The giant cryptic amphipod species of the subterranean genus Niphargus (Crustacea,Amphipoda)

Amphipods from the genus Niphargus represent an important part of the Western Palearctic subterranean fauna. The genus is morphologically diverse, comprising several distinct ecomorphs bound to microhabitats in the subterranean environment. The most impressive among them are “lake giants,” a series of massive, large‐bodied species. These range from morphologically distinct to morphologically cryptic taxa. We analysed the taxonomic structure of the Niphargus arbiter–Niphargus salonitanus species complex, belonging to “lake giants” from the Dinaric Karst (West Balkans), and assessed their phylogenetic, morphological and ecological diversity. Multilocus phylogeny suggested that the complex is monophyletic and nested within other cave lake ecomorphs. Unilocus and multilocus coalescence species delimitations indicated that the complex totals nine species. These species substantially overlap in morphology and cannot be unambiguously told apart without the use of molecular markers. An analysis of splitting events within a palaeogeological context, and modelling of environmental characteristics on the phylogeny unveiled a complex history of diversification. Part of this diversification might have been influenced by ecological divergence along the altitudinal gradient reaching from the Adriatic coast to inland Dinaric mountain chains and Poljes. Other splits coincide with the marine regression–transgression cycles during Pliocene. We describe Niphargus alpheus sp. n., Niphargus anchialinus sp. n., Niphargus antipodes sp. n., Niphargus arethusa sp. n., Niphargus doli sp. n., Niphargus fjakae sp. n. and Niphargus pincinovae sp. n., and by doing so hope to prompt their further research.     

Evolution of Strigamia centipedes (Chilopoda): a first molecular assessment of phylogeny and divergence times

We present a first phylogenetic and temporal framework, with biogeographical insights, for the centipedes of the genus Strigamia, which are widespread predators in the forest soils of the Northern Hemisphere and comprise the evo‐devo model species Strigamia maritima. The phylogeny was estimated by different methods of maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference from sequences of two mitochondrial (16S, COI) and two nuclear (18S, 28S) genes, obtained from 16 species from all major areas of the global range of the genus and encompassing most of the overall morphological and ecological diversity. Divergence times were estimated after calibration upon the fossil record of centipedes. We found that major lineages of extant species of Strigamia separated most probably around 60 million years (Ma) ago. The two most diverse lineages diversified during the last 30 Ma and are today segregated geographically, one in Europe and another in Eastern Asia. This latter region hosts a hitherto underestimated richness and anatomical diversity of species, including three still unknown, yet morphologically well distinct species, which are here described as new: Strigamia inthanoni sp. n. from Thailand, Strigamia korsosi sp. n. from the Ryukyu Islands and Strigamia nana sp. n. from Taiwan. The northern European model species S. maritima is more strictly related to the Eastern Asian lineage, from which it most probably separated around 35 Ma ago before the major diversification of the latter.     

Ithyoclinostomum yamagutii n. sp. (Digenea: Clinostomidae) in the great blue heron Ardea herodias L. (Aves: Ardeidae) from Mississippi,USA

With only six recognised genera, the family Clinostomidae Lühe, 1901 remains a global research interest of parasitologists and ecologists. Recent efforts have focused on providing molecular data to investigate species diversity, elucidate life-cycles, and make inferences on the group’s evolutionary history. Of the clinostomid genera, the monotypic Ithyoclinostomum Witenberg, 1926 has remained more enigmatic compared to the commonly encountered Clinostomum Leidy, 1856. Recent morphological and molecular evidence from metacercariae suggests a second Ithyoclinostomum species may exist in freshwater cichlids in Central America and Mexico. In a recent survey of great blue herons Ardea herodias L. from commercial catfish production farms in Mississippi, USA, two specimens of an abnormally large (> 20 mm) clinostomid were encountered in the oesophagus of a single bird. These specimens were identified as an Ithyoclinostomum sp. morphologically distinct from the only nominal species Ithyoclinostomum dimorphum (Diesing, 1850). Using morphological and molecular data these adult specimens were confirmed as conspecific with the larval metacercariae previously described from Central America and Mexico and represent the novel species, Ithyoclinostomum yamagutii n. sp.

