A significant variant of Microsporon gypseum

Summary Detailed morphological characteristics of a variant ofMicrosporon gypseum, which evolved spontaneously in a pure culture of a soil strain, have been described. The outstanding characteristics of this variant includes the production of macroconidia resembling more closely the macroconidia ofTrichophyton than those ofMicrosporon.     

The surface structure of saprophytic and parasitic dermatophyte spores

The surface structure of conidia and arthrospores ofMicrosporon ²)racemosum andTrichophyton winacei is described. Apart fromMicrosporon macroconidia, the spore surfaces displayed little or no ornamentation. The arrangement of verrucae on the surface ofMicrosporon conidia appears to be variable, but may be of little taxonomic importance other than as a characteristic of the genus.

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Zusammenfassung Die Oberflächenstruktur der Konidien und Arthrosporen vonMicrosporon racemosum undTrichophyton erinacei sind beschrieben. Abgesehen von den Makrokonidien vonMicrosporon zeigten die Oberflächen der Sporen geringe oder keine Ornamentation. Die Anordnung der Warzen an der Oberfläche von Makrosporenkonidien erscheint wechselvoll und sie mag von geringer Wichtigkelt sein, außer der Charakterisierung der Gattung.

     

On the morphology of trichophyton quinckeanum

Summary The cultivation of four old non-sporulating strains ofTrichophyton quinckeanum on solid nutrient medium with 15% CO₂ (Sabouraud dextrose agar) gave an increased production of macroconidia. The macroconidia are multilocular with smooth walls. It is believed that the polymorphism of the macroconidia — some with pointed tip and other with round terminal cell — is characteristic of the species and has a taxonomic significance. Macroconidia with a pointed end cell are not of theMicrosporon type, since they have smooth walls and are not pointed on both ends Filiform appendages from the terminal cell occur regularly. Small and large macroconidia were seen. The microconidia are pyriform or elongated. No rounded microconidia withBotrytis type of arrangement were observed. The so-calledT. niveum is probably identical withT. quinckeannum.Together with the characteristics of the species as a parasite it is to be concluded thatT. quinckeanum is a peculiar dermatophyte species, corresponding toQuincke's -Pilz, but cannot be assimilated by the group ofT. mentagrophytes (Ctenomyces s. microides).     

On the taxonomy of trichophyton gallinae

Summary Multiseptate macroconidia with round end cells are recovered from a strain ofTrichophyton gallinae under the effect of CO₂. They possess an elongated form with thin and smooth walls. Their pediculation is not clearly manifested. They display a morphology similiar to the macroconidia ofTrichophyton quinckeanum, Trichophyton mégnini, Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton violaceum, Trichophyton equinum andTrichophyton verrucosum, differing from those ofCtenomyces.Dedicated to ProfessorTibor Benedek on the occasion of his 70th birthday.     

Elicitation of perfect organ of fructification in Sabouraud's form-genus Microsporon (pro parte) by means of symbiosis with B. weidmaniensis Benedek, 1938

Summary The elicitation of perfect organs of fructification in the formgenusMicrosporon (pro parte) by means of an incidentally found bacterial symbiont, theB. weidmaniensis Benedek, 1938 is described.Furthermore, it is reported on two strains ofMicrosporon which spontaneously yielded identical perfect organs of fructification in the primary culture without any stimulation.A new genus is established:Veronaia Benedek (Ascomycetes, Perisporiaceae, Aspergillales) which encompasses at present, 1) the type species:Veronaia Castellanii,Benedek, 1960; 2)Veronaia (Microsporon)Audouinii Gruby and 3)Veronaia (Microsporon)felinea Fox &Blax.The genusVeronaia is cleistocarp and homothallic.The Latin and English diagnoses of the type species (genus) are given.The historical importance of this discovery and its impact on future search for the perfect organs of fructification in dermatophytes is discussed.

