Chromosome numbers and polyploidy in Castilleja (Scrophulariaceae)

Chromosome numbers are reported for 155 collections ofCastilleja representing 54 taxa. The basic haploid number of 12 was found in 34 taxa, but 10 of these also had one or more polyploid levels. The remaining 20 species were strictly polyploid in one or more levels (4X, 6X, 8X, 10X, 12X). The widespread occurrence of polyploidy, along with hybridization, is believed to be largely responsible for the complex morphological variation found within the genus. Specific examples of the role of polyploidy and hybridization in creating this variation are discussed for the following species complexes:C. affinis, C. applegatei, C. miniata, C. peckiana.     

New genera and species of ericaceae (Vaccinieae) from Costa Rica and Panama

Two new monotypic genera,Didonica andUtleya, are described, withD. pendula from Panama andU. costaricensis from Costa Rica.Disterigma trimera (Panama),D. utleyorum (Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, and Ecuador),Lateropora santafeensis (Panama),Lysiclesia panamensis (Panama),Macleania talamancensis (Costa Rica),Themistoclesia costaricensis (Costa Rica) andT. horquetensis (Panama),Vaccinium costaricense andV. orosiense (both from Costa Rica) and V.jefense (Panama) are all described as new. New combinations are provided for the PanamanianVaccinium floccosum (=Symphysia floccosa) and the West IndianVaccinium racemosum (=Symphysia racemosa). Keys are provided for the Central American species ofDisterigma andThemistoclesia, the species ofLateropora andLysiclesia, and the Costa Rican and Panamanian species ofVaccinium. Six new species are illustrated.     

Four new species Of Mexican Castilleja (subgenus Castilleja,Scrophulariaceae) and their relatives

Castilleja subgenusCastilleja in the northern half of Mexico consists of nine species, which are treated here. The subgenus is characterized by a conspicuously colored calyx that is much more deeply cleft in front (abaxially) than in back (adaxially).Castilleja rhizomata,C. linifolia,C. mcvaughii, andC. pterocaulon are described as new, and are illustrated and mapped. The first three are compared toC. patriotica and C.tenuiflora, their closest relatives in the Tenuiflorae group, and the fourth is compared toC. ortegae, with which it constitutes the Ortegae group.Castilleja roei andC. tenuifolia of the Epichroma group are included in order to complete the census of subgenusCastilleja as encountered in the region of the new species. A key to the nine species of subgenusCastilleja from the northern half of Mexico is provided.     

Quararibea (Bombacaceae): Five new species from moist and wet forests of Costa Rica and Panama

Five new species ofQuararibea from costa Rica and Panama are described and illustrated, with notes on their ecology and relationships.Quararibea gomeziana, Q. pendula, andQ. santaritensis are from the Caribbean lowlands of the Provinces of Limón, Costa Rica, and of Bocas del Toro and Colón, Panama.Quararibea aurantiocalyx andQ. costaricensis are from montane habitats of Panama and Costa Rica. The exceptionally long pedicels ofQ. pendula far exceed those of other known members ofQuararibea and may prove to be the most striking example of adaptation to bat pollination and fruit dispersal in the genus.Quararibea costaricensis, a relatively common species, has long been erroneously identified asQ. platyphylla, a much rarer inhabitant of the same region.     

Aristolochia gorgona (Aristolochiaceae), a new species with giant flowers from Costa Rica and Panama

Aristolochia gorgona is described from the Atlantic watershed of Costa Rica and central and eastern Panama. It is similar toA. grandiflora Sw., with which it has been confused in the past. The extensive reported synonymy ofA. grandiflora is reviewed and compared with the new entity. Some new terms are proposed for better describing floral structure in this species complex, and suggestions are made for its collection and study.Aristolochia gorgona is one of the largest-flowered plant species (in terms of perianth area) in the Neotropics.

---

Resumen   Aristolochia gorgona se describe de la vertiente Atlántica de Costa Rica y del centro y este de Panamá. Es similar aA. grandiflora Sw., con la cual se ha confundido en el pasado. La extensa sinonimia reportada paraA. grandiflora es revisada, y comparada con la nueva entidad. Se proponen algunos términos nuevos para describir mejor la estructura floral en éste complejo de especies, y se ofrecen sugerencias para su recolección y estudio.Aristolochia gorgona es una de las especies vegetales con flores más grandes (en cuanto al área del perianto) en el Neotrópico.

