A review of the bee genus Augochlorella (Hymenoptera: Halictidae: Augochlorini)

Abstract. The New World halictid bee genus Augochlorella (Augochlorini) is revised. Sixteen species are recognized, with five described as new: Augochlorella acarinata sp. n., A. una sp. n., A. meridionalis sp. n., A. stenothoracica sp. n. from South America, and A. karankawa sp. n. from U.S.A. The following new synonymies are proposed: Augochlorella michaelis (Vachal) with A. urania (Smith), A. edendata Michener with A. comis (Vachal); A. striata (Provancher) with Augochlorella aurata (Smith) and A. neglectula maritima Ordway with A. neglectula (Cockerell). The female of A. tredecim (Vachal) and the male of A. iopoecila Moure are described for the first time. Keys to the species are provided. Cladistic analysis of adult morphological characters corroborates Engel's hypotheses of monophyly of Augochlorella phylogenetic relationships with related genera as follow: (Augochlorella ((Ceratalictus, Pereirapis) Augochlora)). Vicariant events shown in the cladistic analyses are discussed, and an account of distribution is presented.     

Revision and cladistic analysis of the jumping spider genus Onomastus (Araneae: Salticidae)

The jumping spider genus Onomastus Simon, 1900 is revised. Four new species: Onomastus indra sp. nov. , Onomastus kaharian sp. nov. , Onomastus pethiyagodai sp. nov. , and Onomastus rattotensis sp. nov. are described. Parsimony analysis of 26 morphological characters supported the monophyly of Onomastus. Lyssomanes is sister to Onomastus. Onomastus separates into two clades: the widespread South‐East Asia clade and the South Asia clade. The South Asia clade is restricted to the Sri Lanka–Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot. Species of the South Asia clade appear to be spot endemics, highly in danger of extinction because of habitat loss and climate change. Male palps are complex and species‐specific, suggesting rapid divergent evolution. © 2010 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2010, 159 , 711–745.     

Morphology and phylogeny of four marine or brackish water spirotrich ciliates (Protozoa,Ciliophora) from China,with descriptions of two new species

In this study, we investigated the morphology and molecular phylogeny of four marine or brackish spirotrichean ciliates found in China, namely: Caryotricha sinica sp. nov., Prodiscocephalus orientalis sp. nov., P. cf. borrori, and Certesia quadrinucleata. Caryotricha sinica is characterized by its small size, seven cirral rows extending posteriorly to about 65% of the cell length, and four transverse cirri. Prodiscocephalus orientalis differs from its congeners mainly by the number of cirri in the “head” region and on the ventral side. The SSU rDNA sequence of P. cf. borrori differs from that of other population of P. borrori by ca. 40 bp. Consequently, the nominal species P. borrori is considered to be a species-complex. New data are provided for Certesia quadrinucleata. The Chinese population of C. quadrinucleata, for example, has fewer left marginal cirri than the other populations for which such data are available. Phylogenetic analyses based on SSU rDNA sequence data show that the genus Caryotricha is monophyletic. All typical “discocephalids” with a discoid “head” form a strongly supported clade that is sister to the unstable uronychiids + pseudoamphisiellids clade within the Euplotia. The genus Certesia forms a sister group to the Euplotes clade, also within the Euplotia assemblage.     

PHYLOGENY OF THE GENUS ROSTANGA (NUDIBRANCHIA), WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF THREE NEW SPECIES FROM SOUTH AFRICA

Rostanga elandsia sp. nov., Rostanga aureamala sp. nov. andRostanga phepha sp. nov. are characterized by having the radulawith slender innermost lateral teeth, which lack denticles onthe inner side of the cusp and have a single denticle on theouter side. The outermost lateral teeth of these three speciesare elongate, but shorter than in other species of the genus.In addition, R. aureamala is the only species of the genus withrachidian teeth and R. phepha is unique within the genus Rostanga byvirtue of its white coloration with dark spots. A phylogenetic analysis shows that the three new species fromSouth Africa and Rostanga setidens (Odhner, 1939) are the sistergroup of the rest of the genus. The species from Japan and MarshallIslands (North Pacific Ocean) are basal in the sister cladecontaining the other species of Rostanga Bergh, 1879. The tropicalIndo-Pacific species of Rostanga are not monophyletic. The Atlanticand Eastern Pacific species form a monophyletic, derived clade,being the sister group of Rostanga australis Rudman & Avern,1989, which has a narrow range restricted to south eastern Australia.The widespread Indo-Pacific species Rostanga bifurcata Rudman& Avern, 1989, is the sister group of Rostanga dentacus Rudman& Avern, 1989, also widesprad in the tropical western Pacific. This phylogeny suggest s a viariant origin of the Sourth African, Atlantic-EasternPacific, and probably North Pacific species, whereas in thetropical Indo-Pacific most sister speceis are sympatric. (Received 16 May 1999; accepted 31 July 2000)     

