Proposal of Spinulacorpus biforme (Smales, 2014) n. g., n. comb. and the Spinulacorpidae n. fam. to resolve paraphyly of the acanthocephalan family Rhadinorhynchidae Lühe, 1912

Systematic Parasitology - Previous phylogenetic analyses of the Acanthocephala have demonstrated that the families Rhadinorhynchidae Lühe, 1912 and Transvenidae Pichelin & Cribb, 2001...     

Polytypy of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Zanclorhynchus</Emphasis> (Zanclorhynchinae: Congiopodidae): Description of the new species <Emphasis Type="Italic">Z. сhereshnevi</Emphasis> sp. n. from the Indian sector of the Southern Ocean

New species Zanclorhynchus chereshnevi sp. n. has been described. The type series of the new species has been sampled along the shores of Prince Edward Islands (46°55′ S 37°58′ E) in the Southern Ocean at the depth of 170 m. The new species differs from the another representative of the genus, Z. spinifer, by weak arming of the first dorsal fin and the head and by the body proportions and coloration.     

Genetic studies of human apolipoproteins. XIII. Quantitative polymorphism of apolipoprotein C-III in the Mayans of the Yucatán Peninsula

Apolipoprotein C-III (APO C-III) is a structural component of very-low-density and high-density lipoprotein particles and is an inhibitor of lipoprotein lipase. In a study of genetic variation of apolipoproteins in the Mayan population of the Yucatán peninsula, we observed a quantitative polymorphism in APO C-III levels. This polymorphism is expressed as variation in immunoblot staining intensity following isoelectric focusing and as variation in plasma levels of APO C-III determined by radial immunodiffusion. This variation is consistent with the presence in Mayans of an allele associated with low levels of plasma APO C-III which we have designated APO C-III*D. Analysis of the distribution of APO C-III levels yields a gene frequency estimate for the deficiency allele of 0.59. There is a significant positive correlation between total plasma APO C-III levels and total plasma cholesterol and triglyceride levels, the lowest levels of cholesterol and triglycerides being seen in individuals homozygous for the deficiency allele. This observation is consistent with the proposed role of APO C-III in lipoprotein metabolism. Family data to determine whether this deficiency allele is due to mutation at the APO C-III structural locus were not available. However, molecular analysis using cloned probes from the APO A-I/C-III/A-IV gene cluster revealed no gross DNA rearrangement or deletion of sequences in this region in homozygous deficient individuals.     

Dwarf toad plunderfish Pogonophryne minor sp. n. (Artedidraconidae; Nototheniodei; Perciformes)—a new species and one of the smallest species of autochthonous ichthyofauna of marginal seas of the Antarctic continent

A new species Pogonophryne minor sp. n. based on materials of Antarctic expeditions on research vessels Chatyr-Dag and Ob’ to the East Antarctica is described. The type specimens of the new species were caught in the Mawson and Davis seas at depths 420–540 m. The comparison of the new species with two other species of the “marmorata” group of the genus Pogonophryne: P. platypogon Eakin, 1988 and the most closely related P. marmorata Norman, 1938 is provided.     

Parastenocaris andreji n. sp. (Crustacea; Copepoda) – the first record of the genus in Slovenia (SE Europe)

Parastenocaris andreji n. sp. was found in ground water in a northwestern part of Slovenia (southern part of Central Europe). Two adult females of the new species were filtered out of 20 000 l of water during examination of an aquifer for water supply. The bore well was 10 m deep. The aquifer is fed by rainwater and probably only occasionally from a nearby alpine river Sava. The new species differs markedly from other known species of the genus by shape and armature of furcal rami, very long and slim maxillae and some characters on endopodites P2–P5. The closest related species are probably Parastenocaris nolliKiefer, 1938 with subspecies P. nolli alpinaKiefer, 1960, P. gertrudae Kiefer, 1968 and P. austriacaKiefer, 1976.     

At the end of the rope: Geophilus hadesi sp. n. – the world’s deepest cave-dwelling centipede (Chilopoda,Geophilomorpha, Geophilidae)

A new geophilomorph centipede, Geophilus hadesi sp. n., is described from caves in the Velebit Mountain, central Croatia. Together with Geophilus persephones Foddai & Minelli, 1999, described from Pierre Saint-Martin cave in France, they are the only two remarkably troglomorphic geophilomorphs hitherto known. The new species apparently belongs to a group of Geophilus species inhabiting mainly Western and Southern Europe, with a uniquely modified pretarsus in the second maxillae. Geophilus hadesi sp. n. shows unusual traits, some of which commonly found in troglobitic arthropods, including exceptionally elongated antennae, trunk segments and leg claws. The species is described upon specimens found in two caves at a depth below -250 m. Another two specimens apparently belonging to the same species have been recorded in another deep vertical cave at -980 m and -1100 m. The latter represents the world’s deepest record of Chilopoda as a whole.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Perturbatacrusta</Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">leini</Emphasis> n. gen., n. sp. a new microencruster incertae sedis (? sponge) from Late Jurassic to earliest Cretaceous platform margin carbonates of the Northern Calcareous Alps of Austria

