New taxa and combinations in Siphonoglossa (Acanthaceae)

As presently known, the genusSiphonoglossa can be divided into two “subgenera,” one of which is here divided into two sections,Pentaloba andSiphonoglossa. Two new species are described from a locality in Durango, Mexico :S. durangensis in sect.Siphonoglossa andS. linearifolia in sect.Pentaloba. Three other species are transferred intoSiphonoglossa:S. canbyi from northeastern Mexico;S. buchii from Haiti and the Dominican Republic andS. incerta from southern Baja California, Mexico.     

Reinhardtia paiewonskiana (Palmae), a new species for the West Indies

Reinhardtia paiewonskiana, a previously undescribed species endemic to the Dominican Republic, is formally described and represents the first record for the genus in the West Indies.     

Genetic variation among laboratory strains of the planorbid snail Biomphalaria glabrata

Isozymes of laboratory strains of Biomphalaria glabrata have been studied by starch gel electrophoresis. Methods are outlined for adaptation of this technique to the genetic study of these snails. Twenty-eight presumptive gene loci have been identified. Twelve invariant enzymes were observed. Sixteen loci displayed some polymorphism within or among the strains. These polymorphisms were generally widespread among strains from Brazil, Puerto Rico, St. Lucia, and the Dominican Republic. A high degree of intrastrain polymorphism was noted even in some presumably inbred laboratory strains. Crosses between strains were used to demonstrate the genetic basis for the patterns observed at 9 of the 16 polymorphic loci.     

Obolinga (Mimosaceae)—its natural history

Obolinga zanonii is endemic to the mountain chain of the Sierra de Bahoruco (Dominican Republic)-Massif de la Selle (Haiti) in southern Hispaniola. Its habitat is the humid broadleaf forest (“cloud forest”) at approximately 1500 m. Little is known about the dispersal of the seeds, but many fall and germinate below the parent tree. Germination in a nursery occurs in about 30 days.     

Species ofIchneumonidae [Hym.], parasites of some lepidopterous pests of lucerne in Romania

Eleven species ofIchneumonidae were identified as parasites of lepidopterous pests of lucerne. All of the parasitized Lepidoptera are new host records for theseIchneumonidae andDiadegma variegata Szépl. is a species of parasite new to Romania.     

Flocculation phenomenon of Candida albicans by lysozyme

Young colonies of Sabouraud's glucose agar room temperature culture ofCandida species from human isolation were suspended in distilled water. The suspension was mixed with a solution of lysozyme and incubated in a 37° C water bath. Within 3–5 hours, various species ofCandida cells showed flocculation to varying degrees which occurred at varying periods of onset. Among sevenCandida species,Candida albicans andCandida stellatoidea showed the strongest flocculation, earliest onset and most solution clarity than did any other species.Candida stellatoidea was indistinguishable fromCandida albicans in its degree of flocculation, and in the clarity of solution.Candida species may be arranged in the following order according to their decreasing positivity in flocculation:

1. Candida albicans
2. Candida stellatoidea
3. Candida tropicalis
4. Candida krusei
5. Candida pseudotropicalis
6. Candida parapsilosis
7. Candida guilliermondii
8. Saccharomyces species may be placed afterCandida guilliermondii.

It seems possible to separate theCandida species into 3 groups by the rate of flocculation, and clarity of solution. Group I.Candida albicans andCandida stellatoidea. Group II.Candida tropicalis, C. krusei andCandida pseudotropicalis. Group III.Candida parapsilosis andCandida guilliermondii. Saccharomyces specimens (S. cerevisiae and others) were placed after group III.     

