Civettictis braini nov. sp. (Mammalia: Carnivora), a new viverrid from the hominin-bearing site of Kromdraai (Gauteng,South Africa)

A new Plio-Pleistocene viverrid species is described based on two newly discovered maxillae (KW 10141 and KW 10383) from the recent excavations at the hominin-bearing site of Kromdraai (Gauteng, South Africa). This major site allows us to address the conundrum of Paranthropus and Homo origins in South Africa and presents a highly diverse carnivore spectrum (at least 22 species) including herpestids and viverrids. Civettictis braini nov. sp. is a viverrid species comparable in size to the extant African civet Civettictis civetta (Schreber, 1776). However C. braini nov. sp. differs significantly from the extant species in its dental proportions. Its canine and three premolars (P1–P3) are relatively robust, while its carnassials (P4) and two molars (M1, M2) are extremely reduced. This new species supplements our knowledge on carnivore taxonomic diversity and paleoecology in Southern Africa about 2 millions of years ago.     

Petasiger oschmarini n. sp. (Digenea: Echinostomatidae) in the grebes Podiceps grisegena (Bod.) and P. auritus (L.) (Aves: Podicipedidae) from Kamchatka,Russia

A re-examination of three sets of trematodes collected in two species of grebes, Podiceps grisegena and P. auritus, from the Kamchatka region of eastern Russia, previously identified as Petasiger neocomense, revealed that they actually represent a new species, which is named Petasiger oschmarini. Characteristic morphological features of the new species include: a head collar possessing a constant number of 19 spines; a large cirrus-sac comparable in size to the ventral sucker, containing a bipartite seminal vesicle and a well-developed pars prostatica; a large bulb-like cirrus similar in size to the testes; a long forebody; a long oesophagus; testes situated obliquely or symmetrically; and lateral vitelline fields which are not confluent in the forebody. The new species is distinguished from all Palaearctic and Nearctic members of Petasiger which possess 19 collar spines. The material described by Oschmarin (1950) as P. neocomense is considered to be conspecific.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pseudodiplectanum syrticum</Emphasis> n. sp. (Monogenea: Diplectanidae), a parasite of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Synapturichthys kleinii</Emphasis> (Teleostei: Soleidae) from off Tunisia

Pseudodiplectanum syrticum n. sp. (Monogenea: Diplectanidae) is described from the gills of Synapturichthys kleinii (Risso) collected from the Gulf of Gabès in the Mediterranean Sea off Tunisia. The new species differs from the congeneric species by the morphology of the penis and vagina. It resembles the Mediterranean species P. kearni Vala, Lopez-Roman & Boudaoud, 1980 from Solea vulgaris Quensel and P. gibsoni Oliver, 1987 from Michrochirus variegatus (Donovan) in its tubular penis, but it differs from these two species by having a vagina with a long tube presenting two loops and a male copulatory organ ending in a curved point. It also differs in the morphology and size of the transverse bars of the haptor. In P. syrticum the ventral transverse bar and dorso-lateral bars are longer than those of P. gibsoni (114 vs 69.5-89 microm and 48 vs 33-44 microm, respectively).     

Pygidiopsis ardeae n. sp. (Digenea: Heterophyidae: Pygidiopsinae) in the grey heron Ardea cinerea L. from Denmark

A new species, Pygidiopsis ardeae (Heterophyidae, Pygidiopsinae), is described, using both light and stereoscan electron microscopy, from the grey heron Ardea cinerea L. (Ardeidae) from Denmark. The species has previously (as P. genata) been recorded in dogs fed on plaice and flounders from Danish waters. It developed experimentally in domestic chickens and pigeons. No species of Pygidiopsis Looss, 1907 has previously been described from birds in northern Europe. P. ardeae is very similar to the type-species, P. genata Looss, 1907, from Egypt, but the two species have different life-cycles. P. ardeae differs from P. piclaumoreli Dollfus & Capron, 1958 from Senegal in its size and the disposition of vitelline follicles. P. plana (Linton, 1928) Price, 1933, from a green heron from the eastern USA, is larger than P. ardeae and has a wide, sac-like prepharynx.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Protocotyle euzetmaillardi</Emphasis> n. sp. (Monogenea: Hexabothriidae) from the bigeye sixgill shark <Emphasis Type="Italic">Hexanchus nakamurai</Emphasis> Teng (Elasmobranchii: Hexanchidae) off New Caledonia

