New records,synonyms and combinations for oriental Sarcophagidae (Diptera), with updated checklists for Cambodia,India, Taiwan,Thailand and Vietnam

Faunistic records of 29 flesh fly species are presented, and the following new country-level records are provided: 12 species (Senotainia albifrons, Eremasiomyia macularis, Asceloctella calicifera, Pseudothyrsocnema caudagalli, Liosarcophaga dux, L. kohla, L. scopariiformis, L. tuberosa, Parasarcophaga misera, Sarcosolomonia harinasutai, S. shinonagai, Seniorwhitea princeps) new to Cambodia, one species (S. shinonagai) new to India, one species (Brachicoma devia) new to Taiwan, two species (Myorhina thinhi, L. tuberosa) new to Thailand, and two species (E. macularis, P. caudagalli) new to Vietnam. Based on critical revision of all published records and on new data presented herein, 215 species of Sarcophagidae are listed from Cambodia (16 species), India (138), Taiwan (63), Thailand (98) and Vietnam (49). One new subjective generic synonym is proposed: Shinonagaella Verves, 1997 = Lehisca Kurahashi and Tan, 2012, syn. nov. Altogether, total of 21 new subjective synonyms and 16 new combinations are proposed.     

Fishborne Trematode Metacercariae Detected in Freshwater Fish from Vientiane Municipality and Savannakhet Province, Lao PDR

Freshwater fish from Vientiane Municipality and Savannakhet Province, Lao PDR were examined by the muscle compression and artificial digestion methods to know the infection status with trematode metacercariae. In the fish from Savannakhet, 2 species of metacercariae, Opisthorchis viverrini and Haplorchis taichui, were detected. O. viverrini metacercariae were found in 6 species of fish, Puntius brevis, Hampala dispar, Esomus metallicus, Mystacoleucus marginatus, Puntioplites falcifer, and Cyclocheilichthys armatus. H. taichui metacercariae were detected in 3 species of fish, P. brevis, P. falcifer, and M. marginatus. In the fish from Vientiane, 4 species of metacercariae, O. viverrini, H. taichui, Haplorchis yokogawai, and Centrocestus formosanus, were detected. Among them, O. viverrini metacercariae were found in 7 species of fish, Onychostoma elongatum, C. armatus, H. dispar, P. brevis, Cyclocheilichthys repasson, Osteochilus hasseltii, and Hypsibarbus lagleri. The metacercariae of H. taichui were detected in 6 species of fish, C. repasson, O. elongatum, C. armatus, H. dispar, Labiobarbus leptocheila, and Cirrhinus molitorella. The metacercariae of H. yokogawai were found in 9 species of fish, C. repasson, O. elongatum, C. armatus, H. dispar, Labiobarbus leptocheila, O. hasseltii. C. molitorella, Hypsibarbus wetmorei, and H. lagleri. The metacercariae of C. formosanus were detected in 4 species of fish, C. repasson, P. brevis, O. hasseltii, and C. molitorella. From these results, it is confirmed that fishborne trematode metacercariae, i.e. O. viverrini, H. taichui, H. yokogawai and C. formosanus, are prevalent in various species of freshwater fish from Savannakhet Province and Vientiane Municipality, Lao PDR.     

A preliminary report on the distribution of lizards in Qatar

We have updated the list of the lizard species present in Qatar and produced the first distribution maps based on two field surveys in 2012 and 2013. We used the QND95/Qatar National Grid with a grid of 10 × 10 km squares for mapping. Our results show the occurrence of 21 lizard species in Qatar, from the 15 species indicated in the last biodiversity report conducted in 2004. The most abundant family found in Qatar is Gekkonidae with nine species (Bunopus tuberculatus, Cyrtopodion scabrum, Hemidactylus robustus, H. flaviviridis, H. persicus, Stenodactylus arabicus, S. slevini, S. doriae, Pseudoceramodactylus khobarensis), followed by Lacertidae with four species (Acanthodactylus schmidti, A. opheodurus, Mesalina brevirostris, M. adramitana), Agamidae with three species (Trapelus flavimaculatus, Uromastyx aegyptia, Phrynocephalus arabicus), Scincidae with two species (Scincus mitranus, Trachylepis septemtaeniata), and Varanidae (Varanus griseus), Sphaerodactylidae (Pristurus rupestris) and Trogonophiidae (Diplometopon zarudnyi) with one species each. The species richness fluctuated largely across Qatar between one and eleven species per grid square. We believe that the lizard fauna records in Qatar are still incomplete and that additional studies are required. However, our study here fills a gap concerning lizard biodiversity knowledge in the Gulf Region.     

