Hemibranchiate sphaeromatids (Crustacea: Isopoda) from Queensland, Australia, with a world-wide review of the genera discussed

All known Queensland species of the isopod family Sphaeromatidae, subfamily Sphaeromatinae (= hemibranchs), are discussed. The following new taxa are erected: Calcipila cornuta, gen. nov., sp. nov. ; Cymodoce tribullis, sp. nov. ; Cymodoce bipapilla, sp. nov. ; Paracilicaea aspera, sp. nov. ; Cilicaeopsis glebosa, sp. nov. ; Cilicaeopsis furculata, sp. nov. ; Cilicaea calcarifera, sp. nov. ; Zuzara curtispina, sp. nov. ; Zuzara digitata, sp. nov. ; and Clianella brucei, sp. nov. Exosphaeroma intermedium Baker is transferred to the genus Sphaeroma Latreille. The genus Dynoides Barnard is reviewed and its current synonymy is contested. With several new records, this brings the total number of sphaeromatid species known from Queensland to 49, 24 of which are in the subfamily Sphaeromatinae. A checklist of all sphaeromatid species occurring in Queensland waters is given. From the rest of Australia: Cymodoce tuberculata Haswell is given the replacement name Cymodoce haswelli, nom. nov. ; Cymodoce granulata Miers is made a junior synonym of Cerceis trispinosa (Haswell) (subfamily Dynameninae); Zuzara diadema Leach, Z. dicantha (Milne Edwards) and Z. Integra Haswell are made junior synonyms of Z. semipunctata Leach; Cilicaeopsis dakini Tattersall is tentatively transferred to the genus Paracilicaea Stebbing. The genera discussed are reviewed world-wide and among the non-Australian species: Exosphaeroma papillae Bayliff is transferred to the genus Sphaeroma; Sphaeroma irakiensis Ahmed is made a junior synonym of Sphaeroma annandalei annandalei Stebbing; Cymodoce richardsoniae Nobili is shown to be distinct from Cymodoce truncata Leach; Cymodoce eupyga Nobili is transferred to the genus Paracilicaea; Dynoides amblysinus Pillai, Dynoides castroi Loyola e Silva and Exosphaeroma globicaudum (Dana) are transferred to the genus Clianella Boone; Dynoides brasiliensis (Loyola e Silva; and Sphaeroma savignn Milne Edwards sensu Dana, 1853 are declared to be conspecific with Clianella castroi. The name Sorrentosphaera Verhoeff is made a junior synonym of Dynamene Leach (subfamily Dynameninae.     

Pollen morphology of the genera Polygonum s. str. and Polygonella (Polygoneae: Polygonaceae)

The pollen of 30 taxa (27 species, one subspecies and two varieties) in two genera, viz Polygonum s. str. and Polygonella was investigated with LM and SEM, and some selected taxa with TEM. In all genera investigated the pollen is prolate to spheroidal, and the aperture is mostly tricolporate, rarely panto-hexacolporate (especially Polygonum section Polygonum). The exine sculpturing pattern is the most variable feature. Three types of exine can be recognized. Type 1 (Avicularia-Type, sensu Hedberg) - All species of section Polygonum and section Tephis share the smooth tectate exine with spinules, sometimes the surface is more or less rough (Polygonum afromontanum in section Tephis). Type 2 (Pseudomollia-Type, sensu Hong) - Pollen of Polygonum molliaeforme (section Pseudomollia) has the exine, which is verrucose on both poles and nearby the mesocolpium, and mostly psilate around the ectoaperture. Type 3 (Duravia-Type, sensu Hedberg) - Pollen grains of Polygonum section Duravia and Polygonella have the exine which is semitectate-reticulate at the mesocolpium and the poles, and rugulate/reticulate or sometimes foveolate with microspinules around the ectoapertures. The pollen grains in four taxa (viz Polygonum section Pseudomollia, P. section Duravia and genus Polygonella) have a well-marked dimorphism of the ektexine, which is considered to be a synapomorphic condition. The differences of pollen grain between the genus Polygonella and Polygonum section Duravia are almost non existent and clearly interrelated. It is therefore postulated that the similarity in pollen of both taxa is not the result of convergency, but is interpreted as a homology. It is noteworthy that the pollen of Polygonum molliaeforme (section Pseudomollia) appears as intermediate between the Avicularia-type and the Duravia-type, and is well supported the value of separated section for its own. Additionally, in TEM, some exine ultrastructures (e.g. columellae, foot layer, endexine) appear to be valuable characters for comparison between/among taxa. The systematic potentialities of the pollen data of the studied taxa at various systematic levels are also discussed.     

