Loricate choanoflagellates (Acanthoecida) from warm water seas. VII. Calotheca Thomsen and Moestrup,Stephanacantha Thomsen and Syndetophyllum Thomsen and Moestrup

The tectiform loricate choanoflagellate genera Calotheca, Stephanacantha and Syndetophyllum have all been first described from warm water habitats and share the presence of flattened and often elaborate costal strips in the lorica. The current reinvestigation does confirm both the widespread occurrence of these taxa within the global warm water belt, and largely corroborates the established genus and species matrix. We describe here Stephanacantha oceanica sp. nov. which closely resembles S. campaniformis, and transfer Parvicorbicula zigzag to the genus Stephanacantha, despite differences in costal strip morphology, but based on a complete agreement in lorica constructional details.     

Loricate choanoflagellates (Acanthoecida) from warm water seas. IX. Coronoeca gen. nov., Polyfibula Manton and spiny forms of Parvicorbicula Deflandre

The ambition to generate an overview of warm water loricate choanoflagellate biodiversity, based on a classic morphometric approach, is here completed by analyses of a range of tiny forms with anterior spines or projections and in most cases also a posterior pedicel. The warm water study complements previously obtained results from the more extensively studied temperate and polar regions of the world’s oceans. It thus contributes to a significantly more balanced approach to global diversity patterns for these organisms. The current survey includes taxa such as Polyfibula elatensis, Parvicorbicula pedicellata, as well as a range of primarily undescribed and taxonomically challenging species, that are in an interim approach allocated to Coronoeca gen. nov. (C. kosmaniae sp. nov., C. conicella sp. nov., C. superpositus (Booth) comb. nov., C. marchantii sp. nov., C. tongiae sp. nov., and C. patongiensis sp. nov.). The analysis of warm water acanthoecid biodiversity has revealed in total 80 species from the six geographic regions sampled, corresponding to approximately 50% of all loricate species described. Nineteen species are previously undescribed forms. The Andaman Sea, Thailand, and West Australia are in a global context the most species-rich regions with 62 and 64 species respectively.     

Loricate choanoflagellates (Acanthoecida) from warm water seas. VI. Pleurasiga Schiller and Parvicorbicula Deflandre

The loricate choanoflagellate genera Pleurasiga and Parvicorbicula are taxonomically ambiguous. Pleurasiga because of the uncertainty that relates to the true identity of the type species, and Parvicorbicula because too many newly described species over time have been dumped here in lack of better options. While all species currently allocated to the genus Pleurasiga (with the exception of the type species) are observed in our samples from the global warm water belt, the genus Parvicorbicula is represented by just a few and mostly infrequently recorded taxa. Two new species, viz. Pl. quadrangiella sp. nov. and Pl. minutissima sp. nov., are described here. While the former is closely related to Pl. echinocostata, the latter is reminiscent of Pl. minima. Core species of Pleurasiga and Parvicorbicula deviate from the vast majority of loricate choanoflagellates in having both the anterior and the mid-lorica transverse costae located exterior to the longitudinal costae. In Pl. quadrangiella there is no mid-lorica transverse costa but rather a small posterior transverse costa located inside the longitudinal costae. In Pl. minutissima the mid-lorica transverse costa has extensive costal strip overlaps which reveal patterns of costal strip junctions that deviate from the norm.     

Loricate choanoflagellates (Acanthoecida) from warm water seas. II. Bicosta,Apheloecion, Campyloacantha,Crucispina, Calliacantha and Saroeca

The main outcome of this and subsequent papers is to provide a baseline survey of heterotrophic protist diversity from warm water marine ecosystems, exemplified by loricate choanoflagellates (Acanthoecida). Genera in focus here (i.e. Bicosta, Apheloecion, Campyloacantha, Crucispina, Calliacantha and Saroeca) possess anterior spines or projections and a posterior pedicel, and have 0, 1 or 2 transverse costae. Longitudinal costae are, with the exception of Campyloacantha, external to transverse costal elements across all genera examined here. We describe here Apheloecion eqpacia sp. nov. and Calliacantha magna sp. nov., both of which are so far distributionally confined to warm water habitats. A ‘form A’ of Bicosta minor is introduced to facilitate the distinction between B. minor sensu stricto and a presumed warm water adapted variant with a posterior lorica chamber twist of the longitudinal costae.     

