Further studies on Nephroselmis and its allies (Prasinophyceae). II. Mamiella gen. nov., Mamiellaceae fam. nov., Mamiellales ord. nov.

The marine prasinophycean flagellate presently known as Nephroselmis gilva has been examined, using both the type culture and material from temperate (Denmark, New Zealand) and tropical waters (Thailand). All cell surfaces are covered with unmineralized scales, two types on the body, two on the flagella including flagellar hairs. The detailed structure of the scales is described, using high power electron microscopy of detached positive–stained scales. Previously overlooked organelles within the cell include large numbers of extrusive bodies, a rare type of organelle in chlorophyll–a– and –b–containing organisms, and an eyespot. N. gilva differs profoundly from the type species of Nephroselmis , and is transferred to the new genus Mamiella. Mamiella gilva is closely related to Mantoniella squamata. Together with the genus Dolichomastix they form the new family, Mamiellaceae, a small group of marine flagellates of worldwide distribution.
The members of the new family probably represent the most primitive extant prasinophytes. When compared with other members of the class, its species stand out, particularly by the lack of small square or diamond–shaped scales on the flagella and cell body. It is suggested that the Mamiellaceae should be referred to a separate order, Mamiellales.     

On Nephroselmis pyriformis (N. Carter) Ettl

It is stated that Nephroselmis pyriformis (N. Carter) Ettl has priority over N. pyriformis (N. Carter) Moestrup.     

Silica-scaled chrysophytes from West Greenland: Disko Island and the Søndre Strømfjord region

The flora of silica-scaled chrysophytes (Chrysophyceae and Synurophyceae) is known from two previous investigations in southern Greenland, from Narssaq (61°N) and Nuuk (64°N).
In connection with a course in Arctic Biology 25.7.-20.8 1990 chrysophyte samples were obtained from altogether 53 localities, 41 from the Godhavn region in Disko Island (69°N) and 12 from S0ndre Str0mfjord (67°N). The localities were lakes, ponds and puddles, on basalt or an acid bedrock. Fixed samples were examined by EM, and altogether twenty species were identified by their silica scales. Eight of these were new to Greenland, viz. Spiniferomonas silverensis, Mallomonas acaroides, M. alpina, M. crassisquama (previous records proved to belong to M. duerrschmidliae), M. oviformis, M. paludosa, M. tonsurata , and Synura mammillosa. The composition of the flora is discussed from ecological and biogeographic viewpoints.     

Distribution and occurrence of Onagraceae in Greenland

Distribution maps of the Greenland Onagraceae and synecological notes are presented. Four species are low–arctic, most often or exclusively growing in the lowland. The northernmost occurrence of the three of them, Epilobium palustre, E. hornemannii and E. lactiflorum is at "hot springs" between 69° and 70° N, while the fourth, Chamaenerion angustifolium , with the same northern limit, does not show this preference. E. anagallidifolium is even growing two degrees of latitude further north, and besides it is not limited to the lowland. E. arcticum has an arctic distribution between 69° and 80° N, while the seventh species, C. latifolium , is circumgreenlandic, being rare only in the most oceanic part of N Greenland. The occurrence of E. alsinifolium in Greenland has been rejected.     

Elevational parallels of latitudinal variation in the proportion of lianas in woody floras

Aim  To determine if elevational variation in the proportion of lianas in woody floras parallels the variation observed on latitudinal gradients. This is to be expected if the poleward decrease in the importance of lianas is related to the vulnerability of their wide vessels to freeze embolism.
Location  Coastal ranges of south-central Chile (latitude 37°–40° S) and western South Island of New Zealand (41°–43° S).
Methods  The presence of all woody species was recorded in plots of 2500 m² (Chile) or 100–400 m² (New Zealand) on four elevational gradients in temperate rain forest. Each species was classified as a tree, shrub or liana. Original data were obtained from 22 plots at two sites in Chile. In New Zealand, two surveys comprising a total of 296 plots were extracted from the National Vegetation Survey data base.
Results  Liana species richness declined more or less monotonically on all four gradients, whereas richness of trees and shrubs showed more varied elevational patterns. The proportion of woody species contributed by the liana life-form was negatively correlated with elevation on all four gradients, falling from 15 to 35% of the woody flora at c . 200 m a.s.l. to nil well below the tree line. The elevational and latitudinal limits of liana species were marginally significantly correlated in Chile, but not in New Zealand.
Main conclusions  The elevational parallel of the well-documented decline in liana representation with increasing latitude is consistent with the hypothesis that cold intolerance is a strong control on the global distribution of the liana life-form.     

