A NEW GENUS AND SPECIES OF LYMNAEIDAE FROM THE LOWER FRANKLIN RIVER, SOUTH WESTERN TASMANIA, AUSTRALIA

The shell and anatomy of a new genus and species of Lymnaeidae,Kutikina hispida, are described from the Franklin River, S.W.Tasmania and the implications of this discovery, along withthe origins and relationships of the Australasian Lymnaeidae,are discussed. The new species lives attached to submerged limestonerock, has a very expanded shell aperture and, uniquely, theperiostracum bears short hairs. In addition there are apomorphicradular and anatomical characters separating this genus fromother lymnaeids. The new genus is compared with the other nativeAustralian Lymnaeidae. It is suggested that the taxonomy ofthe only other native Tasmanian species of Lymnaeidae, Austropepleatomentosa, a species widely distributed in temperate Australiaand in New Zealand, requires reexamination. Alternative hypothesesrelating to the zoogeography of the southern members of thefamily are discussed in relation to this taxon and the Recentgenus-group taxa of lymnaeids are listed in an Appendix andtheir differences from the new genus noted. (Received 20 June 1996; accepted 17 January 1997)     

Lack of genetic differentiation among four sympatric southeast African intertidal limpets (Siphonariidae): phenotypic plasticity in a single species?

Specimens of four sympatric intertidal limpet species (Siphonariadayi, S. tenuicostulata, S. anneae and S. nigerrima) were collectedfrom four localities on the east coast of South Africa and southernMozambique. Their phylogenetic relationships were investigatedusing sequences of the mitochondrial COI gene and the intron-containingnuclear ATPSß gene. Two closely related lineages wererecovered, which grouped specimens on the basis of geographyrather than morphology. One lineage was associated with thesubtropical coastline of South Africa's east coast and the otherwith the tropical coastline of northeastern South Africa andsouthern Mozambique. This genetic discontinuity coincides witha biogeographic boundary located in the vicinity of Cape StLucia. Combined genetic diversity of the four species was lowerthan that of three other southern African congeners, and fellwithin the range determined for single southern African marinemollusc species. We suggest that the four limpet species arein fact different morphotypes of a single species. (Received 6 October 2006; accepted 29 March 2007)     

A REVISION OF THE DEEP-WATER OCTOPUS GENUS SCAEURGUS (CEPHALOPODA: OCTOPODIDAE) WITH DESCRIPTION OF THREE NEW SPECIES FROM THE SOUTHWEST PACIFIC OCEAN

Deep-water trawl surveys on seamounts around New Caledonia yielded62 specimens of the little-known genus, Scaeurgus. Members ofthis genus of octopuses typically occur at depths of 200–500m in temperate and tropical latitudes worldwide. Prior to thisstudy, Scaeurgus was considered to contain one to two species.The new material from New Caledonia contained a surprising diversityof Scaeurgus species from a small area: three distinct new speciesare described and limited material of a further two taxa isreported. A pygmy member of this genus is reported for the firsttime. Distributions of these new taxa are consistent with reportsof high endemism on the seamount systems in this region. Fifty-eightof the 62 specimens were collected from seamounts, with fourof the five taxa unique to a single seamount. (Received 12 January 2004; accepted 28 January 2005)     

Contrasting patterns of postglacial range shifts between the northern and southern hemisphere in Herbertus (Herbertaceae,Marchantiophyta)

