A Plains‐wanderer (Pedionomidae) that did not wander plains: a new species from the Oligocene of South Australia

The remarkable fauna of Australia evolved in isolation from other landmasses for millions of years, yet understanding the evolutionary history of endemic avian lineages on the continent is confounded by the ability of birds to disperse over geographical barriers even after vicariance events. The Plains‐wanderer Pedionomus torquatus (Charadriiformes) is an enigmatic, predominantly sedentary, quail‐like bird that occurs exclusively in sparse native grasslands of southeastern Australia. It is the only known species of its family (Pedionomidae), and its closest relatives are the South American seedsnipes (Thinocoridae). Here we describe a further representative of this lineage, Oligonomus milleri gen. et sp. nov., from the Late Oligocene of South Australia (26–24 Ma), which pre‐dates the earliest record of P. torquatus by c. 22 Ma and attests to the presence of this lineage during Australia's period of isolation (50–15 Ma). Based on the morphology of the coracoid and the palynological record, we propose that O. milleri and P. torquatus were ecologically disparate taxa and that, similar to coeval marsupials, O. milleri inhabited well‐wooded habitats, suggesting that the preference for grassland in the extant P. torquatus and thinocorids is likely to be convergent and not ancestral. The speciation event leading to the evolution of the extant Plains‐wanderer was probably triggered by the spread of grasslands across Australia in the Late Miocene–Pliocene, which this record pre‐dates. The presence of a pedionomid in the Late Oligocene of Australia strengthens the hypothesis of a Gondwanan divergence of the lineages giving rise to Thinocoridae and Pedionomidae.     

Stempellia milleri sp. n. (Microsporida: Nosematidae) in the Mosquito Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus Say*

Stempellia milleri sp. n. was found in blood cells and the adipose tissue of field-collected larvae of Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus Say. Its development is different from other Stempellia species described in that it is dimorphic, producing two types of spores in adipose cells. Both were studied with the electron microscope. One spore is thin-walled and uninucleate; the other is thick-walled and binucleate. The latter spores are produced from sporonts that are somewhat similar to those of Nosema. Sporoblasts and spores of S. milleri were compared to those of Stempellia magna Kudo, and Stempellia lunata Hazard and Savage in both light and electron microscope preparations. S. milleri was transmitted experimentally to Culex pipiens pipiens, C. p. quinquefasciatus, C. salinarius, C. tarsalis, and C. territans. Transmission of S. magna to its host and other mosquito species was not possible. Although, generally low numbers of test larvae became infected with the pathogen, heavy infections were seen occasionally in individual specimens of its natural host, C. p. quinquefasciatus. Species of Aedes, Anopheles, Culiseta, Psorophora, and Uranotaenia exposed to spores of S. milleri were not susceptible to the disease.     

Stipa zeravshanica sp. nov. (Poaceae), an endemic species from rocky walls of the western Pamir Alai Mountains (middle Asia)

Stipa zeravshanica M. Nobis sp. nov. from the western Pamir Alai Mts (Tajikistan) is described and illustrated. Morphologically, the new species is similar to S. gracilis, but it is easily distinguishable by pilose (vs. glabrous) lower part of the awn, and generally somewhat longer ligules of the vegetative shoots. Epidermal patterns of the lemma in S. zeravshanica and three other closely related taxa, namely S. gracilis, S. himalaica and S. orientalis, were examined by means of SEM. The main macro‐morphological and micro‐morphological characteristics differentiating all mentioned species are presented. Additionally, a lectotype for S. gracilis is designated. Based on phytosociological relevés prepared during field investigation in the western Pamir Alai Mts, a new plant association Asperulo albiflorae–Stipetum zeravshanicae, occurring on shelves and rocky crevices is also described.     

