New insights into skeletal morphology of the oldest known silicoflagellates: Variramus, Cornua and Gleserocha gen. nov.

Two of the oldest known silicoflagellate-bearing sediments, lower Albian at Ocean Drilling Program Site 693 in the Weddell Sea of Antarctica and Santonian in the Devon Island sequence of the Canadian Archipelago, are re-examined with a focus on silicoflagellate genera Variramus, Cornua, and Gleserocha that lack basal rings, a feature appearing during late Santonian/early Campanian time within the genus Corbisema. The extraordinary variability of Variramus aculeifera is studied, and a new genus Gleserocha is proposed for taxa with apical structures made of three struts, but without pikes. This new genus includes previously described Variramus wisei and Cornua tapiae and new species G. harrisonii, and is here proposed as a genus transitional between Variramus and Cornua. Two unusual new species of Cornua, C. deflandrei and C. witkowskiana, are also described and a revised terminology is proposed for the skeletal components of Cornua and closely related genera.     

Systematics and evolution of the genus Torrubiella (Hypocreales, Ascomycota)

Torrubiella is a genus of arthropod-pathogenic fungi that primarily attacks spiders and scale insects. Based on the morphology of the perithecia, asci, and ascospores, it is classified in Clavicipitaceae s. lat. (Hypocreales), and is considered a close relative of Cordyceps s. 1., which was recently reclassified into three families (Clavicipitaceae s. str., Cordycipitaceae, Ophiocordycipitaceae) and four genera (Cordyceps s. str, Elaphocordyceps, Metacordyceps, and Ophiocordyceps). Torrubiella is distinguished morphologically from Cordyceps s. lat. mainly by the production of superficial perithecia and the absence of a well-developed stipitate stroma. To test and refine evolutionary hypotheses regarding the placement of Torrubiella and its relationship to Cordyceps s. lat., a multi-gene phylogeny was constructed by conducting ML and Bayesian analyses. The monophyly of Torrubiella was rejected by these analyses with species of the genus present in Clavicipitaceae, Cordycipitaceae, and Ophiocordycipitaceae, and often intermixed among species of Cordyceps s. lat. The morphological characters traditionally used to define the genus are, therefore, not phylogenetically informative, with the stipitate stromata being gained and/or lost several times among clavicipitaceous fungi. Two new genera (Conoideocrella, Orbiocrella) are proposed to accommodate two separate lineages of torrubielloid fungi in the Clavicipitaceae s. str. In addition, one species is reclassified in Cordyceps s. str. and three are reclassified in Ophiocordyceps. The phylogenetic importance of anamorphic genera, host affiliation, and stipitate stromata is discussed.     

The brachiopod family Linoproductidae stehli from the lower Moscovian of the Middle Carboniferous of the Moscow Region

The phylogeny and taxonomy of the brachiopod family Linoproductidae are revised. The change in the distributional pattern of spines and distinctive structure of the median lobe of the cardinal process are shown to be the main apomorphies in the family evolution. A new subfamily, Linispininae, and the included new genera, Linispinella and Linispinus, are described. In the nominotypical subfamily Linoproductinae, a new genus Linoproductoides and two new species included in this genus are described from the Vereiskian deposits of the Moscow Region. The new species Linispinus riparius (Trautschold), L. longus sp. nov., and L. staricensis (Ivanov) are described from the Kashirskian deposits. Another new species is tentatively described as “Linoproductus” kabanovi.     

Hundred species of the genus Peronopsis Hawle et Corda, 1847

The data on the genus Peronopsis, including 116 species and subspecies, that is, at least half of Middle Cambrian agnostians, are completely revised. The revision is based on the order of the formation of pygidial characters in ontogeny. A convenient taxonomic system of abundant species of this genus is proposed. It is shown that the sequence of the formation of characters in ontogeny generally corresponds to the chronological sequence of the appearance of species with appropriate morphology. The study of the genus Peronopsis resulted in a revision of the species composition of some other genera of the family Peronopsidae, clarification of the periods of existence of the majority of genera of this family. New diagnoses of genera and subgenera of the family Peronopsidae are provided.     

Hebeloma species associated with Cistus

The genus Hebeloma has a number of species highly specific to Cistus and others that occur with several host genera. This paper discusses the species of Hebeloma that appear to be ectomycorrhizal with Cistus, judging from their occurrence when Cistus is the only available host. The previously unknown species H. plesiocistum spec. nov. is described. We also provide a key to the known Hebeloma associates of Cistus. Molecular analyses based on ITS sequence data further illustrate the distinctness of the newly described species and difficulties in the species delimitation with view to H. erumpens. Specific associations with Cistus may have evolved more than once within the genus Hebeloma.     

