Notes on taxonomy of some European species of Ephemerum (Bryopsida: Pottiaceae)

Abstract

Taxonomy of some European species of Ephemerum is reviewed. As in several other recent studies, E. minutissimum Lindb. is regarded as a distinct species from E. serratum (Hedw.) Hampe; it is recorded from N. America (by the newly designated lectotype and other specimens) and Turkey, in addition to Europe. E. serratum var. angustifolium Bruch & Schimp. may be a synonym of E. minutissimum; the costate forms E. serratum var. praecox A.W.H.Walther & Molendo and E. intermedium Mitt. in Braithw. are treated as synonyms of E. serratum s.str. Type specimens of E. stellatum H.Philib. are described, a lectotype is designated and it is placed as a synonym of E. serratum s.str. E. hibernicum Holyoak & V.S.Bryan is regarded as a synonym of E. rutheanum Schimp. in Ruthe. The latter is shown to be a rare, European endemic taxon with modern records from Ireland, S. Wales, Germany and The Netherlands, and old records from France and W. Poland; a lectotype is designated. Forms intermediate between E. sessile (Bruch.) Müll.Hal. and the N. American E. crassinervium (Schwägr.) Hampe occur in several countries in W. Europe, some of them indistinguishable from some of the American plants; forms intermediate between E. sessile and E. rutheanum are recorded from S. Portugal and (rarely) Ireland. Differences between E. crassinervium, E. sessile and E. rutheanum in characters of leaves, tubers and capsules are shown to be slight, with considerable overlap. Hence all three taxa are treated as subspecies of E. crassinervium. A revised key to European Ephemerum and Micromitrium is presented.     

Genomic in situ hybridization identifies genome donor of finger millet (Eleusine coracana)

Eleusine coracana, commonly called finger millet, is an important cereal of semi-arid regions, cultivated in parts of Africa and India for its grain. It is reported to be an allotetraploid with a chromosome number 2n = 4x = 36, and diploid species E. indica, with chromosome number 2n = 2x = 18, is considered to be one of its genome donors. In situ hybridization of the E. coracana genome with the genomic DNA of various diploid species of the genus confirmed that E. indica is one of the genome donors to E. coracana and that E. floccifolia is another genome contributor to this allotetraploid species. In situ hybridization also showed a close genomic relationship between 4 diploid species, E. indica, E. floccifolia, E. tristachya and E. intermedia, and also between these and tetraploid species E. coracana. The common genomic in situ hybridization (GISH) signals of the genomic DNA of E. indica and E. tristachya on 15–18 chromosomes of E. coracana clearly indicated that these 2 species have a close genomic similarity. GISH on 25–27 chromosomes of E. coracana withthe genomic DNA of E. intermedia and cross in situ hybridization signals on the chromosomes of E. coracana with genomic DNA of E. intermedia and E. indica or E. intermedia and E. floccifolia has showed that E. intermedia may be an intermediate species of E. indica and E. floccifolia. Received: 15 May 2000 / Accepted: 4 September 2000     

The resurrection of Erigeron parryi (Asteraceae)

Erigeron parryi was described in 1890 from a single collection from southwest Montana. No additional collections were made during the following 90 years. Recent floristic treatments have synonomized E. parryi under E. ochroleucus. I used principal components and discriminant analyses of morphological characters to examine the relationship of E. parryi to its presumed closest relatives, E. ochroleucus, E. radicatus, and E. scribneri, in light of several populations discovered in the past 20 years. Erigeron parryi should be considered a distinct species. It can be readily distinguished from closely related species based on indument and caudex morphology. It is allopatric with E. ochroleucus and E. scribneri and ecologically separated from E. radicatus. Erigeron scribneri is intermediate between E. ochroleucus and E. radicatus and is probably best treated as a variety of one or the other of these species.     