Fish skin bacteria: Colonial and cellular hydrophobicity

Dental plaque is a complex community of bacteria coexisting in an environment frequently limited by carbon and energy sources. UnlikeStreptococcus mutans, other oral streptococci such asS. milleri andS. sanguis have an absolute requirement for and actually consume all available arginine when grown glucose limited in a chemically defined medium. The conditions, particularly in terms of arginine concentration, under which the dental plaque bacteriaS. mutans andS. milleri would coexist under glucose-limiting conditions were investigated. The minimum level of arginine supporting optimal growth ofS. milleri was found to be ca. 50M, and above this level these strains outcompetedS. mutans. However, coexistence withS. mutans could be achieved at arginine levels of 14–40M, depending upon theS. milleri andS. mutans strains used. Under such dual limitation,S. milleri was unable to respond to glucose pulses but did respond to pulses of arginine and arginine plus glucose. One of the twoS. milleri strains did not tolerate low pH. In contrast,S. mutans did not tolerate high pH whereasS. milleri was unaffected. This is relevant to dental plaque where arginine catabolism produces a pH rise. Additionally, arginine is an important nutrient since it can be used as an energy source by some oral streptococci.     

Stipa adamii sp. nov. (Poaceae) from the western Tian‐Shan,and some remarks on the taxa of the section Smirnovia occurring in Kazakhstan

Stipa adamii M. Nobis sp. nov. (Poaceae), endemic to Kazakhstan, is described and illustrated. The species belongs to the section Smirnovia Tzvel. and is distributed in the central Karatau Mountains (western Tian‐Shan). It is morphologically close to Stipa karataviensis Roshev. but is easily distinguishable by longer glumes, lemmas, awns and the callus. The awn is scabrous in the lower part and the callus is bearded in S. adamii whereas both organs are glabrous in S. karataviensis. Characters distinguishing S. karataviensis and S. adamii are presented in a table, together with photographs of the callus. The analysis of morphological characters of the taxa provides new information on their variability. A key to the species of Stipa sect. Smirnovia occurring in Kazakhstan, typification of the name S. manrakica and synonymization of the name S. saurica as a syn. nov. are included.     

Morphology of the palate and braincase of Dimetrodon milleri

The palate and partial braincase of the holotype of Dimetrodon milleri (MCZ 1365) are preserved in three dimensions, but have yet to be described in detail. Here, we describe these structures for the first time for this species, and compare them with the better-known specimens of D. limbatus. Interesting characteristics of the morphology include the patterns of articulation of the palatal elements, including the palatine and vomer, and anatomy of the pterygoid in the posterior region of the palatal vacuities. Dimetrodon milleri is found to differ from D. limbatus in the lack of teeth on the ectopterygoid, the shape of the basal process of the epipterygoid, and the anterior extent of the palatine and pterygoid. The two species are similar in the relative position of the basicranial articulation, but differ significantly from that in other sphenacodontids, including Secodontosaurus and Sphenacodon. The evolution of these cranial features will be the subject of future phylogenetic analyses of sphenacodontids.     

Comparative phylogeography of mainland and insular species of Neotropical molossid bats (Molossus)

Historical events, habitat preferences, and geographic barriers might result in distinct genetic patterns in insular versus mainland populations. Comparison between these two biogeographic systems provides an opportunity to investigate the relative role of isolation in phylogeographic patterns and to elucidate the importance of evolution and demographic history in population structure. Herein, we use a genotype‐by‐sequencing approach (GBS) to explore population structure within three species of mastiff bats (Molossus molossus, M. coibensis, and M. milleri), which represent different ecological histories and geographical distributions in the genus. We tested the hypotheses that oceanic straits serve as barriers to dispersal in Caribbean bats and that isolated island populations are more likely to experience genetic drift and bottlenecks in comparison with highly connected ones, thus leading to different phylogeographic patterns. We show that population structures vary according to general habitat preferences, levels of population isolation, and historical fluctuations in climate. In our dataset, mainland geographic barriers played only a small role in isolation of lineages. However, oceanic straits posed a partial barrier to the dispersal for some populations within some species (M. milleri), but do not seem to disrupt gene flow in others (M. molossus). Lineages on distant islands undergo genetic bottlenecks more frequently than island lineages closer to the mainland, which have a greater exchange of haplotypes.     