New archaeogastropod limpets from hydrothermal vents: new family Peltospiridae, new superfamily Peltospiracea

Seven new species of limpets from hydrothermal vents are described in five new genera in the new family Peltospiridae (new superfamily Peltospiracea). Limpets in this family are known only from the hydrothermal vent community at two sites, near 21°N and 13°N, on the East Pacific Rise. New genera and species are: Peltospira , type species P. operculuta from both sites, and P. delicata from 13°N; Nodopelta , type species N. heminoda from both sites, and N. subnoda from 13°N; Rhynchopelta , type species R. concentrica from both sites; Echinopelta , type species E. fistulosa from 21°N; Hirtopelta , type specics H. hirta from 13°N. These limpets are associated with the Pompei worm Alvinella , except for Rhynchopelta, which is associated with the vestimentifcran worm Riftia .     

Elevated red myotomal muscle temperatures in the most basal tuna species, Allothunnus fallai

The present study tested the hypothesis that Allothunnus fallai can elevate its slow-oxidative red myotomal muscle (RM) temperature. Measurements on 30 A. fallai (750–850 mm fork length) captured by hook and line off the coast of southern New Zealand revealed that RM temperatures are elevated by mean ± s . d . 8·1 ± 1·3° C (range 6·7–10·0° C) above the mean ± s . d . ambient sea surface temperature 15·3 ± 0·8° C (range 14·3 to 16·4° C). These data provide evidence that the vascular modifications to the central circulation of A. fallai act as a counter-current heat exchanger and that RM heat conservation is a character state present in all extant tuna species.     

Microfungi on the Pandanaceae: Linocarpon lammiae sp. nov., L. siamensis sp. nov. and L. suthepensis sp. nov. are described with a key to Linocarpon species from the Pandanaceae

Linocarpon species are reported from Pandanaceae in Australia, Brunei, Hong Kong, Nepal, New Zealand, Philippines, Seychelles, Thailand and Vanuatu. Linocarpon lammiae sp. nov. were collected on decaying leaves of Pandanus tectorius in Hong Kong. Linocarpon siamensis sp. nov. and L. suthepensis sp. nov. were collected from decaying leaves of P. penetrans in Thailand. These taxa are described, illustrated and compared with Linocarpon species with similar ascospore morphology and dimensions. Included are a synoptic table, which compares the new species to similar known species, and a dichotomous key to species of Linocarpon known from members of the Pandanaceae.     

THALASSIOSIRA ANDAMANICA SP. NOV. (BACILLARIOPHYCEAE), A NEW DIATOM FROM THE ANDAMAN SEA (THAILAND)

A new marine diatom, Thalassiosira andamanica, is described from light and electron microscopy. The specimens were collected in the vicinity of Phuket Marine Biological Center, Thailand, and later brought into clonal culture. Thalassiosira andamanica possess a rimoportula with a pronounced outer extension, one marginal ring of fultoportulae, and three rings of fultoportulae on the valve face. Cells are united into colonies by a single thread secreted through a central fultoportula. Marginal fultoportulae extensions are shortest on the inside of the valve. The areolae are arranged in sectors, and the valve margin is ribbed with approximately 38 ribs in 10 μm. The valvocopula and copula have rows of pores, four to six pores in 1 μm. Apparently, the pleurae are hyaline. Experiments with a clonal culture isolated at Phuket, Thailand, showed that growth (cell divisions·24 h⁻¹) was reduced for cultures grown at 14° C compared to those grown at 19°, 24°, or 30° C. The maximum growth rate (2.2 divisions·24 h⁻¹) was at 30° C. Thalassiosira andamanica is compared with morphologically similar taxa. On the basis of morphological features and the response to different temperature regimens, it is concluded that this taxon must be recognized as a new warm-water species. In addition, T. andamanica does not clearly belong to any of the two subgroups of species of Thalassiosira. To accommodate the morphological characteristics of T. andamanica, the establishment of a possible third subgroup is discussed.     

Relation between Multiplication Rate and Temperature in Tetrahymena pyriformis, Strains HS and GL

SUMMARY. The multiplication rate of Tetrahymena pyriformis HS in proteose peptone medium was measured at 12 temperatures between 18.4°C. and 36.6°C. At the temperature optimum, 32.5°C., the generation time is 2.25 hours. The upper lethal temperature lies between 36.6°C. and 38.0°C. Similarly, a study of Tetrahymena pyriformis GL revealed a temperature optimum for multiplication of 29°C. with a generation time of 3.70 hours. The upper lethal temperature falls between 34.6°C. and 35.4°C. At all temperatures employed the HS strain of organisms multiplies more rapidly than strain GL. Under identical conditions, the two strains have distinctly different growth optima, upper lethal temperatures and growth rates.
As measured by multiplication rate the readjustment to a sudden change in temperature (from 18.4°C. to 27.7°C.) is completed very rapidly, with an effective lag time of about 1 hour. Such a shift in temperature gives rise to a small degree of division synchrony during the first and second population doublings which follow. Subsequently, all traces of division synchrony are lost.     

