Morphological and Molecular Phylogenetic Data Reveal a New Species of Primula (Primulaceae) from Hunan,China

A new species of Primulaceae, Primula undulifolia, is described from the hilly area of Hunan province in south-central China. Its morphology and distributional range suggest that it is allied to P. kwangtungensis, both adapted to subtropical climate, having contiguous distribution and similar habitat, growing on shady and moist cliffs. Petioles, scapes and pedicels of them are densely covered with rusty multicellular hairs, but the new species can be easily distinguished by its smaller flowers and narrowly oblong leaves with undulate margins. Molecular phylogenetic analysis based on four DNA markers (ITS, matK, trnL-F and rps16) confirmed the new species as an independent lineage and constitutes a main clade together with P. kwangtungensis, P. kweichouensis, P. wangii and P. hunanensis of Primula sect. Carolinella.     

New species of Trichuris (Nematoda:Trichuridae) from Akodon montensis, Thomas, 1913, of the Paranaense Forest in Argentina

Species of Trichuris (Nematoda:Trichuridae) parasitize a broad range of mammalian hosts. To date, 21 Trichuris species infecting nine families of rodents have been found in North and South America. Trichuris navonae n. sp. is described on the basis of specimens recovered from a species of forest-dwelling mice, Akodon montensis (Cricetidae: Sigmodontinae), from nine localities of Misiones Province, Argentina. A comparison with all the species of Trichuris from North and South American rodents is given. The separation of the new species of Trichuris is based on morphologic and morphometrica features, such as the absence of a spicular tube, the presence of a cylindrical spicular sheath with sharp spines, a non-protrusive vulva, a long anterior-posterior portion of the body, a lengthy spicule, and a proximal and distal cloacal tube. This is the third record of this genus in rodents of the Sigmodontinae from Argentina and the fifth record from South American rodents. Despite the large number of potential host species, only about 1.9% of sigmodontine rodent species have been reported as hosts of Trichuris spp. It is suggested that this number represents but a small fraction of Trichuris spp. that occur in sigmodontine rodents, and that additional survey of this group should yield additional species.     

A New Miniature Characid (Ostariophysi: Characiformes: Characidae), with Phylogenetic Position Inferred from Morphological and Molecular Data

Erythrocharax altipinnis is described from the Serra do Cachimbo, Pará, Brazil. The new taxon is distinguished from all of the Characidae genera by having the pelvic bones firmly attached through the isquiatic processes; a nearly triangular hiatus in the musculature covering the anterior chamber of the swim bladder between the first and second pleural ribs (pseudotympanum); the pedunculate, notably expanded and distally compressed teeth in both jaws; circumorbital series represented by antorbital and four infraorbital bones with laterosensory canals not enclosed; a single tooth row in the premaxillary with the teeth perfectly aligned and similar in shape and cusp number; the first three branched dorsal-fin rays distinctly elongate in males; a bright red adipose and caudal fins in life; a conspicuous dark midlateral stripe extending from the opercle to the tip of the median caudal-fin rays; and by the absence of a humeral spot. The phylogenetic position of the new taxon is discussed using morphological and molecular datasets, with conflicting results of both approaches discussed. Additionally, a summarized discussion on the current problems in the Characidae taxonomy is presented and the principal biases in the morphological dataset are also discussed.     

部分百里香属植物分子系统学研究

采用ITS序列分析和ISSR分子标记技术,对中国野生百里香(5个种2个变种)及国外百里香(2个种)共计20份材料进行了属内种间及种下水平的系统发育和亲缘关系研究.结果表明:(1)ITS序列的系统发育树能较好地说明百里香属种间亲缘关系,地椒、地椒亚洲变种、百里香和Thymus serpyllum共同聚为一组,Bootstrap支持率为96%,表现为较近的亲缘关系;(2)基于ITS序列的系统发育树和ISSR多态性标记的聚类分析均将地椒怀远居群和地椒展毛变种兴凯居群聚为单独的一组,表现出与其它供试材料间较为明显的遗传差异;(3)ISSR遗传多态性分析将地椒、地椒亚洲变种和百里香很好的聚类;种下居群间的聚类则体现了与地理分布之间一定的相关性.将本实验结果与野外考查及形态学比较相结合,可以得出以下结论:地椒、地椒亚洲变种和百里香三者之间属于近缘种,并与国外的T.serpyllum种间有很近的亲缘关系;支持《黑龙江植物志》将地椒展毛变种兴凯居群列为单独的一个种;地椒怀远居群在遗传背景及分布生境上有很大的特殊性,对其在百里香属植物中的系统地位仍需进一步研究确定.     

