Potamostoma shizunaiense gen. et sp. nov. (Nemertea: Hoplonemertea: Monostilifera): a new brackish-water nemertean from Japan

Potamostoma shizunaiense gen. et sp. nov. (Nemertea: Hoplonemertea: Monostilifera) is described from the mouth of the River Shizunai, Hokkaido, Japan. This genus is readily distinguished from other monostiliferans by an oesophagus opening far anteriorly into the rhynchodaeum, a well developed excretory system extending the whole body length, terminals of the excretory collecting tubules situated between the body wall circular muscle layer and the dermis, and bilobed testes in males.     

A new nitrogen-fixing bacterium: Derxia gummosa nov. gen. nov. spec.

Summary A vigorously nitrogen-fixing bacterium was isolated from a West Bengal soil. Cells from young cultures on nitrogen-deficient agar medium appear as rods measuring approx. 3–6x1.0–1.2 ., with rounded ends and homogeneous cytoplasm. Older cells contain big refractile bodies representing vacuoles and fat deposits and show a wide variation in shape. Short motile cells with a single polar flagellum arise in liquid medium with combined (ammonia) nitrogen. The Gram reation is negative and endospores are not formed.The organism is aerobic but catalase-negative. It grows rather feebly in sugar-free protein media, but in nitrogen-deficient media it produces ah heavy and extremely tenacious growth, of a characteristic uneven appearance on agar and changing from white to dark red-brown. Glucose, fructose, ethanol, glycerol, mannitol and sorbitol are the best sources of carbon. Acid but no gas is formed from several carbohydrates. Nitrogen fixation is slow but may amount to 20–25 mg. per gram glucose or mannitol supplied. Molybdenum stimulates nitrogen fixation strongly and cannot be replaced by vanadium.Various forms of combined nitrogen, especially glutamic acid, are assimilated more readily than free nitrogen. Growth can be initiated within aPh-interval from approx. 5 to 9; growing cultures may be acidified to Ph 4.5 or less.The organism is morphologically, culturally and serologically different from Azotobacter and Beijerinckia and is regarded as representing a new genus.     

Tasmanomysis oculata n.g. n.sp. from Tasmanian waters (Crustacea: Mysidacea: Mysini)

Tasmanomysis oculata n.g. n.sp. belonging to the Tribe Mysini is described from the coastal waters of southern Tasmania. This new genus superficially resembles the monospecific genus Arthromysis Colosi,1924 known only from the Straits of Magellan. The form of the pleopods in the male together with the segmentation of the thoracic legs and shape of the telson clearly distinguish the two genera.     

1060. Delphinium caucasicum C.A.Mey: Ranunculaceae

Delphinium caucasicum C.A. Mey. is illustrated from plants cultivated at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Its history, nomenclature and ecology are described and instructions for its successful cultivation are given.     

Dermacarus jonesi sp. n. (acari: Labidophorinae: Glycyphagidae) from Peromyscus maniculatus from western North America.

A new species of labidophorine hypopus, Dermacarus jonesi, is described from Peromyscus maniculatus from Washington, USA, and British Columbia, Canada. A single individual was also found on Sorex sp. from California.     

Description of Antichthomysis notidana n.g. n.sp. from southern Tasmania. (Crustacea: Mysidacea: Leptomysini)

Antichthomysis notidana n.g. n. sp. belonging to the Tribe Leptomysini is described from the coastal waters of south-eastern Tasmania. The genus is at present monospecific.     

Revision of genus Melamphaes (Melamphaidae): Part 4. Multi-raker species: M. ebelingi, M. occlusus sp. nova, and M. nikolayi sp. nova

In the fourth part of the revision of the genus Melamphaes (Melamphaidae) multi-raker species (20 and more rakers at the first gill arch, rarely 19??in M. ebelingi) with eight soft rays in the ventral fin are considered. In this species, temporal spine is absent, there are 15 rays in the pectoral fin, and there are 11 to 12 abdominal vertebrae. M. ebelingi inhabits tropical and subtropical waters of the Atlantic Ocean. A new catch of this rare species in the northeastern part of the ocean is reported. The new species M. occlusus is described from one specimen from the subtropical part of the southwestern part of the Indian Ocean. Still another new species, M. nikolayi, is described from one specimen from the northwestern part of the Pacific Ocean (subtropical waters). A table for identification of 15 multi-raker species of the genus Melamphaes is provided.     

