Electric organs in skates: Variation and phylogenetic significance (Chondrichthyes: Rajoidei)

A total of 63 species of skates (Chondrichthyes: Rajoidei) were surveyed, along with three species of the outgroup (Chondrichtyes: Rhinobatoidei) for electric organs along the sides of the tail. All skate specimens examined possessed what appeared to be functional electric organs, and the three species of the outgroup lacked evidence of electric organs. The electric organs were tail-positive and arranged into horizontal columns divided by transverse septa. The electrocytes varied considerably within and among supraspecific taxa (subgenera and genera), but they could be broadly classified into cup-shape, modified cup-shape, intermediate-shape, and disc-shape cells, provided that the distinction was partially based on position of the electrocytes within their connective tissue chambers. The survey, in part, corroborates a phylogenetic hypothesis of skates and in some respects further resolves the hypothesis. The supraspecific taxa Atlantoraja and Rioraja have similar derived-type electrocytes, as do the five supraspecific taxa of Rajini, and Cruriraja and Anacanthobatis, and to a lesser extent the supraspecific taxa Arhynchobatis, Psammobatis, and Sympterygia, and the supraspecific taxa Notoraja, Pavoraja, and Pseudoraja, corroborating the hypothesis. The supraspecific taxa Amblyraja, Rajella, Leucoraja, Breviraja, and Dactylobatus were unresolved in the phylogenetic hypothesis, but the electrocyte survey suggested that Leucoraja, Breviraja, and Dactylobatus were derived with respect to Amblyraja and Rajella. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Phylogeny of the Anopliidae (Brachiopoda: Chonetidina)

The Anopliidae is one of the most diverse families in the brachiopod suborder Chonetidina. All previous attempts to work out the phylogeny and taxonomy of this family assume that the group is monophyletic. Great phylogenetic significance has been placed on the presence or absence of a single key feature, such as radial external ornament or accessory lateral septa of the brachial valve. In order to evaluate previous classifications of the family and the characters on which they are based, we performed a cladistic analysis of 23 anopliid taxa, two outgroup taxa, Rugosochonetes and Waagenites and three problematic taxa, Trichochonetes, Airtonia and Davoustia whose inclusion within the Anopliidae has been controversial. A single most parsimonious tree was obtained, with a length of 157, CI=0.28 and RI=0.47. The results do not support previous bipartite divisions of the family. In addition, the analysis is inconsistent with the presumption of monophyly for this family. Rather, it supports restriction of the Anopliidae to a clade united by small adult length, removing several large taxa from the family and confirming the non‐anopliid status of Airtonia and Davoustia.     

Two new species of Duplicibothrium Williams & Campbell, 1978 (Tetraphyllidea: Serendipidae) from the Pacific cownose ray Rhinoptera steindachneri

Two new tetraphyllidean species, Duplicibothrium cairae n. sp. and D. paulum n. sp., are described from Pacific cownose rays Rhinoptera steindachneri collected from the Gulf of California. D. cairae n. sp. differs from the only other known species in this genus, D. minutum, in its possession of two posteriorly bifurcating longitudinal septa on each bothridium and having a greater number of loculi per bothridium, wider bothridia and a greater number of segments per worm. D. paulum n. sp. differs from the above two species in being shorter, having two continuous longitudinal septa on each bothridium, rather than posteriorly bifurcating or absent longitudinal septa, having a greater number of loculi per bothridium and having fewer segments per worm. The generic diagnosis of Duplicibothrium is amended to reflect the inclusion of the two new species. Species of Duplicibothriumappear to be restricted to host species of the genus Rhinoptera. Systematic information gained from the study of these two new species supports the monophyly of the tetraphyllidean family Serendipidae and suggests that Duplicibothrium shares a phylogenetic heritage with species in the genera Glyphobothrium and Serendip, taxa that are also parasitic in cownose rays. Evidence for a phylogenetic relationship between serendipid species and species of Dioecotaenia is discussed, as are potential molluscan hosts for cestode species in Duplicibothrium and Dioecotaenia.     

