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.     

Hieraciumpallidum subsp. aetnense (Asteraceae), a new subspecies from Sicily (Italy), with notes on the taxonomy of H. pallidum Biv.

Hieracium pallidum subsp. aetnense Gottschl., Raimondo & Di Grist. is described and illustrated. H.pallidum is considered as an intermediate species between H. schmidtii and H. racemosum (“schmidtii>racemosum”) and is placed in H. sect. Grovesiana. By consequence, H.lanudae Gottschl. is transferred to H. pallidum as H. pallidum subsp. lanudae (Gottschl.) Gottschl., Raimondo & Di Grist. A key for the three recognised subspecies of H. pallidum is provided.     

Echidnopsis thulinii sp. nov. (Apocynaceae–Asclepiadoideae) with a review of the infrageneric classification of the genus

Echidnopsis thulinii M. G. Gilbert is described from northern Somalia. The infrageneric classification of Echidnopsis Hook. f. is reviewed in the light of recently published molecular phylogenies. The new species belongs to E. sect. Echidnopsis and a key to the species of this section is provided. A lectotype, supported by an epitype, is designated for E. virchowii K. Schum. Echidnopsis sect. Profundicoronata Bruyns is included within sect. Vadosicoronata Bruyns and two new sections recognised: E. sect. Pseudopectinaria (Lavranos) M. G. Gilbert, based on the genus Pseudopectinaria Lavranos, and E. sect. Sobolifera M. G. Gilbert. A key is given to the sections of Echidnopsis.     

Drift variances of FSTand GST statistics obtained from a finite number of isolated populations

Approximate formulas for the mean and variance of the F_STor G_ST statistic in a finite number of isolated populations are developed under the effect of random genetic drift. Computer simulation has shown that the approximate formulas give a fairly accurate result unless the initial frequency of one of the alleles involved is close to 1 and t/2N is large, where N is the effective size of a subpopulation and t is the number of generations. It is shown that when the number of subpopulations (s) is small, the mean of F_STor G_ST depends on the initial gene frequencies as well as on s. When the initial frequencies of all alleles are nearly equal to each other and the number of subpopulations is large, the distribution of F_ST in the early generations is bell-shaped. In this case Lewontin and Krakauer's k parameter is approximately 2 or less. However, if one of the initial allele frequencies is close to 1, the distribution is skewed and leptokurtic, and the k parameter often becomes larger than 2 in later generations. Thus, even under pure random genetic drift, Lewontin and Krakauer's test of selective neutrality of polymorphic genes in terms of F_ST is not always valid. It is also shown that Jacquard's approximate formula for k generally gives an overestimate.     

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.     

A revision of the moss genus Sciaromium (Mitt.) Mitt. I. General remarks and the section Aloma Dusén

Abstract

The generic name Sciaromium (Mitt.) Mitt. that was originally used as a sectional epithet in Leskea is synonymous with Echinodium Jul E. madeirense Jur. [= E. spinosum (Mitt.) Jur.] is selected as the lectotype of the genus Echinodium. A historical review of taxonomic and nomenclatural problems in Sciaromium is provided and taxa that had previously been excluded from this genus are briefly discussed. Sciaromium flavidulum Dusén is a Eurhynchium and the combination E. flavidulum (Dusén) Ochyra is made. Sciaromium sect. Aloma Dusén is synonymous with Eurhynchium since E. flavidulum serves as the type species of this section. The taxonomic position of S. gracile Dusén is discussed and this species is considered synonymous with Amblystegium chilense Lor., which is transferred to Pseudoleskea and the appropriate new combination P. chilensis (Lor.) Ochyra made. Type specimens of S. bellii Broth., S. elimbatum Broth. & Watts and S. forsythii Broth. in Broth. & Watts are briefly described and illustrated; these species are reduced to synonymy with the polymorphic Cratoneuropsis relaxa (Hook. f. & Wils.) Fleisch. in Broth.     

Rediscovery of Ardisia gigantifolia and the reinstatement of A. kteniophylla (Primulaceae) – finding the correct name for the Chinese medicinal plant ’Zou Ma Tai’

With the rediscovery of Ardisia gigantifolia, the long‐standing confusion with A. pseudoverticillata, A. kteniophylla and A. dasyrhizomatica owing to the misinterpretation of the type of A. gigantifolia is clarified. It is shown that A. dasyrhizomatica is a later synonym of A. gigantifolia, while A. kteniophylla and A. pseudoverticillata are conspecific and represent another species for which A. kteniophylla is the earliest name available. Ardisia kteniophylla is the correct scientific name for the Chinese medicinal plant ’Zou Ma Tai’.     

