Latest Miocene Dasyatidae (Neoselachii, Batomorphii) from the Alvalade Basin, Portugal

This paper deals with the only latest Miocene fish fauna so far recognized in Portugal and probably in western Europe through more than 10,000 teeth and many other remnants collected in the Latest Miocene, Esbarrondadoiro Formation (Alvalade basin, southern Portugal). A large number of teeth reported to the family Dasyatidae (ca. 46% among the Myliobatiforms) are described. Several forms were recognized. The concerned deposits are particularly rich in modern type, close to still extant selachian forms. This is confirmed by the presence of different species of Dasyatis. From the thermic point of view, Alvalade basin marine fishes point out to a decrease in the prevailing thermic conditions. The still abundant Dasyatis are in contrast to the rarity of Raja, a genus which suggests temperate or cold, or deeper hence colder waters. Moderately warm water conditions predominated, less than in Tortonian of Lisbon, more than exist today near the Portuguese coasts. The occurrence ratios of the taxa concerned among the exploited sites are quantitatively different. This points out to different paleoenvironmental conditions. The Dasyatis had a litoral/neritic bathymetric distribution and a benthic way of life. However, the Esbarrondadoiro pattern is very different from those from Santa Margarida and Vale de Zebro, which are nearly identical between them as far as Dasyatis gr. gigas and Dasyatis sp. are concerned: Dasyatis gr. gigas may suggest less warm waters, and this is very much compatible with other data that indicate a deeper environment and hence colder waters for Esbarrondadoiro.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Metzia longinasus</Emphasis>, a new cyprinid species (Teleostei: Cypriniformes) from the Pearl River drainage in Guangxi Province,South China

Metzia longinasus, a new cultrine cyprinid species from the Hongshui-He River of the Pearl River drainage in Guangxi Province, southern China, is described here. It can be distinguished from all other congeners by having a combination of the following characters: a superior mouth, 43 or 44 lateral-line scales, a long head (length 27.2–30.8% of standard length), a long snout (length 31.7–37.0% of head length), 10 or 11 branched anal-fin rays, and no longitudinal black band extending along each side of body from the extremity of the gill opening to caudal-fin base.     

Himantura lobistoma, a new whipray (Rajiformes: Dasyatidae) from Borneo, with comments on the status of Dasyatis microphthalmus

A new long-snouted whipray, Himantura lobistoma, is described on the basis of seven specimens collected from the southeastern sector of the South China Sea, off western Borneo. It belongs to a subgroup of Himantura species provisionally defined herein as the “uarnacoides” complex that includes five nominal species: H. chaophraya, H. granulata, H. hortlei, H. pastinacoides, and H. uarnacoides. These whiprays all have a similar lateral disc shape (i.e., pectoral-fin apices broadly rounded rather than narrowly rounded or angular), a plain colouration (i.e., usually uniform light to dark brown dorsally, and pale or whitish ventrally with or without a dark margin), a long and slender whiplike tail, and platelike denticles in a broad dorsal band in adults. Himantura lobistoma can be distinguished from the superficially similar H. hortlei by its highly protrusible mouth and pelvic girdle with prominent lateral prepelvic processes. It differs from other members of the “uarnacoides” complex by a combination of internal and external morphological characteristics (e.g., having an extremely elongate snout and very small eyes). Another long-snouted stingray from the region, Dasyatis microphthalmus Chen, inadequately described and known only from the lost holotype, is considered a nomen dubium. It had been assigned to Himantura based on the absence of an obvious ventral cutaneous tailfold but may be conspecific with D. acutirostra.     

短丝绿绒蒿, 青海罂粟科一新种

该文描述了自青海南部发现的罂粟科绿绒蒿属一新种,短丝绿绒蒿。此种可能隶属琴叶绿绒蒿亚属,滇西绿绒蒿组,滇西绿绒蒿系,与此系其它种的区别在于此种的披针状条形花瓣,较少、较短的雄蕊(花丝长1～5 mm),无花柱的雌蕊,和被具短毛的硬毛的子房。     

罂粟科绿绒蒿属三新种

该文描述了罂粟科绿绒蒿属三新种。(1)自四川西北部发现的二新种:肋蕊绿绒蒿,此种可能与拉萨绿绒蒿近缘,区别特征为此种叶片较狭,全缘,子房具4条纵肋;狭瓣绿绒蒿,此种可能与川西绿绒蒿近缘,区别特征为此种叶片较小,无毛,花瓣呈条状倒披针形。(2)自青海南部发现的一新种:短丝绿绒蒿,此种可能隶属于琴叶绿绒蒿亚属、滇西绿绒蒿组、滇西绿绒蒿系,与此系其他种的区别在于此种的披针状条形花瓣和较少、较短的雄蕊(花丝长1～5 mm)以及无花柱的雌蕊和被具短毛的硬毛子房。     

