Maullinia ectocarpii gen. et sp. nov. (Plasmodiophorea), an intracellular parasite in Ectocarpus siliculosus (Ectocarpales, Phaeophyceae) and other filamentous brown algae

An obligate intracellular parasite infecting Ectocarpus spp. and other filamentous marine brown algae is described. The pathogen forms an unwalled multinucleate syncytium (plasmodium) within the host cell cytoplasm and causes hypertrophy. Cruciform nuclear divisions occur during early development. Mature plasmodia become transformed into single sporangia, filling the host cell completely, and then cleave into several hundred spores. The spores are motile with two unequal, whiplash-type flagella inserted subapically and also show amoeboid movement. Upon settlement, cysts with chitinous walls are formed. Infection of host cells is accomplished by means of an adhesorium and a stachel apparatus penetrating the host cell wall, and injection of the cyst content into the host cell cytoplasm. The parasite is characterized by features specific for the plasmodiophorids and is described as a new genus and species, Maullinia ectocarpii.     

Laminarionema elsbetiae gen. et sp. nov. (Ectocarpales, Phaeophyceae), a new endophyte in Laminaria sporophytes

Laminarionema elsbetiae gen. et sp, nov, (Ectocarpaceae, Ectocarpales. Phaeophyceae), a new endophyte of Laminaria japonica Areschoug (Laminariales, Phaeophyceae), is described from Muroran. Hokkaido, Japan. Laminarionema elsbetiae grows in the host tissues forming networks in the epidermal and subcortical layers as well as penetrating into the cortical and medullary layers. Only phaeophycean hairs emerge from the surface of the host tissue. No reproductive cells were found in field material. However, under host-free culture the species formed three morphologically different reproductive structures. Macrosporangia containing a single large motile spore were formed under long and short day conditions below 20°C, transformed from vegetative cells, conical to elongated in shape, 50–75 μm in length and ca. 10 μm in diameter. Microsporangia were linear to lanceolate, sometimes branched, formed under long and short day conditions below 15°C. Unilocular sporangia were more or less irregular in shape, formed under short day conditions of 5–15°C, 60–75 μm in length and 40–45 μm in diameter. Sexual fusion between macro- and microspores was not seen. In mixed cultures of L. elsbetiae with young sporophytes of L Japonica Areschoug as well as Saccorhiza dermatodea (de la Pylaie) J. Agardh, L elsbetiae infected both hosts, grew in the same manner as in natural hosts, and formed macrosporangia between host epidermal cells.     

Spirobolbolaimus bathyalis,gen. nov., sp. nov. (Nematoda,Microlaimidae) from the Mediterranean (Calvi)

Spirobolbolaimus bathyalis gen. nov., sp. nov. is described from the continental slope off Calvi (Mediterranean). The new genus Spirobolbolaimus belongs to the Microlaimidae Micoletzky, 1922 and is closely related to the genus Bolbolaimus Cobb, 1920. It can be differentiated from Bolbolaimus by its multispiral amphideal fovea and by its six rows of postamphideal setae.     

Mosacaulis spinifer gen. et sp. nov.: An enigmatic Maastrichtian plant

Dichotomously branched stem fragments with crowded, spirally arranged, trifurcate leaf base remains from the type area of the Maastrichtian (Late Cretaceous; SE Netherlands, NE Belgium) are described as a new genus and species: Mosacaulis spinifer Van der Ham et Van Konijnenburg-van Cittert. They are interpreted as fossils of (pseudo)herbaceous axes with densely spaced, semi-amplexicaul leaves arranged in low spirals, with reproductive structures (sporangia?, prophylls associated with flowering axes?) attached to the adaxial sides of the leaf bases. M. spinifer is considered to be of unknown affinity (incertae sedis), showing resemblances with such disparate lineages as lycopsids and angiosperms. Its seagrass-like habit, gregarious occurrence, the association with genuine seagrass and a diverse marine fauna (including epibionts on the stems), and the absence of any terrigenous material, remains of land plants and terrestrial palynomorphs suggest that M. spinifer grew in a fully marine environment.     

Tortulomyces thailandicus gen. et sp. nov. and Nitschkia siamensis sp. nov. (Coronophorales,Ascomycota) from northern Thailand

Two new species collected in northern Thailand are herein described and discussed. Tortulomyces thailandicus is the type of a new genus characterized by a combination of such features as a dense subiculum, non-ostiolate ascomata, two kinds of paraphyses (filiform and bead-like), and 1-septate, brown ascospores. Nitschkia siamensis has non-ostiolate, turbinate and stalked ascomata and hyaline, often slightly curved, 1-septate ascospores.     

Rostromysis bacescuii gen. et sp. nov. and Megalopsis den-ticauda gen. et sp. nov. (Crustacea -- Mysidacea) from the south-west coast of Australia

Rostromysis bacescuii gen. et sp. nov. and Megalopsis denlicaudagen. et sp. nov. belonging to the tribe Leptomysini are describedfrom the south-west coast of Australia. The characters uniqueto the genus Rostromysis are the unusually long club-shapedrostrum and the large delicate lamella-like pleopods of thefemale, thus easily distinguishing it from the allied generaTenagomysis and Doxomysis. The genus Megalopsis is closely alliedto Leptomysis, Prionomysis and Promysis but is readily distinguishablein having a short linguiform uncleft telson with a pair of medianplumose setae.     

Hemichloris antarctica, gen. et sp. nov. (Chlorococcales, Chlorophyta), a cryptoendolithic alga from Antarctica

Hemichloris antarctica gen. et sp. nov. (Oocystaceae, Chlorococcales) is characterized by a single, articulated, pyrenoid-less, thick saucer-shaped chloroplast, which generally fills less than half of the cell periphery. Multiplication is only by autospores. The species is psychrophilic and is damaged at temperatures above 20 degree C. Hemichloris antarctica is a member of the cryptoendolithic microbial community living in porous sandstone rocks of the Antarctica cold desert. It inhabits the zone below that of cryptoendolithic lichens and survives at extremely low light intensities. In the natural habitat, morphology is somewhat different from that in culture, as chloroplasts are smaller and without articulation, and the cells develop a gelatinous sheath.     

Suttonium praedicator nov. gen., nov. sp. (radiolaria,nassellaria) et la famille des Suttonidae nov. fam.

The peculiar morphology of the abdomen from a new radiolaria of the south-equatorial Pacific Ocean allows us to create a new family.