Descending Neurons of the Epipharyngeal Ganglion in the Dragonfly Aeschna Larva

Using staining with methylene blue, several descending neurons were revealed in the epipharyngeal ganglion of the dragonfly Aeschna larva. Among them there is a neuron that has extensive arborization and unites a significant part of the epipharyngeal ganglion. The contacts of this neuron with the bundle of optic fibers from the lobule are found, which allows suggesting its participation in the descending visual pathway. A neuron of the central complex of the descending tract is revealed.     

Molecular Species Identification of Spiny Lobster Phyllosoma Larvae of the Genus Panulirus from the Northwestern Pacific

To identify lobster phyllosoma larvae of the genus Panulirus occurring in waters adjacent to Japan, genetic variation within and between 10 Indo-Pacific lobster species was investigated using restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis for the 1300-base pair mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene. RFLP analysis using two endonucleases (AluI and TaqI) enabled discrimination of all species, including the P. longipes complex. The diagnostic DNA markers, supplemented with nucleotide sequence analysis, were applied to 44 mid- to late-stage phyllosoma larvae (7.4 to 27.7 mm in body length) collected in the northwestern Pacific. These samples were unexpectedly variable in species composition, comprising P. japonicus (n = 16), P. longipes bispinosus (21), P. longipes longipes (1), P. “aka” (1), and P. penicillatus (5). Comparison of larval size at similar stages revealed that P. l. bispinosus larvae were significantly larger than P. japonicus.     

Validity Analysis of the Morphological Identification of Three Highly Morphologically Similar Species Belonging to the Genus Niviventer (Rodentia: Muridae)

Cryptic species are prevalent among mammals, and identifying morphological methods or measurements that can effectively distinguish cryptic species has high significance in taxonomy. Three of the white-bellied rats, Niviventer confucianus, N. fulvescens and N. huang (Rodentia: Muridae), have such similar morphological characteristics that taxonomists have not been able to effectively identify them according to their morphologies. Recent studies have determined that the N. fulvescens species complex contains multiple species, indicating that previous morphological comparisons were potentially based on inaccurate species identifications, leading to false conclusions. To clarify whether the morphological differences among these three species can be used for identification, a variety of morphological methods and measurements were combined with molecular species identification to ensure accurate identifications prior to comparing morphological characteristics. The results showed that: (1) only N. confucianus has a white tail tip, distinguishing this species from the other two species but not N. fulvescens from N. huang; and (2) the tail length of N. fulvescens and ear length of N. confucianus are greater than those of the other species. Traditional morphological methods cannot differentiate these species well, with the discrimination rate reaching more than 90%; therefore, they can only be used as auxiliary methods for morphological identification. Additionally: (3) the geometric morphological results of the four skull views can be combined to distinguish the three species, among which the discrimination rate of lateral view of mandible reaches 98%, making it effective for differentiating these species; and (4) the phallic morphologies of the three species differed significantly in the presence of a dorsal groove, thickness of the distal baculum, and the positional relationship between the distal and proximal baccula; thus, this approach can completely distinguish these species. This study examines the applicability of various morphological measurements for the identification of highly morphologically similar species, provides a reference for distinguishing cryptic species produced by convergent evolution or incomplete differentiation by morphology, and suggests that phallic morphology should be the primary characteristic for differentiating such species in the future.

     

革板螨属1新种和浩伦螨属1新种(蜱螨亚纲:中气门目:派盾螨科)

记述派盾螨科Parholaspidae2新种：拟阿革板螨Gamasholaspis imitakimotoi sp．nov．和福建浩伦螨Holaspulus fujianensis sp．nov．。     

Biochemical Identification and Phylogenetic Relationships in Free-Living Amoebas of the Genus Naegleria1

Using isoelectric focusing, the zymograms of 23 pathogenic and nonpathogenic Naegleria strains were studied for the activity of 16 enzymes. Certain enzymes (lactate dehydrogenase, L-threonine dehydrogenase, superoxide dismutase, acid phosphatase, malic enzyme, and leucine aminopeptidase) proved particularly useful from a practical point of view as they allow easy and reliable identification of pathogenic N. fowleri and N. australiensis as well as nonpathogenic N. lovaniensis strains. Genetic interpretation of these zymograms gave estimates of genetic distances that largely confirmed the taxonomic position of the Naegleria species. In addition, the genetic data suggest that there are two main phylogenetic groups in the genus Naegleria.     

