A remarkable new Veturius (Veturius) of the Brazilian Central Amazonas,with an inventory of the genus in Brazil (Coleoptera: Passalidae)

A new species of Veturius (Veturius) Kaup, of Brazil, Central Amazonas, lower basin of Urucu, Tefé and Coari, is described and illustrated. V. urucuensis n. sp. belongs to the “cephalotes” species group, and has an external autapomorphy for the family Passalidae: a large tuft of setae on the medioposterior area of the metasternum. The species is closely allied to V. jolyi Boucher, 2006, from the Brazil-Venezuela-Guyana border. The peculiar endemism of the new species suggests an intra-continental island vicariance into the Amazon Basin. No similar process was known in the large genus Veturius. A complete inventory of the 22 Veturius species in Brazil is given, with their distribution, and following the previously established monophyletic species groups. From Brazil, two species are newly reported, V. (Ouayana) guyanensis Boucher, 2006 (Pará) and V. (O.) dominicae Boucher, 2006 (Roraima), and one species is confirmed, V. (O.) unicornis Gravely, 1918 (Amazonas). New details are given on some other Brazilian Veturius.     

A new genus of praying mantis,Chlorocalis n. gen., with two new species from the Greater Mekong region (Mantodea: Mantidae)

A new genus of praying mantis is described, Chlorocalis n. gen., with two species, C. maternaschulzei n. sp. and C. prasina n. sp. from the Greater Mekong Region. Chlorocalis is placed in Mantidae and can be immediately recognized by the presence of dark brown (male) or yellow-whitish (female) oblique stripes on the forewings, a large conical bulge on the clypeus, two large conical bulges on either side of the inferior margin of the lower frons, and the male genitalia with two distal processes on the ventral phallomere. Chlorocalis maternaschulzei is a widespread lowland species with records as west as Nakhon Ratchasima Province, Thailand, and as east as mount Núi Chúa in southern Central Vietnam. We consider this species to be of Least Concern. In contrast, C. prasina is a narrow-range mountain endemic of the Vietnamese Central Highlands in the Annamite range and is assessed by us to be Vulnerable. The new findings demonstrate the still very poor knowledge on praying mantis species diversity in South-East Asia and the urgency to resolve this taxonomic deficiency in the face of biodiversity loss.     

The discovery of the genus Indabracon van Achterberg (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Braconinae) in China, with description of one new species

The genus Indabracon van Achterberg, 1993 was discovered in China, and one new species (I. bicolor sp. nov.) of this genus is fully described and illustrated in the present paper. A key to the species of the genus is provided. The new species is similar to the Indian species I. trimaculatus (Cameron, 1900) structurally, but differs for example by: basal half of pterostigma yellow; apical half dark brown; smooth postero‐lateral area of the third tergite rather small; propodeum with belt of setae dorsally and lamelliform carinae posteriorly; ovipositor sheath approximately 0.60 times the forewing, somewhat longer than metasoma; the first tergite surface distinctly carinate and rugose, especially in its medial area and laterally. The type specimens are deposited in the Beneficial Insects Lab, College of Plant Protection, Fujian Agriculture & Forestry University, China.     

Freshwater ascomycetes: <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aliquandostipite minuta</Emphasis> (Jahnulales,Dothideomycetes), a new species from Florida

An undescribed ascomycete similar to species in the Aliquandostipitaceae (Jahnulales, Dothideomycetes) was collected from submerged wood in a freshwater swamp in Big Cypress National Preserve, Florida. The characteristic features of the new species are as follows: (i) ascomata are small, sessile, light brown, globose to subglobose, papillate, and anchored to the substrate by wide, brown, septate and subtending hyphae; peridial wall is composed of 1 to 2 layers of large, angular cells with large lumens; (ii) asci are ovoid to broadly clavate, and fissitunicate; (iii) ascospores are one-septate, fusiform, multiguttulate, pale brown, surrounded by a fusiform gelatinous sheath, and equipped with numerous filamentous appendages around the midseptum. The new fungus is most similar to Aliquandostipite crystallinus, from which it differs in overall smaller size and morphology. This new fungus is described and illustrated herein as A. minuta.     

