Threatened fishes of the world: <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pseudophoxinus anatolicus</Emphasis> (Hanko 1924) (Cyprinidae), Central Anatolia,Turkey

Being an endemic and endangered fish species in Anatolia, P. anatolicus restricted to Lakes Akgöl, Bey?ehir, Çavu?cu, Akkaya Dam and Ere?li marshes as well as some other small marshes in Central Anatolia region, Turkey. Current population of P. anatolicus tends to decrease in the habitats. A detailed study of current population status, biology, ecology and life history of P. anatolicus is required. It should also be included into national threatened fish category.     

New data on the Pteromalid wasps (Hymenoptera,Chalcidoidea: Pteromalidae) of the Russian Far East

Fourteen genera (Ardilea Graham, Glyphognathus Graham, Rhicnocoelia Graham, Eulonchetron Graham, Habritys Thomson, Heteroprymna Graham, Janssoniella Kerrich, Lyubana Bou?ek, Muscidifurax Girault et Sanders, Nazgulia Hedqvist, Notoglyptus Masi, Oxysychus Delucchi, Platygerrhus Thomson, and Stenetra Masi) and 81 species are recorded for the first time for the fauna of Russia; in addition, 13 species are new to the fauna of the Russian Far East.     

The first record of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Callodictya kazeruna</Emphasis> Dlabola (Hemiptera,Auchenorrhyncha, Fulgoroidea: Dictyopharidae) from Turkey

Callodictya kazeruna (Dlabola, 1986) described from southern Iran is recorded here for the first time from Eastern Anatolia in Turkey. A key to the two known species of the genus Callodictya Melichar, 1912 is given.     

The history of an invasion: phases of the explosive spread of the physid snail <Emphasis Type="Italic">Physella acuta</Emphasis> through Europe,Transcaucasia and Central Asia

Physella acuta (Draparnaud, 1805) is an aquatic pulmonate snail notorious for its high invasive potential. Of New World origin, this species now occurs on all continents. The aim of this study was to trace P. acuta dispersal through the Western Palearctic starting from its first arrival in the Old World and to determine possible drivers of this process. A range of literary sources as well as some rich European malacological collections have been consulted to ascertain the dates of the first finding of P. acuta in the countries of Europe, Transcaucasia, and Central Asia and to map the most significant localities. The shell characteristics of this species are so distinctive that they almost preclude misidentification and confusion with any native species. This allows one to rely on historical records, including older sources (18th to the first half of the 19th centuries). The earliest reliable records of P. acuta in the Old World can be dated to 1742, which implies an earlier date for the first arrival of the species in Europe, possibly in the 17th century. Its introduction may be explained either by accidental dispersal mediated by humans (for example, during transport of exotic plants to European botanical gardens) or by natural causes (long-distance dispersal from the Americas to Europe). Three successive phases leading to the current invasive range of P. acuta in the Western Palearctic can be identified. The species’ current Old World range can be viewed as a result of the interaction of natural and anthropogenic factors. The human-mediated drivers of dispersal include canal building, the aquarium trade and, more recently, alteration of natural freshwater habitats.     

Morphology and molecules reveal the alien <Emphasis Type="Italic">Posthodiplostomum centrarchi</Emphasis> Hoffman, 1958 as the third species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Posthodiplostomum</Emphasis> Dubois, 1936 (Digenea: Diplostomidae) in Europe