Occurrence of two species of stingrays of the genusDasyatis (Chondrichthyes) in the Sanaga Basin,Cameroun

Synopsis Two species of the genusDasyatis were collected in the lower Sanaga Basin in the vicinity of Edéa, Cameroun, West Africa, during a survey from November 1985 to January 1986. Of these specimens, 34 were identified asD. garouaensis and one asD. ukpam. Thirty-one specimens ofD. garouaensis and oneD. ukpam were caught in the lower reaches of the Sanaga River while three were taken at the junction between the Nyong River and the channel connecting the two rivers. The distribution pattern of the two species is discussed.     

Three new species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Anthocephalum</Emphasis> Linton, 1890 (Cestoda: Tetraphyllidea) from dasyatid stingrays of the Gulf of California

Three new species of Anthocephalum Linton, 1890 are described from dasyatid stingrays collected in the Gulf of California. Anthocephalum michaeli n. sp. is described from Dasyatis longus (Garman). This species most closely resembles A. alicae Ruhnke, 1994, but differs from this species in proglottid number. A. lukei n. sp. is also described from D. longus. This new species is most similar to A. cairae Ruhnke, 1994, but differs from that species in marginal loculi number and number of proglottids. The third new species, A. currani n. sp., is described from D. brevis (Garman). This species is most similar to A. centrurum (Southwell, 1925) Ruhnke, 1994, but differs from that species in marginal loculi number, number of testes and ovarian length. Phyllobothrium kingae Schmidt, 1978 is also consistent in morphology with species of Anthocephalum and is transferred to this genus, forming the new combination Anthocephalum kingae n. comb. This species most closely resembles A. michaeli n. sp., but differs in testicular shape. This brings the total number of species of Anthocephalum to nine. The transfer of the species Phyllobothrium arctowskii Wojciechowska, 1991, P. georgiense Wojciechowska, 1991, P. rakusai Wojciechowska, 1991 and P. siedleckii Wojciechowska, 1991 to Anthocephalum is not warranted, as these four species lack a posteriorly recurved cirrus-sac and a sinuous vagina, and have vitelline follicles uninterrupted by the ovary. Of the nine known species, all are parasitic in batoid fishes, and six are found in species of Dasyatis Garman. The phylogenetic status of Anthocephalum species in relationship to Rhinebothroides Mayes, Brooks & Thorson, 1981, Pararhineothroides Zamparo, Brooks & Barriga, 1999 and other rhinebothriin taxa is discussed.     

A new species of Genus Triplophysa (Nemacheilinae: Balitoridae), Triplophysa longipectoralis sp. nov, from Guangxi, China

A new species, Triplophysa longipectoralis, is described from Liujiang River, Guangxi, China. The new species is distinguished from other species of Triplophysa by the following combination of characters: pectoral fin highly developed, reaching beyond pelvic-fin origin; eyes present and vestigial; body covered with scales; dorsal and lateral sides of head and body mottled with blotches; dorsal fin emarginate; caudal fin forked; anus close to anal-fin origin. A key to all valid species of Triplophysa in Xijiang River water system is provided. Chen and Yang contributed equally to this paper.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Microrasbora</Emphasis> Annandale,a new genus record in China,with description of a new species (Teleostei: Cyprinidae)

A new species of genus Microrasbora Annandale (1918), M. microphthalma, is described from the Nanwan River, a tributary of the Ruili River, Irrawaddy drainage, in southwest Yunnan province, China. This new species is the first record of the genus Microrasbora in China. Microrasbora microphthalma can be distinguished from the other species of Microrasbora by the following combination of characters: 15–16 predorsal scales, eye diameter/head length 27–38%, eye diameter/interorbital width 70–93%, predorsal length/ standard length 60–68%, the preanal length/ standard length 65–71% and the origin of dorsal fin is posterior of that of the ventral fin. Xiao-Yong Chen and Jun-Xing Yang contributed equally to this paper.     

