Ten new species of caddisflies (Insecta: Trichoptera) from the Baltic amber

Ten new species of caddisflies of the families Polycentropodidae (nine) and Molannidae (one) are described from the Eocene Baltic amber: Holocentropus peregrinator sp. nov., H. proximorepertus sp. nov., H. dugoi sp. nov., H. fundamentalis sp. nov., H. telergon sp. nov., Plectrocnemia varigoria sp. nov., P. synthesia sp. nov., P. novokshonovi sp. nov., Nyctiophylax valideturbidus sp. nov., and Molanna okraina sp. nov.     

A new caddisfly of the fossil genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Archaeotinodes</Emphasis> (Insecta: Trichoptera: Ecnomidae) from the Baltic amber

A new caddisfly species of the fossil genus Archaeotinodes, A. igneusaper sp. nov., is described from the Upper Eocene Baltic amber. The new species is close to A. pauper Ulmer, 1912 and A. lanceolata Ulmer, 1912 from the Baltic amber, differing from these in the structure of the male genitalia.     

Phylogeny of the Ecnomidae (Insecta: Trichoptera)

Ecnomidae are a family of seven previously accepted extant genera having a typical Gondwanan distribution, except one genus ( Ecnomus ) being widely distributed also in the Oriental and Palearctic regions. We analysed a molecular data set of 3379 characters representing the sum of four different protein-coding genes (COI, CAD, EF-1a and POL-II). Six equally most parsimonious trees were generated from the combined data set, distributed into two distinct islands. In all maximum parsimony (MP) trees the Ecnomidae is monophyletic when the genus Zelandoptila (Psychomyiidae) is included. The sister group to Ecnomidae including Zelandoptila is Pseudoneureclipsis , previously classified in the other families. This sister-group relationship contradicts earlier findings that the Polycentropodidae are the sister group to Ecnomidae. A Bayesian analysis resulted in a monophyletic Ecnomidae when accepting inclusion of Pseudoneureclipsis , which contradicts the results from the MP analysis by leaving Zelandoptila as the sister group to Ecnomidae including Pseudoneureclipsis . In the majority rule tree from this analysis Polycentropodidae form the sister group to Ecnomidae. We were not able to obtain a monophyletic Ecnomus due to the inclusion of Psychomyillodes . We conclude that the genus Zelandoptila or Pseudoneureclipsis probably belongs to the Ecnomidae, and that Psychomyiellodes and Ecnomus are synonyms. Three additional, as yet undescribed monotypic genera from Australia and New Caledonia remain to be erected in Ecnomidae.
© The Willi Hennig Society 2009.     

Seven new species of caddisflies (Insecta: Trichoptera) from the Rovno amber (Eocene of Ukraine)

Seven new caddisfly species of the families Polycentropodidae, Psychomyiidae, and Lepidostomatidae are described from the Late Eocene Rovno amber: Holocentropus kobodok sp. nov., H. zhiltsovae sp. nov., Plectrocnemia nastigermania sp. nov., P. ucrainica sp. nov., Nyctiophylax terreusbos sp. nov., Lype essentia sp. nov., and Lepidostoma quasitypica sp. nov.     

New long-horned caddisflies in Eocene Baltic amber (Insecta,Trichoptera)

We describe two new extinct caddisflies, Electroadicella kuenowi sp. nov. and Triaenodes simoni sp. nov., embedded in Baltic amber. Both species belong to the tribe Triaenodini and enlarge the family Leptoceridae to a remarkable number of 18 extinct Eocene species from Baltic amber. The extinct Electroadicella and the extant Triaenodes are possibly closely related, by a distinct synapomorphy, a recurved process from the basal plate of the inferior appendages of the ninth abdominal segment in the male genitalia.     

New species of caddisflies (Insecta: Trichoptera) from the Rovno amber,Eocene of Ukraine

A new genus and seven new species of the caddisfly families Philopotamidae, Polycentropodidae, Ecnomidae, Hydroptilidae, and Leptoceridae (Wormaldia nasticentia sp. nov., Holocentropus flexiflagrum sp. nov., Electrocyrnus perpusillus gen. et sp. nov., Archaeotinodes reveraverus sp. nov., Agraylea electroscientia sp. nov., Triplectides palaeoslavicus sp. nov., and Leptocerus solifemella sp. nov.) from the Rovno amber (Upper Eocene, Ukraine) are described     

Sinaspidoneura magnifica nov. gen., nov. sp., first Chinese Caloneurodea (Insecta: Archaeorthoptera)

We describe the first Chinese Caloneurodea, Sinaspidoneura magnifica nov. gen., nov. sp., from the middle Permian Yinping Formation. This new genus and species belongs to the small family Aspidoneuridae, previously known from two genera and species, one from the latest Carboniferous of France and another from the late early Permian of North America. This discovery shows that this order was more widespread during the middle Permian than previously supposed, under a great variety of palaeoclimates. This clade is still unknown in the late Permian, and possibly became extinct because of the crisis of biodiversity that happened at the end of the middle Permian.     