Six new species of Acomoptera from North America (Diptera, Mycetophilidae)

Six new species are described, raising the number of North American Acomoptera species to seven and the genus total to ten, and nearly doubling the number of species within the putative clade containing Acomoptera, Drepanocercus, and Paratinia. These novel species forms have implications for the concept of Acomoptera that in turn, may impact our understanding of its generic relationships and the evolution and composition of Gnoristinae and Sciophilinae. The new species, Acomoptera crispa, Acomoptera digitata, Acomoptera echinosa, Acomoptera forculata, Acomoptera nelsoni,and Acomoptera vockerothi, are compared with the type species of the genus, Acomoptera plexipus (Garrett), whose diagnostic features are imaged and illustrated for the first time. The European species, Acomoptera difficilis (Dziedzicki) is also illustrated and compared. Acomoptera spinistyla (Søli) comb. n. is transferred from Drepanocercus. A key to species is provided. Future work will seek to incorporate this knowledge into a systematic phylogenetic study of relationships between these species and their sister taxa.     

Three new Prototapirella species,Opisthotrichum janus,and Troglocorys cava add to Entodiniomorphida (Ciliophora,Trichostomatia) diversity in mountain gorillas in Rwanda

Recently, a high number of Entodiniomorphida species was discovered in Virunga mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) in Rwanda compared to other primates. Thirteen species of five genera (Troglocorys, Gorilloflasca, Prototapirella, Troglodytella, and Opisthotrichum) were identified with 10 species in Gorilloflasca, Prototapirella, and Troglodytella being host-specific, to our current knowledge. The remaining three species have been described for other herbivorous mammals; Prototapirella gorillae for western lowland gorillas; Troglocorys cava for western lowland gorillas, chimpanzees, and guinea baboons; Opisthotrichum janus in the family Ophryoscolecidae is regarded as specific to African antelopes. Here, we show the first indication that wild herbivorous hindgut fermenting mammals might have rumen ophryoscolecids in the intestine sympatric with their native intestinal ciliates. We also describe three new Prototapirella species, P. sabyinyo, P. sulcata, and P. curiosa. The somatic ciliary zones of the three new species are atypical of Prototapirella while their buccal infraciliature is not different from that of other Prototapirella species.     

Flowering cycles of woody bamboos native to southern South America

Neotropical woody bamboos range from northern Mexico to southern Argentina and Chile. The most interesting aspect of bamboo biology is their flowering habit. The species that are the most intriguing are those that manifest a cyclic pattern of gregarious flowering after long vegetative periods. The flowering cycle has been described in very few species. The goal was to identify mass flowering events of woody bamboo species native to Argentina and neighboring areas, and to estimate the flowering cycle of each species. Sixteen species were surveyed: Chusquea culeou, C. deficiens, C. lorentziana, C. montana, C. quila, C. ramosissima, C. tenella, C. valdiviensis; Colanthelia rhizantha; Guadua chacoensis, G. paraguayana, G. trinii; Merostachys clausenii, M. multiramea, Rhipidocladum neumannii and R. racemiflorum. To reconstruct flowering dates, information from literature and herbarium collections was consulted and more than 990 records were gathered. Flowering cycles were estimated by recording the intervals between reported flowering events. Evidence of regular flowering cycles of ca. 30 years was found for most of the species considered. There is a remarkable concentration of flowering cycles about multiples of 15–16 years. Flowering synchrony among different species of woody bamboos was recorded for the first time in South America.     

The New Caledonian genus Caledonotrichia Sykora (Trichoptera,Insecta) reviewed,with?descriptions?of?6?new species

The New Caledonian endemic hydroptilid genus Caledonotrichia Sykora (Trichoptera) is reviewed and 6 new species are described: Caledonotrichia bifida, Caledonotrichia capensis, Caledonotrichia minuta, Caledonotrichia ouinnica, Caledonotrichia sykorai and Caledonotrichia vexilla. Together with the established species for which revised diagnoses are given, these raise to 11 the number of species known in this genus. The new species, females of 3 species, and several unusual larval cases are examined and described for further insight into relationships of this enigmatic genus. A key to species is provided.     