     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Alcicornis haroldi</Emphasis> n. sp. (Digenea: Bucephalidae) from the yellowspotted trevally <Emphasis Type="Italic">Carangoides fulvoguttatus</Emphasis> (Forsskål) (Carangidae) from off New Caledonia

Alcicornis haroldi n. sp. is described from Carangoides fulvoguttatus from off New Caledonia, South Pacific. It differs from all other Alcicornis spp. in its large protuberant pharynx, and from the most similar species, A. baylisi Nagaty, 1937, in its broader rhynchus, indistinct withdrawn tentacles and vitelline distribution.     

Systematics of the amphiatlantic Microphthalmus-listensis-species-group (Polychaeta: Hesionidae): Facts and concepts for reconstruction of phylogeny and speciation

Previous studies established the existence of morphologically highly similar amphiatlantic populations of the predominantly interstitial genus Microphthatmus (European coastline - from the German Bay to the Bay of Biscaya; American coastline - from Maine to Massachusetts and at the coast of North Carolina). Originally these three populations were seen as belonging to a single species. By using a broad spectrum of different methodologies for character investigations (especially through the use of electron microscopy) three, distinct species can now be distinguished: M. listensis Westheide 1967, M. nahantensis n. sp. and M. carolinensis n. sp. While habitat structure and external morphology - generally important in polychaete systematics - were found to be rather similar between the three species, this study uncovered distinct differences between the species in their internal organization. Such sharp differences could even be followed down to the ultrastructure of single cells (e. g. copulatory stylets, position and number of ovaries, sperm and secretory granules of male accessory glands). Within population character variability is significantly lower in several features of M. carolinensis than in the same characters of the other two species. Similarities as well as differences have been noted in behavioural features and population dynamics between the species.     

Biochemical and morphological observations on the wallaroos (Macropodidae: Marsupialia) with a suggested new taxonomy

Two discriminant functions were designed using skull measurements, one to discriminate Antilopine wallaroos ( antilopinus form) and Euros ( erubescens form) and one to discriminate Euros and Black wallaroos ( bernardus form). These three forms separated into different areas of a scatter-gram using the two discriminant functions as axes. Skull data from wallaroos not attributable to these forms fitted into the erubescens portion of the scattergram.
Northern wallaroos ( alligatoris form), which were indistinguishable from wallaroos from southern Australia on skull data, are sympatric with Antilopine and Black wallaroos in Arnhem Land. Here Antilopine and Northern wallaroos had different gene frequencies for three of the four blood proteins studied; Northern wallaroos being most like Euros and wallaroos elsewhere. The Black wallaroo, which is confined to Arnhem Land and is morphologically quite distinctive, had a different haemoglobin type to that of all other animals studied.
On the basis of the morphological and biochemical data presented, the wallaroos can be divided into three species— Macropus (Osphranter) antilopinus (Gould, 1842), the Antilopine wallaroo; Macropus (Osphranter) bernardus Rothschild, 1904, the Black wallaroo and Macropus (Osphranter) robustus Gould, 1841. M. robustus is divisible into four subspecies— M. robustus robustus the Eastern wallaroo; M. r. erubescens , the Euro; M. r. woodwardi , the Northern wallaroo and M. r. isabellinus , the Barrow Island wallaroo.     

Reinstatement of Dermacentor tricuspis (Schulze, 1933) n. comb., n. stat. (Acari: Ixodidae) as a valid species,synonymization of D. atrosignatus Neumann, 1906 and description of a new species from Indonesia,Malaysia and Thailand