Phylogenetic Relationships of a Distinct Species of Globodera from Portugal and Two Punctodera Species

Evolutionary relationships based on ribosomal DNA (rDNA) sequence data for a previously unknown species of Globodera from Portugal, Punctodera chalcoensis from Mexico, and P. punctata from Estonia, plus previously published sequences, support the following relationships: (((Cactodera weissi, G. artemisiae, C. milleri), ((G. sp. Bouro, G. sp. Canha, G. sp. Ladoeiro), ((G. pallida, G. rostochiensis), (P. chalcoensis, P. punctata)))), Heterodera avenae). Globodera sp. from Portugal, which can be confused with potato cyst nematodes by phytosanitary services when the identification is based only on morphological characters, is clearly different based on our molecular data. In addition, the rDNA data show the Globodera sp. to be only distantly related to other European Globodera species that parasitize Asteraceae. Punctodera chalcoensis and P. punctata form a sister clade to the G. pallida + G. rostochiensis clade.     

Revisiting Rhytisma lonicericola: Morphological Characterization and Molecular Phylogenetic Analysis

Rhytisma lonicericola was identified as a tar spot fungus on Lonicera sp. in 1902, and has since been recorded on several species of Lonicera in China, Japan, and Korea. Most of the previous records of R. lonicericola have been based on a list of disease occurrences in the absence of any formal morphological identification or molecular analyses. Using six newly obtained specimens collected in the past 2 years, we confirmed the tar spot fungus found on L. japonica in Korea as R. lonicericola based on morphological examinations and molecular phylogenetic analyses. This fungus was distinguished from R. xylostei, another tar spot fungus on Lonicera, by ascospore size and geographical distributions. We present detailed mycological information and, for the first time, DNA sequence data useful for the identification of R. lonicericola.     

New Species of Eimeria from Arizona Rodents

SUMMARY. In a survey of 52 rodents of 25 species from Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona and its vicinity, the following species of Eimeria are described: E. tamiasciuri n. sp. from the red or spruce squirrel, Tamiasciurus hudsonicus; E. lateralis n. sp. and Eimeria sp. from the mantled ground squirrel, Citellus lateralis; E. eutamiae n. sp. from the cliff chipmunk, Eutamias dorsalis; E. thomomysis n. sp. from the pocket gopher, Thomomys bottae; E. perognathi n. sp. from the rock pocket mouse, Perognathus intermedius; E. albigulae n. sp. from the white-throated woodrat, Neotoma albigula; E. operculata n. sp. from Stephens' woodrat, Neotoma stephensi; E. peromysci n. sp. and E. arizonensis n. sp. from the piñon mouse, Peromyscus truei; E. eremici n. sp. from the cactus mouse, Peromyscus eremicus ; and E. onychomysis n. sp. from the northern grasshopper mouse, Onychomys leucogaster.     

铲形杰氏涡虫(单肠目,达氏科)新纪录的形态学描述及其分子系统学分析

本文对分布于广东省深圳市侨城湿地(113°58'E,22°31'N)咸淡水的一种单肠目Rhabdocoel涡虫进行了形态、发育及18S r DNA与28S r DNA分子系统学的分析与比较。结果表明,此涡虫为达氏科Dalyelliidae铲形杰氏涡虫Gieysztoria knipovici Beklemischev,1953,为中国新纪录种。该物种模式标本分布于欧洲黑海近岸。本研究详细描述了其外部形态与内部结构特征,首次发现该涡虫精巢超长,前端达咽部,后端至腹侧,呈长条形(该属涡虫2个精巢呈球形或椭圆形,位于肠后腹侧);除了骨质阴茎之外还具有可再生的骨质阴茎鞘。阴茎鞘位于骨质阴茎外侧,半包裹骨质阴茎,呈长条形骨质结构。交配后的个体常在交配囊内发现阴茎鞘1~5个。鉴于该物种特殊的形态学特征,其分类地位还有待进一步研究。     

Morphological and Molecular Characterization of a New Species of Stephanopogon,Stephanopogon pattersoni n. sp.