Intraspecific or interspecific variation: delimitation of species boundaries within the genus Gammarus (Crustacea,Amphipoda, Gammaridae), with description of four new species

The delineation of Gammarus species is controversial because of extensive intraspecific morphological variation. The current study examined DNA sequences from the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I and the nuclear 28S genes as well as morphological and ecological data to determine the species boundaries of Gammarus species from China. The results of molecular analyses showed that Gammarus sp1, G. sp2, G. sp3, and G. sp4 are monophyletic and deeply divergent from sister groups. Detailed morphological and ecological comparisons with closely related species were consistent with molecular analyses. Gammarus sp1, G. sp2, G. sp3, and G. sp4 were described as four new species: Gammarus illustris sp. nov. , Gammarus clarus sp. nov. , Gammarus hypolithicus sp. nov. , and Gammarus parvioculus sp. nov. We recommend that molecular detected species should be formally named and described for future research. © 2010 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2010, 160 , 215–253.     

On the systematics of some marine haploporids (Trematoda) with the description of a new species of Megasolena Linton, 1910

Megasolena mikra sp. nov. is described from the queen angelfish, Holacanthus ciliaris (Linnaeus), off Florida, USA. The new species can be differentiated from all other species of Megasolena Linton, 1910 except Megasolena littoralis Muñoz, George-Nascimento, and Bray, 2017 in possessing testes that are smaller in diameter than the ovary. The new species can be differentiated from M. littoralis in lacking tegumental spines and possessing oral sucker papillae. Molecular data are provided for two species each of Cadenatella Dollfus, 1946, Hapladena Linton, 1910, and Megasolena Linton, 1910. Bayesian inference analysis of concatenated internal transcribed spacer region-2 (ITS2) and partial 28S rDNA sequences of 50 haploporoids revealed 1) a monophyletic Atractotrematidae Yamaguti, 1939 sister to the rest of the haploporoids tested; 2) a paraphyletic Megasoleninae Manter, 1935 – if Hapladena is included; and 3) a monophyletic Cadenatellinae Gibson and Bray, 1982 sister to the ‘mugilid’ haploporids. The ‘mugilid’ haploporids formed a monophyletic clade consisting of the subfamilies Chalcinotrematinae Overstreet and Curran, 2005, Forticulcitinae Blasco-Costa, Balbuena, Kostadinova, and Olson, 2009, Haploporinae Nicoll, 1914, and Waretrematinae Srivastava, 1937. Based on our analysis we restrict the Megasoleninae to include Megasolena, Vitellibaculum Montgomery, 1957, and Metamegasolena Yamaguti, 1970, all of which have species with two testes. To accommodate the former megasolenine taxa with a single testis, we erect the Hapladeninae subf. nov. for species in Hapladena and tentatively, Myodera Montgomery, 1957. Our results further support that haploporoids had a common marine ancestor with two testes, and that members of the Haploporoidea Nicoll, 1914 underwent diversification following a shift from a primarily marine life history with eupercarian hosts to a more euryhaline one with diadromous hosts (namely mullet).     

An unexpected clade of South American ground beetles (Coleoptera,Carabidae, Bembidion)

Phylogenetic relationships of the Antiperyphanes Complex of the genus Bembidion are inferred using DNA sequences from seven genes (two nuclear ribosomal, four nuclear protein coding, and one mitochondrial protein coding). Redefined subgenera within the complex are each well-supported as monophyletic. Most striking was the discovery that a small set of morphologically and ecologically heterogeneous species formed a clade, here called subgenus Nothonepha. This unexpected result was corroborated by the discovery of deep pits in the lateral body wall (in the mesepisternum) of all Nothonepha, a trait unique within Bembidion. These pits are filled with a waxy substance in ethanol-preserved specimens. In one newly discovered species (Bembidion tetrapholeon sp. n., described here), these pits are so deep that their projections into the body cavity from the two sides touch each other internally. These structures in Bembidion (Nothonepha) are compared to very similar mesepisternal pits which have convergently evolved in two other groups of carabid beetles. The function of these thoracic pits is unknown. Most members of subgenus Nothonepha have in addition similar but smaller pits in the abdomen. A revised classification is proposed for the Antiperyphanes Complex.     