Molecular evidence to reconcile taxonomic instability in mahseer species (Pisces: Cyprinidae) of India

The mahseers are an important group of fishes endemic to Asia with most species considered threatened. Conservation plans to save declining wild populations are hindered by unstable taxonomy, and detailed systematic review could form a solid platform for future management and conservation. D-loop and cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) mtDNA sequences were examined in nine mahseer species of Tor, Neolissochilus, and Naziritor. Pseudogenes amplified in a portion of the species limited the utility of the D-loop region. ABGD analysis, NJ, ML, and MP methods and genetic distance (TrN?+?I?+?G) using COI data revealed concordant species delimiting patterns. The three genera were monophyletic, separated as distinct clades (TrN?+?I?+?G 0.064 to 0.106), and Naziritor was flagged as a separate genus, distinct from Puntius (TrN?+?I?+?G 0.196). Out of seven nominal species known for Tor cogeners from India, only five were recovered with mtDNA data (TrN?+?I?+?G 0.000 to 0.037) and two species could not be distinguished with the molecular data set employed. Tor mosal, synonymized as Tor putitora, was rediscovered as a distinct species (TrN?+?I?+?G 0.031) based on its type locality. Tor mussulah was confirmed as a separate species (TrN?+?I?+?G 0.019 to 0.026). Two valid species, Tor macrolepis and T. mosal mahanadicus, were not distinct from T. putitora (TrN?+?I?+?G 0.00). The high divergence with mtDNA data failed to validate T. mosal mahanadicus as a subspecies of T. mosal (TrN?+?I?+?G 0.031). Morphological outliers discovered within the distribution range of Tor tor (TrN?+?I?+?G 0.022 to 0.025) shared the same lineage with T. putitora (TrN?+?I?+?G 0.002 to 0.005), indicating a new extended distribution of the Himalayan mahseer T. putitora in the rivers of the Indian central plateau. The findings indicate the need for integrating molecular and morphological tools for taxonomic revision of the Tor and Naziritor genera, so that taxa are precisely defined for accurate in situ and ex situ conservation decisions.     

Past hybridization between Quercus macrocarpa and Quercus gambelii

Introgression between two allopatric species,Quercus macrocarpa andQ. gambelii, has been observed in two separate locations: northeastern New Mexico and the Black Hills of western South Dakota and adjacent Wyoming. The probability that this introgression is the result of long-range pollination appears remote. Presumably these two species hybridized during a period of past sympatric association. Further indication of past sympatry in the Black Hills is the presence of a common species of obligate parasite, i.e., wasp(Cynips insulensis) onQ. gambelii in the Rocky Mountains and onQ. macrocarpa of the Black Hills. The hybrid oaks in New Mexico probably reflect a westward migration ofQ. macrocarpa during pluvial periods of the Pleistocene.Quercus gambelii most likely reached the Black Hills during the warmer postglacial hypsithermal era. The hybridization reported here may reflect secondary sympatry, i.e., sympatric occurrence after the species, or their ancestors, became geographically separated.     

On the carrying behaviour of basic South American primates

InCallithrix, Saguinus, Aotus, andCallicebus other group members than the mother participate in infant care. Differences among these species are obvious in respect to the time of being off any caregiver, and in respect to the carrying position (Aotus andCallicebus). Alloparental care, a basic behaviour pattern in these species, has evolved from the parking behaviour of the prosimians. The infants are «parked» at other group members.     

New genera and species of Chrysobalanaceae from Malesia and Oceania

Two new genera of Chrysobalanaceae are described.Hunga distributed in New Caledonia, the Loyalty Islands and Papua and New Guinea, contains eight species, three new, and five formerly placed in the generaAngelesia, Licania andParinari.Kostermanthus is described to accommodate two species with united filaments formerly placed inParinari andAcioa. Both new genera are quite as distinct as others of the family and have been overlooked by undue emphasis placed on the single character of a bilocular ovary.Licania palawanensis Prance is also described; it is the second species of its genus from Malesia.     