Phylogeny of Cyttaria inferred from nuclear and mitochondrial sequence and morphological data

Cyttaria species (Leotiomycetes, Cyttariales) are obligate, biotrophic associates of Nothofagus (Hamamelididae, Nothofagaceae), the southern beech. As such Cyttaria species are restricted to the southern hemisphere, inhabiting southern South America (Argentina and Chile) and southeastern Australasia (southeastern Australia including Tasmania, and New Zealand). The relationship of Cyttaria to other Leotiomycetes and the relationships among species of Cyttaria were investigated with newly generated sequences of partial nucSSU, nucLSU and mitSSU rRNA, as well as TEF1 sequence data and morphological data. Results found Cyttaria to be defined as a strongly supported clade. There is evidence for a close relationship between Cyttaria and these members of the Helotiales: Cordierites, certain Encoelia spp., Ionomidotis and to a lesser extent Chlorociboria. Order Cyttariales is supported by molecular data, as well as by the unique endostromatic apothecia, lack of chitin and highly specific habit of Cyttaria species. Twelve Cyttaria species are hypothesized, including all 11 currently accepted species plus an undescribed species that accommodates specimens known in New Zealand by the misapplied name C. gunnii, as revealed by molecular data. Thus the name C. gunnii sensu stricto is reserved for specimens occurring on N. cunninghamii in Australia, including Tasmania. Morphological data now support the continued recognition of C. septentrionalis as a species separate from C. gunnii. Three major clades are identified within Cyttaria: one in South America hosted by subgenus Nothofagus, another in South America hosted by subgenera Nothofagus and Lophozonia, and a third in South America and Australasia hosted by subgenus Lophozonia, thus producing a non-monophyletic grade of South American species and a monophyletic clade of Australasian species, including monophyletic Australian and New Zealand clades. Cyttaria species do not sort into clades according to their associations with subgenera Lophozonia and Nothofagus.     

Lethal temperature of marine fishes of the Gulf of Thailand

Twenty four marine fish species of the Gulf of Thailand were studied. The results suggested that increased acclimation temperature resulted in increased mean avoidance temperature (AT), critical thermal maximum (CTM) and upper incipient lethal temperature (UILT). At the acclimation temperature, which is normally the ambient seawater temperature of the Gulf of Thailand (28° C), the upper incipient lethal temperature ranged from 34° C to 37–5° C. Monocanthus chinensis and Cynoglosus puncticeps had the lowest thermal resistance. Mugil dussumerii, Therapon theraps and Scatophagus argus the highest and the rest in the middle range.     

The importance of looking at small-scale patterns when inferring Gondwanan biogeography: a case study of the centipede Paralamyctes (Chilopoda, Lithobiomorpha, Henicopidae)

Gondwanan biogeography has fascinated zoologists and botanists for over a century, but most biogeographical work has used continent-scale areas as analytical units. More finely resolved patterns, as can be obtained from small invertebrates with limited dispersal abilities, will be obscured in those studies. A common case is treating Australia as a single biogeographical region. In the present study, the necessity of splitting Australia into multiple microareas is demonstrated using centipedes as an example. The lithobiomorph centipede Paralamyctes is distributed on fragments of Gondwana, with species in southern Africa, Madagascar, southern India, Patagonia, eastern Australia, and New Zealand. A cladogram for Paralamyctes is based on morphology and sequences for four molecular markers for 30 terminals that sample 20 of 26 known ingroup species and four outgroups. Analysis with direct optimization across a range of indel costs and transversion : transition cost ratios identifies two main clades: Paralamyctes ( Paralamyctes ) unites species from southern Africa, Madagascar, tropical and warm temperate Australia, and New Zealand. The other group includes the temperate Australian/New Zealand Paralamyctes ( Haasiella ) and Paralamyctes ( Thingathinga ) and a Chilean clade. Subtree analysis finds that different parts of Australia have closest affinities to other Gondwanan fragments, and some of these relationships (such as that between north Queensland and New Zealand) are based on taxonomically stable clades. Area delimitation for large continental fragments should use sufficiently fine resolution to test the 'monophyly' of those fragments and attempt to eliminate spurious geographical paralogy.  © 2006 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2006, 89 , 65–78.     

