Systematics of the southern Patagonian-Fueguian endemic Abrothrix lanosus (Rodentia: Sigmodontinae): Phylogenetic position,karyotypic and morphological data

Abrothrix lanosus (Thomas, 1897) is morphologically redescribed on the basis of new specimens collected in Tierra del Fuego (Argentina). Cranial, mandibular, skeletal, penile, and chromosomal characteristics are described and compared with other species of Abrothrix, especially those of the Patagonian-Fueguian region. Its phylogenetic position within Abrotrichini is explored using DNA sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome b (cyt b) and the nuclear Interphotoreceptor Retinoid Binding Protein (IRBP) genes. Phylogenetically, cyt b places A. lanosus as sister of A. jelskii, whereas IRBP groups A. lanosus and A. longipilis. The latter topology is most consistent with morphological data and taxonomic history. Several cranial and mandibular characters distinguish A. lanosus from the other species of the genus, including A. longipilis, which is its most similar species. A. lanosus shares with other congeners a 2n=52 karyotype and differs from other species of Abrothrix by at least 10% (p-distances) sequence divergence in cyt b. In conclusion, A. lanosus is a valid species, readily distinguishable from other Abrothrix in the southern Patagonian-Fueguian region. Although many data, including penile and skull morphology, suggest that A. longipilis is its closest living relative, A. jelskii is retained as a viable alternative until additional data are obtained.     

Obolarina persica sp. nov., associated with dying Quercus in Iran

A new species, Obolarina persica, is described from Iran. It is widely associated with dying Quercus brantii, on which it produces charcoal-like stromata. The fungus described herein differs from the other described species, Ob. dryophila, primarily in its much larger ascospores.     

Treerunners,cryptic lizards of the Plica plica group (Squamata,Sauria, Tropiduridae) of?northern?South?America

The arboreal, Neotropical lizard Plica plica (Linnaeus, 1758) has been long considered a widespread species with a distribution east of the Andes. A preliminary examination of 101 specimens from about 28 locations mostly north of the Amazon suggests that Plica plica is a cryptic species complex with taxa that can be distinguished on the basis of the number of scale rows at mid-body; the arrangement, shape and ornamentation of scales on the snout; the number of lamellae on the fourth toe; the number of subocular plates; as well as other commonly used external morphological traits. The allopatric species discussed here are concordant with northern South American geography. Plica plica (Linnaeus, 1758) is associated with the Guiana Shield (Suriname, Guyana and Venezuela). A second species, P. caribeana sp. n. is associated with the Caribbean Coastal Range of Venezuela including Trinidad and Tobago. A third, distinctive species, P. rayi sp. n. is associated with the middle Orinoco at the eastern edge of the Guiana Shield. Two other species, P. kathleenae sp. n. and P. medemi sp. n., each based upon a single specimen, one from the Sierra Acarai Mountains of Guyana, and the other from southern Meta, Colombia are described. In addition to morphological analyses, we sequenced 12S and 16S rDNA gene fragments from one Plica plica from Trinidad to assess its relationship and taxonomy to other mainland Plica cf. plica. The results suggest Plica caribeana sp. n. likely diverged prior to the separation of Trinidad from northern Venezuela. Isolation in the Caribbean Coastal Range during its rapid uplift in the late Miocene, combined with a marine incursion into northern Venezuela may have contributed to their genetic divergence from other populations.     

A new species of the genus Chlorencoelia (Helotiales) from China

Chlorencoelia collections from different regions of China were examined. A new species is discovered and named as C. macrospora. The most significant features to distinguish the new species from any other known species of the genus are its very large acsi and ascospores. Three of the five known species of the genus are found from China.     

Benthic foraminifera associated with the invasive ascidian, Didemnum sp. A

The invasive ascidian, Didemnum sp. A, first appeared in New England bays and harbors in the early 1990s, and in the waters around Cape Cod in 1993. While ship traffic was the likely vector introducing the species, its origin and precise date and location of its introduction are presently unknown. Colony surfaces of Didemnum sp. A appear very clean and not favorable substrates for epibiota settlement, but closer inspection revealed the presence of benthic foraminifera. During 2003 and 2004, 52 samples of Didemnum sp. A and other ascidians were collected to determine whether or not the foraminiferal assemblages might also be non-native and thus provide a potential clue to the place of origin of Didemnum sp. A. Sample locations included the New England coast from Connecticut to Maine (with a concentration in the Cape Cod area), northern California, Zeeland, The Netherlands, and Shakespeare Bay, New Zealand. From New England samples, 18 species of benthic foraminifera were identified. The most common species represented were Cornuspira involvens, C. planorbis, Elphidium galvestonense, E. margaritaceum, Glabratellina lauriei, Miliolinella subrotunda, Quinqueloculina bicornis, and Rosalina floridana. Foraminiferal assemblages on Didemnum sp. A from other regions sampled were composed of the same cosmopolitan species found in New England, plus other species which were indigenous to each region. Because no exotic foraminifera species were found it is concluded that Didemnum sp. A likely did not introduce non-native foraminifera originating from their native habitats into the New England region.     

Development and cross-species/genera transferability of microsatellite markers discovered using 454 genome sequencing in chokecherry (Prunus virginiana L.)

Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana L.) (2n?=?4x?=?32) is a unique Prunus species for both genetics and disease-resistance research due to its tetraploid nature and X-disease resistance. However, no genetic and genomic information on chokecherry is available. A partial chokecherry genome was sequenced using Roche 454 sequencing technology. A total of 145,094 reads covering 4.8?Mbp of the chokecherry genome were generated and 15,113 contigs were assembled, of which 11,675 contigs were larger than 100?bp in size. A total of 481 SSR loci were identified from 234 (out of 11,675) contigs and 246 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primer pairs were designed. Of 246 primers, 212 (86.2?%) effectively produced amplification from the genomic DNA of chokecherry. All 212 amplifiable chokecherry primers were used to amplify genomic DNA from 11 other rosaceous species (sour cherry, sweet cherry, black cherry, peach, apricot, plum, apple, crabapple, pear, juneberry, and raspberry). Thus, chokecherry SSR primers can be transferable across Prunus species and other rosaceous species. An average of 63.2 and 58.7?% of amplifiable chokecherry primers amplified DNA from cherry and other Prunus species, respectively, while 47.2?% of amplifiable chokecherry primers amplified DNA from other rosaceous species. Using random genome sequence data generated from next-generation sequencing technology to identify microsatellite loci appears to be rapid and cost-efficient, particularly for species with no sequence information available. Sequence information and confirmed transferability of the identified chokecherry SSRs among species will be valuable for genetic research in Prunus and other rosaceous species. Key message A total of 246 SSR primers were identified from chokecherry genome sequences. Of which, 212 were confirmed amplifiable both in chokecherry and other 11 other rosaceous species.     

Description of a new species of the genus Anochetus Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Orchid Island,Taiwan

A trap-jaw ant Anochetus lanyuensis sp. nov., belonging to the graeffei species group Brown, 1978, is described on the basis of worker and gyne castes from Orchid Island (Lanyu), Taiwan. A. lanyuensis sp. nov. is easily distinguishable from the other species in the graeffei species group by the large size of its eye, longitudinal striae on the pronotal disc, and concave dorsal margin of the petiolar node in the frontal view.     

A new species of Pithoascus and first report of this genus as endophyte associated with Ferula ovina

A newly described species of Pithoascus from roots of Ferula ovina differs from other Pithoascus species by producing larger ascomata than all described species except P. exsertus. The shape of its ascospores is similar to that of P. lunatus, but differs from it by having an asexual state. This new species differs from P. ater by having a sexual state. Phylogenetic analyses based on concatenated ITS rDNA, LSU rDNA and partial translation elongation factor 1 alpha gene datasets also confirmed the generic placement in Pithoascus and showed its close phylogenetic relationships to P. ater and P. lunatus.     

A new species of the Boophis rappiodes group (Anura,Mantellidae) from the Sahamalaza Peninsula,northwest Madagascar,with acoustic monitoring of its nocturnal calling activity

A new species of treefrog of the Boophis rappiodes group (Anura, Mantellidae) is described from the Sahamalaza – Iles Radama National Park in northwest Madagascar. This new species is green in colour with bright red speckling across its head and dorsum; similar in morphology to other species of this group including: B. bottae, B. rappiodes, B. erythrodactylus and B. tasymena. The new species can be distinguished by its advertisement call and by a genetic divergence of more than 4.9% in the analysed mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene fragment. Its call consists of two note types: a trill and a click; although similar sounding to B. bottae, the trill note of the new species has a faster pulse rate while the click note is predominantly two-pulsed rather than three. All individuals were detected from the banks of two streams in Ankarafa Forest. The new species represents the only member of the B. rappiodes group endemic to Madagascar’s western coast, with the majority of other members known from the eastern rainforest belt. Despite its conspicuous call, it has not been detected from other surveys of northwest Madagascar and it is likely to be a local endemic to the peninsula. The ranges of two other amphibian species also appear restricted to Sahamalaza, and so the area seems to support a high level of endemicity. Although occurring inside a National Park, this species is highly threatened by the continuing decline in the quality and extent of its habitat. Due to these threats it is proposed that this species should be classified as Critically Endangered according to the IUCN Red List criteria.     

Reproduction of the West Mediterranean endemic Arum pictum (Araceae) on Corsica

Pollination in the genus Arum appears to be in general a complex deceptive pollination process. The genus Arum is composed of 28 species, all belonging to the subgenus Arum, except A. pictum, the only species of the subgenus Gymnomesium, which is basal and sister to all other Arum species. The aim of this paper is to document the pollination ecology of the insular Arum pictum, the only Arum species to flower in autumn, on the island of Corsica (France). The anthesis cycle of A. pictum occurs during the day, attracting sphaerocerid flies and staphylinid beetles early in the morning and late in the afternoon of the first day. The pollen is released from the anthers early in the morning of the second day before the departure of the insects. Its thermogenic cycle matches the anthesis cycle with an original and unique, bimodal temperature pattern of the appendix (morning and afternoon), contrary to the unimodal pattern found in all other studied Arum species. Data from reproductive success and seed sets suggest that sexual reproduction in this species is limited by pollen (e.g. attracting lured insects) rather than by resources. The biology of this Western Mediterranean species appears to be different from other Western European Arum and close to some Eastern Mediterranean species. Further studies are needed to establish whether Arum pictum represents some ancestral stage or whether its peculiar biological traits are adapted to its insular distribution.     

A new Rhynchospora (Cyperaceae) from Cerro Pirre,Panama

While preparing a treatment of the genusRhynchospora forFlora Mesoamericana, a new species from Cerro Pirre was discovered.Rhynchospora pirrensis, described and illustrated here, can be distinguished from other species in sectionPaniculatae by its long, broad, mostly basal leaves and its punctatepapillose achenes. A key to all the broad-leaved species of that section is provided.     

A new species of mite (Acari: Histiostomatidae) phoretic on Gymnomus caesius (Diptera: Heleomyzidae) from Vlčie Diery cave

A new species of histiostomatid mite — Myianoetus sovat sp. n., based on the deutonymph, is described from the fly Gymnomus caesius. It differs from other species of Myianoetus by more characters of idiosomal morphometry, body and leg chaetotaxy, solenidiotaxy and shape of the adhering disc and its structures.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Phialemoniopsis endophytica</Emphasis> sp. nov., a new species of endophytic fungi from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Luffa cylindrica</Emphasis> in Henan,China

During a survey of endophytic fungi in the cucurbit plants collected from Henan, China, a new species, Phialemoniopsis endophytica was isolated from the lower stem of Luffa cylindrica. It differs from other Phialemoniopsis species by its cylindrical to flask-shaped phialides, falcate conidia with blunt ends, ostiolate pycnidium-like conidiomata without marginal setae and ellipsoidal chlamydospores. Multi-locus (ITS, LSU, ACT, and TUB) phylogenetic analysis confirmed that P. endophytica is distinct from other species. A synopsis of the morphological characters of the new species is provided.     

Elusive origins of the extra genes in Aspergillus oryzae

The genome sequence of Aspergillus oryzae revealed unexpectedly that this species has approximately 20% more genes than its congeneric species A. nidulans and A. fumigatus. Where did these extra genes come from? Here, we evaluate several possible causes of the elevated gene number. Many gene families are expanded in A. oryzae relative to A. nidulans and A. fumigatus, but we find no evidence of ancient whole-genome duplication or other segmental duplications, either in A. oryzae or in the common ancestor of the genus Aspergillus. We show that the presence of divergent pairs of paralogs is a feature peculiar to A. oryzae and is not shared with A. nidulans or A. fumigatus. In phylogenetic trees that include paralog pairs from A. oryzae, we frequently find that one of the genes in a pair from A. oryzae has the expected orthologous relationship with A. nidulans, A. fumigatus and other species in the subphylum Eurotiomycetes, whereas the other A. oryzae gene falls outside this clade but still within the Ascomycota. We identified 456 such gene pairs in A. oryzae. Further phylogenetic analysis did not however indicate a single consistent evolutionary origin for the divergent members of these pairs. Approximately one-third of them showed phylogenies that are suggestive of horizontal gene transfer (HGT) from Sordariomycete species, and these genes are closer together in the A. oryzae genome than expected by chance, but no unique Sordariomycete donor species was identifiable. The postulated HGTs from Sordariomycetes still leave the majority of extra A. oryzae genes unaccounted for. One possible explanation for our observations is that A. oryzae might have been the recipient of many separate HGT events from diverse donors.     

