Schalenmerkmale verkieselter Ostracoden: Sind die ordovizischen Duplikaturen nur Artefakte oder eher evolutionäre Vorversuche?

The post-Silurian, podocopine duplicature (calcified inner lamella) is reviewed, its phylogeny and ecological importance are shown. Taking the relevant literature into account, the phenomenon ofGramm’s Ordovician, “mesostene duplicature” is discussed. Features of the free margin shown in some Ordovician, podocopine species which were obtained from silicified (or silicified and calcium fluorite converted) shells, are either artefacts or results of optical illusions.Gramm’s conception of the “mesoplatic duplicature”, i.a. the marginal thickening in palaeocopine species, however, corresponds toBecker’s model of evolutionary dead-ends, after which the species level is determined to be the favoured experimental stage of the evolution (in concrete terms, the development of the free margin) in times of increased phylogenetic stress.     

Foliicole Flechten aus der Kolchis (West-Transkaukasien,UdSSR)

This paper deals with 19 species of foliicolous lichens collected in the summer months of 1977 to 1980 during several excursions to the vicinity of the spas Sochi, Gagra and Sukhumi on the east shores of the Black Sea (part of the Colchis). Some new taxa and one new combination are proposed:Raciborskiella minor Vězda (sp. n.),Porina colchica Vězda (sp. n.),Gyalectidium caucasicum (Elenk. etWoronich.)Vězda (comb. n.),G. colchicum Vězda (sp. n.),Bacidia vasakii Vězda (sp. n.). Taxonomical, ecological and plant geographical notes to all species are given.     

Evolutionsmodelle für den Ursprung der Echinodermen: Zusammenfassung und Kritik

The origin of echinoderms is one of the most crucial questions within the evolutionary history of deuterostomes. An ancestral position was suggested byGarstang, Romer andNichols. They also assumed that hemichordates and chordates are sistergroups. In all other hypotheses the echinoderms took a more derived position.Gislén, Jefferies andHolland viewed the hemichordates as basal to the deuterostomes and postulated that echinoderms and chordates are sistergroups. According toJollie, Peterson et al. andMooi &; David echinoderms and hemichordates are sistergroups.Gudo andGutmann adopted the view ofMetschnikoff who combined the hemichordates and echinoderms in the Ambulacraria; they supposed that echinoderms were derived from pterobranchs. This variety of views is linked with different approaches to phylogenetic reconstruction utilized by each of the authors.Garstang, Romer, Jefferies andGislén compared morphological features, in the case ofGislén andJefferies with some attention to fossil evidence, whereasJollie, Holland andGislén also considerd embryological aspects.Mooi &;David as well asPeterson et al. used modern embryological (epigenetical) approaches.Nichols combined functional morphology and comparative anatomy. Evolutionary scenarios were reconstructed only by a few authors.Holland associated the development of echinoderms from pterobranch-like ancestors with repeated changes in feeding modes.Nichols envisioned that echinoderms had evolved from sipunculids that gained protection from predators through skeletal armor. In our own investigations based on constructional morphology echinoderms are interpreted as highly derived chordates.     

A study of the interactions between the internal larval parasites ofRhyacionia buoliana [Lepidoptera: Olethreutidae]

The interactions of 6 species of internal parasites ofRhyacionia buoliana Schiff. in a locality in northern Germany are discussed. The occurrence of super and multiparasitism is analyzed in relation to varying host densities and different rates of total parasitism. Multiparasitism betweenOrgilus obscurator Nees and 3 other species,Temelucha interruptor Grav.,Pristomerus sp. nearorbilatis Holmgr. and biting cleptoparasitic habits. Interspecific competition occurred in the form of direct physical attack between the first instar larvae. The coexistence of the internal larval parasites ofR. buoliana provides a good example of a system of “counter-balanced competition”.O. obscurator, although inferior at the level of intrinsic competition, was the dominant species at the level of extrinsic competition.     

Bucania (Gastropoda) from the Ordovician of Estonia

Seven species ofBucania Hall 1847 from the Ordovician of Estonia are presented, also taking into consideration Pleistocene drift material from Germany, and their stratigraphical and geographical distributions are revised. The Middle Ordovician speciesBucania latissima Koken 1897 andBucania salpinx Koken 1897 are tentatively assigned toMegalomphala Ulrich inUlrich &Scofield 1897, while the Lower Ordovician speciesBucania macera Koken inKoken &Perner 1925 is placed inSalpingostoma Roemer 1876. The Middle OrdovicianBucania czekanowskii (Schmidt 1858) and the Upper OrdovicianBucania radiata (d’Eichwald 1856) were earlier considered conspecific, but based on study of the type material they are here considered distinct species.Salpingostoma cornu (Koken 1897), commonly referred to this genus because of the trema, is here transferred toBucania. Two Upper Ordovician specimens ofBucania display wide and abruptly flaring apertures morphologically far removed from other species of the genus.     