A SURVEY OF FLORAL ANATOMY IN ARACEAE

Flowers of 23 species representing six subfamilies of Araceae were studied by means of serial cross sections, special attention being given to vascular patterns and to taxa of supposed phylogenetic importance. Floral structure is shown to be extremely diverse with no unifying pattern common to all subfamilies. Conclusions include the following: (1) Lysichiton has a specialized gynoecial vascular pattern which differs from others encountered in the survey and which weighs against the primitive position attributed to this genus by Hutchinson. (2) Philodendron, with its multiple stylar canals, cannot have originated from subfamily Pothoideae, as Engler's phylogenetic concept would require of all Araceae; instead, it appears that several syncarpous evolutionary lines have evolved independently from extinct apocarpous members of the family. (3) In Acorus, stamens are introrse and dorsal carpellary bundles are lacking; these characters and others justify the recognition of Acorus as a separate subfamily Acoroideae. In addition, the survey revealed a peculiar deterioration of the inner ovary wall and the septa in several taxa, apparently a normal feature of floral development. Spathiphyllum solomonense Nicolson is described in an appendix.     

西藏晚二叠世四射珊瑚Ipciphyllum naoticum的鳞板特征兼论喷口构造的分类意义

Ipciphyllum是中国中晚二叠世地层中最常见的块状复体四射珊瑚, Ipciphyllum naoticum是该属中唯一发育喷口构造的种。通过对采自西藏札达姜叶玛剖面上二叠统姜叶玛组的Ipciphyllum naoticum进行连续切片, 研究其鳞板特征, 发现横切面上鳞板形态在个体发育的不同阶段变化明显, 包括喷口(庙宇状)鳞板、弧形板片状鳞板和偶现的侧鳞板等, 表明同一种内鳞板的形态多变, 以某一特殊形态的鳞板作为种一级甚至更高级的分类标准值得商榷。结合前人对喷口鳞板的发育可能与相对高能的水环境有关, 分类意义不应超过种级的研究结论等, 建议废除以喷口鳞板(构造)作为重要分类特征的Protonaoticophylidae科和Protonaoticophylinae亚目。     

Regularity in budding mode and resultant growth morphology of the azooxanthellate colonial scleractinian Tubastraea coccinea

Scleractinia exhibit a variety of growth forms, whether zooxanthellate or azooxanthellate, according to factors that control asexual reproduction and ensuing coral growth. The azooxanthellate branching scleractinian Dendrophyllia arbuscula shows regular modes of budding in terms of the locations of budding sites, the orientations of directive septa, and the inclination angle of budding throughout colonial growth. This study reports that such regularities are also found in the apparently different growth form of the massive dendrophylliid Tubastraea coccinea, which shows the following growth features: (1) the offsets (lateral corallites) always occur near four primary septa, except the two directive primary septa, meaning that the lateral corallites do not appear in the sectors of the two directive septa; (2) the two directive septa in lateral corallites tend to be oriented subperpendicular to the growth direction of the parental corallites; (3) the lateral corallites grow approximately diagonally upwards; and (4) these regularities are seen in the axial and derived lateral corallites among all generations during colony growth. Large differences in growth form are found between the branching D. arbuscula and massive T. coccinea, irrespective of the presence of specific regularities. It is likely that subtle modifications of certain parameters (e.g., budding interval, branch length, corallite size, and inclination angle of lateral corallites) have a strong effect on the overall growth morphology. A precise understanding of such regularities, which occur regardless of generation or taxonomic position, would contribute to understanding the “shape-controlling mechanism” of corals, which are an archetypal modular organism.     

