Phylogeny of the family Congiopodidae (Perciformes: Scorpaenoidea), with a proposal of new classification

The phylogenetic relationships of the family Congiopodidae are inferred based on morphological characters. The monophyly of this family is supported by 13 unambiguous apomorphic characters, including four autapomorphies among the superfamily Scorpaenoidea. The Congiopodidae shares 26 apomorphic characters with other scorpaenoid taxa, and these characters are considered to also support the monophyly of the family. Upon completion of the phylogenetic analysis using the characters in 39 transformation series, it was assumed that the family is unambiguously supported by five characters (and also by three and one characters when ACCTRAN and DELTRAN are used, respectively) and is branched into two major clades, including Congiopodus and Alertichthys plus Zanclorhynchus, respectively. Based on the phylogenetic relationships, a new classification, recognizing two subfamilies (Congiopodinae and Zanclorhynchinae) in the family Congiopodidae, is proposed. The genus Perryena, that was recently inferred being closely related to the Tetrarogidae (although many authors included it in the Congiopodidae), is provisionally placed into the Congiopodidae as incertae sedis.     

On the systematic position of the lichen genus Heppia

The systematic position of the lichen genus Heppia in the order Lichinales was investigated. 18S rDNA sequence data were analyzed using a Bayesian approach to infer phylogeny using Markov chain Monte Carlo methods. The Lichinales are divided at family level into the sister groups Lichinaceae and Peltulaceae. The genus Heppia forms a highly supported clade in the family Lichinaceae. It is shown that the genus Heppia is morphologically well circumscribed within the Lichinaceae. As a nomenclatural consequence, the family name Heppiaceae is placed into synonymy under the older name Lichinaceae.     

Genus Leptostichaeus and its position in the taxonomy of fishes (Perciformes: Zoarcoidei, Stichaeidae)

Up to the present, the genus Leptostichaeus has been considered as belonging to subfamily Lumpeninae. A series of characters was analyzed for family and subfamily diagnostics within the group Stichaeidae. It was found that, in combination of all examined characters, the genus Leptostichaeus is either similar to Azygopterus or occupies an intermediate position between the latter and other members of the family Stichaeidae. The genus Leptostichaeus is transferred into the group Azygopterinae, which is revalidated as a subfamily within the family Stichaeidae.     

Five novel antimicrobial peptides from skin secretions of the frog,Amolops loloensis

While investigating antimicrobial peptide diversity of Amolops loloensis, five novel antimicrobial peptides belonging to two families were identified from skin secretions of this frog. The first family including two members is esculentin-2-AL (esculentin-2-ALa and -ALb); the second family including three members is temporin-AL (temporin-ALd to -ALf). The family of esculentin-2-AL is composed of 37 amino acid residues (aa); the family of temporin-AL is composed of 16, 13 and 10 aa, respectively. All of these antimicrobial peptides showed antimicrobial activities against tested microorganisms. cDNAs encoding precursors of esculentin-2-ALs and temporin-ALs were cloned from the skin cDNA library of A. loloensis. All the precursors share similar overall structures. There is a typical prohormone processing signal (Lys-Arg) located between the acidic propiece and the mature peptide. The antimicrobial peptide family of esculentin-2 is firstly reported in the genus of Amolops. Combined with previous reports, a total of four antimicrobial peptide families have been identified from the genus of Amolops; three of them are also found in the genus of Rana. These results suggest the possible evolutionary connection between the genera Amolops and Rana.     

A new genus and species in the mite family Eupodidae (Acari,Eupodoidea) from Crimea

A new genus Pseudoeupodes Khaustov, gen. n. and new species Pseudoeupodes porosus sp. n. are described from moss in Crimea. The taxonomy of the Eupodidae and some other families and genera of Eupodoidea is reviewed. The genus Turanopenthalodes Barilo, 1988 is transferred from Penthalodidae to Penthaleidae. The family Cocceupodidae Jesionowska, 2010 and the genus Filieupodes Jesionowska, 2010 are considered as junior synonyms of Eupodidae Koch, 1842 and Cocceupodes Thor, 1934, respectively. A key to genera of the family Eupodidae is provided.     

Materials for the revision of the family Caristiidae (Perciformes): 1. Description of Paracaristius heemstrai gen. et sp. nov.

All representatives of the oceanic mesobenthopelagic family Caristiidae are rare. This family comprises of two genera and six species, but the status of these taxa remains indistinct. On the basis of examinations of collections from both the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean, and from published data a new genus Paracaristius is established. It differs by a wide suborbital space, the upper jaw is fully covered with suborbitalia, and there is a weak dentition of the roof of the mouth cavity. Within this genus two species are attributed, P. maderensis (Maul, 1949), initially attributed to the genus Caristius (Gill et Smith, 1905), and P. heemstrai sp. nova.     