A catalogue of Lithuanian beetles (Insecta, Coleoptera)

This paper presents the first complete and updated list of all 3597 species of beetles (Insecta: Coleoptera) belonging to 92 familiesfound and published in Lithuania until 2011, with comments also provided on the main systematic and nomenclatural changes since the last monographic treatment in two volumes (Pileckis and Monsevičius 1995, 1997). The introductory section provides a general overview of the main features of the territory of Lithuania, the origins and formation of the beetle fauna and their conservation, the faunistic investigations in Lithuania to date revealing the most important stages of the faunistic research process with reference to the most prominent scientists, an overview of their work, and their contribution to Lithuanian coleopteran faunal research.Species recorded in Lithuania by some authors without reliable evidence and requiring further confirmation with new data are presented in a separate list, consisting of 183 species. For the first time, analysis of errors in works of Lithuanian authors concerning data on coleopteran fauna has been conducted and these errors have been corrected. All available published and Internet sources on beetles found in Lithuania have been considered in the current study. Over 630 literature sources on species composition of beetles, their distribution in Lithuania and neighbouring countries, and taxonomic revisions and changes are reviewed and cited. An alphabetical list of these literature sources is presented. After revision of public beetle collections in Lithuania, the authors propose to remove 43 species from the beetle species list of the country on the grounds, that they have been wrongly identified or published by mistake. For reasons of clarity, 19 previously noted but later excluded species are included in the current checklist with comments. Based on faunal data from neighbouring countries, species expected to occur in Lithuania are matnioned. In total 1390 species are attributed to this category and data on their distribution in neighbouring countries is presented. Completion of this study provides evidence that the Lithuanian coleopteran fauna has yet to be completely investigated and it is estimated that approximately 28 % of beetle species remain undiscovered in Lithuania. More than 85% of beetle species expected for Lithuania have been found in the following families: Cerylonidae, Geotrupidae, Haliplidae, Kateridae, Lycidae, Lucanidae, Mycetophagidae, Scarabaeidae and Silphidae. In families with few species such as Alexiidae, Boridae, Byturidae, Dascilidae, Drilidae, Eucinetidae, Lampyridae, Lymexilidae, Megalopodidae, Nemonychidae, Nosodendridae, Noteridae, Orsodacnidae, Pyrochroidae, Pythidae, Psephenidae, Rhysodidae, Sphaeritidae, Sphaeriusidae, Sphindidae, Stenotrahelidae and Trogidae, all possible species have already been discovered. However in some beetle families such as Aderidae, Bothrideridae, Eucnemidae, Laemoploeidae, Mordellidae, Ptiliidae, Scraptidae and Throscidae less than 50% of all possible species are known. At present the beetle species recorded in Lithuania belong to 92 families, with species from 9 other families such as Agyrtidae, Biphylidae, Deradontidae, Mycteridae, Ochodaeidae, Phleophilidae, Phloeostichidae, Prostomidae, Trachypachidae are expected to be found.A bibliography and a index of subfamily and genus levels are provided. The information published in the monograph will serve to further faunistic and distribution research of beetles and will help to avoid confusion in the identificatation of coleopteran fauna of Lithuania.     

Leaf essential oil composition of 10 species of Ocotea (Lauraceae) from Monteverde,Costa Rica

The leaf essential oils of 10 species of Ocotea (Lauraceae) from Monteverde, Costa Rica (Ocotea floribunda, Ocotea holdridgeana, Ocotea meziana, Ocotea sinuata, Ocotea tonduzii, Ocotea valeriana, Ocotea veraguensis, Ocotea whitei, and two undescribed species, Ocotea new species “los llanos”, and Ocotea new species “small leaf”) have been obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC–MS in order to discern the differences and similarities between the volatile chemical compositions of these species. The principal common constituents of the 10 species of Ocotea were α-pinene, β-pinene, β-caryophyllene, and germacrene-D.     

New species and combinations in the African Restionaceae

Eight new species of the African Restionaceae (Restionoideae) are described, viz.: Cannomois anfracta, Cannomois arenicola, Cannomois grandis, Nevillea vlokii, Thamnochortus kammanassiae, Willdenowia pilleata, Restio uniflorus and Restio mkambatiae. A key to the species of Cannomois is provided, as well as a table comparing the characters of the three species in Nevillea. For all new species, notes on the affinities of the species and their habitats are provided. Two new combinations, Cannomois primosii (Pillans) H.P. Linder and Cannomois robusta (Kunth) H.P. Linder, are made.     