辽宁木霉属(Trichoderma)真菌的形态分类研究

对采自辽宁省内14个地方的173份土样和植物组织材料进行分离,获得了54株Trichoderma菌株,采用形态学分类方法鉴定出12种木霉菌,分别是拟康氏木霉(Trichoderma pseudokoningii)、长枝木霉(T.longi-brachiatum)、粘绿木霉(T.virens)、卷曲木霉(T.spirale)、顶孢木霉(T.fertile)、粗壮木霉(T.strigosum)、长孢木霉(T.longipile)、钩状木霉(T.hamatum)、绿色木霉(T.viride)、康氏木霉(T.koningii)、深绿木霉(T.atroviri-de)和哈茨木霉(T.harzianum)。其中长孢木霉为中国新记录种,粗壮木霉和卷曲木霉为东北地区首次报道。文中列有辽宁省木霉属真菌的分种检索表,并附有各木霉菌的生境和分布。     

Morphological Differences between Larvae of the Ciona intestinalis Species Complex: Hints for a Valid Taxonomic Definition of Distinct Species

The cosmopolitan ascidian Ciona intestinalis is the most common model species of Tunicata, the sister-group of Vertebrata, and widely used in developmental biology, genomics and evolutionary studies. Recently, molecular studies suggested the presence of cryptic species hidden within the C. intestinalis species, namely C. intestinalis type A and type B. So far, no substantial morphological differences have been identified between individuals belonging to the two types. Here we present morphometric, immunohistochemical, and histological analyses, as well as 3-D reconstructions, of late larvae obtained by cross-fertilization experiments of molecularly determined type A and type B adults, sampled in different seasons and in four different localities. Our data point to quantitative and qualitative differences in the trunk shape of larvae belonging to the two types. In particular, type B larvae exhibit a longer pre-oral lobe, longer and relatively narrower total body length, and a shorter ocellus-tail distance than type A larvae. All these differences were found to be statistically significant in a Discriminant Analysis. Depending on the number of analyzed parameters, the obtained discriminant function was able to correctly classify > 93% of the larvae, with the remaining misclassified larvae attributable to the existence of intra-type seasonal variability. No larval differences were observed at the level of histology and immunohistochemical localization of peripheral sensory neurons. We conclude that type A and type B are two distinct species that can be distinguished on the basis of larval morphology and molecular data. Since the identified larval differences appear to be valid diagnostic characters, we suggest to raise both types to the rank of species and to assign them distinct names.     

The Inadequacy of Morphology for Species and Genus Delineation in Microbial Eukaryotes: An Example from the Parabasalian Termite Symbiont Coronympha

Background

For the majority of microbial eukaryotes (protists, algae), there is no clearly superior species concept that is consistently applied. In the absence of a practical biological species concept, most species and genus level delineations have historically been based on morphology, which may lead to an underestimate of the diversity of microbial eukaryotes. Indeed, a growing body of molecular evidence, such as barcoding surveys, is beginning to support the conclusion that significant cryptic species diversity exists. This underestimate of diversity appears to be due to a combination of using morphology as the sole basis for assessing diversity and our inability to culture the vast majority of microbial life. Here we have used molecular markers to assess the species delineations in two related but morphologically distinct genera of uncultivated symbionts found in the hindgut of termites.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Using single-cell isolation and environmental PCR, we have used a barcoding approach to characterize the diversity of Coronympha and Metacoronympha symbionts in four species of Incisitermes termites, which were also examined using scanning electron microscopy and light microcopy. Despite the fact that these genera are significantly different in morphological complexity and structural organisation, we find they are two life history stages of the same species. At the same time, we show that the symbionts from different termite hosts show an equal or greater level of sequence diversity than do the hosts, despite the fact that the symbionts are all classified as one species.

Conclusions/Significance

The morphological information used to describe the diversity of these microbial symbionts is misleading at both the genus and species levels, and led to an underestimate of species level diversity as well as an overestimate of genus level diversity. The genus ‘Metacoronympha’ is invalid and appears to be a life history stage of Coronympha, while the single recognized species of Coronympha octonaria inhabiting these four termites is better described as four distinct species.     

