A small loon and a new species of large owl from the Rupelian of Belgium (Aves: Gaviiformes,Strigiformes)

The early Oligocene Boom Formation in Belgium yielded many avian remains from the Rupelian unit-stratotype, most of which have remained unstudied so far. Here, I describe a small loon (Gaviiformes) and a new species of large owl (Strigiformes) that are represented by associated bones of a single individual each. The loon, of which wing and pectoral girdle bones are preserved, is assigned to Colymboides (?) metzleri, a species previously known from a partial skeleton from the Rupelian of Germany. The owl is based on a tarsometatarsus and distal tibiotarsus and described as a new species, Selenornis steendorpensis. It constitutes the most substantial fossil record of the taxon Selenornis, which was before known from a distal tibiotarsus from an unknown horizon of the Quercy fissure fillings in southwestern France. It is detailed that there are differences in the higher level taxonomic composition of the known early Oligocene avifaunas of northern and southern Europe, which may reflect true zoogeographic facts owing to a different climate and vegetation.     

A new mousebird (Coliiformes: Coliidae) from the Oligocene of Germany

Summary A new species and genus of mousebird (Coliiformes: Coliidae) from the Oligocene (Rupelian) of Frauenweiler near Wiesloch (Baden-Württemberg, Germany) is described.Oligocolius brevitarsus n. gen. n. sp. is the first Oligocene mousebird and one of the most complete skeletons of early Tertiary Coliidae to have come to light so far. The new taxon has a more strongly developed wing and a much shorter tarsometatarsus than recent mousebirds and was probably adapted to a more sustained flight.

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Ein neuer Mausvogel (Coliiformes: Coliidae) aus dem Oligozän Deutschlands

Zusammenfassung Eine neue Gattung und Art der Mausvögel (Coliiformes: Coliidae) wird aus dem Oligozän (Rupel) von Frauenweiler bei Wiesloch (Baden-Württemberg, Deutschland) beschrieben.Oligocolius brevitarsus n. gen. n. sp. ist der erste oligozäne Mausvogel und eines der vollständigsten Skelette frühtertiärer Coliidae, das bisher gefunden wurde. Das neue Taxon hat einen kräftiger entwickelten Flügel und einen viel kürzeren Tarsometatarsus als rezente Mausvögel und war wahrscheinlich an einen Flug angepaßt, der ausdauernder als bei rezenten Arten war.

     

A mousebird (Aves: Coliiformes) from the Eocene of England

Summary The first fossil mousebird (Aves, Coliiformes) known from the Eocene of England is described. This taxon,Eocolius walkeri gen. n. sp. n., is assigned to the order Coliiformes (mousebirds) on the basis of a character of the proximal ulna (large cotyla dorsalis). The degree of similarity between the preserved elements ofEocolius and those of the other known fossil and Recent taxa further support this conclusion. At present, this new taxon is considered to occupy an unresolved position near to the base of the coliiform ingroup; the phylogenetic position ofEocolius cannot be resolved further owing to a lack of preservation of diagnostic characters.

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Ein Mausvogel (Aves: Coliiformes) aus dem Eozän von England

Zusammenfassung Der erste fossile Mausvogel (Aves: Coliiformes) aus dem Eozän von England wird beschrieben. Dieses Taxon,Eocolius walkeri gen. n. sp. n., wird aufgrund von Merkmalen der proximalen Ulna (grosse Cotyla dorsalis) in die Ordnung Coliiformes gestellt. Darüber hinaus stützt der Grad der Üebereinstimmung zwischen den erhaltenen Skelettelementen vonEocolius und den anderen bekannten fossilen und rezenten Taxa diese Zuordnung. Zur Zeit nimmt dieses neue Taxon eine nicht näher aufgelöste Stellung an der Basis der Coliiformes ein. Das Fehlen diagnostischer Merkmale lässt keine sichere Zuordnung vonEocolius zu den ausgestorbenen Sandcoleidae oder den rezenten Coliidae zu.

