. The list includes all synonymic taxa. A distribution map and a key to the East Asian species of the family Chirocephalidae are provided. Received: November 22, 1999 / Accepted: May 2, 2000