The origin of tetraradial symmetry in cnidarians

Serially arranged sets of eight septa‐like structures occur in the basal part of phosphatic tubes of Sphenothallus from the early Ordovician (early Floian) Fenxiang Formation in Hubei Province of China. They are similar in shape, location and number, to cusps in chitinous tubes of extant coronate scyphozoan polyps, which supports the widely accepted cnidarian affinity of this problematic fossil. However, unlike the recent Medusozoa, the tubes of Sphenothallus are flattened at later stages of development, showing biradial symmetry. Moreover, the septa (cusps) in Sphenothallus are obliquely arranged, which introduces a bilateral component to the tube symmetry. This makes Sphenothallus similar to the Early Cambrian Paiutitubulites, having similar septa but with even more apparent bilateral disposition. Biradial symmetry also characterizes the Early Cambrian tubular fossil Hexaconularia, showing a similarity to the conulariids. However, instead of being strictly tetraradial like conulariids, Hexaconularia shows hexaradial symmetry superimposed on the biradial one. A conulariid with a smooth test showing signs of the ‘origami’ plicated closure of the aperture found in the Fenxiang Formation supports the idea that tetraradial symmetry of conulariids resulted from geometrical constrains connected with this kind of closure. Its minute basal attachment surface makes it likely that the holdfasts characterizing Sphenothallus and advanced conulariids are secondary features. This concurs with the lack of any such holdfast in the earliest Cambrian Torellella, as well as in the possibly related Olivooides and Quadrapyrgites. Bilaterally arranged internal structures in polyps representing probably the oldest medusozoans support the suggestions based on developmental evidence that the ancestor of cnidarians also was a bilaterally symmetrical animal. This is one more example of fossil data that strictly fit the molecular phylogenetic evidence but not necessarily morphology‐based zoological interpretations.     

Ultrastructure of neuroendocrine cells in the lungs of three anuran species

Neuroendocrine cells in the lungs of three species of anurans, Bombina variegata, Bufo bufo and Bu. viridis, occur both as single cells and in the form of neuroepithelial bodies. Neuroendocrine cells are covered by ciliated cells or pneumocytes, which separate them from the lumen of the lung. Neuroepithelial bodies are dispersed in the apical part of the main septa of lungs of Bo. variegata and Bu. bufo or are situated on special protrusions of septa in the lungs of Bu. viridis. Neuroepithelial bodies are innervated by intraepithelial nerve endings of afferent and efferent types.     

彼得黑粉菌属

本文对彼得黑粉菌属(Franzpetrakia)进行订正研究。此属包括2个种,莠竹彼得黑粉(F. microstegii)和薏苡彼得黑粉新组合(F. okudairae comb. nov.)一对其孢子萌发同物异名及异同点等进行了讨论。彼得黑粉菌属是中国和日本的新记录属。芬竹彼得黑粉是中国新记录种。     

Notes on the genus Inocybe of Japan: III

Six Inocybes are described and illustrated as new taxa or new records from Japan. A new species, Inocybe magnicarpa, is a member of section Marginatae. Two new varieties, I. malenconii var. cylindrata, a member of section Dulcamarae, and I. brunneorufa var. angusta, a representative of section Marginatae. Inocybe reisneri (section Rimosae) and I. fuscidula (section Tardae), are recorded as new to Japan. Inocybe pseudodestricta (section Tardae) is redescribed from a new locality (Chiba Prefecture). They are compared with similar taxa.     

A review of diatoms found in highly acidic environments

A review is presented of 28 studies in the literature of diatoms in environments at pH 3.5, including natural and anthropogenic acid sources. A total of 124 diatom taxa have been reported, but many are likely to have been accidental occurrences, because only a few specimens were found. Approximately 19 taxa abundant in at least one study or common in several studies are considered true inhabitants of highly acidic waters. These include: Achnanthes minutissima, Eunotia exigua, E. tenella, E. septentrionalis, E. osoresanensis, E. arcus, E. glacialis, E. pectinalis, Frustulia rhomboides, F. rhomboides var. saxonica, Nitzschia capitellata/subcapitellata, Nitzschia communis, Nitzschia pusilla, Nitzschia vasta, Pinnularia acoricola, P. obscura, P. braunii var. amphicephala, P. subcapitata and P. terminitina. There are inconsistencies in the taxonomy of several of these species and possible synonymies could lower the number of taxa to less than 9. Compared to diatom species richness in environments at pH 4.5–5.0, there are many fewer taxa in environments pH 3.5, suggesting a threshold between pH 4.5 and 3.5 below which many species are unable to maintain a population.     

