Revision of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Serrulati</Emphasis> species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Penstemon</Emphasis> section <Emphasis Type="Italic">Saccanthera</Emphasis> subsection <Emphasis Type="Italic">Serrulati</Emphasis>

A revision of Penstemon sect. Saccanthera subsect. Serrulati includes a new species (P. salmonensis), a new variety (P. triphyllus var. infernalis), and the elevation of a subspecies to species (P. curtiflorus), bringing the total number of species to eight, which are keyed and described, complete with nomenclature and type citations.     

Revision of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Podocotyloides</Emphasis> Yamaguti, 1934 (Digenea: Opecoelidae), resurrection of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pedunculacetabulum</Emphasis> Yamaguti, 1934 and the naming of a cryptic opecoelid species

Despite morphological and ecological inconsistencies among species, all plagioporine opecoelids with a pedunculate ventral sucker are currently considered to belong in the genus Podocotyloides Yamaguti, 1934. We revise the genus based on combined morphological and phylogenetic analyses of novel material collected from haemulid fishes in Queensland waters that we interpret to represent species congeneric with the type-species, Pod. petalophallus Yamaguti, 1934, also known from a haemulid, off Japan. Our phylogenetic analysis demonstrates polyphyly of Podocotyloides; prompts us to resurrect Pedunculacetabulum Yamaguti, 1934; and suggests that Pod. brevis Andres & Overstreet, 2013, from a deep-sea congrid in the Caribbean, and Pod. parupenei (Manter, 1963) Pritchard, 1966 and Pod. stenometra Pritchard, 1966, from mullids and chaetodontids, respectively, on the Great Barrier Reef, may each represent a distinct genus awaiting recognition. Our revised concept of Podocotyloides requires a pedunculate ventral sucker, but also a uterine sphincter prior to the genital atrium, a petalloid cirrus appendage, restriction of the vitelline follicles to the hindbody, and for the excretory vesicle to reach to the level of the ventral sucker. Of about 20 nominal species, we recognise just three in Podocotyloides (sensu stricto): Pod. petalophallus, Pod. gracilis (Yamaguti, 1952) Pritchard, 1966 and Pod. magnatestes Aleshkina & Gaevskaya, 1985. We provide new records for Pod. gracilis, and propose two new species of Podocotyloides, Pod. australis n. sp. and Pod. brevivesiculatus n. sp., and one new Pedunculacetabulum species, Ped. inopinipugnus n. sp., all from haemulids. Podocotyloides australis is morphologically indistinguishable from Pod. gracilis, and exploits the same definitive host, but is genetically and biogeographically distinct. It is thus a cryptic species, the first such opecoelid to be formally named.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Ty</Emphasis>1<Emphasis Type="Italic">/copia</Emphasis>- and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ty</Emphasis>3<Emphasis Type="Italic">/gypsy</Emphasis>-like DNA sequences in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Helianthus </Emphasis>species

Two repeated DNA sequences isolated from a partial genomic DNA library of Helianthus annuus, p HaS13 and p HaS211, were shown to represent portions of the int gene of a Ty3 /gypsy retroelement and of the RNase-Hgene of a Ty1 /copia retroelement, respectively. Southern blotting patterns obtained by hybridizing the two probes to BglII- or DraI-digested genomic DNA from different Helianthus species showed p HaS13 and p HaS211 were parts of dispersed repeats at least 8 and 7 kb in length, respectively, that were conserved in all species studied. Comparable hybridization patterns were obtained in all species with p HaS13. By contrast, the patterns obtained by hybridizing p HaS211 clearly differentiated annual species from perennials. The frequencies of p HaS13- and p HaS211-related sequences in different species were 4.3x10(4)-1.3x10(5) copies and 9.9x10(2)-8.1x10(3) copies per picogram of DNA, respectively. The frequency of p HaS13-related sequences varied widely within annual species, while no significant difference was observed among perennial species. Conversely, the frequency variation of p HaS211-related sequences was as large within annual species as within perennials. Sequences of both families were found to be dispersed along the length of all chromosomes in all species studied. However, Ty3 /gypsy-like sequences were localized preferentially at the centromeric regions, whereas Ty1/ copia-like sequences were less represented or absent around the centromeres and plentiful at the chromosome ends. These findings suggest that the two sequence families played a role in Helianthusgenome evolution and species divergence, evolved independently in the same genomic backgrounds and in annual or perennial species, and acquired different possible functions in the host genomes.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Funastrum rupicola</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Apocynaceae:</Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">Asclepiadoideae</Emphasis>), a new species from Bolivia

