The earthworm genus Pleionogaster (Clitellata: Megascolecidae) in southern Luzon, Philippines

An earthworm biodiversity survey of the Philippines has yielded 14 new species of the perichaetine megascolecid genus Pleionogaster, previously known from only a few species from scattered Philippine locations. Bicol, the southern peninsula of Luzon, has intact forests on several isolated volcanic peaks and other remote areas. Collections made in these forests yielded the following new species, here presented by type location: Mt. Malinao, Pleionogaster albayensis, P. bicolensis, P. castilloi, P. malinaoensis, P. tiwiensis; Mt. Isarog, P. ffitchae, P. isarogensis; Mt. Bulusan, P. bulusanensis, P. hongi, P. sorsogonensis; Catanduanes Island, P. nautsae, P. viracensis; Caramoan Peninsula, P. caramoanensis, P. nillosae. Most of the species were found only in the neighborhood of the type locality, but P. bicolensis occurs in two locations in northern Bicol. Intraspecific variation in P. castilloi was observed between northern and southern flanks of Mt. Malinao. The importance of several previously overlooked Pleionogaster traits is demonstrated by their homogeneity within species reported here.Full article published online at http://www.senckenberg.de/odes/06-08.htm.     

Four new species from the Agrilus wittemani species-group (Coleoptera: Buprestidae: Agrilini) from Silent Valley National Park,Southern Western Ghats,Kerala, India

The Agrilus wittemani species-group comprising six species from South and Southeast Asia; two of these are endemic to south India. Four new species of A. wittemani species-group Jendek & Nakládal, 2017 are described in this paper: Agrilus keralensis Seena, Anand and Shibu-Vardhanan sp. nov.; A. palakkadensis Seena, Anand and Shibu-Vardhanan sp. nov.; Agrilus sahyadriensis Seena, Anand and Shibu-Vardhanan sp. nov.; A. silentvalleyensis Seena, Anand and Shibu-Vardhanan sp. nov. A key to all species is provided and complemented with illustrations of habitus and genitalia.     

Enhancement in anti-tubercular activity of indole based thiosemicarbazones on complexation with copper(I) and silver(I) halides: Structure elucidation,evaluation and molecular modelling

A series of monomeric tetrahedral complexes of stoichiometry, [MX(HL)(Ph₃P)₂] (In case of M = Cu, H¹L, X = I, 1; Br, 2; Cl, 3; H³L, X = I, 4; Br, 5; Cl, 6; H⁴L, X = I, 7; Br, 8; Cl, 9 and in case of M = Ag, H¹L, X = Cl, 13; Br, 14; H²L, X = Cl, 15, Br 16; H³L, X = Cl, 17, Br, 18) were synthesized by the reaction of copper (I) or silver (I) halides with indole-3-thiosemicarbazone (H¹L) or 5-methoxy indole-3-thiosemicarbazone (H²L) or 5-methoxy indole-N¹-methyl-3-thiosemicarbazone (H³L), whereas dimers of stoichiometry, [Cu₂(μ-X)₂(η¹-S-H²L)₂(Ph₃P)₂] (X = I, 10; Br, 11; Cl, 12) were obtained by the reaction of copper (I) halides with indole-N¹-methyl-3-thiosemicarbazone (HIntsc-N¹-Me, H²L). The synthesized complexes were characterized using NMR (¹H and ¹³C) and single crystal X-ray diffraction (H²L, 3, 7, 8, 10, 11 and 13) as well as elemental analysis. Anti- M. tuberculosis activity of ligands (H¹L-H⁴L) and their metal complexes (1–18) were evaluated against M. tuberculosis H37RV strain ATCC 27294. It has been observed that there is unusual enhancement in anti TB activity of these ligands on complexation with copper (I) and silver (I). Molecular modelling studies in the active binding site are also giving complementary theoretical support for the experimental biological data acquired.     

