<Emphasis Type="Italic">Funastrum rupicola</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Apocynaceae:</Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">Asclepiadoideae</Emphasis>), a new species from Bolivia

Summary   Funastrum rupicola Goyder, a new species of Apocynaceae: Asclepiadoideae from Bolivia, is described and illustrated. The conservation status of this species is assessed.     

A new species of water mite <Emphasis Type="Italic">Atractides</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Atractides</Emphasis>) <Emphasis Type="Italic">turcicus</Emphasis> sp. n. (Acari: Hydrachnidia: Hygrobatidae) from Turkey

In this study, the structural characteristics, unique features, various organ measurements of males and females of the water mite Atractides (Atractides) turcicus sp. n. from Turkey are described. In addition, the study compares their characteristics with related species.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Linaria khalkhalensis</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Linaria</Emphasis> sect. <Emphasis Type="Italic">Linaria</Emphasis>, Scrophulariaceae), a new species from Iran

Summary   Linaria khalkhalensis Hamdi & Assadi is described as a new species from Azerbaijan and Guilan provinces (northern Iran), belonging to Linaria sect. Linaria. It is close to Linaria lineolata Boiss. and L. elymaitica (Boiss.) Kuprian., which it resembles in habit and vegetative features. However, floral and seed characters together with a distinctive geographical distribution, warrant recognition at the species rank. An illustration of the new species, a distribution map, scanning electron micrographs of seed and capsule surfaces, and an identification key are also included.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Cambessedesia tiradentensis</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Melastomataceae</Emphasis>), a new species from Brazil

Summary  A new and probably endemic species of Cambessedesia DC. is described from campo rupestre vegetation, as part of a floristic survey of Melastomataceae from the S?o José mountain range, Tiradentes District, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. Miscellaneous  Accepted for publication April 2008.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Typhonium stigmatilobatum</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Araceae</Emphasis> tribe <Emphasis Type="Italic">Areae</Emphasis>), a new species from Vietnam

Summary   Typhonium stigmatilobatum V. D. Nguyen, a new species from Vietnam, is described and illustrated.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Bulbophyllum fendlerianum</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Orchidaceae</Emphasis>), a new species from Venezuela

Summary   Bulbophyllum fendlerianum is newly described based on a collection of August Fendler in Venezuela, deposited at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. It was previously confused with B. manarae, but differs significantly from the latter species in its petal and lip shape, particularly the callus.     

Physiological diversity within the <Emphasis Type="Italic">kluyveromyces marxianus</Emphasis> species

The Kluyveromyces marxianus strains CBS 6556, CBS 397 and CBS 712^T were cultivated on a defined medium with either glucose, lactose or sucrose as the sole carbon source, at 30 and 37°C. The aim of this work was to evaluate the diversity within this species, in terms of the macroscopic physiology. The main properties evaluated were: intensity of the Crabtree effect, specific growth rate, biomass yield on substrate, metabolite excretion and protein secretion capacity, inferred by measuring extracellular inulinase activity. The strain Kluyveromyces lactis CBS 2359 was evaluated in parallel, since it is the best described Kluyveromyces yeast and thus can be used as a control for the experimental setup. K. marxianus CBS 6556 presented the highest specific growth rate (0.70 h⁻¹) and the highest specific inulinase activity (1.65 U mg⁻¹ dry cell weight) among all strains investigated, when grown at 37°C with sucrose as the sole carbon source. The lowest metabolite formation and highest biomass yield on substrate (0.59 g dry cell weight g sucrose⁻¹) was achieved by K. marxianus CBS 712^T at 37°C. Taken together, the results show a systematic comparison of carbon and energy metabolism among three of the best known K. marxianus strains, in parallel to K. lactis CBS 2359.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Ty</Emphasis>1<Emphasis Type="Italic">/copia</Emphasis>- and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ty</Emphasis>3<Emphasis Type="Italic">/gypsy</Emphasis>-like DNA sequences in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Helianthus </Emphasis>species