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Zusammenfassung Die Auslösung einer typischen Schlauchfruktifikation in der Form-GattungMicrosporon (pro parte) mittels eines zufällig gefundenen bakteriellen SymbiontenB. weidmaniensis Benedek, 1938 wird beschrieben.Ferner wird über zwei Stämme vonMicrosporon berichtet, die in der Primärkultur gleiche Schlauchfruktifikation spontan, ohne irgendeinen Reiz, geliefert haben.Eine neue Gattung im natürlichen System wird aufgestellt:Veronaia Benedek (Ascomycetes, Perisporiaceae, Aspergillales). Sie umfasst zur Zeit 1) die Typen-species:Veronaia Castellanii Benedek, 1960; 2)Veronaia (Microsporon)Audouinii Gruby; 3)Veronaia (Microsporon)felinea Fox &Blax.Die GattungVeronaia ist cleistocarp und homothallisch.Die lateinische und englische Diagnose der Typen-species (Gattung) ist gegeben.Die geschichtliche Bedeutung dieser Entdeckung und ihr Einfluss auf zukünftige Untersuchungen betreffs der Schlauchfruktifikation in den Dermatophyten wird erörtert.

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Résumé L'auteur reporte sur la découverte de la vraie forme de réproduction dans le forme-genreMicrosporon (pro parte) deSabouraud par le moyen d'un symbionte bactérien, leB. weidmaniensis Benedek, 1938, découvert incidemment.En outre, il reporte sur deux souches deMicrosporon lesquelles ont produit la même forme parfaite de réproduction, spontanément dans la culture primaire sans aucune stimulation.Un genre nouveau est établi:Veronaia Benedek, gen. nov. (Ascomycetes, Perisporiaceae, Aspergillales) en renfermant à présent (1) l'espèce-type:Veronaia Castellanii,Benedek, 1960; (2)Veronaia (Microsporon)Audouinii Gruby et (3)Veronaia (Microsporon)felinea Fox etBlax.Le genreVeronaia est cleistocarpe et homothallique.Le diagnostic latin et anglais est assigné à l'espèce-type (genre).L'importance historique de cette découverte et son influence sur les recherches futures ont été discutées.

     

Sodium chloride tolerance in strains ofEpidermophyton floccosum andEpidermophyton stockdaleae

The ability of strains of genusEpidermophyton to grow at different concentrations of NaCl (ranged from 0 to 10%) was studied. A reduction in the diameter of colonies was observed as the concentration of NaCl increased. A nearly complete absence of macroconidia were shown even at the lowest concentration assayed. The geophilic speciesE. stockdaleae tolerated higher concentrations of NaCl (> 7%) thanE. floccosum (< 3%).     

Additions to the genusXenidiocercus (coelomycetes) from Ghana

Two new species of the coelomycete genusXenidiocercus are described and illustrated,X. macrospora on leaves ofMacaranga rowlandii andX. pyriformis on leaves ofM. huraefolia. They differ from the type species in having wider and ellipsoidal or pyriform conidia. A key to species ofXenidiocercus andIdiocercus is provided.     

Morphometric analysis ofMacaca arctoides andM. thibetana in relation to other macaque species

As a first step in reviewing the classification of the two stump-tailed macaque species,Macaca arctoides andM. thibetana, as compared with other species of the genusMacaca, 72 linear dental and cranial variables of 11 macaque species were examined by morphometric analyses. The results indicate that the two stump-tailed species are the largest of the macaques and although rather similar overall, they exhibit significant differences in the pattern of variation in most of the five skull regions as shown by Principal Components and Canonical Variate Analyses. Euclidean Distances based on Canonical Variate scores indicate that the females ofM. arctoides andM. thibetana are more widely separated than eight other pairs of macaque species, and that the separations of the respective males are greater than those of three other pairs of species. These findings are consistent withFooden's classification of the stump-tailed macaques as two separate species (Fooden, 1976;Fooden et al., 1985). The present results suggest, as other researchers have proposed on the basis of external features, biochemistry and genetics, that the two stump-tailed macaque species andM. assamensis are closely related. The results also tentatively imply associations withM. fuscata andM. sylvanus but these require further study. The findings have implications for the assessment of the various Chinese Pleistocene macaque fossils.     