Klossiella (Apicomplexa,Klossiellidae) in Petaurid and Macropodid Marsupials in Australia1

Six new species of Klossiella are described in the kidneys of Australian marsupials: Klossiella rufogrisei in Bennett's Wallaby, Macropus rufogriseus; Klossiella rufi in the Red Kangaroo, Macropus rufus; Klossiella thylogale in the Red-Bellied or Tasmanian Pademelon, Thylogale billardierii; Klossiella beveridgei in the Spectacled Hare-Wallaby, Lagorchestes conspicillatus; Klossiella bettongiae in the Tasmanian Bettong, Bettongia gaimardi; and Klossiella schoinobatis in the petaurid Greater Glider, Petauroides volans. It is concluded that the genus Klossiella has radiated widely among Australian marsupials, and that since it is present in American marsupials, it may have an ancient association with the subclass.     

Cuatro especies nuevas de <Emphasis Type="Italic">Indigofera</Emphasis> (Leguminosae,Papilionoideae) para la Flora de México

Four new species of Indigofera (Leguminosae, Papilionoideae) for the flora of Mexico are described and illustrated: Indigofera floresii, I. hirsutissima, I. magallanesii and I. sinaloensis. Among the new species, I. sinaloensis, is the second species of the series Platycarpae. Including these four new species, we estimate the existence in Mexico of about 31 wild species of the genus.     

FINE STRUCTURE OF MISTLETOE POLLEN. IV. EURASIAN AND AUSTRALIAN VISCUM L. (VISCACEAE)

Fifteen Eurasian and Australian species of Viscum L. were examined by light, scanning, and transmission electron microscopy. Pollen characters divide the species into two groups, each correlated with differences in habit and inflorescence structure: Group I (12 spp.) characterized by psilate or slightly sculptured exines and a non-uniform ektexine pattern and Group II (3 spp.) possessing highly sculptured (echinate, rodlet) surfaces and uniform ektexine patterns. Within each of the groups, pollen characters divide the species into several subgroups. Among Group I, species V. nepalense, V. heyneanum and V. ovalifolium are particularly close. The Group I species, V. trilobatum, is placed in its own subgroup primarily because of its uniform ektexine pattern—a unique feature among Asian and Australian Viscum. Of the three Group II species, V. album and V. alniformosanae are palynologically almost indistinguishable. Pollen of the Group II V. cruciatum, though exomorphologically similar to V. album, is closest ultrastructurally to the Indian V. trilobatum. Overall, the most common and probably basic pollen characters among the Eurasian and Australian species include: subprolate, rounded convex almost spherical shapes; tricolporate apertures, and non-uniform sculpturing and ektexine patterns. Oblate-spheroidal or prolate-spheroidal shapes, prominent sculpturing, and a uniform ektexine pattern are derived characters largely restricted to the Eurasian and Asian Group II species (V. album, V. alniformosanae, V. cruciatum).     

A molecular phylogeny of the tribe Ochthebiini (Coleoptera,Hydraenidae, Ochthebiinae)

Ochthebiinae, with c. 650 species distributed worldwide, are the second most speciose subfamily of the aquatic beetle family Hydraenidae. They are ecologically the most diverse hydraenid subfamily, with terrestrial species as well as species in almost all types of aquatic habitats, including hypersaline waters. Ochthebiinae include the tribes Ochtheosini (four species in three genera) and Ochthebiini. We provide here the first comprehensive phylogeny of the tribe Ochthebiini, based on 186 species and four subspecies from most genera, subgenera and species groups. We obtained sequence data for a combination of mitochondrial and nuclear gene fragments including the 5′ and 3′ ends of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1, the 5′ end of 16S RNA plus the leucine tRNA transfer plus 5′ end of NADH dehydrogenase subunit I, and internal fragments of the large and small ribosomal units. The analyses with maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian probabilities consistently recovered a generally well supported phylogeny, with most currently accepted taxa and species groups as monophyletic. We provide a new classification of the tribe based on our phylogenetic results, with six genera: Meropathus Enderlein, Ochthebius Leach, Protochthebius Perkins, Prototympanogaster Perkins, Tympallopatrum Perkins and Tympanogaster Janssens. The genus Ochthebius is here divided into nine subgenera in addition to Ochthebius s.s.: (1) O. (Angiochthebius) Jäch & Ribera; (2) O. (Asiobates) Thomson; (3) O. (Aulacochthebius) Kuwert; (4) O. (Cobalius) Rey; (5) O. (Enicocerus) Stephens; (6) O. (Gymnanthelius) Perkins comb.n. ; (7) O. (Gymnochthebius) Orchymont; (8) O. (Hughleechia) Perkins comb.n. ; and (9) O. (Micragasma) Sahlberg. Within Ochthebius s.s., 17 species groups are proposed, five of them newly established (3, 9, 11, 13 and 16): (1) andraei; (2) atriceps; (3) corrugatus; (4) foveolatus; (5) kosiensis; (6) lobicollis; (7) marinus; (8) metallescens; (9) nitidipennis; (10) notabilis; (11) peisonis; (12) punctatus; (13) quadricollis; (14) rivalis; (15) strigosus; (16) sumatrensis; and (17) vandykei. We elevated to species rank two subspecies of Ochthebius: O. fallaciosus Ganglbauer stat.n. (former subspecies of O. viridis Peyron) and O. deletus Rey stat.rest. (former subspecies of O. subpictus Wollaston).     