Estimating population parameters of broadnose sevengill sharks (Notorynchus cepedianus) using photo identification capture-recapture

The broadnose sevengill shark (Notorynchus cepedianus) is a common high trophic-level predator around coastal New Zealand. Data on the ecology of the species in New Zealand are severely lacking, and anthropogenic impacts are unquantified. To partially address this, the authors undertook a study of the demographics of a population at Stewart Island. Sampling trips were carried out seasonally from winter 2016 to spring 2017. A baited underwater video system (BUV) was deployed on 133 occasions (mean = 22.2 deployments per season) in a shallow coastal embayment to capture underwater video of N. cepedianus for photo identification of individuals. N. cepedianus was detected on all but one deployment. Images extracted from video recorded the presence of 149 different individuals. Capture-recapture analysis of these data using robust design methods indicated a seasonal trend in abundance of the population using the study area, ranging from 34 (95% C.I. = 21–55) during winter 2016, to 94 (95% C.I. = 44–199) during spring 2017. This study presents the first data on demographic parameters of N. cepedianus in New Zealand.     

Consistent spatial patterns across biogeographic gradients in temperate reef fishes

Biogeographic gradients may facilitate divergent evolution between populations of the same species, leading to geographic variation and possibly reproductive isolation. Previous work has shown that New Zealand triplefin species (family Tripterygiidae) have diversified in habitat use, however, knowledge about the consistency of this pattern throughout their geographic range is lacking. Here we examine the spatial habitat associations of 15 New Zealand triplefin species at nine locations on a latitudinal gradient from 35°50'S to 46°70'S to establish whether distant populations differ in habitat use. Triplefin diversity and density varied between locations, as did habitat variables such as percentage cover of the substratum, onshore-offshore location, microposition, depth and exposure. Canonical discriminant analysis identified specific species-habitat combinations, and when habitat was statistically partialled from location, most species exhibited consistent habitat associations throughout their range. However, the density of a few species at some locations was lower or higher than expected given the habitat availability. This indicates that the habitat variables recorded were not the sole predictors of assemblage structure, and it is likely that factors influencing larval dispersal (e.g. the low salinity layer in Fiordland and geographic isolation of the Three Kings Islands) play an additional role in structuring assemblage composition. Together these results suggest that New Zealand triplefin species show strong and consistent habitat use across potential biogeographical barriers, but this pattern appears to be modified by variation in larval supply and survival. This indicates that species with broad geographic distributions do not necessarily show phenotypic variation between populations.     

Parasite species richness in New Zealand fishes: a grossly underestimated component of biodiversity?

Estimates of total parasite species richness, for given host groups in given geographical areas, are always much higher than the numbers of known parasite species on which they are based. The discrepancy is a reflection of our limited current knowledge of parasite diversity. This is illustrated by a comparison of the parasite faunas of New Zealand fish species with those of Canadian fish; the latter have been well studied by fish parasitologists, and provide a standard for comparisons. More parasite species are known per host species for Canadian fish than for New Zealand fish, for both marine and freshwater fishes. This difference remains after correcting for differences in study effort, i.e. in the number of published studies per fish species. There are also more parasite species per fish species in Canada than in New Zealand when parasite species richness is expressed as number of species per unit of host body length. For freshwater fish, the difference can be explained by the restricted phylogenetic origins and geographical isolation of New Zealand fish species. For marine fish, however, there is no a priori reason to expect a difference in parasite species richness between fish in New Zealand and Canadian waters, and the observed difference probably results from a lack of appropriate parasitological surveys in New Zealand. If the true species richness of the parasite faunas of New Zealand marine fish species approaches that of their Canadian counterparts, then most of the diversity and ecosystem function of fish parasites in New Zealand remains unknown.     

STATUS, RELATIONSHIPS, AND DISTRIBUTION OF MESOPLODON BOWDOINI ANDREWS, 1908 (CETACEA: ZIPHIIDAE)

The specific status of Mesoplodon bowdoini Andrews is reviewed and new information on its morphology, reproduction, and distribution is presented. This species of beaked whale, known only from 35 specimens, has a southern, circumpolar distribution north of the Antarctic convergence, between 32° and 54°30'S. It shares with M. bahamondi Reyes, Van Waerebeek, Cárdenas and Yáñez from the south Pacific Ocean including New Zealand (this paper) and M. carlhubbsi Moore from the north Pacific, a number of morphological features such as prominential notches in the maxillary bones in the skull. It is less similar to M. stejnegeri True from the north Pacific and M. ginkgodens Nishiwaki and Kamiya from the tropical Indo-Pacific. Mesoplodon bowdoini can be distinguished from all other species of Mesoplodon by the shape of its teeth (male and female), and differences in the morphology of its skull, especially the proportions of the rostrum, separation of the nasals, the shape of the prominential notches, and the nature of the antorbital processes. The species' distinguishing external characteristics are: a robust body up to about 4.50 m long; a low melon and short, thick beak; an elevated jawline posteriorly; and a low, blunt-tipped, triangular dorsal fin. The occurrence of fetuses of M. bowdoini in May and September, and perinatal juveniles in May and June, indicates a summer-autumn breeding season in the New Zealand region; the length at birth is estimated at about 2.20 m.     

