Araucnephia iberaensis n. sp., a neotropical black fly with a peculiar distribution (Diptera-Simuliidae)

Araucnephia Wygodzinsky & Coscarón is a Neotropical black fly genus in which only one species from Central Chile is known. Another species has now been found in Corrientes province on the eastern side of the Iberá tropical swamps of Argentina, on the western border of the mountainous region of southern Brazil. This new species, A. iberaensis, is herein described and illustrated and information on its bionomics is recorded. It is an interesting species because previous to its discovery no black fly genus or subgenus from Central Chile region has been found in tropical areas, because these two regions are separated by the Monte and Pampas realms. Similarly, no Brazilian genus or subgenus has crossed the Andes mountains to Chile. A comparison with other Neotropical, Nearctic, Ethiopian (Afrotropical) and Australian Prosimuliini (sensu Crosskey & Howard) showed Araucnephia to be a valid taxon most closely related to Araucnephioides (sympatric in Chile). Araucnephia also shows great affinities with Lutzsimulium from Southeast Brazil and Argentina and Paracnephia from South Africa.     

Additions to the foliicolous lichen flora of the Ivory Coast and Guinea (Tropical West Africa)

Four new foliicolous lichen species are described from the Ivory Coast (Tropical West Africa): Bapalmuia ivoriensis sp. nov., Chroodiscus africanus sp. nov., C. verrucosus sp. nov., and Lasioloma inexspectatum sp. nov. In addition, the new combination Calenia inconspicua comb, nova [Bas.: Heterothecium inconspicuum] is introduced. Lasioloma inexspectatum is the first species in the genus characterized by transversely septate ascospores and provides additional evidence for phylogenetic lines regarding the evolution of ascospore types in the lichen family Ectolechiaceae. In addition, 61 new records for the Ivory Coast and seven for Guinea are presented, increasing the number of species known in these areas to 161 and 124, respectively. Five species are new for tropical Africa, and six new for the Paleotropics. Further taxonomical and ecogeographical notes on the foliicolous lichen flora of tropical West Africa are provided.     

横断山区伞形科4种7个居群植物的核型研究

对横断山区伞形科棱子芹属2种植物(松潘棱子芹Pleurospermum franchetianumHemsl.和西藏棱子芹Pleurospermum hookeriC.B.Clarke var.thomsoniiC.B.Clarke)和茴芹属2种植物(异叶茴芹Pimpinella diversi-foliaDC.和锐叶茴芹Pimpinella argutaDiels)共7个居群进行体细胞染色体数目观察和核型比较分析,结果表明,棱子芹属和茴芹属植物属内种间染色体基数存在差异,其中松潘棱子芹为2n=2x=18=16sm 2st,西藏棱子芹为2n=2x=22=16m 6sm;茴芹属光果组中锐叶茴芹为2n=2x=22=22m,毛果组中异叶茴芹为2n=18=18st或2n=18=2sm 16st.松潘棱子芹、西藏棱子芹、锐叶茴芹的染色体数目和核型均为首次报道,从而为棱子芹属和茴芹属的分类和演化研究提供细胞学依据.     

A revision of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Gastrodia</Emphasis> (Orchidaceae: Epidendroideae,Gastrodieae) in tropical Africa

The holomycotrophic terrestrial orchids of tropical Africa are reassessed. Two new species of Gastrodia from tropical Africa are described, G. rwandensis from Rwanda and G. ballii from south-central Africa. The genus now comprises three species in tropical Africa. A key is provided to distinguish them from Gastrodia africana Kraenzl.     

Phylogeny and biogeography of Crinum L. (Amaryllidaceae) inferred from nuclear and limited plastid non-coding DNA sequences

The genus Crinum L. is the only pantropical genus of the Amaryllidaceae. Phylogenetic and biogeographical analyses of nrDNA ITS and plastid trnL-F sequences for all continental groups of the genus Crinum and related African genera are presented, with the genus Amaryllis used as outgroup. ITS indicates that C. baumii is more closely related to Ammocharis and Cybistetes than to Crinum sensu stricto . Three clades are resolved in Crinum s.s. One unites a monophyletic American group with tropical and North African species. The second includes all southern African species and the Australian endemic C. flaccidum . The third includes monophyletic Madagascar, Australasian and Sino-Himalayan clades, with southern African species. The trnL-F phylogeny resolves an American and an Asian/Madagscar clade, and confirms the relationship of C. flaccidum with species endemic to southern Africa. The salverform, actinomorphic perianths of subg. Crinum appear to have evolved several times in the genus from ancestors with zygomorphic perianths (subg. Codonocrinum ), thus neither subgenus is monophyletic. Biogeographical analyses place the origin of Crinum in southern Africa, as the region is optimized at all ancestral nodes in the tree topology, and in basal interior nodes of all but one of the major clades. The genus underwent three major waves of radiation corresponding to the three main clades resolved in our trees. Two entries into Australia for the genus are indicated, as are separate Sino-Himalayan and Australasian dispersal events.  © 2003 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2003, 141 , 349–363.     