唐松草属六新种

描述了毛茛科唐松草属六新种:(1)大关唐松草,发现自云南东北部,与多枝唐松草甚为近缘,区别为其小叶较厚,较大,多呈卵形或宽卵形,心皮花柱较短,稍向后弯曲,瘦果呈新月形。(2)宽柱唐松草,发现自甘肃南部,其特征为心皮花柱扁平,近长圆形,腹面无柱头或柱头组织,据此特征可与此属中国其他种区别。(3)六脉萼唐松草,发现自四川中部,与白茎唐松草近缘,区别为其茎和小叶有毛,萼片具六条脉,一些雄蕊的花药败育,子房被短柔毛,柱头无翅。(4)吉隆唐松草,发现自西藏南部,与白茎唐松草甚为近缘,区别为小托叶卵形、急尖,复单歧聚伞花序一条顶生,无侧生者,雄蕊花药呈狭长圆形,顶端钝,无短尖头。(5)螺柱唐松草,发现自云南西北部,可能与白茎唐松草有亲缘关系,区别为其萼片具1条脉,花有4~5枚雄蕊,心皮花柱顶部螺旋状弯曲,柱头不明显。(6)札达唐松草,发现自西藏西南部,与多叶唐松草近缘,区别为其小叶顶端急尖,边缘具尖牙齿,聚伞圆锥花序具少数分枝和少数花,萼片狭卵形,花药狭长圆形。     

Phylogenetic relationships and taxonomy of subfamily Zygophylloideae (Zygophyllaceae) based on molecular and morphological data

Phylogenetic analysis of noncoding trnL plastid DNA sequences and morphological data for 43 species of Zygophylloideae, representing most of the morphological and geographical variation in the subfamily, indicates that the currently recognised genera Augea (monotypic, southern Africa), Tetraena (monotypic, China), and Fagonia (c. 30 species, widespread), are embedded in Zygophyllum (c. 150 species, widespread). A generic classification based on six monophyletic and morphologically distinctive entities is proposed: Roepera with c. 60 species in Australia and southern Africa, Zygophyllum with c. 50 species in Asia, Tetraena with c. 40 species in Africa and Asia, Augea with a single species in southern Africa, Melocarpum with two species in the Horn of Africa region, and Fagonia with c. 30 species in both the Old and the New World. Scanning electron microscopy studies of testa structure provided important characters for the delimitation of some genera. New combinations (61) are made in Roepera, a resurrected genus originally described from Australia, one new name is proposed in Zygophyllum, 35 new combinations are made in Tetraena, and two new combinations are made in Melocarpum (previously Zygophyllum sect. Melocarpum).     

Two aberrant Tubificidae (Oligochaeta) from Pearl River in the People's Republic of China

The enigmaticIlyodrilus mastix Brinkhurst, 1978, andTectidrilus achaetus sp.nov. are described from the Guangzhou Reach of Pearl River, southern China. The first species is characterized by its greatly enlarged, eversible, feeding apparatus, and was previously known only from British Columbia, Canada.Tectidrilus achaetus is unique within the Tubificidae by lacking setae. A slightly modified definition of the, otherwise marine, genusTectidrilus Erséus, 1982 is provided.     

荨麻科赤车属和楼梯草属新分类群

描述了中国南部岩溶地区发现的荨麻科赤车属2新种,楼梯草属5新种和2新变种。     

斯勒卷瓣兰，中国云南南部兰科一新种（英文）

描述并绘制了云南南部兰科石豆兰属一新种：斯勒卷瓣兰(Bulbophyllum dresslerianum Z. D. Han & H. Wang)。该新种属于双叶卷瓣兰组(section Tripudianthes Seidenf.),在形态上与该组的4种,即狄氏卷瓣兰(B. dickasonii)、堪布里石豆兰(B. kanburiense)、皱掌卷瓣兰(B. rugosisepalum)和拟双叶卷瓣兰(B. tripudians)近似,主要区别在于该种唇瓣前缘具囊泡,侧面及腹面被稀疏的短腺毛;侧萼片棕黄色,表面光滑。编制了斯勒卷瓣兰及其近缘种的检索表。目前,该种仅在云南南部墨江县发现一个居群,濒危状况有待评估。     

葡萄属一新名和一新种

描述了自甘肃南部发现的葡萄属一新种,文县蘡薁(Vitis wenxianensis W. T. Wang)。此新种与特产浙江的三出蘡薁[V. bryoniifolia Bunge var. ternata(W. T. Wang)C. L. Li]有很近的亲缘关系,二者可能是由蘡薁(V. bryoniifolia Bunge)衍生而出的一对姊妹群。基于上述认识,将三出蘡薁由变种提升至种的等级,但由于存在一个于1871年发表的种名(V. ternata Baker),因此,必须为三出蘡薁拟定一新名。     

Revision of the cyprinid genus Placocheilus Wu, 1977 in China,with description of a new species from Yunnan

Placocheilus is re-diagnosed on the basis of oromandibular structures compared to those of closely related groups. It is represented in China by three species restricted to Yunnan, namely P. caudofasciatus from the Tengtiaohe River (Nam Na), P. cryptonemus from the Nujiang Rive (upper Salween River basin), and P. robustus, herein described as a new species from the Yuanjiang River (Red River basin). P. robustus n. sp. is differentiated from its congeners in having a stout caudal peduncle (depth 72.4–82.5% of its length) and the medium-sized scaleless midventral region of belly extended slightly beyond halfway from the pectoral- to pelvic-fin origin. It is further distinguished from P. caudofasciatusin having a coarsely crenulated rostral fold with 18–23 indentations on its distal margin and a smaller mental adhesive disc (length 66.7–71.4% of its width and 37.0–43.1% of the head length).     