Notes on the little known moss Fissidens firmus Mitt. (Fissidentaceae)

Abstract

Fissidens firmus is revised, described, illustrated and a distribution is provided. It is compared to Fissidens hollianus, Fissidens pseudofirmus, Fissidens sedgwickii and Fissidens touwii. It is provisionally distinguished from F. firmus sensu auct. Fissidens multiflorus is reduced to F. hollianus. Lectotypes are designated for Fissidens multiflorus and Fissidens giesenhagenii. The collection that was reported from India as F. firmus appears to be F. hollianus. Thus, the present Western Ghats collection is effectively the first Indian record of F. firmus.     

Succession in zooplankton and hydrophytes of a seasonal water on the west coast of South Africa

Paramesochra mielkei sp.n. is described and figured from the interstices of subtidal sandy sediments off the SW Dutch coast. Kunz' (1981) phylogenetic scheme of the Paramesochridae Lang, 1948 is re-examined and it is suggested that the family comprises two phyletic lines which originated early in paramesochrid evolution. Translation into Linnean hierarchies implies the establishment of two new sub-families. Within the primitive Diarthrodellinae subfam. n., Tisbisoma Bozic, 1964 is ancestral to Diarthrodella Klie, 1949 s.l. and Rossopsyllus Soyer, 1975. Remanea Klie, 1929 is transferred to the Paramesochrinae subfam. n. which comprises the genera of both the Scottopsyllus- and the Paramesochra-group. The aberrant genus Caligopsyllus Kunz, 1975, standing close to Apodopsyllus, is removed from the Paramesochra-group. P. brevifurca Galhano, 1970 is splitted into two subspecies and replaced in the genus Paramesochra. An attempt is made to assess the phyletic interrelationships of the Paramesochra-species and the resulting cladogram splits the genus into four species-groups. P. mielkei sp.n. is referred to the dubia-group and seems to be closely related to P. borealis Geddes, 1981. Finally, an amended diagnosis and a revised key to the species of the genus Paramesochra are presented.     

Convergence to Normality of the Asymptotic Quasi‐Score Function on a Linear Model

The asymptotic quasi‐likelihood method is considered for the model y_t = f_t(θ) + M_t, t = 0,1, …,T where f_tθ) is a linear predictable process of the parameter of interest θ, M_t is a martingale difference, and the nature of E(M_t² | ℱ_t–1) is unknown. This paper is concerned with the limiting distribution of the asymptotic quasi‐score function of such a model. Confidence intervals and hypothesis testing of θ is derived from the limiting distribution. Comparison is made between the estimates obtained through this method and those obtained through the least squares method.     

Molecular phylogeny and evolution of the genus Neoerysiphe (Erysiphaceae, Ascomycota)

The genus Neoerysiphe belongs to the tribe Golovinomyceteae of the Erysiphaceae together with the genera Arthrocladiella and Golovinomyces. This is a relatively small genus, comprising only six species, and having ca 300 species from six plant families as hosts. To investigate the molecular phylogeny and evolution of the genus, we determined the nucleotide sequences of the rDNA ITS regions and the divergent domains D1 and D2 of the 28S rDNA. The 30 ITS sequences from Neoerysiphe are divided into three monophyletic groups that are represented by their host families. Groups 1 and 3 consist of N. galeopsidis from Lamiaceae and N. galii from Rubiaceae, respectively, and the genetic diversity within each group is extremely low. Group 2 is represented by N. cumminsiana from Asteraceae. This group also includes Oidium baccharidis, O. maquii, and Oidium spp. from Galinsoga (Asteraceae) and Aloysia (Verbenaceae), and is further divided into four subgroups. N. galeopsidis is distributed worldwide, but is especially common in western Eurasia from Central Asia to Europe. N. galii is also common in western Eurasia. In contrast, the specimens of group 2 were all collected in the New World, except for one specimen that was collected in Japan; this may indicate a close relationship of group 2 with the New World. Molecular clock calibration demonstrated that Neoerysiphe split from other genera of the Erysiphaceae ca 35–45 M years ago (Mya), and that the three groups of Neoerysiphe diverged between 10 and 15 Mya, in the Miocene. Aloysia citriodora is a new host for the Erysiphaceae and the fungus on this plant is described as O. aloysiae sp. nov.     

