Three new species of Etlingera (Zingiberaceae) from Borneo

Three new species from northern Borneo are described: Etlingera rubromarginata from Sarawak, Brunei and Sabah; E. belalongensis presently only known from the Temburong District of Brunei; and E. corrugata presently only known from Danum Valley, Sabah.     

A new species of Gonystylus (Thymelaeaceae) from Sarawak, Borneo

A new species, Gonystylus othmanii Tawan (Thymelaeaceae) from Sarawak (Borneo) is described and illustrated. It is considered to be endemic to Sarawak. The morphological differences between the new species and related taxa are included.     

A new species of the deep-sea fish genusParabrotula (Parabrotulidae) from Sagami Bay with notes on its ecology

Parabrotula tanseimaru sp. nov. (Zoarcoidei: Parabrotulidae) is described from Sagami Bay, central Japan, as the second species of the genus. The new species is readily distinguished from the known species,P. plagiophthalma, by dorsal fin ray counts (44–50 vs. 37–43) and higher total vertebral counts (64–73 vs. 54–64).P. tanseimaru is viviparous, occurring in pseudoceanic meso-/bathypelagic depths and feeding primarily on copepods.     

Studies on Homalomeneae (Araceae) of Borneo XXIII: a new rheophytic species of Homalomena (Punctulata Clade) from the Tau Range,Sarawak

Homalomena cataractae is described and illustrated as a new species of Steenisian rheophyte belonging to the Homalomena punctulata-clade from the Tau range, Central Sarawak. A key to the species of the Homalomena punctulata-clade is provided.     

A new species of Polygala (Polygalaceae) from ultramafic soils in Sekhukhuneland,South Africa,with notes on its ecology

Polygala sekhukhuniensis Retief, Siebert & A.E.Van Wyk (Polygala; section Polygala; subsection Heterolophus), a new species with a restricted range in Sekhukhuneland, South Africa, is described, illustrated and compared with other members of the genus. It is a dwarf shrub that can be distinguished by its much-branched habit, sparsely flowered inflorescences, pink alae with darker pink veins, brown to black seed testa, and oblate pollen grains with pronounced opercula. Geographically, P. sekhukhuniensis is confined to heavily eroded localized sites, a natural geomorphological feature of some of the highly water-dispersible soils derived from ultramafic rocks in the valleys of the Steelpoort River and its tributaries in the Sekhukhuneland Centre of Plant Endemism. P. sekhukhuniensis is a calciotrophic excluder of heavy metals that accumulates Ca in its leaves. It is ecologically compared with co-occurring species of Polygala on ultramafic-derived soil.     

A new genus and species of the family Ipnopidae (Pisces, Teleostei) from the eastern North Atlantic, with notes on its ecology

An additional and hitherto undescribed ipnopid genus and species, Discoverichthys praecox Merrett and Nielsen, is reported and described, and its relationships with the family and aspects of its biology are discussed.     

Cucumis canoxyi (Cucurbitaceae) — a new species from Yemen

The new species Cucumis canoxyi , growing on limestone rocks in the Hadramaut Region of southern Yemen, is described and illustrated. The species is the second known member of Cucumis to be without tendrils.     

Description of a new marine species of Askenasia Blochmann, 1895 (Ciliophora,Haptoria), with notes on its ecology

A marine planktonic ciliate, belonging to the genus Askenasia Blochmann, 1895, is described with notes on its distribution and ecology. Specimens of this new species were collected from four coastal sites across the northern hemisphere. Samples were collected between March and December, from depths of 1-20 m. Relatively low (< 1 ml(-1)) densities were recorded from Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and North Sea coastal sites, whereas samples from the English Channel suggested that this species has the ability to form blooms. Specimens were protargol-stained, revealing the key features of the genus, including the diagnostic sub-equatorial kinety belt consisting of three unciliated monokinetids. However, the species is larger than other Askenasia with a single distinctive, rope-like, scalloped macronucleus. This species also appears to have an extra somatic kinety belt, which may be present but has not been observed in other Askenasia species. Based on size, kinety structure, kinety number, and macronuclear shape a new species has been established.     

Hypergastromyzon eubranchus,a new species of gastromyzontin loach (Homalopteridae) from Sarawak

Hypergastromyzon eubranchus sp. nov. is described from the Lupar basin of Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo. It differs from the only other known species ofHypergastromyzon, H. humilis, from the Kapuas basin of western Borneo, in having a very large gill opening instead of a greatly reduced one, 23–25 instead of 28–30 branched pectoral fin rays, and pelvic fins incompletely rather than completely united to each other posteriorly.     

