Minutisphaera and Natipusilla: two new genera of freshwater Dothideomycetes

Two new genera are established in the Dothideomycetes based on morphological and molecular data (SSU and LSU nuclear ribosomal sequences) to accommodate four ascomycete species collected from woody debris submerged in freshwater habitats. The genus Minutisphaera is represented by a single species, M. fimbriatispora, which was collected from freshwater habitats in temperate forests in North America. It has small, superficial, brown, subglobose, papillate pseudothecia with dark, irregularly twisted hairs around the papillae, fissitunicate asci, septate pseudoparaphyses, and hyaline, one-septate ascospores surrounded by a gelatinous sheath and having spine-like appendages radiating around the ascospore at the septum. Minutisphaera formed a strongly supported clade with Farlowiella carmichaeliana. The second genus, Natipusilla, contains three new species, N. decorospora, N. limonensis and N. naponensis, which were collected from Central and South America. Natipusilla is characterized by small, superficial, light-colored, globose pseudothecia, fissitunicate asci, few or no pseudoparaphyses, and hyaline, one-septate to tardily two- or three-septate ascospores with or without a gelatinous sheath. The three Natipusilla species form a well supported clade, but their relationship to other members of the Dothideomycetes remains unclear.     

The shape of human gene family phylogenies

Background  

The shape of phylogenetic trees has been used to make inferences about the evolutionary process by comparing the shapes of actual phylogenies with those expected under simple models of the speciation process. Previous studies have focused on speciation events, but gene duplication is another lineage splitting event, analogous to speciation, and gene loss or deletion is analogous to extinction. Measures of the shape of gene family phylogenies can thus be used to investigate the processes of gene duplication and loss. We make the first systematic attempt to use tree shape to study gene duplication using human gene phylogenies.     

Singchia and Gunnaria, two new genera of Orchidaceae

Singchia Z. J. Liu ＆ L. J. Chen, a new orchid genus, is established based on the new species S. malipoensis Z. J. Liu ＆ L. J. Chen found in southeast Yunnan, China. The new genus is related to Pteroceras, from which it differs by having a lip with its basal margins immovably adnate to the lower part of the pendent column foot, a thin-walled spur, and very unequally and deeply split pollinia, each with a distinct caudicle. In addition to a discussion on Ascocentrum pusillum, a species of questionable placement, another new genus, namely Gunnaria S. C. Chen ex Z. J. Liu ＆ L. J. Chen, is set up and a new combination, namely G. pusilla （Aver.） Z. J. Liu ＆ L. J. Chen, is made. The new genus Gunnaria differs from its allyAscocentrum by having a cross-shaped pollinarium, sulcate or split pollinia, each with a distinct caudicle attached to a common linear stipe much longer than either pollinia or viscidium, and strongly incurved side lobes of the lip.     

A rearrangement of the family Tethyidae (Porifera Hadromerida) with establishment of new genera and description of two new species

The discovery of new species, a study of the type material of already described species and an analysis of the literature data call for an extensive rearrangement of the Family Tethyidae, whose last revision dates from Burton (1924). The rearrangement proposed here attributes to the Family eight genera: Tethya Lam. (type genus), Burtonitethya gen nov. , Columnitis Schmidt, Halicomeies Topsent, Stellitethya gen. nov., Tectnitethya gen. nov., Tethycometes gen. nov . and Xenospongia Gray. The genus Aaptos is excluded from the Tethyidae. Three of the new genera have been established for species previously attributed to the genus Tethya and two are new: Burtonitethya gemmiformis (Burton & Rao) and Tethycometes sibogae sp. nov . Five species, previously attributed to Tethya , are considered 'incertae sedis'. An analytical key and discussion of the evolution of the family are included.     

The trilobiteProtostygina and the composition of the Styginidae, with two new genera

The Styginidae is regarded as an exclusively Ordovician family of trilobites, separate from the Scutelluidae. The hitherto poorly known genusProtostygina Prantl &P?ibyl, 1949 is revised. It is recorded with certainty only from the Llanvirn of the Czech Republic, and the type species is a senior synonym of“Raymondaspis” rubensi rubensi P?ibyl &VANěK, 1968 and“R.” rubensi lybar ?najdr, 1976. Two new styginid genera are proposed:Cyrtocybe, with type species“Raymondaspis” turgida Whittington, 1965, is known from the upper Arenig and lower Llanvirn of Newfoundland, Maine and Norway; andPromargo, with type speciesP.forteyi n. sp., occurs in the Arenig of Newfoundland and Spitsbergen.Turgicephalus Fortey, 1980 is regarded as a junior synonym ofRaymondaspis P?ibyl inPrantl &P?ibyl, 1949. Three genera are excluded from the Styginidae:Kirkdomina Tripp, 1962,Pseudostygina Zhou inZhou et al., 1982 andStyginella P?ibyl &Vaněk, 1971.     

Revision of some comasterid genera from Australia (Echinodermata: Crinoidea), with descriptions of two new genera and nine new species

Morphological characters used in comasterid taxonomy are reappraised. As a result, form and distribution of pinnule combs are newly promoted as primary characters of generic recognition. Form and arrangement of cirri and division series, as used by A. H. Clark (1931), are rejected as characters important in recognizing taxa higher than species. Five of 12 comasterid genera reported as occurring in Australian waters (H. L. Clark, 1946) are critically examined. Of these genera, Comantheria A. H. Clark, 1909b is referred to the synonymy of Comanthus A. H. Clark, 1908a, Comanlhoides A. H. Clark, 1931 is referred to the synonymy of Cenolia A. H. Clark, 1916b, and Comanthina A. H. Clark, 1909b is maintained. In addition, two new genera are described. These genera are related by the occurence of the first brachial syzygy at 3 + 4 on all arms. Twenty-six species within the five genera are now recognized in Australian waters. Nine new species are described, and the 17 existing species are rediagnosed and critically reappraised. The revision involves taxa distributed throughout the Indo-west Pacific region, as far west as S Africa.     

