Mealybugs of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Dysmicoccus</Emphasis> Ferris (Homoptera,Pseudococcidae) of the fauna of Russia and adjacent countries

A key to six species of the genus Dysmicoccus from the former USSR is given, provided with comprehensive information on the nomenclature, morphology, and taxonomy of the widely variable D. walkeri. The following new synonymies are established: D. walkeri Newstead (= D. kazanskyi Borchs., syn. n.; = glandularis Baz., syn. n.; = badachshanicus Nurm., syn. n.; = innermongolicus Tang in Tang and Li, syn. n.). Lectotype of D. kazanskyi is designated. Dysmicoccus multivorus (Kir.) is considered in the revision of the genus Trionymus Berg (Danzig, 1997), the rest species are discussed in the monograph of the Far Eastern fauna (Danzig, 1980).     

A review of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Deporaus</Emphasis> (Coleoptera,Rhynchitidae) from the Russian fauna: 2. Subgenera <Emphasis Type="Italic">Roelofsideporaus</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Deporaus</Emphasis>

The subgenera Roelofsideporaus and Deporaus s. str. of the genus Deporaus with four species (D. affectatus, D. unicolor, D. nidificus, and D. betulae) recorded from the Russian fauna are revised. Keys to the species of the subgenus Roelofsideporaus and to the females of the subgenera Roelofsideporaus and Deporaus s. str. are given. The distribution of D. nidificus in Russia is not confirmed.     

A review of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Deporaus</Emphasis> (Coleoptera,Rhynchitidae) from the Russian fauna: 1. Subgenera <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pseudapoderites</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Japonodeporaus</Emphasis>

The genus Deporaus from the Russian fauna is revised. Four species (D. pacatus, D. azarovae, D. septentrionalis, and D. hartmanni) of the subgenera Pseudapoderites and Japonodeporaus are found. Keys to the subgenera and to the species of the subgenus Pseudapoderites are given. The genus Deporaus, subgenera Pseudapoderites and Japonodeporaus, and four species are redescribed. The distribution of these species in Russia is discussed.     

Hover flies of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Paragus</Emphasis> latr. (Diptera,Syrphidae) of Russia and adjacent countries

A key to 29 species of the hover-fly genus Paragus from Asia is given and provided with original figures of the male genitalia, abdomen, and head for each species. New data on the distribution of Paragus species are reported.     

Genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Chelonus</Emphasis> Jurine (Hymenoptera,Braconidae, Cheloninae) in the fauna of Russia and adjacent territories. <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ch. olgae</Emphasis> Kok. species-group

The Ch. olgae species-group is established in the genus Chelonus characterized by the metasomal carapace narrowing towards the apex (much more strongly than towards the base) and not or weakly incurved. This group is analogous to the M. retusus group of the closely related genus Microchelonus, although some differences in the carapace structure emphasize parallel development of these morphological features in the two genera. New species are described as follows: Ch. borisi sp. n. (Russia: Leningrad Prov.), Ch. cardui sp. n. (Russia: Voronezh Prov.; Moldova), Ch. kokoujevi sp. n. (Russia: Belgorod and Chelyabinsk provinces), Ch. speijeri sp. n. (Spain), Ch. ubsunuricus sp. n. (Russia: Tuva), and Ch. yurii sp. n. (Kazakhstan). Chelonus subannulatus Abdinbekova, 1971 is synonymised with Ch. submuticus Wesmael, 1835(syn. n.).     

A revision of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Podococcus</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Arecaceae</Emphasis>)

Summary  A taxonomic revision of the palm genus Podococcus (Arecaceae) is presented. Two species are recognised: P. barteri, a species relatively widespread in a coastal band from Nigeria to the D. R. Congo and P. acaulis, a species previously considered conspecific to P. barteri, almost exclusively confined to Gabon. The taxonomic history, morphology, distribution and conservation status of the genus and each species are discussed     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Phuphanochloa,</Emphasis> a new bamboo genus (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Poaceae</Emphasis>: <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bambusoideae</Emphasis>) from Thailand

Summary  A new monotypic bamboo genus Phuphanochloa (Poaceae: Bambusoideae) from north-eastern Thailand is described, together with a new species, P. speciosa.     