Central European Strigeidae Railliet, 1919 (Trematoda: Strigeidida): Molecular and comparative morphological analysis suggests the reclassification of Parastrigea robusta Szidat, 1928 into Strigea Abildgaard, 1790

Strigeidae Railliet, 1919 are digenean parasites of birds and mammals that are characteristic by their cup-shaped forebody and bilobed holdfast organ. Despite that the family is taxonomically unsettled, particularly due to a very limited number of visible autapomorphic identification features, molecular phylogenetics have never been applied to analyze the relationships among European members of Strigeidae except for the genus Ichthyocotylurus. Here, we analyze the Strigeidae found during the examination of Czech birds performed from 1962 to 2017, and we provide comparative measurements and host spectra, including prevalence and intensity; we also provide and analyze sequences of four DNA loci of 12 of the Strigeidae species. We suggest the reclassification of Parastrigea robusta Szidat, 1928 as Strigea robusta (Szidat, 1928) Heneberg and Sitko, 2018 comb. n. The genera Strigea Abildgaard, 1790 and Parastrigea Szidat, 1928 appear paraphyletic, and morphological diagnostic features of genera within Strigeini Dubois, 1936 are invalid. The mute swan Cygnus olor hosts two Cotylurus spp., Cotylurus syrius Dubois, 1934 and a second species with molecular identification features shared in part with Cotylurus cornutus (Rudolphi, 1808) and Cotylurus gallinulae Lutz, 1928. New host records are provided for seven species. Analyses of non-European genera of the Strigeidae are needed to provide an updated key to Strigeini.     

Mesozoic rissoid gastropods: History of the study,systematics, and diversity

The history of the study and review of generic and species diversity of Mesozoic rissoid gastropods are provided. The generic composition of Jurassic rissoid gastropods is revised, so that it is proposed to regard them as the family Rissoidae, comprising the genera Bralitzia, Buvignieria, Palaeoceratia, and Palaeorissoina. It is tentatively proposed to assign the genus Hudlestoniella to Rissoidae; this is caused by insufficient morphological knowledge of this genus. The family Palaeorissoidae is regarded as a synonym of Rissoidae. Stratigraphical and geographical distribution of Rissoidae genera is reviewed. From the Jurassic of European Russia, the following species of the genus Buvignieria are described: B. calloviana Gründel, B. imminuera Gründel, B. paucicostata Gründel, B. eichwaldiana (Rouillier), B. choroshovensis Gerasimov, and B. gruendeli sp. nov. The morphological characteristics and stratigraphical distribution of these species are provided. Based on extensive material, the taxonomic significance of particular conchological characters for the establishment of species is discussed.     

Molecular phylogenetics and morphological evolution of St. John’s wort (Hypericum; Hypericaceae)

Phylogenetic hypotheses for the large cosmopolitan genus Hypericum (St. John’s wort) have previously been based on morphology, and molecular studies have thus far included only a few species. In this study, we used 360 sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA) for 206 species representing Hypericum (incl. Triadenum and Thornea) and three other genera of Hypericaceae to generate an explicit phylogenetic hypothesis for the genus using parsimony and model-based methods. The results indicate that the small genus Triadenum is nested in a clade within Hypericum containing most of the New World species. Sister to Hypericum is Thornea from Central America. Within Hypericum, three large clades and two smaller grades were found; these are based on their general morphology, especially characters used previously in taxonomy of the genus. Relative to the most recent classification, around 60% of the sections of Hypericum were monophyletic. We used a Bayesian approach to reconstruct ancestral states of selected morphological characters, which resulted in recognition of characters that support major clades within the genus and a revised interpretation of morphological evolution in Hypericum. The shrubby habit represents the plesiomorphic state from which herbs evolved several times. Arborescent species have radiated convergently in high-elevation habitats in tropical Africa and South America.     

Structure and development of the style base in Abildgaardia, Bulbostylis, and Fimbristylis (Cyperaceae,Cyperoideae, Abildgaardieae)

The Abildgaardieae tribe within the family Cyperaceae comprises six or seven genera, among which Abildgaardia, Bulbostylis and Fimbristylis pose a challenge regarding their morphological delimitation. Molecular phylogenetic analyses including species of Abildgaardieae are rare, but in most of those studies, Abildgaardia and Fimbristylis appear as more closely related to each other than to the Bulbostylis genus. Duration of the style base has been one of the most widely used characters for delimiting these three genera. The style base is a persistent structure in most species of Bulbostylis and deciduous in Abildgaardia and Fimbristylis. The reasons why the style base may persist or fall off have been scarcely discussed. The assumption that abscission layers are present in the style base of all three genera and the fact that tracheids have been observed in the style base of Bulbostylis suggest that this structure might have histological complexity. In view of this, a complete ontogenetic and anatomical study of the gynoecium has been carried out for all these three genera. It turned out that the style base is histologically simple in Abildgaardia, Bulbostylis and Fimbristylis and shows similar structure and development in all three genera. The fact that the style base has a shorter duration in Abildgaardia and Fimbristylis than in Bulbostylis might be related to the lower number of sclerotised cells that make up such structures in the mature fruit of the former two genera. Abscission of the style and style base may be the result of much simpler reasons than the differentiation of an abscission layer, resulting merely from mechanical shear force effects. Differences among genera have been observed in the shape of the style base and the development of the style. The histological simplicity of the style base is consistent with the homoplastic appearance of this structure in genera that are not closely related (e.g. Rhynchospora). Because of this, while the presence of the thickened style base seems to be a synapomorphy in species of Abildgaardieae, its persistence on or detachment from the fruit might have emerged repeatedly during this clade evolution and might not be a suitable character for genera delimitation.     