Pygidiopsis ardeae n. sp. (Digenea: Heterophyidae: Pygidiopsinae) in the grey heron Ardea cinerea L. from Denmark

A new species, Pygidiopsis ardeae (Heterophyidae, Pygidiopsinae), is described, using both light and stereoscan electron microscopy, from the grey heron Ardea cinerea L. (Ardeidae) from Denmark. The species has previously (as P. genata) been recorded in dogs fed on plaice and flounders from Danish waters. It developed experimentally in domestic chickens and pigeons. No species of Pygidiopsis Looss, 1907 has previously been described from birds in northern Europe. P. ardeae is very similar to the type-species, P. genata Looss, 1907, from Egypt, but the two species have different life-cycles. P. ardeae differs from P. piclaumoreli Dollfus & Capron, 1958 from Senegal in its size and the disposition of vitelline follicles. P. plana (Linton, 1928) Price, 1933, from a green heron from the eastern USA, is larger than P. ardeae and has a wide, sac-like prepharynx.     

Heliconema minnanensis n. sp. (Physalopteroidae: Physalopteridae) and Raphidascaris trichiuri (Yin and Zhang) n. comb. (Ascaridoidea: Anisakidae) in marine fishes.

Heliconema minnanensis n. sp. is described from the Chiloscyllium plagiosum south of the Minnan-Taiwan Bank Fishing Ground, Taiwan Strait. It is characterized by having the following combination of features. There are no longitudinal ridges in the posterior part of the body; the male has 4 pairs of precloacal papillae and 6-7 pairs of postcloacal papillae. The right spicule averages 0.2 mm long (1.1% of body length), and the left spicule averages 1.2 mm long (5.6% of body length), making an average spicule ratio of 1:5.2. The female has a vulva located on the left side of a thick membrane and 56-65% of the body length from the anterior end. Raphidascaris trichiuri (Yin and Zhang, 1983) comb. n., known previously from males only, is transferred from Cloeoascaris and redescribed, including material of both sexes from Muraenesox cinereus from the type locality.     

Durettechina beveridgei n. g., n. sp. (Nematoda: Seuratidae) from Antechinus spp. (Dasyuridae: Marsupialia) from Australia

Durettechina beveridgei n. g., n. sp. (Nematoda: Seuratidae) is described from Antechinus flavipes (Dasyuridae) from Victoria and New South Wales. A single female from A. bellus from the Northern Territory may also be D. beveridgei. This new genus is compared with other genera of the Echinonematinae, to which it has been assigned. The genus has a unique body armature and most closely resembles Chabaudechina, in the armature of the cephalic bulb, but has four rather than five rows of hooks, and Linstowinema, in having body hooks on the cuticle of the anterior region, but has 18–22 hooks in each row rather than 14–16. The hooks of Durettechina are also smaller and have a less complex root morphology than those of Linstowinema. Durettechina resembles Seurechina and Chabaudechina in having caudal alae into which papillae extend, but differs from both these genera in the number and arrangement of the caudal papillae, as well as in the body armature. Durettechina, is most different from Bainechina, which has neither hooks on a cephalic bulb nor body hooks on the anterior region nor caudal alae.     

1059. Lachenalia bolusii W.F. Barker: Asparagaceae

The South African geophyte Lachenalia bolusii W.F.Barker is a dainty-flowered plant from semi-arid inland western parts of the Northern and Western Cape. Details of its classification, relationships, history and distribution are given, with notes on cultivation.     

Pseudorhabdosynochus argus n. sp. (Monogenea: Diplectanidae) from Cephalopholis argus, P. minutus n. sp. and Diplectanum nanus n. sp. from C. sonnerati and other monogeneans from Cephalopholis spp. (Perciformes: Serranidae) off Australia and New Caledonia

