Biogeographical research on European species of the lichen genus Physconia

Abstract Aim The (world) distribution of the European species of Physconia Poelt (Lichenes: Physciaceae) [except Ph. distorta (With.) J. R. Laundon and Ph. americana Essl.] was investigated. The study was complemented by data on the ecological behaviour of the species. Location The location of the study is the whole world with a local emphasis on Europe. Methods The geographical distribution of the lichen species under consideration was investigated from collection data of herbaria and field studies in a databank. Additional data were taken from existing literature and critically considered. Distribution maps were created with ArcView GIS. The distribution patterns are expressed as three‐dimensional areal formulas, regarding zonal distribution, altitudinal range and oceanity of the species distributions, using the method of Meusel et al. (1965 ). Results The distribution patterns of the ten Physconia taxa considered are represented in detailed maps and expressed as three‐dimensional areal formulas. The ecological behaviour was discussed. Physconia muscigena and Ph. perisidiosa are species of bipolar distribution type, the other species are holarctic types. Physconia detersa and Ph. enteroxantha occur in both Eurasia and North America, the remaining species (Ph.grisea ssp. grisea, Ph. grisea ssp. lilacina, Ph. petraea, Ph. servitii, Ph. subpulverulenta and Ph.venusta) are pure Old world taxa with a much more limited distribution.The majority of the European Physconia taxa are distributed meridionally to submeridionally and occur preferentially in suboceanic areas. Main conclusions Some of the species under consideration have a wide distribution, nevertheless they show clear affinities to ecological conditions that influence their distribution patterns. A number of species show not only zonal and regional restrictions, but also affinities to the western climatic type. The Mediterranean is the centre of diversity of the genus Physconia in Europe.     

Revisionary notes on the genus Metopolophium Mordvilko, 1914, with keys to European species and descriptions of two new taxa (Homoptera: Aphidoidea)

New and extensively revised keys are given to help identification of the European species of Metopolophium Mordvilko, 1914. The morphs keyed are (1) the apterous viviparous females from Gramineac, (2) the alate viviparous females and (3) the males and oviparous females of those species that overwinter as eggs on Rosa spp. Taxonomic notes are given on some individual species. Two new taxa, M. fasciatum sp. nov., and M. festucae (Theobald) cerealium subsp. nov. are described. Metopolophium myrmecophilum (Theobald) becomes a new synonym of M. festucae (Theobald), sensu stricto , and the resulting question of the possible conservation of the latter, which is the junior subjective synonym, is discussed. A revised checklist of the European species of Metopolophium is given.     

Global distribution of the European species of the lichen genus Melanelia Essl.

Aim The global distribution of the European species of Melanelia Essl. (Lichenes: Parmeliaceae) was investigated in order to understand their distribution patterns against the background of ecogeographical and historical factors. Location The location of the study is global, with a local emphasis on Europe. Methods Geographical distribution and ecology of the species were investigated on the basis of herbarium studies and data from the literature as well as field observations. Distribution maps were created with ArcView GIS. The distribution patterns are expressed as three‐dimensional ‘areal formulas’, regarding zonal distribution, altitudinal range and oceanicity, using a previously described method. The observed distribution patterns are discussed on the basis of their analogies with vascular plants and with respect to the ecogeographical vs. historical factors reflected by them. Results With the exception of one species that is endemic to Europe, all species studied occur in both northern continents. A number of species have tropical‐alpine outposts, and two species occur also in extratropical zones of the southern hemisphere. Arctic and boreal distributions are circumpolar, while in the southern holarctic zones an affinity to the western sides of both northern continents is frequent. Main conclusions The distribution patterns appear to be mainly determined by contemporary ecogeographical factors. Most species probably have largely filled their potential distribution, at least within the Holarctic. Thus, the geographical origin and dispersal history of a species cannot reliably be reconstructed; they can be dissimilar in different species with similar distributions.     

Further expansion of the genus Cercopagis (Crustacea,Branchiopoda, Onychopoda) in the Baltic Sea,with notes on the taxa present and their ecology

The onychopod cladoceran Cercopagis that recently invaded the Baltic Sea is reported from new zones of the northern Baltic proper. Because of successful survival and an expanding distribution range, the addition of Cercopagis to the Baltic fauna is considered to be permanent. What has previously been cited as Cercopagis pengoi encompasses the morphology of several other species, subspecies and forms. Either a number of morphologically similar species is present, or there is a number of spurious species in Cercopagis. The last hypothesis is favoured. The spatial distribution pattern of Cercopagis, as well as that of total zooplankton, was correlated with depth. Deep (>100 m) and shallow (<10 m) stations had significantly lower abundance than stations of intermediate depth (<100 m). An overview of the distribution of C. pengoi group in fresh and brackish waters suggests a high tolerance to environmental factors, but with differences among taxa. Due to this ecological flexibility, the colonization of the Baltic is not unexpected. Increasing salinity may restrict dispersal of cercopagids to the southern areas of the Baltic and to the North Sea, but inland lakes (e.g. in Sweden) present an ecological profile suitable for colonization.     