Metacercariae of two species of Posthodiplostomum Dubois, 1936 (Digenea: Diplostomidae) were subjected to morphological and molecular studies: P. brevicaudatum (von Nordmann, 1832) from Gasterosteus aculeatus (L.) (Gasterosteiformes: Gasterosteidae), Bulgaria (morphology, cox1 and ITS1-5.8S-ITS2) and Perca fluviatilis L. (Perciformes: Percidae), Czech Republic (morphology, cox1, ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 and 28S); and P. centrarchi Hoffman, 1958 from Lepomis gibbosus (L.) (Perciformes: Centrarchidae), Bulgaria (morphology, cox1 and ITS1-5.8S-ITS2) and Slovakia (cox1 and ITS1-5.8S-ITS2). In addition, cercariae of P. cuticola (von Nordmann, 1832) from Planorbis planorbis (L.) (Mollusca: Planorbidae), Lithuania (morphology and cox1) and metacercariae of Ornithodiplostomum scardinii (Schulman in Dubinin, 1952) from Scardinius erythrophthalmus (L.) (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae), Czech Republic, were examined (morphology, cox1, ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 and 28S). These represent the first molecular data for species of Posthodiplostomum and Ornithodiplostomum Dubois, 1936 from the Palaearctic. Phylogenetic analyses based on cox1 and ITS1-5.8S-ITS2, using O. scardinii as the outgroup and including the three newly-sequenced Posthodiplostomum spp. from Europe and eight published unidentified (presumably species-level) lineages of Posthodiplostomum from Canada confirmed the distinct status of the three European species (contrary to the generally accepted opinion that only P. brevicaudatum and P. cuticola occur in the Palaearctic). The subspecies Posthodiplostomum minimum centrarchi Hoffmann, 1958, originally described from North America, is elevated to the species level as Posthodiplostomum centrarchi Hoffman, 1958. The undescribed “Posthodiplostomum sp. 3” of Locke et al. (2010) from centrarchid fishes in Canada has identical sequences with the European isolates of P. centrarchi and is recognised as belonging to the same species. The latter parasite, occurring in the alien pumpkinseed sunfish Lepomis gibbosus in Europe, is also supposed to be alien for this continent. It is speculated that it colonised Europe long ago and is currently widespread (recorded in Bulgaria, Slovakia and Spain); based on the cox1 sequence of an adult digenean isolate from the Ebro Delta, Spain, only the grey heron (Ardea cinerea L.) (Ciconiiformes: Ardeidae) is known to be its definitive host in Europe.     

Genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Eckhardites</Emphasis> Mitta (Cardioceratidae,Ammonoidea) from the Lower Callovian of the subboreal Jurassic

The genus Eckhardites Mitta 1999, with the type species Macrocephalites pavlowi Smorodina, 1928 is discussed and its diagnosis and assignment to the family Cardioceratidae are substantiated. Eckhardites is compared to the genus Macrocephalites Zittel (family Sphaeroceratidae), to which some workers presently assign the type species of Eckhardites. Three species of Eckhardites are recorded from the basal Callovian elatmae Zone of the Russian Platform, one of which (E. menzeli (Mönnig)) was originally described from the synchronous beds in Germany. A new species E. dietli sp. nov. is described.     

New and little known species of the dance-fly subgenus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Xanthempis</Emphasis> Bezzi,genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Empis</Emphasis> L. (Diptera,Empididae), from the Caucasus

Five new species of the subgenus Xanthempis Bezzi are described from the Caucasus: Empis (Xanthempis) annae sp. n. (Russia: Krasnodar Territory), E. (X.) grichanovi sp. n. (Russia: Krasnodar Territory; Georgia), E. (X.) pseudoconcolor sp. n. (Russia: Krasnodar and Stavropol territories; Georgia: Abkhazia), E. (X.) teberdaensis sp. n. (Russia: Karachay-Cherkessia), and E. (X.) zamotajlovi sp. n. (Russia: Krasnodar Territory and Adygea). The females of E. (X.) alanica Shamshev and E. (X.) kovalevi Shamshev are described for the first time. New data on the distribution of some previously described species are reported. The geographical distribution of Xanthempis is discussed. A key to Xanthempis species from the Caucasus is compiled.     

The parasitic wasp <Emphasis Type="Italic">Baryscapus crassicornis</Emphasis> (Erdös) (Hymenoptera,Eulophidae) developing in larvae of the weevil genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Larinus</Emphasis> germar (Coleoptera,Curculionidae)

Baryscapus crassicornis (Erdös) was reared from the last instar larvae of three species of Curculionidae: Larinus idoneus Gyllenhal, developing in the inflorescences of Jurinea cyanoides (L.), L. turbinatus (Gyllenhal), developing in Cirsium arvense (L.) in Russia (Ul’yanovsk Province), and L. latus (Herbst), developing in Onopordum acanthium L. and O. leptolepis DC. (Asteraceae) in Iran. Data on the parasitoid and its hosts biology, variation of morphological characters, and diagnostic notes are provided. The 3rd instar larva and the pupa of B. crassicornis are described for the first time.     