Studies in the lichen family Collemataceae VI. Collema subundulatum, a new species from New Zealand

Collema subundulatum from New Zealand is described. It is closely related to C. undulatum , a species widely distributed in the Northern Hemisphere. It is phytogeographically somewhat similar to C. novozelandicum which is here recorded from Australia, its first known locality outside New Zealand.     

Populations of North American bean thrips, Caliothrips fasciatus (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae: Panchaetothripinae) not detected in Australia

Abstract  Caliothrips fasciatus is native to the USA and western Mexico and overwintering adults are regular contaminants in the 'navel' of navel oranges exported from California, USA to Australia, New Zealand and elsewhere. Due to the long history of regular interceptions of C. fasciatus in Australia, a survey for this thrips was undertaken around airports, seaports, public recreational parks and major agricultural areas in the states of Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia to determine whether C. fasciatus has successfully invaded Australia. Host plants that are known to support populations of C. fasciatus , such as various annual and perennial agricultural crops, urban ornamentals and weeds along with native Australian flora, were sampled for this thrips. A total of 4675 thrips specimens encompassing at least 76 species from a minimum of 47 genera, and three families were collected from at least 159 plant species in 67 families. Caliothrips striatopterus was collected in Queensland, but the target species, C. fasciatus , was not found anywhere. An undescribed genus of Thripidae, Panchaetothripinae, was collected from ornamental Grevillea (var. Robyn Gordon) at Perth (Western Australia) Domestic Airport, and is considered to be a native Australian species. This survey has provided valuable information on the background diversity of thrips species associated with various native and exotic plant species around major ports of entry and exit for four of five states in Australia. We suggest that the major reason C. fasciatus has not established in Australia is due to high adult mortality in navels that are kept at low storage temperatures (2.78°C) during an 18- to 24-day transit period from California to Australia.     

Marine Biodiversity of Aotearoa New Zealand

The marine-biodiversity assessment of New Zealand (Aotearoa as known to Māori) is confined to the 200 nautical-mile boundary of the Exclusive Economic Zone, which, at 4.2 million km², is one of the largest in the world. It spans 30° of latitude and includes a high diversity of seafloor relief, including a trench 10 km deep. Much of this region remains unexplored biologically, especially the 50% of the EEZ deeper than 2,000 m. Knowledge of the marine biota is based on more than 200 years of marine exploration in the region. The major oceanographic data repository is the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA), which is involved in several Census of Marine Life field projects and is the location of the Southwestern Pacific Regional OBIS Node; NIWA is also data manager and custodian for fisheries research data owned by the Ministry of Fisheries. Related data sources cover alien species, environmental measures, and historical information. Museum collections in New Zealand hold more than 800,000 registered lots representing several million specimens. During the past decade, 220 taxonomic specialists (85 marine) from 18 countries have been engaged in a project to review New Zealand''s entire biodiversity. The above-mentioned marine information sources, published literature, and reports were scrutinized to give the results summarized here for the first time (current to 2010), including data on endemism and invasive species. There are 17,135 living species in the EEZ. This diversity includes 4,315 known undescribed species in collections. Species diversity for the most intensively studied phylum-level taxa (Porifera, Cnidaria, Mollusca, Brachiopoda, Bryozoa, Kinorhyncha, Echinodermata, Chordata) is more or less equivalent to that in the ERMS (European Register of Marine Species) region, which is 5.5 times larger in area than the New Zealand EEZ. The implication is that, when all other New Zealand phyla are equally well studied, total marine diversity in the EEZ may be expected to equal that in the ERMS region. This equivalence invites testable hypotheses to explain it. There are 177 naturalized alien species in New Zealand coastal waters, mostly in ports and harbours. Marine-taxonomic expertise in New Zealand covers a broad number of taxa but is, proportionately, at or near its lowest level since the Second World War. Nevertheless, collections are well supported by funding and are continually added to. Threats and protection measures concerning New Zealand''s marine biodiversity are commented on, along with potential and priorities for future research.