Notes on twoUmbelopsis species:U. nana andU. vinacea from Japan

Umbelopsis nana andU. vinacea isolated from soils in Nagano Pref., Japan were redescribed and illustrated.     

A new species ofPestalosphaeria, the teleomorph ofPestalotiopsis neglecta

Three specimens of a newPestalosphaeria species were obtained from a twig ofQuercus myrsinaefolia from Kumamoto Pref., and from leaves ofRhododendron hybridum andRicinus communis from Izu Peninsula, Shizuoka Pref. The collected materials were kept moist for 1 to 2 mo after collection. Monoascospore isolates from each specimen produced identical colonies with black slimy masses of conidia on them. Morphological characteristics of the conidia accorded well with those ofPestalotiopsis neglecta not only hitherto recorded but also formed on the same specimen. Hence,Pestalosphaeria gubae sp. nov. is proposed for the new species, as the teleomorph ofPestalotiopsis neglecta.     

Fossil bagrid catfishes from Japan and their zoogeography, with description of a new species,Pseudobagrus ikiensis

Morphological characteristics of fossil bagrid catfishes from six Miocene to Pleistocene localities in Japan are described. A new species of the Middle Miocene bagrid,Pseudobagrus ikiensis, is described, based on five nearly complete specimens (ca. 19 cm SL) and one half-body specimen from the Chojabaru Formation (15 Ma) of the Iki Group in Nagasaki Prefecture. The species is diagnosed by a unique combination of characters: 14–16 anal fin rays, 44–47 vertebrae, deeply forked caudal fin, pectoral spines with serrations on the anterior edge and supraoccipital process extending to the first pterygiophore of the dorsal fin.Pseudobagrus ikiensis is morphologically close to the extantP. fulvidraco, which is widely distributed in China, Siberia and the Korean Peninsula, suggesting that both lineages had appeared by the Middle Miocene. All other fossil specimens are from the Pliocene (3–4 Ma) Ueno Formation (lowest Kobiwako Group, Ohyamada, Mie Pref.) and Tokai Group (Tsu, Mie Pref.), and Pleistocene cave deposits (Inasa, Shizuoka Pref., Mine, Yamaguchi Pref. and Kanogawa, Ehime Pref.). These are incomplete, comprising mainly dorsal and pectoral spines. Being indistinguishable from the extantP. nudiceps, they are thus considered to be included in that lineage. Although the geological distribution of these Plio-Pleistocene fossils nearly overlaps that of the extantP. nudiceps (west of the Suzuka Mountains), fossil specimens have also been found in the Ise Bay area (Tsu), whereP. ichikawai is the only extant bagrid, and further east (Inasa). Based on evidence that the latter is not a sister species ofP. nudiceps, the distribution of the fossils indicates that the range ofP. nudiceps was restricted to west of the Suzuka Mts. during the Pleistocene or Holocene.     

Taxonomic identity of caricicolousPuccinia host-alternating onPetasites in Japan

Uredinial-telialPuccinia fungi onCarex shimizuensis in Nagano Pref. and onC. dimorpholepis in Ibaraki Pref. were proven to host-alternate onPetasites japonicus by field observations and inoculation experiments. These fungi from the two localities were morphologically similar and were compared with three describedPuccinia species that host-alternate betwenCarex species andP. japonicus in Japan, i.e.,P. caricis-petasitidis, P. caricis-flabellatae andP. caricis-podogynae. The three previously described species and the newly foundPuccinia fungi were morphologically indistinguishable at all stages of the life cycle; therefore, it was concluded that three species and the two newly found fungi are taxonomically identical, in whichP. caricis-petasitidis has nomenclatural priority.     

Enumeration of the genusPeziza in Japan:Peziza limnaea andPeziza rifaii

Two species in the genusPeziza are described and illustrated as new to Japan:Peziza limnaea andPeziza rifaii. These species were collected in the broad-leaved forest mainly withCastanopsis cuspidata in Chiba Pref.     

Occurrence ofHebeloma vinosophyllum on the forest ground after decomposition of crow carcass

Hebeloma vinosophyllum (Basidiomycota, Agaricales), a member of the ammonia fungi, occurred on the ground in the close vicinity of the decomposed carcass of a jungle crow,Corvus macrorhynchos, in a forest dominated byQuercus spp. in Urawa, Saitama Pref., central Japan. This is the first report of an ammonia fungus occurring at the site of a decomposed wild bird carcass.     