Stipa narynica sp. nov. (Poaceae) from the western Tian‐Shan Mountains

Stipa narynica M. Nobis sp. nov. from the western Tian‐Shan Mts (western Kyrgyzstan) is described and illustrated. The new species belongs to sect. Smirnovia Tzvel. Morphologically the species is similar to S. aktauensis, a species from which it is easily distinguished by its longer glumes (41–)44–55(–62) mm vs 35–45 mm, longer anthecium (11.5–) 12.0–14.2(–14.8) mm vs 9.5–11.2(–11.7) mm, longer hairs on the seta (5.5–)6.0–8.0(–8.5) mm vs (3.0–)3.8–5.5(–6.0) mm and by the top of the lemma which in S. narynica is either glabrous or with a poorly developed ring of short hairs, while in S. aktauensis, the top of lemma is always distinctly and densely pilose. The lemma and leaf blade structure of both species were examined by means of SEM. The main features differentiating S. narynica and S. aktauensis and distribution of the taxa are presented. An original key to the middle Asiatic species of the sect. Smirnovia, the most similar to Stipa narynica is provided.     

Regressive progression,progressive regression or neither? Phylogeny and evolution of the Percopsiformes (Teleostei,Paracanthopterygii)

Dillman, C.B., Bergstrom, D.E., Noltie, D.B., Holtsford, T.P. & Mayden, R.L. (2010). Regressive progression, progressive regression or neither? Phylogeny and evolution of the Percopsiformes (Teleostei, Paracanthopterygii). —Zoologica Scripta, 40, 45–60. Cave animals have fascinated scientists for centuries, and clades consisting primarily of cave‐adapted species are even more intriguing. The percopsiforms are an enigmatic group of fishes comprised of nine species in seven genera, with four species in three genera exhibiting characteristic troglomorphic features, such as a lack of pigmentation and eyes. Nucleotide characters presented here provide the first test of monophyly for both the Percopsiformes and Amblyopsidae with this character type and taxonomic completeness. Characters of ND2 support a monophyletic Percopsiformes and Amblyopsidae and further document phylogeographic subdivision in two stygobitic genera, Amblyopsis and Typhlichthys, in Amblyopsidae. Age estimates from time‐calibrated branch lengths utilizing two independent intra‐lineage fossils indicate that the ancestor to amblyopsids is Eocene in age, and that phylogeographic subdivision in both Amblyopsis and Typhlichthys occurred primarily in the Miocene. Interestingly, ancestral character state reconstruction for the amblyopsids strongly supports the re‐evolution of eyes and body pigment. While certainly unconventional, but supported with this character set, the hypothesis provides continued challenge to Dollo’s Law.     

Vegetation of rock crevices of the montane and colline zones in the Pamir-Alai and Tian Shan Mts in Tajikistan (Middle Asia)

The paper presents the results of phytosociological research conducted on the vegetation of rock habitats in the montane and colline zones of the Pamir-Alai Mountains (Tajikistan). During field surveys done in 2010–2013, 122 phytosociological relevés were sampled. Plant species were recorded according to the Braun-Blanquet cover-abundance scale. The vegetation studies were carried out generally in the western Pamir-Alai and south-western Tian Shan Mts, especially in the Zeravshan, Hissar, Hazratishoh, Darvaz, Rushan, Turkestan, Kuramin and Vanch ranges. A synopsis of the rock communities of the montane and colline zones in Tajikistan is proposed. The collected material presents most of the variability among the plant communities of rock crevices and fissures on calcareous as well as acidic substrates in the montane and colline zones in Tajikistan. As a result of field research and numerical analyses, eight associations have been distinguished: Scutellarietum hissaricae, Scutellarietumschugnanicae, Scutellarietum zaprjagaevii, Scutellarietum baldshuanicae, Tylospermetumlignosae, Dionysietum involucratae A. Nowak, M. Nobis, S. Nowak & A. Nobis, 2014, Nanorrhinetum ramosissimi, Campanuletum albertii and the community of Scutellaria adenostegia within new alliance – Caricion koshevnikovii. The main factors determining the species composition of classified associations seem to be the geography of the distribution range, elevation above sea level, rock type and exposition.     