Protocotyle euzetmaillardi n. sp. is described from the gills of the sixgill shark Hexanchus nakamurai Teng caught in deep-sea off New Caledonia, South Pacific. The new species is compared with the two other species of the genus (both from the only other species in this shark genus, H. griseus (Bonn.)), namely P. grisea (Cerfontaine, 1899) Euzet &; Maillard, 1974, redescribed from vouchers, and P. taschenbergi (Maillard &; Oliver, 1966) Euzet &; Maillard, 1974, redescribed from its type-specimens. The anatomy of the reproductive system is detailed; all three species have a characteristic oötype with longitudinal cells (‘ootype côtelé’ of Euzet &; Maillard). The following unique combination of characters differentiates the new species from its two congeners: posterior lobe of seminal vesicle absent, diverticulum of oviduct present and small body size. Furthermore, its tubular ovary does not include a region with sperm, which is present in both of the other species, and its eggs have only one filament, whereas eggs in the uterus have one or two filaments in P. grisea and one filament in P. taschenbergi. The latter features differ from existing diagnoses of Protocotyle, in which eggs with two filaments and the presence of a tubular ovary dilated with sperm are key characteristics.     

基于流式细胞术和K-mer分析的银缕梅属(Parrotia C.A.Mey.)植物基因组大小测定

金缕梅科(Hamamelidaceae)银缕梅属(Parrotia C.A.Mey.)仅包含银缕梅(Parrotia subaequalis(H.T.Chang)R.M.Hao&H.T.Wei)和波斯铁木(Parrotia persica(DC.)C.A.Mey.)两种落叶阔叶乔木,其中银缕梅是我国华东地区特有的Ⅰ级濒危珍稀保护植物,属东亚第三纪孑遗成分;其姊妹种波斯铁木则间断分布于伊朗北部,属北极第三纪孑遗植物类群。本研究首次利用流式细胞术和K-mer分析方法对银缕梅属两姊妹种的基因组大小进行了测定,建立和优化了以萝卜(Raphanus sativus L.‘Saxa’)为内标、WPB(Woody plant buffer)为细胞核解离液的两种植物单倍体基因组的DNA含量(DNA C值)流式测定的适宜体系,旨在为金缕梅科银缕梅属植物的全基因组测序、基因组学研究、种质资源开发和利用以及物种保育等提供前期基础数据参考;同时也可为金缕梅科其他属、种的基因组大小测定提供借鉴。主要研究结果如下:(1)通过流式测定银缕梅基因组大小约为971.45±13.91 Mb,波斯铁木基因组大小约为890.52±24.69 Mb;(2)K-mer分析估测银缕梅基因组大小为951.70 Mb,杂合率为1.740%,重复序列比例为77.50%;波斯铁木基因组大小为858.50 Mb,杂合率为0.695%,重复序列占74.30%;(3)银缕梅属于高杂合和高重复基因组,波斯铁木则属于微杂合和高重复基因组。本研究的结果为银缕梅属植物后续基于DNA三代高通量测序技术的全基因组测序、组装及去冗余处理等工作提供了重要的数据参考。     

Parhadjelia cairinae n. sp. (Nematoda: Habronematoidea: Habronematidae) in the Muscovy duck, Cairina moschata (Linnaeus, 1758) (Aves: Anseriformes: Anatidae), from the area de conservacion Guanacaste, Costa Rica

A new species of Parahadjelia occurs in the muscovy duck, Cairina moschata (Linnaeus, 1758), from the Area de Conservacion Guanacaste, Costa Rica. The new species differs from Parhadjelia neglecta Lent and Freitas, 1939, in the body size, in the spicules shape and ratio of spicules, and in having 2 pairs of sessile papillae near the tail tip of the male. The characters exhibited by P. neglecta and the new species validate its generic status distinct from Hadjelia.     

Two new species of the pinnate microsporophyll Pramelreuthia from the upper Triassic of the southwestern United States

Two new species of the enigmatic gymnosperm microsporophyll Pramelreuthia, found in the Upper Triassic Chinle Formation at five localities in the southwestern United States, provide significant new evidence on key morphological characters of the genus and extend its known geographical range. These new fossils also demonstrate that the genus was polytypic and reveal the plant megafossil sources for several common and geographically widespread dispersed Upper Triassic microfossil taxa. The genus Pramelreuthia, which until this study was known only from a single specimen from the Upper Triassic of Austria, is a planar pinnate structure consisting of a slender naked axis bearing stalked synangia in opposite to subopposite pairs. Synangia of all three species of Pramelreuthia are oval to subrectangular in lateral view and are composed of two adpressed flattened valves each of which contains up to 20 or more elongate, subcylindrical, tapered sporangia that bear nonstriate bisaccate pollen. Pramelreuthia yazzi sp. nov. is slightly smaller than the type species P. haberfelneri, and its synangia contain pollen generally similar in morphology and size to several species of the dispersed pollen taxon Pityosporites, including P. chinleana, P. oldhamensis, and P. devolvens. Pramelreuthia dubielii sp. nov. is much larger than the other two species; its synangia contain pollen similar to the dispersed pollen species Protodiploxypinus americus.     