Elucidative studies on the generic concept of Senecio (Asteraceae)

VINCENT, P. L. D. & GETLIFFE, F. M., 1992. Elucidative studies on the generic concept of Senecio (Asteraceae) . This paper presents the results of studies of the generic concept of Senecio sensu stricto. The sample of taxa studied consisted of 93 Natal senecios (including seven varieties and two forms), five Cape heterochromous senecios and nine non-southern African senecios, including the type of the genus, S. vulgaris L. Also included in the study were six species from taxonomically closely related genera in the tribe Senecioneae and one Senecio of uncertain taxonomic position. The phenotype of these taxa was investigated with respect to a large number (122) of morphological and micromorphological characters. Six characters were selected as being taxonomically important with respect to elucidating the generic concept of Senecio sensu stricto. The generic concept of Senecio has been provisionally re-circumscribed and the generic status of each of the senecios and non-senecios studied has been tested according to this concept of Senecio sensu stricto sensu Vincent. In the light of this concept of Senecio , the following species are recommended for exclusion from Senecio sensu stricto sensu Vincent: S. cissampelinus, S. transvaalensis, S. syringifolius and S. hockii. The following species are considered to be peripheral to Senecio sensu stricto sensu Vincent: S. tanacetopsis, S. seminiveus, S. medley-woodii, S. tamoides, S. helminthioides, S. barbertonicus, S. brevilorus, S. viminalis, S. radicans and S.fulgens. Before any taxonomic changes are made to the current composition of Senecio , the concept of Senecio sensu stricto sensu Vincent, is being tested on a worldwide sample of the genus.     

云南产四种伞形科植物的核型

采用常规制片方法观察了云南产杏叶茴芹（Pimpinella candolleana）、细软茴芹（Pimpinella flaccida）、圆锥丝瓣芹（Acronema paniculatum）和中国特有属植物云南细裂芹（Harrysmithia dissecta）根尖细胞的染色体组成。发现这4种植物的染色体数目都是18,除了杏叶茴芹核型公式为2n=2sm＋16st,其他3种都为2n=18st。由此认为茴芹属、丝瓣芹属和细裂芹属不仅具有相同的染色体基数9,且染色体形态极其相似,是亲缘关系较近的类群,支持将其置于葛缕子亚族的分类处理,但怀疑细裂芹属之属的分类地位。     

Cladocera and free-living Copepoda from the Fouta Djalon and adjacent mountain areas in West Africa

Thirty-two species of Cladocera and 27 species of free-living copepods were identified in a series of samples collected in 25 localities in and around the Fouta Djalon mountains, West Africa. Beside great richness in numbers of species, the nature of the fauna is noteworthy: at least 20% of the Cladocera and 50% of the copepods are endemic to West Africa. Possible palaeoclimatological reasons for this are discussed. The cladoceran genus Streblocerus is recorded from Africa for the first time. It is an element of northern origin in the fauna of West Africa. More examples of this kind are documented among the Copepoda Cyclopoida and Harpacticoida, but the bulk of the fauna is evidently of tropical origin. In particular, great adaptive radiation is occurring in the local representatives of the genus Tropocyclops. Three new species of Parastenocaris are described; they are the first representatives of this genus found in West Africa.     