Re-examination of the holotype of Dermacentor atrosignatus Neumann, 1906 (Acari: Ixodidae) stored in the Natural History Museum (London, UK) revealed that this taxon is identical with D. auratus Supino, 1897 and should be treated as a junior synonym of the latter species. A correct name for the distinct species previously identified as D. atrosignatus Neumann, 1906 sensu Wassef & Hoogstraal, 1984 should be D. tricuspis (Schulze, 1933) n. comb., n. stat. Adults of D. tricuspis are redescribed here. Re-examination of extensive holdings of Oriental Dermacentor Koch, 1844 ticks stored in the United States National Tick Collection revealed that a morphologically distinct new species of this genus, namely D. falsosteini D. Apanaskevich, M. Apanaskevich & Nooma n. sp. should be recognized. Adults of D. tricuspis and D. falsosteini n. sp. can be distinguished from other species of Oriental Dermacentor and each other by the colour pattern of the conscutum and scutum, the pattern of punctations on the pseudoscutum and scutum, the shape of female genital structures and spurs on coxa I. Dermacentor tricuspis is recorded from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand where the adults were mostly collected from various species of wild pigs (Artiodactyla: Suidae) and vegetation; few adults were available from other mammals (Artiodactyla: Bovidae; Carnivora: Canidae, Felidae, Ursidae; Pholidota: Manidae), as well as humans and reptiles (Squamata: Elapidae, Varanidae). One male was reared from a nymph collected on a rodent (Rodentia: Muridae). Dermacentor falsosteini n. sp. is found in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand where the adults were collected from bearded pig, Sus barbatus Müller, wild boar, S. scrofa Linnaeus, unidentified wild pig, Sus sp. (Artiodactyla: Suidae), Malayan tapir, Tapirus indicus Desmarest (Perissodactyla: Tapiridae), human and vegetation.

     

Pharyngodonidae (Oxyuroidea; Nematoda) of Agama yemenensis in Saudi Arabia: hypothesis on the origin of pharyngodonids of herbivorous reptiles

Summary Five new species of pharyngodonid (Oxyuroidea) nematodes are described from the posterior gut of Agama yemenensis (Agamidae) in Saudi Arabia: Tachygonetria paradentata n.sp., a member of the T. dentata complex, most closely resembles T. quentini Petter, 1966 from Testudo tentoria verreauxi from South Africa in the form and disposition of cephalic sense organs; it is distinguished by having caudal alae, an anterior anal lip in the male formed by two sharply-elbowed lobes and by the fact that the terminal spine on the caudal appendage of the male is much shorter than that in T. quentini. Alaeuris asirensis n.sp. is most similar to a species described as Thelandros sexlabiata Ortlepp, 1933 from Testudo tentoria verreauxi from South Africa: the last pair of caudal papillae in the male is subterminal, and there are six lips and a slight prevulvar swelling in the female. Males of the two species are easily distinguished by the presence of caudal alae and a longer caudal appendage in A. asirensis females are distinguished by the fact that lips are less developed in the new species. The fact that two such similar species cannot be included in the same genus reflects the need for a redefinition of Alaeuris. Thelandros agama n.sp. resembles T. alatus Wedl, 1862 from Uromastix sp. in North Africa in the cephalic structure of the female and in the shape of the peduncles supporting adanal papillae in males; the new species is distinguished by its longer spicule and by the presence of caudal alae and the absence of lips in males. T. masaae n.sp. resembles T. taylori Chatterji, 1935 and T. baylisi Chatterji, 1935 from Agama sp. and Uromastix sp. in India in that the peduncles supporting the caudal papillae in the male are elongate; it differs from both and from all other members of the genus in that the vulva is located at the end of a long tube-like exvagination of the body wall and the anterior anal lip of the male is simple rather than fringed. T. petterae n.sp. resembles T. taylori and T. baylisi in having well-developed caudal alae in males and six prominent lips in females; it is distinguished from both by its flask-shaped adanal peduncles in the male. Thelandros is redefined to include only those species in which the pre- and adanal papillae are pedunculate and the opening to the spicular pouch is markedly postanal. The nine genera of the Pharyngodonidae in herbivorous and omnivorous reptiles form an evolutionary line distinct from that in insectivorous reptiles. It is suggested that this line arose in tortoises in Laurasia in the Eocene, spread with these hosts to Africa, Madagascar and South America, and subsequently underwent evolutionary radiations in each of these regions. Pharyngodonids of A. yemenensis have a double origin: the Thelandros spp. probably evolved with agamids whereas species of Tachygonetria and Alaeuris are likely captures from tortoises. ac]19831111     