Chemistry and taxonomy of Ribes

Most species of Ribes are exceptionally rich in prodelphinidin and have no ellagitannins, but some species in certain subsections, nearly all montane in their habitat, contain ellagitannins and are poor in prodelphinidin. Ellagitannins, therefore seem to be produced at the expense of prodelphinidin and their presence is a derived, and not, as thought previously, a primitive character. The flavonoid pattern of the lowland species is very uniform and primitive, with unusually few irregular constituents. The possible origin of Ribes is discussed in relation to other genera of Saxifragaceae and related families, and the conclusion is reached that none of these can be considered as ancestral to Ribes. It is therefore surprising that the fossil record can trace the genus with confidence no further back than the Miocene.     

A restudy of Cystophrentis YÜ, 1931 (Rugosa) from the uppermost Fammenian (Strunian) of South China

The genus Cystophrentis, first described by Yü (1931), occurs in South China, Tibet, Viet Nam and Armenia. Its geological age is Strunian (latest Fammenian). It form the basis for the order Mesocorallia YÜ, 1963, regarded as intermediate between the Rugosa and the Scleractinia based on the presence of metasepta between the counter septum and the counter-lateral septa. The genus Kailingophyllum YU and LIN, 1984 was described as being similar to Cystophrentis, but the apparent differences between these genera are no more than ontogenetic variations. Consequently, Kailingophyllum is regarded here as a synonym of Cystophrentis. Three species from six localities in South China and Tibet are described: Cystophrentis kolaohoensis YÜ, 1931; Cystophrentis simplex (YU and LIN in Yu, Lin and Fan, 1984) and Cystophrentis grandis KUANG in Jia et al., 1977. Serial sections and external septal grooves of the corals studied show no insertion of metasepta between the counter septum and the counter-lateral septa in Cystophrentis. Thus there is no basis for the recognition of the order Mesocorallia YÜ, 1963.© 2003 Éditions scientifiques et médicales Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.     

蟛蜞菊属和孪花菊属(菊科-向日葵族)的细胞学研究

研究了菊科向日葵族鳢肠亚族蟛蜞菊属(Sphagneticola O. Hoffm.)和孪花菊属(Wollastonia DC. ex Decne.)各2种植物的染色体数目和染色体形态。蟛蜞菊[S. calendulacea (L.) Pruski]的染色体数目为2n=50, 核型公式为2n=18m+30sm+2st,南美蟛蜞菊[S. trilobata (L.) Pruski]的染色体数目为2n=56, 核型公式为2n=24m+28sm+4st, 孪花菊[W. biflora (L.) DC.]的染色体数目为2n=30,核型公式为2n=24m+4sm+2st,山孪花菊[W. montana (Blume) DC.]的染色体数目为2n=74, 核型公式为2n=37m+31sm+6st。根据上述结果并结合以前的有关资料,推测蟛蜞菊属的染色体基数可能为x=14和x=25,而不应是x=15。该属的3个新世界热带种[S. brachycarpa (Baker) Pruski、S. gracilis (Richard) Pruski和南美蟛蜞菊]可能都基于x=14, 其中S. gracilis为二倍体(2n=2x=28), S. brachycarpa和南美蟛蜞菊为四倍体(2n=4x=56); 唯一的亚洲种(蟛蜞菊)可能是基于x=25的二倍体(2n=2x=50)。染色体资料不支持将山孪花菊(x=37)这一植物置于孪花菊属(x=15)中。     

Iridoids and alkanes in twelve species of Galium and Asperula

The results of an analysis of the iridoid and n-alkane patterns in twelve species of Asperula and Galium revealed similarities rather than differences between and within the genera. The ease with which artefacts can be produced from asperuloside limits the taxonomic usefulness of asperuloside-type iridoids. A sub-division of the genus Galium based on the dominant alkanes was not completely in accord with the existing division of the genus into sections. The alkane patterns are largely unaffected by plant age or geographical location. They do support some of the taxonomic views currently held concerning the inter-relationships of different species in the genus Galium.     