Summary   Funastrum rupicola Goyder, a new species of Apocynaceae: Asclepiadoideae from Bolivia, is described and illustrated. The conservation status of this species is assessed.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Elaphoglossum mickeliorum</Emphasis> (Dryopteridaceae), a new species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Elaphoglossum</Emphasis> sect. <Emphasis Type="Italic">Polytrichia</Emphasis> from Peru

Elaphoglossum mickeliorum, a new species from the eastern slopes of the Peruvian Andes, is here described and illustrated. It belongs to E. sect. Polytrichia, which is characterized by the presence of subulate scales and absence of hydathodes on the sterile leaves of adult sporophytes. Herbarium specimens of this new species were first collected by Alwyn H. Gentry ca. 40 years ago, but these got readily confused with E. erinaceum and went undescribed since then. The new species differs from members of the E. erinaceum complex by having a nearly continuous band of planar, nonsubulate scales along the laminar margins of sterile leaves. Based on this character, E. mickeliorum resembles species such as E. glaziovii, E. ornatum, and E. scolopendrifolium. It differs from these by the presence of minute glandular hairs on petioles and costae. A distribution map and a figure with line drawings are also provided. For comparative purposes, the line drawing includes E. blepharoglottis, which is here illustrated for the first time.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Cambessedesia tiradentensis</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Melastomataceae</Emphasis>), a new species from Brazil

Summary  A new and probably endemic species of Cambessedesia DC. is described from campo rupestre vegetation, as part of a floristic survey of Melastomataceae from the S?o José mountain range, Tiradentes District, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. Miscellaneous  Accepted for publication April 2008.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Agrobacterium</Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">tumefaciens</Emphasis>-mediated transformation of callus cells of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Crataegus</Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">aronia</Emphasis>

A genetic transformation system has been developed for callus cells of Crataegus aronia using Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Callus culture was established from internodal stem segments incubated on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 5 mg l⁻¹ Indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) and 0.5 mg l⁻¹ 6-benzyladenine (BA). In order to optimize the callus culture system with respect to callus growth and coloration, different types and concentrations of plant growth regulators were tested. Results indicated that the best average fresh weight of red colored callus was obtained on MS medium supplemented with 2 mg l⁻¹ 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and 1.5 mg l⁻¹ kinetin (Kin) (callus maintenance medium). Callus cells were co-cultivated with Agrobacterium harboring the binary plasmid pCAMBIA1302 carrying the mgfp5 and hygromycin phosphotransferase (hptII) genes conferring green fluorescent protein (GFP) activity and hygromycin resistance, respectively. Putative transgenic calli were obtained 4 weeks after incubation of the co-cultivated explants onto maintenance medium supplemented with 50 mg l⁻¹ hygromycin. Molecular analysis confirmed the integration of the transgenes in transformed callus. To our knowledge, this is the first time to report an Agrobacterium-mediated transformation system in Crataegus aronia.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Linaria khalkhalensis</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Linaria</Emphasis> sect. <Emphasis Type="Italic">Linaria</Emphasis>, Scrophulariaceae), a new species from Iran

Summary   Linaria khalkhalensis Hamdi & Assadi is described as a new species from Azerbaijan and Guilan provinces (northern Iran), belonging to Linaria sect. Linaria. It is close to Linaria lineolata Boiss. and L. elymaitica (Boiss.) Kuprian., which it resembles in habit and vegetative features. However, floral and seed characters together with a distinctive geographical distribution, warrant recognition at the species rank. An illustration of the new species, a distribution map, scanning electron micrographs of seed and capsule surfaces, and an identification key are also included.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Galleria</Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">mellonella</Emphasis> are Resistant to <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pneumocystis</Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">murina</Emphasis> Infection

Studying Pneumocystis has proven to be a challenge from the perspective of propagating a significant amount of the pathogen in a facile manner. The study of several fungal pathogens has been aided by the use of invertebrate model hosts. Our efforts to infect the invertebrate larvae Galleria mellonella with Pneumocystis proved futile since P. murina neither caused disease nor was able to proliferate within G. mellonella. It did, however, show that the pathogen could be rapidly cleared from the host.     