New and critical species ofVicia in Iran and neighbouring countries 1. TheVicia variegata group

In Iran and the neighbouring regions of Turkey, Iraq, U.S.S.R. and Afghanistan, eight already known species belonging to the subsectionVariegatae Radzhi, occur:V. persica Boiss.,V. armena Boiss.,V. variegata Willd.,V. akhmaganica Kazar.,V. gregaria Boiss. etHeldr.,V. aucheri Jaub. etSpach and the two new species described here,V. rechingeri Chrtková-?ertová andV. afghanica Chrtková-?ertová. The occurrence of most species is restricted to a limited area which may be one of the evolutionary centres of this subsection.     

The effects of various aphids as larval prey on the development ofMetasyrphus corollae [Dipt.: Syrphidae]

The suitability of thirteen aphid species for the polyphagous larvae ofMetasyrphus corollae (Fabr.) was investigated in laboratory tests. The length of larval and pupal development, weight of puparia, mortality during larval and pupal stages were compared. Cannibalism was not observed in the larvae reared in groups on suitable food.Aphis sambuci Linneaus was not a suitable prey for the larvae.Cavariella theobaldi (Gillette Bragg) collected fromPastinaca sativa L. was toxic to larvae ofM. corollae, although it was possible to rear the larvae onAphis fabae Scopoli orAnuraphis subterranea (Walker) from the same host plant.     

LignicolousHyphomycetes from Czechoslovakia 3.Sporoschisma,Sporoschismopsis andCatenularia

The species of three genera—Sporoschisma Berk. etBr.,Sporoschismopsis Hol.-Jech. etHennebert andCatenularia Grove are treated in this paper from Czechoslovakia:Sporoschisma juvenile Boudier,S. mirabile Berk. etBr.,Sporoschismopsis moravica Hol.-Jech. etHennebert andCatenularia cuneiformis (Richon) Mason. The studied fungi produce the conidia in basipetal succession, endogenously or subendogenously, quite internally in large phialides or only inside open swollen collarettes.     

A revision of the moss genusCrossidium (Pottiaceae) with the description of the new genusMicrocrossidium

A world revision of the genusCrossidium Jur. recognizes 11 species, which are described and discussed in the context of important taxonomic characters. An identification key is provided.C. asirense Frey & Kürschner is reduced to synonymy withC. davidai Catcheside, and the geographical range ofC. laevipilum Ther. & Trab. is extended to Europe. Phylogenetic trends are interpreted on the basis of two main evolutionary lines associated with the presence or absence of hyaline hair-points on the leaves. A twelfth species is transferred toMicrocrossidium Guerra & Cano, gen. nov., asM. apiculatum (Magill)Guerra & Cano, comb. nova, because of differences in stem anatomy, peristome configuration, and spore morphology.     

Notes on some African hepatic genera 1–5

The present study deals with five genera of hepatics in Africa, Isotachis Mitt., Anastrophyllum (Spruce) Steph., Tritomaria Schiffn. ex Loeske, Gymnocoleopsis (Schust.) Schust. and Lophozia (Dum.) Dum. All African populations of the genus Isotachis Mitt. are considered to be one species, I. aubertii (Schwaegr.) Mitt. Four species of Anastrophyllum (Spruce) Steph. (s.l.), A. auritum (Lehm.) Steph., A. piligerum (Nees) Spruce, A. subcomplicatum (Lehm. et Lindenb.) Steph. and A. minutum (Schreb.) Schust., and two species of Tritomaria Schiffn. et Loeske, T. camerunensis S. Arnell and T. exsecta (Schrad.) Schiffn. ex Loeske occur in Africa. Gymmocoleopsis multiflora (Steph.) Schust. represents a genus and species hitherto unreported for the African flora. Finally, five Lophozia (Dum.) Dum. species, L. argentina (Steph.) Schust., L. capensis S. Arnell, L. decolorans (Limpr.) Steph., L. hedbergii S. Arnell and L. tristaniana (S. Arnell) Váňa, are reported from central and southern Africa; two of these (L. argentina (Steph.) Schust. and L. decolorans (Limpr.) Steph.) represent the first reports from Africa.     