Two repeated DNA sequences isolated from a partial genomic DNA library of Helianthus annuus, p HaS13 and p HaS211, were shown to represent portions of the int gene of a Ty3 /gypsy retroelement and of the RNase-Hgene of a Ty1 /copia retroelement, respectively. Southern blotting patterns obtained by hybridizing the two probes to BglII- or DraI-digested genomic DNA from different Helianthus species showed p HaS13 and p HaS211 were parts of dispersed repeats at least 8 and 7 kb in length, respectively, that were conserved in all species studied. Comparable hybridization patterns were obtained in all species with p HaS13. By contrast, the patterns obtained by hybridizing p HaS211 clearly differentiated annual species from perennials. The frequencies of p HaS13- and p HaS211-related sequences in different species were 4.3x10(4)-1.3x10(5) copies and 9.9x10(2)-8.1x10(3) copies per picogram of DNA, respectively. The frequency of p HaS13-related sequences varied widely within annual species, while no significant difference was observed among perennial species. Conversely, the frequency variation of p HaS211-related sequences was as large within annual species as within perennials. Sequences of both families were found to be dispersed along the length of all chromosomes in all species studied. However, Ty3 /gypsy-like sequences were localized preferentially at the centromeric regions, whereas Ty1/ copia-like sequences were less represented or absent around the centromeres and plentiful at the chromosome ends. These findings suggest that the two sequence families played a role in Helianthusgenome evolution and species divergence, evolved independently in the same genomic backgrounds and in annual or perennial species, and acquired different possible functions in the host genomes.     

Revision of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Serrulati</Emphasis> species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Penstemon</Emphasis> section <Emphasis Type="Italic">Saccanthera</Emphasis> subsection <Emphasis Type="Italic">Serrulati</Emphasis>

A revision of Penstemon sect. Saccanthera subsect. Serrulati includes a new species (P. salmonensis), a new variety (P. triphyllus var. infernalis), and the elevation of a subspecies to species (P. curtiflorus), bringing the total number of species to eight, which are keyed and described, complete with nomenclature and type citations.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Steinernema costaricense</Emphasis> n. sp. and <Emphasis Type="Italic">S. puntauvense</Emphasis> n. sp. (Rhabditida: Steinernematidae), two new entomopathogenic nematodes from Costa Rica

Steinernema costaricense n. sp. and S. puntauvense n. sp. were recovered during a survey for native entomopathogenic nematodes in Costa Rica. Morphological data, molecular (28S rDNA sequence data) studies and cross-hybridisation tests were used for diagnostic and identification purposes. Additionally, 28S rDNA sequence data were used to assess the evolutionary relationships of the new species with other Steinernema spp. Morphological diagnostic features for S. costaricense n. sp. include: the body size of the infective juvenile (av. 1,696); the presence of protruding 'horn-like' cephalic papillae; the position of the excretory pore in the infective juvenile (av. 77 microm) and the first generation male (av. 117 microm); the D% value of the infective juvenile (av. 53) and the first generation male (av. 56); the E% value of the infective juvenile (av. 85); and the morphology of the spicules and gubernaculum of the first generation male. Diagnostic traits for S. puntauvense n. sp. are: the position of the excretory pore in the infective juveniles (av. 25 microm); the shape and size of the spicules and gubernaculum of the first generation male; and the shape of the tail of the first generation female. In addition to these traits, 28S rDNA sequences analysis and hybridisation tests showed that both new Steinernema species are distinct and unique entities.     

Mycorrhizal synthesis between <Emphasis Type="Italic">Boletus edulis</Emphasis> species complex and rockroses (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Cistus</Emphasis> sp.)

Ectomycorrhizas of Boletus aereus, Boletus edulis, and Boletus reticulatus were synthesized with Cistus sp. under laboratory conditions using synthesis tubes filled with a mixture of sterilized peat-vermiculite and nutrient solution. The fungal strains isolated from sporocarps were identified by molecular techniques. The inoculated seedlings were grown for 4–5 months. The ectomycorrhizas formed were described based on standard morphological and anatomical characters. The three ectomycorrhizas described were very similar, with white monopodial-pinnate morphology, a three-layered plectenchymatous mantle on plan view and boletoid rhizomorphs.     

Multilocus phylogeny of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Clonostachys</Emphasis> subgenus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bionectria</Emphasis> from Brazil and description of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Clonostachys chloroleuca</Emphasis> sp. nov.