奸狡长蠹属Apate六种识别

研究了奸狡长蠹属Apate 6个种:钻孔奸狡长蠹Apate terebrans(Pallas)、杂奸狡长蠢Apate degener Murray、射影奸狡长蠹Apate reflexa Lesne、咖啡黑长蠹Apate monachus Fabricius、毛额奸狡长蠹Apate femoralis F&hraeus和毛跗奸狡长蠹Apate indistincta Murray,其中咖啡黑长蠹是我国进境植物检疫性害虫.提供了上述6种奸狡长蠹的鉴定检索表,并分别描述了主要形态特征、寄主、分析和经济重要性.     

4种薯蓣属植物的分子鉴别和亲缘关系研究

为揭示薯蓣属植物的亲缘关系,根据叶绿体matK、rbcL、trnL-F和psbA-trnH序列片段,对小花盾叶薯蓣(Dioscorea sinopatviflora)、盾叶薯蓣(D.zingibiernsis)、黄独(D.bulbifera)和山药(D.polystachya)进行种间分子鉴别研究,并探讨这4个片段在薯蓣属植物系统发育上的意义。结果表明,4种薯蓣属植物共22份材料的matK、rbcL、trnL-F和psbA-trnH序列片段的长度分别为1026~1142 bp、1156~1178 bp、744~822 bp和355~599 bp。用PAUP 4.0b10和贝叶斯推断构建的系统发育树分析表明,云南的黄独与盾叶薯蓣的亲缘关系较近;小花盾叶薯蓣与盾叶薯蓣的亲缘关系很近;而非洲的黄独与云南的黄独的亲缘关系很远。但仅用这4个cpDNA片段还不能完全区分小花盾叶薯蓣和盾叶薯蓣,这说明基于这4个序列片段的系统发育证据与4种薯蓣属植物属内的分类划分并不十分吻合。     

Genetic Identification of Members of the Genus Corynebacterium at Genus and Species Levels with 16S rDNA-Targeted Probes

16S rRNA gene-targeted probes were designed for the identification of corynebacteria at the genus and species levels. The genus-specific probe hybridized all clinically important members of the genus Corynebacterium and could distinguish them from other coryneform bacteria and phylogenetically related high G + C% gram-positive bacteria, including Actinomyces, Rhodococcus, Gordona, Nocardia, Streptomyces, Brevibacterium and Mycobacterium. The species-specific probes for C. jeikeium and C. diphtheriae could differentiate these two species from other members of this genus. The probes were used to select corynebacteria among gram-positive clinical isolates which had been tentatively identified as corynebacteria by biochemical tests. We screened 59 strains with the genus-specific probe; 51 strains hybridized to the genus-specific probe, 8 did not. Of the 51 strains that hybridized to the genus-specific probe, 1 hybridized to the C. diphtheriae species probe and 13 hybridized to the C. jeikeium species probe. The 8 strains that did not hybridize to the genus probe were further characterized by analyzing cell wall diaminopimelic acid and partial 16S rRNA sequencing. The results indicated that these strains were distributed in the genera Arthrobacter and Brevibacterium.     

Optimization of Multilocus Sequence Analysis for Identification of Species in the Genus Vibrio

Multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) is an important method for identification of taxa that are not well differentiated by 16S rRNA gene sequences alone. In this procedure, concatenated sequences of selected genes are constructed and then analyzed. The effects that the number and the order of genes used in MLSA have on reconstruction of phylogenetic relationships were examined. The recA, rpoA, gapA, 16S rRNA gene, gyrB, and ftsZ sequences from 56 species of the genus Vibrio were used to construct molecular phylogenies, and these were evaluated individually and using various gene combinations. Phylogenies from two-gene sequences employing recA and rpoA in both possible gene orders were different. The addition of the gapA gene sequence, producing all six possible concatenated sequences, reduced the differences in phylogenies to degrees of statistical (bootstrap) support for some nodes. The overall statistical support for the phylogenetic tree, assayed on the basis of a reliability score (calculated from the number of nodes having bootstrap values of ≥80 divided by the total number of nodes) increased with increasing numbers of genes used, up to a maximum of four. No further improvement was observed from addition of the fifth gene sequence (ftsZ), and addition of the sixth gene (gyrB) resulted in lower proportions of strongly supported nodes. Reductions in the numbers of strongly supported nodes were also observed when maximum parsimony was employed for tree construction. Use of a small number of gene sequences in MLSA resulted in accurate identification of Vibrio species.