matK and rbcL gene sequence data indicate that Saxifraga (Saxifragaceae) is polyphyletic

The large genus Saxifraga, which consists of ≈400 morphologically and cytologically diverse species, has long been considered taxonomically complex. Phylogenetic analysis of over 2500 bp of chloroplast sequence data derived from matK and rbcL was employed to examine relationships among sections of Saxifraga, the segregate genera Zahlbrucknera, Saxifragopsis, and Cascadia, and the relationships of these taxa to other Saxifragaceae sensu stricto. Phylogenetic trees resulting from separate analyses of the matK and rbcL sequences were highly congruent; phylogenetic analysis of a combined matK–rbcL data matrix was therefore also conducted. Our analyses indicate that Saxifraga is polyphyletic, comprising two well-differentiated clades. One clade, Saxifraga sensu stricto, is the sister to the remainder of the family and consists of Saxifraga sections Irregulares, Heterisia, Trachyphyllum, Cymbalaria, Mesogyne, Xanthizoon, Porphyrion, Ciliatae, Cotylea, Ligulatae, Saxifraga, and Gymnopera. With the exception of Gymnopera, the species-rich sections of this clade are monophyletic. Also part of this clade is the problematic Zahlbrucknera paradoxa, which is allied with members of section Saxifraga. A second major clade of Saxifraga species, Micranthes sensu lato, comprises the large section Micranthes, as well as the segregate genus Cascadia, and S. tolmiei of section Merkianae. This clade is allied with the Heuchera, Darmera, and Chrysosplenium-Peltoboykinia groups of genera. The segregate genus Saxifragopsis is only distantly related to species of Saxifraga, and is instead the sister to Astilbe. The monotypic Oresitrophe is confirmed as a member of the Darmera group of genera. These results suggest that the floral features used to define Saxifraga may simply be symplesiomorphic in these well-separated Saxifraga lineages. Furthermore, the enormous cytological diversity encompassed by Saxifraga likely represents two independent instances of extensive aneuploidy and polyploidy in Saxifragaceae.     

Studies in the morphology and systematics of berberidaceae

The floral vasculature in three allied genera,Plagiorhegma, Jeffersoria andAchyls is investigated, and the results are compared with those ofEpimedium andVancouveria which are related closely toPlagiorhegma andJeffersonia. The vasculature in the receptacle ofPlagiorhegma andJeffersonia is similar, but that ofAchlys is much simpler. Slightly different trace patterns are observed in the sepals ofPlagiorhegma andJeffersonia. InJeffersonia, the 3-trace condition leaving 2 or 3 gaps is most frequently observed, but inPlagiorhegma traces of a double nature leaving a single gap are more frequent. The traces to the innermost sepals, petals and stamens are usually of a double nature leaving a single gap in both genera. Regular division and fusion are not observed in the receptacular stele. The vascular differentiation between sepals and petals is more advanced inPlagiorhegma andJeffersonia than inEpimedium andVancouveria. InAchlys, the traces are all staminal and single throughout their course. Two parts recognized in the pistils ofPlagiorhegma, Jeffersonia andAchlys are traversed by independent vasculature. The comparisons of pistil morphology including vasculature ofPlagiorhegma, Jeffersonia, Achlys, Epimedium andVancouveria lead to the interpretation that the pistils are based on the same morphological plan. The probable evolutionary trend in pistil is then suggested in these five genera.     

The genus Thymus (Lamiaceae) in Sicily

An update on the taxonomy and geographic distribution of the genus Thymus in Sicily is given. This study is based on literature, herbarium and field investigations. In total, five taxa belonging to Thymus sect. Serpyllum (Th.richardii subsp. nitidus, Th.longicaulis and Th.praecox subsp. parvulus) and Th. sect. Hyphodromi (Th.spinulosus and Th.paronychioides) occur in Sicily. For each one, information about taxonomy, habitat, phenology, chromosome number and distribution are provided. Furthermore, the name Thymus pedicillatus Lojac. is here typified. Finally, an analytical key for the identification of the studied taxa is proposed.     