A new species of the deep-sea fish genus Coelorinchus Giorna (Macrouridae) from the eastern North Atlantic, with notes on its ecology

A new species of macrourid, Coelorinchus abditilux , is described from 51°N, 11°W in the Porcupine Sea-Bight, eastern North Atlantic. It is distinguished by its minute ventral light organ which lacks an external naked fossa, short snout, naked underside of head, body scales lacking prominent median keels and low gill raker count (8–9) in inner series of first arch. The uniqueness of this species is such that it may represent a new sub-genus of Coelorinchus . It is relatively deep-living (770–1042 m) with a very restricted known distribution in a coralline area.     

A new species of the deep-sea fish genus Paraliparis Collett (Liparididae) from the eastern North Atlantic, with notes on its ecology

A new species of liparidid, Paraliparis hystrix , is described from the slope waters (255–1140 m) to the west of Britain, in the area 49–59°N and 07–18°W. This pallid species is not uncommon, and is represented by a strong imbalance of females. Specimens close to ovulation have been collected in all seasons and have an estimated mean fecundity of 83 eggs.     

Polycarpaea majumdariana (Caryophyllaceae)—a new species from Tamil Nadu, India

Polycarpaea majumdariana , a new species allied to P. aurea (Wight) Dunn from the Tamil Nadu plains, is described and illustrated.     

Trichodesma mudgalii (Boraginaceae)—a new species from Madhya Pradesh, India

Trichodesma mudgalii (Boraginaceae) is described and illustrated as a new species from Madhya Pradesh (Betul district), India. The species is closely allied to T. indicum var. indicum and T. stocksii but differs from the former in having epidermis (on stem) peeling off in flakes with age, leaves crowded, 2–6 mm broad, strongly revolute and covered on abaxial surface with simple, short, thin hairs intermixed with long, bulbous-based hairs and from the latter in having apices of connectives strongly spirally twisted, ovoid nutlets and emarginate.     

A new genus and species of rattail fish (Macrouridae) from the eastern North Atlantic and eastern Indian Ocean, with notes on its ecology

A new genus, Macrosmia , and species ( M. phalacra ) of benthopelagic macrourid fish is described from single male specimens caught in 1650–1699 m soundings in the northeastern Atlantic and south-eastern Indian Oceans. This elongate macrourine rattail, with 7 branchiostegal and 11–12 pelvic rays, is unique in its massive olfactory organ, the cavity of which almost equals the diameter of the orbit. This cavity is a reverse D-shape, with the posterior margin deforming the orbital rim into a D-shape. Macrosmia has a short deep snout, lacks prominent ridges on the head, has anteriorly placed plevic fins and a weakly serrated second spinuous ray in the first dorsal fin. The anus is contiguous with the anal fin. These characters, among others, show affinity with the Cetonurus group of genera. The distribution and diet of the species is briefly discussed and M. phalacra is shown to be at least partly dependent on benthic food which, from one example, is of crustacean origin.     

A new species of Etlingera (Zingiberaceae) from peninsular Malaysia and southern Thailand

Etlingera corneri , a new species from peninsular Malaysia and southern Thailand is described and illustrated.     

Synanceia quinque,a new species of stonefish (Synanceiidae) from Borneo and Flores

A new species of stonefish, Synanceia quinque (Synanceiidae) is described on the basis of two specimens (61.5–84.4 mm standard length) collected off Sabah (Borneo), Malaysia and Flores, Indonesia. The new species is characterized by 12 pectoral-fin rays, and is most similar to Synanceia alula Eschmeyer and Rama-Rao 1973 (11 pectoral-fin rays in the latter vs. 14 or more in other congeners). Other characters distinguishing S. quinque from S. alula include numbers of pelvic-fin rays [I, 5 in the former vs. I, 3 or 4 (usually I, 4) in the latter], gill rakers (0 + 4 or 5 vs. 0 or 1 + 7), and five preopercular spines/skin flaps (upper three spines relatively well developed, lower two rudimentary) (vs. four preopercle spines, fifth spine or skin flap absent). An updated key to species of Synanceia is provided.

     

A new species of Orchidantha (Lowiaceae) from Borneo

Orchidantha holttumii , a new species of Lowiaceae is described from Brunei. The chromosome number is 2n = 18