A review of the Tandanicolinae (=Monodhelminthinae) (Digenea: Fellodistomidae), with a description of Prosogonarium angelae n. sp.

The Tandanicolinae is reviewed, redefined and considered a subfamily of the Fellodistomidae. The Monodhelminthinae Dollfus, 1937, Mehratrematinae Srivastava, 1939, Prosogonariinae Mehra, 1963 and Buckleytrematinae Yamaguti, 1971 are synonyms of the Tandanicolinae. Genera included in the Tandanicolinae are Tandanicola, Monodhelmis, Buckleytrema and Prosogonarium. Burnellus and Mehratrema are made new synonyms of Monodhelmis. The composition of each genus is reviewed. Monodhelmis arii Yamaguti, 1952, Mehratrema arii Gu & Shen, 1979, Mehratrema dollfusi Srivastava, 1939, Monodhelmis philippinensis Velasquez, 1961, Mehratrema polynemusinis Chauhan, 1943 and Mehratrema skrjabini Karyakarte, 1969 are considered synonyms of Monodhelmis torpedinis. Monodhelmis elongatus Bilqees, 1970 is considered a species inquirenda. Prosogonarium angelae n. sp. is described from Euristhmus lepturus from Moreton Bay, Queensland. It is distinguished by the number and distribution of the vitelline follicles and the extent of the caeca. New records are given for Monodhelmis torpedinis from Arius graeffei and E. lepturus, M. trichofurcata from Tandanus tandanus, and Buckleytrema indica from A. graeffei, all from southern Queensland. Buckleytrema indica is redescribed and B. postacetabulorchis is synonymised with that species. Relationships within the Tandanicolinae were considered by cladistic analysis.     

Systematic revision of the catfish genusSilurus,with description of a new species from Thailand and Burma

On the basis of external morphology and anatomy, 17 scpeies of the genusSilurus Linnaeus including a new species,S. torrentis from Thailand and Burma, are recognized as valid.S. bedfordi Regan is synonymized withS. asotus, andS. goae Haig is transferred to the genusOmpok. From an anatomical study of 12 species, the diagnostic feature of the genusParasilurus Bleeker is revealed to be invalid, and the genus is synonymized withSilurus. From the phylogenetic analysis, the genusSilurus is divided into two major species groups, thecochinchinensis group which is disributed mainly in Southeast Asia, and theglanis group which is further separated into three subgroups occurring separately in East Asia and Europe. The pattern of distribution and relationships between ontogeny and phytogeny in the genusSilurus are briefly discussed.     

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.     

A note on the structure of system state spaces and its implications on the existence of non-repeatable experiments

The implication of state space structure on the existence of a repeatable experimentE designed to determine if a states∈L has propertyP or notP is investigated. It is shown that if a state spaceL is connected, then no experimentE is repeatable. This formalism is used to demonstrate that if a propertyP has an associated set of points inL which is dense with dense complement inL, then there exists no repeatable experimentE which can be used to test whethers has propertyP or notP. Other consequences of this formalization are discussed.     

Morphometric and molecular (RAPD) analysis of six <Emphasis Type="Italic">Serapias</Emphasis> taxa from Croatia

The morphometric analyses and genetic variability assessed by RAPD markers have been used to analyse relations among six Serapias taxa from Croatia (S. istriaca, S. pulae originally described as hybrid, S. ionica, S. vomeracea, S. lingua and S. cordigera). S. istriaca distributed in southern Istria and the island of Lošinj and S. pulae stenoendemic taxon distributed only in southern Istria S. ionica is endemic to the Ionian and Dalmatian islands, while the remaining taxa are more widely distributed. The obtained results shows that the endemic S. istriaca is a well characterised taxon, that S. pulae is a hybrid between S. istriaca and S. lingua and that the hybrid is morphologically and genetically more similar to S. lingua than the second parental species S. istriaca. The division into the subsections Steno-, Medio- and Platypetalae is founded based on the floral morphology while the division into the sections Serapias and Bilamellaria is not evident in the quantitative morphological and genetic analyses. Furthermore, considerable genetic resemblance between S. vomeracea and S. ionica was established.     