Phylogenetic analyses based on protein-encoding gene exons and introns of ATP citrate lyase (ACL1), beta tubulin (TUB), the largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (RPB1), and translation elongation factor 1-α (TEF1) are used for inferring the existence of a new Clonostachys species from the Cerrado biome in Brazil, described here as C. chloroleuca. The species produces dimorphic, primary, and secondary conidiophores that form consistently greenish conidial masses on artificial media. It resembles therefore C. rosea f. catenulata although it differs from this species by less adpressed branches in the secondary conidiophores. The new species is also phylogenetically related to C. byssicola and C. rhizophaga. Our inventory suggests that C. byssicola, C. chloroleuca, C. pseudochroleuca, C. rhizophaga, C. rogersoniana, and C. rosea commonly occur in native and agriculturally used soils of the Cerrado and Amazon Forest. Using sequences available from two genome-sequenced strains employed as biological control agents, we confirm the identity of the European strain IK726 as C. rosea and identify strain 67-1 from China as C. chloroleuca.     

A new <Emphasis Type="Italic">Dactylella</Emphasis> species from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Orbilia alba</Emphasis>

A new Dactylella species, Dactylella alba was isolated from the ascospores of Orbilia alba collected in Wenshan County, Yunnan Province, China. Conidiophores were either not branched or occasionally branched, bearing divergent sterigmata on the tip with single conidium on each. Conidia were elongated ellipsoids, 1–2 septate, mostly 1 septate. By combining the ITS sequence with morphological characteristics, a new anamorphic species is described and illustrated together with its teleomorph.     

Taxonomic characterization of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Haloferax</Emphasis> sp. ("<Emphasis Type="Italic">H. alicantei</Emphasis>") strain Aa 2.2: description of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Haloferax lucentensis</Emphasis> sp. nov.

An extremely halophilic archaeon, previously named as Haloferax sp. strain Aa 2.2 or "Haloferax alicantei" that has been extensively used for genetic studies with halobacteria, was taxonomically characterized by using phenotypic tests (including morphological, physiological, biochemical and nutritional features), DNA-DNA hybridization and 16S rRNA sequence phylogenetic analysis. This organism was isolated in 1986 by Torreblanca et al. from a pond of a Spanish saltern located in Alicante. The cells were pleomorphic, Gram negative and grew optimally at 25% NaCl. The polar lipid composition was similar to that of species of the genus Haloferax. The DNA G+C content of this strain was 64.5 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA sequence comparison confirmed that this archaeon is a member of the genus Haloferax and was most closely related to Haloferax volcanii. DNA-DNA hybridization between strain Aa 2.2 and the type strain of all named species of the genus Haloferax revealed low levels of relatedness (25-2%), supporting the placement of this organism in a new species. On the basis of the phenotypic characteristics, molecular data and phylogenetic analysis we propose to name strain Aa 2.2 as a new species, Haloferax lucentensis sp. nov. The type strain is Aa 2.2 (=JCM 9276=NCIMB 13854=CIP 107410=DSM 14919=CECT 5871=CCM 7023).     

Revised treatment of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Memecylon</Emphasis> sect. <Emphasis Type="Italic">Afzeliana</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Melastomataceae: Olisbeoideae</Emphasis>), including three new species from Cameroon

Summary  Seven new names at species rank are proposed in Memecylon sect. Afzeliana Jacq.-Fél., a group of forest shrubs and small trees confined to Guineo-Congolian Africa. The group is centred in Cameroon, where 17 of the 20 species occur. A new flower type, the “star-flower” in Memecylon is revealed, and its taxonomic and ecological importance discussed. Three new, locally endemic species from the South West Province of Cameroon are described, mapped and illustrated: M. kupeanum R. D. Stone, Ghogue & Cheek, M. bakossiense R. D. Stone, Ghogue & Cheek, and M. rheophyticum R. D. Stone, Ghogue & Cheek. Two new names, M. accedens R. D. Stone, Ghogue & Cheek and M. hyleastrum R. D. Stone & Ghogue and one new combination, M. mamfeanum (Jacq.-Fél.) R. D. Stone, Ghogue & Cheek are provided at species level for three taxa originally proposed as varieties of M. afzelii G. Don. The taxon M. arcuatomarginatum var. simulans Jacq.-Fél. is also elevated to species status, as M. simulans (Jacq.-Fél.) R. D. Stone & Ghogue. Conservation assessments are provided for all the newly named taxa. A key is provided to the species of Memecylon sect. Afzeliana.     