New data concerning the familial position of the genus Euronyctibius (Aves, Caprimulgiformes) from the paleogene of the Phosphorites du Quercy, France

The extinct genus Euronyctibius was described from a proximal part of humerus from an unknown locality in the Phosphorites du Quercy, France. New material referable to this genus shows that Euronyctibius is more closely related to the Steatornithidae than to the Nyctibiidae. It is here attributed to a stem group representative of the family Steatornithidae. The Recent Steatornithidae includes only the South American monospecific genus, Steatornis, but during the Paleogene this family was also present in North America as well as in Europe.     

High concentration of basidiolichens in a single family of agaricoid mushrooms (Basidiomycota: Agaricales: Hygrophoraceae)

The Agaricales is the largest and most diverse order of mushroom-forming Basidiomycota, with over 100 natural groups recognized in recent Fungal Tree of Life studies. Most agarics are either saprotrophic or ectomycorrhizal fungi, but the family Hygrophoraceae is in part characterized by a unique and remarkable diversity of lichenized forms. The most familiar of these is the chlorolichen genus Lichenomphalia, whose phylogenetic position in the Agaricales has been established. Recent limited evidence suggested that Hygrophoraceae also contains cyanolichens in the genus Dictyonema, which indicates a remarkable concentration and diversity of lichen-formers in a single family of agarics. To demonstrate the relationships of lichen-formers to other fungi in the family, we assembled ribosomal sequences from 52 species representing recognized groups within the Hygrophoraceae, among them new sequences representing Acantholichen and most species and forms of Dictyonema. The molecular data were evaluated using parsimony, likelihood, Bayesian, and distance analyses, including coding of ambiguous regions by means of INAASE and ARC, all of which indicate that Dictyonema and Acantholichen form a monophyletic clade derived from the primarily bryophilous genus Arrhenia and sister to the enigmatic Athelia pyriformis, a species unrelated to the Atheliales for which we are proposing a new genus name Eonema. The chlorolichen genus Lichenomphalia may be polyphyletic. Fungi in the Dictyonema-Acantholichen clade are typically tropical, entirely lichenized, and associate with cyanobacterial photobionts. Our data indicate a transition from agaricoid-omphalinoid basidiomes observed in Arrhenia to stereoid-corticioid forms in Dictyonema, and also support a previous suggestion of a connection between loss of clamp connections and lichenization. The diverse basidiome and thallus morphologies and nutritional ecologies of these fungi indicate a remarkable evolutionary flexibility that appears to have developed in part as a consequence of symbiosis.     

Verrucocephalum,a new nematophagous genus in the Helicocephalidaceae (Zoopagales)

A new genus Verrucocephalum is proposed for a fungus which was found from bat dung collected in a limestone cave. The type species, V. latericorvinisporum has darkly pigmented spores and aseptic hyphae that branch and capture nematodes by means of appressoria. These morphological characteristics match the definition for the family Helicocephalidaceae (Zoopagales, Zoopagomycotina). The genus can be distinguished from three previously known genera in the family by its broad-based tapering sporophores with darkly pigmented verrucose spores born on short lateral branchlets. The branchlets may be homologous to the papillae seen in genus Rhopalomyces.     

Cetradonia,a new genus in the new family Cetradoniaceae (Lecanorales,Ascomycota)

Abstract:A taxonomic revision of the lichen genus Gymnoderma Nyl. sensu Yoshimura & Sharp (Cladoniaceae) based on an integrative analysis of polyphasic characters supports the segregation of a new genusCetradonia J.-C.Wei & Ahti in a new family Cetradoniaceae J.-C.Wei & Ahti. The monotypic genus and family are based on Cladonia linearis Evans. In addition, two species are recognized in genus Neophyllis F. Wilson and two species are retained in the genus Gymnoderma Nyl. of the Cladoniaceae.     

A new genus and species of the cockroach family Blattulidae from Lebanese amber (Dictyoptera,Blattina)

A new genus and species of the cockroach family Blattulidae, Ocelloblattula ponomarenkoi gen. et sp. nov., are described from the Early Cretaceous Lebanese amber. In the wing venation, the new genus is extremely similar to the Jurassic genus Blattula Handlirsch, differing from the latter in a number of characters in its body structure. This find reveals much about the body structure of the extinct family Blattulidae, which is related to ancestors of the suborders Mantina and Blattina.     

Checklist of the family Sciaridae (Diptera) of Finland

A checklist of the family Sciaridae (Diptera) recorded from Finland is provided. The genus Sciarosoma Chandler with a disputed family placement is also included in the list.     