Potentilla jiaozishanensis sp. nov. (sect. Leptostylae,Rosaceae) from southwest China

Potentilla jiaozishanensis, a distinct new species of Rosaceae from Yunnan, China, is described and illustrated. Morphologically, it is closely related to P. stenophylla var. stenophylla but clearly differs from the latter by its bidentate leaflets, lanceolate epicalyx‐segments that are longer than the sepals, villose ovaries and achenes. Moreover, the pollen grains of P. jiaozishanensis are markedly different from those of P. stenophylla var. stenophylla in size and shape. The newly described species is endemic to the Jiaozishan Mountains, southwest China.     

Biosystematic studies on the spittlebug genus Philaenus with the description of a new species

Populations of the genus Philaenus were collected during the last 12 years at several places in Greece ranging in altitude from sea level to 2000 m. Within some of these populations the species P. spumarius (Linnaeus, 1758), which is widely distributed in Greece, and the Mediterranean species P. signatus (Melichar, 1896) occurred together. These two species can be easily distinguished by the size of the adults, and more precisely by internal genital structures. Surprisingly, some mountainous populations of P. spumarius also contained a new species. Externally the new species closely resembled P. spumarius , but careful examination of the male genitalia provided clear identification characteristics. The new species comprised one bisexual common colour morph similar to populi of P. spumarius and P. signatus and two rare unisexual morphs which are lacking both in P. spumarius and P. signatus. The new species occurred only at altitudes above 1200 m on Eryngium spp. (Umbelliferae) between June and August.     

A new species of Propliopithecus from the Fayum, Egypt

Propliopithecus ankeli is described as a new species of hominoid from the early Oligocene of Egypt. The new species occurs at a stratigraphic level 80 m below quarries yielding P. chirobates and Aegyptopithecus zeuxis. P. ankeli differs from other species of the genus in its large size, relatively robust canines, larger and proportionally broader premolars, and M1 that has as great or greater mesiodistal length than M2. Thus, P. ankeli is characterized by increased relative size and robustness of the antemolar dentition, which contrasts with the pattern observed in the Fayum's other large hominoid, A. zeuxis. P. ankeli probably represents a lineage not ancestral to other Fayum hominoids. Discovery of this new species emphasizes the diversity of anthropoid primates that had already evolved by the early Oligocene.     

Similarity of growth among Great tits (Parus major) and Blue tits (P. caeruleus)

Differences in morphology among species are proximately caused by changes in the ontogeny of individuals. It is therefore of importance to analyse possible differences in growth parameters among closely related species in order to understand what parameters are most and least likely, respectively, to change in evolution. In this paper I analyse growth in two closely related sympatric species, namely Great tit, Parus major, and Blue tit, P. caeruleus. The former is considerably larger than the latter in all external traits. The growth rates of the two species were found to be very similar for all traits, thus excluding differences in growth rate as a potential cause of evolutionary size changes. Offset of growth occurred at relatively similar times in the two species, excluding this factor as a major cause of the final size differences. However, size differences at hatching were pronounced and remained so throughout ontogeny, pointing to initial size (egg size or hatching size) as the target of factors promoting change. Bivariate allometric relations of traits vs. body size (mass) were similar between the two species at all ontogenetic stages. There was a high correlation among traits especially at intermediate age stages (5 and 8 days), but these correlations became weaker at older age and approached the low pattern of integration found in adults. All this suggests the operation of a general growth factor affecting all parts of the phenotype simultaneously, which has its major influence at the time of maximal growth. If closely related species in general have highly similar growth patterns, strong evolutionary allometry as found in many avian taxa is to be expected.     

