Lejeunea laii nom. nov. for Lejeunea ramulosa (Herzog) R.M.Schust. (Jungermanniopsida: Lejeuneaceae) from Taiwan

Abstract

B. trachypodium (Brid.) B., S. &; G. is added to the British list from a new locality in Inverness-shire (v.-c. 97). An old record from Perthshire (v.-c. 88), discredited by H. N. Dixon, is accepted.     

Novelties in Adenia (Passifloraceae): Four new species, a new combination, a vegetative key, and diagnostic characters for known Madagascan species

Four new species and one new combination ofAdenia are presented, along with a vegetative key and diagnostic characters of the Madagascan species. Additional notes are provided about unusual specimens and field observations.Adenia kigogoensis from Tanzania is shown to be distinct fromA. stenodactyla (its putative closest relative) andA. digitata based on anther connation and other floral traits. The remaining new taxa are from Madagascar.Adenia litoralis has been observed from one coastal locality in northern Madagascar. It is distinctive in fruit size and leaf form.Adenia metamorpha is the only Madagascan taxon with a narrow cylindrical trunk and large napiform tuber; it is also known from only one locality in Madagascar in the Ankarana Reserve.Adenia mcdadiana is a robust liana with highly reduced glands and leaves that appear to be neotenic compared to its closest putative relative,A. sphaerocarpa. Finally, the position ofA. stylosa has been clarified. This species was once treated asA. firingalavensis var.stylosa, and prior to that asA. epigea var.stylosa, but molecular and morphological data suggest it is separate from these species.     

New national and regional bryophyte records, 47

Abstract

The moss Timmia megapolitana is reported new to the British Isles. It occurs in an area of freshwater tidal Salix carr in the Norfolk Broads and differs from the other two species of Timmia in Britain and Ireland in leaf form and anatomy, sexuality and habitat. In the field Timmia megapolitana is most likely to be passed over as Atrichum undulatum, and since access to the area is difficult there is the possibility that it has been present for many years. The habitat and ecology shows a remarkable similarity to that in the Netherlands, the nearest European locality. Rare in Europe, the plant also occurs in Finland, northern Russia and Siberia, regions that provide staging posts and breeding grounds for migratory birds that over-winter in Norfolk.     

New national and regional bryophyte records, 10

Abstract

The discovery of Paludella squarrosa (Hedw.) Brid., new to Ireland, is reported. This Boreo-arctic Montane species has a relic distribution in western and central Europe and was formerly more widespread. The reasons for its decline and its documented extinction from Britain and the Netherlands in recent times are discussed. The vegetation and ecology of the Irish locality are described. The associated species include Leiocolea rutheana, another Boreal relic species and a second record for Ireland.     

Observations on the Forest Dormouse,Dryomys nitedula (Pallas, 1779) (Rodentia: Gliridae), in Syria

Abstract

A new distribution locality for the Forest Dormouse, Dryomys nitedula, is reported from Ashrafiat Al Wade in the Barada River valley, northwest of Damascus. The specimens are morphologically similar to the Arabian and Turkish populations. Some ecological and biological aspects are discussed.     

GOBIID FISHES OF THE GENUS GLOSSOGOBIUS IN THE LIMPOPO SYSTEM: A FIRST RECORD AND A RANGE EXTENSION OF G. CALLIDUS (SMITH, 1937)

Summary

Recently, a specimen of Glossogobius callidus was collected in the Marico Oog, a major source of the Limpopo River in the western Transvaal. This locality is some 1500 km from the river mouth. Earlier taxonomic confusion of Glossogobius giuris and G. callidus has resulted in the omission of G. callidus from identification keys published before 1979. As a result, that species has not been recorded from the Limpopo system. A previously published record of G. giuris from that system, at a locality about 950 km from the sea, is now shown to be based on a misidentification of G. callidus specimens.     

New and noteworthy records of mosses from Italian national and regional Parks

Some remarkable mosses, as a result of the study of both recent collections and a review of herbarium specimens, are reported in this paper. They are: Anomodon rugelii (Müll.Hal.) Keissl., new record from southern Italy, a moss very rare in the Mediterranean region and considered threatened in many European countries; Blindia acuta (Hedw.) Bruch & Schimp. and Dichodontium palustre (Dicks.) M. Stech, both new records from Sicily, are very rare mosses in Italy. Moreover, a new locality in Sicily for the little-known species Tortula bolanderi (Lesq. & James) M. Howe is reported.     

