Oligoneuria Pictet: phylogenetic analysis and description of three new species from Brazil (Ephemeroptera: Oligoneuriidae)

For 150 years O. anomala has been the only known species of Oligoneuria, the type genus of the Oligoneuriidae (Ephemeroptera). However, two species have been recently described and Oligoneuria has been proposed as a senior synonym of the genus Oligoneurioides. In the present paper, based on material from the Amazon and Brazilian Atlantic Forest, three new species are described, including information on all life stages. Given these new species, as well as the lack of cladistic support for the proposed synonymy between Oligoneuria and Oligoneurioides, a phylogenetic analysis was performed in order to address the relationships between all species and to test the status of Oligoneurioides. Our results show that the status of the genus is uncertain, mainly due to the lack of knowledge of the type species of O. anomala, known exclusively from a female subimago. Taking into account phylogenetic as well as taxonomic arguments, we propose that the genus Oligoneuria should be divided into three subgenera: Oligoneuria s.s., for O. anomala; Oligoneuria (Yawari) new subgenus, for Oligoneuria truncata sp.n. ; and Oligoneuria (Oligoneurioides) for the remaining five species, including O. amandae sp.n. and O. mitra sp.n. This published work has been registered in ZooBank, http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:A2AEE4B7‐FEA8‐4067‐8F3B‐666095EDB997 .     

Thelypteris amazonica sp. nov. (Thelypteridaceae) from Amazonian Brazil

A new species of Thelypteris subgenus Goniopteris (Thelypteridaceae) is described and illustrated: Thelypteris amazonica Salino & R. S. Fernandes is apparently most similar to Thelypteris anoptera (Kunze) C. Chr. (Brazil‐Bahia) and T. abrupta (Desv.) Proctor (Antilles, Central America, South America), but differs from both by the clavate vein ends, basal vein pairs from adjacent segments not united below the sinuses, and petioles with simple and stellate hairs. Thelypteris amazonica is known only from Amazonian Brazil.     

Mollugo brasiliensis sp. nov. (Molluginaceae) from eastern Brazil

The new species Mollugo brasiliensis Thulin & Harley, a perennial viscous herb with 6–8 stamens, few‐seeded capsules and tuberculate seeds, is described from eastern Brazil. It is compared primarily with the two other native members of Molluginaceae previously known from Brazil, M. verticillata L. and Glischrothamnus ulei Pilger.     

Maranta rugosa sp. nov. (Marantaceae) from central Brazil

Maranta is a neotropical genus usually found in moist and shaded habitats in pluvial to semideciduous forests and Cerrado, with diversity center in central Brazil. A new species from Mato Grosso, M. rugosa J. M. A. Braga & S. Vieira, is described and illustrated. The new species is somewhat similar to M. parvifolia Petersen with which it is compared.     

Aristolochia zebrina sp. nov. (Aristolochiaceae) from southeastern Brazil

Aristolochia zebrina is described, illustrated and discussed in comparison with the two most similar species, A. papillaris Mast. and A. tamnifolia (Klotzsch) Duch. The new species is distinguished from its relatives mainly by the ellipsoid utricle, the narrowly ovate, revolute, and efimbriate floral limb with dark purple longitudinal stripes inside, and the glabrous and smooth capsules, which are broadly cylindrical. So far, the new species has only been found in ‘restingas’ (sandy soils) and wet tropical Tabuleiro forests in northern Espírito Santo, southeastern Brazil.     

Sinaspidoneura magnifica nov. gen., nov. sp., first Chinese Caloneurodea (Insecta: Archaeorthoptera)

We describe the first Chinese Caloneurodea, Sinaspidoneura magnifica nov. gen., nov. sp., from the middle Permian Yinping Formation. This new genus and species belongs to the small family Aspidoneuridae, previously known from two genera and species, one from the latest Carboniferous of France and another from the late early Permian of North America. This discovery shows that this order was more widespread during the middle Permian than previously supposed, under a great variety of palaeoclimates. This clade is still unknown in the late Permian, and possibly became extinct because of the crisis of biodiversity that happened at the end of the middle Permian.     