Phylogenetic analysis of questionable tetraploid species in Roegneria and Pseudoroegneria (Poaceae: Triticeae) inferred from a gene encoding plastid acety1-CoA carboxylase

To evaluate the phylogenetic relationships of questionable tetraploid species Roegneria alashanica Keng, Roegneria magnicaespes (D.F. Cui) L.B. Cai, Roegneria elytrigioides C. Yen et J.L. Yang, Roegneria grandis Keng and Pseudoroegneria geniculata (Trin.) Á. Löve, the single copy sequences of the plastid acetyl-CoA carboxylase gene (Acc1) were analyzed among the five species and the related diploid and tetraploid species. The results indicated that: (a) R. alashanica contained one set of modified St genome which was closely related to the E^e genome, and the other set of genome was closely related to the P genome; (b) R. magnicaespes contained one set of St genome, the other set of genome might be closely related to the P genome. There are close affinities between R. magnicaespes and R. alashanica; (c) R. elytrigioides contained two sets of St genomes, and it is reasonable to be treated as Pseudoreogneria elytrigioides (C. Yen et J.L. Yang) B.R. Lu; (d) the genome of R. grandis should be designed as St^gY. The St^g genome was a differentiated form of the St genome in Pseudoroegneria and was homoeologous with the Y genome in Roegneria; (e) the genomic constitution of P. geniculata was similar to that of R. magnicaespes and R. alashanica and distinctly related to P. geniculata ssp. scythica (E^eSt). They should be treated as different species in different genera; and (f) the Y genome was possibly originated from the St genome, and was sister to the St, E^e, E^b and W genomes.     

A new species of Camaenidae (Gastropoda,Pulmonata) from Nusa Penida and Lombok Islands,Indonesia: novelty in a well-known fauna

A new species of camaenid land snail, Vulnus wallacei Páll-Gergely, Otani & Hosoda n. sp. is described from Nusa Penida and Lombok Islands, Indonesia. The new species is putatively classified into the genus Vulnus, which is only known so far from the Northern Maluku Islands. The genital anatomy, especially the presence of a well-developed penial sheath in V. wallacei, suggests a close relationship with Australian camaenids. However, the molecular phylogeny based on partial cytochrome c oxidase I, and 16S and 28S ribosomal RNA genes shows that the new species falls outside the cluster of all Australian Camaenidae.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:D28554D0-3578-4E95-8849-09EAFB7D30F7     

New hyalellids (Crustacea, Amphipoda, Hyalellidae) from Lake Titicaca

Two new species of hyalellid amphipods, Hyalella crawfordi and H. gauthieri, are described from Lake Titicaca; H. echinus (Faxon, 1876) is redescribed. The H. echinus group of species is newly proposed for these three species, and a group diagnosis is provided. A key to the three species in the group is provided Full article published online at http://www.senckenberg.de/odes/06-10.htm.     