The true identity of Obama (Platyhelminthes: Geoplanidae) flatworm spreading across Europe

Since 2008 there have been many records in Europe (British Isles, Spain, France, Italy) of a large terrestrial planarian morphologically very similar to the Brazilian species Obama marmorata. Sequences of mitochondrial (Cox1) and nuclear (18S, 28S, ITS‐1 and EF) genes from European specimens and some from Brazil indicate that they belong to a species different from that of other specimens also collected in Brazil. Moreover, the phylogenetic results show that they are not sister‐species. Histological sections of both Brazilian and European specimens reveal subtle morphological differences between the two species. Obama marmorata is confined to Brazil, and the second, herein described new species, O bama nungara sp. nov. , is found in Brazil and Europe. These cryptic species may be syntopic in areas in Brazil. The new species occurs in human‐modified environments both in Brazil and in Europe. We also conclude that the specimens from Spain and Argentina identified previously as Obama marmorata belong to the new species.     

A new species of the Pantepui endemic genus Riolama (Squamata: Gymnophthalmidae) from the summit of Murisipán‐tepui,with the erection of a new gymnophthalmid subfamily

The gymnophthalmid lizard R iolama inopinata sp. nov. is described from the summit of Murisipán‐tepui, Bolívar State, Venezuela. The new species is characterized by its small size, slender body, short neck, chestnut brown dorsum with two conspicuous orange‐brown dorsolateral stripes, 30 or 31 mid‐dorsal scales, and 18 or 19 ventral scales in transverse rows, 28 scales around midbody, seven supralabials, five or six infralabials, subdigital lamellae divided in small granular scales, ten or 11 small femoral pores in males, dorsal surface of tongue covered with oblique chevron‐shaped plicae interrupted by a small midsection of imbricate scale‐like papillae, and a small weakly bilobed hemipenis having the sulcus spermaticus flanked by an extensive nude area on each side, and the asulcate and lateral faces of the organ with short series of small roughly equidistant, feebly developed flounces, each bearing a single medial hook‐shaped spine. Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on one nuclear and two mitochondrial DNA genes confirm the allocation of the new species to the genus Riolama, but do not support the assignation of Riolama to the subfamily Cercosaurinae as previously suggested based on overall morphological similarities, nor to any other known subfamily of the Gymnophthalmidae. Therefore, a new subfamily, the Riolaminae, is proposed to accommodate the genus. © 2015 The Linnean Society of London     

PHAEODISCUS,A NEW GENUS OF SCLEROTINIACEAE (INOPERCULATAE: DISCOMYCETES)

Phaeodiscus, a new genus of Sclerotiniaceae, is described with P. rhamnicola Batra as the single species. It is characterized by an ectal excipulum of subhyaline textura prismatica and textura porrecta; dichotomously branched, golden brown, aculeate paraphyses; and golden brown, narrowly ellipsoid, usually biguttulate ascospores. The two guttules fuse at maturity to form a single central guttule. The apothecia arise from pseudosclerotia consisting of numerous interconnected sclerotules. A number of other Sclerotiniaceae related to the new fungus are compared with it.     

Latitudinal variation in intertidal algal community structure: the influence of grazing and vegetative propagation

Summary The hypothesis that sea urchin grazing and interactions with turf-forming red algae prevent large brown algae from forming an extensive canopy in the low intertidal zone of southern California was tested with field experiments at two study sites. Experimental removal of sea urchins resulted in rapid algal recruitment. Crustose coralline algae which typically dominate the substratum in areas with dense urchin populations were quickly overgrown by several species of short-lived green, brown and red algae. The removal of urchins also significantly increased the recruitment of two long-lived species of large brown algae (Egregia laevigata and Cystoseira osmundacea at one study site and E. laevigata and Halidrys dioica at the other). The experimental plots at both sites were eventually dominated by perennial red algae.A two-factorial experiment demonstrated that sea urchin grazing and preemption of space by red algae in areas where urchins are less abundant are responsible for the rarity of large brown algae in the low intertidal of southern California. The three dominant perennial red algae, Gigartina canaliculata, Laurencia pacifica and Gastroclonium coulteri, recruit seasonally from settled spores but can rapidly fill open space with vigorous vegetative growth throughout the year. These species encroach laterally into space created by the deaths of large brown algae or by other disturbances. Once extensive turfs of these red algae are established further invasion is inhibited. This interaction of algae which proliferate vegetatively with algae which recruit only from settled spores is analogous to those which occur between solitary and colonial marine invertebrates and between solitary and cloning terrestrial plants.It is suggested that a north-south gradient in the abundance of vegetatively propagating species, in grazing intensity and in the frequency of space-clearing disturbances, may account for latitudinal variation in intertidal algal community structure along the Pacific coast of North America.     

