A new endophytic species of Arthrinium (Apiosporaceae) from Jatropha podagrica

During study of endophytic fungal diversity in tropical region, a new species of Arthrinium was isolated from healthy petiole of Jatropha podagrica. It is characterized by aseptate, dark brown, circular, lenticular conidia with hyaline margin, broad, hyaline conidiophores with numerous brown septa and ampulliform–lageniform conidiophore mother cells. The new species superficially resembles A. phaeospermum and A. saccharicola in having circular lenticular conidia, but differs in conidia and conidiophore size, and shape of conidiophore mother cells. Phylogenetic study using sequence analysis of ITS region (ITS1–5.8S–ITS2) separates the new species (A. jatrophae) from other related species of Arthrinium.     

A new species of Aeneator Finlay, 1926 (Mollusca,Gastropoda, Buccinidae) from northern Chile,with comments on the genus and a key to the Chilean species

A new species of the genus Aeneator Finlay, 1926 is described from off the coast of Caldera (27°S), northern Chile. Aeneator martae sp. n. has a small, broad, stout, angulated shell with more prominent axial ribs and a more obviously keeled periphery than all previously named Chilean species. Comparisons are provided with all other South American named species of Aeneator.     

A new species of Noblella (Amphibia,Anura, Craugastoridae) from the humid montane forests of Cusco,Peru

A new species of Noblella is described from the humid montane forest of the Región Cusco in Peru. Specimens were collected at 2330–2370 m elevation in Madre Selva, near Santa Ana, in the province of La Convención. The new species is readily distinguished from all other species of Noblella by having a broad, irregularly shaped, white mark on black background on chest and belly. The new species further differs from known Peruvian species of Noblella by the combination of the following characters: tympanic membrane absent, small tubercles on the upper eyelid and on dorsum, tarsal tubercles or folds absent, tips of digits not expanded, no circumferential grooves on digits, dark brown facial mask and lateral band extending from the tip of the snout to the inguinal region. The new species has a snout-to-vent length of 15.6 mm in one adult male and 17.6 mm in one adult female. Like other recently described species in the genus, this new Noblella inhabits high-elevation forests in the Andes and likely has a restricted geographic distribution.     

A case of mistaken identity,Opuntia abjecta,long-lost in synonymy under the Caribbean species,O. triacantha,and a reassessment of the enigmatic O. cubensis

Opuntia abjecta and O. militaris have been placed in synonymy under the Caribbean species O. triacantha for the past 30 years. Recent molecular phylogenetic evidence has shown, however, that O. abjecta and O. triacantha are actually in two very different clades suggesting that the Floridian endemic O. abjecta should be recognized as a distinct species. Here, we summarize major morphological differences between O. abjecta and O. triacantha. We also include new sequence data from the rare Cuban taxon, O. militaris, in a molecular phylogenetic analysis to determine its relationship to O. triacantha and O. abjecta. We discuss the putative hybrid taxa O. cubensis and O. ochrocentra, which currently are treated as synonyms. We also show through analysis of morphological and molecular characters that these two taxa were derived from two independent origins from divergent maternal progenitors, confirming that O. ochrocentra should not be treated as synonymous with O. cubensis. A key is provided for identifying these taxonomically confusing taxa and their close relatives. This study emphasizes the distinctions among O. abjecta, O. militaris, and O. triacantha and illustrates that extreme caution must be employed when using herbarium specimens for identifying species of Opuntia. It also indicates that broad phytogeographic assumptions regarding species’ relationships in Opuntia may sometimes be misleading. Hybridization and polyploidy are common in Opuntia and have played a role in the formation of new species in this group as well. A neotype is here designated for O. triacantha.     

A new Rhynchospora (Cyperaceae) from Cerro Pirre,Panama

While preparing a treatment of the genusRhynchospora forFlora Mesoamericana, a new species from Cerro Pirre was discovered.Rhynchospora pirrensis, described and illustrated here, can be distinguished from other species in sectionPaniculatae by its long, broad, mostly basal leaves and its punctatepapillose achenes. A key to all the broad-leaved species of that section is provided.     

A new opiine (Hymenoptera,Braconidae) from Australia with discussion of Diachasma Foerster

A new species of Opiinae, Diachasma dentatum Shirley, Restuccia & Ly, is described from Australia. This species is similar to several other Australian opiines previously described or included in the genus Diachasma, but the mandibles are unusually broad, nearly exodont. Notable differences between Australian and Palaearctic Diachasma are discussed. Diachasma tasmaniae Fischer, 1995, originally described from Tasmania and New South Wales, is newly recorded from Victoria. Diachasma rufipes Szépligeti, 1905 is transferred to Notiopambolus, new combination.     