The size distribution of insertions and deletions in human and rodent pseudogenes suggests the logarithmic gap penalty for sequence alignment

The size distributions of deletions, insertions, and indels (i.e., insertions or deletions) were studied, using 78 human processed pseudogenes and other published data sets. The following results were obtained: (1) Deletions occur more frequently than do insertions in sequence evolution; none of the pseudogenes studied shows significantly more insertions than deletions. (2) Empirically, the size distributions of deletions, insertions, and indels can be described well by a power law, i.e., f _k = Ck ^–b , where f _k is the frequency of deletion, insertion, or indel with gap length k, b is the power parameter, and C is the normalization factor. (3) The estimates of b for deletions and insertions from the same data set are approximately equal to each other, indicating that the size distributions for deletions and insertions are approximately identical. (4) The variation in the estimates of b among various data sets is small, indicating that the effect of local structure exists but only plays a secondary role in the size distribution of deletions and insertions. (5) The linear gap penalty, which is most commonly used in sequence alignment, is not supported by our analysis; rather, the power law for the size distribution of indels suggests that an appropriate gap penalty is w _k = a + b ln k, where a is the gap creation cost and blnk is the gap extension cost. (6) The higher frequency of deletion over insertion suggests that the gap creation cost of insertion (a _i ) should be larger than that of deletion (a _d ); that is, a _i – a _d = In R, where R is the frequency ratio of deletions to insertions. Correspondence to: W.-H. Li     

The distribution of calanoid copepods in the plankton of Wisconsin Lakes

Zooplankton communities from 499 lakes were examined for calanoid copepod species. Limnocalanus macrurus and Senecella calaloides are confined to Lakes Michigan, Superior and one inland lake each. Eurytemora affinis has recently become established in the coastal waters of Lakes Michigan and Superior. Epischura lacustris is present in the summer plankton of a wide variety of lake types. Aglaodiaptomus leptopus is sensitive to fish predation and confined to small lakes without fish. Leptodiaptomus ashlandi is restricted to Lakes Michigan and Superior, but L. sicilis is also found in some inland lakes. Leptodiaptomus minutus is a boreal species found mostly in lakes of the far north. Skistodiaptomus oregonensis is the most commonly occurring calanoid and seems well adapted to lakes of the meso-to low eutrophic types. Skistodiaptomus pallidus is also generally distributed throughout the state, but less common than oregonensis and adapted to more eutrophic lakes. Leptodiaptomus siciloides and A. clavipes are western species, adapted to eutrophic lakes, which are expanding their ranges eastward, aided by cultural eutrophication.     

Infrageneric classification of the genusEleutherococcus maxim. (Araliaceae) with a new sectionCissifolius

The genusEleutherococcus Maxim, is divided into five sections based on the morphology;Eleutherococcus, Cissifolius C.H. Kim and B.-Y. Sun (sect, nov.),Acanthopanax (Decne. & Planch.) H. Ohashi,Cephalopanax (Baill.) H. Ohashi andZanthoxylopanax (Harms) H. Ohashi. SectionAcanthopanax is further divided into two subsections;Acanthopanax andIonostachyae (Nakai) C.H. Kim & B.-Y Sun (comb. nov.). The new sectCissifolius is distinguished from others in having five fused carpels with free styles, solitary umbels at the end of branches, dioecious sexuality, and absence of tufted hairs in abaxial surface of leaf veins. The new section is most closely related toAcanthopanax in having free styles, solitary umbels, and dioecious sexuality. It is also related toEleutherococcus in having five carpels and lacking tufted hairs on abaxial surface of leaves. SectionCephalopanax shares all characteristics other than the number of carpels withEleutherococcus. SectionZanthoxylopanax is closely related toAcanthopanax in having two carpels with free styles, while it is also related toCephalopanax by having bisexual flowers and umbels arranged in a simple cyme. Considering the evolutionary trend in the family Araliaceae, five-carpellate sectionsEleutherococcus andCissifolius are more primitive than two-carpellate sectionsAcanthopanax, Cephalopanax, andZanthoxylopanax. SectionZanthoxylopanax seems to be intermediate betweenAcanthopanax andCephalopanax.     