A new species of Jonesiobryum (Bryopsida: Rhachitheciaceae) from Uganda

Abstract

Jonesiobryum dumboi is described as a new moss species from Uganda. It differs from its congeners by possessing more broadly obovate leaves and a costa that ends well below the apex. The species is only known from the type locality where it was collected on branches in the canopy.     

A new record of Gobius jarosi (Teleostei,Gobiidae) from the Early Miocene of Poland with inference to paleogeography and palaeoecology of the Carpathian Basin

Abstract

Gobies (family Gobiidae) were in the past and now important components of marine ecosystems as an essential part of the food chain. However, the early fossil record of this group is relatively meager, with only scarce skeletal remains. The oldest known representative of the genus Gobius has been recently described from the Early Miocene of Czech Republic as Gobius jarosi P?ikryl & Reichenbacher, 2018. Here we present a detailed study of a well-preserved goby skeleton of the same age from the Harta locality (Poland). This specimen is assumed as belonging to Gobius jarosi based on its almost complete morphological and meristic identity with the type material from the Vá?any nad Litavou locality. Some aspects of the paleogeography and paleoecology of the Early Miocene fish assemblage from Harta with special reference to the Carpathian Basin are also discussed in this paper.     

Occurrence of symbiotic turbellarians in the oyster,Crassostrea virginica

Crassostrea virginica was collected from several locations where it is cultured, both along the Northumberland Strait of New Brunswick and Malpeque Bay on the coast of Prince Edward Island. The oysters were found with two turbellarians on their gills. Urastoma cyprinae (Graff) was found in the oysters mostly during the warmer months of the year in numbers averaging as high as 50 worms per host (N = 50) and with as much as 78% of the host population infected (N = 100). Paravortex gemellipara (Linton) was also found during warmer months, but much less frequently or abundantly.Both male and female oysters were found to have U. cyprinae. No eggs or recent young of U. cyprinae were found in hosts; female-mature individuals of P. gemellipara with young were found from June through August.     

CULTURE STUDIES ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SCHIZYMENIA AND HAEMATOCELIS (GIGARTINALES,RHODOPHYCEAE) FROM THE PACIFIC COAST OF NORTH AMERICA1

Carpospores from Schizymenia pacifica (Kylin) Kylin (Gymnophlaeaceae) from California formed crusts anatomically identical to Haematocelis rubens J. Agardh (Cruoriaceae). Tetraspores of H. rubens from Monterey, California, and Baja California, Mexico, germinated to form basal discs from which arose upright multiaxial blades with a filamentous medulla and cortical gland cells. Pro-carps and spermatangia were present on the same blades; subsequently, cystocarps characteristic of Schizymenia pacifica developed. Re-examination of herbarium specimens suggests that the foliose tetrasporangial phases previously reported as S. pacifica are referable to Halymenia, Dilsea, Cryptonemia, or Turnerella. Schizymenia pacifica (type locality: San Juan Islands, Washington) thus is considered to be the gametophyte in the life history of Haematocelis rubens (type locality: Brest, France), which has also been reported to be the tetrasporophyte of S. dubyi (Chauvin ex Duby) J. Agardh (type locality: Cherbourg, France). Atlantic and Pacific gametophytes and tetrasporophytes are anatomically very similar, suggesting that only one species is involved, but critical studies must be made before a decision on this taxonomic question can be reached. Haematocelis zonalis Dawson et Neushul (type locality: Anacapa Island, California) is considered to be a growth form of the tetrasporangial phase of S. pacifica.     

The description of immature forms of Aphropsyche monticola flint (Trichoptera: Hydropsychidae)

Abstract

Several larval, pupal, and adult specimens of Aphropsyche monticola Flint were collected from a locality in Pennsylvania. Examination of this material led to the association of the immature forms of the genus Aphropsyche by the metamorphotype method. The larvae will key to Aphropsyche? in Wiggins (1977), who has tentatively assigned the larval form of this genus.     