A new species of the jewel-beetle subgenus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Acmaeodera</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Ptychomus</Emphasis>) Marseul, 1866 from Oman (Coleoptera,Buprestidae: Polycestinae: Acmaeoderini)

A new species of buprestid beetles, Acmaeodera (Ptychomus) koshtali sp. n. (Coleoptera: Buprestidae: Polycestinae) from Oman is described, illustrated, and compared with the closely related species A. (P.) arabica Gory, 1840 and A. (P.) sancta Théry, 1926 which are also recorded from the Arabian Peninsula.     

Phylogeny and morphology of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Peziza ammophila</Emphasis> complex (Pezizales,Ascomycota), with description of two new species and a new form

This study was focused on species of Peziza belonging to the “P. ammophila” complex, using both morphological and molecular approaches. Molecular and morphological analyses showed that several taxa are hidden under the name “ammophila” and, as a consequence, two additional species and one form are established: P. hellenica sp. nov., P. oceanica sp. nov. and P. ammophila f. megaspora f. nov. On the basis of the data that we have, these taxa seem to be related to some geographical areas; P. ammophila appears to be prevalent in northern, central and southern Europe, its f. megaspora is distributed in France and in the Netherlands, P. hellenica comes from Greece and P. oceanica from New Zealand. A cryptic species, not yet circumscribed satisfactorily, is described as P. deceptiva ad int. Moreover, the problem concerning the identification of P. ammophila is raised, the species is epitypified with a sequenced collection from Sicily (Italy) and a key to the species of the complex is provided.     

The Tick <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ixodes kaiseri</Emphasis> (Acari,Ixodidae) in the North Caucasus and Transcaucasia According to the Material from the Collection of Stavropol Anti-Plague Institute

To date, the North Caucasus, particularly the territory of Stavropol Territory, is traditionally indicated as the habitat of the tick Ixodes crenulatus Koch, 1844. I. kaiseri Arthur, 1957 was previously known only from a single site in the Eastern Ciscaucasia. Re-examination of collections from the North Caucasus and Transcaucasia has shown that the overwhelming majority of the specimens from these regions belong to the species I. kaiseri, allowing the revision of common views on the range boundaries of both species.     

The taxonomic challenge posed by the Antarctic echinoids <Emphasis Type="Italic">Abatus bidens</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Abatus cavernosus</Emphasis> (Schizasteridae,Echinoidea)

Cryptic species have been repeatedly described for two decades among the Antarctic fauna, challenging the classic model of Antarctic species with circumpolar distributions and leading to revisit the richness of the Antarctic fauna. No cryptic species had been so far recorded among Antarctic echinoids, which are, however, relatively well diversified in the Southern Ocean. The R/V Polarstern cruise PS81 (ANT XXIX/3) came across populations of Abatus bidens, a schizasterid so far known by few specimens that were found living in sympatry with the species Abatus cavernosus. The species A. cavernosus is reported to have a circum-Antarctic distribution, while A. bidens is only recorded with certainty in South Georgia and at the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. Based on genetic and morphological analyses, our results clearly show that A. bidens and A. cavernosus are two distinct species. The analyzed specimens of A. bidens group together in two haplogroups separated from one another by 2.7 % of nucleotide differences. They are located in the Weddell Sea and in the Bransfield Strait. Specimens of A. cavernosus form one single haplogroup separated from haplogroups of A. bidens by 5 and 3.5 % of nucleotide differences, respectively. The species was collected in the Drake Passage and in the Bransfield Strait. Morphological analyses differentiate A. bidens from A. cavernosus. In contrast, the two genetic groups of A. bidens cannot be differentiated from one another based on morphology alone, suggesting that they may represent a case of cryptic species, common in many Antarctic taxa, but not yet reported in Antarctic echinoids. This needs to be confirmed by complementary analyses of independent genetic markers.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Paulogramma hydarnis</Emphasis> (n. comb.) (Nymphalidae: Biblidinae): Distribution,Systematic Position,and Conservation Status of a Rare and Endangered Butterfly