Life History,Growth and Secondary Production of Caenis luctuosa and Cloeon simile (Ephemeroptera) in a Small Pond,S.W. France

In the present paper, based on material from Brazil, we present a contribution to the taxonomy of the Neotropical two-winged Leptophlebiidae. The male imago of Perissophlebiodes Savage is described, in addition to a new species of Askola Peters from Amazonas. Askola emmerichi Domínguez, Molineri and Mariano, so far recorded from Venezuela, is reported from Brazil and compared to the new species herein described. Askola yanoman, sp. nov. can be separated from other species of the genus by the following combination of characters: (1) general colouration yellowish brown with areas washed with greyish brown; (2) dorsal portion of eyes brown, eyes meet on meson of head; (3) penis yellowish brown with darker margin, extending beyond the posterior margin of the styliger plate.     

Aspalathus abbottii (Fabaceae: Crotalarieae), a new species from KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

A new species Aspalathus abbottii C.H. Stirt. & Muasya, is described. The species is known only from Oribi Flats, KwaZulu-Natal, where it grows in grassland vegetation. The new species is characterised by its rigid spreading habit, densely and shortly villous branches, glabrous bracts and bracteoles, and 1(2) bright yellow flowers borne on short lateral shoots. It is most similar to other grassland species, A. frankenioides DC. and A. gerrardii H. Bol., all from the summer rainfall area of South Africa but differs in its rigid spreading habit, few bright yellow flowers per flowering branchlet, glabrous bracts and bracteoles, villous yellowish-green seasonal shoots, and its pale brown to tan over-seasonal branches with a blackish lattice of peeled bark.     

Chromosome painting supports lack of homology among sex chromosomes in Oncorhynchus, Salmo, and Salvelinus (Salmonidae)

The sex chromosome pair has been identified previously as the largest submetacentric pair in the genome in several species of the genus Salvelinus (eastern trouts and chars) including S. namaycush (lake trout) and as a large subtelocentric/acrocentric pair in several species of the genus Oncorhynchus (Pacific trouts and salmon). Sex chromosomes have not been identified in Salmo (Atlantic salmon and brown trout). Two paint probes, one specific for the short arm (Yp) and the other for the long arm (Yq) of the sex chromosome pair in Salvelinus namaycush were hybridized to chromosomes of Oncorhynchus mykiss (rainbow trout) and O. tshawytscha (chinook salmon) and Salmo salar (Atlantic salmon) and S. trutta (brown trout). The two probes hybridized to two different autosomal pairs in each of the Oncorhynchus species, supporting lack of homology between the sex chromosomes in the two genera. The Yp probe hybridized to interstitial regions on two different chromosome pairs in S. salar and one pair in S. trutta. The Yq probe hybridized to a different pair in both species.     

Phylogenetic placement and anatomical characterisation of two new West African Tomentella (Basidiomycota, Fungi) species

Tomentella amyloapiculata and T. agbassaensis are described as new species within the genus Tomentella based on materials we collected in the West African, northern Guinean seasonal forests. We used a combination of anatomical characters, sequence analyses and phylogenetic inference of 71 ITS rDNA sequences to characterise the two new species. Anatomically, T. amyloapiculata is characterised by simple septate brown to dark brown, thick-walled subicular and subhymenial hyphae and triangular to slightly lobed brown basidiospores (in frontal view), with isolate aculei of 1–2 μm. Phylogenetically, T. amyloapiculata forms a sister species of T. fuscocinerea with a moderate bootstrap support of 70%. T. amyloapiculata deviates from T. fuscocinerea by 10.07–11.73% in their sequence similarities. As far as T. agbassaensis is concerned, it clusters phylogenetically together with T. bryophila with a strong bootstrap support of 99%. The species is characterised by slightly differentiated rhizomorphs with yellowish hyphae, clamped, thick-walled and yellow to dark yellow subicular hyphae and pale yellow, small basidiospores of 6–8(8.5) μm with aculei of up to 0.5 μm. Both new species deviated from each other by 11.0–11.60% with regard to the ITS rDNA nucleotides.     