A new species of recently extinct rice rat (Megalomys) from Barbados

Recently extinct insular populations of oryzomyine rice rats (Cricetidae: Sigmodontinae) are known from across the Lesser Antilles, but most remain undescribed. Historical records of a possible now-extinct endemic rodent from Barbados are supported by presence of oryzomyine remains in Late Quaternary sites on the island, including several pre-Columbian Holocene archaeological sites. The Barbados oryzomyine is described as Megalomys georginae sp. nov., and is most closely related to species from the nearby islands of Martinique and St. Lucia, M. desmarestii and M. luciae. These species all display a zygomatic plate with its posterior margin level with the alveolus of M1, a divided anterocone on M1, and distinct anterolophids and metaflexids on m2 and m3, and are recovered as a monophyletic clade in morphological-molecular and morphology-only analyses. The new species differs from other Megalomys species in having the labial accessory root of M1 absent, a reduced anteromedian flexus on M1, two roots on m2 and m3, a supratrochlear foramen on the humerus, and in its much smaller body size. Other extinct Caribbean oryzomyines are not recovered in a monophyletic clade with Megalomys.     

A multilocus perspective on phylogenetic relationships in the Namib darkling beetle genus Onymacris (Tenebrionidae)

Tenebrionid beetles, common constituent faunae of arid ecosystems worldwide, are particularly abundant in Africa’s Namib and Kalahari deserts. Within this region, flightless, diurnal members of the tribe Adesmiini are among the more intensively studied of all desert beetles, especially with regard to ecology. Much of this research centers on Onymacris, a psammophilous genus largely endemic to the Namib. Here we present the first molecular phylogenetic analysis conducted for Onymacris, emphasizing relationships among other adesmiines. Our multilocus phylogeny identifies a strongly supported clade containing Onymacris and two other genera, Eustolopus and Physadesmia—an assemblage recovered in earlier morphological analyses. However, Onymacris is not monophyletic; rather, we demonstrate its paraphyly with respect to the genus Physadesmia, identified as the sister taxon to the white-bodied species of Onymacris. In turn, the Physadesmia-‘white’ Onymacris clade is the sister group to the remaining (black-bodied) Onymacris. Non-monophyly of ‘black’ versus ‘white’ Onymacris is corroborated by distribution patterns and nodal age estimates, which suggest separate origins in different dune systems.     

A reanalysis of Parabuthus (Scorpiones: Buthidae) phylogeny with descriptions of two new Parabuthus species endemic to the Central Namib gravel plains,Namibia

Two new thick‐tail scorpions in the genus Parabuthus Pocock, 1890 are described from the gravel plains of the Central Namib Desert, Namibia: Parabuthus glabrimanus sp. nov. ; Parabuthus setiventer sp. nov. The two new species occupy discrete distributional ranges, allopatric with the closely related species Parabuthus gracilis Lamoral, 1979 and Parabuthus nanus Lamoral, 1979. The distributions of the four species are mapped and a key provided for their identification. Revised diagnoses are provided for P. gracilis and P. nanus. The two new species are added to a previously published morphological character matrix for Parabuthus species and their phylogenetic positions determined in a reanalysis of Parabuthus phylogeny. Parabuthus setiventer sp. nov. is found to be the sister species of P. nanus, whereas P. glabrimanus sp. nov. is sister to a monophyletic group comprising P. gracilis, P. nanus, and P. setiventer sp. nov. The discovery of two new scorpion species endemic to the Central Namib gravel plains contributes to a growing body of evidence that this barren and desolate region is a hotspot of arachnid species richness and endemism. © 2010 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2010, 159 , 673–710.     

New gomphaeschnids and progobiaeshnids from the Yixian Formation in Liaoning Province (China) illustrate the tremendous Upper Mesozoic diversity of the aeshnopteran dragonflies

One new genus and five new species of dragonflies (Odonata) are described and figured from the Yixian Formation of northeastern China, viz. two gomphaeschnids Sinojoria magna nov. sp. and S. cancellosa nov. sp., plus three progobiaeshnids Mongoliaeshna hadrens nov. sp., M. exiguusens nov. sp., and Decoraeshna preciosus nov. gen., nov. sp. These new discoveries confirm the apparently sudden great diversification in China of the clade Aeshnoptera during the Middle-Upper Jurassic, together with the Upper Mesozoic to modern lineages of dragonflies. At the same time, some ‘ancient’ groups of Odonata became extinct.     

