Dinoflagellate cysts,Acritarchs and Tasmanitids from the uppermost Callovian of England and Scotland: With a reconsideration of the “xanthidium pilosum” problem

Four assemblages of fossil organic-walled microphytoplankton from the Upper Callovian (Lamberti Zone), three from England and one from Scotland, are described. They comprise at least 50 species of dinoflagellate cysts, 18 species of acritarchs and 2 species of tasmanitids. After a review of the «Xanthidium pilosum problem, a revised diagnosis is proposed for Sentusidinium pilosum (Ehrenberg) and three new species, Sentusidinium creberbarbatum, S. sparsibarbatum and S. erythrocomum are proposed. The new family name Scriniodiniaceae is substituted for the now invalid family name Endoscriniaceae. The new genus Escharisphaeridia is proposed to contain two existing species, E. pococki (Sarjeant) and E. dictydia (Sarjeant). The present content of the genus Compositosphaeridium is examined; the new combination C. polonicum (Górka) is proposed and a new species, C. bulgaricum, is erected. One further new species of dinoflagellate cyst, Prolixosphaeridium anasillum, is proposed. The new term «peniplate is proposed for paraplates whose boundaries are penitabular in situation.One new species of acritarch, Solisphaeridium?rhachos, is described and the new combination Polygonium aster (Sarjeant) is proposed. Evidence for reworking of some of the species of Micrhystridium present in the Hackness Rock assemblage is noted, though it is considered that the majority of species in that assemblage are indigenous. It is considered that all four assemblages are derived from a single phytoplankton province, the differences between them resulting from environmental factors such as water depth or distance from a shoreline.     

Limonium failachicum (Plumbaginaceae) — New and so far the only endemic plant from Kuwait

Limonium failachicum, a new diploid (2n=18) species ofPlumbaginaceae, is described from Arabia. The species is taxonomically related toL. iranicum andL. carnosum. The new taxon is so far the only known endemic species for the State of Kuwait. Ecology and distribution of the new species is briefly discussed.     

Two new species of the genus Pliciloricus (Loricifera, Pliciloricidae) from the Faroe Bank, North Atlantic

Five cruises to the Faroe Bank in the northeast Atlantic revealed a rich loriciferan fauna inhabiting shell gravel to fine carbonate sand. This paper describes two new species of Pliciloricus found at depths of 120-260 m. Currently, only six species of this genus have been described from various localities around the world, but several new species are currently being described. The diagnosis of the genus Pliciloricus is emended to include the two new taxa. The first of the two new species Pliciloricus leocaudatus sp. n. is characterized by having four new kinds of scalids in the second row and an additional row of alternating plates in the eighth row. The second species Pliciloricus shukeri sp. n. is characterized in having a secondary double organ in the third row. The morphology of the two species, including the new structures, has been investigated using LM and scanning electron microscopy. Conclusively, the scalid pattern of the introvert of Pliciloricus has been re-evaluated, due to the finding of the new structures. Additionally, a discussion of the life cycle of the genus Pliciloricus is given, since the postlarval stage is reduced in both new species.     

A specialized new species of Ashicaulis (Osmundaceae,Filicales) from the Jurassic of Liaoning,NE China

A new species of structurally preserved fern rhizome, Ashicaulis plumites (Osmundaceae, Filicales), is described from the Middle Jurassic Tiaojishan Formation in western Liaoning Province, NE China. The new species is characterized by a peculiar sclerenchyma mass in the petiolar vascular bundle concavity. This sclerenchyma mass varies from a linear-shape to a mushroom-like shape with a remarkable outward protuberance, which distinguishes the present new species from other Ashicaulis species. Such a protuberance is very rare among osmundaceous ferns, and should represent a unique type for sclerenchymatous tissue in the osmundaceous vascular bundle concavity. Recognition of the peculiar structure of this new fossil species enriches anatomical diversity of permineralized osmundaceous ferns, indicating that the family Osmundaceae might have experienced a remarkable diversification during the Middle Jurassic in NE China. The new species show anatomical similarities to Osmunda pluma Miller from the Palaeocene of North America. The occurrence of A. plumites in the Middle Jurassic of China provides a new clue for understanding the evolution of some members of the living subgenus Osmunda.     