苦苣苔科植物Lysionotus bijantiae的名实订正

通过查阅相关文献和标本,作者发现近期发表的苦苣苔科吊石苣苔属植物一新种——Lysionotus bijantiae D. Borah & A. Joe实为鉴定错误,应是汉克苣苔属的长圆叶汉克苣苔[Henckelia oblongifolia(Roxb.)D. J. Middleton & Mich. Möller] [原长圆叶唇柱苣苔Chirita oblongifolia(Roxb.)Sinclair]。Lysionotus bijantiae的模式标本采集于中国西藏东南部地区的喜马拉雅南坡,该地区苦苣苔植物多样性较为丰富。作者因其花具2枚发育雄蕊而将其归于吊石苣苔属,花萼分裂不达基部而与吊石苣苔属其他相关种类比较,而忽略了其种子先端不具附属物的特征。通过电镜扫描观察到,该种在墨脱境内居群以及其模式产地居群的种子均无附属物,从而证实了该种不是吊石苣苔属的物种,而是属于汉克苣苔属。因此,作者将Lysionotus bijantiae处理为Henckelia oblongifolia的新异名,同时提供了长圆叶汉克苣苔的彩色图片(含种子扫描图)、选定模式标本,并给出了吊石苣苔属和汉克苣苔属的区分方法和主要识别特征,不仅为这两个属的物种鉴定提供了参考,而且避免更多的物种分类混淆问题出现。     

中国毛茛科翠雀属的分类学研究(十三):狭序翠雀花的名实订正

发现根据甘肃南部标本描述的毛茛科狭序翠雀花（Delphinium angustipaniculatum W.T.Wang）与此前记载分布于甘肃南部和四川北部的松潘翠雀花（D.sutchuenense Franch.）属于同一种植物,故将前者处理为后者的异名。讨论了松潘翠雀花与其可能的近缘种秦岭翠雀花（D.giraldii Diels）和疏花翠雀花（D.sparsiflorum Maxim.）的形态区别。     

唐松草属五新种

该文描述了毛茛科唐松草属五新种:(1)小花唐松草,发现自贵州东北部,与多枝唐松草近缘,区别为其小叶较小,雄蕊较少,花丝较短,呈狭条形。(2)新宁唐松草,发现自湖南南部,与爪哇唐松草近缘,区别为本种的雄蕊花丝呈狭条状棒形,花只含3~6枚心皮。(3)短蕊唐松草,发现自河南东南部,在体态上与爪哇唐松草十分相似,区别为本种的雄蕊很短,花丝呈丝形,花只含4~6枚心皮。(4)毛蕊唐松草,发现自四川北部,与长柄唐松草有密切的亲缘关系,区别为本种的茎和花梗被短柔毛,萼片被缘毛,花药不具短尖头,子房密被短柔毛。(5)小金唐松草,发现自四川西部,与白茎唐松草在亲缘关系上甚为相近,区别为本种的小叶被微硬毛,雄蕊花丝呈狭条形,花药顶端无短尖头或具极小短尖头,心皮较小,长仅2.4 mm,柱头无翅。     

Distribution and Identification of an Invasive Gracilaria Species that is Hampering Commercial Fishing Operations in Southeastern North Carolina, USA

A newly abundant Gracilaria species in the sounds of southeastern North Carolina has become a problem for commercial fishing and industries drawing water from the lower Cape Fear River. DNA sequence analyses have shown that this species is Gracilaria vermiculophylla, a taxon originally described from East Asia. Surveys for G. vermiculophylla have shown that it has a discontinuous distribution in the sounds of southeastern North Carolina, and suggest that it is spreading. Gracilaria vermiculophylla meets 6 of the 10 criteria used to help identify invasive species in that it has only recently appeared in southeastern North Carolina; is associated with human mechanisms of dispersal; has a restricted distribution; has disjunct populations in isolated oceans; no means of active dispersal, and an exotic evolutionary origin. The species may also meet two additional criteria as its local range is believed to be expanding, and it is filling a previously unoccupied seasonal niche. These factors taken together strongly suggest that G. vermiculophylla is an invasive species in southeastern North Carolina.