Two new genera of Glossopteridae

Two glossoptcrid fructifications from the Permian are described. Mudgea , from Australia, consists of a tuft of scales bearing winged orbicular seeds and Breytenia is an urceolate receptacle with biconvex ovules.     

Three new species of Stiphrornis (Aves: Muscicapidae) from the Afro-tropics,with a molecular phylogenetic assessment of the genus

We describe three new species of forest robin in the genus Stiphrornis; two from West Africa and one from the Congo Basin. Each species represents a distinct phylogenetic lineage based on genetic analysis. In addition to genetic differentiation, each new species is diagnosable from other Stiphrornis lineages by morphology, and by plumage. One of the new species appears to be restricted to the Central and Brong-Ahafo Regions of Ghana, and another is restricted to Benin and the Central Region of Ghana. In Ghana, these two new species presumably come into contact with Stiphrornis erythrothorax (Western Region of Ghana and westward), and there is evidence that one of the new species has a distinguishably different song from erythrothorax. The distribution of the third new species is primarily on the south bank of the Congo River, near the city of Kisangani. Recognition of these species provides additional evidence that Afrotropical forests are harbouring substantial cryptic diversity, and that our knowledge of the drivers of this diversity remains poorly documented across the region.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:BF2A0BE6-1140-4EFF-9035-380D61AB03AE     

The flora of the early Miocene Brandon Lignite, Vermont, USA. VIII. Caldesia (Alismataceae)

Caldesia, a genus of aquatic monocotyledons, is represented by four living species, which are widely distributed in the temperate and tropical Old World. The genus has an extensive Oligocene through Pleistocene fossil record in Eurasia. We survey the morphology of the extant and fossil fruits of the Alismataceae, and provide a detailed review of the morphology and anatomy of living and fossil Caldesia fruits. The latter exhibit substantial similarity, making the recognition of separate species on the basis of fruit morphology difficult. We erect the new species Caldesia brandoniana from the Early Miocene Brandon Lignite of Vermont primarily on the basis of its geographic isolation; careful revision of all fossil fruiting material of Caldesia might require placement of the Brandon specimens in a more inclusive form species. Together with leaves of Caldesia from the Miocene Clarkia flora of Idaho, this occurrence indicates that Caldesia was in the New World as recently as the Early Miocene.     

A new species of Viola (Violaceae) from Turkey

A new species of Viola , V. kizildaghensis M. Dinç & S¸. Ẏlḋṙml̇, from Turkey is described and illustrated. It is found on the rocky slopes of K̇żldǎ, K̇żldǎ National Park, in the vilayet of Isparta, south-west Turkey, at an elevation of 1350–1600 m. It belongs to Viola , subsection Viola , and is similar to the Lebanese endemic V. libanotica Boiss., distinguished by its lanceolate, cuneate based leaves, pinkish-purple flowers with white throats, glabrous lateral petals, and peduncles bearing the mature fruit procumbent and pubescent. It is somewhat similar to another species from south-west Turkey, V. sandrasea Melchior, that is endemic to Sandras Dǎ in the vilayet Mǔla; it is distinguished from this by the characters listed above, its pubescent leaves and peduncles, and its linear-lanceolate to lanceolate stipules which have short, gland-tipped fimbriae. © 2002 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2002, 138 , 483–487.     

A new basal dicynodont from the Upper Permian of South Africa

The skull of a small anomodont therapsid, from the Tapinocephalus Assemblage Zone (Abrahamskraal Formation, Beaufort Group, Upper Permian) in Northern Cape Province, South Africa, represents a new basal dicynodont and is described in detail. Colobodectes cluveri gen. et sp. nov. is distinguished from other dicynodonts by an anteroposteriorly extensive caniniform process, parietals that were broadly overlapped posterolaterally by posterodorsal processes of the postorbitals, diverging anterior palatal ridges, and a dorsoventrally low foramen magnum. A phylogenetic analysis indicates that Colobodectes is the basalmost member of a dicynodont clade that excludes Eodicynodon . This position is not particularly strong, as two additional steps are needed to make Colobodectes and Eodicynodon oosthuizeni exchange places on the most parsimonious tree. Another discovery of the phylogenetic analysis is that there is little basis for recognizing Eodicynodon oelofseni as the closest relative of E. oosthuizeni . The former species is identified as the sister taxon of a clade that includes the latter and all other dicynodonts.     