A new presumably widespread species of Albugo parasitic to Strigosella spp. (Brassicaceae)

White blister rust is one of the most common diseases in Brassicaceae. Recently, molecular approaches revealed that apart from Albugo candida, several other more specialized species of the genus are causing this disease on Brassicaceae and the diversity of this group still remains largely unexplored. All newly described species have so far been sampled only from a limited geographic range, except for Albugo species which followed their invasive host from Europe to other continents. In this study we show that a previously unknown species of Albugo is causing white blister rust disease on two species of Strigosella. This species can be distinguished from other species of the genus Albugo both by its phylogenetic position and its unique oospore ornamentation that might be an adaptation to the harsh environment of the host plants. As a consequence, Albugo arenosa is described and illustrated as a new species, so far known from Strigosella africana in Iran and Spain, and Strigosella brevipes in Iran. Apart from Albugo candida and Albugo lepidii, this is the third hitherto known species of Albugo s. str. with a confirmed native distribution range of several thousand kilometres.     

Aspergillus felis sp. nov., an Emerging Agent of Invasive Aspergillosis in Humans,Cats, and Dogs

We describe a novel heterothallic species in Aspergillus section Fumigati, namely A. felis (neosartorya-morph) isolated from three host species with invasive aspergillosis including a human patient with chronic invasive pulmonary aspergillosis, domestic cats with invasive fungal rhinosinusitis and a dog with disseminated invasive aspergillosis. Disease in all host species was often refractory to aggressive antifungal therapeutic regimens. Four other human isolates previously reported as A. viridinutans were identified as A. felis on comparative sequence analysis of the partial β-tubulin and/or calmodulin genes. A. felis is a heterothallic mold with a fully functioning reproductive cycle, as confirmed by mating-type analysis, induction of teleomorphs within 7 to 10 days in vitro and ascospore germination. Phenotypic analyses show that A. felis can be distinguished from the related species A. viridinutans by its ability to grow at 45°C and from A. fumigatus by its inability to grow at 50°C. Itraconazole and voriconazole cross-resistance was common in vitro.     

Ty1-copia group retrotransposon sequences in amphibia and reptilia

We have isolated sequences belonging to Tyl-copia group retrotransposons from the genomes of an amphibian (Pyxicephalus adspersa) and three reptiles (Conolophus subscristatus, Amblyrynchus cristatus and Pytas mucosus). Two different seqences were found in the amphibian (Tpa1 and Tpa2). Each is present in several copies per genome and absent from the genomes of two other amphibian species. The C. subcristatus sequence Tcs1 is present in multiple copies in both its host genome (Galapagos land iguana) and the genome of the related Galapagos marine iguana (A. cristatus). There is little or no polymorphism in Tcs1 insertions between different individual animals, suggesting that this sequence is not transposing rapidly in either iguana genome. The P. mucosus sequence Tpm1 shows a discontinuous distribution in snake species, suggesting that it has either been lost from many lineages during vertical germline transmission or has been transferred horizontally in some snake species. Phylogenetic comparisons of all these sequences with each other and with other members of this retrotransposon group from other animals and plants show that sequences within a particular vertebrate species are most closely related to each other, consistent with a vertical transmission model for their evolution.     

The calcium-stimulated lipid A 3-O deacylase from Rhizobium etli is not essential for plant nodulation

The lipid A component of lipopolysaccharide from the nitrogen-fixing plant endosymbiont, Rhizobium etli, is structurally very different from that found in most enteric bacteria. The lipid A from free-living R. etli is structurally heterogeneous and exists as a mixture of species which are either pentaacylated or tetraacylated. In contrast, the lipid A from R. etli bacteroids is reported to consist exclusively of tetraacylated lipid A species. The tetraacylated lipid A species in both cases lack a β-hydroxymyristoyl chain at the 3-position of lipid A. Here, we show that the lipid A modification enzyme responsible for 3-O deacylation in R. etli is a homolog of the PagL protein originally described in Salmonella enterica sv. typhimurium. In contrast to the PagL proteins described from other species, R. etli PagL displays a calcium dependency. To determine the importance of the lipid A modification catalyzed by PagL, we isolated and characterized a R. etli mutant deficient in the pagL gene. Mass spectrometric analysis confirmed that the mutant strain was exclusively tetraacylated and radiochemical analysis revealed that 3-O deacylase activity was absent in membranes prepared from the mutant. The R. etli mutant was not impaired in its ability to form nitrogen-fixing nodules on Phaseolus vulgaris but it displayed slower nodulation kinetics relative to the wild-type strain. The lipid A modification catalyzed by R. etli PagL, therefore, is not required for nodulation but may play other roles such as protecting bacterial endosymbionts from plant immune responses during infection.