Monocotylids (Monogenea: Monopisthocotylea) from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aetobatus</Emphasis> cf. <Emphasis Type="Italic">narinari</Emphasis> off New Caledonia,with a description of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Decacotyle elpora</Emphasis> n. sp.

Four species of monocotylid monogeneans were found on a spotted eagle ray Aetobatus cf. narinari caught off Noumea, New Caledonia, South Pacific. The host is illustrated for future possible identification, because it belongs to a currently unresolved species complex. Decacotyle octona (Young, 1967) Chisholm & Whittington, 1998, from the secondary gill lamellae, is figured and previously unreported details of the reproductive system are described. D. elpora n. sp. is described from numerous specimens found between the secondary gill lamellae. The new species, 780-1650 microm in body length, is smaller than D. octona, but has a longer sclerotised male copulatory organ. It is characterised by two dorsal haptoral accessory structures, each with three bumps, and a 9-shaped sclerotised male copulatory organ 240-290 microm in length. D. octona and Clemacotyle australis Young, 1967, both from the branchial cavity, and Thaumatocotyle pseudodasybatis Hargis, 1955, from the nasal tissue, are new geographical records for New Caledonia. It is suggested that differences in the monocotylid fauna between the Atlantic and Indo-Pacific forms of Aetobatus cf. narinari could be of interest for the systematic status of the ray, but the sporadic nature of the sampling probably casts doubt on the usefulness of the currently available data.     

Two new species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Erythroxylum</Emphasis> sect. <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rhabdophyllum</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Erythroxylaceae</Emphasis>) from north-eastern Brazil

Summary   Erythroxylum longisetulosum I. Loiola & M. F. Sales and E. timothei I. Loiola & M. F. Sales (sect. Rhabdophyllum) from north-eastern Brazil are described and illustrated, and their taxonomic and ecological relationships are discussed.     

Specificity of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Anagyrus</Emphasis> sp. nov. nr. <Emphasis Type="Italic">sinope</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Leptomastix dactylopii</Emphasis> for six mealybug species

In order to understand better non-target effect and potential uses, the host specificity of two parasitoid species (Anagyrus sp. nov. nr. sinope Noyes & Menezes and Leptomastix dactylopii Howard) (both Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) for six mealybug species [Ferrisia virgata (Cockerell), Phenacoccus madeirensis Green, Phenacoccus solani Ferris, Planococcus citri (Risso),Pseudococcus longispinus (Targioni-Tozzetti) and Pseudococcus viburni (Signoret)] (all Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) was studied through behavioral observations and laboratory rearing. The selected mealybug species represent major subfamilies and tribes of Pseudococcidae. Except for F. virgata, all mealybug species induced examinations by Anagyrus sp. nov. nr. sinope and L. dactylopii. Anagyrus sp. nov. nr. sinope was specific to P. madeirensis, which was the only mealybug species selected for oviposition and suitable for complete development of the parasitoid. No encapsulation of Anagyrus sp. nov. nr. sinope in P. madeirensis was observed. Leptomastix dactylopii accepted multiple species for oviposition, with the ranking of species preference as P. citri > P. viburni > P. longispinus > P. solani > P. madeirensis. Only P. citri, P. longispinus and P. viburni supported the development of L. dactylopii. Parasitoids developing in P. longispinus and P. viburni suffered from high encapsulation rates, while no encapsulation was observed when developing in P. citri. The results of this study suggest that Anagyrus sp. nov. nr. sinope is highly host specific. Leptomastix dactylopii, on the other hand, has a wider host range. The use of Anagyrus sp. nov. nr. sinope in a mealybug biological control program is limited to P. madeirensis and L. dactylopii to P. citri. The results presented in this study also lead us to question the accuracy of the reported host range of L. dactylopii, which include all six mealybug species tested.