Systematics of the Monodelphic Species of Trichodoridae (Nematoda: Diphtherophorina) With Descriptions of a New Genus and Four New Species

To show the relationship of the monodelphic species of Trichodoridae with the nominal taxa, the genus Monotrichodorus is redefined, with the addition of one new species. The new genus Allotrichodorus is proposed on the basis of new species found in Brazil; and one new species is described in the genus Paratrichodorus.     

A New Species of Muscicapa Flycatcher from Sulawesi,Indonesia

The Indonesian island of Sulawesi, a globally important hotspot of avian endemism, has been relatively poorly studied ornithologically, to the extent that several new bird species from the region have been described to science only recently, and others have been observed and photographed, but never before collected or named to science. One of these is a new species of Muscicapa flycatcher that has been observed on several occasions since 1997. We collected two specimens in Central Sulawesi in 2012, and based on a combination of morphological, vocal and genetic characters, we describe the new species herein, more than 15 years after the first observations. The new species is superficially similar to the highly migratory, boreal-breeding Gray-streaked Flycatcher Muscicapa griseisticta, which winters in Sulawesi; however, the new species differs strongly from M. griseisticta in several morphological characters, song, and mtDNA. Based on mtDNA, the new species is only distantly related to M. griseisticta, instead being a member of the M. dauurica clade. The new species is evidently widely distributed in lowland and submontane forest throughout Sulawesi. This wide distribution coupled with the species'' apparent tolerance of disturbed habitats suggests it is not currently threatened with extinction.     

The genus Erechthias Meyrick of Ascension Island,including discovery of a new brachypterous species (Lepidoptera,Tineidae)

One previously named and two new species of the tineid genus Erechthias Meyrick are described and illustrated from the small, remote, mid-Atlantic Ascension Island. With these additions the Lepidoptera fauna of Ascension now totals 38 known species. Little is known regarding the biology of the two new species of Erechthias, and none of the species has been reared from larvae from Ascension. Erechthias minuscula (Walsingham) is a widespread, largely pantropical species first described from the West Indies. Larvae of Erechthias minuscula are known to be scavengers on a wide variety of dead plant material. Erechthias ascensionae,new species, is one of two species of Erechthias now known to be endemic to the island. The other endemic species, Erechthias grayi, new species, is further remarkable in having wing reduction occurring in both sexes. It is one of the few species of Lepidoptera known where this extreme of brachyptery involving both sexes has evolved. The larvae of Erechthias grayi are believed to be lichenivorous, and larval cases suspected to represent this species are illustrated.     

Arberella (Poaceae: Bambusoideae): A new genus from tropical America

Arberella, a new genus of bambusoid grasses, is established, based on the newly described species,A. dressiert. Also belonging to this new genus are the taxa originally namedOlyra flaccida andRaddia costa-ricensis and several new species from Panama and Brazil which will be described later. The new genus is presented in a key to the genera of the tribe Olyreae, of which it is a member, and a key is given to the three species treated in this paper.     

New taxa and revisionary systematics of alcyonacean octocorals from the Pacific coast of North America (Cnidaria,Anthozoa)

A taxonomic assessment of four species of octocorals from the northeastern Pacific Ocean (British Columbia to California) is provided. Included here are a new species of clavulariid stolonifieran Cryptophyton, a new species of the nephtheid soft coral Gersemia, an undetermined species of soft coral in the genus Alcyonium that has been referred in the literature by several other names, and a new genus is named for a plexaurid sea fan originally described in the Indo-Pacific genus Euplexaura. Discussions are included that compare the species to related taxa, or provide revisionary assessments.     

A new genus and species from Borneo and a new species from Java and Sumatra of Cicadini (Hemiptera: Cicadidae)

A new cicada genus and species, Minilomia triquetra, gen. and sp. nov., is described from Borneo. The new genus Minilomia is closely allied to Platylomia Stål and is placed in the subtribe Dundubiina of the tribe Cicadini. Another new cicada species, Pomponia brevicaudata, sp. nov. (subtribe Psithyristriina), is described from Java and Sumatra. The new species belongs to the Pomponia linearis species group and the P. linearis species complex but is distinguished from its congeners by the unusually short male abdomen.     