PROTOPERIDINIUM BELIZEANUM SP. NOV. (DINOPHYCEAE) FROM MANATEE CAY,BELIZE, CENTRAL AMERICA1

A new marine heterotrophic dinoflagellate species, Protoperidinium belizeanum sp. nov., from a coral reef‐mangrove pond was identified from scanning electron micrographs. Recognition of this new species was based on unique features of the thecal morphology, which included cell size and shape, presence of short and wide postcingular plates, sulcal architecture, antapical spines, and intricate thecal plate patterns of ridged hexagonal depressions. The thecal plate formula is as follows: Po, X, 4′, 3a, 7″, 4C (3+t), 6S, 5?, 2″″. Species association of P. be‐lizeanum sp. nov. within the genus Protoperidinium, its habitat, and associated dinoflagellates species are discussed.     

Ultrastructure and Systematics of Two New Species of Dinoflagellate,Paragymnodinium Asymmetricum sp. nov. and Paragymnodinium Inerme sp. nov. (Gymnodiniales,Dinophyceae)1

The genus Paragymnodinium currently includes two species, P. shiwhaense and P. stigmaticum, that are characterized by mixotrophic nutrition and the possession of nematocysts. In this study, two new dinoflagellates belonging to this genus were described based on observations using LM, SEM, and TEM together with a molecular analysis. Cells of P. asymmetricum sp. nov., isolated from Nha Trang Beach, Vietnam, were 7.9–12.6 μm long and 4.7–9.0 μm wide. The species showed no evidence of feeding behavior and was able to sustain itself phototrophically. Paragymnodinium asymmetricum shared many features with P. shiwhaense, including presence of nematocysts, absence of an eyespot, and a planktonic lifestyle, but was clearly distinguished by the asymmetric shape of the hyposome, possession of a single chloroplast, and its nutritional mode. Cells of P. inerme sp. nov., isolated from Jogashima, Kanagawa Pref, Japan, were 15.3–23.7 μm long and 10.9–19.6 μm wide. This species also showed no evidence of feeding behavior. Paragymnodinium inerme was similar to cells of P. shiwhaense in shape and planktonic lifestyle, but its nutritional mode was different. The presence of incomplete nematocysts was also a unique feature. A phylogenetic analysis inferred from concatenated SSU and LSU rDNA sequences recovered the two dinoflagellates in a robust clade with Paragymnodinium spp., within the clade of Gymnodinium sensu stricto. This evidence, together with their morphological similarities, made it reasonable to conclude that these two dinoflagellates are new species of Paragymnodinium.     

Proemotobothrium n. g. (Cestoda: Trypanorhyncha), with the redescription of P. linstowi (Southwell, 1912) n. comb. and description of P. southwelli n. sp.

A new genus, Proemotobothrium (Trypanorhyncha: Otobothriidae), is erected to contain P. linstowi (Southwell, 1912) n. comb. (syn. Otobothrium magnum Southwell, 1924) and P. southwelli n. sp. The new genus is characterised by two bothridia, paired bothridial pits, an acraspedote scolex, elongate bulbs, four hooks per principal row, hooks 4 (4') being small and uncinate, a single, filiform, intercalary hook between each principal row and by the arrangement, in tandem, of the two or three extra hooks of the armature of the external surface of the tentacle, a pattern previously known only in the family Mixodigmatidae. The two species are distinguished from one another on the basis of measurements of the scolex and bulbs, the sizes of the hooks of the principal rows and by the number and size of the additional hooks in the linear arrays on the external surface of the tentacle.     

Pothos vietnamensis sp. nov. (Araceae–Pothoideae–Potheae) from Vietnam

Pothos vietnamensis V. D. Nguyen & P. C. Boyce is described and illustrated from northern Vietnam as a new species of the Pothos supergroup, and it is compared with the two most similar species: P. kerrii and P. pilulifer to which P. vietnamensis is comparable by having a very small fertile portion (< 5 mm diameter) on the spadix. Ecology, habitat, population size and conservation status are also discussed.     