Sensitivity of Aedes aegypti adults (Diptera: Culicidae) to the vapors of Eucalyptus essential oils

Vapors of essential oils extracted from various species of Eucalyptus (E. gunnii, E. tereticornis, E. grandis, E. camaldulensis, E. dunnii, E. cinerea, E. saligna, E. sideroxylon, E. globulus ssp. globulus, E. globulus ssp. maidenii, E. viminalis and the hybrids E. grandis × E. tereticornis and E. grandis × E. camaldulensis) and their major components were found to be toxic to Aedes aegypti adults, the yellow fever mosquito.An aliquot of each oil was placed in a cylindrical test chamber and the number of knocked-down mosquitoes was recorded as function of time. Knockdown time 50% was then calculated. Results showed that E. viminalis had the fastest knockdown time at of 4.2 min, on the same order as dichlorvos, a standard knockdown agent. A correlation was observed between the content of 1,8-cineole in the Eucalyptus essential oils and the corresponding toxic effect.The correlation between KT₅₀ values and calculated vapor pressures of the essential oil components showed that the fumigant activity of simple organic compounds in insects is correlated with their volatility.     

Re-evaluation of the taxonomic status of sand boas of the genus Eryx (Daudin, 1803) (Serpentes: Boidae) in north-eastern Iran using sequences of the mitochondrial genome

The sand boas of the genus Eryx (Daudin, 1803) comprise four species in northe-astern Iran: E. tataricus (Lichtenstein, 1823), E. miliaris (Pallas, 1773), E. elegans (Gray, 1849), and E. jaculus (Linnaeus, 1758). Based on a morphological study of the Eryx species in the area, a high similarity between E. tataricus and E. miliaris on the one side, and E. jaculus and E. elegans on the other side has been well documented, so that they are hardly distinguishable from each other. We analysed sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene of 29 individuals of morphotypes of this species complex in north-eastern Iran to clarify the phylogenetic relationships. Based on the branch pattern of the phylogenetic trees, the amounts of genetic distances within and between major clades and considering the morphological data, we concluded that the traditional grouping of species within the genus Eryx in north-eastern Iran should be fundamentally revised. We believe that E. elegans is conspecific with E. jaculus, and E. tataricus is conspecific with E. miliaris. Considering the principle of priority, the north-eastern populations of Eryx in Iran should be classified into only two distinct species: E. jaculus and E. miliaris.     

Ethological Isolation,Sexual Behavior and Pheromones in the Fasciatus Species Group of the Lizard Genus Eumeces

Ethological isolation was found among North American members of the fasciatus species group of Eumeces. Ethological isolation was investigated by staging a series of interspecific and intraspecific heterosexual encounters. No male E. laticeps or E. fasciatus courted heterospecific females. In both species, males courted and copulated with conspecific females in a significantly higher frequency of trials than with heterospecific females. However, male E. inexpectatus courted females of all three species, courting conspecific females and female E. laticeps at similar frequencies, but female E. fasciatus at a significantly lower frequency. No females of any of the three species were sexually receptive to heterospecific males, but forced copulation occurred in two of nine courtships of female E. fasciatus by male E. inexpectatus. Thus, ethological isolation in the fasciatus group appears to be complete with the possible exception of occasional forced copulation between male E. inexpectatus and female E. fasciatus. Preliminary evidence on the role of chemical stimuli in maintaining ethological isolation was obtained from experiments involving interspecific transfers of female odors. Male E. inexpectatus courted female E. fasciatus labelled with the odor of female E. inexpectatus in a significantly greater proportion of trials than they courted such females lacking the conspecific female odor. In a similar experiment, male E. fasciatus did not court female E. inexpectatus even if the females bore odors of female fasciatus.     