Three new genera of lichenicolous fungi

Three new genera of fungi occurring on lichens are described and illustrated. Clypeococcum D. Hawksworth (Pleosporales) is introduced for the species previously treated as Phaeodothis cladonema (Wedd.) Theiss. & Syd, which occurs in thalli of Cetrelia olivetorum sensu lato and Parmelia vermculifera. Doratomyces phillipsii , a species hitherto not recognized as lichenicolous, occurs on Steinia geophana and Thrombium epigaeum , both of which have Leptosira as the algal partner; this fungus is sufficiently different from other Doratomyces species to justify the new genus Leightoniomyces D. Hawksworth & Sutton (Dematiaceae). Refractohilum D. Hawksworth (Moniliaceae) is introduced for three species: Sporidesmium achromaticum Sutton (on Parmelia aff. sulcata and wood), R. galligenum sp. nov. (forming galls on Nephroma laevigatum) , and Ovularia peltigerae Keissl. (forming galls on Peltigera species).     

A new phylogenetic classification for the gymnophthalmid genera Cercosaura , Pantodactylus and Prionodactylus (Reptilia: Squamata)

Because of the poor state of knowledge of many of the gymnophthalmid genera, systematic revision is necessary to render the classification consistent with evolutionary history. To that end, I conducted a review of the species of three genera of the Cercosaurinae which appear to form a monophyletic group: Cercosaura , Pantodactylus , and Prionodactylus . Phylogenetic analysis of 61 morphological characters was conducted after specimens of all species were examined to evaluate the composition of each taxon. The phylogenetic reconstruction suggested that the genus Prionodactylus was paraphyletic. A new phylogenetic classification is proposed that synonymizes Pantodactylus and Prionodactylus with Cercosaura. Cercosaura is redefined to include 11 species and seven subspecies. A key is provided to distinguish among species.  © 2003 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2003, 137 , 101−115.     

Three new genera of trypanorhynch cestodes from Australian elasmobranch fishes

Three new genera of trypanorhynch cestodes from Australian elasmobranch fishes collected in the Arafura Sea, off the Northern Territory, are described. Fossobothrium perplexum n. g., n. sp. (Otobothriidae), from the spiral valves of Anoxypristis cuspidata (Latham) and Pristis zijsron Bleeker, is similar to the otobothriid genera Pseudotobothrium Dollfus, 1942 and Poecilancistrium Dollfus, 1929 in possessing bothrial pits and a band of hooks on the tentacle, but differs from all known otobothriid genera in having the pits joined by a prominent velum. Iobothrium elegans n. g., n. sp. (Otobothriidae), from the spiral valve of Himantura jenkinsi (Annandale), is placed in the Otobothriidae because it possesses bothrial pits, but differs from Otobothrium Linton, 1890 and other genera in lacking intercalary hooks between the principal rows and in possessing a chainette on the external surface of the tentacle in the metabasal region. Oncomegoides celatus n. g., n. sp. (Eutetrarhynchidae), from the spiral valve of Dasyatis microps (Annandale) and Himantura jenkinsi, resembles Oncomegas Dollfus, 1929 in possessing two bothria and a megahook on the bothrial surface of the basal armature, but differs in possessing an extra row consisting of four intercalary hooks formed by the overlapping of two intercalary hooks on the external tentacular surface between each of the opposing principal rows and is therefore an atypical heteroacanth.     

A new species of Viola (Violaceae) from south-west Turkey

Viola dirimliensis Blaxland is described as a new annual species from south-west Turkey, belonging to section Melanium Gingins. It was found growing only on serpentinite, in two adjacent locations in Mula vilayet, west of Antalya, at altitudes of 1500–1690 m. The locations were typical serpentinite barrens, almost bare of vegetation, with some plants of Muscari macrocarpum , and a few trees of Pinus nigra var. caramanica . The Viola is named after the type location, the Dermil Pass or Dirimli Geçidi, where the tiny plants were growing between the rocks on south-facing slopes. Their distinct golden-yellow flowers are unlike any of the other small annual Viola species found in Turkey.  © 2004 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2004, 145 , 505–509.     

A new species of the Fluviopupa group (Caenogastropoda: Tateidae) from north-east Queensland,Australia

Fluviopupa kessneri n. sp. is described from the Mulgrave River and one of its major tributaries, the Little Mulgrave River, in north-east Queensland. It is the first record of the Fluviopupa group from a continental area, other members of the genus being known only from Fiji, New Guinea and a few other Pacific Islands, including New Caledonia.     

A NEW SEMLIKIICHTHYS FISH (TELEOSTEI, PERCIFORMES) FROM THE UPPER MIOCENE OF CHAD: FOSSIL RECORD AND PALAEOBIOGEOGRAPHICAL IMPLICATIONS

Abstract:  Semlikiichthys is a fossil genus of perciform fish from the Neogene continental deposits of Africa. Until now, it was known in Mio-Pliocene sites of the Great Lake Region and of the River Nile by a single species, S. rhachirhinchus . Here, we describe new Semlikiichthys material recovered from Central Africa (Upper Miocene of Toros-Menalla, western Djurab, Chad), and compare it to S. rhachirhinchus , which is the only known species of the genus, and also with Lates niloticus , which is the fish in African Neogene deposits that most closely resembles it. We attribute the Chadian material to Semlikiichthys darsao sp. nov., based on ten osteological characters of the neurocranium, the maxilla, the dentary and the first vertebra. Our comparative anatomical study also enables us to provide a revised diagnosis for the genus and to reconsider the taxonomic attribution of the fossils assigned to it. Furthermore, the fossil record of Semlikiichthys supports a connection between sub-basins of the Nilo-Sudanese region during the Miocene, and a disruption between the Great Lake and the Nile Basin on the one hand and the Chadian Basin on the other before 7 Ma.     

Two new species of Vellozia (Velloziaceae) from Minas Gerais, Brazil

Two new species of Vellozia from the Espinhaco range in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil, are described and their taxonomic relationships are considered. A discussion of their geographical distribution and an account of their leaf anatomy is provided.     

Endemism and speciation in a lowland flora from the Gape Floristic Region

Taxonomic, edaphic and biological aspects of endemism were studied in a phanerogamous flora from the Agulhas Plain, a coastal lowland area of the Cape Floristic Region. Of the 1751 species in the flora, 23.6% were regional endemics and 5.7% were local endemics. Families which were over-represented in terms of endemics included the Ericaceae, Rutaceae, Proteaceae and Polygalaceae. Under-represented families included the Poaceae, Cyperaceae, Scrophulariaceae and Orchidaceae. Highest levels of local endemism were recorded on limestone and colluvial acid sand. Sixty-nine percent of regional endemics and 85% of local endemics were confined to a single substratum. An analysis of the frequency of biological traits associated with species with different categories of endemism enabled the establishment of a biological profile of a local endemic: a dwarf to low, non-sprouting shrub with soil stored seeds which are ant-dispersed and/or form a symbiotic relationship with microbes. It is argued that lineages with these characteristics are vulnerable to severe population reduction or even local extinction. An effect of this would be the promotion of rapid, edaphic speciation as a result of catastrophic selection. Thus, certain traits (e.g. non-sprouting) prevail or even predominate in the flora not because of any adaptive advantage but because high speciation rates of lineages which possess them, overwhelm low survival rates.     

Three new genera of Leptophlebiidae (Ephemeroptera) from New Zealand

Abstract

Three new genera—Austroclima, Mauiulus, and Cryophlebia—are established for species of Leptophlebiidae from New Zealand. The following new combinations are included: Austroclima sepia (Phillips) and Cryophlebia aucklandensis (Peters). Atalophlebioides sepia is redescribed as Austroclima sepia and a neotype is designated. Two new species, Austroclima jollyae and Mauiulus luma, are described. All life stages are described, and the relationships of each genus are discussed. Keys are given to male and female imagos, subimagos, and nymphs of each species, and to all New Zealand genera with species previously placed in Atalophlebioides.