The leafy liverwort genus Herbertus exhibits considerably variable morphology and widely disjunct distributions in both hemispheres. Here, the biogeographic history of the genus and its phylogenetic relationships with the focus on the taxonomically difficult, northern hemispheric disjunct species, were investigated. We conducted a time-calibrated, molecular-based phylogenetic analysis using psbA, trnL-F, and ITS1-2 loci and different approaches for ancestral range inference of the genus. Herbertus is inferred to have originated in the Cenozoic era about 51 million years ago, in an ancestral area including southern South America, the Neotropics, Oceania, and South-east Asia. The current distribution of the genus is supported to have resulted from long-term in situ persistence, short and long distance dispersals, extinctions and recolonizations. Postglacial range shifts between the southern and northern hemisphere in the genus show distinct patterns. In the southern hemisphere, Herbertus is characterized by in situ persistence, not showing further dispersal until the uplift of the Andean Cordillera. Species of the northern hemisphere showed wide range expansions and repeated recolonizations, including north- and southward dispersals, recolonizations and extinctions. Our results support that the ancestor of South-east Asiatic Herbertus had a Gondwanan origin and arrived in Asia via Indian Plate migration. The uplift of high mountains must have had a strong influence in the diversification and dispersal of the genus. Our results further suggest that climate changes must have had a profound effect on the evolution and biogeography of the species of Herbertus in the northern hemisphere, and might also have influenced the reproductive strategies of the genus. Few genetic differentiations amongst currently recognized species H. aduncus, H. dicranus, H. hutchinsiae, H. stramineus, H. delavayi, and H. kurzii, and amongst H. sendtneri, H. armitanus, and H. circinatus were shown, suggesting that the morphological characters that are currently used for delimiting species should be re-evaluated.     

Genetic Relationships within Tripsacum as Detected by RAPD Variation

Genetic diversity within species of Tripsacum was surveyed basedon randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) variation, as detectedwith the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Thirteen of the 16Tripsacum species, including both temperate and tropical species,were included in this study using 56 decamer oligonucleotideprimers. All of the 56 primers generated repeatable RAPD profilesand 53 of them detected polymorphic bands among the Tripsacumspecies. These 53 primers generated 350 repeatable bands rangingin size from 150–1600 bp, each primer generating an averageof seven scoreable bands. Cluster analysis of polymorphic RAPDsindicated four major clusters. Cluster 1 consists of North AmericanTripsacum species, cluster 2 consists of South American Tripsacumspecies, cluster 3 includes T. zopilotense and T. latifoliumfrom Mexico, and cluster 4 consists of Mesoamerican Tripsacumspecies. Cluster analysis does not reveal the division of twotaxonomic sections (Fasciculata and Tripsacum). Copyright 1999Annals of Botany Company Tripsacum, RAPD, genetic relationships, genetic diversity.     

Electrophoretic Variation in Esterases, Peroxidases and Acid Phosphatases in Some Native Greek Taxa of the Genera Hordeum and Taeniatherum

Horizontal starch gel electrophoresis has been applied to thestudy of esterase, peroxidase and acid phosphatase patternsin seven taxa, namely Hordeum diploids (2n=14) (H. marinum,H. marinum I and H. hystrix), tetraploids (2n=28) (H. bulbosumand H. murinum subsp. leporinum) and Taeniatherum (2n=14) (T.caput-medusae and T. caput-medusae I) in order to elucidatetheir phylogenetic relationships. On the basis of our experimentalresults the seven taxa may be placed in the following threegroups; (1) diploid Hordeum (H. marinum, H. marinum I, H. hystrix);(2) tetraploid Hordeum (H. bulbosum, H. murinum subsp. leporinum);(3) Taeniatherum (T. caput-medusae, T. caput-medusae I). Esterase, peroxidase and acid phosphatase patterns of the twoHordeum diploid taxa (H. marinum and H. marinum I) are verysimilar suggesting their close phylogenetic relationship; thesame is true for both the taxa of the genus Taeniatherum (T.caput-medusae and T. caput-medusae I). The taxa of the Taeniatherumgroup compared with the diploid Hordeum (H. marinum, H. marinumI, H. hystrix) and the tetraploid Hordeum (H. bulbosum, H. murinumsubsp. leporinum) show a lower degree of phylogenetic relationshipand seem to be equally distant from them. The tetraploid Hordeumgroup shows a higher phylogenetic relationship with diploidHordeum group than with the Taeniatherum group. These results confirm that the genus Taeniatherum, previouslyconsidered as part of the genus Hordeum, should be regardedas a separate genus. Gramineae (Poaceae), Hordeum L., Taeniatherum Nevski., esterase, peroxidase and acid phosphatase patterns, phylogenetic relationships     