Seasonal density,distribution and interactions of predatory and scavenger arthropods in accumulating poultry wastes in coastal and interior Southern California

Seasonal predatory and scavenger arthropod densities were studied at interior and coastal southern California poultry ranches. Though some seasonal population clumping occurred with some species, the distribution of predators and scavengers was fairly uniform within each ranch. Correlation analyses of key predators in theHisteridae, Staphylinidae, Hydrophylidae andDermaptera with the potential hosts,Musca domestica L.,Tinea fuscipunctella Haworth, andFannia spp. suggested that predator activity was seasonally influenced. Possible periodic avoidance of a particular host's habitat was detected as significant negative correlations. The data tend to support the importance of different species of predators in different seasons and the need for natural enemy complexes rather than single species for biological control.     

Two new species of Rhynchospora section Psilocarya (Cyperaceae)

Two new species ofRhynchospora sectionPsilocarya are described and illustrated.Rhynchospora eburnea is known from Amazonian Venezuela and nearby Brazil whileRhynchospora waspamensis is known only from eastern Zelaya, Nicaragua. These species are distinguished from most of the species of sectionPsilocarya by means of a key to the species found in the Americas south to and including the Amazon Basin.     

Freshwater Crustacea (Cladocera,Copepoda) of Iceland: taxonomy,ecology, and biogeography

Of the many types of freshwater bodies across Iceland (e.g., lakes, springs, rivers, and ponds), greater effort has been invested in researching the freshwater Crustacea (Cladocera, Copepoda) of more permanent, larger, and deeper water bodies than on smaller or more ephemeral sites. To address this, we described the fauna of 12 shallow freshwater bodies distributed from the coast to the central highlands of Iceland. We identified 16 species in 11 genera belonging to six families of Cladocera, and 12 species in eight genera belonging to four families of Copepoda. Five of the species we identified (Alona werestschagini, Cyclops vicinus, Daphnia cristata, Diacyclops abyssicola, and Heterocope borealis) represent new distribution records for Iceland, increasing the number of species now known from this region to 34 Cladocera and 38 Copepoda taxa. Additionally, we discuss the taxonomy of some species with doubtful taxonomical status. Six crustacean taxocenes are described, each characterized by the dominance of different taxa, with bottom sediment characteristics best explaining species assemblage structure. We evaluated the relationships between Icelandic Cladocera and Copepoda faunas and those of the adjacent Svalbard, Faroe, and Shetland Islands, Greenland, and the mainland Norway. The taxonomic composition of the Icelandic fauna is dominated by widely distributed Holarctic, and secondarily Palaearctic and Nearctic species, and is more similar to the faunas of the major North Atlantic islands (64.2–71.8 % similarity) than it is to that of continental Norway.     

Supplementary notes on American Labiatae. X

Notes on the taxonomy and distribution of various species of Labiatae of Mexico, and Central and South America, are presented, as part of a continuing series of supplements to the authors’ earlier monographs. Eight new species are described in the generaHyptis, Salvia, Satureja, andScutellaria. Two new combinations are made, one each inHarlanlewisia andSatureja. A key and revision are given for the six species ofLepechinia sect.Parviflorae.     

Occurrence of Phytophthora plurivora and other Phytophthora species in oak forests of southern Poland and their association with site conditions and the health status of trees

Phytophthora plurivora and other Phytophthora species are known to be serious pathogens of forest trees. Little is known, however, about the presence of P. plurivora in Polish oak forests and their role in oak decline. The aims of this study were to identify P. plurivora in healthy and declining Quercus robur stands in southern Poland and to demonstrate the relationship between different site factors and the occurrence of P. plurivora. In addition, the virulence of P. plurivora and other Phytophthora species was evaluated through inoculations using 2-year-old oak seedlings. Rhizosphere soil was investigated from 39 oak stands representing different healthy tree statuses. The morphology and DNA sequences of the internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS) of the ribosomal DNA and the mitochondrial cox1 gene were used for identifications. P. plurivora, an oak fine root pathogen, was isolated from rhizosphere soil samples in 6 out of 39 stands. Additionally, Phytophthora cambivora, Phytophthora polonica and Phytophthora rosacearum-like were also obtained from several stands. The results showed a significant association between the presence of P. plurivora and the health status of oak trees. Similar relationships were also observed for all identified Phytophthora species. In addition, there was evidence for a connection between the presence of all identified Phytophthora species and some site conditions. Phytophthora spp. occurred more frequently in declining stands and in silt loam and sandy loam soils with pH?≥?3.66. P. plurivora and P. cambivora were the only species capable of killing whole plants, producing extensive necrosis on seedling stems.     