Loricate choanoflagellates of the Southern Ocean with new observations on cell division in Bicosta spinifera (Throndsen, 1970) from Antarctica and Saroeca attenuata Thomsen, 1979, from the Baltic Sea

Summary The loricate choanoflagellate Bicosta spinifera was observed frequently in Antarctic samples collected along Scotia/Weddell Sea transects. The entire population showed a conspicuous bimodal size distribution. Large forms were predominant in Scotia Sea samples, while only small specimens were found in the Confluence area. Prior to cell division Bicosta spinifera produces a complete set of costal strips in a temporary tail-like protrusion. Small specimens sometimes possess a tail similar to that found in large specimens. The fact that B. spinifera may increase considerably in size following cell division, in connection with the finding of aberrant minute forms, have prompted us to hypothesize a polymorphic life history in B. spinifera. The term caudiform division is introduced to describe division in B. spinifera. Saroeca attenuata also produces a tail prior to cell division, but is otherwise shown to undergo a mixed caudiform/tectiform type of division.Data presented here were collected during the European Polarstern Study (EPOS) sponsored by the European Science Foundatin     

狭义干蘑属(蘑菇目)概要及新的系统学处理

对狭义干蘑属(Xerulas.str.)的范围进行了重新界定,该属仅包括模式种干蘑(X.pudens)及其周围的几个种。属的特征是担子果金钱菌状,有假根;菌盖及菌柄表面干燥,被有黄色至褐色直立、披针形的刚毛;菌褶边缘无不育带;子实层有近梭形的小担子。这些特征可以将干蘑属的物种从干蘑属-小奥德蘑属复合群中分开。现知干蘑属包含六种,本文提供了这些种的检索表,并对各种进行了描述、图示或讨论。其中,硬毛干蘑(X.strigosa)是一新种,它与干蘑(X.pudens)和中华干蘑(X.sinopudens)相似,但与干蘑不同在于其担孢子较长,锁状联合稀少,侧生囊状体顶端壁薄;与中华干蘑的区别在于其侧生囊状体壁厚,顶端有头状至近头状膨大并覆盖有结晶,担孢子宽椭圆形至椭圆形。中华干蘑和小刺干蘑(X.setulosa)分别为我国和哥斯达黎加的新记录种。干蘑属虽然广布北半球,但未见东亚-美洲或欧亚广布的物种分布类型。     

Jumping plant lice (Homoptera: Psylloidea) of the temperate neotropical region. Part 1: Psyllidae (subfamilies Aphalarinae, Rhinocolinae and Aphalaroidinae)

The psyllid-fauna of temperate and subantarctic South America comprises members of three families: Calophyidae, Triozidae and Psyllidae. Three subfamilies of the Psyllidae are revised in this paper: the Aphalarinae are represented by two species in two genera, one of which develops on Aquifoliaceae; the Rhinocolinae are represented by two congeneric species on Anacardiaceae while the Aphalaroidinae contain 38 species in seven genera trophically linked to the Compositae, Euphorbiaceae, Leguminosae, Myzodendraceae, Rhamnaceae, Solanaceae and Zygophyllaceae. The family Psyllidae (= Aphalaridae syn. nov. , =Spondyliaspididae syn. nov. ) and the constituent subfamily Aphalaroidinae (= Arepuninae syn nov. , = Ciriacreminae auct. pp) are redefined. Three genera and 30 species are described as new and two new generic, two new specific synonyms, and five new combinations are proposed. Information on larvae and host plant relationships is also given. Lectotypes are designated for eight species and a type-species is fixed for one genus. Keys are provided for the identification to species.     

中国毛茛科翠雀属的分类学研究(八):短尾翠雀花的名实订正

发现近来根据云南西北部丽江标本描述的毛茛科短尾翠雀花(Delphinium brachyurum W. T. Wang)与此前根据该地标本描述的丽江翠雀花(D. likiangense Franch.)属于同一种植物,故将前者处理为后者的异名。     

Sphagnum divinum (sp. nov.) and S. medium Limpr. and their relationship to S. magellanicum Brid.

Sphagnum magellanicum has been viewed as being a predominantly circumpolar species in the northern hemisphere, but it occurs in the southern hemisphere and was originally described from the southern parts of Chile. It is an ecologically important species in mire ecosystems and has been extensively used as a model to study processes of growth, carbon sequestration and peat decomposition. Molecular and experimental studies have, however, revealed genetic structure within S. magellanicum, and morphological differences associated with these genetic groups. Here we describe Sphagnum divinum in Sphagnum subgenus Sphagnum (Sphagnaceae, Bryophyta) as a new species, based on molecular and morphological evidence. Sphagnum medium is reinstated as a distinct species and is epitypified. Consequently, a new species concept of S. magellanicum is presented including an epitypification. Important morphological characters to separate these three species in the field and under the microscope are presented. Ecology and distribution differ among the species; S. divinium has a wide habitat range including mire margin, forested peatlands and moist heaths, and a circumpolar distribution around the northern hemisphere. Sphagnum medium seems to be more restricted to ombrotrophic mire expanse habitats and shows an amphi-Atlantic distribution in the northern hemisphere. Sphagnum magellanicum has a very broad ecological niche in peatlands and is found in most mire habitats in Tierra del Fuego on the southern tip of South America.     