Characterization of a new cosmopolitan genus of trypanosomatid parasites,Obscuromonas gen. nov. (Blastocrithidiinae subfam. nov.)

The expanding phylogenetic tree of trypanosomatid flagellates (Kinetoplastea: Trypanosomatidae) contains a long-known and phylogenetically well-supported species-rich lineage that was provisionally named as the ‘jaculum’ clade. Its members were found in representatives of several unrelated families of heteropteran bugs captured in South and Central America, Europe, Africa, and Asia. However, this group resisted introduction into the culture, a needed prerequisite for its proper characterization. Here we describe four new cultivable species, which parasitize various parts of their hosts’ intestine, including the thoracic and abdominal part of the midgut, hindgut, and Malpighian tubules. Morphologically, the cultured flagellates vary from relatively short stumpy promastigotes to long slender leptomonad cells. Some species form straphangers (cyst-like amastigotes) both in vivo and in vitro, initially attached to the basal part of the flagellum of the mother cell, from which they subsequently detach. To formally classify this enigmatic monophyletic cosmopolitan clade, we erected Obscuromonas gen. nov., including five species: O. modryi sp. nov. (isolated from the true bug host species Riptortus linearis captured in the Philippines), O. volfi sp. nov. (from Catorhintha selector, Curaçao), O. eliasi sp. nov. (from Graptostethus servus, Papua New Guinea), O. oborniki sp. nov. (from Aspilocoryphus unimaculatus, Madagascar), and O. jaculum comb. nov. (from Nepa cinerea, France). Obscuromonas along with the genus Blastocrithidia belongs to the newly established Blastocrithidiinae subfam. nov.     

Integrative Taxonomic Approach for Describing a New Cryptic Species of Bush Frog (Raorchestes: Anura: Rhacophoridae) from the Western Ghats,India

A new cryptic species of bush frog Raorchestes honnametti sp. nov. is described from the south-eastern part of the Western Ghats, India. This newly described species belongs to the Charius clade and is morphologically similar to other clade members—R. charius and R. griet. Therefore, an integrative taxonomic approach based on molecular and bioacoustic analysis along with morphology was used to delimit the new species. Raorchestes honnametti sp. nov., is currently known only from Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple Tiger Reserve, a part of Biligiri Rangaswamy horst mountain range (a mountain formed due movement of two faults) formed during the Late Quaternary period (1.8–2.58 Ma). Discovery of cryptic species from a highly speciose and well-studied genus Raorchestes hints at the possible existence of several more cryptic species in this genus. We discuss the possible reasons for crypsis and emphasize the need for continued systematic surveys of amphibians across the Western Ghats.     

A New Miocene-Divergent Lineage of Old World Racer Snake from India

A distinctive early Miocene-divergent lineage of Old world racer snakes is described as a new genus and species based on three specimens collected from the western Indian state of Gujarat. Wallaceophis gen. et. gujaratenesis sp. nov. is a members of a clade of old world racers. The monotypic genus represents a distinct lineage among old world racers is recovered as a sister taxa to Lytorhynchus based on ~3047bp of combined nuclear (cmos) and mitochondrial molecular data (cytb, ND4, 12s, 16s). The snake is distinct morphologically in having a unique dorsal scale reduction formula not reported from any known colubrid snake genus. Uncorrected pairwise sequence divergence for nuclear gene cmos between Wallaceophis gen. et. gujaratenesis sp. nov. other members of the clade containing old world racers and whip snake is 21–36%.     

Discovery of Rhizopogon associated with Larix from northeastern Siberia: Insights into host shift of ectomycorrhizal fungi

Rhizopogon (Boletales) is an ectomycorrhizal fungal genus that exhibits a strong specificity to Pinaceae. This strict association occurs almost exclusively with Pinus and Pseudotsuga, while associations with other genera in Pinaceae are inconclusive. Here, we describe Rhizopogon laricinus sp. nov. associated with Larix cajanderi distributed in northeastern Siberia, where forest fires are frequent. We confirmed the host identity by comparing rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences obtained from basidiomata and ectomycorrhizal root tips collected at the same sites. Morphological characteristics and molecular identification revealed that R. laricinus is a new species associated with Larix unequivocally. The molecular phylogeny based on ITS sequences placed this species sister to the subgenus Roseoli, which is specific to Pinus, and not to the Pseudotsuga-specific subgenus Villosuli. Thus, R. laricinus evolution does not correspond to host phylogeny as Larix and Pseudotsuga form a monophyletic clade. Instead, ecological traits of Rhizopogon for adapting to disturbed habitats may have driven the host shift to Larix under high-frequency fire ecosystems.     