Russian fauna of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Chrysotus</Emphasis> (Diptera,Dolichopodidae): Part 1. <Emphasis Type="Italic">Chrysotus cilipes</Emphasis> Meigen and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ch. laesus</Emphasis> Wied. species-Group

Based on examination of the collections of the Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences and Voronezh State University, a list of species of the group Chrysotus cilipes Meigen and Ch. laesus Wied. was compiled for the fauna of Russia, including 8 species: Chrysotus amurensis Negrobov, Ch. caerulescens Negrobov, Ch. cilipes Meigen, Ch. laesus (Wiedemann), Ch. parilis Parent, Ch. pennatus Lichtwardt, Ch. pseudocilipes Hollis, and Ch. suavis Loew.     

The Madagascan genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Vaughania</Emphasis> is reduced to synonymy under <Emphasis Type="Italic">Indigofera</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Leguminosae-Papilionoideae-Indigofereae</Emphasis>)

Summary  Eleven species comprising the Madagascan genus Vaughania are subsumed within the large pantropical genus Indigofera. Six new combinations are made; the remaining species were originally described in Indigofera.     

A review of species of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Teloleuca</Emphasis> (Heteroptera,Saldidae) in the fauna of Russia and adjacent territories

A taxonomic revision of the genus Teloleuca Reuter of the fauna of Russia and adjacent territories was made based on the Heteroptera collection of the Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences (St. Petersburg). Data on the distribution of five species (T. altaica Vinokurov, T. brancziki Reuter, T. bifasciata Thomson, T. kusnezowi Lindberg, and T. pellucens Fabricius) with dotted maps and a key to the species are given. A new species, T. altaica sp. n., is described from southern Altai (eastern Kazakhstan).     

New combinations and typifications in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bistorta</Emphasis>, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Persicaria</Emphasis>, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Polygonum,</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rumex</Emphasis> (Polygonaceae)

New combinations are proposed in anticipation of the Polygonaceae treatment in the forthcoming volume of Intermountain Flora: Polygonum kelloggii var. esotericum, P. kelloggii var. watsonii , Rumex densiflorus var. pycnanthus , R. salicifolius var. utahensis, and R. occidentalis var. tomentellus. Typifications are proposed to facilitate ongoing studies in Polygonaceae and to maintain current usage.     

Phylogeny of members of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Frankia</Emphasis> genus based on <Emphasis Type="Italic">gyr</Emphasis>B, <Emphasis Type="Italic">nif</Emphasis>H and <Emphasis Type="Italic">gln</Emphasis>II sequences

To construct an evolutionary hypothesis for the genus Frankia, gyrB (encoding gyrase B), nifH (encoding nitrogenase reductase) and glnII (encoding glutamine synthetase II) gene sequences were considered for 38 strains. The overall clustering pattern among Frankia strains based on the three analyzed sequences varied among themselves and with the previously established 16S rRNA gene phylogeny and they did not reliably reflect clear evolution of the four discerned Frankia clusters (1, 2, 3 and 4). Based on concatenated gyrB, nifH and glnII, robust phylogenetic trees were observed with the three treeing methods (Maximum Likelihood, Parsimony and Neighbor-Joining) and supported by strong bootstrap and posterior probability values (>75%) for overall branching. Cluster 4 (non-infective and/or non-nitrogen-fixing Frankia) was positioned at a deeper branch followed by cluster 3 (Rhamnaceae and Elaeagnaceae infective Frankia), while cluster 2 represents uncultured Frankia microsymbionts of the Coriariaceae, Datiscaceae, Rosaceae and of Ceanothus sp. (Rhamnaceae); Cluster 1 (Betulaceae, Myricaceae and Casuarinaceae infective Frankia) appears to have diverged more recently. The present study demonstrates the utility of phylogenetic analyses based upon concatenated gyrB, nifH and glnII sequences to help resolve previously unresolved or poorly resolved nodes and will aid in describing species among the genus Frankia.     

Species divergence in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Iris</Emphasis> series <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lacteae</Emphasis> (Iridaceae) in Russia and adjacent countries based on chloroplast DNA sequence data

In Russia, the species of the genus Iris L., series Lacteae Doronkin, the taxonomic structure of which still remains controversial, are found in the south of Siberia and the Russian Far East, as well as in other regions of Asia. Sequence analysis of three chloroplast DNA regions (rps4, trnL–trnF, and trnS–trnG) shows that, in Russia and adjacent countries, there are two genetically and geographically isolated Lacteae species. I. oxypetala Bunge grows in the south of the Russian Far East, and I. lactea Pall. grows in Siberia, Mongolia, and Kazakhstan. Genetic differentiation between the populations of I. lactea is extremely low and statistically insignificant (the fixation index Φ_ST = 0.057, P > 0.05), pointing to the unity of the gene pool and the absence of other Lacteae species in this area.     