Systematische und phylogenetische studie über die GattungenThienemanniola Kieffer undCorynocera Zetterstedt (Diptera,Chironomidae)

Summary In the preceding paper, a revision of the species of the genusThienemanniola Kieffer is presented. The speciesTh. longipennis Kieffer andTh. brevitarsis Kieffer are declared to be synonymous toTh. ploenensis Kieffer.All three stages of the metamorphosis ofTh. ploenensis are described and figured; ecological notes are also given.The speciesCorynocera ambigua Zetterstedt andCorynocera oliveri Lindeberg are briefly characterized and figured.Finally, the systematical classification of the generaCorynocera andThienemanniola into the familyChironomidae and the degree of relationship between the generaCorynocera andThienemanniola are discussed.     

The generic classification of Fayum anthropoidea

The early anthropoid species initially described asAegyptopithecus zeuxis Simons, 1965, from the Oligocene of Egypt, although retained by many authors in the monotypic genusAegyptopithecus, has been lumped by others into the genusPropliopithecus. Similarly, the species originally described asParapithecus grangeri Simons, 1974, has been ranked by some authors in a monotypic genusSimonsius, while others retain it inParapithecus. Criteria to be considered in resolving these taxonomic debates are (1) the adequacy and consistency of proposed morphological differences between species; (2) analogy with the degree of morphological variation tolerated within extant genera; and (3) nomenclatural conservatism. A philosophy that would require strict monophyletic classification is of insufficient practical value for assessing the validity of Fayum genera. Characters cited as distinguishing vetweenAegyptopithecus andPropliopithecus, and betweenSimonsius andParapithecus, are reviewed and evaluated. The results indicate thatA. zeuxis is generically distinct from species ofPropliopithecus, based on differences in the crown structure and proportions of the molars.Pa. grangeri cannot be shown to differ at the generic level from the type and only known specimen ofPa. fraasi, thus establishing Simonsius as a junior synonym ofParapithecus.     

Considerations sur la morphologie,le pouvoir pathogène et la „geophilie” du Microsporon nanum — Fuentes 1956

Résumé Les auteurs ont découvert, dans le sol roumain, la large présence duMicrosporon nanum —Fuentes 1956. Ils font mention de certaines particularités des souches isolées du sol, à savoir la forme très variable des macroconidies dont la majorité sont dépourvues de septa, l'absence des microconidies, l'absence du pléomorphisme et le faible pouvoir pathogène envers l'homme et les animaux d'expérience. Toutefois ils ont réussi à inoculer le champignon, avec résultat positif, à l'homme et au cobaye. La disposition selon le type microsporique, du parasite dans le poils du cobaye atteint de mycose expérimentale, de même que la photoluminescence jaune-verdâtre, caractéristique de ses poils, ont permis aux auteurs de considérer leMicrosporon nanum comme un vraiMicrosporon, distinct duMicrosporon gypseum. La large présence dans le sol et le faible pouvoir pathogène prouve, selon les auteurs, que leM. nanum est un saprophyte du sol.

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Summary The authors were able to recoverMicrosporon nanum —Fuentes 1956 from numerous roumanian soil samples. They pointed out some peculiarities of the soil isolates, viz. the very diverse forms of the macroconidia, the lack of pleomorphic change and the low degree of pathogenicity to man and the experiment animals. Nevertheless, they were able to inoculate, with positive result, one isolate in man and Guinea pig. The microsporical type of invasion, the parasite showed in the infected hairs of the Guinea pig, inoculated with one of the strains, so as their characteristic yellow-green fluorescence in the Wood's light, suggests thatMicrosporon nanum is a realMicrosporon, quite distinct fromMicrosporon gypseum. The ubiquitous presence in soil and the low degree of pathogenicity evidences, in the authors opinion, the geophilic and saprophytic nature ofMicrosporon nanum.