     

A new barn owl (Aves: Strigidae) from the early Miocene of Germany, with comments on the fossil history of the Tytoninae

Summary A previously unknown, very large barn owl,Basityto rummeli is described from the early Miocene of Grafenmühle 21 in Bavaria, Germany. This raises the number of tytonine genera known from the early Miocene to three.Necrobyas is known only from France,Prosybris from France and Austria, andBasityto so far only from Germany.Further taxonomic conclusions are as follows:Palaeotyto cadurcensis Mourer-Chauviré,Palaeobyas cracrafti Mourer-Chauviré, andTyto edwardsi (Gaillard) are excluded from the Tytoninae. Six species are synonymized:Necrobyas rossignoli Milne-Edwards withNecrobyas harpax Milne-Edwards,Necrobyas edwardsi Gaillard withNecrobyas arvernensis (Milne-Edwards),Necrobyas minimus Mourer-Chauviré withProsybris antiqua (Milne-Edwards),Tyto campiterrae Jánossy withTyto sanctialbani (Lydekker),Tyto robusta Ballmann withTyto gigantea Ballmann, andTyto melitensis (Lydekker) withTyto alba (Scopoli).Necrobyas medius Mourer-Chauviré was transferred to the genusProsybris. In addition,Strix ignota Milne-Edwards andStrix ignota Paris emerge as not available for nomenclatural purposes.

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Eine neue Schleiereule (Aves: Strigidae) aus dem Untermiozän in Deutschland: mit Anmerkungen zur fossilen Geschichte der Tytoninae

Zusammenfassung Eine neue, sehr große Schleiereule,Basityto rummeli, wird aus dem Untermiozän von Grafenmühle 21 in Bayern beschrieben. Damit ist die Anzahl der aus dem Untermiozän bekannten Schleiereulengattungen auf drei gestiegen.Necrobyas ist bisher nur aus Frankreich,Prosybris aus Frankreich und Österreich, undBasityto aus Bayern bekannt. Weitere taxonomische Ergebnisse sind wie folgt:Palaeotyto cadurcensis Mourer-Chauviré,Palaeobyas cracrafti Mourer-Chauviré undTyto edwardsi (Gaillard) wurden aus den Tytoninae entfernt. Sechs Arten wurden synonymisiert:Necrobyas rossignoli Milne-Edwards mitNecrobyas harpax Milne-Edwards,Necrobyas edwardsi Gaillard mitNecrobyas arvernensis (Milne-Edwards),Necrobyas minimus Mourer-Chauviré mitProsybris antiqua (Milne-Edwards),Tyto campiterrae Jánossy mitTyto sanctialbani (Lydekker),Tyto robusta Ballmann mitTyto gigantea Ballmann undTyto melitensis (Lydekker) mitTyto alba (Scopoli).Necrobyas medius Mourer-Chauviré wurde in die GattungProsybris überführt. Die NamenStrix ignota Milne-Edwards undStrix ignota Paris sind für nomenklatorische Zwecke nicht verfügbar.

     

Two new species of the family Dicranophoridae (Rotifera, Ploima) from the littoral psammon, with notes on other brackish water rotifers in Denmark

The rotifer fauna has been investigated at three littoral brackish water localities in the Öresund, Denmark. Samples taken from plankton, periphyton and psammon yielded 14 rotifer species. Two of these are new to science and are described herein. Both species were found in psammon at the same locality. Erignatha longidentata n. sp. is characterised by having toes with swollen bases, convex outer margins and concave inner margins. The trophi have a pair of large subunci and relatively large unci. The other new species, Paradicranophorus wesenberglundi n. sp., is characterised by having two large red pigmented eyespots and large conical toes. The rami are lyrate, and intramallei and supramanubria are present in the mallei.     

A new species of Phyllodiaptomus Kiefer (Copepoda,Calanoida) from South India

Phyllodiaptomus sasikumari, a new species of calanoid copepod is described from the material collected in several ephemeral ponds and pools in the Palghat District of Kerala State, South India.     

Species of Pleuroxus (Anomopoda,Chydoridae) from the subantarctic islands and southernmost South America: a partial unravelling of the Pleuroxus aduncus problem