Fuciniceras paradoxus nov. sp. (Harpoceratinae, Ammonitina) du Domérien portugais. Réflexion sur le sens taxonomique d’un assemblage paradoxal de caractères

A new ammonite (Fuciniceras paradoxus) is described here. This Lower Domerian species is based on a recently revised collections which came from the Maria Pares section (Rabaçal area, South of Coimbra, Portugal). Curiously, shell of F. paradoxus bears both diagnostic traits for the genus Protogrammoceras SPATH (e.g. acute ogival ventral area) and Fuciniceras HAAS (e.g. angulirursiradiate rib). Thus, the new species can be viewed as a morphological puzzle and as a challenge for taxonomists. The amazing collection of morphological traits previously suspected as highly improbable because of biomechanical constraints (1) confirms the inadequacy of the traditional use of the genera Protogrammoceras and Fuciniceras, (2) refutes the idea of a univocal biomechanic link between the ventral area morphology and the ventral segment of ribs. If this analysis mainly concern the Harpoceratinae subfamily, its generalisation can also be interesting for other ammonites or molluscan groups.     

Phylogenetic evaluation of Geomyces and allies reveals no close relatives of Pseudogymnoascus destructans, comb. nov., in bat hibernacula of eastern North America

White-nose syndrome (WNS)  of bats, caused by the fungus previously known as Geomyces destructans, has decimated populations of insectivorous bats in eastern North America. Recent work on fungi associated with bat hibernacula uncovered a large number of species of Geomyces and allies, far exceeding the number of described species. Communication about these species has been hindered by the lack of a modern taxonomic evaluation, and a phylogenetic framework of the group is needed to understand the origin of G. destructans and to target closely related species and their genomes for the purposes of understanding mechanisms of pathogenicity. We addressed these issues by generating DNA sequence data for the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, nuclear large subunit (LSU) rDNA, MCM7, RPB2, and TEF1 from a diverse array of Geomyces and allies that included isolates recovered from bat hibernacula as well as those that represent important type species. Phylogenetic analyses indicate Geomyces and allies should be classified in the family Pseudeurotiaceae, and the genera Geomyces, Gymnostellatospora, and Pseudogymnoascus should be recognized as distinct. True Geomyces are restricted to a basal lineage based on phylogenetic placement of the type species, Geomyces auratus. Thus, G. destructans is placed in genus Pseudogymnoascus. The closest relatives of Pseudogymnoascus destructans are members of the Pseudogymnoascus roseus species complex, however, the isolated and long branch of P. destructans indicates that none of the species included in this study are closely related, thus providing further support to the hypothesis that this pathogen is non-native and invasive in eastern North America. Several conidia-producing isolates from bat hibernacula previously identified as members of Pseudeurotium are determined to belong to the genus Leuconeurospora, which is widespread, especially in colder regions. Teberdinia hygrophila is transferred to Pseudeurotium as Pseudeurotium hygrophilum, comb. nov., in accordance with the one name per fungus system of classification, and two additional combinations are made in Pseudogymnoascus including Pseudogymnoascus carnis and Pseudogymnoascus pannorum. Additional sampling from other regions of the world is needed to better understand the evolution and biogeography of this important and diverse group of fungi.     

Molecular phylogeny and biogeography of the narrow endemic Coelonema and affinitive Draba (Brassicaceae) based on two DNA regions

To clarify the relationship between two genera, Draba and the narrow genus Coelonema, endemic to the QilianMountains of the northeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, phylogenetic analyses were conducted using nuclear ribosomal DNA ITS, and the chloroplast DNA trnL, from Coelonema draboides and 30 species of Draba representing eight sections, including 25 species of Chinese Draba, seven of which were endemic to the study region. The results unambiguously support several previously published proposals to unite Coelonema with Draba and accommodate C. draboides in the latter genus on the basis of morphological re-examination. Our molecular data presented here also provide evidence that these two genera should be combined as a monophyletic group with high support. In addition, it is estimated that Draba may have originated about 1.36–2.71 Mya, with C. draboides diverging from Draba about 0.15–0.31 Mya, based on the molecular calibration of ITS datasets. The assumed speciation and rapid expansion of these two genera is likely to have occurred in the eastern edge of the QilianMountains area according to molecular phylogeny and estimated divergence times, which correspond well with the known geological and paleobotanical histories of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.     

New data on trematosauroid labyrinthodonts of Eastern Europe: 4. Genus Benthosuchus Efremov, 1937

The trematosauroid genus Benthosuchus Efremov, 1937 is revised and its diagnosis is emended. This genus includes the previously established B. sushkini, B. korobkovi, and B. bashkiricus, and the new species B. gusevae described here. The new form is archaic relative to congeners and is similar in a number of characters to the archaic capitosaurid Wetlugasaurus samarensis, which confirms direct affinity of the two genera.