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(Travail du Centre Dermato-Vénéréologique de Bucarest. Directeur:St. G. Nicolau, membre de l'Académie de la République Populaire Roumaine)     

A taxonomic study of soil yeasts

Summary Eighty-four samples of Minnesota soils were collected in the spring of the year. All samples yielded yeasts, and a total of 180 cultures were isolated of which 117 were studied taxonomically. Twenty-five cultures were black yeasts. Approximately one-third of the isolates were spore forming yeasts and members of the oxidative and film forming generaHansenula, Pichia, andDebaryomyces, of which a new species (D. mrakii) has been described. Not a single culture ofSaccharomyces was isolated. Perhaps later in the season when fruit was abundant members of this genus would have been present.The greatest number of imperfects belonged to the genusCandida (32 cultures), althoughPullularia (25 cultures),Rhodotorula (20 cultures), andTorulopsis (16 cultures) were well represented.The cultures ofPullularia darkened very slowly if at all, in the asbence of excess sugar. Under these circumstances they were very similar toT. pullulans.A single culture ofTrichisporon cerebriformis was isolated. The culture isolated formed both blastospores and arthrospores.I would like to express my appreciation to Dr.C. E. Skinner of Washington State College, for his help and guidance throughout this entire problem. I would also like to thank Dr.E. M. Mark, of the University of California, Berkeley, for the privilege of working under his direction, and in his laboratory during the study.     

Influence des parasites oophages sur la régulation des populations deCassida deflorata Suff

Summary The layings ofCassida deflorata Suffr. are parasited in southern France byMymaridae (Anaphoidea sp. andFulmekiella ovata soyka),Trichogrammatidae (Monorthochaeta nigra Blood.) andEulophidae (Foersterella flavipes Foerst. andTetrastichus rhosaces Walk.). In the Alpes-Maritimes, two successive generations ofMymaridae andTrichogrammatidae seem to attack the layings ofC. deflorata. In Corsica, parasitism byMymaridae andF. flavipes is very frequent and may be the essential regulating factor of the populations ofCassida. In the other regions that have been studied, although the large number ofCassida imagos appearing in spring show that mortality during the aestivation and hibernation is not the primary factor, it does not seem that the limitation of the populations is essentially caused by the activity of oophagous insects.      

Saccharomyces Marxianus Hansen

III Conclusion and Summary Zygosaccharomyces Marxianus andSaccharomyces macedoniensis belong to the same species. This species is met with in the haplophase (Z. Marxianus) as well as in the diplophase (S. macedoniensis). It was possible to bring this yeast from the haplophase into the diplophase and vice versa. By keeping this yeast during long times on maltagar it showed a tendency to change from the haplophase into the diplophase, but not into the opposite direction.It seems quite possible thatHansen, who did not describe a conjugation in this yeast, had met with the diplophase.It has been once more emphasized — at whichWinge andLaustsen and alsoLindegren andLindegren have pointed —, that the genusZygosaccharomyces is no valid genus.The yeast studied here belongs to the genusSaccharomyces and must be designated with the original name given to it byHansen:Saccharomyces Marxianus.For the sake of completeness it is mentioned here that also an imperfect stage ofS. Marxianus has been describedviz., Candida macedoniensis (A. Castellani) Berkhout (I).Saccharomyces fragrans Beijerinck has to be considered as its synonym.     

Protein variation,taxonomy and differentiation in five species of marmosets (genusCallithrix Erxleben, 1777)

The electrophoretic patterns of 15 protein systems codified for 20 genetic loci were investigated using horizontal electrophoresis. A total of 150 blood samples, from five species of the genusCallithrix were analyzed. Polymorphic variation was observed in 10 out 20 loci analyzed. The genotypic distributions are in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The average heterozygosity (H) varied from 1% to 5%, similar to those observed for other Neotropical primates. The genetic distance coefficients revealed a phylogenetic separation of these species into two groups: (1) “argentata” (C. humeralifer andC. emiliae); (2) “jacchus” (C. jacchus, C. penicillata, andC. geoffroyi). This arrangement is according to the taxonomic arrangement proposed byHershkovitz (1977),de Vivo (1988), andMittermeier et al. (1988). The results in each group are compatible with the subspecies values recorded for the Platyrrhini. These values showed that:C. humeralifer andC. emiliae are subspecies ofC. argentata;C. jacchus, C. penicillata, andC. geoffroyi are subspecies ofC. jacchus. These results also suggest thatC. j. geoffroyi is the “jacchus” group taxon, most similar genetically to the “argentata” group.     