A polyphasic approach to the study of the genus Nitzschia (Bacillariophyta): three new planktonic species from the Adriatic Sea

The paraphyletic diatom genus Nitzschia comprises over 1000 morphologically distinct pennate taxa, known from the benthos and plankton of freshwater, brackish, and marine environments. The principal diagnostic characters for delimitation of Nitzschia species include valve shape, the position and structure of the raphe, presence/absence and shape of the proximal raphe endings and terminal raphe fissures, areola structure, and specific morphometric features such as cell size, and stria and fibula density. In this study, we isolated 12 diatom strains into culture from samples collected at the surface or greater depths of the southeastern Adriatic Sea. Morphological analyses included LM, SEM, and TEM observations, which, along with specific morphometric features, allowed us to distinguish three new Nitzschia species. These findings were congruent with the results of phylogenetic analyses performed on nuclear‐encoded SSU (18S) rDNA and chloroplast‐encoded rbcL and psbC genes. One of the new species (Nitzschia dalmatica sp. nov.) formed a lineage within a clade of Bacillariaceae containing members of the Nitzschia sect. Dubiae, which was sister to Psammodictyon. A second lineage was part of a novel clade that is significantly distinct from other Nitzschia species sequenced so far and includes Nitzschia adhaerens sp. nov. and N. cf. adhaerens. A further new species was found, Nitzschia inordinata sp. nov., which appeared as the sister group to the N. adhaerens clade and the conopeoid Nitzschia species in our phylogenetic trees. Our findings contribute to the overall diversity of genus Nitzschia, especially in identifying some deep branches within the Bacillariaceae, and highlight under‐scoring of this genus in marine plankton.     

Further investigations on the PHAEOTHAMNIOPHYCEAE using a multigene phylogeny,with descriptions of five new species

We examined 12 strains representing eight species classified in the algal class Phaeothamniophyceae (Heterokontophyta). Based upon a five-gene molecular phylogeny (nuclear-encoded SSU rRNA and plastid-encoded psaA, psbA, psbC, and rbcL) and light microscopic observations, we describe five new species: Phaeoschizochlamys santosii sp. nov., Phaeoschizochlamys siveri sp. nov., Phaeothamnion wetherbeei sp. nov., Stichogloea dopii sp. nov. and Stichogloea fawleyi sp. nov. The Phaeothamniophyceae, as delimited here, form a natural group that is sister to the Aurearenophyceae. Molecular phylogenetic analyses proved more reliable than morphological characters for distinguishing species. Evolutionary trends with the SI clade of the heterokont algae are discussed.     

Multigene phylogeny of Synura (Synurophyceae) and descriptions of four new species based on morphological and DNA evidence

We used phylogenetic analyses based on multiple gene sequences (partial nr SSU and LSU rDNA, partial pt LSU rDNA, psaA and rbcL) from 148 strains (including three outgroups) and scale ultrastructure to examine phylogenetic relationships among species of the colonial genera Synura and Tessellaria. The phylogenetic tree based on the combined dataset was congruent with ultrastructural characteristics of the scales. Synura was divided into three major clades, two including species in section Synura, and one representing section Peterseniae. One clade, consisting of seven strains of S. uvella (section Synura), diverged at the base of the genus. The second clade consisted of the remaining species belonging to the section Synura. The third clade, containing organisms in the section Peterseniae and characterized by scales possessing a keel, was monophyletic with strong support values. Based on our findings, S. uvella needs to be in a separate section from other spine-bearing species, and we therefore propose new sectional ranks; Synura, Peterseniae, Curtispinae (presence of body scales with slender spines, tubular scales and caudal scales). We further propose four new species based on phylogenetic analyses and unique scale characters: S. longitubularis sp. nov., S. sungminbooi sp. nov., S. soroconopea sp. nov. and S. lanceolata sp. nov. Lastly, we propose a new genus name, Neotessella, to replace the invalid use of the name Tessellaria.