Oswaldotrema nacinovici gen. nov. sp. nov. (Digenea: Philophthalmidae) from Numenius phaeopus (Aves: Scolopacidae) in Brazil

A new genus, Oswaldotrema gen. nov. is proposed. Oswaldotrema nacinovici sp. nov. is descibed from Numenius phaeopus Latham, 1790. Differentiation from the other related genera, namely Philophthalmus, Pygorchis, Proctobium, Parorchis, Echinostephila, Cloacitrema, Pittacium, Ophthalmotrema, Skrjabinovermis and Paratrema, was based on morphological characters, mainly on those referring to the body surface, body shape, head, esophagus, pharynx, acetabulum, vitellaria, vitelline reservoir and seminal vesicle.     

Aspergillus bertholletius sp. nov. from Brazil Nuts

During a study on the mycobiota of brazil nuts (Bertholletia excelsa) in Brazil, a new Aspergillus species, A. bertholletius, was found, and is described here. A polyphasic approach was applied using morphological characters, extrolite data as well as partial β-tubulin, calmodulin and ITS sequences to characterize this taxon. A. bertholletius is represented by nineteen isolates from samples of brazil nuts at various stages of production and soil close to Bertholletia excelsa trees. The following extrolites were produced by this species: aflavinin, cyclopiazonic acid, kojic acid, tenuazonic acid and ustilaginoidin C. Phylogenetic analysis using partial β-tubulin and camodulin gene sequences showed that A. bertholletius represents a new phylogenetic clade in Aspergillus section Flavi. The type strain of A. bertholletius is CCT 7615 ( = ITAL 270/06 = IBT 29228).     

Jacquemontia diamantinensis sp. nov. (Convolvulaceae) from the Chapada Diamantina,Brazil

Jacquemontia diamantinensis Buril (Convolvulaceae) described here as a new species, is endemic to the Chapada Diamantina, in Bahia, Brazil. Illustrations and a table for comparing characters with related species are provided.     

Pouzolzia saxophila sp. nov. (Urticaceae tribe Boehmerieae) from Bahia,Brazil

The paper supplements a taxonomic revision of the New World species of Pouzolzia by Wilmot‐Dear and Friis in 1996 and a supplement in 2011 with an additional new species. Here another new species of Pouzolzia, P. saxophila Friis, Wilmot‐Dear & A. K. Monro, is described from a restricted area of xerophytic scrub vegetation on rocky outcrops in the Boa Nova National Park, Bahia, Brazil. The new species is somewhat similar to P. pringlei, a Mexican endemic, and to P. amambaiensis from the Brazil–Paraguay border, but also to the widespread Asiatic P. zeylanica. However, the similarities with these species are probably due to adaptation to similar dry habitats on rocky outcrops.     

Christensonella ecallosa sp. nov. (Orchidaceae,Maxillariinae) from Guyana and Brazil

A new species of Christensonella (Orchidaceae, Maxillariinae) is described and illustrated based on herbarium material. The most important characters of Christensonella ecallosa Lipińska & Szlach. are the ovate lip, with transversely elliptic middle lobe, minutely dentate margins and very obscure lip callus, which forms an elevated thick pad near the base. Taking into account the habit, it may be misidentified as C. uncata, but they are clearly distinguished by the lip shape. The taxonomic affiliations of the new species are briefly discussed.     

Aulacoseira calypsi sp. nov. (Coscinodiscophyceae) from an Amazonian lake,northern Brazil

This paper describes a new diatom species, Aulacoseira calypsi Tremarin, Torgan & Ludwig, from specimens in plankton samples from Água Preta lake. This Amazonian lake is a shallow mesotrophic environment situated in northern Brazil. The species is characterized by long filaments united by spatulate linking spines, obovate to conic separation spines, a valve surface variably ornamented, straight striae on the mantle, a narrow ringleist, and one row of sessile rimoportulae near the ringleist. Aulacoseira calypsi's morphometric features are compared with the following similar species: Aulacoseira nygaardii (Camburn) Camburn & Charles, Aulacoseira lacustris (Grunow) Krammer, Aulacoseira coroniformis Pearce & Cremer, Aulacoseira occulta Siver & Hamilton, Aulacoseira lancea Siver & Hamilton, Aulacoseira gessneri (Hustedt) Simonsen, and Aulacoseira islandica (Müller) Simonsen. The species shares similarities as to frustule size, striation pattern, and narrowness of ringleist; but differs in the morphology of separation and linking spines, and the number and position of the rimoportulae.     