Revision of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Melamphaes</Emphasis> (Melamphaidae). 5. Oligo-raker species: <Emphasis Type="Italic">M. indicus</Emphasis>, <Emphasis Type="Italic">M. eurous</Emphasis>, and <Emphasis Type="Italic">M. typhlops</Emphasis>

Three oligo-raker species (?19 rakers on the first gill arch) of the genus Melamphaes out of the “M. typhlops” group are considered. The validity of M. indicus Ebeling is restored. This species inhabits equatorial and tropical waters of the Indian Ocean and the western part of the Pacific Ocean. M. eurous sp. n., which is related to M. indicus, is described from equatorial waters of the eastern part of the Pacific Ocean. M. typhlops (Lowe) inhabiting the northern part of the Atlantic Ocean, from the equatorial zone about to 45° N, is redescribed.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">In vitro</Emphasis> propagation of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Clivia</Emphasis>

We have developed a protocol for the in vitro propagation of the genus Clivia. Shoots were regenerated when fragments of the peduncle-pedicel junction (PP junction) from young inflorescences were used as explants. The optimal media for PP junction were Murashige and Skoog (MS)-based medium containing 10 M of 6-benzyladenine (BA) and 10 M of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) or MS supplemented with 5 M BA, 10 M -naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), 250 mg l^-1 glutamine and 500 mg l^–1 casein hydrolysate and their usage depended on the breeding lines. Multiplication from initiations and in vitro seedlings was the best when the explants were cut longitudinally through the meristem and placed on MS plus 44 M BA. Plantlets were transferred on to hormone -free MS medium with charcoal for rooting.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">In silico</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">in situ</Emphasis> characterization of the zebrafish (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Danio rerio</Emphasis>) <Emphasis Type="Italic">gnrh3</Emphasis> (sGnRH) gene

Background

Gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) is responsible for stimulation of gonadotropic hormone (GtH) in the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis (HPG). The regulatory mechanisms responsible for brain specificity make the promoter attractive for in silico analysis and reporter gene studies in zebrafish (Danio rerio).

Results

We have characterized a zebrafish [Trp⁷, Leu⁸] or salmon (s) GnRH variant, gnrh 3. The gene includes a 1.6 Kb upstream regulatory region and displays the conserved structure of 4 exons and 3 introns, as seen in other species. An in silico defined enhancer at -976 in the zebrafish promoter, containing adjacent binding sites for Oct-1, CREB and Sp1, was predicted in 2 mammalian and 5 teleost GnRH promoters. Reporter gene studies confirmed the importance of this enhancer for cell specific expression in zebrafish. Interestingly the promoter of human GnRH-I, known as mammalian GnRH (mGnRH), was shown capable of driving cell specific reporter gene expression in transgenic zebrafish.

Conclusions

The characterized zebrafish Gnrh3 decapeptide exhibits complete homology to the Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) GnRH-III variant. In silico analysis of mammalian and teleost GnRH promoters revealed a conserved enhancer possessing binding sites for Oct-1, CREB and Sp1. Transgenic and transient reporter gene expression in zebrafish larvae, confirmed the importance of the in silico defined zebrafish enhancer at -976. The capability of the human GnRH-I promoter of directing cell specific reporter gene expression in zebrafish supports orthology between GnRH-I and GnRH-III.

     

A review of scarabs of the subgenus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Nobius</Emphasis> Mulsant et Rey,genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aphodius</Emphasis> Illiger (Coleoptera,Scarabaeidae), of the fauna of Russia and neighboring countries

Scarab beetles of the subgenus Nobius Mulsant et Rey, genus Aphodius Illiger, distributed in Russia and neighboring countries are reviewed. A key to the species and notes on their biology are given. The three new synonymies are established: A. serotinus (Panz.),1799 = A. x-signum Reitter, 1892, syn. n.; A. gresseri Sem. 1898 = A. korgaldzhensis Nikolajev, 1987, syn. n.; A. chaldaeus Petr., 1971 = A. moreleti Baraud, 1980, syn. n. Lectotypes of A. inclusus Reitt., 1892 and A. gresseri are designated.