Evolutionary relationships between aquatic anamorphs and teleomorphs: Tricladium and Varicosporium

Tricladium, with 21 accepted species, is the largest genus of aquatic hyphomycetes. It encompasses species with dematiaceous as well as mucedinaceous colonies. Conidiogenesis is thalloblastic; conidiogenous cells proliferate percurrently or sympodially. Conidia have typically two alternate primary lateral branches. Fontanospora and Variocladium are segregates of Tricladium, differing by conidial branching. Varicosporium comprises nine species, one not well known. Conidiogenesis is blastic or thalloblastic, conidiogenous cells proliferate sympodially or are determinate; conidia regularly produce primary and secondary branches and often fragment into part conidia. Molecular analyses on the 28S rDNA of 86 isolates, including 16 species of Tricladium, five species of Varicosporium, two species of Fontanospora and one species of Variocladium, place these hyphomycetes within Helotiales. Tricladium is polyphyletic and placed in six clades; Varicosporium is polyphyletic and placed in three clades; Fontanospora is polyphyletic within a single clade. Variocladium is placed with poor support as a sister taxon to Varicosporium giganteum, Hymenoscyphus scutula and Torrendiella eucalypti.     

A new species of Labidocera (Copepoda,Calanoida, Pontellidae) collected from Okinawa,southwestern Japan,with establishment of five Indo-West Pacific species groups in the L. detruncata species complex

Labidocera churaumi sp. n. is described from Okinawa, southwestern Japan. The female of the new species differs from other congeners in genital compound somite with right postero-lateral and left antero-lateral processes. The male is distinguished from other congeners by the structure of the fifth leg. This new species is assigned to a newly proposed species group, the Labidocera madurae species group, within the Labidocera detruncata species complex. In this species complex five Indo-West Pacific species groups are recognized (cervi, detruncata, gangetica, madurae, and pavo) and defined on the basis of difference in sexual dimorphism.     

Genetic similarity among Trifolium species based on isozyme banding pattern

The study deals with similarity among 25 species of the genus Trifolium represented by 134 accessions. Clustering of the species based on isozyme banding pattern of five enzymes revealed that T. repens was distinctly different from other species. T. repens and T. retusum formed independent clusters. The group of species comprising of T. pratense, T. cherleri, T. spumosum, T. subterraneum, T. resupinatum, T. alexandrinum, T. echinatum, T. constantinopolitanum and T. tembense exhibited considerable similarity to the second cluster. This group joined another group of five species, i.e. T. nigrescens, T. glomeratum, T. apertum, T. alpestre and T. hybridum with nearly 50% similarity. T. purpureum, T. hirtum, T. campestre, T. incarnatum, and T. argutum grouped separately. There was no marked difference for banding pattern among T. alexandrinum genotypes. T. alexandrinum showed close affinity with T. subterraneum and T. resupinatum. T. lappaceum, T. diffusum, T. campestre, T. incarnatum and T. argutum showed only 44.8% similarity with other Trifolium species. Grouping together of accessions belonging to individual species indicated that incompatibility among species under study had restricted interspecific hybridization. Species belonging to subgenus Lotoidea clustered with species of subgenus Trifolium. Chonosemium species T. campestre formed one cluster with two Trifolium species T. hirtum and T. incarnatum. T. nigrescens was placed quite apart from the T. repens.     

Alkaloid profiles of Dermatophyllum arizonicum,Dermatophyllum gypsophilum,Dermatophyllum secundiflorum,Styphnolobium affine,and Styphnolobium japonicum previously classified as Sophora species

Sophora arizonica, Sophora gypsophila, Sophora secundiflora, Sophora affinis, and Sophora japonica were recently reclassified as Dermatophyllum arizonicum, Dermatophyllum gypsophilum, Dermatophyllum secundiflorum, Styphnolobium affine, and Styphnolobium japonicum, respectively. Some legumes of the sub family Papilionoideae including Sophora species are reported to contain a variety of quinolizidine alkaloids. The quinolizidine alkaloid profiles of D. arizonicum, D. gypsophilum, D. secundiflorum, S. affine, and S. japonicum were investigated qualitatively and quantitatively using field collections and herbarium specimens throughout their range of geographical distribution for the native species. This is the first report of the alkaloid profiles of D. arizonicum and D. gypsophilum. Alkaloid profiles of the other species were compared to previous reports. The Dermatophyllum species contain quinolizidine alkaloids, and the teratogen anagyrine (11), while the Styphnolobium species do not contain quinolizidine alkaloids. The chemotaxonomic data are consistent with the reclassification of each species.     