Coexistence,size overlap and population regulation in tidal vs. non-tidal Palaemon prawns

Summary The effect of increased habitat heterogeneity in tidal areas on coexistence between Palaemon prawns was studied at eight sites along the European Atlantic coast. Two species which are sympatric in non-tidal areas, Palaemon adspersus Rathke and P. squilla (L.) are largely allopatric in tidal areas, and the sympatric size difference decreases in allopatry. In tidal areas the smaller species, P. squilla, is restricted to brown algal belts and rockpools. A third species, P. serratus (Pennant), larger than the others, occurs under oceanic salinities in subtidal brown algal belts and there has forced P. squilla to restrict its habitat distribution to adjacent intertidal rockpools. At estuarine salinities, however, P. squilla also inhabits the brown algal belts. A larger diel variation in stomach fullness index in P. squilla than in P. adspersus persists in non-tidal areas.Abiotic factors probably restrict the two largest species, viz. P. adspersus and P. serratus, to subtidal environments; these species are sensitive to the extremes in salinity, temperature or O₂ levels characteristic of the intertidal zone. Competition and/or predation probably relegates P. squilla to the intertidal zone. In non-tidal areas, where this zone is reduced, P. squilla increases its niche width and coexists with P. adspersus, and the size differentiation associated with sympatry may reduce interspecific competition.     

A new species and a new variety of Cortinarius sect. Defibulati from Niigata,Japan

 A new species and a new variety of Cortinarius sect. Defibulati are described and illustrated from Niigata, Japan. Cortinarius rugosolilacinus sp.nov., found in deciduous forests, is most similar to Cortinarius livido-ochraceus (=C. elatior), but differs mainly in its longer basidiospores, slender basidiocarp, and pale violet lamellae in the button stage. Cortinarius pseudosalor var. niigatensis var. nov., found in deciduous forests, is distinguished from the type variety by its brown to dark brown pileus with a wrinkled surface even when young. The differences between the two taxa and similar species are briefly discussed. Received: September 5, 2001 / Accepted: May 23, 2002     

Eriocaulon vandaanamense sp. nov. (Eriocaulaceae) from Kerala,India

Eriocaulon vandaanamense (Eriocaulaceae), a new species from a marshy coastal area in the Alappuzha District, Kerala, India, is described and illustrated. The new species is similar to E. truncatum and resembles it in having vertically elongated seed coat cells, but differs mainly in having pale black hoary floral bracts, 3‐lobed hoary male sepals, linear‐falcate, non‐conduplicate hoary female sepals, and small, smooth, pale brown seeds without seed coat appendages.     

A new species ofLasiobolidium from Californian soil

Lasiobolidium gracile isolated from a soil sample collected from California, USA is described as a new species. This species is characterized by yellowish brown to reddish brown, nonostiolate ascomata with numerous, long straight appendages and a translucent peridium, subglobose to broadly clavate asci, hyaline to pale yellowish brown, ellipsoidal ascospores. It differs from the other species ofLasiobolidium in the straight and narrow appendages and the large ascospores. A key is presented separating the seven known species.     

A new marine goby of genus Callogobius (Teleostei: Gobiidae) from Taiwan

A new marine goby Callogobius sheni collected from coral reefs off southern Taiwan is described. The new species can be distinguished from congeneric species by the following combination of features: dorsal fin rays VI-I, 9; anal fin rays I, 7; pectoral fin rays 18; longitudinal scale rows 27–28; predorsal scale rows 9–10; no posterior oculoscapular and preopercular canals; body pale white with five blackish brown cross bands; caudal and pectoral fins each with a large blackish brown blotch.     

An integrative approach for species delimitation in the spider genus Grammostola (Theraphosidae,Mygalomorphae)

The mygalomorph genus Grammostola (family Theraphosidae) is endemic to South America. The species Grammostola anthracina is one of the largest spiders in Uruguay and reputed to be the longest lived tarantula in the world. This nominal species has two distinct colour morphs comprising black and reddish‐brown forms with controversial taxonomic status. Here, we present a phylogenetic study based on molecular characters (cytochrome c oxidase subunit I) of haplotypes of G. anthracina and closely related species. Our analysis together with new morphological data and biogeographical information indicates that the two morphs of G. anthracina constitute different species that are not sister to each other. Consequently, a new species, Grammostola quirogai is described, diagnosed and illustrated to encompass the black morph. Phylogenetic relationships and new taxonomic characters for Grammostola species included in this study are discussed.