Occurrence of keratinophilic chrysosporium corda species in indian soils

Summary Three species of the form genusChrysosporium Corda viz.C. stage ofCtenomyces serratus, C. keratinophilum andC. tropicum have been isolated during a search for keratinophilic fungi in Indian soils. An account of two atypical isolates ofC. tropicum is given in detail.     

Sero-systematics ofCytisus sect.Trianthocytisus (Fabaceae)

The serological reaction of seed proteins provides evidence for a partly new systematic arrangement ofCytisus sect.Trianthocytisus and ofCytisus s.l. Proposed modifications agree with recent advances in morphological taxonomy. Sect.Trianthocytisus includes only two species,C. villosus andC. aeolicus. Its position is central within the genus, and this fact agrees with the proposed retypification ofCytisus (type species:C. villosus).C. emeriflorus, formerly included in the same section, constitutes the monospecific sect.Emeroides, which is intermediate towards the genusLembotropis. This is serologically isolated and includes onlyL. nigricans. It is confirmed thatC. sessilifolius should be removed from the genusCytisus as a monospecific genus:Cytisophyllum Lang which is closely allied toHesperolaburnum and toPodocytisus, the most primitive genera ofGenisteae.     

Biogeography, geographical variation and taxonomy of the Andean hummingbird genusMetallura GOULD, 1847

Summary Biogeography and taxonomy of the High-Andean hummingbird genusMetallura were analysed on the basis of geographical variation of morphometric and plumage colour characters. The genusMetallura is considered to consist of nine species and 15 subspecies. Within the speciesMetallura tyrianthina seven subspecies are recognized (smaragdinicollis [includingperuviana],septentrionalis, quitensis, tyrianthina, districta, oreopola, chloropogon).M. tyrianthina andM. iracunda are considered to be sister species and to be closely related toM. phoebe and to the members of theM. aeneocauda superspecies. The latter consists of six species as follows:M. aeneocauda (with subspeciesaeneocauda andmalagae),M. eupogon, M. theresiae (with subspeciestheresiae andparkeri),M. odomae, M. baroni andM. williami (with subspecieswilliami, atrigularis, primolina, recisa).M. tyrianthina andM. iracunda exhibit plesiomorphic character states (dimorphism, colour of throat feathers, short bill), that link the genusMetallura to its sister genusChalcostigma. The disjunct distribution of similar phenotypes, and the progression of morphological characters suggest fairly recent allopatric speciation processes in allMetallura taxa. High-Andean habitat fragmentations due to climatic changes during Late-Pliocene and Pleistocene presumably caused geographical isolation and differentiation of mostMetallura populations. The south-north phenotype progression regarding chin and gorget coloration ofM. tyrianthina females, paralleled by a transition from weak to strong sexual dimorphism, suggest for the genusMetallura a centre of origin in the Andes of north-eastern Bolivia or south-eastern Peru.Dedicated to Hans Hudde, Essen, for his friendship and support.     

Computer-aided morphometrical analysis of macroconidia inFusarium sambucinum Fuckel sensu lato strains

Forty-one strains ofFusarium sambucinum Fuckelsensu lato were classified on the basis of morphological data of the macroconidia obtained by automated microscopic image analysis. The classification factors were determined in sixFusarium strains of the sectionDiscolor. The results show the relative homogeneity within the groups proposed by Nirenberg. A remarkable difference could be detected especially between the groupsF. sambucinum, F. torulosum andF. sambucinum sensu lato on the one hand andF. spec nov. on the other.Abbreviations PDA potato dextrose agar - SNA synthetic nutriment agar     

Yeast strains from Livingston Island, Antarctica

Five yeast strains were isolated from soil and moss samples from the Livingston Island (Antarctica) and identified according to morphological, cultural and physiological characteristics. All strains had an optimum growth temperature of 15°C; none grew above 25°C. They assimilatedD-glucose.D-galactose, sucrose, cellobiose, trehalose, 2-keto-d-gluconate,D-xylose,d-ribose and melezitose. Four of them were nonfermentative, only one, which formed pseudomycelium fermented glucose, galactose, trehalose. Two strains were identified as pinkred yeasts belonging to genusRhodotorula—R. minuta andR. mucilaginosa; two were related to the genusCryptococcus—C. albidus andC. laurentii, one wasCandida oleophila.