Saccharomyces barnetti andSaccharomyces spencerorum: two new species ofSaccharomyces sensu lato (van der Walt)

In the course of a study of DNA base sequence homology, 19 strains labelled asSaccharomyces exiguus, its imperfect state,Candida holmii, orC. milleri were examined. Results confirmed the separation ofC. milleri as a separate species. The remaining strains can be divided into three distinct groups of genomic relatedness. The type cultures ofS. exiguus andC. holmii form a cluster with 10 other strains showing variable reassociation values ranging from 100 to 40%. The remaining four strains comprise two separate species showing no nucleotide relatedness between themselves nor to either theS. exiguus complex or toC. milleri. Physiological analyses demonstrate that it is possible to separate these four taxa on the basis of a few simple tests. The two new species are described respectively asSaccharomyces barnetti honoring James Barnett in recognition of his invaluable work in the field of yeast taxonomy andSaccharomyces spencerorum in honor of J.F.T. and Dorothy M. Spencer who have made innumerable contributions to the genetics and biotechnological application of yeasts.     

DESCRIPTION OF A NEW GENUS OF PFIESTERIA‐LIKE DINOFLAGELLATE,LUCIELLA GEN. NOV. (DINOPHYCEAE), INCLUDING TWO NEW SPECIES: LUCIELLA MASANENSIS SP. NOV. AND LUCIELLA ATLANTIS SP. NOV.1

A new genus of Pfiesteria‐like heterotrophic dinoflagellate, Luciella gen. nov., and two new species, Luciella masanensis sp. nov. and Luciella atlantis sp. nov., are described. These species commonly occur with other small (<20 μm) heterotrophic and mixotrophic dinoflagellates in estuaries from Florida to Maryland and the southern coast of Korea, suggesting a possible global distribution. An SEM analysis indicates that members of the genus Luciella have the enhanced Kofoidian plate formula of Po, cp, X, 4′, 2a, 6″, 6c, PC, 5+s, 5?, 0p, and 2″″. The two four‐sided anterior intercalary plates are diamond shaped. The genus Luciella differs from the other genera in the Pfiesteriaceae by a least one plate in the plate tabulation and in the configuration of the two anterior intercalary plates. An SSU rDNA phylogenetic analysis confirmed the genus as monophyletic and distinct from the other genera in the Pfiesteriaceae. The morphology of Luciella masanensis closely resembles Pfiesteria piscicida Steid. et J. M. Burkh. and other Pfiesteria‐like dinoflagellates in size and shape, making it easily misidentified using LM. Luciella atlantis, in contrast, has a more distinctive morphology. It can be distinguished from L. masanensis and other Pfiesteria‐like organisms by a larger cell size, a more conical‐shaped epitheca and hypotheca, larger rhombic‐shaped intercalary plates, and an asymmetrical hypotheca. The genus Luciella is assigned to the order Peridiniales and the family Pfiesteriaceae based on plate tabulation, plate pattern, general morphology, and phylogenetic analysis.     