A new combination in Pseudosymblepharis (Pottiaceae) from South and Central America

Abstract

Trichostomum schlimii Müll.Hal., a neglected Colombian taxon, is transferred to the genus Pseudosymblepharis Broth. as Pseudosymblepharis schlimii (Müll.Hal.) comb. nov. The species, known only from the type locality in Santa Marta, Colombia, is newly reported for the moss floras of Bolivia, Brazil, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guiana, Peru, and Venezuela. It is described, lectotypified, illustrated, and mapped. Diagnostic characters, and distinction from one closely related American species within the genus are discussed. Trichostomum mollissimum (Broth. ex E.B.Bartram) H.A.Crum and Pseudosymblepharis guatemalensis (E.B.Bartram) B.H.Allen are reduced to the synonymy of Pseudosymblepharis schlimii.     

NEW DISTRIBUTION RECORDS FOR CLARIAS THEODORAE WEBER 1897, BARBUS EUTAENIA BOULENGER 1904, BARBUS POLYLEPIS BOULENGER 1907 AND OPSARIDIUM ZAMBEZENSE (PETERS 1852) FROM THE WATERBERG,TRANSVAAL, SOUTH AFRICA.

Summary

New distribution records for four fish species in the Waterberg mountains of the Transvaal were established during surveys since 1987–92. Clarias theodorae was previously reported from one locality each in the Waterberg and Soutpansberg. The current survey disclosed its presence at an additional 11 localities. In the Transvaal Opsaridium zambezense was previously only known from the eastern parts of the Province. The current survey revealed its presence at one locality in the Waterberg. Clarias theodorae and Opsaridium zambezense are regarded as threatened in South Africa. Barbus eutaenia (two populations in the Waterberg) and B. polylepis (one population in the Waterberg) have relatively wide distributions in the Transvaal but their presence in the Waterberg represent comparatively unique, isolated populations. All four species were only found in relatively small numbers. Droughts during the nineteen eighties, and a concurrent increase in farm weir construction and water abstraction, jeopardise the survival of these small fish populations. Extreme drought conditions during 1991/92 have exacerbated adverse conditions for fish survival even further due to a general cessation of stream flow.     

Sierra del Colmenar 1A,a new late Messinian (Late Miocene) locality in the Bajo Segura Basin (SE Spain): biostratigraphic and palaeoenvironmental implications

Abstract

In this paper, we have studied a new micromammal site from the Sierra del Colmenar section (Elche, SE Spain), named Sierra del Colmenar 1A (SCO-1A), representing the uppermost levels of Messinian age of the Bajo Segura Basin. The sedimentary context of this locality corresponds to a costal lagoon with marine influence. The fossil site has yielded remains of Apodemus aff. gorafensis, Paraethomys meini, Apocricetus alberti, Occitanomys alcalai, Ruscinomys sp., Eliomys cf. truci, Muscardinus sp., Parasorex ibericus, Prolagus michauxi and Soricidae indet. Based on this assemblage, we propose a Late Miocene age (MN13) for the locality SCO-1A, matching the previously inferred age for the stratigraphic unit in which the fossil site is situated. According to its faunal composition, we infer warm and humid climate conditions in the moment of formation of this locality, agreeing with the environmental conditions of the Messinian age in a parallic sedimentary context.     

Abundance,distribution and habitat characteristics of winter skate Leucoraja ocellata in the southern Gulf of St Lawrence: a population on the brink of extirpation?

Abundance indices of southern Gulf Leucoraja ocellata residing in Northumberland Strait, Canada, declined from 2001 to 2005, but increased during 2006 to 2008. Catch rates in 2009 were the lowest in the time series. The size of the area occupied in Northumberland Strait varied with changes in the abundance indices. Leucoraja ocellata were primarily caught in the north‐west half of the strait over sandy to gravelly seabed; a near total absence was documented from the eastern half despite suitable habitat and a previously established presence documented during research surveys conducted before 2000. In Northumberland Strait, L. ocellata occupied shallow (50% cumulative occurrence = 12 m) and warm (50% cumulative occurrence = 16·5° C) coastal waters and were not present in the cold (<1° C, >35 m) intermediate layer. Abundance and distribution data highlight the need for continuing studies to monitor the status of this population, which is classified as endangered by the IUCN and Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada.