Taxonomic review of the genus Symmorphus Wesmael (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae) from the Far East

Far Eastern species of the genus Symmorphus Wesmael are taxonomically reviewed. Fourteen species are recognized. Taxonomic information regarding this group that has been treated fragmentarily is summarized in this study. A revised key is presented, and recognition characteristics and images are supplied for each species.     

Chromosome studies in the superfamily Bovoidea

The chromosome morphology of about 50 species of Bovoidea has now been investigated. Although the diploid number varies from 30 to 60 among these species, the fundamental number (NF) varies only (with but three exceptions) from 58 to 62. This indicates an almost exclusive use of the Robertsonian fusion mechanism of karyotype evolution in this group of species which represent 30 different genera. All known cytogenetic information on the Bovoidea has been summarized and a complete bibliography is presented for each species. Karyotypes and data on a number of previously unstudied species are presented.     

Length–weight relationships of some fresh and brackish water fishes in Badagry creek,Nigeria

Length–weight relationships are presented for 35 fish species from the Badagry creek, Lagos, Nigeria. The values of the parameter b are within the expected range of 2.5–3.5. No information regarding length‐weight relationships has been reported from Nigeria or documented in FishBase for 13 of the species.     

Adventive eriophyoid mites: a global review of their impact, pathways, prevention and challenges

Eriophyoids have high potential as adventive mite species (AMS) because their small size make them difficult to detect, and can be easily distributed in world trade. Economic, social and environmental impact from adventive eriophyoid mites has been significant. Considerable attention has been given to adventive insect species while adventive mites have received little attention and little information is available for eriophyoids. This paper summarizes information on adventive eriophyoid mites, their impact, and the history of some important invasions. The status of adventive species of eriophyoids introduced as biological control agents of weeds is presented. A list of eriophyoid mites reported as invasive species worldwide is given. Pathways of concern and biosecurity actions to reduce the risk of eriophyoid mites are discussed. The need to raise public awareness of the risk and importance of these tiny organisms as AMS is emphasized. Scientific and technical challenges to deal with adventive eriophyoids are discussed.     

The Comb-footed spider genera Theridion, Achaearanea and Anelosimus of Israel (Araneae: Theridiidae)

Israeli thendiid spiders of the genera Theridion, Achaearanea and Anelosimus have been revised. A relative richness in species is presented providing thereby updated information on the little known Mediterranean spider fauna. All type and non-type material previously described from the Middle East, deposited in several European collections has been re-examined, along with species from adjacent regions considered pertinent to the study undertaken. Altogether 21 species are recognized. Systematic, ecologic and all available zoogeographic information on taxa treated are discussed along with recent, pertaining literature. The presence of seven species formerly reported from Israel has been confirmed and the occurrence of another four species unknown hitherto from this region, has been proved. Some of these have never been adequately described or illustrated.
Ten new species are described: Theridion ochreolus, T. agaricographus, T hierwhonticus, T. jordanensis, T. negebensis, T. gekkonicus, T. dafnensis, T. vallisalinarum, T. pustiliferus and Anelosimus giladensis. The male of Theridion melanostictum is described for the first time. Keys, illustrations of diagnostic characters and records of distribution are provided for each species, all readily applicable also in adjacent countries. These may provide clues for better understanding of zoogeographic patterns of the Palearctic fauna, including those of the Old World Desert belt extending south and east of the Mediterranean region.     

Natural and experimental Helicobacter infections

Current information about Helicobacter infections in humans and various domestic, wild, and research animal species that have been used or have the potential to be used as animal models of human disease is presented. The Helicobacter genus now includes at least 26 formally named species, with additional novel species in the process of being characterized. The natural history, host range with zoonosis potential, pathology, and diagnostic techniques are presented, along with examples of how Helicobacter infection has interfered with unrelated in vivo research. Current recommendations for deriving and managing helicobacter-free animal colonies for research are provided.     

菌物分类学研究中常见的物种概念

物种是生物多样性与分类学研究的基本单元, 物种识别是生物学研究的基本问题之一。物种的划分一直以来都没有一个明确统一的标准, 这使得分类学多少带有主观的色彩, 并经常被看作艺术而不完全是科学的研究。本文简要概述了菌物分类学研究中常见的3个物种概念, 即形态学种、生物学种和系统发育学种的背景和应用现状, 并通过实例讨论了这3个物种概念的特点及应用中存在的问题, 特别是各个物种概念之间的交错, 以期为菌物分类学研究和物种概念探讨提供参考。     

The Spider Genera Singa and Hypsosinga (Araneae, Araneidae) in Israel

Israeli spiders of the orb-weaver genera Singa and Hypsosinga (Araneidae) have been revised. New and updated information on the little known Mediterranean spider fauna, pertaining to European species as well, is presented. Some of the species have never been adequately described or illustrated. All the species previously described from the Middle East and adjacent countries were re-examined. Aranea neta is newly placed in Singa and the following new synonyms are defined: Lithyphantes sepfemguffafus Simon, 1873, along with Araneus decorus (Simon, 1891) and Lithyphantes pollocki Denis, 1956 = Singa neta (O. P.-Cambridge, 1872); Singa afjinis O. P.-Cambridge, 1876 along with Singa attica Simon, 1884 = Hypsosinga albovittata (Westring, 1851). The presence of three species formerly reported from Israel, including one erroneously determined, has been confirmed, and the occurrence of another three species previously unknown from this country has been proved. All are newly described. Keys, detailed illustrations of diagnostic characters and records of -distribution are provided for each species.     

The non-indigenous freshwater fishes of Flanders (Belgium): review, status and trends over the last decade

Fourteen non-indigenous fish species have been successfully introduced to the wild within the territory of Flanders; nine are considered naturalized. Most of the introductions occurred prior to 1950, with six species introduced since then. This paper reviews the available, hitherto scattered, information (including 'grey literature') on these 14 non-indigenous fish species introductions, and evaluates a decade of data from fisheries surveys to assess the recent development of these non-indigenous populations. Gibel carp Carassius gibelio and topmouth gudgeon Pseudorasbora parva are the most widespread of the non-indigenous species in Flemish waters, and both continue to expand their ranges. A reduction in range has been observed in brown bullhead Ameiurus nebulosus only. A case is presented for not including European catfish Silurus glanis , sunbleak Leucaspius delineatus and European bullhead Cottus gobio on the list of non-indigenous freshwater fishes in Flanders. Also discussed are non-indigenous fish species that are likely to colonize Flanders inland waters in the near future.     

Marine nematodes from Guadeloupe and other Caribbean Islands. II. Draconematidae

Fourteen species of the nematode family Draconematidae have been found in meiofaunal samples from the Lesser Antilles. Three species, Dracograllus antillensis sp. n., Drucognomus simplex (Gerlach, 1954) and D. Marioni Allen & Noffsinger, 1978 are described or redescribed; information on juvenile stages is included. Faunistic and ecological data are presented for the remaining 11 species.     

Zur Vorgeschichte der Gründung der Königlichen Biologischen Anstalt auf Helgoland

The species lists presented for benthic macroalgae, invertebrate and vertebrate species presented are extracted from recent publications (from 1977 to date). The lists summarize the species composition of the intertidal and subtidal hard-bottom communities around Helgoland. Additional information is supplied for the species composition of the “Steingrund” and “Tiefe Rinne”. The lists do not claim completeness, but have been intended to provide a working platform for further listings and for comparison with data published earlier.     

Nephrotoxins and nephrotoxic species of the genus Penicillium Link

The present article is a review about the nephrotoxic species of Penicillium Link. Some chemical and toxicological information in connection with the nephrotoxins produced is presented. Besides, different opinions about the Penicillium nephrotoxic species classification are considered; particular attention is given to the toxin produced producing species linkage. A key for the determination of the nephrotoxic Penicillium species is presented. Generally, the taxa considered in the present work have been treated in several surveys. However, some diverse opinions about its delimitation, classification and toxin production still remain.     

Preservation of organic-walled dinoflagellate cysts in different oxygen regimes: a 10,000 year natural experiment

The occurrence of organic-walled dinoflagellate cysts in (fossil) sediments depends on several factors, including as the ecological preferences of the cyst-forming dinoflagellates, cyst production, transport and preservation. Although laboratory experiments have shown that several cyst species are sensitive to chemical treatment, no information about the selective preservation of dinoflagellate cyst species in natural environments has previously been presented. Here, we present data on the effects of oxygen availability in bottom sediments on a cyst assemblage from the ungraded Madeira Abyssal Plain f-turbidite of which only the upper layer has been oxidized. Based on differences in species composition between the oxidized and underlying, unoxidized layers of this turbidite, the influence of oxygen availability on the preservation of individual species has been estimated. Cyst species have been classified in ascending order of resistance to oxygen availability in sediments as: (1) highly sensitive (cysts formed by Protoperidinium species), (2) moderately sensitive (e.g. Spiniferites species), (3) moderately resistant (e.g. Impagidinium paradoxum and Nematosphaeropsis labyrinthus) and (4) resistant (e.g. Impagidinium aculeatum).     

PCR-based methods for identification of species of the Anopheles minimus group: allele-specific amplification and single-strand conformation polymorphism

We report two polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based methods for distinguishing morphologically similar species based on amplification of a variable region of the 28S gene of ribosomal DNA. The four species we investigated are mosquitoes of the Anopheles minimus group: An. aconitus, An. varuna and An. minimus species A and C. The formally named species are vectors of human malaria parasites in south-east Asia but are difficult to distinguish with certainty on the basis of morphology. Allele-specific amplification was used to differentiate An. minimus A from An. minimus C. This technique has been widely used for the diagnosis of species. Single-strand conformation polymorphisms (SSCPs) were used to separate all four species. This technique, which has seldom been used for species identification, has many advantages: it does not require sequence information beyond that needed for amplification; it is ideally suited for the detection of heterozygotes; it utilizes more of the information in the PCR product than allele-specific amplification; it distinguishes all four species considered here and could easily be extended to other species; previously unknown intraspecific variation and additional species are likely to be detected. Thus, SSCPs provide valuable population genetic information which allele-specific amplification does not.     

Taxonomic review of the predatory stink bugs of the Korean Peninsula (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae: Asopinae), with a key to the Korean species and a discussion of their usefulness as biological control agents

Owing to their predatory feeding habits, many members of the stink bug subfamily Asopinae have been used as biological agents for controlling insect pests. Herein a taxonomical review of Korean Asopinae species is presented. The habitus and a detailed genital morphology of each species is illustrated together with the first key to the Asopinae species present in Korea. We report Eocanthecona kyushuensis (Esaki & Ishihara, 1950) for the first time on the Korean Peninsula and the subtropical species Andrallus spinidens has been confirmed in the southern part of Korea, but Troilus luridus has not been found in the Republic of Korea. All this information is of extreme importance for the correct identification and understanding of the biology and distribution of Asopinae species. We also present a discussion of the potential usefulness and viability of the stink bugs as biological control agents in Korea.     

Revision of the amphipod (Crustacea) family Stegocephalidae

The amphipod (Crustacea) family Stegocephalidae Dana, 1852 is revised, and the results of a phylogenetic analysis of the family are presented. The morphological information, obtained mainly through direct examination of the species, has been transformed into 200 characters. 91 stegocephalid species (91% of all recognized species) are included in the analysis, in addition to six outgroup taxa. Based upon this analysis, the family is divided into five subfamilies and 26 genera. Four new subfamilies (Andaniexinae, Andaniopsinae, Bathystegocephalinae & Parandaniinae) and ten new genera (Alania, Austrocephaloides, Austrophippsia, Bouscephalus, Gordania, Medi-terexis, Pseudo, Schellenbergia, Stegonomadia & Stegomorphia) are erected. Five genera are put into synonymy (Andaniella with Andaniopsis; Phippsiella and Stegocephalopsis with Stegocephalus; Stegophippsiella with Stego-cephalina; Euandania with Parandania).     

Isozymic gene linkage map of the tomato: Applications in genetics and breeding

Summary New linkage data are presented for the situation of five previously unlocated isozymic loci of the tomato and closely related species with homosequential chromosomes.Prx-1 lies on chromosome 1, where it is also linked withSkdh-1; Aps-2 is linked withGot-4 on chromosome 8;Tpi-2 has been allocated to chromosome 4; and a linkage has been detected betweenPgi-1 andEst-4, whose respective chromosome has not yet been determined. These and previously published data have been summarized in the form of an isozyme linkage map. Twenty-two loci have thus been mapped on nine of the twelve tomato chromosomes. We discuss some new applications of mapped isozymic genes. In certain types of segregations, isozymic genes are far more efficient than morphological markers in providing linkage information. They greatly expedite the cytogenetic investigation of species hybrids and can be utilized to facilitate backcross transfers of genes from wild to cultivated taxa.