A new microencruster of unknown systematic position is described as Perturbatacrusta leini n. gen., n. sp. from the Late Jurassic Plassen Carbonate Platform of the Northern Calcareous Alps and its resediments (p.p. Barmstein Limestone). The labyrinthic interior canal system and marginal openings reveal a possible sponge origin. Differences and affinities to allied taxa such as Radiomura cautica Senowbari-Daryan and Schäfer are discussed. The biostratigraphic range of Perturbatacrusta leini n. gen., n. sp. known so far is Kimmeridgian to Tithonian (?Early Berriasian) so far reported from Austria, Bulgaria, Romania, and Greece. Perturbatacrusta leini was detected in boundstones with a diverse association of microencrusters and mainly encrusting sponges occurring together with microbial crusts. Together with the other encrusting organisms and reef builders, Perturbatacrusta leini played an important role for the carbonate production and stabilization of the reefal and slope carbonates in the Late Jurassic to earliest Cretaceous of the western Neotethys realm.     

Bakkeius moragai n. gen. et n. sp. and Pojmanskia riosae n. gen. et n. sp. (Trematoda: Digenea: Brachylaimoidea) in birds from the Area de Conservación Guanacaste, Costa Rica

We describe 2 new species of leucochloridiid-like brachylaimoid digeneans parasitizing a variety of birds in the Area de Conservación Guanacaste, Costa Rica, each of which we assign to a new genus. According to Pojmanska's (Pojmanska, T. 2002a. Superfamily Brachylaimoidea Joyeux & Foley, 1930. In Keys to the Trematoda, D. I. Gibson, A. Jones, and R. A. Bray [eds.]. CAB International and The Natural History Museum, London, U.K., p. 31-36.) key for the Brachylaimoidea, we are unable to place either species in any family. One species most closely resembles members of Leucochloridium by having well-developed suckers, lacking an esophagus, and having cecal shoulders, gonads at the posterior end, and the genital pore at posterior end of body but differs by having symmetrical testes, a posttesticular ovary, and a terminal genital pore; thus, we propose the genus Bakkeius for it. The second new genus resembles members of Michajlovia by having ventral genital pores but differs by having extracecal uterine loops in the forebody, a cirrus sac containing the pars prostatica and seminal vesicle, and gland cells surrounding the genital pore; thus, we propose Pojmanskia for it. These new genera must currently be treated as incertae sedis according to Pojmanska (op. cit.); however, we feel that future phylogenetic analyses will require emendation of the family diagnosis for Leucochloridiidae to include those taxa with terminal and ventral genital pores and with preovarian testes.     

Revision of the genus Diclidophora Krøyer, 1838 (Monogenea: Diclidophoridae), with the proposal of Macrouridophora n. g.

The present study re-examines the detailed morphology of the type-species, Diclidophora merlangi (Kuhn, in Nordmann, 1832) Krøyer, 1838, and other Diclidophora species parasitic on gadid fishes: D. denticulata (Olsson, 1876) Price, 1943, D. esmarkii (Th. Scott, 1901) Sproston, 1946, D. luscae (van Beneden & Hesse, 1863) Price, 1943, D. minor (Olsson, 1868) Sproston, 1946, D. palmata (Leuckart, 1830) Diesing, 1850, D. phycidis (Parona & Perugia, 1889) Sproston, 1946, D. pollachii (van Beneden & Hesse, 1863) Price, 1943 and the recently described D. micromesisti Suriano & Martorelli, 1984. An amended generic diagnosis of Diclidophora Krøyer, 1838 (synonym Diclidophora Diesing, 1850) is provided, which includes the presence of a prostatic vesicle in the terminal male genitalia and the distal fusion of the median and peripheral sclerites, a₁ and c₁ in the clamp anterior jaw. Macrouridophora n. g. is herein proposed for species previously considered in Diclidophora, which are parasitic on macrourid and morid fishes. The clamp morphology in Macrouridophora n. g. has distinct lamellate extension attachments to peripheral sclerites c₁ and the distal portion of d₁, with no distal fusion between a₁ and c₁ in the anterior jaw. Macrouridophora macruri (Brinkmann, 1942) n. comb. is chosen as the type-species. Nine other species are herein transferred to Macrouridophora n. g.: M. coelorhynchi (Robinson, 1961) n. comb., M. lotella (Machida, 1972) n. comb., M. nezumiae (Munroe, Campbell & Zwerner, 1981) n. comb. and M. tubiformis (Rohde & Williams, 1987) n. comb. are redescribed, based on the re-examination of type or voucher specimens. Macrouridophora attenuata (Mamaev & Zubtschenko, 1979) n. comb., M. caudata (Mamaev & Zubtschenko, 1984) n. comb., M. papilio (Mamaev & Avdeev, 1981) n. comb., M. paracoelorhynchi (Mamaev & Paruchin, 1979) n. comb. and M. physiculi (Mamaev & Avdeev, 1981) n. comb. have adequately described haptoral clamps in the literature. The clamp morphology in Macrouridophora sp. from Lepidorhynchus denticulatus in Australia is also considered. Diclidophora whitsonii Suriano & Martorelli, 1984 is herein transferred to the genus Macruricotyle Mamaev & Ljadov, 1975, as M. whitsonii (Suriano & Martorelli, 1984) n. comb. D. embiotocae Hanson, 1979 is herein considered a species incertae sedis. D. caudospina Khan & Karyakarte, 1983 and D. paddiforma Deo & Karyakarte, 1979 are herein considered species inquirendae. D. aglandulosa Deo, 1977, D. glandulosa Das, 1972, D. minuta Das, 1972 and D. spindale Deo, 1977 are formally dismissed as nomina nuda. The systematic position of Diclidophora Krøyer, 1838 and Macrouridophora n. g. in the subfamily Diclidophorinae Cerfontaine, 1895 (sensu Mamaev, 1976) is discussed.     