Composition and distribution of the family Cacurgidae (Insecta; grylloblattida)

The family Cacurgidae is revised. In addition to the type genus Cacurgus Handlirsch, 1911 from the Upper Carboniferous of the United States, Ideliopsis ovalis Carpenter, 1948 from the Lower Permian of the United States and Kitshuga ryzhkovae gen. et sp. nov. from the Upper Permian of Russia are included in this family. An undescribed genus from the Upper Carboniferous of Argentina (Béthoux and Nel, 2002) is also placed in this family. Relationships of Cacurgidae are discussed, and the family is included in the order Grylloblattida.     

The Caloscyphaceae (Pezizomycetes, Ascomycota), with a new genus

The family Caloscyphaceae with a single genus, Caloscypha, has been considered to include a single species, C. fulgens. Study of an overlooked second species, Caloscypha incarnata from North Africa and Italy, using SSU, LSU rDNA, and morphology allows placement of this species in a new genus, Kallistoskypha, in the Caloscyphaceae. This fungus is found in association with Eucalyptus species. The species was recently redescribed from Spain under the name Marcelleina parvispora. Caloscypha fulgens, the type species of the genus Caloscypha, shows sequence variation from across its range.     

A Contribution to our Knowledge of the Mermithidae (Nematoda)

The genera of the insect parasitic nematode family Mermithidae axe reviewed, and 16 of them axe redescribed and illustrated. Information is given on methods of rearing adult mermithid specimens and on host specificity. The four types of merrnithid life cycles axe described in detail. One figure shows the variety of insects parasitized by merrnithids and the location and size of the nematode within the insect. Several mermithid eggs are illustrated, and their usefulness in identification is discussed.Taxonomically, the primary emphasis is on the adult stages of the merrnithJds with larval and egg characteristics supplementaxy. An emended family diagnosis is given. Merrnis subnigrescens is considered a synonym of M. nigrescens, and M. tahitiensis is synonymized with M. mirabilis. Hydromermis contorta is accepted, leaving the genus Paramermis in an uncertain position. Study of the Steiner collections of Limnornermis bathybia indicates that Limnornerrnis is accepted as a valid genus. The adults of Agamermis decaudata are descried and illustrated for the first time. The genus Gastromermis is limited to the long single-spiculed forms, as it is now apparent that five or more genera have ventrally shifted mouth orifices. Amphirnermis tinyi n. sp. is described from damselflies from Louisiana. The genus Lanceimermis is accepted, and three species in this genus are illustrated. The taxon Reesimermis nielseni has been accepted for this important parasite of more than 20 mosquito species. This nematode previously has been referred to as Romanomermis sp. Romanomermis iyengari is transferred to the genus Reesirnermis. Diximermis peterseni n. gen., n. sp., from anopheline mosquitoes, is described and iUustrated. The adults of Agamomermis culicis which parasitize Aedes sollicitans, are described for the first time, and the species placed in a new genus, Perutilimermis. The new genus Neornesornermis is proposed for Mesomermis flumenalis Welch, 1962. Several problems on mermithid morphology and taxonomy are discussed. Type material is established for some of the taxa.     

Agolohymena aspidocauda nov. gen., nov. spec., a histophagous freshwater tetrahymenid ciliate in the family Deltopylidae (Ciliophora,Hymenostomatia), from Idaho (northwest U.S.A.): Morphology,ontogenesis and molecular phylogeny

Morphology, ontogeny and the molecular phylogeny of Agolohymena aspidocauda nov. gen., nov. spec., a new freshwater tetrahymenid ciliate from Idaho, U.S.A, are described. The ontogeny and histophagous mode of nutrition are similar to those of Deltopylum rhabdoides Fauré-Fremiet and Mugard, 1946. The new genus is placed with Deltopylum in the resurrected family Deltopylidae Song and Wilbert, 1989. We emend the diagnostic features of the family to include division by polytomy, right and left somatic kineties extending into the preoral suture, crook-shaped or sigmoid adoral membranelles 1 and 2, markedly reduced adoral membranelle 3 and a tetrahymenid silverline pattern. The main diagnostic features of the new genus are a disc-shaped caudal ciliary array and formation of two types of resting cysts, one smooth and the other bearing tangled tubular or cylindrical lepidosomes. Nuclear small subunit ribosomal RNA gene and mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 gene sequences place the new genus basal within the order Tetrahymenida, well separated from members of the family Tetrahymenidae (Lambornella and Tetrahymena) and also from other tetrahymenids (Colpidium, Dexiostoma, Glaucoma). The genetic divergences between this species and other genera in Tetrahymenida are large enough to suggest placement of the new genus in a separate family. This corroborates the morphological data, since the elaborate caudal ciliary array and the lepidosome-covered resting cyst of this species are not found in other Tetrahymenidae.