COCCULINIFORM LIMPETS (COCCULINIDAE AND PYROPELTIDAE) LIVING ON WHALE BONE IN THE DEEP SEA OFF CALIFORNIA

Cocculiniform limpets of the families Cocculinidae and Pyropeltidaeare here reported for the first time on whale bone in the deepsea. The new species and records of previously described speciesare from four whale-falls at bathyal depths on the continentalmargin off California, from Monterey Bay to the Catalina Basin.The family Cocculinidae is represented by the new species Cocculinacraigsmithi. With few exceptions, the previously known speciesof Cocculinidae are known from wood substrates. The family Pyropeltidaeis represented by three species: Pyropelta musaica McLean &Haszprunar, 1987, originally described from the Juan de Fucahydrothermal vents, Pyropelta corymba McLean & Haszprunar,1987, originally described from the hydrothermal vent habitatat the Guaymas Basin, and one new species, P. wakefieldi. Thetwo previously known species of Pyropelta have heretofore beenregarded as obligate members of the sulfide habitat of hydrothermalvents. Pyropelta species are the first gastropods known fromboth habitats. Like the hydrothermal-vent habitat, the newlyreported habitat on whale bone is also a sulfide-rich, reducingenvironment. (Received 20 January 1991; accepted 28 April 1992)     

The genus Gottschelia Grolle (Jungermanniopsida,Lophoziaceae) in China,with a description of G. grollei,sp. nov.

Abstract

The genus Gottschelia Grolle is reported as new to mainland China, from Yunnan Province. Previously G. schizopleura (Spruce) Grolle was the only known Chinese species, reported from Taiwan. However, two further species have recently been found in the Gaoligong Shan range, Yunnan Province, G. patoniae Grolle, Schill & D.G. Long, previously known from the East Himalaya of Nepal and India (Sikkim) and G. grollei D.G. Long & Váňa, described here as a new species endemic to China, the fourth known species in the genus. The differences between the three Chinese species are enumerated with notes on distribution and ecology.     

Resolving the taxonomy of the Polysiphonia scopulorum complex and the Bryocladia lineage (Rhodomelaceae,Rhodophyta)

Cryptic diversity is common among marine macroalgae, with molecular tools leading to the discovery of many new species. To assign names to these morphologically similar species, the type and synonyms have to be examined, and if appropriate, new species must be described. The turf-forming red alga Polysiphonia scopulorum was originally described from Rottnest Island, Australia, and subsequently widely reported in tropical and temperate coasts based on morphological identifications. A recent study of molecular species delineation revealed a complex of 12 species in Australia, South Africa, and Europe. These species are placed in a taxonomically unresolved lineage of the tribe Polysiphonieae. The aim of this study was to resolve the genus- and species-level taxonomy of this complex and related species using molecular and morphological information. Three morphologically indistinguishable species of the complex were found at the type locality of P. scopulorum, preventing a straightforward assignment of the name to any of the molecular lineages. Therefore, we propose a molecularly characterized epitype. Polysiphonia caespitosa is reinstated for the only species found in its type locality in South Africa. We describe seven new species. Only one species of the complex can be morphologically recognized, with the other eight species indistinguishable based on morphometric analysis. The studied complex, together with another seven species currently placed in Polysiphonia and two Bryocladia species, formed a clade distinct from Polysiphonia sensu stricto. Based on observations of Bryocladia cervicornis (the generitype), we describe our seven new species in the genus Bryocladia and transfer another nine species from Polysiphonia to Bryocladia.     

Problematic cap-shaped fossils from the Lower Cambrian of North-East Greenland

Three species ofOcruranus Liu, 1979 are described from the Bastion Formation of North-East Greenland, of late Early Cambrian (middle Dyeran of North American usage) age, representing the youngest record of a genus originally described from the earliest Cambrian Meishucunian Stage of China. An accompanying species, tentatively assigned toXianfengella He &Yang, 1982, seems also to be present in South Australia in strata of late Early Cambrian (Botoman of Siberian usage) age, although also this genus was described originally from the Meishucunian.Ocruranus andXianfengella from China have been interpreted as possibly parts of coeloscleritophoran scleritomes, perhaps halkieriids, rather than individual molluscan shells. Their shell form is not typical of helcionelloids which otherwise dominate the Early Cambrian molluscan record, but conclusive evidence of affinity is not forthcoming from the Greenland records. New taxa:Ocruranus septentrionalis n. sp. andOcruranus tunuensis n. sp.      