Interspecific competition between two parasitoids of Helicoverpa zea: Eucelatoria bryani and E. rubentis

Multiple parasitism of Helicoverpa zea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) had differential effects on the gregarious endoparasitoids Eucelatoria bryani and E. rubentis (Diptera: Tachinidae). Both species were able to survive in multiparasitized hosts. However while the survival of E. bryani was not affected by the presence of E. rubentis, E. rubentis survival was reduced when competing with 24-h older E. bryani. The presence of E. rubentis did not result in a decrease in the size of E. bryani except when E. rubentis was 24-h older than E. bryani. The presence of E. bryani tended to result in smaller E. rubentis. The presence of similarly aged heterospecific competitors often resulted in prolonged development time for both species. Naïve females did not alter oviposition between unparasitized and heterospecifically parasitized fifth-instar larvae of H. zea, either by ovipositing less frequently in parasitized hosts than unparasitized ones, or by reducing clutch size in parasitized hosts. These results indicate that in H. zea, E. bryani is a superior competitor compared with E. rubentis. These factors should be considered in evaluating the potential of E. bryani and E. rubentis as biological control agents of H. zea.     

3种卫矛属植物叶片秋冬季转色期生理生化特征研究

以疏花卫矛(Euonymus laxiflorus)、丝棉木(E.maackii)和卫矛(E.alatus)3种卫矛属植物为试验材料,测定叶片转色期叶色参数和相关生理生化指标,探讨各项指标的变化规律和内在联系,为优良色叶植物的筛选提供依据。结果表明:(1)转色期,疏花卫矛的明亮度参数L~*和色素参数b~*(黄/蓝)呈上升趋势,色素参数a~*(红/绿)变化不大;丝棉木的L~*和b~*呈先上升后下降的单峰曲线,a~*呈上升趋势;卫矛的L~*和b~*变化不大,a~*呈上升趋势。(2)3种植物的叶绿素含量在转色期呈明显下降趋势;疏花卫矛的花色素苷相对含量、花色素苷/叶绿素的值较为平稳,类胡萝卜素/叶绿素的值呈上升趋势;丝棉木和卫矛的花色素苷相对含量、花色素苷/叶绿素的值均呈上升趋势,类胡萝卜素/叶绿素的值保持平稳。(3)3种植物苯丙氨酸解氨酶(PAL)活性呈下降趋势,查尔酮异构酶(CHI)活性呈先上升后下降的单峰曲线;卫矛的过氧化物酶(POD)和多酚氧化酶(PPO)活性保持平稳,疏花卫矛和丝棉木的POD活性呈上升趋势,疏花卫矛的PPO活性保持平稳,丝棉木的PPO活性呈下降趋势。(4)疏花卫矛和卫矛的可溶性糖和淀粉的质量分数呈先上升后下降的单峰曲线,丝棉木的可溶性糖和淀粉的质量分数呈上升趋势。(5)相关性分析显示,疏花卫矛呈现黄色主要是因为叶绿素的分解,丝棉木和卫矛呈现红色是因为花色素苷的合成,可溶性糖、淀粉、CHI对花色素苷的合成有一定作用,POD对叶片呈现红色有促进作用,PAL和PPO活性对花色素苷的合成无显著影响。     

Epinephelus moara: a valid species of the family Epinephelidae (Pisces: Perciformes)

This study documents the major external and internal morphological differences between Epinephelus bruneus and Epinephelus moara, and analyses the complete mitogenomes of both species. The partial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (coI) sequence divergence between E. bruneus and E. moara is significantly higher than specimens within the same species (P < 0·05). Analyses of gene flow (N_m = 0·02) and genetic differentiation (?_st = 0·92995, P > 0·05) reveal reproductive isolation between E. bruneus and E. moara. These results support the hypothesis that E. moara is a valid species. Further molecular comparisons between E. bruneus and E. moara obtained in this study and a specimen identified in GenBank as E. bruneus from South Korea reveal that the latter is identical to E. moara rather than to E. bruneus.     