Two new species of Exobasidium causing Exobasidium diseases on Vaccinium spp. in Japan

Two new Exobasidium species on Vaccinium spp. in Japan are described and discussed. Exobasidium kishianum, which causes Exobasidium leaf blight on V. hirtum var. pubescens and V. smallii, is characterized by its ellipsoid to ovoid basidiospores with (0–)1–3 septa. Its systemic infection is also observed. Exobasidium inconspicuum, causing Exobasidium leaf blister on V. hirtum var. pubescens, is characterized by its obovoid or ellipsoid to oval basidiospores with 0–4 septa. Mode of germination of the basidiospores is by germ tube in both species. Contribution no. 199, Laboratory of Plant Parasitic Mycology, Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Japan     

Studies on the synnematous fungi imperfecti II

Summary Albosynnema with the type species,A. elegans, andSolheimia with the type species,S. costaspora, are described as new synnematous taxa. A species ofNegeriella, N. panamensis, is described as new. All of these new taxa produce phragmospores. In addition, new distribution records forCalostilbella Calostilbe, Stromatographium stromaticum, Vrikshopama swetasakha, andIsaria tenuipes are listed.This study was supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation (GB-2433).     

Pollen morphology of the East Asiatic genus Chelonopsis (Lamioideae: Lamiaceae) and allied genera,with reference to taxonomic implications and potential pollination ecology

Pollen grains of 15 taxa of the genus Chelonopsis (14 spp. and 1 variety) from China and Japan and 6 species of the closely related genera Bostrychanthera (1 species) and Gomphostemma (5 species) were examined by light and scanning electron microscopy. Of these, the pollen morphology of 18 taxa was studied for the first time. Pollen grains were found to be tricolpate with polar lengths of 20.8–30.0 μm and equatorial widths of 17.5–27.3 μm. The basic shape of the pollen in most taxa is subprolate or prolate-spheroidal, but spheroidal, subprolate-spheroidal, oblate-spheroidal, and prolate-subprolate grains are also found in some species. The surface is generally reticulate or suprareticulate in Chelonopsis and granulate in Bostrychanthera. In comparison with those of Chelonopsis and Bostrychanthera, the pollen grain surfaces of Gomphostemma are more diverse. In Chelonopsis, pollen is taxonomically useful at the sectional level, and some grains provide enough characters for species delimitation. The potential pollination ecology of cellular hairs on the anthers of Chelonopsis and Bostrychanthera is also briefly discussed.     

中国灵芝属一新种和一新记录

本文描述了灵芝属一新种:兼性灵芝Ganoderma bicharacteristicum X.Q. Zhang,和一个新记录种:奇异灵芝Ganoderma mirabile(Lloyd) Humphrey.作者为新种提供了拉丁文特征提要及英文描述。上述两种所引证的标本保藏在中国科学院微生物研究所真菌标本室(HMAS)。     