Annulusmagnus and Ascitendus, two new genera in the Annulatascaceae

Two pyrenomycetes in the Annulatascaceae described from freshwater, Annulatascus triseptatus and Ascolacicola austriaca, are reported from North and South America for the first time. Both species occur commonly on submerged wood in the U.S.A. The two taxa are similar morphologically in having black coriaceous ascomata, cylindrical necks, septate paraphyses, cylindrical pedicellate asci with prominent apical rings and three-septate ascospores. Molecular data demonstrates that Annulatascus is polyphyletic, with A. triseptatus on a clade widely separated from the type species of the genus, A. velatisporus. Ascolacicola austriaca is on a monophyletic clade within the Annulatascaceae as sister taxon of A. triseptatus. Based on morphological data and phylogenetic analyses of 28S rDNA sequence data, new genera Annulusmagnus and Ascitendus are established for Annulatascus triseptatus and Ascolacicola austriaca, respectively.     

Itysa and Lethia, two new genera of neotropical Iridaceae

The new genera Itysa and Lethia , of the Iridaceae, are proposed; the former with two species, I. gardneri (Bak.) Rav., from northeastern Brazil, and I. venezolensis Rav., from Venezuela, the former based on Calydorea gardneri Baker, the latter described as new. Lethia is based on Herbertia umbellata Klatt.     

Using phylogenies in conservation: new perspectives

The 2011 meeting of the European Ecological Federation took place in ávila, Spain, from 26th September to 29th September. The French Ecological Society (SFE) and the Foundation for Research on Biodiversity (FRB) sponsored a session entitled 'Evolutionary history, ecosystem function and conservation biology: new perspectives'. We report on the main insights obtained from this symposium.     

Panchanania andPhragmospathula,two new genera of the Hyphomycetes

Two new Hyphomycetes collected from Jaipur, Rajasthan, India are described.Panchanania jaipurensis gen. et sp.n., collected on dead and dying twigs ofGrewia salvifolia has characteristic solitary stalked blastospores, each with a dark-coloured head and paler stalk, on sympodulae borne on synnemata.Phragmospathula phoenicis gen. et sp.n., collected on dead leaf rachis ofPhoenix sp. has characteristic solitary spathulate phragmospores (blastospores) which are dark-coloured in the middle and paler at the ends and are produced on short conidiophores capable of proliferation from within. On the basis of the mode of development of the spores, both fungi are placed in the Torulaceae Corda emend. Subram.     

Polyamines of the hyperthermophilic archaebacteria belonging to the genera Thermococcus and Methanothermus and two new genera Caldivirga and Palaeococcus

Cellular polyamines of eight new thermophilic archaebacteria were investigated to determine the chemotaxonomic significance of polyamine distribution profiles. Hyperthermoacidophilic Caldivirga maquilingensis belonging to the family Thermoproteaceae of the Crenarchaeota have a unique polyamine profile comprising spermidine, norspermidine and norspermine as the major polyamines. Within the order Thermococcales of the Euryarchaeota, the major polyamines of an extremely thermophilic terrestrial species of Thermococcus, T. zilligii, were spermidine and agmatine, whereas hyperthermophilic submarine species of Thermococcus and hyperthermophilic submarine Palaeococcus ferrophilus contained a quaternary branched penta-amine, N4-bis(aminopropyl)spermidine, as a major polyamine. A hyperthermophilic methanogen, Methanothermus sociabilis, belonging to Euryarchaeota, contained spermidine and spermine as the major polyamine.     

Three new genera,two new species and one new combination of family Hystrignathidae (Nematoda: Thelastomatoidea) from Ceracupes fronticornis (Westwood) (Insecta: Passalidae) in China

Systematic Parasitology - Two new genera and two new species of family Hystrignathidae were collected from Ceracupes fronticornis (Westwood) from the Yunnan Province, China. Pseudoxyo yunnanensis...     

The freshwater snails (Gastropoda) of Iran, with descriptions of two new genera and eight new species

Using published records and original data from recent field work and revision of Iranian material of certain species deposited in the collections of the Natural History Museum Basel, the Zoological Museum Berlin, and Natural History Museum Vienna, a checklist of the freshwater gastropod fauna of Iran was compiled. This checklist contains 73 species from 34 genera and 14 families of freshwater snails; 27 of these species (37%) are endemic to Iran. Two new genera, Kaskakia and Sarkhia, and eight species, i.e., Bithynia forcarti, Bithynia starmuehlneri, Bithynia mazandaranensis, Pseudamnicola georgievi, Kaskakia khorrasanensis, Sarkhia sarabensis, Valvata nowsharensis and Acroloxus pseudolacustris are described as new to science; Ecrobia grimmi (Clessin & Dybowski, 1888), Heleobia dalmatica (Radoman, 1974) and Hippeutis complanatus (Linnaeus, 1758) are reported for the first time from Iran. Additional field work is highly desirable for a more appropriate evaluation of the extant freshwater snail biodiversity in Iran.