Germination requirements and responses to leaf litter of four species of eucalypt

We studied how the responses of four species of eucalypt to leaf litter related to their germination responses to light and water availability. Two of the species (Eucalyptus obliqua and E. baxteri) have a mesic distribution, while the other two (E. oleosa, and E. incrassata) are more xerophytic. We studied the effect of litter on emergence of the four species in a glasshouse experiment. Litter did not affect the emergence of E. incrassata and E. oleosa, but enhanced the emergence of E. obliqua and E. baxteri. Litter increased the seedling mortality of all four species. Germination responses to light and water availability were studied in growth cabinets under controlled conditions. The germination of E. obliqua and E. baxteri was substantially lower under fluorescent light than in darkness, but that of E. oleosa and E. incrassata was not affected by the light environment. The germination of E. obliqua and E. baxteri was significantly reduced by reduced water potential (a). Substantial germination of E. oleosa and E. incrassata occurred even at very low a (less than –1.05 MPa). We conclude that both the shade and the humid micro-environment provided by litter may have contributed to the emergence responses of the four species to litter, and these responses may correspond to ecological adaptations to the different environments in which they live.     

Phylogenetic systematics of the Empis (Coptophlebia) hyalea-group (Insecta: Diptera: Empididae)

Six clades are inferred from a phylogenetic analysis including 42 species belonging to the Empis (Coptophlebia) hyalea‐group. These clades are named as follows: E. (C.) acris, E. (C.) aspina, E. (C.) atratata, E. (C.) hyalea, E. (C.) jacobsoni and E. (C.) nahaeoensis. The presence of two dorsal more or less developed epandrial projections is considered autapomorphic for the E. (C.) hyalea‐group in addition to two characters previously found to support the monophyly of this group (presence of an unsclerotized zone in the middle of labella and epandrium unpaired). Amongst the cladistically analysed species, 24 are newly described [ E. ( C. ) acris , E. ( C. ) aspina , E. ( C. ) cameronensis , E. ( C. ) duplex , E. ( C. ) incurva , E. ( C. ) inferiseta , E. ( C. ) kuaensis , E. ( C. ) lachaisei , E. ( C. ) lamellalta , E. ( C. ) lata , E. ( C. ) loici , E. ( C. ) longiseta , E. ( C. ) mengyangensis , E. ( C. ) menglunensis , E. ( C. ) missai , E. ( C. ) nimbaensis , E. ( C. ) padangensis , E. ( C. ) parvula , E. ( C. ) projecta , E. ( C. ) pseudonahaeoensis , E. ( C. ) submetallica , E. ( C. ) urumae , E. ( C. ) vitisalutatoris and E. ( C. ) woitapensis ], five are reviewed [E. (C.) hyalea Melander, E. (C.) jacobsoni De Meijere, E. (C.) ostentator Melander, E. (C.) sinensis Melander and E. (C.) thiasotes Melander] and 13 were recently described in two previous papers. Two additional species, E. (C.) abbrevinervis De Meijere and E. (C.) multipennata Melander, are also reviewed but not included in the cladistic analysis since they are only known from the female. A lectotype is designated for E. (C.) jacobsoni. A key is provided to the six clades of the E. (C.) hyalea‐group as well as to species of each clade. A catalogue of the E. (C.) hyalea‐group, including 72 species, is given. The taxonomic status of 25 additional species mainly described by Bezzi and Brunetti, from the Oriental and Australasian regions, is discussed. The E. (C.) hyalea‐group is firstly recorded from the Palaearctic Region and Australia. Finally, the distribution and the habitats of the species compared with their phylogeny suggest a possible relationship between the diversification of the group and forest fragmentations during the Quaternary. © 2005 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2005, 145 , 339–391.     

An electrophoretic analysis of the Etheostoma variatum complex (Percidae: Etheostomatini), with associated zoogeographic considerations

Synopsis The Etheostoma variatum complex is comprised of five species (E. euzonum, E. kanawhae, E. osburni, E. tetrazonum, E. variatum) distributed from the Allegheny River, New York, to the White River, Arkansas. Electrophoretic data provide evidence of a division of the complex into two geographic units: E. variatum, E. kanawhae, and E. osburni in the Appalachian region, and E. euzonum and E. tetrazonum in the Ozarks. Genic variation exists also between the Sac and Big river populations of E. tetrazonum. Genic variation and present faunal distributions suggest that an ancestral stock was widely distributed in Teays and Old Mississippi rivers but separated by a Pleistocene ice advance. Some populations survived in an Ozarkian refugium, while more eastern populations, such as the precursor to E. variatum, may have evolved in a southern refuge of the developing Ohio River. The Teays (New) River gorge, including Kanawha Falls, has prevented E. variatum from invading territory occupied by E. osburni and E. kanawhae.     