Revision of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Heterosavia</Emphasis>, stat. nov., with notes on <Emphasis Type="Italic">Gonatogyne</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Savia</Emphasis> (Phyllanthaceae)

Heterosavia (Phyllanthaceae) is segregated from Savia (tribe Bridelieae), recognized at generic rank, and placed in tribe Phyllantheae. Floral, fruit, leaf anatomical, leaf venation, and pollen characters of the neotropical taxa previously united as Savia including Gonatogyne are discussed and illustrated. Keys to the three genera and to the species of Heterosavia are presented. Four species (all new combinations), Heterosavia bahamensis, H. erythroxyloides, H. laurifolia, and H. maculata, are recognized. The new combinations Heterosavia laurifolia var. intermedia and H. maculata var. clementis are proposed. The names Heterosavia, H. erythroxyloides, H. laurifolia, Savia clementis, S. clusiifolia, S. clusiifolia var. fallax, and S. longipes are lectotypified. Distribution maps and conservation assessments (IUCN ratings) of Heterosavia species and varieties are provided.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Adlardia</Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">novaecaledoniae</Emphasis> n. g., n. sp. (Digenea: Cryptogonimidae) from the fork-tailed threadfin bream <Emphasis Type="Italic">Nemipterus furcosus</Emphasis> (Val.) (Perciformes: Nemipteridae) off New Caledonia

Adlardia novaecaledoniae n. g., n. sp. (Digenea: Cryptogonimidae) is described from the fish Nemipterus furcosus (Val.) (Perciformes: Nemipteridae) from off New Caledonia (South Pacific). Adlardia n. g. is distinguished from all other cryptogonimid genera by the combination of an elongate body, the presence of oral spines, intestinal caeca that open via ani at the posterior end of the body, a highly lobed ovary, oblique testes that are located in the mid-hindbody, vitelline follicles that extend from midway between the testes and ovary to midway between the ovary and ventral sucker, and an excretory vesicle that bifurcates dorsal to the ovary and reunites immediately anterior to the pharynx. A. novaecaledoniae n. sp. is the only cryptogonimid that has been reported with an excretory vesicle that reunites anterior to the pharynx. Siphoderina elongata (Gu &; Shen, 1979) Miller &; Cribb, 2008 is transferred to Adlardia as A. elongata (Gu &; Shen, 1979) n. comb. based on morphological and ecological (host group) agreement with A. novaecaledoniae. Bayesian inference analysis of LSU rDNA revealed that A. novaecaledoniae nested well within a clade containing cryptogonimid taxa known almost exclusively from haemulid and lutjanid fishes, suggesting that host-switching between teleosts of the Haemuloidea, Lutjanoidea and Sparoidea may have been common in the evolutionary history of this system.     

The <Emphasis Type="Italic">Caenorhabditis</Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">briggsae</Emphasis> genome contains active <Emphasis Type="Italic">CbmaT1</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Tcb1</Emphasis> transposons

The maT clade of transposons is a group of transposable elements intermediate in sequence and predicted protein structure to mariner and Tc transposons, with a distribution thus far limited to a few invertebrate species. We present evidence, based on searches of publicly available databases, that the nematode Caenorhabditis briggsae has several maT-like transposons, which we have designated as CbmaT elements, dispersed throughout its genome. We also describe two additional transposon sequences that probably share their evolutionary history with the CbmaT transposons. One resembles a fold back variant of a CbmaT element, with long (380-bp) inverted terminal repeats (ITRs) that show a high degree (71%) of identity to CbmaT1. The other, which shares only the 26-bp ITR sequences with one of the CbmaT variants, is present in eight nearly identical copies, but does not have a transposase gene and may therefore be cross mobilised by a CbmaT transposase. Using PCR-based mobility assays, we show that CbmaT1 transposons are capable of excising from the C. briggsae genome. CbmaT1 excised approximately 500 times less frequently than Tcb1 in the reference strain AF16, but both CbmaT1 and Tcb1 excised at extremely high frequencies in the HK105 strain. The HK105 strain also exhibited a high frequency of spontaneous induction of unc-22 mutants, suggesting that it may be a mutator strain of C. briggsae.     

Redescriptions of the Indo-Pacific atherinid fishes <Emphasis Type="Italic">Atherinomorus forskalii</Emphasis>, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Atherinomorus lacunosus</Emphasis>, and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Atherinomorus pinguis</Emphasis>