The nymphalid Paulogramma hydarnis (Godart) (n. comb., previously in the genus Callicore) is an endangered butterfly present in a few montane sites in the Atlantic Forest in the Southeastern Brazil. The precise systematic position of P. hydarnis was previously unknown. Based on molecular data, we find that it is sister to Paulogramma pygas (Godart) (n. comb., also previously in Callicore), a common and widespread species in the Neotropics. In addition, we find that Callicore is not monophyletic and that “Callicore” hydarnis (along with other species) is more related to the genus Paulogramma, and should thus be placed in that genus. The genus Paulogramma is now composed by the following species: Paulogramma pyracmon (Godart), Paulogramma eunomia (Hewitson) n. comb., Paulogramma hydarnis (Godart) n. comb., Paulogramma hystaspes (Fabricius) n. comb., Paulogramma pygas (Godart) n. comb., and Paulogramma tolima (Hewitson, 1852) n. comb. Museum specimens and field data report P. hydarnis in four sites in Southeastern Brazil. Recently, P. hydarnis was recorded for the first time at Parque Nacional do Caparaó, states of Espírito Santo and Minas Gerais, expanding its distribution about 200 km northward of the previously known limit. Although regularly recorded in some sites, most records are historic, before the 1960s, and the current conservation situation of this species is delicate, deserving attention.     

Findings of the leaf beetles <Emphasis Type="Italic">Chrysolina tundralis</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Chrysolina roddi</Emphasis> (Coleoptera,Chrysomelidae) in the middle part of European Russia

Two species of leaf beetles, Chrysolina tundralis and Ch. roddi, were found in the “Galich’ya Gora” Nature Reserve (the middle part of European Russia), 1200 and 700 km, respectively, from the main part of the ranges of these species. Adults and larvae of Ch. tundralis feed on Lamium purpureum, those of Ch. roddi feed on Seseli intermedia there. Diagnostic characters of the adults of both species are reported.     

Revision of the shield-bug genera <Emphasis Type="Italic">Holcostethus</Emphasis> Fieber and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Peribalus</Emphasis> Mulsant et Rey (Heteroptera,Pentatomidae) of the Palaearctic Region

A complex of the heteropteran genera centering around Peribalus Mulsant et Rey and Holcostethus Fieber is considered. The genus Dryadocoris Kirkaldy reveals no relationship with the above genera and is believed to represent a separate clade of the family Pentatomidae. The genera Peribalus and Holcostethus are revised. The former includes three subgenera: Peribalus s. str. with two species, Asioperibalus subgen. n. (type species Cimex inclusus Dohrn) with six species, and Tianocoris subgen. n. (type species Holcostethus manifestus Kiritshenko) with two species. Holcostethus embraces two subgenera: Holcostethus s. str. and the monotypic Enigmocoris subgen. n. (type species H. fissiceps Horváth). Two new species are described: Peribalus tianshanicus sp. n. from the Tien Shan Mts. and P. przewalskii sp. n. from the northern part of China (Huan He River). P. capitatus Jakovlev and P. vernalis (Wolff) are downgraded to subspecies of P. strictus (F.). P. ovatus Jakovlev is synonymized with P. inclusus (Dohrn). Two new monotypic genera related to the revised complex of genera are established, Paraholcostethus gen. n. (type species Peribalus breviceps Horváth) and Himalayastethus gen. n. (type species H. pilosus sp. n. from Kashmir). A key to, and morphometric characters for all the taxa considered are provided. The key characters, including both male and female genitalia, are illustrated, and distributional maps are given.     

Hybridization success is largely limited to homoploid <Emphasis Type="Italic">Prunus</Emphasis> hybrids: a multidisciplinary approach

Prunus fruticosa is a rare shrub occurring in Eurasian thermophilous forest-steppe alliances. The species frequently hybridizes with cultivated Prunus species in Europe (allochthonous tetraploid P. cerasus and partly indigenous diploid P. avium). Propidium iodide flow cytometry, distance-based morphometrics, elliptic Fourier analysis and embryology were employed to evaluate the extent of hybridization in six Slovak populations. Flow cytometric analyses revealed three ploidy levels: diploid (P. avium), triploid (P. × mohacsyana) and tetraploid (P. fruticosa, P. × eminens and P. cerasus). In addition, P. fruticosa and P. cerasus, at the tetraploid level, were found to differ in absolute genome size. An embryological evaluation suggested the existence of a triploid block in P. × mohacsyana and significant potential for hybridization among tetraploid taxa (indicated also by a continuous distribution of genome size data and further mirrored by morphometrics). Although hybrids significantly differ in ploidy level and embryological characteristics, they are almost indistinguishable using morphological characters. Hybridization with P. cerasus thus turns out to be a significant threat to wild populations of P. fruticosa compared to the relatively weak influence of P. avium.     

