First record of the host plant and larvae of Pachyrhynchus sonani (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) on Lanyu Island,Taiwan

Pachyrhynchus sonani Kôno, 1930, a legally protected species in Taiwan, is endemic to Lanyu Island (Orchid Island) and Ludao Island (Green Island). Because of its unclear life history, the host and immature stages of this species in the wild have not so far been recorded. On Lanyu Island, we recently identified Barringtonia asiatica as a host plant of P. sonani, with several larvae feeding on its xylem. Herein, we describe its biology and the habitat surrounding the host plant.     

A new genus of Entiminae from North Africa,supported by a phylogenetic analysis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Entiminae)

The genus Holcophloeus gen. nov. is here proposed to include Trachyphloeus cruciatus Seidlitz, 1868, and two new species native to North Africa, based on a phylogenetic analysis and an evaluation of the diagnostic characters. The taxonomic position of Holcophloeus in relation to the tribes Trachyphloeini Lacordaire, 1863, and Holcorhinini Desbrochers, 1898, is discussed, and the new genus is attributed to the Holcorhinini. Holcophloeus laurae sp. nov. from south‐eastern Morocco and Holcophloeus weilli sp. nov. from northern Libya are described and illustrated and a key to the species of the new genus is given. The lectotype of Trachyphloeus cruciatus Seidlitz, 1868, is designated. The genus Massimiellus Borovec, 2009, is transferred from Trachyphloeini to Holcorhinini. © 2013 The Linnean Society of London     

PCR gut analysis reveals that Tenuiphantes tenuis (Araneae: Linyphiidae) is a potentially significant predator of Argentine stem weevil,Listronotus bonariensis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), in New Zealand pastures

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) gut analysis was conducted on specimens of the introduced spider Tenuiphantes tenuis collected from dairy pasture in Canterbury, New Zealand. PCR primers were specifically designed to amplify a fragment of the mitochondrial gene cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) from Listronotus bonariensis and revealed that this major pasture pest species is consumed in the field by T. tenuis. The field predation rate of L. bonariensis by T. tenuis was estimated from our PCR results together with published data on the degradation of DNA and the density of T. tenuis in Canterbury pastures. We found that T. tenuis is a potentially significant predator of L. bonariensis in New Zealand pastures.     

Documenting the short‐tailed albatross (Phoebastria albatrus) clades historically present in British Columbia,Canada, through ancient DNA analysis of archaeological specimens

The short‐tailed albatross (Phoebastria albatrus) is a threatened seabird whose present‐day range encompasses much of the North Pacific. Within this species, there are two genetic clades (Clades 1 and 2) that have distinctive morphologies and foraging ecologies. Due to a global population collapse in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the frequency of these clades among the short‐tailed albatross population that historically foraged off British Columbia, Canada, is unclear. To document the species'' historical genetic structure in British Columbia, we applied ancient DNA (aDNA) analysis to 51 archaeological short‐tailed albatross specimens from the Yuquot site (Borden site number: DjSp‐1) that span the past four millennia. We obtained a 141 bp cytochrome b sequence from 43 of the 51 (84.3%) analyzed specimens. Analyses of these sequences indicate 40 of the specimens belong to Clade 1, while 2 belong to Clade 2. We also identified a single specimen with a novel cytochrome b haplotype. Our results indicate that during the past four millennia most of the short‐tailed albatrosses foraging near Yuquot belonged to Clade 1, while individuals from other lineages made more limited use of the area. Comparisons with the results of previous aDNA analyses of archaeological albatrosses from Japanese sites suggest the distribution of Clades 1 and 2 differed. While both albatross clades foraged extensively in the Northwest Pacific, Clade 1 albatrosses appear to have foraged along the west coast of Vancouver Island to a greater extent. Due to their differing distributions, these clades may be exposed to different threats.     

A phylogenetic analysis of the Illiciaceae based on sequences of internal transcribed spacers (ITS) of nuclear ribosomal DNA

Sequences of the internal transcribed spacers (ITS) of nuclear ribosomal DNA were determined for 15 species ofIllicium (Illiciaceae) to examine phylogenetic relationships. The ITS trees show a major dichotomy between the two North American species (I. floridanum andI. parviflorum) and the remaining east Asian species. This suggests that the existing division between two sections (sect.Illicium and sect.Cymbostemon) ofIllicium based on tepal characters in unnatural. The ITS phylogeny shows congruence with palynology: of the species examined, the three species (I. angustisepalum, I. anisatum andI. fargesii) from sect.Illicium that possess trizonocolpate pollen consistently form a clade, although nesting within a clade consisting of the species of sect.Cymbostemon, which generally have trisyncolpate pollen. The low ITS sequence divergence and the close relationship among east Asian species suggest a recent diversification of this group of species or an unusual slowdown of sequence mutations.     