Three New Freshwater Cochliopodium Species (Himatismenida,Amoebozoa) from the Southeastern United States

Cochliopodium is a lens‐shaped genus of Amoebozoa characterized by a flexible layer of microscopic dorsal scales. Recent taxonomic and molecular studies reported cryptic diversity in this group and suggested that the often‐used scale morphology is not a reliable character for species delineation in the genus. Here, we described three freshwater Cochliopodium spp. from the southeastern United States based on morphological, immunocytochemistry (ICC), and molecular data. A maximum‐likelihood phylogenetic analysis and pairwise comparison of COI sequences of Cochliopodium species showed that each of these monoclonal cultures were genetically distinct from each other and any described species with molecular data. Two of the new isolates, “crystal UK‐YT2” (Cochliopodium crystalli n. sp.) and “crystal‐like UK‐YT3” (C. jaguari n. sp.), formed a clade with C. larifeili, which all share a prominent microtubule organizing center (MTOC) and have cubical‐shaped crystals. The “Marrs Spring UK‐YT4” isolate, C. marrii n. sp., was 100% identical to “Cochliopodium sp. SG‐2014 KJ569724 .” These sequences formed a clade with C. actinophorum and C. arabianum. While the new isolates can be separated morphologically, most of the taxonomic features used in the group show plasticity; therefore, Cochliopodium species can only be reliably identified with the help of molecular data.     

Phylogeny of ensign scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Ortheziidae) based on the morphology of Recent and fossil females

The Ortheziidae (ensign scale insects) is a morphologically well‐defined family. The morphology and occurrence in the fossil record suggests a probable early origin of the family in scale insect evolution. The present phylogenetic analysis – based on 69 morphological characters of female ortheziids, using 39 exemplar Recent species – provides the first analytical assessment of relationships among living genera of the family, as well as the relationships of eight fossil species, based on complete, well‐preserved specimens in amber. Monophyly of the subfamilies Newsteadiinae, Ortheziinae and Ortheziolinae is supported, but Nipponortheziinae is found to be paraphyletic by inclusion of the Ortheziolinae. Thus, the subfamily Ortheziolinae is reduced in rank to tribe Ortheziolini stat.n. , which now includes Matileortheziola Kozár & Foldi, Ortheziolacoccus Kozár, Ortheziolamameti Kozár and Ortheziola?ulc. Consequently, the tribes Matileortheziolini, Ortheziolacoccini and Ortheziolamametini are synonymized ( syn.n. ) here under Ortheziolini. Five new species and one new genus of fossil ensign scales are described from three amber deposits: Burmorthezia gen.n. with type species Burmorthezia kotejai sp.n. and also B. insolita sp.n ., both in mid‐Cretaceous Burmese amber (98 Ma) and Arctorthezia baltica sp.n. in Eocene Baltic amber (c. 43 Ma) based on second‐instar nymphs; Mixorthezia kozari sp.n . and M. dominicana sp.n . in Miocene Dominican amber (c. 17 Ma) based on adult females. Fossil placements are unambiguous, with Burmorthezia forming a stem to crown‐group (Recent and Tertiary) Ortheziidae. A summary of described fossil ortheziids is provided.     

A new genus of Bucephalidae Poche, 1907 (Trematoda: Digenea) for three new species infecting the yellowtail pike,Sphyraena obtusata Cuvier (Sphyraenidae), from Moreton Bay,Queensland, Australia