A new species of Psathyrella (Agaricales,Coprinaceae) from Mexico with discussions on the known species

Psathyrella hypertropicalis, a new species, is described from a high mountain (Cofre de Perote) in the State of Veracruz, Mexico above the subtropical zone. This species is intermediate betweenP. velutina of the temperate regions andP. sepulchralis from the subtropical regions of Mexico. A list of the 26 species ofPsathyrella of Mexico is presented, of which 21 are from the tropics and subtropics, three from the temperate regions (P. velutina, P. spadicea, andP. hypertropicalis), and two with a broad distribution (P. candolleana andP. disseminata). Eleven are only known from Mexico.     

Aspergillus osmophilus sp. nov., and a new teleomorph for A. proliferans

A new species of Aspergillus and a new teleomorph for A. proliferans, both isolated from cereals in Iran, are described using morphological and molecular data. A combined sequence dataset of the ITS region, partial β-tubulin and partial calmodulin genes resolved the relationships of members of section Aspergillus largely in concordance with morphological traits of ascospores. Aspergillus osmophilus sp. nov. is differentiated from the closest species, A. xerophilus by possessing larger ascospores, conidia and associated fruiting bodies. Both species are strongly xerophilic and possess ascospores with lobate-reticulate convex surfaces. The newly discovered teleomorph for A. proliferans is characterized by delicately roughened ascospores with a shallow or distinct furrow and finely roughened to irregular equatorial crests.     

A comparison of the metabolic fate of Fatty acids of different chain lengths in developing oilseeds

To determine if medium and long chain fatty acids can be appropriately metabolized by species that normally produce 16 and 18 carbon fatty acids, homogenates of developing Cuphea wrightii, Carthamus tinctorius, and Crambe abyssinica seeds were incubated with radiolabeled lauric, palmitic, oleic, and erucic acids. In all three species, acyl-CoA synthetase showed broad substrate specificity in synthesis of acyl-coenzyme A (CoA) from any of the fatty acids presented. In Carthamus, two- to fivefold less of the foreign FAs, lauric, and erucic acid was incorporated into acyl-CoAs than palmitic and oleic acid. Lauric and erucic acid also supported less glycerolipid synthesis in Carthamus than palmitic and oleic acid, but the rate of acyl-CoA synthesis did not control rate of glycerolipid synthesis. In all species examined, medium and long chain fatty acids were incorporated predominantly into triacylglycerols and were almost excluded from phospholipid synthesis, whereas palmitic and oleic acid were found predominantly in polar lipids. However, the rate of esterification of unusual fatty acids to triacylglycerol is slow in species that do not normally synthesize these acyl substrates.     

Scale insects (Homoptera, Coccinea) of the volga area: III. Nudicauda gen. n. and other mealybugs from astrakhan

The present paper is the third part of a revision of the fauna of the Volga Area. Five species new for the Volga Area, including four new for Russia are recorded. Nudicauda gen. n. is erected with type species Nudicauda nigra (Matesova, 1957) (comb. n.). The new genus differs from other genera of mealybugs in a complex of characters and mainly in the presence of very specific oral rim tubular ducts with a broad flat ring and in an unusual ovisac with the opening over posterior tergites of the female body. In addition to the type species, N. orientalis (Borchsenius, 1949) and N. salina (Matesova, 1981) (comb. n.) are also included in the new genus. N. nigra and N. orientalis are considered as separate species, contrary to Danzig (1980). All the three species of the new genus are redescribed and illustrated. The structure of the tubular ducts of the genus Humococcus Ferris, 1953 is briefly discussed and illustrated.     

A new species of the flea-beetle genus Altica geoffr. (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Alticinae) from the Southern Urals

Altica filipendulae sp. n. is described from the Southern Urals. The new species is most closely related to A. longicollis (Allard) and differs from it in the narrower terete body with less prominent humeri, shallower antebasal depression of the pronotum, details of the aedeagus structure, and in the host plant. The holotype is deposited at the Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg.     

Grellamoeba robusta gen. n., sp. n., a possible member of the family Acramoebidae Smirnov,Nassonova et Cavalier-Smith, 2008

A strain of naked amoeba isolated from pikeperch (Sander lucioperca (L.)) kidney tissue has been characterized using light- and transmission electron microscopy. Sequencing of SSU rDNA and phylogenetic analysis based on a broad dataset of sequences completed our study. All data obtained suggest that this strain belongs to a species that has not been described before. As none of the existing genera of amoebae is applicable to this organism, the new genus Grellamoeba is established and the type species Grellamoeba robusta is described. Although the phylogenetic position of the SSU rDNA sequence of the type strain of G. robusta is sensitive to the method of analysis applied, a tendency to group with Acramoeba dendroida Smirnov, Nassonova et Cavalier-Smith, 2008 is evident.     

中国竹亚科思劳竹属一新种——万石山思劳竹

描述了竹亚科思劳竹属一新种——万石山思劳竹（Schizostachyum wanshishanensis S.H.Chen,K.F.Huang et H.Z.Guo）。该种与思劳竹（S.pseudolima McClure）近缘,但本种箨片较平直,且短,长不及箨鞘之1/2,叶表无毛,叶背具柔毛,易于区别;本种也与沙罗单竹（S.funghomii McClure）近缘,但本种秆梢端细长下垂,叶鞘具有白色短刺毛,易于区别。     

A survey of the helminths of Rattus sordidus,the canefield rat,together with a description of Ancistronema coronatum n. g., n. sp. (Nematoda: Chabertiidae)

The digestive systems of 86 canefield rats from Ingham, Queensland were examined for parasites. One species of cestode and seven species of nematode were found, all but one being new host records. The helminth community was characterised in terms of core, secondary and satellite species. No core species were identified, but Nippostrongylus typicus and Odilia emanuelae were identified as secondary species. All other species were identified as satellite species. The strongyloid nematode Ancistronema coronatum n. g., n. sp. is described. Ancistronema differs from other genera in the Chabertiidae in having a short buccal capsule and in the number and shape of the elements of the internal and external leaf crowns. This is the first record of a strongyle from Australian rodents. It is postulated that it came into Australia with ancestral Rattus sp. hosts which colonised Australia from Indonesia less than a million years ago.     

Brachylaima phaedusae n. sp. (Trematoda: Brachylaimidae) from door snails in Japan

The metacercarial infections of door snails (Gastropoda: Clausiliidae) with unknown species of the genus Brachylaima (Trematoda: Brachylaimidae) have recently been reported in eastern Honshu and Kyushu, Japan. A large scale snail survey was carried out to clarify their taxonomic status. From the period of 2015 to 2020, a total of 1239 land snails (768 door snails and 471 others) were collected from 32 localities in Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu. The resulting trematode isolates were identified as Brachylaima sp. by mitochondrial DNA barcoding. The sporocysts were found only a few from Megalophaedusa sublunellata (Clausiliidae), Tauphaedusa subaculus (Clausiliidae), and Aegista trochula (Camaenidae), while the metacercariae were frequently detected from 14 species of Clausiliidae and 2 species of other families. Although Brachylaima sp. showed a broad range of intermediate hosts, door snails seem to be very important to drive the life cycle. The gravid adults of Brachylaima sp. was experimentally raised from metacercariae using immunosuppressed mice. Morphological, phylogenetical, and ecological considerations prompted us to propose Brachylaima phaedusae n. sp. for this unknown species. The definitive hosts of the new species are completely unknown. The wide geographic distribution and high genetic diversity of the new species suggest a possibility that the definitive host is ground-foraging birds, which prefer door snails.     

A new species of Combretum section Ciliatipetala (Combretaceae) from southern Africa, with a key to the regional members of the section

Combretum stylesii O.Maurin, Jordaan & A.E.van Wyk, a liana or slender tree with scrambling branches from the Tugela River Valley (KwaZulu-Natal), South Africa, is described. Molecular data supports its placement in subgenus Combretum section Ciliatipetala with its closest relative Combretum edwardsii. The new species differs from C. edwardsii in having, amongst others, a single mature leaf form, leaves softly textured, with whitish hairs, often with drooping habit, shorter leaf petioles (less than 5 mm), and less complex 8-celled leaf scales. A key to the species and infraspecific taxa of section Ciliatipetala in the Flora of southern Africa region is provided.     

花楸属一新种——天堂花楸

本新种与黄山花楸(Sorbus amabilis Cheng ex Yü)近缘,区别在于前者羽状小叶6～7对,边缘圆钝锯齿,托叶宽披针形,花部雄蕊20枚,10长,10短,复伞房果序排列紧密,果多达160～195粒。