Stephanopogon is a taxon of multiciliated protists that is now known to belong to Heterolobosea. Small subunit ribosomal DNA (SSU rDNA) phylogenies indicate that Stephanopogon is closely related to or descended from Percolomonas, a small tetraflagellate with a different feeding structure, thus these morphologically dissimilar taxa are of ongoing evolutionary interest. A new strain of Stephanopogon, KM041, was cultured, then characterized by light microscopy, electron microscopy, and SSU rDNA sequencing. KM041 is 18–35 μm (mean 26.8 μm) long, with six main ventral ciliary rows, one ventro‐lateral ciliary row, and three anterior barbs. It closely resembles Stephanopogon minuta Lei et al. 1999 in morphology, and is very closely related to an extinct culture “S. aff. minuta”, yet is markedly dissimilar in SSU rDNA sequence from a different isolate identified as S. minuta. This confirms that there are at least two distinct lineages of S. minuta‐like cells, and we describe KM041 as a new species, Stephanopogon pattersoni n. sp. The ultrastructure of KM041 resembles that of previously studied Stephanopogon species, though it has a novel paraxonemal structure in a few cilia. We note that a sub‐basal‐body pad and bulbous axosome are unlikely to be apomorphies for the Stephanopogon–Percolomonas clade.     

Morphological and Molecular Characterization of Phasmarhabditis huizhouensis sp. nov. (Nematoda: Rhabditidae), a New Rhabditid Nematode from South China

The genus Phasmarhabditis is an economically important group of rhabditid nematodes, to which the well-known slug-parasite P. hermaphrodita belongs. Despite the commercial use of Phasmarhabditis species as an attractive and promising approach for pest control, the taxonomy and systematics of this group of rhabditids are poorly understood, largely because of the lack of diagnostic morphological features and DNA sequences for distinguishing species or inferring phylogenetic relationship. During a nematode sampling effort for identifying free-living relatives of Caenorhabditis elegans in Huizhou City, Guangdong, China, a novel species belonging to the genus Phasmarhabditis was isolated from rotting leaves. Detailed morphology of the gonochoristic P. huizhouensis sp. nov. was described and illustrated. The adult female has a robust body, a relatively short and wide buccal capsule conjoined by a rhabditiform pharynx. Females are characterized by a short cupola-shaped tail end bearing a slender pointed tip, with the junction flanked by a pair of ‘rod-like’ phasmids. Males have an open peloderan bursa that is supported by 9 pairs of genital papillae and 1 terminal pair of phasmids. P. huizhouensis sp. nov. is morphologically very similar to the type species Phasmarhabditis papillosa but is distinguishable by its male caudal traits. The new species is readily differentiated from other taxa in the genus by its female tail shape. Molecular phylogenetic inferences based on small subunit (SSU) and the D2-D3 domain of large subunit (LSU) ribosomal DNA genes reveal that P. huizhouensis sp. nov. forms a unique branch in both phylogenies which is genetically related to P. hermaphrodita and other parasites such as Angiostoma spp. The host associations of P. huizhouensis sp. nov. and its ability to parasitize slugs are unknown.     

Molecular and Morphological Analyses Reveal Phylogenetic Relationships of Stingrays Focusing on the Family Dasyatidae (Myliobatiformes)

Elucidating the phylogenetic relationships of the current but problematic Dasyatidae (Order Myliobatiformes) was the first priority of the current study. Here, we studied three molecular gene markers of 43 species (COI gene), 33 species (ND2 gene) and 34 species (RAG1 gene) of stingrays to draft out the phylogenetic tree of the order. Nine character states were identified and used to confirm the molecularly constructed phylogenetic trees. Eight or more clades (at different hierarchical level) were identified for COI, ND2 and RAG1 genes in the Myliobatiformes including four clades containing members of the present Dasyatidae, thus rendering the latter non-monophyletic. The uncorrected p-distance between these four ‘Dasytidae’ clades when compared to the distance between formally known families confirmed that these four clades should be elevated to four separate families. We suggest a revision of the present classification, retaining the Dasyatidae (Dasyatis and Taeniurops species) but adding three new families namely, Neotrygonidae (Neotrygon and Taeniura species), Himanturidae (Himantura species) and Pastinachidae (Pastinachus species). Our result indicated the need to further review the classification of Dasyatis microps. By resolving the non-monophyletic problem, the suite of nine character states enables the natural classification of the Myliobatiformes into at least thirteen families based on morphology.     