Three new species of the family Bucephalidae Poche, 1907 (Trematoda: Digenea) are described from the yellowtail pike, Sphyraena obtusata Cuvier (Sphyraenidae), from Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia. The three species are morphologically consistent with the present broad concept of the genus Bucephalus Baer, 1827, but significant phylogenetic and ecological differences relative to the type-species of Bucephalus require the proposal of a new genus. Aenigmatrema n. g. is proposed for A. undecimtentaculatum n. sp. (type-species), A. inopinatum n. sp. and A. grandiovum n. sp. In addition, based on morphological, ecological and biogeographical similarities, we recombine two existing species of Bucephalus as Aenigmatrema kaku (Yamaguti, 1970) n. comb. and Aenigmatrema sphyraenae (Yamaguti, 1952) n. comb. Although the three species described in this study are extremely morphologically similar, they can be differentiated from each other, and from A. kaku and A. sphyraenae, morphometrically on the basis of egg size, tentacle number and a combination of the caecum and vitelline field lengths. Complete ITS2 rDNA, partial 28S rDNA and partial cox1 mtDNA sequence data were generated for the three new species, which formed a well-supported clade in all 28S phylogenetic analyses. An expanded phylogenetic tree for the subfamily Bucephalinae Poche, 1907 is presented, demonstrating unresolved issues with the morphology-based taxonomy of the subfamily. The three largest genera, Bucephalus, Rhipidocotyle Diesing, 1858 and Prosorhynchoides Dollfus, 1929 remain extensively polyphyletic, indicating the need for significant further systematic revision.

     

Two new cryptic and sympatric species of the king crab parasite Briarosaccus (Cirripedia: Rhizocephala) in the North Pacific

Rhizocephalan barnacles have been reported to parasitize a wide range of king crab species (Lithodidae). So far all these parasites have been assigned to a single species, Briarosaccus callosus Boschma, 1930, which is assumed to have a global distribution. Here we investigate Briarosaccus specimens from three different king crab hosts from the fjord systems of Southeastern Alaska: Lithodes aequispinus Benedict, 1895, Paralithodes camtschaticus (Tilesius, 1815), and Paralithodes platypus (Brandt, 1850). Using molecular markers and by morphological comparison we show that Briarosaccus specimens from these three commercial exploited king crabs are in fact morphologically distinct from B. callosus, and further represent two separate species which we describe. The two new species, Briarosaccus auratum n. sp. and B. regalis n. sp., are cryptic by morphological means and were identified as distinct species by the use of genetic markers (COI and 16S). They occur sympatrically, yet no overlap in king crab hosts occurs, with B. auratum n. sp. only found on L. aequispinus, and B. regalis n. sp. as parasite of the two Paralithodes hosts. © 2015 The Authors. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Linnean Society of London     

Monogeneans of the catfish Pimelodus blochii Valenciennes (Siluriformes: Pimelodidae) from the Brazilian Amazon,with a description of a new species of Ameloblastella Kritsky,Mendoza-Franco & Scholz, 2000 (Monogenea: Dactylogyridae)

Ameloblastella amazonica n. sp. (Monogenea: Dactylogyridae) collected on the gills of Pimelodus blochii Valenciennes (Siluriformes: Pimelodidae) from Rivers Acre and Iaco, State of Acre (Brazil) is described. The new species differs from the congeners mainly by the morphology of the dorsal bar, i.e. slightly U-shaped bearing a posteriorly directed flap, arising from the anterior edge of its middle third. The most morphologically similar congeners, A. paranaensis (França, Isaac, Pavanelli & Takemoto, 2003) and A. satoi Monteiro, Kritsky & Brasil-Sato, 2010, resemble A. amazonica n. sp. regarding the general structure of the copulatory complex; however, besides other features, they also differ from the new species because their hooks are similar in size (vs hooks with three different sizes). In addition to the dorsal bar lacking a flap, A. amazonica n. sp. can be differentiated from all congeners based on the combination of the following features: size of hooks (one or two different sizes), shape of the dorsal bar (other than slightly U-shaped), anchor points largely passing the level of superficial root (vs not or slightly passing it), number of MCO rings (other than 3–4) and structure of the articulation between the MCO base and the accessory piece (other than thick, medium-sized, smooth and tubular). Demidospermus leptosynophallus Kritsky & Gutierrez, 1998 and Scleroductus yuncensi Jara & Cone, 1989 were also found infesting P. blochii, both representing new host and locality records.