Nouvelles formulations des regles ecologiques connues sous le nom de reegle de Bergmann et loi de Jordan: Amendments of the ecological rules known as Bergmann's and Jordan's rules

Measurements of populations of planktonic and micronektonicspecies from the Atlanto-mediterranean region (about 10,000specimens) have lead to improvements in Bergmann's rule relatingto the increase in size with latitude. There are three cases : Mediterranean specimens may be smaller(e.g. the mysid Eucopia hansent), equal to (e.g. the decapodcrustacean Gennadas elegans) or larger than Atlantic ones (e.g.the thecosomatous genus Cymbulia). All the species in the last group have their principal distributionin warm ocean waters. In the Atlantic, tropical species (e.g.the euphausiid Euphausia gibboides) decrease in size in thenorthern parts of their range while temperate species (e.g.the decapod crustacean Sergesles corniculum) decrease in sizetowards both the pole and the equator. The comparison with the number of vertebrae of fish, which increasesas does the size according to Jordan's rule, is interesting:though correct for cold water species (e.g. Merlucdus merluccius),this rule cannot be applied to warm water species (e.g. Merlucciussenegalensis). Thus, these rules must be corrected like this:- "a species reachesits maximal size in high, intermediate or low latitudes of itsarea if it has a boreal, temperate or tropical distribution"; - "the number of vertebrae increases with latitude for borealfish and decreases for tropical ones".     

Effect of historical factors on genetic variation in three terrestrial Cephalanthera species (Orchidaceae) with different breeding system on the Korean Peninsula

Previous studies have shown that levels of genetic diversity in species of the genus Cephalanthera covary with the breeding system. In the southern part of the Korean Peninsula, the three self‐compatible terrestrial orchids Cephalanthera erecta, C. falcata and C. longibracteata flower synchronously in sympatric populations. The food‐deceptive C. falcata with bright yellow flowers is predominantly outcrossing, whereas autogamy is the dominant strategy in both C. erecta and C. longibracteata, whose white flowers do not open fully. We examined genetic diversity (by means of allozymes) of the three species in sympatric populations (600 × 600 m area) in the Yeonwhasan Provincial Park (YPP) and in non‐sympatric populations outside YPP, South Korea. Thirteen out of 20 putative loci were variable across the three species, but there was a complete lack of allozyme variation within each species and we found no evidence of hybridisation. Our results suggest that historical factors, i.e. the Quaternary climate oscillations, have played a major role in determining levels of genetic diversity in the three Cephalanthera species. The Korean populations of C. erecta (a warm‐temperate/temperate element) and C. falcata (a warm‐temperate element) may have been established by a single introduction from a genetically depauperate ancestral population, likely located outside the Korean Peninsula. On the other hand, since C. longibracteata is a boreal/temperate element, it may have survived the Last Glacial Maximum in microrefugia located in low elevation regions within the Peninsula where it has been subjected to population bottlenecks reducing its genetic diversity.     

ALLOZYME VARIATION IN SOME POPULATIONS OF THE FRESHWATER SNAILS LYMNAEA PEREGRA, L. AURICULARIA AND L. STAGNALIS (GASTROPODA: PULMONATA)

Three species of the genus Lymnaea (Gastropoda, Pulmonata, Basommatophora)were examined for genetic variation at 11 enzymatic loci insamples collected in Brittany (North-Western France). Variabilitywas greatest in L. percgra, but the limited area of samplingdid not allow specific inferences. The UPGMA clustering of unbiasedgenetic distances (Nei, 1978) isolated first L. auriculariasamples, and secondly the single L. stagnalis sample from theL. peregra set. This scheme of relationships was opposed tothe identification of alleles shared by the three species atthe studied loci Analysis of L. peregra population structure by F-statistics(Weir & Cockerham, 1984) suggested high inbreeding and raisedthe possible role of self-fertilization. The contradiction betweenhigh variability and high homozygosity is discussed. Furthermore,population differentiation was rather weak (although statisticallysignificant), despite some remarkable differences among loci.Nm estimates using Wright's (1951) and Slatkin's (1985) methodsrevealed a gene flow unable to prevent the effect of geneticdrift among populations. The relative homogeneity of populationswith weak genetic exchange is discussed (Received 24 May 1993; accepted 21 March 1994)     