Ditrichum austrogeorgicum: a synonym of D. hyalinum (Musci,Ditrichaceae)

Ditrichum austrogeorgicum (Card.) Seppelt, a species originally described in 1906 from South Georgia as Pseudodistichium austrogeorgicum Card., is considered to be conspecific with Ditrichum hyalinum (Mitt.) O. Kuntze. The latter had been first described in 1859 as Leptotrichum hyalinum Mitt. from material collected on the Falkland Islands and Hermite Island near Cape Horn, but it had been first recognized as a separate taxon, Didymodon longifolius (Brid.) Hook. f. & Wils. var. tenuifolius Hook. f. & Wils., in 1847. Pseudodistichium austrogeorgicum f. brevifolium Card. and P. austrogeorgicum var. longifolium Broth. in Card. & Broth. are reduced to synonymy with Ditrichum hyalinum. Some details of the type material of the last are illustrated.     

The genus Racomitrium (Grimmiaceae) in Brazil, with the first report of R. subsecundum in South America

Four species of the moss genusRacomitrium Brid. are reported from Brazil:R. subsecundum (Harv.) Wils,R. didymum (Mont.) Lorentz,R. crispipilum (Taylor) A. Jaeger, andR. visnadiae W. R. Buck.Racomitrium subsecundum is reported for the first time from South America in Brazil and Colombia. The species is fully described and illustrated.Racomitrium didymum is recorded for the first time from Brazil; the specimens previously assigned toR. crispulum (Hook.f. & Wils.) Hook.f. & Wils. represent this species.Racomitrium cucullatifolium Hampe andR. crispulum (Hook. f. & Wils.) Hook.f. & Wils. are excluded from the Brazilian bryophyte flora. All Brazilian species ofRacomitrium are briefly assessed taxonomically and bryogeographically and illustrated, and a key to their determination is given. A lectotype is selected forGrimmia didyma Mont.     

Distribution, Abundance and Molecular Analysis of Genus Barbadocladius Cranston & Krosch (Diptera, Chironomidae) in Tropical, High Altitude Andean Streams and Rivers

The distribution of the genus Barbadocladius Cranston & Krosch (Diptera: Chironomidae), previously reported from Chile to Bolivia, has extended northwards. Larvae, pupae and pupal exuviae of this genus have been found in the high mountain tropical streams of Peru to 9°22′56″, but are restricted to very high altitude streams (altitudes over 3,278 m asl) compared to the lower altitude streams (below 1,100 m asl) in which the genus is reported in Chile and Argentina. Based on morphological studies, both described species in the genus, Barbadocladius andinus Cranston & Krosch and Barbadocladius limay Cranston & Krosch, have been found in Peru as pupae or pupal exuviae. Morphological analysis of the larvae and pupae revealed no differences between the two described species from Patagonia and Peru, which are of similar size and with a similar armament of hooklets and spines in pupal tergites and sternites. However, molecular analysis of larvae and pupae revealed that in Peru, there are at least two different evolutionary lines, one distributed widely and another restricted to one site. Phylogenetic analysis (using cox1 mitochondrial sequences) of all available sequences of Barbadocladius shows that the Chilean and Argentinean material differs from that of Peru. Therefore, a total of four molecular segregates are identified, although morphologically, neither larvae nor the pupae may be differentiated.     

Tardigrades from Ecuador,with the Description of Two New Species: Mixibius ornatus n. sp. and Diphascon (Adropion) onorei n. sp. (Eutardigrada,Hypsibiidae)

Seven species are reported from Ecuador, South America, two of which, Mixibius ornatus and Diphascon (Adropion) onorei, are new to science. Mixibius ornatus n. sp. differs from Mixibius saracenus (Pilato 1973) and from M. fueginus Pilato & Binda 1997 by having a sculptured cuticle, broader claws, lunulae present, stylet supports inserted on the buccal tube in a more caudal position, and shorter placoids. Diphascon (A.) onorei n. sp. has an elongate pharyngeal bulb with small apophyses, three rod-shaped macroplacoids, a granular microplacoid, and septulum; claw bases enlarged, smooth (first three pairs of legs) or crenate (outer claws on the hind legs); a cuticular bar is present near the inner claws on the first three pairs of legs. Other species reported are Echiniscus aliquantillus Grigarick, Schuster & Nelson 1983; Minibiotus intermedius (Plate 1888); Macrobiotus coronatus De Barros 1942; Macrobiotus danielae Pilato, Binda, Napolitano & Moncada 2001, and Astatumen bartosi Weglarska 1959.     