Taxonomic notes on European taxa of Crataegus (Rosaceae)

In connection with systematic study of European taxa of Crataegus (Rosaceae subfam. Maloideae) lectotypes are designated for Crataegus monogyna f. subdigyna and C. monogyna var. ronnigeri. C. microphylla subsp. malýana is described as a taxon new to science and a key to the recognised taxa of C. microphylla and of the closely related C. rhipidophylla is given.     

Taxonomic, nomenclatural and chorological notes on several taxa of the genus Echinodorus (Alismataceae)

Taxonomic, nomenclatural and chorological notes on several taxa of the genus Echinodorus are given. A new species E. maculatus is described. The name Alisma intermedium (basionym of the name E. intermedius) is lectotypified. Echinodorus major and E. martii should be treated as two distinct taxa. The name E. xinguensis was invalidly published. It is also confirmed that E. africanus, E. veronikae and E. viridis (all belonging to the E. uruguayensis group) do not originate from Africa. The name E. bleherae should be written with a female suffix (-ae); this name is considered here as a synonym of the earlier name E. grisebachii.     

Studies in species of the lichen genus Asahinea

Asahinia kurodakensis is shown to be conspecific with A. scholanderi. Cetraria saviczii var. Candida and A. culbersoniorum (nom. inval.), are only chemical strain of A. chrysantha , lacking usnic acid.     

Phylogeny and species delimitation in the genus Coprinellus with special emphasis on the haired species

We inferred the phylogenetic structure and species limits within Coprinellus by using a newly generated multigene alignment of LSU, ITS and β-tubulin sequences. We sampled 154 specimens of 71 species out of ca. 80 known taxa in Coprinellus and inferred phylogenetic relationships by Bayesian MCMC and ML bootstrapping. Morphological and phylogenetic analyses revealed 17 new species, five of which are described herein. Coprinellus was split into three large clades, one comprising species with an initially continuous sheath of veil (Domestici/Micacei clade) and two consisting of primarily setulose (haired) species (eurysporoid and Core Setulosi clades). The separation of veiled species and the clade structure therein corresponds well to the morphology-based sectional classification, although the inclusion of certain setulose taxa (e.g. C. disseminatus, C. verrucispermus, C. curtus etc.) in these clades necessitates a new morphological definition for the sections. Morphological traits are discussed for all clades of Coprinellus. Species limits in the eurysporoid and Core Setulosi clades are scrutinized in detail. Future directions of species-rank research and an artificial key to the recovered setulose species of Coprinellus is presented.     

Three new species in the lichen genus Ionaspis

Ionaspis fuegensis, I. granvina and I. ventosa are described. The genus is recorded for the first time with certainty from the cool-temperate Southern Hemisphere. I. granvina differs from all other species in its carbonaceous black exciple and I. ventosa in its ecology: windswept mountain summits.     

Ribosomal DNA variation within and between species of rodents, with emphasis on the genus Onychomys

Patterns of restriction-endonuclease site and length variation at the nuclear rDNA locus (18S + 28S rRNA gene complex) were examined in rodents. Of the 164 restriction sites mapped for seven species, 22 were conserved (mapping to the 18S, 28S, and 5.8S genes and ITS1) in all three Onychomys species as well as in Mus musculus and in three closely related peromyscine rodents, Peromyscus boylii, P. eremicus, and Reithrodontomys megalotis. The nontranscribed spacer (NTS) region revealed most of the variation among these taxa, with the patterns of variation grouping into the following categories, (1) intraindividual variation revealing as many as four site-specific repeat types within an individual, (2) intraspecific and interspecific site variation confined to the NTS, and (3) length variation in both the transcribed and NTS regions. Length variation in the 28S rRNA gene was also examined in 17 additional rodent species, and most size differences mapped to the divergent domain, D8, found in sequence comparisons between Mus and Rattus. The systematic implications of rDNA variation are discussed using the perspective gained from these rodent comparisons.     