FURTHER STUDIES ON THE TAXONOMY AND BIOLOGY OF THE OCTOCORAL-FEEDING GENUS PHYLLODESMIUM EHRENBERG, 1831 (NUDIBRANCHIA: AEOLIDOIDEA)

The aeolid nudibranch genus Phyllodesmium (Mollusca: Gastropoda)is reviewed, three new species are described and further informationon the biology, anatomy and distribution on the eight previouslyknown species is reported. The genus Ennoia Bergh, 1896 is considereda synonym of Phyllodesmium and the type species Ennoia briareusredescribed. The genus Phyllodesmium is unique amongst the aeolidsin feeding on octocoral cnidarians. This has led to the evolutionof nudibranch- zooxanthellae symbioses, zooanthellae being obtainedfrom the octocoral prey. The adaptations developed throughoutthe genus are described and possible relationships between thespecies proposed. (Received 6 January 1990; accepted 20 May 1990)     

Karyotypic diversification in Hypostomus Lacépède, 1803 (Siluriformes, Loricariidae): biogeographical and phylogenetic perspectives

Hypostomus is a species-rich genus of fish with unclear systematics and phylogenetic relationships. Ten species of Hypostomus (H. albopunctatus, H. ancistroides, H. cochliodon, H. commersoni, H. faveolus, H. hermanni, H. aff. paulinus, H. regani, H. strigaticeps and H. topavae) were cytogenetically analyzed through Giemsa staining and silver nitrate impregnation, and the obtained data were correlated to the available biogeographical and phylogenetic analyses for the genus. Although the silver stained nucleolar organizer regions (AgNORs) were found to vary significantly among the species, the diploid numbers could be correlated to the distribution of the species on northern and southern South America river basins. Species with the lower diploid numbers (2n = 64) were associated to northern hydrographic basins and showed a single AgNORs bearing pair. Diploid numbers of 66–68 chromosomes and of 70–84 chromosomes were correlated to two major clades within Hypostomus and southern hydrographic basins, and showed AgNORs varying on number and position. Our results show that cytogenetic data can be correlated to the phylogeny and biogeography of the genus, helping to clarify its complex evolutionary history.     

Cunoniaceae in the Cretaceous of Europe: Evidence from Fossil Flowers

Fossil flowers of the Cunoniaceae from Late Cretaceous sedimentsof southern Sweden are described in detail. The flowers aresmall, bisexual, actinomorphic, tetramerous with broadly attachedvalvate sepals; they have narrowly attached petals; eight stamensin two whorls; a massive, lobed nectary; a semi-inferior, syncarpousgynoecium with axile placentation; numerous ovules; separatestyles; and peltate, probably secretory, trichomes. They sharemany features with extant representatives of both the Cunoniaceaeand Anisophylleaceae. However, the gynoecium structure in particularindicates a closer relationship to the Cunoniaceae. The floralcharacters are not specific for any extant genus of the familyand therefore a new genus and species, Platydiscus peltatusgen. et sp. nov., is formally described. This is the first recordof cunoniaceous floral structures from the Northern Hemisphereand the oldest record of Cunoniaceae flowers worldwide. Copyright2001 Annals of Botany Company Anisophylleaceae, Cunoniaceae, fossil flowers, Late Cretaceous, Oxalidales, Platydiscus peltatus gen. et sp. nov., Santonian-Campanian, southern Sweden     

Morphological and mitochondrial-DNA analysis of the Indo-West Pacific rock oysters (Ostreidae: Saccostrea species)

