Opalinidae in African Anura. IV. Genus Protoopalina

During 1988 and 1989, 409 specimens of southern African Anura comprising 50 species in nine families, were checked for opalines in the cloaca. Protoopalina africana Metcalf, 1923 was found in Rana angolensis (Ranidae); P. appendiculata Fantham, 1929 in R. fuscigula; P. boycotti n. sp. in Pyxicephalus adspersus (Ranidae); P. brevis Boisson, 1959 in Ptychadena oxyrhynchus (Ranidae); P. drachi Tuzet & Knoepffler, 1968 in Ptychadena anchietae, P. mascareniensis, P. mossambica and P. oxyrhynchus (Ranidae); P. nutti Metcalf, 1923 in Bufo rangeri (Bufonidae); P. octomixa Fantham, 1930 in Schismaderma carens (Bufonidae); P. ovalis Fantham, 1929 in Rana angolensis (Ranidae); P. pattersoni n. sp. in Ptychadena mascareniensis (Ranidae); P. petiti Tuzet & Knoepffler, 1968 in Ptychadena oxyrhynchus (Ranidae); P. primordialis (Awerinzew, 1913) Metcalf, 1918 in Bufo angusticeps, B. gariepensis, B. garmani, B. rangeri (Bufonidae), Heleophryne natalensis (juveniles and tadpoles) (Heleophrynidae), Xenopus laevis (juveniles and tadpoles) (Pipidae), Cacosternum boettgeri, Ptychadena mossambica (juvenile), Rana angolensis, R. fuscigula and Strongylopus grayii (Ranidae); P. stevensoni (Stevenson, 1911) Metcalf, 1923 in Bufo gariepensis, B. garmani, B. gutturalis, B. maculatus, B. rangeri, Capensibufo rosei (Bufonidae), Rana angolensis and R. fuscigula (Ranidae); P. transvaalensis Fantham, 1923 in Pyxicephalus adspersus (Ranidae); and P. xenopodos Metcalf, 1923 in Xenopus laevis (including tadpoles) and X. muelleri (Pipidae). It is suggested that the Bufonidae (genus Bufo) and the Ranidae (in particular the genera Cacosternum, Ptychadena, Rana and Strongylopus) are among the major carriers of Protoopalina in the Afrotropical Regional. The biogeography and evolution of the genus Protoopalina are discussed.     

Parapharyngodon osteopili n.sp. (Pharyngodonidae: Oxyuroidea) and a revision of Parapharyngodon and Thelandros

Summary Parapharyngodon osteopili n.sp. is described from the Cuban treefrog Osteopilus septentrionalis (Hylidae; Anura). Parapharyngodon Chatterji, 1933 and Thelandros Wedl, 1862 are redefined and distinguished on the basis of male and female caudal morphology and egg structure. Parapharyngodon spp. are found in insectivorous reptiles and amphibians whereas Thelandros spp. are essentially parasites of herbivorous and omnivorous reptiles. The following species are transferred to Parapharyngodon from Thelandros and represent new combinations: Parapharyngodon echinatus (Rudolphi, 1819), P. hemidactylus (Patwardhan, 1935), P. khartana (Johnston & Mawson, 1941), P. trachysauri (Johnston & Mawson, 1947), P. californiensis (read & Amrein, 1952), P. meridionalis (chabaud & Brygoo, 1962), P. mabouia (Rao & Hiregaudar, 1962), P. iguanae (Telford, 1965), P. calotis (Johnson, 1966), P. maculatus (Caballero, 1968) and P. garciae (Schmidt & Whittaker, 1975). Thelandros awokoyai (Babero & Okpala, 1962) n.comb., is transferred from Parapharyngodon. P. megaloon (Linstow, 1906) n.comb., P. seurati (Sandground, 1936) Freitas, 1957, P. waltoni (Read & Amrein, 1952) n.comb., P. cameroni (Belle, 1957) n.comb., P. aspiculus Khera, 1961, T. cinctus (Lonstow, 1897) and T. kuntzi Belle, 1957 are considered species inquirendae. ac]19810406     