Intraspecific Genetic Diversity of Undaria pinnatifida in Japan, based on the Mitochondrial cox3 Gene and the ITS1 of nrDNA

The intraspecific genetic diversity of the kelp Undaria pinnatifida (Harvey) Suringar (Laminariales, Phaeophyceae) was investigated using DNA sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit 3 (cox3) gene and internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) of nuclear ribosomal DNA in plants collected from 21 localities along the Japanese coast between 2001 and 2003. Morphological variation was also examined and compared with the genetic diversity. Cox3 analyses of 106 plants revealed 9 haplotypes (I–IX) that differed from each other by 1–7 bp (all synonymous substitutions). Haplotype I was distributed in Hokkaido and the northern Pacific coast of Honshu, while haplotype III was found along the Sea of Japan coast of Honshu. Other types were found along the central and southern coast of Honshu. ITS1 analyses of 42 plants revealed 0–1.7% nucleotide differences, but plants from the Sea of Japan coast and northern Japan had similar sequences. The lower genetic differentiation along the Sea of Japan and northern coasts might be due to the recent establishment (after the middle of the last glacial period) of the Sea of Japan flora. The cox3 haplotype of cultivated plants was found in natural populations occurring close to cultivation sites (Naruto, Tokushima Pref., and Hokutan, Hyogo Pref.). This suggests that cultivated plants possibly escaped and spread or crossed with plants of natural populations. Morphological analyses of variation in 10 characters were conducted using 66 plants. The results showed no significant local variation owing to the wide variation in each population and did not support any forma previously described. No correlations between the morphological characters and cox3 haplotypes were detected.     

Materials for the fungus flora of Japan (51)

A discomycete in Sarcoscyphaceae is described and illustrated as new to Japan:Cookeina sulcipes (Berk.) Kuntze, found on decayed wood along the Aira River, Iriomote Island, Okinawa Pref., Japan. Hongo, T., Nippon Kingakukai Kaiho (Trans. Mycol. Soc. Japan)38: 99–100, 1997.     

Vegetative compatibility of an isolate ofVerticillium dahliae pathogenic to both tomato and pepper

An isolate ofVerticillum dahliae Vdp-4, pathogenic to both tomato and pepper (tomato-pepper pathotype), was examined for its vegetative compatibility with testers of the Japanese vegetative compatibility group (subgroups J1, J2, and J3). Seven isolates ofV. dahliae from the same field as Vdp-4 in Misato, Nagano Pref. and two isolates from Hokkaido were separately determined as either tomato pathotype (B) or pepper pathotype (C). Isolate 5922 previously reported as tomato-pepper pathotype was also examined. Compatiblenit1 and NitM mutants were obtained from all isolates except for isolates Vdp-3 and Vdt-10. The isolate of tomato-pepper pathotype Vdp-4 showed a strong reaction with VCGJ1 and J3 and was thus assigned to J3. Seven of these isolates showed compatibility and were assigned into three provisional subgroups. The isolate 5922 was self-incompatible.     

Antennatus flagellatus (Teleostei: Antennariidae), a new species of frogfish from southern Japan

A new species of frogfish,Antennatus flagellatus, is described on the basis of two specimens from Kashiwajima Island, Kochi Pref., southern Japan. It is distinguished from congeneric species as follows: illicium long, more than 40% SL and about 3.6 times length of second dorsal spine; caudal peduncle present.     

Intraspecific polymorphism of pollen sculpture inParis tetraphylla A. Gray (Liliaceae)

Paris tetraphylla has a greater diversity of pollen exine sculpture than was previously thought. On the basis of 357 plants from 52 localities of Japan, we distinguished seven sculpture types that are tentatively referred to here as G₁, G₂, G₃, R₁, R₂, R₃ and S. G₁, G₂ and G₃ have gemmate sculpture in which the gemmae are characteristically large, medium and small in size, respectively; likewise, R₁, R₂ and R₃, have coarsely to finely ruglate sculpture; and S, scrobiculate sculpture. In general, any one of the seven types always or predominantly occurs in each plant, thus allowing us to make comparisons among plants and further among local populations. We thus found that G₂ and G₃, respectively, are the most and the second most widespread and occur in plants of 41 and 22 respectively, of the localities examined, although their frequencies differ with locality. Generally R₃ occurs in plants distributed at higher latitudes, while R₂ is rather widespread and common to plants growing on high mountains. G₁ and R₁ are restricted to plants occurring south of Ibaraki Pref. and north of Gunma Pref., respectively. Such localized distributional patterns of some types may reflect the reproductive nature and the history of geographical isolation inParis tetraphylla over the Japanese Islands.     