The subfamily classification of the Micropezidae and the genera of Eurybatinae (Diptera: Schizophora)

The classification of the family Micropezidae is re-examined and a key is given to the five subfamilies now recognised, of which Calycopteryginae is described as new and Eurybatinae is raised from tribal rank. Metopochetini is a new tribe of Eurybatinae. A key is given to the nine genera now included in the Eurybatinae, of which Papeza is described as new. P.szentivanyi is a new species from Papua. Notes on the taxonomy and distribution of genera are included. The position of Anaeropsis Bigot in the Micropezidae is confirmed. New synonymies are established as follows: Crepidochetus Enderlein (= Gongylocephala Czerny syn. n.); Metopochetus bivittatus (Macquart) (= Calobata tenuipes Walker syn. n.). New generic combinations are as follows: Metopochetus terminalis (Walker) and M.compressus (Walker) from Calobata; Crepidochetus nigrifemur (Czerny), C.pallidus (Steyskal), and Cater (Steyskal) from Gongylocephala; Crosa fragilis (Walker) from Micropeza; Crosa nigriventris (Enderlein) and C.uneifera (de Meijere) from Eurybata.     

A new tribe, Epistomentini, of Buprestidae (Coleoptera) with a redefinition of the tribe Chrysochroini

A new tribe Epistomentini is designated to include Epistomentis Solier, Cyria Solier (with which Cyrioides Carter and Xenocyria Obenberger are synonymized), Diadoxus Thomson, Cyrioxus Hoschek, and a new genus and species Araucariana queenslandica, which is described. The tribe Chrysochroini is redefined, and Epidelus Deyrolle, Cyalithus Thomson, Cyalithoides Fisher and Chrysopistus Thery are transferred to it from the Chalcophorini. Chalcophoropsis Thomson is transferred from the Chrysochroini to the Chalcophorini. A reassessment of the value of some characters used in the higher classification of the Buprestidae is given.     

Phylogenetic relationships within Diplotaxini Kirby (Coleoptera: Melolonthidae: Melolonthinae) with emphasis on Liogenys Guérin‐Méneville

Diplotaxini Kirby is one of the 29 tribes of Melolonthinae with Nearctic, Neotropical, Paleartic, Afrotropical and Oriental distribution. According to the current classification, Diplotaxini is composed of 706 species described in 21 genera. Neotropical Diplotaxini comprise 94 species, of which 78 are members of Liogenys Guérin Méneville, the largest Neotropical genus. Until now, no phylogenetic studies on Diplotaxini have tested whether the tribe is natural or artificial. This study tested the relationships among Diplotaxini genera, created hypotheses for better defining them, and assessed the monophyly of Liogenys. Cladistic analyses using 167 adult morphological characters were performed. The 83 included taxa represent three subfamilies of Melolonthidae, four tribes of Melolonthinae, and most genera of Diplotaxini, with emphasis on Liogenys. The data were analysed using parsimony under equal and implied weights. In both analyses, the traditional concept of Diplotaxini is shown to be a polyphyletic assemblage. Empecta Erichson and Clypeasta Fairmaire are closely related to Melolontha melolontha (Linnaeus) and Pseudoliogenys Moser close to Myloxenoides Martínez (Tanyproctini). Pachrodema Blanchard is identified as the sister group of Liogenys. The monophyly of both Pacuvia Curtis and Homalochilus Blanchard is confirmed and the paraphyly of Diplotaxis Kirby is suggested. The analyses strongly supported the polyphyly of Liogenys. To render this genus monophyletic, we transferred L. ferrugata Mannerheim (related to M. melolontha) to Phyllophaga Harris, and L. micropyga Burmeister to Diplotaxis, forming Diplotaxis micropyga (Burmeister, 1855) comb.n. ; and included Homoliogenys tarsalis (Moser) and Hilarianus anguliceps Blanchard in Liogenys. As H. anguliceps is syn. junior of Liogenys punctaticollis, Hilarianus is synonymized with Liogenys. Hilarianus ovalis and Hilarianus rufinus are here assigned to Manonychus, and Hilarianus uniformis and Hilarianus suboblongus to Blepharotoma, forming: Blepharotoma uniformis comb.n. , Blepharotoma suboblongus comb.n. , Manonychus ovalis comb.n. and Manonychus rufinus comb.n.