A review of the Nearctic digger‐wasp genus Microstictia Gillaspy, 1963, with description of two new species from Arizona and Florida (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Crabronidae)

The genus Microstictia is characterized, its species are diagnosed and keyed; their distribution and collecting period summarized; and their taxonomic status discussed. Photographs of selected important characters are provided. Two new species are described, Microstictia pimensis from Arizona (in the rufescens species group) and M. eos from Florida (in the femorata species group). This is the first unambiguous record of Microstictia from the eastern USA. Based on this finding, M. femorata may actually have originated from Florida, which is frequently questioned. Microstictia minutula (described in Monedula), currently misinterpreted, is a valid name for M. texensis Gillaspy, new synonym. This new synonymy is largely based on female colour characters, whose significance is discussed. The species hitherto known as M. minutula is actually M. exigua (W. Fox), with M. divergens (J. Parker) as a new junior synonym.     

Carapichea guianensis: the correct name for Psychotria carapichea (Rubiaceae), with a correction on the authority of P. carapichea, and a new combination in Carapichea

The correct name forPsychotria carapichea isCarapichea guianensis. Also, the authority ofPsychotria carapichea was previously incorrectly cited, because of an oversight of the illegitimacy ofTapogomea carapichea Poir. The complex taxonomic history of this species is analyzed, and the authority of the binomial is correctly cited. In addition,P. ligularis, which was treated as closely related toC. guianensis in previous publications, is transferred toCarapichea and it is now known asCarapichea ligularis.     

Phylogeny and Megasystematics of Phagotrophic Heterokonts (Kingdom Chromista)

Heterokonts are evolutionarily important as the most nutritionally diverse eukaryote supergroup and the most species-rich branch of the eukaryotic kingdom Chromista. Ancestrally photosynthetic/phagotrophic algae (mixotrophs), they include several ecologically important purely heterotrophic lineages, all grossly understudied phylogenetically and of uncertain relationships. We sequenced 18S rRNA genes from 14 phagotrophic non-photosynthetic heterokonts and a probable Ochromonas, performed phylogenetic analysis of 210–430 Heterokonta, and revised higher classification of Heterokonta and its three phyla: the predominantly photosynthetic Ochrophyta; the non-photosynthetic Pseudofungi; and Bigyra (now comprising subphyla Opalozoa, Bicoecia, Sagenista). The deepest heterokont divergence is apparently between Bigyra, as revised here, and Ochrophyta/Pseudofungi. We found a third universal heterokont signature sequence, and deduce three independent losses of ciliary hairs, several of 1-2 cilia, 10 of photosynthesis, but perhaps only two plastid losses. In Ochrophyta, heterotrophic Oikomonas is sister to the photosynthetic Chrysamoeba, whilst the abundant freshwater predator Spumella is biphyletic; neither clade is specifically related to Paraphysomonas, indicating four losses of photosynthesis by chrysomonads. Sister to Chrysomonadea (Chrysophyceae) is Picophagea cl. nov. (Picophagus, Chlamydomyxa). The diatom-parasite Pirsonia belongs in Pseudofungi. Heliozoan-like actinophryids (e.g. Actinosphaerium) are Opalozoa, not related to pedinellids within Hypogyristea cl. nov. of Ochrophyta as once thought. The zooflagellate class Bicoecea (perhaps the ancestral phenotype of Bigyra) is unexpectedly diverse and a major focus of our study. We describe four new biciliate bicoecean genera and five new species: Nerada mexicana, Labromonas fenchelii (=Pseudobodo tremulans sensu Fenchel), Boroka karpovii (=P. tremulans sensu Karpov), Anoeca atlantica and Cafeteria mylnikovii; several cultures were previously misidentified as Pseudobodo tremulans. Nerada and the uniciliate Paramonas are related to Siluania and Adriamonas; this clade (Pseudodendromonadales emend.) is probably sister to Bicosoeca. Genetically diverse Caecitellus is probably related to Anoeca, Symbiomonas and Cafeteria (collectively Anoecales emend.). Boroka is sister to Pseudodendromonadales/Bicoecales/Anoecales. Placidiales are probably divergent bicoeceans (the GenBank Placidia sequence is a basidiomycete/heterokont chimaera). Two GenBank ‘opalinid’ sequences are fungal; Pseudopirsonia is cercozoan; two previous GenBank ‘Caecitellus’ sequences are Adriamonas. Electronic Supplementary Material Electronic Supplementary material is available for this article at and accessible for authorised users. [Reviewing Editior: Patnck J. Keeling]