New and little known species of gray moths (Lepidoptera,Gelechioidea, Blastobasidae) from Eurasia

Some additional data on the taxonomy of Blastobasidae are reported. Four new Palaearctic species are described: Blastobasis ponticella sp. n. from the Crimea, North-Western Caucasus, and Transcaucasia; B. centralasiae sp. n. from Central Asia; Hypatopa ibericella sp. n. from the Iberian Peninsula, and Pseudohypatopa beljaevi sp. n. from the Russian Far East (Primorskii Territory). Based on examination of the type material, the following new synonymies are established: Blastobasis phycidella (Zeller, 1839) [= B. roscidella (Zeller, 1847), syn. n.]; Hypatopa inunctella (Zeler, 1839) [= Hypatima haliciella Klemensiewicz, 1898; =Hypatima fuscella Klemensiewicz, 1898, syn. n.]. Blastobasis magna Amsel, 1852, stat. n., originally described as a subspecies of B. roscidella, is considered a distinct species with the range extending throughout the Western Mediterranean.     

Morphological and molecular taxonomy of novel species <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pleurotheciaceae</Emphasis> from freshwater habitats in Yunnan,China

The diversity of lignicolous freshwater fungi of the Greater Mekong Subregion are currently being studied. In this paper, 18 fresh collections of Pleurotheciaceae from submerged wood in freshwater are characterized based on morphological characters and analyses of ITS, LSU, SSU and RPB2 sequence data. Six new species of Pleurotheciella (P. aquatica, P. fusiformis, P. guttulata, P. lunata, P. saprophytica, P. submersa), one new Phaeoisaria species (Ph. aquatica) and one new Pleurothecium species (Pl. aquaticum) are introduced based on their distinct morphology and evidence from molecular phylogeny. Pleurotheciella uniseptata, Phaeoisaria clematidis and Pleurothecium pulneyense are also redescribed and phylogenetic relationships assessed herein, these species are the first records for China.     

Taxonomic revisions in the Microstromatales: two new yeast species,two new genera,and validation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Jaminaea</Emphasis> and two <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sympodiomycopsis</Emphasis> species

Environmental sampling yielded two yeast species belonging to Microstromatales (Exobasidiomycetes, Ustilaginomycotina). The first species was collected from a leaf phylloplane infected by the rust fungus Coleosporium plumeriae, and represents a new species in the genus Jaminaea, for which the name Jaminaea rosea sp. nov. is proposed. The second species was isolated from air on 50% glucose media and is most similar to Microstroma phylloplanum. However, our phylogenetic analyses reveal that species currently placed in Microstroma are not monophyletic, and M. phylloplanum, M. juglandis and M. albiziae are not related to the type species of this genus, M. album. Thus, Pseudomicrostroma gen. nov. is proposed to accommodate the following species: P. glucosiphilum sp. nov., P. phylloplanum comb. nov. and P. juglandis comb. nov. We also propose Parajaminaea gen. nov. to accommodate P. albizii comb. nov. and P. phylloscopi sp. nov. based on phylogenetic analyses that show these are not congeneric with Jaminaea or Microstroma. In addition, we validate the genus Jaminaea, its respective species and two species of Sympodiomycopsis and provide a new combination, Microstroma bacarum comb. nov., for the anamorphic yeast Rhodotorula bacarum. Our results illustrate non-monophyly of Quambalariaceae and Microstromataceae as currently circumscribed. Taxonomy of Microstroma and the Microstromataceae is reviewed and discussed. Finally, analyses of all available small subunit rDNA sequences for Jaminaea species show that J. angkorensis is the only known species that possess a group I intron in this locus, once considered a potential feature indicating the basal placement of this genus in Microstromatales.