LignicolousHyphomycetes from Czechoslovakia 5.Septonema,Hormiactella andLylea

Three genera of lignicolousHyphomycetes Septonema Corda,Hormiactella Saac. andLylea Morgan-Jones are discussed. Illustrations and determination keys are provided. Five species ofSeptonema—S. fasciculare (Corda) Hughes,S. leptaleum (Ellis & Harkn.) Hughes,S. pinicola Hol.-Jech.,S. secedens Corda andS. laricium Hol.-Jech.—and two species ofHormiactella—H. fusca (Preuss) Sacc. andH. asetosa Hol.-Jech.—have been found in Czechoslovakia. A new speciesS. pseudobinum Hol.-Jech. is described from Romania.Septonema tetracoilum (Corda Hughes is accommodated in the genusLylea Morgan-Jones.     

LignicolousHyphomycetes from Czechoslovakia 1.Brachysporium

Four species of the genusBrachysporium Sacc. emend.Mason etHughes are treated in this paper from Czechoslovakia:B. nigrum (Link)Hughes,B. obovatum (Berk.)Sacc. and two new species,B. abietinum Hol.-Jech. andB. brevius Hol.-Jech.     

LignicolousHyphomycetes from Czechoslovakia 6.Spadicoides andDiplococcium

Seventeen species belonging toSpadicoides Hughes andDiplococcium Grove collected in Central Europe mostly in Czechoslovakia are described and illustrated. Two new species are described inSpadicoides—S. carpatica Hol.-Jech.,S. penatium Hol.-Jech. and three new species inDiplococcium—D. bicolor Hol.-Jech.,D. insolitum Hol.-Jech. andD. parcum,Hol.-Jech.     

Notes on some African hepatic genera 6–9

The present study deals with African species ofSyzygiella Spruce,Allisoniella Hodgs. andGymnomitriaceae Klinggr. Three species ofSyzygiella Spruce,S. geminifolia (Mitt.) Steph.,S. concreta (Gott.) Spruce and one indeterminable species with orbicular leaves (known only in sterile condition) occur in Africa.Allisoniella nigra (Rodw.) Schust. represents a genus hitherto unreported for the African flora. The present knowledge ofGymnomitriaceae Klinggr. in subsaharan Africa is summarised; five species ofMarsupella Dum., one ofGymnomitrion Corda and five ofHerzogobryum Grolle are reported. Finally, some additions to the generaIsotachis Mitt.,Anastrophyllum (Spruce) Steph. andLophozia (Dum.) Dum. are presented.     

LignicolousHyphomycetes from Czechoslovakia 8.Endophragmiella andPhragmocephala

Thirteen species and one variety ofEndophragmiella Sutton and three species ofPhragmocephala Mason etHughes collected by the author in Czechoslovakia, and occasionally in other regions of Europe are described and illustrated. Four new species and one new variety are described inEndophragmiella—E. aseptata Hol.-Jech.,E. fatrensis Holt.-Jech.,E. ramificata Hol.-Jech.,E. similis Hol.-Jech. andE. uniseptata (Ellis) Hughes var.pusilla Hol.-Jech..     

Holocene mangrove dynamics and environmental change in the Rufiji Delta, Tanzania

Holocene mangrove dynamics are reconstructed from pollen, sediment and radiocarbon analyses of three cores (ANR, BNR, CNR) located across a 20 km transect in the Rufiji Delta, Tanzania. At the base of the sediment sequence, dated to about 5600 cal. year b.p., the mangroves which are present suggest a low intertidal ecosystem in response to wet conditions and a higher sea level than at the present day. After around 5600 cal. year b.p. in core BNR, mangroves retreated seaward probably due to a lower sea level and drier environmental conditions. At around 4640 cal. year b.p., mangroves shifted landward suggesting a phase of sea level rise. In the late Holocene, mangroves became established at higher elevations of the Rufiji Delta, which is now a paddy field. Mangrove taxa decreased after 1170 cal. year b.p., suggesting drier conditions and less inundation frequency, possibly due to a lower sea level. Marked vegetation changes from mangroves to terrestrial vegetation occurred after around 750 cal. year b.p., possibly related to sea level regression and/or a desiccation phase recorded during the late Holocene. Paddy fields replaced mangroves in the landward part of the transect, reflecting an increase in human settlement in this area, a trend that continues to the present day. The recent decrease of mangrove species, particularly Rhizophora mucronata, could suggest less inundation by saline water and a lower sea level, although these changes may also be due to human activities during the last millennia as indicated by charcoal analysis.