Stipa×brozhiana (Poaceae) nothosp. nov. from the western Pamir Alai Mts (middle Asia) and taxonomical notes on Stipa×tzvelevii

Stipa ×brozhiana M. Nobis nothosp. nov. (Poaceae) is described and illustrated. The taxon belongs to sect. Smirnovia Tzvel. and originated from the hybridization of species belonging to sect. Smirnovia and Barbatae Junge. Stipa ×brozhiana is morphologically close to Stipa lipskyi Roshev., but is easily distinguished by its much shorter hairs on the seta, thinner, uni‐ or indistinctly bigeniculate awns, differently shaped callus and longer ligules of vegetative shoots. Characters distinguishing S. ×brozhiana from the parental species and other similar hybrid taxa belonging to sect. Smirnovia and occurring in the Pamir Alai Mts are discussed. In addition, the taxonomical status of S. ×tzvelevii Ikonn. pro sp., another taxon that has originated from hybridization between species belonging to sect. Smirnovia and Barbatae, is discussed. The taxon was originally described as a distinct species, but is now considered to be the hybrid S. caucasica×S. orientalis. The main characters distinguishing S. ×tzvelevii from parental species are given.     

Pyramidodinium atrofuscum gen. et sp. nov. (Dinophyceae), a new marine sand-dwelling coccoid dinoflagellate from tropical waters

A new marine sand‐dwelling coccoid dinoflagellate Pyramidodinium atrofuscum Horiguchi et Sukigara gen. et sp. nov. is described from Jellyfish Lake, Republic of Palau. The dinoflagellate alternates a non‐motile vegetative stage with a motile gymnodinioid stage within its life cycle. The non‐motile stage is dominant in the life cycle and the dinoflagellate reproduces itself by means of the production of two motile cells. The released motile cell swims only for a short period and is directly transformed into the non‐motile cell. The non‐motile cell is sessile, pyramidal in shape, with a single longitudinal ridge and a double transverse ridge. The surface of the cell wall is covered with many processes. The motile cell has a Gymnodinium‐like morphology, but no apical groove is present. An ultrastructural study revealed that the dinoflagellate possesses typical dinoflagellate organelles. Based on the unique morphology of the vegetative non‐motile stage, we propose a new genus Pyramidodinium for this dinoflagellate, with the type species Pyramidodinium atrofuscum Horiguchi et Sukigara, gen. et sp. nov.     

SYSTEMATICS OF GRATELOUPIA FILICINA (HALYMENIACEAE,RHODOPHYTA), BASED ON rbcL SEQUENCE ANALYSES AND MORPHOLOGICAL EVIDENCE,INCLUDING THE REINSTATEMENT OF G. MINIMA AND THE DESCRIPTION OF G. CAPENSIS SP. NOV.1

Grateloupia filicina (C. Agardh) Lamouroux, originally described from the Mediterranean Sea, has long been considered a textbook example of a marine red alga with a cosmopolitan distribution. An rbcL‐based molecular phylogeny, encompassing samples covering the entire geographic distribution of the species, revealed a plethora of “cryptic” species, whereby the presence of genuine G. filicina is limited to the Mediterranean basin. The phylogeny revealed a strong biogeographic imprint, with specimens from temperate regions resolved in clades composed of species inhabiting the same geographic region. Presence of widely divergent morphologies in the temperate clades indicated that several lineages have converged independently to a G. filicina‐type morphology. Tropical representatives are resolved in a single clade with very uniform G. filicina‐type morphology and pairwise sequence divergences that are lower than the average divergence observed in temperate lineages. This, combined with a lack of clear geographic structure among the tropical lineages, may indicate a more recent divergence with long‐range dispersal capacities. Violations to the biogeographic signal in temperate lineages seemed to be due to either inadequate taxonomy or recent introductions. Grateloupia minima P. & H. Crouan, a taxon placed in synonymy under G. filicina, is reinstated as a separate species distributed in the northeast Atlantic Ocean. Grateloupia capensis sp. nov. is described to accommodate specimens from South Africa with a G. filicina‐type morphology, and G. filicina var. luxurians is elevated to species status. Morphological and anatomical characters were put forward that support the distinctiveness of these three distinct species.     