Trichome structure of fourAphanizomenon taxa (Cyanophyceae) from Czechoslovakia,with notes on the taxonomy and delimitation of the genus

The dimension and variation range of terminal and intercalary cells, heterocysts, and akinetes of fourAphanizomenon taxa occurring in Czechoslovakia were studied. Statistical and graphical procedures were used for evaluation. With regard toA. flos-aquae, the results support the distinction of two varieties (var.flos-aquae and var.klebahnii). In the samples determined asA. gracile two clearly distinguishable morphological types could be found; one of them is recognized as a new species:A. flexuosum. Its diacritical features are established and problems of the intrageneric taxonomy ofAphanizomenon and its demarcation from the genusAnabaena are discussed.Dedicated to Prof. DrLothar Geitler on the occasion of his 90th birthday.     

Further notes on New Zealand Enantiobuninae (Opiliones,Neopilionidae), with the description of?a?new genus and two new species

Mangatangi parvum gen. n. and sp. and Forsteropsalis pureroa sp. n. are described from the North Island of New Zealand. Pantopsalis listeri (White 1849) and Pantopsalis cheliferoides (Colenso 1882) are redescribed and no longer regarded as nomina dubia; Pantopsalis luna (Forster 1944) is identified as a junior synonym of Pantopsalis listeri. A key to Pantopsalis species is provided.     

Four new Asian species in the lichen genus Pannaria

Abstract:Three new species which have previously been confused with Pannaria rubiginosa are described. The first, Pannaria complanata sp. nov., from southern India, has a possibly subtropical Afro-Asian distribution, the second, Pannaria emodii sp. nov., may be restricted to the eastern Himalayas from Bhutan to Sichuan (China), and the third, Pannaria ramulosa sp. nov. is known only from Java. The last two species are both related toPannaria asahinae P. M. Jørg. from Japan. A fourth new species from southern Taiwan, the isidiate Pannaria formosana, is closely related to Pannaria ramosa Vain., a little known species from the Philippines.     

A new species of hagfish of the genus Myxine, with notes on other eastern Atlantic myxinids

Myxine ios sp. nov. is a seven-gilled hagfish occurring on the continental slope in the eastern North Atlantic, off West Africa and southwest Ireland. The two populations overlap in morphometric and meristic character, but the Irish population is distinguished by having a white head and a whitish middorsal or midventral line. More material and collections from intermediate localities are needed before it can be determined if the two populations are distinct at the specific or subspecific level. The northern (Irish) population of M. ios is believed to occur in the same geographical range as M. glutinosa but to live at greater depths. Myxine ios is compared with M. glulinosa L. and M. capensis Regan, the other two eastern Atlantic Myxine species; new data are given for these species, both of which are regarded as valid.     

中国双缘衣属(双缘衣科)地衣一新种

现分类系统中,双缘衣属隶属于子囊菌门,茶渍纲,厚顶盘亚纲,文字衣目,双缘衣科。全世界有48种,被确认为单系类群的小属。利用形态学、解剖学、生物化学以及分子生物学方法,对采自天山西部的双缘衣属地衣标本进行分类学研究,发现了双缘衣属地衣1个新种：绿盘双缘衣Diploschistes viridis (属于双缘衣亚属)。基于最大似然分析(ML)和贝叶斯分析(BI)构建了基于ITS位点系统发育树,详细描述该种的形态特征、分布及栖息地等情况,并提供了地衣体的彩色图片。     

Krogia coralloides,a new lichen genus and species from Mauritius

Abstract:The new corticolous lichen genus Krogia and species K. coralloides are described from humid forest in Mauritius. The genus shows affinities with Phyllopsora, but differs in characters of the ascus, ascospores, and thallus anatomy. The ascal characters make its inclusion in the Bacidiaceae orPhyllopsoraceae problematic. The lichen contains boninic acid and an apparently related compound.     

The genus Hypocenomyce (Lecanorales, Lecideaceae), with special emphasis on the Norwegian and Swedish species

Ten species are recognized in the genus Hypocenomyce. Their morphology, anatomy, chemistry, and ecology are discussed, a key is provided, and their distribution in Norway and Sweden is mapped. Hypocenomyce australis Timdal and H. foveata Timdal are described as new, and the combinations H. castaneocinerea (Räsänen) Timdal and H. praestabilis (Nyl.) Timdal are proposed. The genus can be divided into four species groups on the basis of apothecial and conidial characters, type of pigment in the epithecium and pyenidial wall, and chemical properties of the thallus. The delimitation of the genus in relation to Lecidea s. lat. is in need of further elucidation.     

A new genus and species of cypridid ostracod from India, with notes on its biology

A new Recent cypridid ostracod genus Bharatcypris , belonging to the subfamily Cypridinae, with Bharatcypris mackenziei sp. nov. as type-species is described from the Punjab, India. Some observations on its biology are also recorded. Two Indian species previously placed in Sclerocypris are transferred to the new genus.