Neotropical Monogenoidea. 54. Proposal of Aetheolabes n. g. (Dactylogyrinea: Diplectanidae), with the description of A. goeldiensis n. sp. from the gills of ‘pescada’ Plagioscion sp. (Teleostei: Sciaenidae) in Brazil

Aetheolabes goeldiensis n. g., n. sp. (Diplectanidae) is described from the gills of ‘pescada’ Plagioscion sp. (Sciaenidae) collected from the Baía de Marajó, about 30 km north of Belém, Pará, Brazil. The monotypic Aetheolabes n. g. is characterised, in part, by its type-species having the haptor and haptoral sclerites modified as a clasp for attachment to the gill tissue of its host, the copulatory complex situated far posterior to the intestinal bifurcation near the mid-length of the trunk, the vaginal pore apparently within the genital atrium, the tegument lacking scales, anchors atypical for diplectanids, and by lacking peduncular spines and squamodiscs. A. goeldiensis n. sp. closely resembles Diplectanum umbrinum Tripathi, 1957 from India and China by the haptoral sclerites forming a clasp, but differs from it primarily by the orientation of the reproductive organs and absence of squamodiscs.     

Forever in the dark: the cave-dwelling?azooxanthellate reef coral Leptoseris troglodyta sp. n. (Scleractinia,?Agariciidae)

The coral species Leptoseris troglodyta sp. n. (Scleractinia, Agariciidae) is described as new to science. It is the first known azooxanthellate shallow-water agariciid and is recorded from the ceilings of caves at 5-35 m depth in West Pacific coral reefs. The corals have monocentric cup-shaped calices. They may become colonial through extramural budding from the basal coenosteum, which may cause adjacent calices to fuse. The size, shape and habitat of Leptoseris troglodyta are unique compared to other Leptoseris species, many of which have been recorded from mesophotic depths. The absence of zooxanthellae indicates that it may survive well in darkness, but endolithic algae in some corals indicate that they may be able to get some light. The presence of menianes on the septal sides, which may help to absorb light at greater depths in zooxanthellate corals, have no obvious adaptive relevance in the new species and could have been inherited from ancestral species that perhaps were zooxanthellate. The new species may be azooxanthellate as derived through the loss of zooxanthellae, which would be a reversal in Leptoseris phylogeny.     

A revision of the moss genus Sciaromium (Mitt.) Mitt. I. General remarks and the section Aloma Dusén

Abstract

The generic name Sciaromium (Mitt.) Mitt. that was originally used as a sectional epithet in Leskea is synonymous with Echinodium Jul E. madeirense Jur. [= E. spinosum (Mitt.) Jur.] is selected as the lectotype of the genus Echinodium. A historical review of taxonomic and nomenclatural problems in Sciaromium is provided and taxa that had previously been excluded from this genus are briefly discussed. Sciaromium flavidulum Dusén is a Eurhynchium and the combination E. flavidulum (Dusén) Ochyra is made. Sciaromium sect. Aloma Dusén is synonymous with Eurhynchium since E. flavidulum serves as the type species of this section. The taxonomic position of S. gracile Dusén is discussed and this species is considered synonymous with Amblystegium chilense Lor., which is transferred to Pseudoleskea and the appropriate new combination P. chilensis (Lor.) Ochyra made. Type specimens of S. bellii Broth., S. elimbatum Broth. & Watts and S. forsythii Broth. in Broth. & Watts are briefly described and illustrated; these species are reduced to synonymy with the polymorphic Cratoneuropsis relaxa (Hook. f. & Wils.) Fleisch. in Broth.     

We appreciate the invaluable contributions of the following reviewers during the editing of Vol. 8 Nos. 1–2.

Acknowledgments

We appreciate the invaluable contributions of the following reviewers during the editing of Vol. 8 Nos. 1–2.