Environmental influences on the distribution of the rare Eucalyptus paliformis and the common E. fraxinoides

Abstract Eucalyptus paliformis is restricted to seven small populations within an area of <5 km2 on the Wadbilliga Plateau of south-eastern NSW. It occurs as a dominant tree in habitats superficially similar to those of the more widespread E. fraxinoides, which dominates forests immediately adjacent to the E. paliformis populations. This study examined factors which may influence the replacement of E. fraxinoides by E. paliformis, and similarly, factors which exclude E. paliformis from sites dominated by E. fraxinoides. Seedling growth and competition experiments indicated that E. fraxinoides outcompetes E. paliformis under unburnt field conditions, on field soils, under high and low moisture regimes, under high light and high nutrient conditions, and under a range of temperature regimes. Thus, it is likely that E. paliformis is excluded from E. fraxinoides sites by competition. However, further investigation of the competitive relationship between the two species under recently-burnt conditions is still required to test this hypothesis. The exclusion of E. fraxinoides from E. paliformis sites is unlikely to be due to soil types or moisture regimes. Further, temperature regimes do not appear to be important in reducing the competitive advantage of E. fraxinoides over E. paliformis, leaving survival at low temperature extremes as the most promising avenue for further investigation. Temperature measurements, and evidence for low temperature dormancy mechanisms in seeds of E. paliformis but not E. fraxinoides, support the hypothesis that E. fraxinoides is excluded from E. paliformis sites by low temperature extremes.     

Karyotype characterization of five Brazilian species of Echinodorus (Alismataceae) with chromosomal banding and 45S rDNA FISH

The karyotypes of five Brazilian species of Echinodorus; E. bolivianus, E. grandiflorus, E. longipetalus, E. macrophyllus and E. tenellus (Alismataceae); were studied using C-banding, CMA₃/DAPI banding and fluorescence in situ hybridization with a 45S rDNA probe. There were few differences in the G-C rich regions of the five species, but marked differences were seen in the number and position of C-bands, A-T rich regions and 45S rDNA sites. Overall, these characteristics were species-specific, with the exception of E. bolivianus and E. tenellus, which were highly similar in all of the karyotypic characteristics studied.     

Taxonomic, nomenclatural and chorological notes on several taxa of the genus Echinodorus (Alismataceae)

Taxonomic, nomenclatural and chorological notes on several taxa of the genus Echinodorus are given. A new species E. maculatus is described. The name Alisma intermedium (basionym of the name E. intermedius) is lectotypified. Echinodorus major and E. martii should be treated as two distinct taxa. The name E. xinguensis was invalidly published. It is also confirmed that E. africanus, E. veronikae and E. viridis (all belonging to the E. uruguayensis group) do not originate from Africa. The name E. bleherae should be written with a female suffix (-ae); this name is considered here as a synonym of the earlier name E. grisebachii.     

Ethology and ecology of cichlid fishes of the genus Etroplus in Sri Lanka: preliminary findings

Synopsis The Asian cichlid fishes, Etroplus maculatus (Bloch) and E. suratensis (Bloch) were observed in their natural habitat. Ecological and behavioral interactions of these species have not been previously reported. E. suratensis benefits from being cleaned by E. maculatus; it is doubtful the ingestion of parasites and fungi is of much direct benefit to E. maculatus. The advantage to E. maculatus is more likely the survival and reproductive success of adult E. suratensis which in turn provide eggs and eleutheroembryos for the egg-young predatory habit of E. maculatus. Predation is lessened by age-specific crypticity of E. suratensis. E. maculatus displays a unique behavior during its parental cycle where both parents actively defend their young until they are nearly sexually mature and almost the size of the parents. Adult E. suratensis engage in altruistic multiple parental care where several adults care for a single brood that presumably were spawned by only two of the adults. Such behavior has not been reported previously for fish.     