舟翅桐属(锦葵科、梧桐亚科),中国植物一新分布属及保护建议

【目的】报道了云南省勐腊县中老边境地区舟翅桐属（Pterocymbium R. Br.）及其属下热带落叶大乔木——大花舟翅桐（P. macranthum Kosterm.）在中国的分布新记录,并提供了保护建议。该物种在历史上仅见分布于缅甸中南部和泰国北部、西南部,在中国的发现将其分布区向北扩展至热带亚洲北缘,有助于深入理解中国与东南亚热带森林树木区系之间的关系。【方法】利用体视显微镜对其境内雌株标本进行解剖观察和研究,用数码相机对关键分类特征进行了拍摄记录,并借此完善了其属和种的描述。利用无人机航拍对大花舟翅桐境内种群进行了规模快速评估,访谈当地人对其用途和木材贸易情况的认知,并结合作者在东南亚植物调查经验对其IUCN物种受威胁等级进行评估。【结果】大花舟翅桐在中国境内约有1 000株,分布区面积约2 000 hm2,评定为IUCN红色物种名录易危（VU）物种。【结论】舟翅桐属为中国新记录属,属下大花舟翅桐为中国新记录种。     

座隔孢属一新种

座隔孢属(Toxosporiopsis Sutton & Sellar)为腔孢纲(Coelomycetes)之一小属,已描述2种。本文报道了该属产自中国的一个新种:中国座隔孢(Toxosporiopsis sinensisW.P.Wu)。新种生于胡桃(Juglans regia L.)枯枝上,它与已知种尖顶座隔孢(Toxosporio-psis capitata Sutton & Sellar)和大孢座隔孢(Toxosporiopsis macrosperma(Cavara)Sutton& Dyko)在子座大小,产孢细胞长度,分生孢子形态、大小,侧丝长度及其外围胶质鞘的有无等特征上差别极大,故另立新种。     

Pseudorhabdosynochus argus n. sp. (Monogenea: Diplectanidae) from Cephalopholis argus, P. minutus n. sp. and Diplectanum nanus n. sp. from C. sonnerati and other monogeneans from Cephalopholis spp. (Perciformes: Serranidae) off Australia and New Caledonia

Monogeneans from three species of Cephalopholis, namely C. argus, C. sonnerati and C. boenak, are described from fish caught off New Caledonia, South Pacific, with comparisons with material from off Queensland, Australia. Pseudorhabdosynochus argus n. sp. from C. argus is present off New Caledonia and Australia; it is characterised by its male quadriloculate organ with very elongate cone, and its sclerotised vagina with anterior trumpet, coiled primary canal and distal part with two chambers and an accessory part. C. boenak has no monogeneans off New Caledonia, but off Australia it harbours Pseudorhabdosynochus sp., a new species which is morphologically related to P. argus. P. minutus n. sp. from C. sonnerati is characterised by its minute body and a sclerotised vagina with two spherical chambers. Diplectanum nanus n. sp. from C. sonnerati is characterised by its very small funnel-shaped male copulatory organ and minute body. A new species, Haliotrema sp. from C. sonnerati is characterised by a very elongate tubular penis; it is distinct from H. cromileptis Young, 1968 (redescribed herein from specimens collected from Cromileptes altivelis off New Caledonia). The species described here include the first members of Pseudorhabdosynochus and the first diplectanids described from species of Cephalopholis. There is no evidence for a clade of Pseudorhabdosynochus species specific to members of Cephalopholis, since the species described here share similarities with other species from Epinephelus. However, it is suggested that the gill structure of Cephalopholis spp. imposes selection toward small body sizes for monogeneans.     

New species and new genus of Pseudohaploporinae (Digenea): Pseudohaploporus pusitestis sp. n. and Parahaploporus elegantus n. g., sp. n. (Digenea: Pseudohaploporinae) from Vietnamese mullet fish

Two new species of Pseudohaploporinae, Pseudohaploporus pusitestis sp. n. and Parahaploporus elegantus n. g., sp. n., are described from intestines of the Vietnamese mullet fish Moolgarda seheli and Osteomugil cunnesius, respectively. Pseudohaploporus pusitestis sp. n. differs from two known Pseudohaploporus species, P. vietnamensis and P. planiliza, by the absence of a diverticulate hermaphroditic duct and muscular sphincters at the proximal end of the hermaphroditic sac. Metrically, P. pusitestis sp. n. is close to P. vietnamensis and differs from this species and from P. planilizum by lower maximum sizes of most parameters. Parahaploporus elegantus n. g., sp. differs from representatives of Pseudohaploporus by the presence of a single testis and the armament of hermaphroditic duct and is morphologically close to trematodes of the genus Haploporus. However, P. elegantus n. g differs from all known Haploporus species from mugilids of the Indo-West Pacific by the structure of the armament of the hermaphroditic duct and also by size of body, organs and eggs. The validity of designating two new species and a new genus of trematodes is supported by ITS and 28S rDNA sequence data. Phylogenetic reconstructions showed that the new trematodes belong to the Pseudohaploporinae, which formed a well-supported cluster within the monophyletic Haploporidae.