Whereas previously all populations of Pleuroxus (now P.) known from the subantarctic islands and southernmost South America were considered to belong to a subspecies of P. aduncus (described from France), now there are five distinct species, only one of which resembles P. aduncus to any significant extent, but even it is a good species. Thus, the taxa are all distinctly different, and none of them could possibly be considered an infraspecies of P. aduncus sens. str. P. macquariensis from Macquarie Island and P. paroplesius and P. varidentatus from South America are new. Of the five species, P. varidentatus resembles P. aduncus most closely, but is separated from it by a number of significant characters. P. wittsteini is presently known from five islands in the south Indian Ocean, but there is considerable uncertainty as to whether all these populations really are the same taxon, because they differ somewhat in the shape of the labrum and in the intensity of sculpturing of the carapace and head. P. scopuliferus from South America is the most distinctive species of the group, having 9 gnathobasic filter setae on trunklimb III instead of the usual 8, a weak ridge on the shell, and a recurved rostrum extending beyond the tip of the labrum. No species of Pleuroxus (or of P., another subgenus of animals formerly assigned simply to Pleuroxus are known from the islands in the Scotia Arc between South America and Antarctica. The patterns of distribution cannot be explained by an on-going passive dispersal of resting eggs. No populations of species on the subantarctic islands are known from any of the southern land masses. Conditions on these islands intuitively must have been more severe during the glacial ages than during the present interglacial, suggesting that any anomopods present were eliminated during the severe glacial periods. Yet, the presence of isolated populations of endemic species on some islands and the complete lack of Pleuroxus on others (e.g. those in the Scotia Arc) argues that conditions, although more severe, still provided opportunities for the maintenance of active populations. Moreover, the morphological differences between populations of P. wittsteini on islands from a few hundred to several thousand kilometers apart likewise argue for genetic isolation over a very long period of time. Deceased     

Contribution to the knowledge of the genus Phyllopodopsyllus T. Scott (Copepoda,Harpacticoida) from Africa with description of two new species

Two new species of marine, sand-dwelling harpacticoids are described: Phyllopodopsyllus pallaresae n. sp. from Namibia, and P. hartmannorum n. sp. from Tanzania. The hitherto unknown male of P. xenus (Kunz) is described from Namibia. Further remarks are made on P. furciger Sars from Tanzania.Zwei neue sandbewohnende Harpacticoiden-Arten werden beschrieben: Phyllopodosyllus pallaresae n. sp. von Namibia und Phyllopodopsyllus hartmannorum n. sp. von Tansania. Außerdem wird das bisher unbekannte Männchen von Phyllopodopsyllus xenus (Kunz) von Namibia beschrieben. Morphologische Merkmale von Phyllopodopsyllus furciger Sars werden anhand eines Fundes von Tansania ergänzt.     

A new species ofThottea (Aristolochiaceae) from India

Thottea ponmudiana sp. nova from Kerala (India) can readily be distinguished from its closest allyTh. siliquosa and all the other known species of the genus by its yellow flowers with purple eyes, deeply lobed perianth with strongly reflexed margins, uniseriate stamens united in three bundles and strongly 4-angled, green, glabrescent fruits.     

On a new charophyte from India

Chara indica is described as a new species on morphological and cytological grounds.Part of Ph. D. Thesis of Ranchi University.     

Anthessius kimjensis,a new species of Anthessiidae (Copepoda; Poecilostomatoida) associated with the pelecypod Solen grandis Dunker in Korea

Anthessius kimjensis n. sp. is described based on the specimens recovered from the pelecypod Solen grandis Dunker in the Korean coast of the Yellow Sea. The new species is distinguished from congeners by having a combination of characters: setal formula II, I, 5 on distal segment of leg 4 exopod, three terminal hooks on distal segment of second antenna, and ratio of length to width on caudal ramus (2.2:1).     

A new marine interstitial ingolfiellid (Crustacea,Amphipoda, Ingolfiellidea) from Tenerife and Hierro

Ingolfiella canariensis n. sp., from coarse sand and gravel in the mediolittoral zone of Tenerife and Hierro, Canary Islands, is described. The new species shares supposedly apomorphous characters with species from comparable habitats from the Andaman Islands, Bermuda and Curaçao (Netherlands Antilles). The female of Ingolfiella similis Rondé-Broekhuizen & Stock, 1987, from Fuerteventura is also described.     