Die Entwirrung desBotrytella(Sorocarpus)-Komplexes (Ectocarpaceae,Phaeophyta)

Sorocarpus Pringsh. is a later synonym forBotrytella Bory. Four species of the genus are known from northern European coasts. Three of them are found at Helgoland (North Sea), type locality of bothBotrytella uvaeformis (Pringsh.) andB. reinboldii (Reinke). A third species, most frequently seen, still remains unnamed. Plants of similar habit, however, have been described from Japan. The type species for the genus,Botrytella micromora Bory, was originally published asEctocarpus siliculosus β.uvaeformis by Lyngbye. A sample from Danish waters proved to be identical with it. In a previous paper (Kornmann & Sahling, 1984), the life history of two species was studied and the investigation is now extended to include the other two, demonstrating the conformity of the four species with the genus characters as to morphological and developmental features.      

Ostracod fauna of Duvensee,an ancient lake in Northern Germany

About 4000 ostracod valves have been analysed from a sediment core of a cultivated bog NW of Hamburg. The deepest deposits are sands free of subfossils, the uppermost layers consist of peat. In the sediment in between, there are three layers containing undestroyed valves. The ostracod assemblies of the older claygyttja (Late-glacial) and the two younger, fine detritus deposits (Post-glacial) are strikingly different. Cytherissa lacustris, Candona neglecta, Ilyocypris bradyi, Herpetocyrpis reptans, and two Limnocythere species were found in the Late-glacial layers. Changes in abundance of these species indicate alterations in climate, lake ground, water inflow and waterlevels. Postglacial layers are rich in Metacypris cordata valves associated with numerous Candona species, L. inopinata, Darwinula stevensi, and Cyclocypris laevis. These species are characteristic of a small lake with a large littoral zone. A similar development in ostracod assemblages is found in middle Europe by Absolon (1973), although the main Candona species is not C. neglecta but C. candida. Ostracod analysis cannot demonstrate an influence of anthropogenic impacts on ostracod successions.     

Permophricodothyris Pavlova, 1965 (Brachiopoda, Spiriferida) from the Permian of South China: its morphology, biostratigraphy and distribution

A study of both silicified and nonsilicified specimens of Permian reticularioid brachiopods from South China suggests thatPermophricodothyris, a genus previously rarely reported from China, is actually very common and abundant in the Middle and especially Upper Permian of South China. This study also clarifies, for the first time, that many of the reticularioid brachiopod species previously described asSquamularia in fact belong toPermophricodothyris. The new data presented in this paper also allows a critical evaluation ofPermophricodothyris in relation to its closest allies:Phricodothyris, Squamularia, Bullarina andNeophricodothyris. The revision reveals that a total of 18Permophricodothyris species are present in the Middle and Upper Permian of South China, with only one species,P. squamularioides, having survived the Permian-Triassic mass extinction. Two species,P. grandis (Chao) andP. guangxiensis Han, Zhou & Wang, are redescribed here, providing critical new information on the morphology and taxonomy of these species.     

Nematodes found in Nile crocodiles in the Kruger National Park,South Africa,with redescriptions of Multicaecum agile (Wedl, 1861) (Heterocheilidae) and Camallanus kaapstaadi Southwell & Kirshner, 1937 (Camallanidae)

Sixteen Nile crocodiles were collected in the Kruger National Park, South Africa and vicinity during 2010 and 2011. A total of 11 nematode species representing six families were recovered. Heterocheilids were the dominant group, comprising five species, with Dujardinascaris madagascariensis (Chabaud & Caballero, 1966) being the most prevalent (75%), followed by Ingwenascaris sprenti Junker & Mutafchiev, 2017 (68.8%), which was also the second most numerous nematode. While less prevalent (31.3%), Typhlophoros kwenae Junker & Mutafchiev, 2017 was the most abundant species. Micropleura huchzermeyeri Junker & Mutafchiev, 2017 (Micropleuridae) was collected from five crocodiles and Crocodylocapillaria sp. (Capillariidae) occurred in a single host. Three nematodes, Camallanus kaapstaadi Southwell & Kirshner, 1937, Spirocamallanus sp. (both Camallanidae) and Ascarophis sp. (Cystidicolidae), are considered accidental infections, likely ingested with the hosts’ prey. Our findings of D. dujardini (Travassos, 1920), D. madagascariensis and Multicaecum agile (Wedl, 1861) in South Africa constitute new geographical records. Crocodylocapillaria sp. represents a new host and geographical record, while T. kwenae, I. sprenti and M. huchzermeyeri have been described as new species during the course of this survey. Multicaecum agile is here redescribed based on light and scanning electron microscopy. Previously undescribed morphological characters of C. kaapstaadi, typically a parasite of Xenopus spp. (Amphibia: Pipidae), but here found in two Nile crocodiles, are also presented.