A new species of tumbling flower beetles of the genus Mordellaria (Insecta: Coleoptera: Mordellidae) from the Baltic amber

The beetle Mordellaria friedrichi sp. nov. is described from the Baltic amber. The new species differs from extant species of the genus in the shape of the eyes and antennae and in the ratios of the length of the pygidium and length of the elytron, pronotum, and anal sternite.     

Protoxenidae fam. nov. (Insecta, Strepsiptera) from Baltic amber — a 'missing link' in strepsipteran phylogeny

A male specimen of a new strepsipteran genus and species ( Protoxenos janzeni gen. et sp. nov.) and family (Protoxenidae fam. nov.) found in Baltic amber is described and illustrated. It shows features which are apparently more plesiomorphic than in hitherto known strepsipterans, such as laterally inserted eight-segmented antennae, very robust mandibles with a broad base, a prominent galea, a comparatively short, transverse metapostnotum, hindwings that are feebly extended in a rostrocaudal direction, and equally sclerotized abdominal tergites and sternites. Based on a cladistic analysis of 46 characters of males of 11 genera and three outgroup taxa, P. janzeni is the sister group of all other known strepsipterans, and Mengea the sister group of Strepsiptera s.s . Eoxenos is the sister group of the remaining extant strepsipterans and Mengenillidae is therefore paraphyletic. Newly established groundplan features of Strepsiptera will facilitate the clarification of the systematic position of the Order in future studies.     

Heinrichsia cheilanthoides gen. et sp. nov., a fossil fern in the family Pteridaceae (Polypodiales) from the Cretaceous amber forests of Myanmar

Divergence time estimates suggest that most clades constituting the fern family Pteridaceae (Polypodiales) were in existence by the Early Cretaceous. However, fossil evidence to corroborate this remains exceedingly rare. Burmese amber is an important source of new information on the radiation of derived fern lineages during the Cretaceous Terrestrial Revolution. This study describes Heinrichsia cheilanthoides gen. et sp. nov., a fern with suggested affinities to Pteridaceae, based on fertile foliage portions preserved in Early Cretaceous (~100 Ma) amber from Myanmar. Heinrichsia cheilanthoides is characterized by a pinnate‐pinnatifid frond that bears apical, marginal sori protected by a pseudoindusium. Sporangia are of the polypod type and contain tetrahedral‐globose, trilete spores with a striate perine. This discovery provides a new calibration point to test and refine molecular clock‐based concepts of the evolutionary history of the Pteridaceae. Heinrichsia cheilanthoides further substantiates the suggestion that the Cretaceous forests of Myanmar were home to a rich fern flora.     

Periconia variicolor sp. nov., a new species from Puerto Rico

Periconia variicolor was isolated from water of an evaporation pond used for salt production on the southwestern coast of Puerto Rico. On the basis of cultural and morphological characteristics and ITS sequence it is describe as a new species of Periconia.     

Arcobacter molluscorum sp. nov., a new species isolated from shellfish

Nineteen bacteria isolates recovered from shellfish samples (mussels and oysters) showed a new and specific 16S rDNA-RFLP pattern with an Arcobacter identification method designed to recognize all species described up to 2008. These results suggested that they could belong to a new species. ERIC-PCR revealed that the 19 isolates belonged to 3 different strains. The sequence of the 16S rRNA gene of a representative strain (F98-3^T) showed 97.6% similarity with the closest species Arcobacter marinus followed by Arcobacter halophilus (95.6%) and Arcobacter mytili (94.7%). The phylogenetic analysis with the16S rRNA, rpoB, gyrB and hsp60 genes placed the shellfish strains within the same cluster as the three species mentioned (also isolated from saline habitats) but they formed an independent phylogenetic line. The DDH results between strain F98-3^T and A. marinus (54.8% ± 1.05), confirmed that it represents a new species. Several biochemical tests differentiated the shellfish isolates from all other Arcobacter species. Although the new species was different from A. mytili, they shared not only the same habitat (mussels) but also the characteristic of being so far the only Arcobacter species that are simultaneously negative for urea and indoxyl acetate hydrolysis. All results supported the classification of the shellfish strains as a new species, for which the name Arcobacter molluscorum sp. nov. with the type strain F98-3^T is proposed (=CECT 7696^T = LMG 25693^T).     