Solanum knappiae sp. nov. (Solanaceae) from the Atlantic Forest of northeastern Brazil

While preparing a taxonomic survey of the species of Solanum in the Atlantic Forest of northeastern Brazil, a new species, here described as Solanum knappiae Agra & Sampaio, was recognized based on its distinctive morphology. It is a member of Solanum sect. Geminata and is most similar to S. bahianum, from which it differs by its geographic distribution and by having glabrous young stems and leaves, smaller corollas and stamens, cuspidate calyx lobes, and pedicels with a constriction at the distal end that becomes swollen in the fruit. The new species is described and illustrated here, and comments on its distribution and conservation status are included.     

Heptageniidae (Insecta,Ephemeroptera) of Thailand

Nine genera and twenty-two species of heptageniid mayflies from Thailand are defined in this present work as well as one suggested further subgenus, Compsoneuria (Siamoneuria) kovaci (species “incertae sedis”) including some particular characters. Taxonomic remarks, diagnoses, line drawings of key characters, distribution, habitat and biological data, and a larval key to the genera and species are provided. The chorionic eggs of eight genera and eight species were observed and shown using a scanning electron microscope.     

New mayfly nymphs (Insecta: Ephemeroptera) from Yixian Formation,China

Three new species of mayfly nymphs, Clavineta excavata sp. nov., Clavineta brevinodia sp. nov., and Siberiogenites branchicillus sp. nov., from the Yixian Formation (Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous) in western Liaoning Province, China, are described. These mature nymphs are small-sized, with the body less than 16.0 mm long. The systematic position of the genera Clavineta and Siberiogenites, which are recorded for the first time in the Yixian Formation, is briefly discussed.     

Mayflies of the Northern Levant (Insecta: Ephemeroptera)

Abstract

For 31 species of mayflies, new records on their distribution are presented. Most of them are new to the Middle East or to the northern Levant (Turkey, Syria, Lebanon). The fauna is composed for the most part of species widespread in Europe (63%), a relatively high number (26%) of endemic species, and a few Caucasian (8%) and South European (3%) species. Using the genus Prosopistoma as an example, it is shown that the mayfly fauna of the northern Levantine has been isolated from the faunas of Africa and Asia for a very long period.     

Pankovaia semitubulata gen. et sp. n. (Microsporidia: Tuzetiidae) from nymphs of mayflies Cloeon dipterum L. (Insecta: Ephemeroptera) in Western Siberia

The ultrastructure of a new microsporidian, Pankovaia semitubulata gen. et sp. n. (Microsporidia: Tuzetiidae), from the fat body of Cloeon dipterum (L.) (Ephemeroptera: Baetidae) is described. The species is monokaryotic throughout the life cycle, developing in direct contact with the host cell cytoplasm. Sporogonial plasmodium divides into 2-8 sporoblasts. Each sporoblast, then spore, is enclosed in an individual sporophorous vesicle. Fixed and stained spores of the type species P. semitubulata are 3.4 x 1.9microm in size. The polaroplast is bipartite (lamellar and vesicular). The polar filament is isofilar, possessing 6 coils in one row. The following features distinguish the genus Pankovaia from other monokaryotic genera of Tuzetiidae: (a) exospore is composed of multiple irregularly laid tubules with a lengthwise opening, referred to as "semitubules"; (b) episporontal space of sporophorous vesicle (SPV) is devoid of secretory formations; (c) SPV envelope is represented by a thin fragile membrane.     

Description of Muscotabanus gen. nov. and Muscotabanus rafaeli sp. nov. (Diptera: Tabanidae: Diachlorini) from Amazon Basin,Brazil

A new genus of Tabanidae mimetic of flies is described: Muscotabanus new genus, Muscotabanus rafaeli new species, based on 12 females collected in the state of Amazonas, Brazil. It is presented a discussion for separating the new genus from Diachlorini species which resemblance with sarcophagids flies. It is characterised by striped thorax, banded abdomen, long slender palpus subequal antenna length, labella predominantly membranous, except for a narrow sclerotised plate, basicosta bare, wing hyaline and stigma brown.     

Keraunea gen. nov. (Convolvulaceae) from Brazil

Keraunea Cheek & Simão‐Bianchini gen. nov. (Convolvulaceae) from Brazil is described and illustrated as the third known neuropeltoid genus. It appears allied to the Old World genera of Neuropeltis Wall and Neuropeltopsis Ooststr. in having wind‐dispersed fruits not by enlarged sepals, but subtended by an enlarged papery bract to which the pedicel is adnate, and flowers in which the bracteoles are absent or usually very inconspicuous. Keraunea brasiliensis, the single species thus far known, is here assessed as ‘Endangered’.