Analyses of Phaseolus vulgaris L. and P. coccineus Lam. hybrids by RFLP: preferential transmission of P. vulgaris alleles

Summary Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) was determined among P. vulgaris genotypes and Phaseolus species using 19 probes. The incidence of polymorphism was high (70–86%) between species, but relatively low (22–26%) between genotypes of P. vulgaris. Suitable probes were identified for the analysis of P. vulgaris and P. coccineus hybrids. The segregation pattern in F₂ populations was Mendelian for two probes (LHB and VEE20) and non-Mendelian for GS-g, CHS, and CHI. Statistical analyses indicated gametic selection with preferential transmission of the P. vulgaris alleles, which may account for the selective recovery of P. vulgaris progeny types observed earlier. The available hybrids of P. vulgaris and P. coccineus and the high degree of interspecific RFLP will facilitate the construction of a linkage map for Phaseolus.     

The erection of Pelecanema n. g. (Nematoda: Spirurida: Acuariidae), with redescriptions of P. sirry (Khalil, 1931) n. comb. and P. pelecani (Johnston & Mawson, 1942) n. comb.

Pelecanema n. g. is erected for P. sirry (Khalil, 1931) n. comb., syn. Synhimantus sirry Khalil, 1931 (type-species) and P. pelecani (Johnston & Mawson, 1942) n. comb., syn. Dispharynx pelecani Johnston & Mawson, 1942. In the structure of its cordons, consisting of two rows of delicate cuticular plates, the new genus is similar to Synhimantus Railliet, Henry & Sisoff, 1912, Dispharynx Railliet, Henry & Sisoff, 1912, Chordatortilis Machado de Mendon?a & Olivera de Rodrigues, 1965 and Parachordatortilis Mutafchiev, Santoro & Georgiev, 2010. Pelecanema sirry, a parasite of Pelecanus onocrotalus L. and P. crispus Bruch (Pelecaniformes, Pelecanidae) in Africa (Egypt and Senegal) and Europe (Ukraine and Bulgaria), is redescribed using light and scanning electron microscopy on the basis of specimens from P. crispus from Bulgaria. Pelecanema pelecani, a parasite of Pelecanus conspicillatus Temminck in Australia, is also redescribed using light microscopy on the basis of specimens from its type-host and type-locality. In contrast to a previous opinion recognising Pelecanema sirry and P. pelecani as synonyms, the two species are considered distinct and P. pelecani is validated.     

Systematic revision of the genus Phycodrys (Delesseriaceae,Rhodophyta) from New Zealand,with the descriptions of three new species,P. novae-zelandiae sp. nov., P. franiae sp. nov. and P. adamsiae sp. nov.

Two species of Phycodrys, Phycodrys quercifolia (Bory) Skottsberg and Phycodrys profunda E.Y.Dawson were previously recorded from New Zealand. However, an examination of Phycodrys collections from the New Zealand region showed that all were morphologically different from P. quercifolia (Type locality: the Falkland Islands) and P. profunda (Type locality: CA, USA). RbcL sequence analyses established that the New Zealand Phycodrys species formed a natural assemblage within the genus, consisting of three new species: P. novae-zelandiae sp. nov., P. franiae sp. nov. and P. adamsiae sp. nov. Phycodrys novae-zelandiae is the largest of the three, up to 20 cm in height, with a distinct midrib and multicellular, opposite to subopposite lateral macroscopic veins. It has entirely monostromatic blades except near the midrib and veins, and its procarp contains a three-celled sterile group one (st1) and a one-celled sterile group two (st2). Phycodrys franiae was previously treated as a cryptic species among herbarium collections of P. ‘quercifolia’. It is smaller (4–11 cm high) with weakly developed midribs and veins, the blade is tristromatic throughout, except at the growing margins, and the procarp consists of a four-celled st1 and a two–three-celled st2. Phycodrys adamsiae, previously reported as P. profunda, is a small decumbent or prostrate plant, 1–8 cm long, with a midrib and inconspicuous lateral veins. The blades are tristromatic with serrated margins, two–four-celled surface spines and multicellular marginal holdfasts that differ from those of Californian specimens. The tetrasporangia are borne on marginal bladelets. Phylogenetic analyses place the New Zealand species in a separate group that is distantly removed from most other Phycodrys species.     