神农架地区米心水青冈萌枝过程的研究

米心水青冈是水青冈属３种多主干的树种之一,萌枝是它的主要更新方式。本文通过样方法和树木年代学方法对神农架地区米心水青冈的萌枝更新过程进行了研究。结果表明,米心水青冈的萌枝现象是普遍存在的,但萌枝数量不同地点差异较大。９丛米心水青冈完整的年轮分析结果表明,它们萌枝的时间不是连续的,而与森林的受干扰有关。根据８３个圆盘和生长锥芯资料,米心水青冈在萌枝后成长为乔木层或林冠层的过程中,径向生长表现为５种模式,这是根株内竞争的结果。萌枝在米心水青冈林的维持和发展过程中,具有重要的生态学作用。     

Phylogeny and biogeography of the staghorn fern genus Platycerium (Polypodiaceae, Polypodiidae)

The genus Platycerium is one of the few pantropical epiphytic fern genera with six species in Afro-Madagascar, 8-11 Australasian species, and a single species in tropical South America. Nucleotide sequences of four chloroplast DNA markers are employed to reconstruct the phylogeny of these ferns and to explore their historical biogeography. The data set was designed to resolve conflicting hypotheses on the relationships within the genus that were based on previous phylogenetic studies exploring morphological evidence. Our results suggest a basal split of Platycerium into two well-supported clades. One clade comprises species occurring in Africa, Madagascar, and South America, whereas the second clade contains exclusively Australasian species. The latter clade is further divided into a clade corresponding to P. bifurcatum and its putative segregates and a clade of seven species occurring from Indochina throughout the Malesian region to New Guinea and Australia. The Afro-Madagascan clade includes a clade of two species found in tropical Africa and a clade of four species that includes three species endemic to Madagascar. The single neotropical species of this genus, P. andinum, is nested within the Afro-Madagascan clade but is not closely related to any extant species.     

啮齿动物对米心水青冈种子命运的影响

有性生殖(实生更新)和无性生殖(萌生更新)是植物繁殖的两种关键方式。自然界中,个别物种同时具备两种更新方式,米心水青冈(Fagus engleriana Seem.)就是典型的物种。已有研究表明萌生更新在米心水青冈种群生活史中普遍存在,可使其占据原有生态位(生态位占据假说),但对米心水青冈实生更新的研究却未见报道。为了探索啮齿动物对米心水青冈实生更新的作用机制,笔者在神农架米心水青冈林中通过坚果摆放实验,研究啮齿动物对米心水青冈坚果传播机制的影响。结果显示,鼠类对坚果的原地捕食率高达81.22%;坚果被扩散率低,仅18.56%;坚果在原地平均留存时间为(5.25±5.95)d;坚果扩散距离为(2.63±1.60)m。研究发现,米心水青冈坚果被啮齿动物捕食率极高,贮藏率极低,且坚果被传播距离在同属植物中较小,不利于该物种更新繁殖。萌生更新在很大程度上弥补了米心水青冈实生更新繁殖方式的不足。本研究结果有助于对水青冈属植物繁殖策略的理解。     

Molecular systematics of the African snake family Lamprophiidae Fitzinger, 1843 (Serpentes: Elapoidea), with particular focus on the genera Lamprophis Fitzinger 1843 and Mehelya Csiki 1903

The snake family Lamprophiidae Fitzinger (Serpentes: Elapoidea) is a putatively Late Eocene radiation of nocturnal snakes endemic to the African continent. It incorporates many of the most characteristic and prolific of Africa's non-venomous snake species, including the widespread type genus Lamprophis Fitzinger, 1843 (house snakes). We used approximately 2500 bases of mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequence data from 28 (41%) of the approximately 68 recognised lamprophiid species in nine of the eleven genera to investigate phylogenetic structure in the family and to inform taxonomy at the generic level. Cytochrome b, ND4 and tRNA gene sequences (mitochondrial) and c-mos sequences (nuclear) were analysed using Maximum Likelihood, Bayesian Inference and Maximum Parsimony methods. The genus Mehelya Csiki, 1903 was paraphyletic with respect to Gonionotophis Boulenger, 1893. To address this, the concept of Gonionotophis is expanded to include all current Mehelya species. The genus Lamprophis emerged polyphyletic: the enigmatic Lamprophis swazicus was sister to Hormonotus modestus from West Africa, and not closely related to its nominal congeners. It is moved to a new monotypic genus (Inyoka gen. nov.). The remaining Lamprophis species occur in three early-diverging lineages. (1) Lamprophis virgatus and the widely distributed Lamprophis fuliginosus species complex (which also includes Lamprophis lineatus and Lamprophis olivaceus) formed a clade for which the generic name Boaedon Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, 1854 is resurrected. (2) The water snakes (Lycodonomorphus) were nested within Lamprophis (sensu lato), sister to Lamprophis inornatus. We transfer this species to the genus Lycodonomorphus Fitzinger, 1843. (3) We restrict Lamprophis (sensu strictissimo) to a small clade of four species endemic to southern Africa: the type species of Lamprophis Fitzinger, 1843 (Lamprophis aurora) plus Lamprophis fiskii, Lamprophis fuscus and Lamprophis guttatus.     