     

Morphology and Phylogenetic Position of Two New Gregarine Species (Apicomplexa: Eugregarinorida) Parasitizing the Lubber Grasshopper Taeniopoda centurio (Drury, 1770) (Insecta: Orthoptera: Romaleidae) in Mexico

Eugregarines are understudied apicomplexan parasites of invertebrates inhabiting marine, freshwater, and terrestrial environments. Most currently known terrestrial eugregarines have been described parasitizing the gut from less than 1% of total insect diversity, with a high likelihood that the remaining insect species are infected. Eugregarine diversity in orthopterans (grasshoppers, locusts, katydids, and crickets) is still little known. We carried out a survey of the eugregarines parasitizing the Mexican lubber grasshopper, Taeniopoda centurio, an endemic species to the northwest of Mexico. We described two new eugregarine species from the gut of the host: Amoebogregarina taeniopoda n. sp. and Quadruspinospora mexicana n. sp. Both species are morphologically dissimilar in their life‐cycle stages. Our SSU rDNA phylogenetic analysis showed that both species are phylogenetically distant to each other, even though they parasitize the same host. Amoebogregarina taeniopoda n. sp. clustered within the clade Gregarinoidea, being closely related to Amoebogregarina nigra from the grasshopper Melanoplus differentialis. Quadruspinospora mexicana n. sp. clustered within the clade Actinocephaloidea and grouped with Prismatospora evansi, a parasite from dragonfly naiads. Amoebogregarina taeniopoda n. sp. and Q. mexicana n. sp. represent the first record of eugregarines found to infect a species of the family Romaleidae.     

Revision of the Cales noacki species complex (Hymenoptera,Chalcidoidea, Aphelinidae)

The genus Cales (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) includes 13 species worldwide, of which 10 form a highly morphologically uniform species complex with a native range in the Neotropical region. We recognize ten species previously attributed to a single Neotropical species, Cales noacki Howard, which in the strict sense is a species broadly disseminated to control woolly whitefly. A neotype is designated for C. noacki, and it is redescribed based on specimens molecularly determined to be conspecific with the neotype. Newly described species include: C. bicolor Mottern, n.sp ., C. breviclava Mottern, n.sp ., C. brevisensillum Mottern n.sp ., C. curvigladius Mottern, n.sp ., C. longiseta Mottern, n.sp ., C. multisensillum Mottern n.sp ., C. noyesi Mottern, n.sp ., C. parvigladius Mottern, n.sp . and C. rosei Mottern, n.sp . Species are delimited based on a combination of morphological and molecular data (28S‐D2 rDNA and COI). Additional specimens are included in the phylogenetic analyses and although these likely represent several new species, we lack sufficient specimen sampling to describe them at this time. Cales are highly morphologically conserved and character‐poor, resulting in several cryptic species. A molecular phylogeny of the known Neotropical species based on 28S‐D2–5 rDNA and a 390‐bp segment of COI is included, and identification keys to males and females are provided. This published work has been registered in ZooBank, http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:7FEB0479‐9B2E‐48E8‐8603‐4B7C2759D4EC .     

Taxonomic Revision of the Marine Genus Heterodrilus Pierantoni (Oligochaeta,Tubificidae)1

Marine tubificids possessing trifid anterior setae are morphologically and taxonomically reviewed, on the basis of material from the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Heterodrilus Pierantoni, 1902 is revised to include thirteen species, H. arenicolus Pierantoni, 1902, H. minisetosus sp.n.H. ascensionensis sp.n. H. queenslandicus (Jamieson, 1977), H. lacertosus sp.n. H. scitus sp.n. H. keenani sp.n. H. claviatriatus sp.n. H. subtilis (Pierantoni, 1917), H. jamiesoni sp.n. H. occidentalis sp.n. H. pentcheffi sp.n. and H. bulbiporus sp.n. The genus is briefly defined: marine tubificids with trifid setae in preclitellar segments (with H. subtilis as the only exception); paired spermathecae located in segment X; vasa deferentia entering apical, ental ends of slender, ciliated atria, which bear broadly attached masses of prostate glands; paired male pores, and generally with penial setae arranged in bisetal bundles. Heterodriloides gen.n. is established for H. quadrithecatus sp.n. distinguished from Heterodrilus by two main features: its spermathecae are located in XII, with a supplementary pair generally located in XI; and its vasa enter the ectal part of the atria. Giereidrilus gen.n. a third genus with trifid setae, is established to include Phallodrilus ersei Giere, 1979 and G. inermis sp.n. Both species have unpaired spermathecal and male pores, and their atria are not ciliated. Heterodrilus, Heterodriloides and Giereidrilus are placed in the subfamily Rhyacodrilinae Hrabě, 1963.     