Pygidiopsis ardeae n. sp. (Digenea: Heterophyidae: Pygidiopsinae) in the grey heron Ardea cinerea L. from Denmark

A new species, Pygidiopsis ardeae (Heterophyidae, Pygidiopsinae), is described, using both light and stereoscan electron microscopy, from the grey heron Ardea cinerea L. (Ardeidae) from Denmark. The species has previously (as P. genata) been recorded in dogs fed on plaice and flounders from Danish waters. It developed experimentally in domestic chickens and pigeons. No species of Pygidiopsis Looss, 1907 has previously been described from birds in northern Europe. P. ardeae is very similar to the type-species, P. genata Looss, 1907, from Egypt, but the two species have different life-cycles. P. ardeae differs from P. piclaumoreli Dollfus & Capron, 1958 from Senegal in its size and the disposition of vitelline follicles. P. plana (Linton, 1928) Price, 1933, from a green heron from the eastern USA, is larger than P. ardeae and has a wide, sac-like prepharynx.     

Molecular phylogeny of the spiny-surfaced species of the dinoflagellate Prorocentrum with the description of P. thermophilum sp. nov. and P. criophilum sp. nov. (Prorocentrales,Dinophyceae)

Spiny-surfaced species of Prorocentrum form harmful algal blooms, and its taxonomic identity is obscure due to the size and shape variability. Molecular phylogenies reveal two major clades: one for P. cordatum with sequences mainly retrieved as P. minimum, and the other for P. shikokuense with sequences also retrieved as P. dentatum and P. donghaiense. Several closely related clades still need to be characterized. Here, we provide nuclear SSU and LSU rRNA genes, and nuclear ITS region (ITS1-5.8S gene-ITS2) sequences of the strain CCMP3122 isolated from Florida (initially named P. donghaiense) and strains Prorocentrum sp. RCC6871–2 from the Ross Sea, Antarctica. We describe Prorocentrum thermophilum sp. nov. based on the strain CCMP3122, a species also distributed in the open waters of the Gulf of Mexico, New Zealand, and the Arabian Gulf; and Prorocentrum criophilum sp. nov. based on the strain RCC6872, which is distributed in the Antarctic Ocean and Arctic Sea. Prorocentrum thermophilum is roundish (~14 μm long, ~12 μm wide), with an inconspicuous anterior spine-like prolongation under light microscopy, valves with tiny, short knobs (5–7 per μm²), and several (<7) large trichocyst pores (~0.3 μm) in the right valve, as well as smaller pores (~0.15 μm). Prorocentrum criophilum is round in valve view (~11 μm long, 10 μm wide) and asymmetrically roundish in lateral view, the periflagellar area was not discernible under light microscopy, valves with very tiny, short knobs (6–10 per μm²), and at least 12 large pores in the right valve. Other potentially undescribed species of spiny-surfaced Prorocentrum are discussed.     

Taxonomic revision of the genusPinguicula L. in the Iberian Peninsula

In this paper, the genusPinguicula is revised in the Iberian Peninsula. The taxa studied areP. vulgaris, P. nevadensis, P. grandiflora subsp.grandiflora, P. dertosensis, P. vallisneriifolia, P. longifolia subsp.longifolia, P. mundi, P. alpina andP. lusitanica. Five taxa are endemic to the area studied (P. nevadensis, P. dertosensis, P. vallisneriifolia, P. longifolia subsp.longifolia andP. mundi). Two of them are confined to restricted areas:P. nevadensis is endemic to the Sierra Nevada (S Spain) andP. longifolia subsp.longifolia is endemic to the central Pyrenees (N Spain). Taxonomical, nomenclatural, morphological, chromosomal, biogeographical and ecological data are reported for each taxon. A new combination is proposed:Pinguicula Sect.Longifolia (Casper) G. Blanca, M. Ruíz-Rejón etR. Zamora.     