Molecular evidence for the polyphyly of the genus Hemitragus (Mammalia, Bovidae)

The genus Hemitragus includes three species of tahr distributed in distant geographical areas: the Himalayan tahr, H. jemlahicus, occupies the southern flanks of the Himalaya Mountains; the Nilgiri tahr, H. hylocrius, is endemic to southern India; and the Arabian tahr, H. jayakari, is unique to the mountains of south-east Arabia. All previous investigations were based on morphology, and these three species together have never been included in a molecular phylogenetic study. In this study, we constructed a molecular phylogeny of the tribe Caprini sensu lato to determine the taxonomic status of the three species of tahr. Phylogenetic analyses were carried out on a matrix including most extant species currently described in the tribe Caprini sensu lato, and 3165 nucleotide characters, coming from four different markers, i.e., an intron of the nuclear gene coding for the protein kinase C iota, and three mitochondrial genes (subunit II of the cytochrome c oxidase, cytochrome b, and 12S rRNA). The results show that the genus Hemitragus is polyphyletic, as H. jemlahicus is associated with Capra (goats), H. hylocrius is the sister-group of Ovis (sheep), and H. jayakari is allied with Ammotragus lervia (aoudad). In the light of these unexpected results, we revaluate the validity of the morphological characters originally used for defining the genus Hemitragus. At least, we propose a new taxonomy, where the three species of tahr are ranged into three monospecific genera: the genus Hemitragus is restricted to the Himalayan tahr, and two new genera are created: Arabitragus for the Arabian tahr and Nilgiritragus for the Nilgiri tahr.     

Phylogeny of Adeleid Blood Parasites with a Partial Systematic Revision of the Haemogregarine Complex

ABSTRACT. The phylogenetic relationships of taxa representative of blood parasitic adeleids were investigated in a cladistic analysis. Two phylogenetic analyses were performed. Monophyly of species of Haemogregarina (sensu lato) of some marine fishes with species of Haemogregarina (sensu stricto) was not supported in either analysis. A new genus, Desseria n. g., was created to accommodate these species. The historical burden placed on the genus Haemogregarina Danilewsky, 1885 as a repository for poorly known and inadequately described species is partially relieved through taxonomic revisions involving the genera Haemogregarina , and Desseria n. g.     

楝科（Meliaceae）的地理分布

楝科为泛热带分布科,全世界有５１属,约５５０—６００种,分布于旧世界热带地区有４６属,热带美洲有８属．热带亚洲和热带非洲为楝科两大现代分布中心．中国楝科共１５属,６１种,占世界属总数的２９％,种总数的１０％。中国楝科的分布是在全球楝科分布区的边缘,主要分布于中国西南部及南部诸省,种类由西南向东南递减。中国楝科属的分布区类型可归为５类：１．热带亚洲、非洲和中南美洲间断分布（１属）;２．旧世界热带分布（３属）;３,热带亚洲至热带大洋洲分布（２属）;４．热带亚洲至热带非洲分布（１属）;５．热带亚洲分布（８属）。中国楝科种的分布区类型仅有２类：１．热带亚洲分布（３１种）;２．中国特有分布（３０种）。楝科植物的起源推断在早白垩纪。中国楝科植物由印度—马来西亚成分及特有成分组成。热带亚洲的楝科植物主要是通过中南半岛和中国云南。广西和海南等地发生联系,而菲律宾和台湾之间可有直接的联系。     

Phylogenetic relationships in the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Primula</Emphasis> L. (Primulaceae) inferred from the ITS region sequences of nuclear rDNA

The nucleotide sequences of the nuclear rDNA ITS regions were determined for 34 species of the genus Primula L. and one species of the genus Cortusa L., family Primulaceae Vent., and used to infer the phylogenetic relationships among these species. In this analysis species of the Russian flora and the flora of adjacent territories were studied for the first time. The results clarified the taxomic structure of the genus Primula and confirmed the entity of some of its sections; but not the subgenera sensu J.Richards. Our data do not support an independent status of the genus Cortusa, placing it as one of the terminal lineages of the section Cortusoides Balf. f. in the genus Primula.