     

Genetic variation of the Y chromosome in Chibcha-speaking Amerindians of Costa Rica and Panama

Genetic variation of the Y chromosome in five Chibchan tribes (Bribri, Cabecar, Guaymi, Huetar, and Teribe) of Costa Rica and Panama was analyzed using six microsatellite loci (DYS19, DYS389A, DYS389B, DYS390, DYS391, and DYS393), the Y-chromosome-specific alphoid system (alphah), the Y-chromosome Alu polymorphism (YAP), and a specific pre-Columbian transition (C-->T) (M3 marker) in the DYS 199 locus that defines the Q-M3 haplogroup. Thirty-nine haplotypes were found, resulting in a haplotype diversity of 0.937. The Huetar were the most diverse tribe, probably because of their high levels of interethnic admixture. A candidate founder Y-chromosome haplotype was identified (15.1% of Chibchan chromosomes), with the following constitution: YAP-, DYS199*T, alphah-II, DYS19*13, DYS389A*17, DYS389B*10, DYS390*24, DYS391*10, and DYS393*13. This haplotype is the same as the one described previously as one of the most frequent founder paternal lineages in native American populations. Analysis of molecular variance indicated that the between-population variation was smaller than the within-population variation, and the comparison with mtDNA restriction data showed no evidence of differential structuring between maternally and paternally inherited genes in the Chibchan populations. The mismatch-distribution approach indicated estimated coalescence times of the Y chromosomes of the Q-M3 haplogroup of 3,113 and 13,243 years before present; for the mtDNA-restriction haplotypes the estimated coalescence time was between 7,452 and 9,834 years before present. These results are compatible with the suggested time for the origin of the Chibchan group based on archeological, linguistic, and genetic evidence.     

Some Entolomataceae (Agaricales) from Costa Rica

A preliminary account of Entolomataceae from Costa Rica is presented. Three new taxa are described, two inClitopilus, one inRhodocybe, and three new combinations are proposed inInocephalus. Five taxa ofClitopilus are reported for the first time from Costa Rica and a key to species is provided. Four species ofRhodocybe are discussed and a key to the six species known from Costa Rica is also provided.Alboleptonia earlei, Inocephalus murraii, Inocephalus quadratum, Rhodocybe incarnata andRhodocybe pseudonitellina are now known to occur in Costa Rica.     

Cetacean strandings in Costa Rica (1966-1999)

Cetacean strandings in Costa Rica are reported for a period of 33 years, with a total of 35 strandings, 13 species and 247 individuals involved. The vast majority of documented strandings occurred on the Pacific coast and correspond to single individuals (32 and 28 strandings respectively). The highest stranding number was in the period from 1990 to 1999 (n = 24). Physeter catodon (cachalot or sperm whale) is the species with the highest frequency of strandings (n = 8) and the family Delphinidae has the majority of species (n = 8) and strandings (n = 22). No other general tendencies were determined with the existing data.     

Two new montane vrieseas (Bromeliaceae) from Costa Rica

Two new species ofVriesea with pendent inflorescences,V. uxoris andV. vietoris, are described from the mountains of Costa Rica, and their relationships in the genus are discussed.     

Centruroides Schmidti (scorpiones: Buthidae) in Costa Rica

Centruroides schmidti Sissom, 1995 is the new identification designate of the scorpions previously known as C. thorelli (Kraepelin, 1891) in Northwest Costa Rica. The geographical distribution of the species in this country is established on the basis of new collected material. Its distribution includes the Pacific slope of the Guanacaste volcanic range, and the Pacific and Atlantic slopes of the Tilarán volcanic range between 50 and 775 m elevation above sea level, within the Costa Rican Guanacaste and Alajuela provinces.     

A new species of Paullinia (Sapindaceae) from Costa Rica

Paullinia fournieri, a new species from Costa Rica is described, illustrated, and its relationships to other species are discussed.     

A new species of Lamproderma (Myxomycetes) from Costa Rica

Lamproderma magniretisporum, a new species of myxomycete from Costa Rica, is described and illustrated. This new species is characterized by its lignicolous habitat, long stalk, dark radial capillitium, large spores, and reticulate spore ornamentation. The stability of the taxonomic characters of L. magniretisporum is supported by two well-developed collections. The morphology of the sporocarp was subjected to detailed study with both the light microscope and the scanning electron microscope. Micrographs of all relevant features are presented. Taxonomic novelty Lamproderma magniretisporum G. Moreno, C. Rojas, S.L. Stephenson & H. Singer     

A new species of Maxillaria (Orchidaceae) from Costa Rica

Maxillaria suaveolens Barringer from the Gulfo Dolce region of Costa Rica is described and illustrated.     

Marine biodiversity of Costa Rica: class Polychaeta (Annelida)

Three hundred and thirty two species of polychaetes belonging to 50 families are reported for Costa Rica based on previously published reports. In a few families, available material was re-examined and appropriate changes in species identifications were made. Only three species, (Glycera oxycephala Ehlers, 1887; Hemipodia pustulata (Friedrich 1956); and Scolepis (Scolepis) squamata (Miller, 1806)) have been reported from the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica, and these three species have also been reported from the Pacific Coast. The families with more than 15 species are the Spionidae (26), Cirratulidae (24), Nereididae (21), Lumbrineridae (19) and Paraonidae (16). Despite extensive sampling on the Pacific coast over the last 25 years, the Costa Rican polychaete fauna, especially that of the Caribbean coast, remains poorly known.