AUTOPOLYPLOIDY IN HEUCHERA MICRANTHA (SAXIFRAGACEAE)

Heuchera micrantha (Saxifragaceae) is a morphologically variable species comprising five varieties: diversifolia, erubescens, hartwegii, micrantha, and pacifica. Both diploids (2n = 14) and tetraploids (2n = 28) occur within the species. The tetraploid cytotype occupies the central portion of the geographic range of the species, whereas diploids occur primarily in the southern and northern portions of the range. Both diploids and tetraploids have been detected within vars. diversifolia, pacifica, and hartwegii. All counts for vars. erubescens and micrantha are diploid and tetraploid, respectively. Several lines of evidence suggest that tetraploid H. micrantha is of autopolyploid origin. The species is distinct morphologically and is also well separated geographically from other closely related species in subsection Micranthae. The two cytotypes are karyologically identical, possess nearly the same suite of allozymes, and have a very high genetic identity (Ī = 0.971). Significantly, an earlier study documented tetrasomic inheritance in the tetraploid cytotype. Following theoretical expectations, the mean number of alleles per locus, proportion of loci that are polymorphic, and observed heterozygosity are significantly higher for the autotetraploid than for the diploid. The occurrence of both cytotypes in three of the varieties suggests that autopolyploidy may have occurred several times independently in H. micrantha. This was further substantiated by discriminant analysis using morphological characters, which provided evidence for a minimum of two separate origins for the autopolyploid cytotype.     

Chauhanellus Bychowsky & Nagibina, 1969 (Monogenea) from ariid fishes (Siluriformes) of Peninsular Malaysia

Twelve new species of Chauhanellus Bychowsky & Nagibina, 1969 have been found on six species of ariid from Peninsular Malaysia: Chauhanellus trifidus n. sp., C. digitalis n. sp., C. malayanus n. sp., C. forcipis n. sp. and C. intermedius n. sp. from Arius sagor; C. aspinous n. sp. from Arius venosus; C. caelatus n. sp. from Arius caelatus; C. auriculatum n. sp., C. poculus n. sp. and C. pulutanus n. sp. from Arius maculatus; C. duriensis n. sp. from Arius thalassinus; and C. osteogeneiosi n. sp. from Osteogeneiosus militaris. Some of these Chauhanellus species possess characteristics that are not commonly observed in the genus. C. aspinous n. sp., C. intermedius n. sp. and C. digitalis n. sp. exhibit features found in both Chauhanellus and Hamatopeduncularia: these include absence of spines on the mainpart of the dorsal anchors in C. aspinous n. sp. and C. intermedius n. sp. and presence of haptoral digitation in C. digitalis n. sp. Other features are the five transverse rows of peduncular spines in C. duriensis n. sp., ear-like projections on the anchors in C. auriculatum n. sp., and thin sclerotised plates that partly envelope the ventral anchors in C. forcipis n. sp. Mid-dorsal appendices occur on the dorsal bars of seven of the present species.     

A new species of fossil Scutus Montfort, 1810 from New Zealand (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Fissurellidae)

ABSTRACT

A new fossil species of the genus Scutus (Scutus mirus n. sp.) is described from five Late Oligocene to Early Miocene (Waitakian to Altonian; 25.2–15.9?Ma) localities in the South Island, New Zealand. It is one of the oldest fossil species of Scutus known and probably inhabited very shallow, sub-tropical waters surrounding Zealandia during this time. The holotype of Scutus petrafixus Finlay, 1930 is re-examined; it is possibly from All Day Bay, Kakanui (Waitakian 25.2–21.7?Ma). The New Zealand species documented herein significantly expand our understanding of the fossil record of this shallow-marine molluscan lineage, and by proxy, also indicate the presence of very shallow coastal marine environments around the late Oligocene and early Miocene in southern Zealandia.