Mycofloral succession onPinus densiflora needles on a moder site

Mycofloral succession on decaying pine needles in aPinus densiflora forest on a moder site was investigated in Sugadaira, Nagano Pref., central Japan. Dead needles on the tree, fallen needles obtained from two recognizable sublayers of the L layer and the upper sub-layer of the F₁ layer in the organic horizon were examined for their fungal flora using both washing and surface sterilization techniques. The major interior colonizer in freshly fallen needles varied with the season:Chaetopsina fulva in summer andSelenosporella curvispora in the other seasons.Thysanophora penicillioides was a remarkable external colonizer of freshly fallen needles in summer, while soil fungi were external colonizers of such needles in the other seasons. A possible successional change of major fungi with the needle decay was suggested. The observed seasonal alternation of the species colonizing freshly fallen needles was discussed in relation to climatic conditions. Contributions from Sugadaira Montane Research Center, No. 152.     

Photosynthetic performance of transplanted ecotypes ofEcklonia cava(Laminariales, Phaeophyta)

Young sporophytes of short-stipe ecotype ofEcklonia cavafrom a warmer locality (Tei, Kochi Pref., southern Japan) and those of long-stipe ecotype from a cooler locality (Nabeta, Shizuoka Pref., central Japan) were transplanted in 1995 to artificial reefs immersed at the habitat of long-stipe ecotype in Nabeta Bay, Shizuoka Pref., central Japan. The characteristics of photosynthesis and respiration of bladelets of the transplanted sporophytes of the two ecotypes were compared in winter and summer 1997; the results were assessed per unit area, per unit chlorophyllacontent and per unit dry weight. In photosynthesis-light curves at 10–29 °C, light saturation occurred at 200–400 mol photon m^–2s^–1in sporophytes from both Tei and Nabeta. The maximum photosynthetic rate (P _max) at 10–29 °C and the light-saturation index (I _k) at 25–29 °C in sporophytes from both localities were generally higher in winter than in summer.P _maxat 25–29 °C (per unit area and chlorophylla) were higher in sporophytes from Tei than those from Nabeta in both seasons. The optimum temperature for photosynthesis was 25 °C in winter and 27 °C in summer at high light intensities of 100–400 mol photon m^–2s^–1. However, at lower light intensities of 12.5–50 mol photon m^–2s^–1, it was 20 °C in winter and 25–27 °C in summer for sporophytes from both locations. Dark respiration increased with temperature rise in the range of 10–29 °C in sporophytes from both locations in summer and winter. The sporophytes transplanted from Tei (warmer area) showed higher photosynthetic activities than those from Nabeta (cooler area) at warmer temperatures even under the same environmental conditions. This indicates that these physiological ecotypes have arisen from genetic differentiation.     

The impact of changing irrigation practices in rice fields on frog populations of the Kanto Plain, central Japan

Rice fields are important substitute wetlands for frogs. Traditionally, rice fields in Japan were supplied with water and drained via shallow earth ditches (old-style). In the last 30 years, however, more than 80% of rice fields have been converted to a new irrigation system in which water is typically supplied through underground pipes via taps and is drained into deep, concrete-sided ditches (new-style). We compared the occurrence of frogs in paired areas of old- and new-style rice fields at six locations in Ibaraki Pref., central Japan, from May to August 1995. The Japanese tree frog (Hyla japonica) did not differ in abundance between the two types of rice fields, but the Japanese brown frog (Rana japonica) and the Tokyo daruma pond frog (Rana porosa porosa) preferred the old-style rice fields. These findings suggest that the status ofRana species has been adversely affected by the conversion of rice fields to the new irrigation system. Modification of the deep, U-shaped concrete ditches and the water management regime during the spawning season is needed to safeguard these species.     

Vegetative compatibility groups of Japanese isolates ofVerticillium dahliae

Japanese isolates ofVerticillium dahliae were examined for vegetative compatibility relationships using nitrate-nonutilizing mutants. Four levels of vegetative compatibility were differentiated according to the degree of compatibility between the tester mutants ofnit1 and NitM. Wild-type growth with a complementation line greater than 5 mm wide was defined as “strong reaction (++)”, i.e., compatible. Ten out of 15 isolates showed compatibility and were separated into three groups, provisionally designated as VCGJ1, VCGJ2, and VCGJ3, depending upon their reactions. This method was used to estimate, genetic diversity within a local population ofV. dahliae. Another 12 isolates from Gunma Pref. were paired with tester isolates of the three vegetative compatibility groups proposed. Eight Gunma isolates were assigned to VCGJ1 or VCGJ2. Two isolates were incompatible with all testers. The remaining 2 isolates were self-incompatible. Thus, 18 out of 27 Japanese isolates ofV. dahliae were assigned to VCGs: 8 to VCGJ1, 7 to VCGJ2, and 3 to VCGJ3. VCGJ1 was compatible with both VCGJ2 and VCGJ3, but VCGJ2 and VCGJ3 showed a weak reaction with each other. Japanese isolates ofV. dahliae were thus demonstrated to form a VC group comprising three subgroups.     