Species of Saccostrea are common oysters on Indo-Pacific rockyshores. The taxonomy of this genus is unclear, however, becauseof morphological plasticity among its constituent species. Oystersamples with distinct morphotypes were collected from shoresexperiencing different degrees of wave exposure in Japan, Taiwan,China, Vietnam, Singapore and Australia. Intraspecific and interspecificvariations in shell characters have been identified. Only S.kegaki could be readily differentiated from S. cucullata-B,S. cucullata-C and S. mordax by multivariate shell allometricanalyses. Phylogenetic analyses using partial mitochondrial16S DNA sequences of approximately 513 base pairs identifiedtwo clades that correspond to superspecies, i.e. putative S.cucullata and putative S. mordax, comprising nine and two lineagesfrom the Indo-West Pacific, respectively. These are S. cucullata-A,B, C, D, E, F, G, S. kegaki and S. glomerata in one clade, andS. mordax-A and B in the other. Interspecific sequence divergence(Kimura-2-parameter values) between lineages ranged from 1.02%to 11.74%. Both S. cucullata-C and S. kegaki are restrictedto the northern hemisphere, whereas S. glomerata seems to bea temperate species from the southern hemisphere. S. cucullata-Doccurs only in Taiwan. Other species, i.e. S. cucullata-A, B,D, E and F and S. mordax-A and B, have a wide range on rockyshores in the tropical and subtropical Western Pacific and inboth northern and southern hemispheres. (Received 7 January 2005; accepted 4 November 2005)     

Acclimation of Intertidal Crabs

SVXOPSIS. Intertidal crabs are subjected to marked fluctuationsin environmental factors. Temperature and salinity influencethe distribution of organisms both on a latitudinal basis andalong a subtidal to terrestrial gradient. These factors areoperative on all stages of the life history. Resistance-adaptations. Adult fiddler crabs (genus Uca) fromthe temperate zone are more resistant to low temperature thantropical species. Also, the tolerance to low temperature ofcrabs from the temperate zone is greatly influenced by thermalacclimation, i.e. cold-acclimated crabs are more resistant thanwarm-acclimated animals. In contrast, tropical species havelimited adaptive ability. At elevated temperatures no consistentdifference in the lethal limits of crabs from tropical and temperatezones is observed. In contrast with the adults, larvae of tropicalspecies are cold-resistant. However, the larvae of all speciestested are more sensitive to reduced salinities than are theadults. Capacity-adaptatioyis. Subtidal species of crabs tend to havea lower level of respiratory performance, as measured by variousindices, than crabs from the intertidal zone. The metabolicresponse of fiddler crabs from the temperate zone is more labileat low temperature than in species from the tropical zone. Atelevated temperature the reverse response is observed. On aninterspecific basis, differences in the metabolictemperaturepatterns of acclimation of latitudinally separated populationsof U. pugilator are observed when based on the hypotheticalschemes of Bullock, Precht, and Prosser.     

Tri-locus sequence data reject a “Gondwanan origin hypothesis” for the African/South Pacific crab genus Hymenosoma

Crabs of the family Hymenosomatidae are common in coastal and shelf regions throughout much of the southern hemisphere. One of the genera in the family, Hymenosoma, is represented in Africa and the South Pacific (Australia and New Zealand). This distribution can be explained either by vicariance (presence of the genus on the Gondwanan supercontinent and divergence following its break-up) or more recent transoceanic dispersal from one region to the other. We tested these hypotheses by reconstructing phylogenetic relationships among the seven presently-accepted species in the genus, as well as examining their placement among other hymenosomatid crabs, using sequence data from two nuclear markers (Adenine Nucleotide Transporter [ANT] exon 2 and 18S rDNA) and three mitochondrial markers (COI, 12S and 16S rDNA). The five southern African representatives of the genus were recovered as a monophyletic lineage, and another southern African species, Neorhynchoplax bovis, was identified as their sister taxon. The two species of Hymenosoma from the South Pacific neither clustered with their African congeners, nor with each other, and should therefore both be placed into different genera. Molecular dating supports a post-Gondwanan origin of the Hymenosomatidae. While long-distance dispersal cannot be ruled out to explain the presence of the family Hymenosomatidae on the former Gondwanan land-masses and beyond, the evolutionary history of the African species of Hymenosoma indicates that a third means of speciation may be important in this group: gradual along-coast dispersal from tropical towards temperate regions, with range expansions into formerly inhospitable habitat during warm climatic phases, followed by adaptation and speciation during subsequent cooler phases.     