Review of the genusBembras Cuvier, 1829 (Scorpaeniformes: Bembridae) with description of three new species collected from Australia and Indonesia

The bembrid genusBembras Cuvier is reviewed. Five species,B. japonica Cuvier,B. adenensis Imamura & Knapp and three undescribed species, were assigned to the genus. Type species of the genus,Bembras japonica is redescribed on the basis of 36 specimens including the holotype, and three new species,B. macrolepis, B. longipinnis andB. megacephala, previously misidentified asB. japonicus, are also described on the basis of specimens collected from Australia and Indonesia.Bembras macrolepis differs from its congeners by having large body scales, a long pectoral fin with 17–19 rays and a dark blotch on slightly upper portion to middle of margin, 14–15 anal-fin rays, small head and orbit, and caudal fin with a broad vertical dark band near posterior margin.Bembras longipinnis is distinguished from other members of the genus by having a slightly long pectoral fin with 17–19 rays and lacking a small black blotch near tip of upper rays, caudal fin with a large dark spot most intense in lower lobe, 1–2 gill rakers on upper gill arch, 13–14 anal-fin rays, slightly elong ated head and small orbit.Bembras megacephala is characterized by the following combination of characters: caudal fin with several irregular narrow vertical dark bands, small orbit, pectoral fin with 19–20 rays and lacking a small black blotch near tip of upper rays, head elongate, 2–4 gill rakers on upper gill arch, 15 anal-fin rays and small body scales. A key separating the five species ofBembras is given.     

Two new species of the genusAmblyeleotris (Pisces: Gobiidae) from the Ryukyu Islands,Japan

Two new shrimp-associated gobies,Amblyeleotris yanoi sp. nov. andA. masuii sp. nov. are described on the basis of specimens from Iriomote-jima Island and Okinawa-jima Islands, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan.A. yanoi is distinguished from other members of the genus by the combination of the following characters: 14 anal fin soft rays, 19 pectoral fin rays, 97–103 longitudinal scales, a candle flame-shaped marking on the caudal fin, a very low membrane connecting the pelvic fins and absence of a ventral frenum.A. masuii differs from all other congeners by having 92–97 longitudinal scales, the length of the interpelvic connecting membrane relative to the longest pelvic fin ray (0.43–0.66), black blotches on the sides of the chin, and blue spots on the opercle and preopercle.     

Genetic diversity and phylogenetic position of the subclass Astomatia (Ciliophora) based on a sampling of six genera from West African oligochaetes (Glossoscolecidae, Megascolecidae), including description of the new genus Paraclausilocola n. gen

To more confidently assess phylogenetic relationships among astome ciliates, we obtained small subunit (SSU) rRNA sequences from nine species distributed in six genera and three families: Almophrya bivacuolata, Eudrilophrya complanata, Metaracoelophrya sp. 1, Metaracoelophrya sp. 2, Metaracoelophrya intermedia, Metaradiophrya sp., Njinella prolifera, Paraclausilocola constricta n. gen., n. sp., and Paraclausilocola elongata n. sp. The two new species in the proposed new clausilocolid genus Paraclausilocola n. gen. are astomes with no attachment apparatus, two files of contractile vacuoles, and an arc-like anterior suture that has differentiations of thigmotactic ciliature on the anterior ends of the left kineties of the upper surface. Phylogenetic analyses were undertaken using neighbor-joining, Bayesian inference, maximum likelihood, and maximum parsimony. The nine species of astomes formed a strongly supported clade, showing the subclass Astomatia to be monophyletic and a weakly supported sister clade to the scuticociliates. There were two strongly supported clades within the astomes. However, genera assigned to the same family were found in different clades, and genera assigned to the same order were found in both clades. Thus, astome taxa appear to be paraphyletic when morphology is used to assign species to genera.     

On Lecane tanganyikae new species (Rotifera: Monogononta, Lecanidae)

A new species of rotifer, Lecane tanganyikae n.sp., is described from the littoral of Lake Tanganyika and some water bodies in the plain of the Rusizi river near Lake Tanganyika, Bujumbura Province, Burundi. The affiliation of the new species, especially in relation to L. elsa Hauer, is discussed.     

Cyanospira rippkae and Cyanospira capsulata (gen. nov. and spp. nov.): new filamentous heterocystous cyanobacteria from Magadi lake (Kenya)

New filamentous heterocystous cyanobacteria were isolated from the alkaline soda lake Magadi in Kenya. The characteristics of the isolates are summarized and their taxonomic position discussed.Uniform attributes of the strains, grouped in two types, Mag II 702 and Mag I 504 are the following: helical structure of the trichomes, immotility, gas vacuolation, obligate autotrophy, nitrogen fixation under aerobic conditions, and closely similar fatty acid composition, including the uncommon cis-vaccenic acid.For these organisms the assignment to a new genus named Cyanospira is proposed with the species C. rippkae and C. capsulata, separated on the basis of structural, chemical and mean DNA-base composition. Type strains 702 and 504 will be deposited at the ATCC and PCC.