     

New collections of blood flukes (Aporocotylidae) from fishes of the tropical Indo-west Pacific,including a new genus,two new species and molecular evidence that Elaphrobates chaetodontis (Yamaguti, 1970) is widespread in the region

We report new collections of the Aporocotylidae from Australia, French Polynesia, and Japan. A new species of Cardicola Short, 1953 is described from Scomberomorus commerson (Lacépède) (Scombridae), off Lizard Island. Cardicola nolani n. sp. can be distinguished from its congeners based on the position of the oötype, the position of the male genital pore, and the absence of an oral sucker. A new species is described from Abalistes stellatus (Anonymous) (Balistidae), also from off Lizard Island. Phylogenetically the new species forms a strongly-supported clade with Cardicola yuelao Yong, Cutmore & Cribb, 2018, which also infects balistids. These two species are distinct from all other aporocotylids in the combination of exceptionally short anterior and long posterior caeca, a lanceolate body, a single testis, an entirely post-ovarian uterus and the position of the oötype; a new genus, Balistidicola, is proposed for them. Balistidicola corneri n. sp. and B. yuelao (Yong, Cutmore & Cribb, 2018) n. comb. are essentially morphologically cryptic, only distinguishable by the form of the spination (B. corneri has five spines per row and B. yuelao has six). Elaphrobates chaetodontis (Yamaguti, 1970) is reported from 21 species of butterflyfishes (Chaetodontidae) from nine locations in tropical Indo-west Pacific; cox1 sequence data demonstrate extensive geographical structuring in this species. Braya jexi Nolan & Cribb, 2006, Elaphrobates milleri (Nolan & Cribb, 2006), and P. corventum Overstreet & Køie, 1989 are each re-reported from their type-hosts, and Pearsonellum pygmaeus Nolan & Cribb, 2004 and Balistidicola yuelao are each reported from a new host.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pseudorhabdosynochus quadratus</Emphasis> n. sp. (Monogenea: Diplectanidae) from the white-streaked grouper <Emphasis Type="Italic">Epinephelus ongus</Emphasis> (Bloch) (Perciformes: Serranidae) off New Caledonia

Gill diplectanid monogeneans from the camouflage grouper Epinephelus polyphekadion (Bleeker) collected in the coral reef lagoon of New Caledonia, South Pacific, comprise four species. Very few monogeneans were found in most fish examined. Pseudorhabdosynochus dionysos n. sp. has a sclerotised vagina with a robust trumpet, a robust primary canal and two chambers of similar size; it is close to P. bacchus Sigura, Chauvet & Justine, 2007. P. viscosus n. sp. has a sclerotised vagina with a robust trumpet, long primary canal with an extremely thin wall and two small chambers, and a male quadriloculate organ with a characteristic thickening at the extremity of its cone. P. crassus n. sp., the most abundant species, has a sclerotised vagina with a thin-walled trumpet, thin-walled primary canal which is always coiled anteriorly and two small chambers. P. huitoe Justine, 2007, P. manifestus Justine & Sigura, 2007 and P. crassus have very similar sclerotised vaginae; however, species of this ‘huitoe complex’ can be distinguished by measurements of the haptoral hard parts. A few diplectanid specimens found in a single specimen of E. polyphekadion were attributed to P. huitoe, a species originally described from E. maculatus (Bloch) and also rarely found in E. cyanopodus Richardson in New Caledonia; specimens from these three fish species are morphologically indistinguishable.     

OBSERVATIONS ON THE GENUS PSAMMINA,INCLUDING THE DESCRIPTION OF TWO NEW ALGICOLOUS AND LICHENICOLOUS SPECIES

Psammina inflata Earland-Bennett & D. Hawksw. and P. simplex Earland-Bennett & D. Hawksw. are described as new species from coccoid green algae and crustose or leprose lichens in lowland Britain. Additional records and hosts for P. stipitata are reported, and a key to the four species now known in the British Isles is presented. Psammina simplex is the more strongly pathogenic of the species, eventually destroying its hosts. The discovery of these new species adds weight to the view that the genus is more appropriately regarded as a hyphomycete rather than an acervular coelomycete. The size, shape and septation dimensions of the conidial arms were found to be the most reliable characters for species separations in the genus. Pycnopsammina lobariae Diederich & Etayo is also cited from the British Isles for the first time.     

Three new species of Metalasia (Asteraceae–Gnaphalieae) from the Western Cape and an updated key to the genus

Three new species of Metalasia from the Western Cape of South Africa are described; Metalasia tristis A.Bengtson & P.O.Karis, a small shrublet from the Groot Winterhoek Mountains, and Metalasia formosa A.Bengtson & P.O.Karis and Metalasia eburnea A.Bengtson & P.O.Karis both found in the Langeberg Mountains. The morphology and relationships of the three new species are discussed, and an updated key to the genus is provided.