Endocrine Correlates of Seasonal Body Mass Dynamics in the Collared Lemming (Dicrostonyx groenlandicus)

Many winter-active temperate rodent species show seasonal, photoperiod-mediatedchanges in body mass that correlate with changes in food availability,gaining mass when food is abundant. The collared lemming (Dicrostonyxgroenlandicus), an arctic species, also undergoes a seasonaltransition in body mass, but one that is temporally out of phasewith that observed in species from lower latitudes; whereastemperate species increase in mass when exposed to relativelylong day lengths, collared lemmings do so under long but decreasingday lengths. This adaptation may be in response tothe timingof peak above-ground biomass in the arctic. Validation of thishypothesis requires a more thorough examination of both collaredlemmings and other arctic species. In the collared lemming, photoperiod-mediated changes in bodymass are correlated with changes in serum concentrations ofprolactin, thyroid hormones, corticosterone, and growth hormone,and pineal concentrations of melatonin. These observations arecompared to those obtained with temperate small mammals, andpossible cause-and-effect relationships between body mass andhormonal parameters are discussed.     

蜱类系统学研究进展

本文介绍了近年来蜱的编目和分类及系统发育和演化等方面的研究进展。对软蜱科(Argasidae)说明了属的变动;硬蜱科(Ixodidae)介绍了璃眼蜱亚科(Hyalomminae)和凹沟蜱亚科(Bothriocrotoninae)以及相应变动的属(新建的凹沟蜱属Bothriocroton和须角蜱属Cornupalpatum,合并的牛蜱属Boophilus、暗眼蜱属Anocentor和盲花蜱属Aponomma)。根据新的分类变更对已知种类进行了分析。至2006年,世界已知蜱类有3科18属897种,中国有2科10属119种。阐明了有关蜱类系统发育研究的主要观点,并讨论了其不足和有待深入研究的问题。目前,把形态学和分子生物学数据结合在一起的全证据方法,并结合蜱类和不同宿主之间的关系、动物地理学、古生物学以及比较寄生虫学的资料,成为解决蜱类系统发育问题的有效途径。     

Small and overlooked: Phylogeny of the genus Trigonodactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae), with the first record of Trigonodactylus arabicus from Jordan

Geckos of the genus Trigonodactylus are widely distributed in the sand deserts of the Arabian Peninsula. Three species of this genus are currently recognized, with a fourth one, Stenodactylus pulcher, which placement within Trigonodactylus has been tentatively suggested, but not yet confirmed. We present a phylogenetic analysis of the genus Trigonodactylus with new specimens collected in central Saudi Arabia and southern Jordan. New genetic data has been generated from three mitochondrial markers to investigate the phylogenetic relationships of all species of the genus and to assess the putative generic assignment of S. pulcher. Our results confirm that S. pulcher indeed belongs within Trigonodactylus, branching as a sister lineage to all other species of the genus. The new samples cluster within Trigonodactylus arabicus, thus confirming the genetic homogeneity of the species across its large and seemingly inhospitable range. The new specimen collected in southern Jordan represents the first record for the country and a considerable range extension to the northwest from all previously reported localities. Our findings and discovery of a new species for Jordan highlight the need of more field surveys to be carried out in the underexplored parts of Jordan and northern Saudi Arabia, as these places still hold a potential for new discoveries and are crucial for understating the biogeography of the Arabian herpetofauna.