PHYLOGEOGRAPHY OF CUTLERIA CYLINDRICA (CUTLERIALES,PHAEOPHYCEAE) IN NORTHEASTERN ASIA,AND THE IDENTITY OF AN INTRODUCED POPULATION IN CALIFORNIA1

Cutleria cylindrica Okamura was described from Japan in 1902 and has been reported only from northwestern Asia until its relatively recent discovery in California, USA, and Baja California, Mexico. To clarify the genetic relationships within and among the disjunct populations, we carried out a molecular phylogenetic study, as well as the examination of sex ratio and the life‐history patterns, of populations in Japan, Korea, and California. Based on the DNA sequences of mitochondrial genes cox2, cox3, the open reading frame (ORF) region, and the spacer between cox3 and ORF, a total of 23 haplotypes were detected in the 85 individuals from 20 localities in Japan, Korea, and California. All localities in Japan and Korea included multiple haplotypes, but only a single haplotype was found in California. There was a positive relationship between distance and genetic divergence in Japan and Korea. The single haplotype found in California was the same as one occurring in Japan (Aomori Pref. and Fukuoka Pref.) and Korea (Daedaepo, Pusan). Both male and female gametophytes were distributed in most northeastern Asian populations. Only female gametophytes, developing parthenogenetically from female gametes, were found in California and Aomori Pref., Japan. On the basis of these results, we conclude that the disjunct population of C. cylindrica in California originated from a relatively recent introduction from Japan and shares its origin with the parthenogenetic population in the Tsugaru Strait.     

Taxonomy of an anamorphic xylariaceous fungus from a termite nest found together with <Emphasis Type="Italic">Xylaria angulosa</Emphasis>

Two xylariaceous fungi were isolated from a nest of a termite, Odontotermes formosanus, that was incubated in a laboratory after collecting from Iriomote Is., Okinawa Pref., in Japan. One of the two fungi was identified as Xylaria angulosa on the basis of the morphology of branched stroma produced on medium, tiny asci, and ascospores having a germ slit. Another fungus is an anamorphic fungus that produces synnemata up to 50 mm long from which dendritic conidiophores branch out. Unicellular conidia are holoblastically produced on a sympodially proliferating conidiogenous cell. Such morphological characters resemble those of the genus Geniculosporium. However, its distinctive synnema formation and dendritic conidiophores do not assign the fungus to Geniculosporium or other known genera and warrant establishment of a new genus. The phylogenetic tree based on the ITS regions of rDNA shows that the fungus is nested in the cluster of the genus Nemania (Xylariaceae), whose species have mainly Geniculosporium-like anamorphs. We describe here the present anamorphic fungus as Geniculisynnema termiticola gen. et sp. nov., and discuss its phylogenetic and ecological relationships to xylariaceous fungi, especially termiticolous species.     

Chromosomes of diploid and triploid forms found in the natural populations of tiger lily in Tsushima

The diploids (2n-24) ofLilium lancifolium were found together with triploids (2n=36) in the Tsushima islands, Nagasaki Pref., Japan. Four kinds of nucleolar chromosomes are common to nucleolar systems in mitoses of both forms. The gross morphology of the diploid form with numerous stem-bulbils closely resembles that of the triploid form.     

Effect of Gamma Irradiation on Strawberries as a Means of Extending Its Shelf-Life and Lethal Dose of Botrytis cinerea

Effectiveness of γ-irradiation as a protective means against post-harvest decay in ‘Donner’ strawberries produced in Gumma Pref., Japan, was investigated. In case when strawberries were kept at 23°C, 10-% infection due to saprophytic fungi, such as Botrytis cinerea, Rhizopus and Penicillium, was found 3 days after zero-kiloroentgen (kR) irradiation, 4 days after 100-kR irradiation, and 5 to 6 days after 200-kR irradiation. For the purpose of wrap-film, ordinary cellophane was found to be more favorable than water-proof cellophane at room temperature.

Main saprophytic fungus of ‘Donner’ berries was isolated and identified to be Botrytis cinerea Persoon. Lethal dose of B. cinerea was determined from its survival curve.