Pollen competition among Populus deltoides Marsh., P. nigra L. and P. maximowiczii Henry in fertilizing P. deltoides ovules and siring its seed crop

Summary Interspecific pollen competition among Populus deltoides, P. nigra and P. maximowiczii in fertilizing P. deltoides ovules was studied by using a pollen mixture technique, allozymes and leaf morphology. The frequencies of F₁ seedlings of different paternities in pollen-mix crosses showed highly significant (P<0.01) departures from the 11 ratio expected if pollen selection was random. P. deltoides pollen was the most competitive. The mean percentages of F₁ seedlings of P. deltoides paternity in crosses with pollen mixes P. deltodes + P. nigra, P. deltoides + P. maximowiczii, and P. deltoides + P. nigra + P. maximowiczii were 95.0, 92.5, and 84.8, respectively. P. maximowiczii pollen was more competitive than P. nigra pollen, which was at a selective disadvantage. An average of 83.6% of F₁ progenies of the eight crosses with P. nigra + P. maximowiczii pollen showed P. maximowiczii paternity. Also, in four crosses with P. deltoides + P. nigra + P. maximowiczii pollen, the relative proportion of P. deltoides × P. maximowiczii seedlings (13.4%) was higher than that of P. deltoides × P. nigra seedlings (1.8%). Pollen proportions in the pollen mixes and pollen size did not significantly affect the competitive ability of the pollen. The relative pollen competitive ability indicated reproductive affinities among the species.     

Taxonomic notes on the Halymeniaceae (Gigartinales,Rhodophyta) from Japan. III. Synonymization of Pachymeniopsis Yamada in Kawabata with Grateloupia C. Agardh*

The taxonomic status of the red algal genus Pachymeniopsis (Halymeniaceae) was evaluated based on a morphological study of the type species Pachymeniopsis lanceolata (Okamura) Yamada in Kawabata (=Aeodes lanceolata Okamura). Features used to separate Pachymeniopsis from allied genera such as Aeodes or Grateloupia were found to be inconsistently expressed within even single populations, and P. lanceolata is considered to be best placed in Grateloupia. The two remaining species, P. yendoi and P. elliptica, are judged to be conspecific, with P. elliptica also best placed in Grateloupia. The genus Pachymeniopsis is, therefore, considered synonymous with Grateloupia. The transfer of P. lanceolata to Grateloupia is proposed as Grateloupia lanceolata (Okamura) Kawaguchi, comb. nov. The reinstatement of Grateloupia elliptica Holmes, which includes Pachymeniopsis yendoi as a synonym, is also proposed.     

Poterium Spinosum L. Elemento Del Mediterraneo Orientale A Calamosca (Capo S. Elia,Sardegna)