Physical mapping of plastid DNA variation among eleven Nicotiana species

Summary Plastid DNA of seven American and four Australian species of the genus Nicotiana was examined by restriction endonuclease analysis using the enzymes Sal I, Bgl I, Pst I, Kpn I, Xho I, Pvu II and Eco RI. These endonucleases collectively distinguish more than 120 sites on N. tabacum plastid DNA. The DNAs of all ten species exhibited restriction patterns distinguishable from those of N. tabacum for at least one of the enzymes used. All distinctive sites were physically mapped taking advantage of the restriction cleavage site map available for plastid DNA from Nicotiana tabacum (Seyer et al. 1981). This map was extended for the restriction endonucleases Pst I and Kpn I. In spite of variation in detail, the overall fragment order was found to be the same for plastid DNA from the eleven Nicotiana species. Most of the DNA changes resulted from small insertions/deletions and, possibly, inversions. They are located within seven regions scattered along the plastid chromosome. The divergence pattern of the Nicotiana plastid chromosomes was strikingly similar to that found in the genus Oenothera subsection Euoenothera (Gordon et al. 1982). The possible role of replication as a factor in the evolution of divergence patterns is discussed. The restriction patterns of plastid DNA from species within a continent resembled each other with one exception in each instance. The American species N. repanda showed patterns similar to those of most Australian species, and those of the Australian species N. debneyi resembled those of most American species.Abbreviations ims isonuclear male sterile - ptDNA plastid chloroplast DNA - Rubisco ribulosebisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase - kbp kilobase pairs - LSU large subunit of Rubisco     

Spiroplasma species in the Costa Rican highlands: implications for biogeography and biodiversity

More than 1,000 Spiroplasma isolates have been obtained from horse flies and deer flies (Diptera:Tabanidae) in the United States and Canada. However, the spiroplasma biota of Central America is poorly known. In August of 1995 and 1998, 13 isolates were obtained in 14 attempts from horse flies of a single species, Poeciloderas quadripunctatus, taken in the Costa Rican highlands (1,100–2,000 m). The majority of the “isolates” proved to be mixtures of two or more Spiroplasma species, but after filter cloning, single strains emerged that were designated as representatives of the 13 accessions. Six distinct spiroplasma serogroups were identified from these isolations. Three of the strains are putative new species with no serological relationship to any other Spiroplasma species. A fourth strain is a putative new species that may be distantly related to S. helicoides, a southeastern U.S. species. These four strains are accorded herein status as representatives of new serogroups: strain BARC 4886 (group XXXV); strain BARC 4900 (group XXXVI); strain BARC 4908 (group XXXVII); and GSU5450 (group XXXVIII). A fifth Spiroplasma species was very closely related to S. lineolae, known previously only from the Georgia (U.S.) coast. The sixth was most closely related to subgroup VIII-3, known from Texas and the southeastern U.S. Discovery of six spiroplasma species in only 13 attempted isolations reflects diversity seldom equaled in southeast Georgia, and never elsewhere in the U.S. These results are consistent with a hypothesis that spiroplasma diversity increases from north (Nova Scotia) to south (Georgia and Costa Rica). The discovery of significant affinity between some spiroplasmas of the southeastern U.S. and the Costa Rican highlands was unexpected, but may reflect a climatically complex Pleistocene history.