Oreocharis xieyongii,an unusual new species of Gesneriaceae from western Hunan,ChinaOA

A new species,Oreocharis xieyongii T.Deng,D.G.Zhang & H.Sun,from Hunan Province,central China,is described.The combination of purple zygomorphic corolla with longer adaxial lobes and exserted stamens defines the species and discriminates it from all other current Oreocharis species.Morphological traits of the new species were compared to those of two similar species,Oreocharis xiangguiensis and 0.rubrostriata.Phylogenetic analysis indicates that the new species is nested within the Oreochari...     

A new Planthopper (Insecta: Hemiptera: Nogodinidae) from Chiapas amber, middle Miocene of Mexico

A new species of Planthopper, Nogodina chiapaneca sp. nov. from the Mexican Chiapas amber (southeast Mexico) is described. The new species belongs to Nogodinidae: Nogodinini: Nogodinina. This is the second nogodinid species described from Mexican amber. Both species belong to Nogodinina, a taxon with a Neotropical distribution. The only recent species of Nogodina, N. reticulata, ranges from Honduras to Brazil and is unknown from Mexico yet.     

Two new species of Melanoleuca (Agaricales,Basidiomycota) from northeastern China,supported by morphological and molecular data

Two new species, Melanoleuca leucopoda and M. porphyropoda, are described based on collections made from Shenyang City, Liaoning Province, China. Melanoleuca leucopoda is mainly characterized by its whitish stipe with fibrils and oblong spores with elongated warts. Melanoleuca porphyropoda differs from all other Melanoleuca species in lacking cystidia and in having decurrent gills and a purplish stipe. The sequences of internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2) of Melanoleuca species were analyzed and the results indicated that two new species clustered into two clades and differed from the other species of the genus. The combination of morphological and molecular data confirmed that the two fungi are new species. The morphological similarity of the new species to other species of Melanoleuca and the systematic position of the two species based on molecular data are also discussed.     

A new genus and species in the tribe Empoascini (Hemiptera,Cicadellidae, Typhlocybinae) from China

One new leafhopper genus, Circinans, is described with a new species Circinans striata sp. n. as the type species from southern China. Habitus photos and illustrations of male genitalia of this new species are given and differences between the new genus and closely related genera are discussed.     

Discovery of Steninae from Ningxia,Northwest China (Coleoptera,Staphylinidae)

A study on the Steninae of Ningxia Autonomous Region is presented. Sixteen species are recognized, including new province records for 11 species and four new species: Stenus biwenxuani sp. n., Stenus liupanshanus sp. n., Dianous yinziweii sp. n., Dianous ningxiaensis sp. n. Habitus photos of the new species, illustrations of diagnostic characters of all species and a key to species of the Steninae recorded from Ningxia are provided.     

A new species of Nicon Kinberg, 1866 (Polychaeta,Nereididae) from Ecuador,Eastern Pacific,with a?key?to?all known?species?of the genus

A new species of Nicon Kinberg, 1866 from the east Pacific coast of Ecuador is described. The new species is characterized by a long, thin dorsal ligule on median and posterior parapodia and infracicular sesquigomph falcigers in the neuropodia. A key to all species of Nicon is provided.     

Japanese species of the Longibrachiatum Clade of Trichoderma

The Longibrachiatum Clade of the genus Trichoderma in Japan was examined, among which two new species and three new records are herewith reported. The new species, T. tsugarense and T. kunigamense were isolated from a bed log (cultivation of Lentinula edodes) and volcanic ash soil, respectively. These species are distinguished from closely related species by growth and morphological characteristics and in phylogenetic analysis. Additional species new to Japan were T. ghanense, T. parareesei and T. sinense. The significance of their distribution is discussed. Most species of the Longibrachiatum Clade are tropical rather than temperate in distribution. Their in vitro optimum growth tends to be >35 °C but the optimum temperature for some Japanese species was lower. Some species are endophytes of temperate plant species, some of which are endemic in Japan.