Climatic calibration of 80 aeropollinic taxa along a European transect

The aim of calibration is to measure the relationships between climate and taxa, in order to use the taxa as indicators for the estimation of bioclimates. The indicator capacity of a taxon (ICT) measures the probability of two events, together or separately, either the ordering of abundance, within the range of a factor, or the confining of presences inside a limited part of the range. ICT is obtained from numbering inequalities or matches, on such orderings, without any arithmetical operation upon the initial data. ICT measures the indicator capacity of a taxon for a factor, even if the taxon is intermittent or if its gradient is irregular.ICT increases with the threshold of the sum of temperatures, for some taxa, such as Arbutus, Celtis, Cistus, Coriaria, Cupressaceae, Helianthemum, Olea, Onobrychis, Pistacia, Silene, Thymelaeaceae. These taxa indicate a superior threshold above the classical one of 0 °C. Conversely, ICT decreases when the threshold increases, for other taxa, such as Abies, Aesculus, Fraxinus, Juglans, Mercurialis, Populus, Resedaceae, Salix, Thalictrum, Tilia. A taxon may be an indicator for the whole range of a temperature, if its abundance increases rather regularly, such as Chenopodiaceae, Erica, Olea, Plantago, Tamarix, Umbelliferae, Vitis, or if its abundance decreases, as for Betula, Filicidae, Fraxinus, Juglans, Tilia. Conversely, some other taxa are indicators only in a part of the range, such as Calluna, Galium and Platanus.The indicator capacity is used to estimate the thermic climate according to the flora. For each taxon, ICT depends on A and F, which are the ranks of abundance and thermal factor. For a given rank A, observed in a spectrum, ICT depends on F; ICT is the probability of the spectrum to be in the rank F. The maximum value of ICT, for all taxa in the spectrum, indicates the probable rank of that spectrum. Along the transect, the estimated temperatures happen to be equal to the measured ones for all the tested spectra (except one) and for all the factors, even if a small part of the flora is tested.     

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi associated with the Meliaceae on Hainan island, China

Species richness, spore density, frequency of occurrence, and relative abundance of AM fungi were determined in rhizosphere soil samples from nine tropical rainforest sites on Hainan island, south China, and the arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) status of members of the Meliaceae was examined. All 28 plant taxa investigated (25 species including two varieties of 1 species and three varieties of another) were colonized by AM fungi. The mean proportion of root length colonized was 56% (range 10–95%). Vesicles were observed in 27 and hyphal coils in 26 of the 28 plant taxa. Mycorrhizas were of the Paris-type or intermediate-type, with no Arum-type mycorrhizas observed. Species richness of AM fungi varied from 3 to 15 and spore density from 46 to 1,499 per 100 g rhizosphere soil. Of 33 AM fungal taxa in five genera isolated and identified, 18 belonged to Glomus, 9 to Acaulospora, 1 to Entrophospora, 2 to Gigaspora, and 3 to Scutellospora. Acaulospora and Glomus were the dominant genera identified. Glomus claroideum was the taxon most commonly isolated, with a frequency of occurrence of 56.5% and relative abundance of 10.4%. A positive correlation was found between percentage of root length colonization and species richness. However, there was no correlation between spore density and percentage of root length colonized by AM fungi.     

Phylogenetic relationships of four endemic genera of the Phasianidae in China based on mitochondrial DNA control-region genes

The taxonomic status of some genera within the Phasianidae remains controversial. To demonstrate the phylogenetic relationships of four endemic genera (Tetraophasis, Ithaginis, Crossoptilon and Chrysolophus) and other 11 genera of Phasianidae in China, a total of 1070 nucleotides of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control-region genes were sequenced. There are 376 variable sites including 345 parsimony sites. The genetic distance ranged from 0.067 (Chrysolophus and Phasianus) to 0.181 (Perdix and Bambusicola) among the 15 genera. Maximum likelihood method was used to construct a phylogenetic tree, which grouped all the genera into two deeply divergent clades. Perdix was shown to be a non-partridge genus. Alternatively, it appears ancestral to either partridges or pheasants. The sibling taxa of the four endemic genera were Lophophorus, Tragopan, Lophura and Phasianus, respectively. Calibrated rates of molecular evolution suggested that the divergence time between the four genera and related taxa was 4.00–5.00 million years ago, corresponding to the Pliocene. Considering their molecular phylogenetics, fossil and geographical distribution patterns, the four endemic genera might have originated in the southwestern mountains in China.