The Indo-Pacific marine atherinid fishes Atherinomorus forskalii (Rüppell, 1838), Atherinomorus lacunosus (Forster, 1801), and Atherinomorus pinguis (Lacepède, 1803) are redescribed as valid species based on the types and non-type specimens collected throughout the Indo-Pacific. They are similar to each other chiefly in having a wide midlateral band (almost the same or greater than the midlateral scale width), large mouth (posterior tip of upper jaw reaching to or beyond a vertical through anterior margin of pupil), and no distinct tubercle at the posterior end of the dentary. All three species are distinguishable from congeners by those characters. The three species have long been confused with each other or synonymized erroneously as a single species. Atherinomorus forskalii, known from the Red Sea and eastern Mediterranean, differs from Atherinomorus lacunosus and Atherinomorus pinguis in having conspicuous, large endopterygoid teeth, forming obvious tooth ridges. Atherinomorus lacunosus, widely distributed in almost the entire Indo-Pacific, from East Africa to Tonga, north to southern Japan, and south to northern Australia, differs from Atherinomorus pinguis in having a wider midlateral band (the lower margin reaching to almost the center of the fourth scale row at level of the anal fin origin vs. the lower margin reaching to the ventral end of the third scale row in Atherinomorus pinguis) and more numerous midlateral scales (40–44 vs. 38–41 in Atherinomorus pinguis). Atherina morrisi Jordan and Starks, 1906, Hepsetia pinguis mineri Nichols and Roemhild, 1951, Pranesus capricornensis Woodland, 1961, Pranesus maculatus Taylor, 1964, and Pranesus pinguis ruppelli Smith, 1965, are regarded as junior synonyms of Atherinomorus lacunosus. Atherinomorus pinguis is also widely distributed in the Indo-West Pacific, from East Africa to northern Australia and north to southern Japan. Atherina pectoralis Valenciennes, 1835, is considered a junior synonym of Atherinomorus pinguis. Supplementary material to this paper is available in electronic format at     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Neolebouria blatta</Emphasis> n. sp. (Digenea: Opecoelidae) from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pristipomoides argyrogrammicus</Emphasis> (Valenciennes) and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Etelis carbunculus</Emphasis> Cuvier (Perciformes: Lutjanidae) off New Caledonia

Neolebouria blatta n. sp. is described from Pristipomoides argyrogrammicus (Valenciennes) and Etelis carbunculus Cuvier in waters off New Caledonia. It differs from all other species of Neolebouria Gibson, 1976 but one, N. georgenascimentoi Bray, 2002, in the extension of the cirrus-sac to the ovary or nearly so. It differs from N. georgenascimentoi in its continuous, rather than interrupted, vitelline distribution. N. blatta belongs to a small group of similar Neolebouria species reported in deep-water lutjanids, which includes N. longisacculus (Yamaguti, 1970) n. comb., N. rooseveltiae (Yamaguti, 1970) n. comb. and N. ulaula (Yamaguti, 1970).     

A new <Emphasis Type="Italic">Dactylella</Emphasis> species from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Orbilia alba</Emphasis>

A new Dactylella species, Dactylella alba was isolated from the ascospores of Orbilia alba collected in Wenshan County, Yunnan Province, China. Conidiophores were either not branched or occasionally branched, bearing divergent sterigmata on the tip with single conidium on each. Conidia were elongated ellipsoids, 1–2 septate, mostly 1 septate. By combining the ITS sequence with morphological characteristics, a new anamorphic species is described and illustrated together with its teleomorph.     

In planta transformation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Notocactus scopa</Emphasis> cv. <Emphasis Type="Italic">Soonjung</Emphasis> by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Agrobacterium </Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">tumefaciens</Emphasis>

Notocactus scopa cv. Soonjung was subjected to in planta Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation with vacuum infiltration, pin-pricking, and a combination of the two methods. The pin-pricking combined with vacuum infiltration (20-30 cmHg for 15 min) resulted in a transformation efficiency of 67-100%, and the expression of the uidA and nptII genes was detected in transformed cactus. The established in planta transformation technique generated a transgenic cactus with higher transformation efficiency, shortened selection process, and stable gene expression via asexual reproduction. All of the results showed that the in planta transformation method utilized in the current study provided an efficient and time-saving procedure for the delivery of genes into the cactus genome, and that this technique can be applied to other asexually reproducing succulent plant species.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Amanita concentrica</Emphasis>: a new species in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Amanita</Emphasis> section <Emphasis Type="Italic">Amanita</Emphasis> from Japan

Amanita concentrica sp. nov. is described from an evergreen broad-leaved forest of Chiba Prefecture with Castanopsis cuspidata var. sieboldii and Quercus glauca. The fungus is a medium to large, white to yellowish-white mushroom characterized by many pyramidal warts on pileus, striate margin of pileus, distinct ascending concen-tric rings at upper part of stipe bulb, and inamyloid basidiospores. It is considered to belong to the section Amanita. Received: March 30, 2001 / Accepted: October 1, 2001