Six new species of Pythiogeton in Taiwan,with an account of the molecular phylogeny of this genus

Pythiogeton is a little-studied genus of pythialean Oomycete. The genus is characterized by producing its zoospores outside of the sporangium within an apparently naked protoplasmic mass, which formed from a discharge tube-vesicle complex. A total of nine morphologically distinct Pythiogeton species were identified, of which six were new species (Pythiogeton abundans, Pythiogeton microzoosporum, Pythiogeton oblongilobum, Pythiogeton paucisporum, Pythiogeton proliferatum, and Pythiogeton puliensis). A phylogenetic analysis based on internal transcribed spacer sequences revealed that all isolates of Pythiogeton formed a highly supported clade, nested within the wider clade of Pythium species. Each newly recognized Pythiogeton species that was established on the basis of morphological characters was found to occur in a well-supported subgroup within the Pythiogeton clade, confirming their assignment to new species. Pythiogeton shares a common ancestor with the monophyletic group of Pythium species that have predominantly filamentous sporangia rather than with the separate clade of Pythium species that have predominantly globose or ovoid sporangia. This study confirms that Pythium is an extremely heterogenous and polyphyletic genus containing a number of distinct clades of species, including Pythiogeton, which possess morphologically distinguishable characters. A synoptic key to all the described Pythiogeton species is provided.     

Morphological and phylogenetic studies of Cytospora (Valsaceae,Diaporthales) isolates from Chinese scholar tree,with description of a new species

Cytospora species are the most serious and widespread pathogens associated with canker disease on multiple plants. In this study, three species, i.e., Cytospora sophoricola, C. chrysosperma, and C. sophorae, which were isolated from Sophora in China, are described and illustrated based on their morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analyses. Cytospora sophoricola was distinguished clearly by its larger disc, multiple ostioles, cystic and multiple locules, and specific cultural characteristics, i.e., protruding fruiting bodies. Maximum parsimony and maximum likelihood analysis showed that it did not cluster with any known species of Cytospora, so it is described as a new species. Cytospora sophorae is a previously reported species from Sophora, which is redescribed based on new isolates and additional observations. Another species was identified as C. chrysosperma, which is reported for the first time on Sophora, so Papilionaceae is shown to be a new host family for C. chrysosperma. The morphological affinities of these species with related taxa are discussed, while the phylogenetic relationships of these species with other fungus in the genus Cytospora were elucidated based on their internal transcribed spacer (ITS) rRNA region sequences.     

A two-gene phylogeny shows the lichen genus Niebla (Lecanorales) is endemic to the New World and does not occur in Macaronesia nor in the Mediterranean basin

The generic segregates of the widespread fruticose genus Ramalina (mostly based on empirical data on morphology, cortex anatomy and secondary metabolites) are studied using maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood and Bayesian analyses of nuclear LSU and ITS sequences. The species examined include the three species aggregates within Niebla from the western coasts of North America, all species except one assumed to belong to the same genus from Macaronesia and the Mediterranean basin, the type species of Dievernia and Ramalina, and representatives of the genus Fistulariella. The genus Niebla is strongly supported when restricted to species from the New World, and all species referred to it from Macaronesia and the Mediterranean basin belong to Ramalina (R. bourgeana, R. crispatula, R. cupularis, R. hamulosa, R. portosantana, R. rosacea, R. subwebbiana and R. webbii). No support is found for the genera Dievernia and Fistulariella. The internal topology of the large genus Ramalina is unresolved and needs further studies.     

New and poorly known acrotretid brachiopods (Class Lingulata) from the Cedaria-Crepicephalus zone (late Middle Cambrian) of the Great Basin, USA

Seven new late Middle Cambrian (Cedaria-Crepicephalus zone) acrotretid species are described from the Great Basin, USA. The species belong to five genera of which Lensotreta is new. The following new species are described: Anabolotreta? glabra, Anabolotreta mogota, Canthylotreta crista, Dactylotreta elegantula, Lensotreta perplexa, Opisthotreta transversa, and Opisthotreta indistincta. The shell structure of Canthylotreta is described for the first time based on new material of the type species Canthylotreta marjumensis and of the new species C. crista. The shell of Canthylotreta includes two types of shell fabric, camerate and columnar. Moreover, parts of the shell show transitional textures, supporting the view that the camerate shell structure may has originated from a columnar fabric. Picnotreta lophocracenta Robson and Pratt, 2001, recently described from western Newfoundland, is also described from the new occurrence in the Great Basin.