Morphology heterogeneity within a Campylobacter jejuni helical population: the use of calcofluor white to generate rod‐shaped C. jejuni 81‐176 clones and the genetic determinants responsible for differences in morphology within 11168 strains

Campylobacter jejuni helical shape is important for colonization and host interactions with straight mutants having altered biological properties. Passage on calcofluor white (CFW) resulted in C. jejuni 81‐176 isolates with morphology changes: either a straight morphology from frameshift mutations and single nucleotide polymorphisms in peptidoglycan hydrolase genes pgp1 or pgp2 or a reduction in curvature due a frameshift mutation in cjj81176_1105, a putative peptidoglycan endopeptidase. Shape defects were restored by complementation. Whole genome sequencing of CFW‐passaged strains showed no specific changes correlating to CFW exposure. The cjj81176_1279 (recR; recombinational DNA repair) and cjj81176_1449 (unknown function) genes were highly variable in all 81‐176 strains sequenced. A frameshift mutation in pgp1 of our laboratory isolate of the straight genome sequenced variant of 11168 (11168‐GS) was also identified. The PG muropeptide profile of 11168‐GS was identical to that of Δpgp1 in the original minimally passaged 11168 strain (11168‐O). Introduction of wild type pgp1 into 11168‐GS did not restore helical morphology. The recR gene was also highly variable in 11168 strains. Microbial cell‐to‐cell heterogeneity is proposed as a mechanism of ensuring bacterial survival in sub‐optimal conditions. In certain environments, changes in C. jejuni morphology due to genetic heterogeneity may promote C. jejuni survival.     

Ligulate Desmarestia (Desmarestiales,Phaeophyceae) revisited: D. japonica sp. nov. and D. dudresnayi differ from D. ligulata

The phylogeny of ligulate and sulfuric‐acid containing species of Desmarestia, occurring worldwide from polar to temperate regions, was revised using a multigenic and polyphasic approach. Sequence data, gametophyte characteristics, and sporophyte morphology support reducing a total of 16 taxa to four different species. (1) D. herbacea, containing broad‐bladed and highly branched forms, has dioecious gametophytes. The three other species have monoecious gametophytes: (2) D. ligulata which is profusely branched and, except for one subspecies, narrow‐bladed, (3) Japanese ligulate Desmarestia, here described as D. japonica sp. nov., which is morphologically similar to D. ligulata but genetically distant from all other ligulate taxa. This species may have conserved the morphology of original ligulate Desmarestia. (4) D. dudresnayi, including unbranched or little branched broad‐bladed taxa. A figure of the holotype of D. dudresnayi, which was lost for decades, was relocated. The taxonomy is complemented by a comparison of internal transcribed spacer and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (cox1) as potential barcode loci, with cox1 offering good resolution, reflecting species delimitations within the genus Desmarestia.     

Teruelia diezii gen. et sp. nov.: an early polysporangiophyte from the Lower Devonian of the Iberian Peninsula

A new basal land plant, Teruelia diezii gen. et sp. nov., is described from the shallow‐water marine deposits of the Lower Devonian (Lochkovian–Pragian) Nogueras Formation of the Iberian Peninsula (north Gondwana palaeocontinent). Teruelia is preserved as a compression fossil and consists of isotomously branched, robust stems terminated in large, fusiform, twisted sporangia. This morphology suggests that Teruelia is very probably equivalent to Aglaophyton, a permineralized early polysporangiophyte known up to now only from the Lower Devonian (early Pragian to ?earliest Emsian) Rhynie Chert in Scotland (Laurussia palaeocontinent), which represents an early terrestrial hot‐spring ecosystem. Accepted phylogenies identify Aglaophyton as sister to vascular plants. Our phylogeny‐based results identify the Aglaophyton/Teruelia biological entity (i.e. Aglaophyton anatomical characters plus Teruelia external morphology) as the most direct vascular plant precursor. It shows that at least one Rhynie Chert type plant had a much wider distribution than previously known and suggests that Aglaophyton was not restricted to hydrothermal environments, unlike other Rhynie Chert plants.