A phylogenetic analysis of Primulaceae s.l. based on internal transcribed spacer (ITS) DNA sequence data

 Phylogenetic relationships in Primulaceae were investigated by analysis of nuclear rDNA ITS sequences. Thirty-four species of Primulaceae, two of Myrsinaceae and four outgroup taxa were analyzed. In accordance to the results of recently published papers on the phylogeny of Primulaceae we found the family to be paraphyletic and resolved the positions of some genera. Our results show (a) the rather basal position of Centunculus within Lysimachieae, the genus thus being rather distantly related to Anagallis, (b) the close relationship between Lysimachia sect. Lerouxia, Anagallis, Asterolinon, and Pelletiera, (c) the well-supported monophyly of a group consisting of the four genera Hottonia, Omphalogramma, Bryocarpum, and Soldanella, and (d) the affinity of Stimpsonia to the Myrsinaceae-Lysimachieae-Ardisiandra clade. The ITS sequence data do not provide sufficient information to resolve basal relationships within the Primulaceae s.l. There is evidence against the monophyly of the large genera Primula, Androsace, and Lysimachia. In contrast to the phylogenetic reconstructions based on plastid gene sequences, Cyclamen does not appear as a member of the Myrsinaceae-Lysimachieae clade, but its position remains unclear. Revised July 10, 2002; accepted November 21, 2002 Published online: March 20, 2003     

Tribes of Boraginoideae (Boraginaceae) and placement of Antiphytum, Echiochilon, Ogastemma and Sericostoma: A phylogenetic analysis based on atpB plastid DNA sequence data

 The genera Antiphytum, Echiochilon, Ogastemma and Sericostoma, which have been difficult to place within the tribes of the subfamily Boraginoideae (Boraginaceae), are analysed using plastid atpB sequence data. A selection of Boraginaceae genera was used to obtain a framework for the phylogenetic position of Antiphytum, Echiochilon, Ogastemma and Sericostoma. Sericostoma is found to belong within Echiochilon. The new tribe Echiochileae, Boragineae and Lithospermeae are monophyletic but the tribes Eritrichieae and Cynoglosseae are paraphyletic. The biogeography of Echiochileae (Echiochilon and Ogastemma from Africa and western Asia, and Antiphytum from America) is discussed. Received November 27, 2001; accepted March 20, 2002 Published online: November 14, 2002 ? Springer-Verlag 2002 Addresses of the authors: Elisabeth L?ngstr?m (e-mail: elisabeth.langstrom@ebc.uu.se), Department of Systematic Botany, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Norbyv?gen 18D, SE-752 36 Uppsala, Sweden. Mark W. Chase, Jodrell Laboratory, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, TW9 3DS, UK.     

Arthrospira ('Spirulina') strains from four continents are resolved into only two clusters, based on amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis of the internally transcribed spacer

We present the results of a phylogenetic study, based on amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis of the rDNA operon, of 37 Arthrospira ('Spirulina') cultivated clonal strains from four continents. In addition, duplicates from different culture collections or markedly different morphotypes of particular strains established as clonal cultures were treated as separate entries, resulting in a total of 51 tested cultures. The strain Spirulina laxissima SAG 256.80 was included as outgroup. The 16S rRNA genes appeared too conserved for discrimination of the strains by amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis, and thus the internally transcribed spacer was selected as molecular taxonomic marker. The internally transcribed spacer sequences situated between the 16S and the 23S rRNA were amplified by polymerase chain reaction and yielded amplicons of about 540 bp. Direct use of cells for polymerase chain reaction seemed to inhibit the amplification reaction. This was overcome by the design of a crude lysis protocol and addition of bovine serum albumin in the polymerase chain reaction mix. The amplicons were digested with four restriction enzymes (EcoRV, Hhal, Hinfl, Msel) and the banding patterns obtained were analyzed. Cluster analysis showed the separation of all the strains into two main clusters. No clear relationships could be observed between this division into two clusters and the geographic origin of the strains, or their designation in the culture collections, or their morphology.