Conservation and genetics of two Critically Endangered Hispaniolan palms: genetic erosion of Pseudophoenix lediniana in contrast to P. ekmanii

The palm species Pseudophoenix ekmanii (endemic to the Dominican Republic) and P. lediniana (endemic to Haiti) are the only Critically Endangered species (sensu IUCN) of the genus. Results are presented of recent field research and population genetic studies targeting P. lediniana. The field research confirmed that wild plants of P. lediniana are restricted to a single population found along almost inaccessible and unstable limestone cliffs along a ravine in southern Haiti, near Jacmel in the Province of Ouest. The population is composed of six fragments with approximately 71 adults and 2 juveniles. No seedlings were located, and the population is under severe extinction threat because of landslides during the raining season, massive forest clearance, and burns for charcoal extraction and cropping of subsistence staple crops. Seven DNA microsatellite (SSR) loci were used to generate estimates of genetic variation of this species. Approximately one-third of all wild plants (21 individuals) were sampled. Only four of these SSR loci were polymorphic and population genetic coefficients showed that the population is highly inbred. Population genetics results for P. lediniana were compared with those previously published for P. ekmanii. Levels of genetic variation were quantified by number of polymorphic loci and observed heterozygosity. These values were much lower in P. ledinana than in P. ekmanii. The latter species is officially protected in a national park and has several populations, some much larger than that of the P. lediniana population. Differences concerning in situ conservation protection and population size might explain differences for levels of genetic variation between these two Critically Endangered species. Ex situ and in situ strategies for conservation are proposed.     

Barnacle Goose (Branta leucopsis) feeding ecology and trophic relationships on Kolguev Island: The usage patterns of nutritional resources in tundra and seashore habitats

Insight into colonization of new areas by invasive species and their relationships with aboriginal species is a major challenge in ecology, allowing for prediction of the outcome of biological invasions. In this context, the current expansion of the Barnacle Goose (Branta leucopsis) is of great interest. The seasonal dynamics of Barnacle Goose feeding and the structure of its diet on Kolguev Island during the nesting and postnesting periods (May 27–July 29) have been examined. The diet structures of the invasive Barnacle Goose and the aboriginal species White-fronted goose (Anser albifrons) and Bean goose (A. fabalis) have been compared. The probability of interspecific competition and the ecological advantages in the diet patterns of these species have been estimated. If the Barnacle Goose population on Kolguev Island continues to increase, this may led to a decline in the population of aboriginal species of geese on the island.     

Centric diatoms from Lake Frolikha (Transbaikal area) and peculiarities of distribution of some taxa in Asia

The species composition of centric diatoms from Lake Frolikha (Transbaikal area) has been studied. The lake is located on the eastern shore of Lake Baikal and connected with it by a river. Twenty-three species of Centrophyceae from 7 genera (Aulacoseira, Cyclostephanos, Cyclotella, Discostella, Handmania, Pliocaenicus, and Stephanodiscus) have been found. The most represented genus is Aulacoseira (11 species). Fifteen species and 4 genera are new for the lake record. All revealed species are known in other lakes of the Baikal region; however Baikal endemics are absent in Lake Frolikha. The flora of centric diatoms in Lake Frolikha can be divided into two groups. The first group includes taxa common in Lake Baikal, and the second group includes taxa not typical for Lake Baikal. The level of differences between flora in Lake Baikal and Lake Frolikha is high (43%) despite the close location and connection to the river. An analysis of distribution of interesting species in Asia is presented.