Paravannella minima n. g. n. sp. (Discosea,Vannellidae) and distinction of the genera in the vannellid amoebae

Paravannella minima n. g. n. sp. (Amoebozoa, Vannellidae) isolated from a freshwater aquarium, possesses all light-microscopic and ultrastructural characteristics of the genus Vannella, being one of the smallest species among the vannellid amoebae (cell size during locomotion usually between 4.5 and 10 μm). At the same time, sequence analysis of the genes encoding for nuclear SSU rRNA, actin and mitochondrial Cox1 shows this species as the earliest-branching vannellid that appears to be sister to the rest of this clade. This is correlated with the presence of some plesiomorphic characters; in particular, the secondary structure of the hypervariable helices E23-1–E23-7 in the studied species is shared with Vannella and most of the genera of Dactylopodida. The cell coat structure of the studied species corresponds to the hypothesis that vannellid amoebae were ancestrally enclosed in a cell coat consisting of pentagonal glycostyles that have undergone multiple independent losses in various clades of Vannellidae.     

Fresh water chytrids from varanasi (India). IV. Some polycentric forms

In this paper five polycentric chytrids have been described, Nowakowskiella elegans, N. profusa, Polychytrium sp., Catenaria anguillulae and Hyphochytrium catenoides. Of the five species described, N. profusa and Polychytrium sp. are new records from India.     

Phylogeny, biogeography and a new taxonomy for the Gecarcinucoidea Rathbun, 1904 (Decapoda: Brachyura)

Phylogenetic relationships of gecarcinucoid freshwater crabs were investigated, based on morphology of the male second gonopod. In addition, a comparison of sequences from the mitochondrial large subunit rRNA gene helped to resolve the phylogeny of this group and relationships to other Old World freshwater crabs. As a result, we recognise two sister groups within the Gecarcinucoidea, the African Deckeniidae and the Asian Gecarcinucidae. Deckeniidae includes three monophyletic clades, the Deckeniinae in East Africa and on the Seychelles, the West African Globonautinae and the Malagasy Hydrothelphusinae. Gecarcinucidae comprises two sister groups, the Gecarcinucinae with representatives in Sri Lanka, India and southeast Asia, and the Parathelphusinae in India, southeast Asia, the Sundaic Islands and Australia. Interpretation of our phylogenetic results leads us to propose a new biogeographic hypothesis for the Gecarcinucoidea. Most likely, the gecarcinucoid freshwater crabs have an African origin; their distribution can be explained by successive events of dispersal. This model can be correlated with palaeogeographical and palaeoclimatological data for the Cenozoic, suggesting a gecarcinucoid dispersal to Asia via the “Lemurian Stepping-Stones”, a chain of islands in the West-Indian Ocean that were emergent in times of low sea levels during the Oligocene.     

Myospora metanephrops (n. g., n. sp.) from marine lobsters and a proposal for erection of a new order and family (Crustaceacida; Myosporidae) in the Class Marinosporidia (Phylum Microsporidia)

In this study we describe, the first microsporidian parasite from nephropid lobsters. Metanephrops challengeri were captured from an important marine fishery situated off the south coast of New Zealand. Infected lobsters displayed an unusual external appearance and were lethargic. Histology was used to demonstrate replacement of skeletal and other muscles by merogonic and sporogonic stages of the parasite, while transmission electron microscopy revealed the presence of diplokaryotic meronts, sporonts, sporoblasts and spore stages, all in direct contact with the host sarcoplasm. Analysis of the ssrDNA gene sequence from the lobster microsporidian suggested a close affinity with Thelohania butleri, a morphologically dissimilar microsporidian from marine shrimps. Whilst morphological features of the lobster parasite are consistent with members of the family Nosematidae, molecular data place the parasite closer to members of the family Thelohanidae. Due to the contradiction between morphological and molecular taxonomic data, we propose the erection of a new genus in which the lobster parasite is the type species (Myospora metanephrops). Furthermore, we recommend the erection of a new family (Myosporidae) and a new order (Crustaceacida) to contain this genus. The taxonomic framework presented could be further applied to the re-classification of existing members of the Phylum Microsporidia.