Cladoceran assemblages in a mineralization gradient

Cladoceran assemblages were studied in littoral samples from 44 water bodies in Central Spain, showing great differences in salinity and permanence of water. Principal component analyses (PCA) were performed with data on cladoceran relative abundances to identify the main groups of species. Five main groups of species were found, defining the following types of environments: (I) Small but deep hard water lakes (II) permanent but shallow hard water lakes fed by surface springs, rich in macrophytes (III) ephemeral and shallow soft waters lakes (IV) subsaline and hyposaline lakes in their lower range, specially the permanent ones and (V) saline lakes (salinities>6 mg l^–1) subject to short or long periods of dryness. The main species constituting these groups were: Group (I): Acroperus neglectus, Alona guttata, Pleuroxus truncatus, Daphnia longispina; group II: Phrixura leei, Latonura rectirostris, Eurycercus lamellatus; Alonella excisa, Daphnia pulicaria; group III: Ephemeroporus phintonicus, Macrothrix rosea, Moina micrura; group IV: Alona rectangula, Ceriodaphnia reticulata, Tetrocephala ambigua, Diaphanosoma mongolianum; group V: Alona salina, Pleuroxus letourneuxi, Dunhevedia crassa, Moina brachiata, Daphnia magna and Daphnia mediterranea. Sample scores from PCA extracted from the correlation matrix of cladoceran proportions were correlated with limnological measurements. Significant correlations with salinity, alkalinity anions and cations indicate that salinity is an important factor in the distribution of the species. However, species assemblages also reflect other factors, such as temporality and littoral development.     

Global adaptation patterns of Australian and CIMMYT spring bread wheat

The International Adaptation Trial (IAT) is a special purpose nursery designed to investigate the genotype-by-environment interactions and worldwide adaptation for grain yield of Australian and CIMMYT spring bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and durum wheat (T. turgidum L. var. durum). The IAT contains lines representing Australian and CIMMYT wheat breeding programs and was distributed to 91 countries between 2000 and 2004. Yield data of 41 reference lines from 106 trials were analysed. A multiplicative mixed model accounted for trial variance heterogeneity and inter-trial correlations characteristic of multi-environment trials. A factor analytic model explained 48% of the genetic variance for the reference lines. Pedigree information was then incorporated to partition the genetic line effects into additive and non-additive components. This model explained 67 and 56% of the additive by environment and non-additive by environment genetic variances, respectively. Australian and CIMMYT germplasm showed good adaptation to their respective target production environments. In general, Australian lines performed well in south and west Australia, South America, southern Africa, Iran and high latitude European and Canadian locations. CIMMYT lines performed well at CIMMYT’s key yield testing location in Mexico (CIANO), north-eastern Australia, the Indo-Gangetic plains, West Asia North Africa and locations in Europe and Canada. Maturity explained some of the global adaptation patterns. In general, southern Australian germplasm were later maturing than CIMMYT material. While CIANO continues to provide adapted lines to northern Australia, selecting for yield among later maturing CIMMYT material in CIANO may identify lines adapted to southern and western Australian environments. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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Cytotoxicity of cis-platinum(II) cycloaliphatic amidine complexes: Ring size and solvent effects on the biological activity

A series of new platinum(II) amidine derivatives of the type cis-[PtCl₂{Z-NHC(NHR)Me}₂] (R = cyclopropyl, 1; cyclopentyl, 2; cyclohexyl, 3) were prepared in high yield by addition of the corresponding cyclic aliphatic amine RNH₂ to the coordinated acetonitrile ligands in cis-[PtCl₂(NCMe)₂]. The solution behaviour of 1–3 has been studied in DMSO, PEG 400 (polyethylene glycol) and PEG-DME 500 (polyethylene glycol dimethylether). The amidine complexes 1–3 were evaluated for their cytotoxic properties against a panel of human tumor cell lines containing examples of cervix (HeLa), breast (MCF7), lung (A549) and colon (HCT-15) cancer. Moreover, the amidine complexes were tested for their cytotoxicity against normal human fibroblasts (HFF-1). For comparison purposes, the cytotoxicity of cisplatin was examined under the same experimental conditions. The results obtained showed that PEG and PEG-DME behave as good solvents to carry out biological assays with platinum complexes which are water-insoluble and unstable in DMSO. Complexes 2 and 3 exhibited a biological activity comparable to that of cisplatin.     

Polymorphic microsatellite loci in Allodapine bees for investigating the evolution of social behaviour

Allodapine bees provide extraordinary systems for investigating the evolution of cooperation and particularly the division of reproduction in animal societies. We present the first microsatellite primers for two native Australian species (Exoneura nigrescens and E. robusta; Hymenoptera: Apidae: Xylocopinae) which allow the accurate determination of pedigrees, reproductive skew and relatedness in colonies. Up to 55 different alleles were observed per locus.