Monogeneans from three species of Cephalopholis, namely C. argus, C. sonnerati and C. boenak, are described from fish caught off New Caledonia, South Pacific, with comparisons with material from off Queensland, Australia. Pseudorhabdosynochus argus n. sp. from C. argus is present off New Caledonia and Australia; it is characterised by its male quadriloculate organ with very elongate cone, and its sclerotised vagina with anterior trumpet, coiled primary canal and distal part with two chambers and an accessory part. C. boenak has no monogeneans off New Caledonia, but off Australia it harbours Pseudorhabdosynochus sp., a new species which is morphologically related to P. argus. P. minutus n. sp. from C. sonnerati is characterised by its minute body and a sclerotised vagina with two spherical chambers. Diplectanum nanus n. sp. from C. sonnerati is characterised by its very small funnel-shaped male copulatory organ and minute body. A new species, Haliotrema sp. from C. sonnerati is characterised by a very elongate tubular penis; it is distinct from H. cromileptis Young, 1968 (redescribed herein from specimens collected from Cromileptes altivelis off New Caledonia). The species described here include the first members of Pseudorhabdosynochus and the first diplectanids described from species of Cephalopholis. There is no evidence for a clade of Pseudorhabdosynochus species specific to members of Cephalopholis, since the species described here share similarities with other species from Epinephelus. However, it is suggested that the gill structure of Cephalopholis spp. imposes selection toward small body sizes for monogeneans.     

1068. Amorphophallus ongsakulii Hett. & A.Galloway: Araceae

Amorphophallus ongsakulii Hett. & A.Galloway is illustrated from plants cultivated by the authors. Its ecology, distribution, and systematics are described, along with notes on cultivation.     

Microfungi on the Pandanaceae:Polytretophora macrospora sp. nov.

Polytretophora macrospora is introduced based on specimens from two species ofPandanus in Seychelles. The new species is compared with currently accepted species. A key and a comparative synopsis toPolytetophora species are provided. Numerous specimens ofP. calcarata, collected on members of the Pandanaceae from Australia, Fiji, Hong Kong, Malaysia, New Caledonia, Palau, Philippines, Seychelles and Solomon Islands are also reported, along withP. dendroidea onPandanus sp. from Malaysia.     

Notomegarhynchus navonae n. gen. and n. sp. (Eucestoda: Tetraphyllidea), from skates (Rajidae: Arhynchobatinae) in the southern hemisphere

Notomegarhynchus n. gen. (Eucestoda: Tetraphyllidea) is proposed to accommodate Notomegarhynchus navonae n. gen., n. sp. from Atlantoraja castelnaui in Mar del Plata, Argentina. Notomegarhynchus shetlandicum n. comb. from Bathyraja eatonii and B. maccaini in South Shetlands region, Antarctica, is a second species in the genus. Notomegarhynchus belongs to the Echeneibothriinae within the Phyllobothriidae. It can be distinguished from all other tetraphyllidean genera by the structure of the scolex in form of a massive myzorhynchus consisting of a proscolex and an apical organ, both of which are nonretractable and noninvaginable; in addition, there are 4 pedunculated and nonloculate acetabula. Notomegarhynchus shetlandicum is differentiated from N. navonae particularly in details of acetabular and myzorhynchus morphology, arrangement of testes, and shape of eggs. The inclusion of Notomegarhynchus in the Echeneibothriinae requires emendation of the diagnosis of the subfamily to include taxa possessing postvaginal testes. In addition, new terminology is proposed for distinct regions of the scolex.     

Bleeding varices: 2. Elective management.

Patients who have previously bled from esophageal varices should have their hepatic function, neurologic status and nutritional status evaluated and should be examined for ascites before elective variceal decompression is done to prevent recurrent variceal hemorrhage. The two most important procedures used for this evaluation are liver biopsy and visceral angiography. If the liver biopsy reveals little or no necroinflammatory activity, shunt surgery is indicated. For patients with moderate or severe necroinflammatory activity, surgery is delayed until the inflammation subsides. The central aim of visceral angiography is to determine whether the patient has hepatopetal or hepatofugal portal venous flow. Patients with hepatopetal flow are treated with a selective distal splenorenal shunt. Those with hepatofugal flow are managed with a total shunt, such as an interposition H-graft portacaval or mesocaval shunt.     

PLANTS OF THE NEW ALBANY SHALE. III: CHAPELIA CAMPBELLII GEN. N.

The single specimen from the Falling Run Member of the Sanderson Formation is interpreted as a segment of a petiole from a region just proximal to a major branching of the frond. The specimen is characterized, basally, by a four-lobed primary xylem strand. Following stelar branching there are two outer papilionoid strands that produce alternate traces bilaterally and two inner clepsydroid strands, oriented at right angles to the plane of the frond. The frond, which appears to be a morphologically flattened and modified lateral branch system, is probably of calamopityean or pteridosperm affinity.