Genetics of colicin E susceptibility inCitrobacter freundii

The insensitivity ofCitrobacter freundii to the E colicins is based on tolerance to colicin E1 and resistance to colicins E2 and E3. Spontaneous colicin A resistant mutants ofC. freundii also lost their colicin E1 receptor function. Sensitivity to colicin E1 can be induced by F′gal ⁺ tol ⁺ plasmids, thetol A⁺ gene product of which is responsible for this effect. Receptor function for colicins E2 and E3 is induced by theE. coli F′14bfe ⁺ plasmid, which is also able to enhance notably the receptor capacity for colicin E1. Thebfe ⁺ gene product ofE. coli, which is responsible for these phenomena, also restores the receptor function for colicin A and E1 in colicin A resistant mutants ofC. freundii. All results show that there is a remarkable difference between theE. coli bfe ⁺ gene product and thebfe ⁺ gene product ofC. freundii and also between thetol A⁺ gene products of these strains. The sensitivity to phage BF23 parallels the sensitivity to colicins E2 and E3 and is also induced by the F′14bfe ⁺ plasmid.     

The Status of Knowledge of the Genus Ecdyonurus in the Iberian Peninsula,with Description of Two New Species of the E. venosus Group from Spain (Ephemeroptera: Heptageniidae)

As a result of studies of material of Ecdyonurus from Spain, nymphs and adults of two new species, E. baeticus sp. n. and E. olgae sp. n., are described. Three species described by Navás must be considered as nomina dubia (E. diversus Navás, 1923, E. excelsus Navás, 1927 and E. fluminum var. speciosus Navás, 1915). Variability in adults of E. venosus is figured and discussed.     

Complementation of deletion mutations in a cloned functional cluster of Erwinia chrysanthemi out genes with Erwinia carotovora out homologues reveals OutC and OutD as candidate gatekeepers of species-specific secretion of proteins via the type II pathway

The type II or Sec-dependent secretion system is used by diverse Gram-negative bacteria for secretion of extracellular proteins. Of the 12–15 proteins involved in secretion, the requirement for many has not been demonstrated and little is known about their functions in the secretion process. The plant pathogens Erwinia chrysanthemi and Erwinia carotovora secrete extracellular pectate lyases (Pels) using the type II or Out pathway. However, these two bacteria cannot secrete Pels encoded by heterologously expressed genes from the other species, suggesting the presence of species-specific recognition factors in the Out systems of the two Erwinia species. We previously reported the isolation of a cosmid clone, pCPP2006, from E. chrysanthemi EC16, which enables Escherichia coli to secrete heterologously expressed E. chrysanthemi Pels. Sequencing in a region required for secretion revealed the presence of 12 genes, outC-M and outO. We report here the construction of functionally non-polar mutations in each gene in the outC-M operon and outS and outB using a polA^ts strain of E. coli to facilitate homologous recombination between out genes carrying deletions and their wild-type copies on pCPP2006. By testing for complementation of each deletion with wild-type out genes from E. chrysanthemi EC16 and E. carotovora SCRI193 we have demonstrated that: (i) each out gene is required for secretion of E. chrysanthemi PelE from E. coli with the exception of outH; (ii) each mutation can be complemented by its homologue from E. carotovora, except for outC and outD; (iii) outC and outD from E. carotovora do not confer secretion of Pel1 on the E. chrysanthemi Out system; and (iv) Pel1 secretion can be conferred on the E. chrysanthemi Out system by the presence of outC-M, S and B from E. carotovora. The data suggest that OutC and OutD are gatekeepers of the Out system involved in recognition of Pels targeted for secretion but that OutC and OutD from E. carotovora cannot be successfully assembled into the E. chrysanthemi Out system.