Herminiimonas aquatilis sp. nov., a new species from drinking water

A bacterial strain (CCUG 36956T) isolated from drinking water was taxonomically studied in detail. Phylogenetic analyses using the 16S rRNA gene sequence of the isolate indicated that it belongs to family Oxalobacteraceae of the beta-subclass of the Proteobacteria, with the highest sequence similarity of 99.3% to the type strain of Herminiimonas fonticola. In the polyamine pattern putrescine and 2-hydroxyputrescine were the predominant compounds. In the polar lipid profile major compounds were phosphatidyl ethanolamine and diphosphatidyl glycerol. Phosphatidyl glycerol and an unknown phospholipid were detected in moderate proportions. The major respiratory quinone was a ubiquinone Q-8 and the major whole cell fatty acids were 16:1 omega7c, 17:1 omega6c, and 16:0. The strain also contained 10:0 3-OH and other fatty acids typical for members of the genus Herminiimonas. The results of DNA-DNA hybridizations and physiological and biochemical tests allowed genotypic and phenotypic differentiation of strain CCUG 36956T from H. fonticola. For this reason, we propose that strain CCUG 36956T represents a new species of the genus Herminiimonas for which we propose the name Herminiimonas aquatilis sp. nov.     

Description of Pintomyia (Pifanomyia) brazilorum sp. nov. a new fossil species from the Dominican Republic (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae)

A sand fly fossil was found in amber; a vegetal resin, which allows all the external phlebotomine structures to be seen. The piece that contains the new species is 14 mm long x 8 mm wide x 3 mm high. All the structures from the head, thorax, and abdomen were examined under the microscope and measured with a calibrated micrometric eyepiece. The morphological aspects of the new species suggest its inclusion in the Pintomyia genus, Pifanomyia subgenus though it is not possible to include it in any of the series known for this subgenus. The presence of two atrophied spines on the gonostyles and gonocoxites without tufts of setae permit the exclusion of the new species from the other species of the subgenus Pifanomyia. The new species is named Pintomyia (Pifanomyia) brazilorum sp. nov.     

Alternaria jesenskae sp. nov., a new species from Slovakia on Fumana procumbens (Cistaceae)

Alternaria jesenskae sp. nov. recovered from seeds of a shrubby perennial plant Fumana procumbens (Cistaceae) in Slovakia is described and illustrated. The new taxon can be clearly separated from the other related large-spored and filament-beaked Alternaria species based on sequences of the ITS1, 5.8S and ITS2 region as well as by its distinctive morphology. Even though the molecular data have shown close relatedness with A. multirostrata, the new species is morphologically most similar to A. tomatophila distinguished primarily by the pronounced colony pigmentation, conidial septation and beak branching.     

Flavobacterium oncorhynchi sp. nov., a new species isolated from rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Eighteen isolates of a Gram-negative, catalase and oxidase-positive, rod-shaped bacterium, recovered from diseased rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), were characterized, using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. Studies based on comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that that the eighteen new isolates shared 99.2-100% sequence similarities. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that isolates from trout belonged to the genus Flavobacterium, showing the highest sequence similarities to F. chungangense (98.6%), F. frigidimaris (98.1%), F. hercynium (97.9%) and F. aquidurense (97.8%). DNA-DNA reassociation values between the trout isolates (exemplified by strain 631-08(T)) and five type strains of the most closely related Flavobacterium species exhibited less than 27% similarity. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 33.0 mol%. The major respiratory quinone was observed to be menaquinone 6 (MK-6) and iso-C(15:0), C(15:0) and C(16:1) ω7c the predominant fatty acids. The polar lipid profile of strain 631-08(T) consisted of phosphatidylethanolamine, unknown aminolipids AL1 and AL3, lipids L1, L2, L3 and L4 and phospholipid PL1. The novel isolates were differentiated from related Flavobacterium species by physiological and biochemical tests. On the basis of the evidence from this polyphasic study, it is proposed that the isolates from rainbow trout be classified as a new species of the genus Flavobacterium, Flavobacterium oncorhynchi sp. nov. The type strain is 631-08(T) (= CECT 7678(T) = CCUG 59446(T)).