毛细属线虫中国新记录种的记述(嘴刺目:鞭虫科)

毛细属Capillaria中国新记录种——越南毛细线虫C.vietnamensis Meszaros,1973,采自广东省惠州市小蹄蝠Hipposideros pomona、大黄蝠Scotophilus heathi,龙门县长翅蝠Miniopterus schreibersi,广州市扁颅蝠Tylonycteris pa...     

Phylogenetic Species Identification in Rattus Highlights Rapid Radiation and Morphological Similarity of New Guinean Species

The genus Rattus is highly speciose, the taxonomy is complex, and individuals are often difficult to identify to the species level. Previous studies have demonstrated the usefulness of phylogenetic approaches to identification in Rattus but some species, especially among the endemics of the New Guinean region, showed poor resolution. Possible reasons for this are simple misidentification, incomplete gene lineage sorting, hybridization, and phylogenetically distinct lineages that are unrecognised taxonomically. To assess these explanations we analysed 217 samples, representing nominally 25 Rattus species, collected in New Guinea, Asia, Australia and the Pacific. To reduce misidentification problems we sequenced museum specimens from earlier morphological studies and recently collected tissues from samples with associated voucher specimens. We also reassessed vouchers from previously sequenced specimens. We inferred combined and separate phylogenies from two mitochondrial DNA regions comprising 550 base pair D-loop sequences and both long (655 base pair) and short (150 base pair) cytochrome oxidase I sequences. Our phylogenetic species identification for 17 species was consistent with morphological designations and current taxonomy thus reinforcing the usefulness of this approach. We reduced misidentifications and consequently the number of polyphyletic species in our phylogenies but the New Guinean Rattus clades still exhibited considerable complexity. Only three of our eight New Guinean species were monophyletic. We found good evidence for either incomplete mitochondrial lineage sorting or hybridization between species within two pairs, R. leucopus/R. cf. verecundus and R. steini/R. praetor. Additionally, our results showed that R. praetor, R. niobe and R. verecundus each likely encompass more than one species. Our study clearly points to the need for a revised taxonomy of the rats of New Guinea, based on broader sampling and informed by both morphology and phylogenetics. The remaining taxonomic complexity highlights the recent and rapid radiation of Rattus in the Australo-Papuan region.     

基于线粒体基因组探讨鲸偶蹄类七种动物的系统发育关系

利用作者已测定的赤麂(Muntiacus muntjak)线粒体全基因组序列和从GenBank检索到的鲸偶蹄类有代表性的长须鲸、河马、奶牛、绵羊、猪、羊驼6种动物的线粒体全基因组序列,按顺序分别连接各自的13个蛋白编码基因、13个氨基酸序列、2个rRNA基因和22个tRNA基因成一个氨基酸序列或核苷酸序列,用DNASTAR软件统计碱基长度和组成;分析奶牛、绵羊和赤麂两两之间蛋白编码基因的序列差异;用MEGA计算7种动物12S和：16S rRNA基因的遗传距离;基于连接在一起的13个蛋白编码基因的氨基酸序列,用NJ法构建系统关系树。结果显示：①偶蹄目反刍亚目牛科的绵羊和同亚目鹿科的赤麂先聚为一亚支,然后与该亚目牛科的奶牛并为一支;猪形亚目猪科的猪和胼足亚目驼科的羊驼并为一支;鲸目须鲸亚目须鲸科的长须鲸和偶蹄目猪形亚目河马科的河马并为一支。②赤麂与绵羊的亲缘关系更近。③推测赤麂与绵羊和奶牛的分歧时间分别约在14．7和16．0百万年前。     

中国地萼苔科新种--云南裂萼苔

描述中国云南产地萼苔科1新种：云南裂萼苔Chiloscyphus yunnanensis C．Gao ＆ Y．-H．Wu,本种与Chiloscyphus ciliola（Nees）Gott．相似,但本种植物体紫红色,柔弱,易碎,叶细胞薄壁,三角体不明显等,与其有明显区别。