Abstract

«Poterium spinosum» L. in Western Mediterranean at Calamosca (Capo S. Elia, Sardegna). — The Author has studied the station of Poterium spinosum at Calamosca, a small valley of S. Elia Cape, near Cagliari, Sardinia. Im Sardinia this place is the only one where P. spinosum grows on the contrary to the information given in RIKLI (1946) where P. spinosum is indicated as growing everywhere along the coast in the island. As it is known, P. spinosum is very common along the coast in Greece, Lebanon, Israel, Syria; is absent in Egypt; is present in the calcareous part of Cyrenaica, in Sicily between Siracusa and Capo Passero; it reaches westwards the small island of Djerba (Tunisia) and Calamosca (S. Elia Cape — Sardinia). In Dalmatia has been reported for Spalato (Split) and Ragusa (Dubrovnik). It has not been found lately at Fiume (Rijeka) neither at Tivoli (Latium), Cotrone (Basilicata) and Bari (Apulia). P. spinosum at Calamosca in the higher part of the station is tipically rock-dwelling, lower is still rock-dwelling but associated with Thymus capitatus H. et Lk., while in the lowert part of the station P. spinosum grows on gravel with Thymelaea hirsuta Endl. P. spinosum at Calamosca has never been found growing with Thymus capitatus and Thymelaea hirsuta both. The center of the distribution area of P. spinosum is in eastern Mediterranean where it forms (Greece and Greek islands) a typical association with Thymelaea hirsuta (RIKLI 1946). In Israel P. spinosum is associated with Thymus capitatus (ZOHARY). The distribution area of P. spinosum is solid in its eastern part, fragmented in central Mediterranean and sparse towards the west. Recently the species, which has 2n = 28 chromosomes (LARSEN 1955), has been found to have hypoglycemic principles active against diabetes.     

Changes in algal assemblages along observed and experimental phosphorus gradients in a subtropical wetland, U.S.A.

• 1 We wanted to determine if changes in algae in the Everglades were due to increased phosphorus (P) loading. Epiphytic algae, water chemistry, and surface sediment chemistry were characterized from 32 sloughs along a P gradient in the Everglades and changes in the algal assemblages along the P gradient were compared with those along an experimental P gradient of in situ mesocosms. The sloughs are the wettest open water habitats characterized by floating and submerged aquatic plants in the Everglades.
• 2 Algal species composition was much more sensitive to P concentration than algal biomass. The diatom species variance among sloughs, captured by 1st ordination axis, was more highly correlated with total P (TP) in surface sediments (r = ‐ 0.79), than soluble reactive P (SRP) (r = ‐ 0.08) and TP (r = ‐ 0.48) in the water column. Algal biomass (µg chl a cm^‐2) was not significantly correlated with P (SRP: r = 0.22, TP: r = 0.19, sediment TP: r = 0.07) along the P gradient in the Everglades. Cluster analysis classified diatom species assemblages in 32 sloughs into three groups (TWIN I, II, III), which corresponded to three zones along the P gradient. Dominant diatom species shifted from Mastogloia smithii (40.3%), Cymbella scotica (22.3%), and Fragilaria synegrotesca (21.8%) in TWIN I to Nitzschia amphibia (22.4%) and C. microcephala (12.4%) in TWIN III. TP in surface sediments and TP in epiphyton assemblages increased 4‐ and 5‐fold from TWIN I to TWIN III, respectively.
• 3 Patterns in epiphytic assemblages along the experimental P gradient in the mesocosms were very similar to those along the Everglades P gradient. Shannon diversity indices and species richness significantly increased along both P gradients. TN : TP ratio in epiphyton assemblages significantly decreased as sediment TP increased along both P gradient. Ordination analysis showed that diatom assemblages in the impacted zone (TWIN III) were ordinated closely to the assemblages from the highest P treatments in the mesocosms. The assemblages from the less impacted zone (TWIN I) were ordinated closely to the assemblages from controls in the mesocosms.
• 4 Concurrence between results of our survey and experiments suggest that changes in epiphytic assemblages along the P gradient in the Everglades are caused by increases in P concentrations.

     

Chloroplast DNA variation in Populus. II. Interspecific restriction fragment polymorphisms and genetic relationships among Populus deltoides,P. nigra,P. maximowiczii,and P. x canadensis

Restriction fragment analysis was conducted to determine interspecific chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) variation and genetic relationships among Populus deltoides, P. nigra, P. x canadensis (P. deltoides x P. nigra), and P. maximowiczii. Total cellular DNAs of these poplars were digested with 16 restriction endonucleases, and Southern blots of the restriction digests were probed with six different cloned cpDNA fragments from Petunia. P. deltoides, P. nigra, and P. maximowiczii each had a distinct chloroplast genome, separated by many restriction-site and restriction-fragment-length mutations, predominantly in the large single-copy region of the genome. P. x canadensis shared the same cpDNA restriction fragment patterns as P. deltoides var. deltoides. P. nigra was most diverged from P. deltoides, and P. deltoides showed close cpDNA relationships to P. maximowiczii. Nucleotide substitutions per site in cpDNA were 0.0036 between P. deltoides and P. maximowiczii, 0.0071 between P. nigra and P. maximowiczii, and 0.0077 between P. deltoides and P. nigra. We suggest that P. nigra should be classified in a new separate section, the Nigrae.     

Pleurosigma hinzianum sp. nov. and P. frenguellianum sp. nov. (Pleurosigmataceae,Bacillariophyta) from Argentinean coastal waters,in comparison with P. amara Stidolph and P. elongatum W. Smith

Two new marine diatom species from Argentinean coastal waters, Pleurosigma hinzianum Sterrenburg, Sunesen & Sar, sp. nov. and P. frenguellianum Sunesen, Sterrenburg & Sar, sp. nov., are described. The characters permitting their identification are specified, based on comparison with type material of the morphologically similar species P. amara Stidolph and P. elongatum W. Smith in the light (LM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). New information on the type material of P. elongatum is presented and its taxonomic concept is emended. The main criteria for separation of the species discussed here are: valve outline, path of the raphe-sternum, raphe angle and angle of intersection of the oblique striae in LM; and external central and terminal raphe fissures, internal details of the central area, external and internal apical structure, and morphology of the hymen-occluded internal pores in SEM. The occurrence of these (and probably other) species in the genus Pleurosigma in net samples is adventitious and not indicative of a true planktonic mode of life.     

Use of chloroplast DNA polymorphisms for the phylogenetic study of seven Phaseolus taxa including P. vulgaris and P. coccineus

The genetic variability of seven Phaseolus taxa has been evaluated on the basis of molecular data and the results have used to clarify the phyletic relationships between several taxa of the P. coccineus L. complex. Chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) from 33 populations was digested with six restriction endonucleases, revealing some polymorphisms that made it possible to divide most of the taxa into two main groups: the subspecies of P. coccineus on the one hand, and P. vulgaris L., P. polyanthus Greenman and P. costaricensis (Freytag and Debouck) on the other hand. P. polyanthus is closer to P. vulgaris than the other taxa of the second group and should be considered as a separate species. The position of the wild species P. costaricensis is intermediate between P. coccineus and P. polyanthus. P. glabellus shows sufficient polymorphisms at the cpDNA level to be recognized as a separate species, as previously suggested from total seed-protein electrophoretic studies. These results favour the hypothesis of a common phylogeny for P. vulgaris, P. polyanthus, P. costaricensis and P. coccineus from a single wild ancestor. Although cpDNA is generally known to be uniform at the intraspecific level, some additional polymorphisms were also detected within P. vulgaris, P. polyanthus and P. coccineus. Further studies are required to understand the significance of the latter.     

Primulina rubella sp. nov. (Gesneriaceae) from a limestone area in Guangdong,China

A new species of Primulina (Gesneriaceae) from a limestone area in southern China, P. rubella L.H. Yang & M. Kang, is described and illustrated. The new species has purple‐red flowers and is thus similar to P. lijiangensis, but differs by its petiole, leaf blade, cyme, filament, stigma and ovary. In adition, a molecular phylogenetic reconstruction indicated that P. rubella and P. lijiangensis belong to quite different clades. Instead, P. rubella appears to be closely related to the sympatric P. qingyuanensis, although these two species are obviously differentiated both in terms of flower color and other vegetative and floral characters. The conservation status of P. rubella is assessed as ‘Critically Endangered’ (CR) according to the IUCN red list categories and criteria.