Towards a taxonomic revision of the genus Echinococcus

Echinococcus remains a significant public health problem worldwide and, in several regions, the aetiological agents of cystic hydatid disease/echinococcosis are extending their range. The taxonomy of Echinococcus has been a controversial issue for decades, but the outcome of recent molecular epidemiological studies has served to reinforce proposals made ten years ago to revise the taxonomy of Echinococcus. A formal nomenclature is essential for effective communication, and provides the stability that underpins epidemiological investigations. It will also serve to recognize the contribution of early taxonomists.     

A taxonomic revision of the genus Heterosmilax (Smilacaceae)

Heterosmilax, a small southeastern Asiatic genus in the Smilacaceae, comprises 11 species in two sections, includingH. micrandra, which is described as new from Hainan, China. These taxa are taxonomically discussed, described, illustrated, and a key is provided to differentiate them.     

A taxonomic revision of the genus Perdicium (Compositae -Mutisieae)

In connection with a revision of Gerbera L. nom. cons. in Africa the genus Perdicium L. is revised. The genus includes two species, P. capense L. and P. leiocarpum DC. in the Western Cape Region of South Africa.     

A taxonomic revision of the genus Pachyrhizus (Fabaceae -Phaseoleae)

The genus Pachyrhizus is revised in order to establish the distribution of the species and their variation. Three species in cultivation ( P. erosus, P. tuberosus and P. ahipa ) and two species only occurring in the wild ( P. ferrugineus and P. panamensis ) are recognized. P. strigosus is considered conspecific with P. erosus . All the infraspecific taxa proposed by Clausen are considered untenable. The new combination P. ferrugineus is made for what was previously know as P. vernalis .     

Variation in Cryptosporidium: towards a taxonomic revision of the genus

Cryptosporidium is an important cause of enteric disease in humans and other animals. Limitations associated with conventional diagnostic methods for cryptosporidiosis based on morphological features, coupled with the difficulty of characterising parasites isolated in the laboratory, have restricted our ability to clearly identify species. The application of sensitive molecular approaches has obviated the necessity for laboratory amplification. Such studies have found considerable evidence of genetic heterogeneity among isolates of Cryptosporidium from different species of vertebrate, and there is now mounting evidence suggesting that a series of host-adapted genotypes/strains/species of the parasite exist. In this article, studies on the molecular characterisation of Cryptosporidium during the last 5 years are reviewed and put into perspective with the past and present taxonomy of the genus. The predictive value of achieving a sound taxonomy for the genus Cryptosporidium with respect to understanding its epidemiology and transmission and controlling outbreaks of the disease is also discussed.     

云南产凤尾蕨属植物(凤尾蕨科)的新修订

在《中国植物志》和《云南植物志》的基础上,对云南产凤尾蕨属植物进行新的分类修订。文中澄清了8个混淆类群,其中新等级1种,即高原凤尾蕨Pteriscuspigera(Chingex Ching et S.H.Wu)X.Q.Song;云南分布新记录1种,即假指状凤尾蕨Pteris psudodactylina Ching et S.K.Wu;新异名3个,即Pteris asperi-caulis var.cuspigera Chingex Ching et S.H.Wu,Pteris inaequalis Bak.及Pteris wallichiana var.yunnanensis(Christ)Ching et S.H.Wu。还列出了新修订种类的文献引证、标本引证、生境和地理分布。经该文研究确认,现知云南有该属植物48种。     

Hamatispora,a new genus of aquatic fungi in Microthyriales isolated from fallen leaves in Vietnam

A new aquatic fungus was isolated from submerged, decaying leaves collected at Phu Quoc Island in Vietnam. The fungus produced hyaline, unique-shaped conidia consisting of a hook-shaped main axis and three arms at the helicoid part of the main axis. Based on its conidial development and morphological characteristics, Hamatispora phuquocensis was newly introduced. Phylogenetic analyses based on LSU nrDNA sequences showed that it clusters with Microthyrium spp. and belongs to Microthyriales. Furthermore, we generated ITS barcode for this hyphomycetous fungus.     

Phylogeny and taxonomic revision of Heteropachylinae (Opiliones: Laniatores: Gonyleptidae)

Heteropachylinae Kury, 1994 is currently considered an early lineage of Gonyleptidae Sundevall, 1833 and includes small harvestmen that occur in the Atlantic Forests, mainly in the Northeast Region of Brazil. The species of Heteropachylinae were spread in different subfamilies until the establishment of the group. As a result of that, until now there were no comparative works on the subfamily in the literature. In this study, the first systematic review for Heteropachylinae was carried out and the first phylogenetic hypothesis for their taxa is proposed, by means of a cladistic approach. A total of 102 morphological characters was coded for 21 terminal taxa: 11 species of Heteropachylinae, two species from the genus Mangaratiba Mello‐Leitão, 1940 (considered as Heteropachylinae before this paper), seven other gonyleptids, and one cosmetid. The data were analysed using heuristic search algorithms, resulting in one most parsimonious tree (280 steps, consistency index = 0.47, retention index = 0.63). A parsimony analysis under implied weights was also performed, resulting in three trees. According to the results, Heteropachylinae is a monophyletic and well‐supported group if Mangaratiba is excluded. This genus should be returned to where it was originally described – Pachylinae. The subfamily distribution is restricted from Ceará to Espírito Santo Brazilian states. Pseudopucrolia Roewer, 1912 is considered a senior synonym of Melloa Roewer, 1930, Thaumatoleptes Roewer, 1930, and Tribunosoma Roewer, 1943. Two species of Heteropachylus Roewer, 1913, Heteropachylus ramphonotus sp. nov. and Heteropachylus gracilis sp. nov. , from Bahia and Espírito Santo Brazilian states, are newly described. Heteropachylus is considered a senior synonym of Chavesincola Soares & Soares, 1946 and Aesotrinoma H. Soares, 1977. A new genus is also described for a new species from Bahia and Espírito Santo Brazilian states, Magnispina neptunus gen. et sp. nov. Lectotypes are designated for the following species: Pseudopucrolia incerta (Mello‐Leitão, 1928) comb. nov. , Pseudopucrolia discrepans (Roewer, 1943) comb.nov. , Pseudopucrolia rugosa (Roewer, 1930) comb. nov. , Heteropachylus inexpectabilis (Soares & Soares, 1946) comb. nov. and Heteropachylus spiniger Roewer, 1913. © 2011 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2011, 163 , 437–483.     

Phylogeny and speciation of the eastern Asian cyprinid genus Sarcocheilichthys

The genus Sarcocheilichthys is a group of small cyprinid fishes comprising 10 species/sub‐species widely distributed in East Asia, which represents a valuable model for understanding the speciation of freshwater fishes in East Asia. In the present study, the molecular phylogenetic relationship of the genus Sarcocheilichthys was investigated using a 1140 bp section of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene. Two different tree‐building methods, maximum parsimony (MP) and Bayesian methods, yielded trees with almost the same topology, yielding high bootstrap values or posterior probabilities. The results showed that the genus Sarcocheilichthys consists of two large clades, clades I and II. Clade I contains Sarcocheilichthys lacustris, Sarcocheilichthys sinensis and Sarcocheilichthys parvus, with S. parvus at a basal position. In clade II, Sarcocheilichthys variegatus microoculus is at a basal position; samples of the widespread species, Sarcocheilichthys nigripinnis, form a large subclade containing another valid species Sarcocheilichthys czerskii. Sarcocheilichthys kiangsiensis is retained at an intermediate position. Since S. czerskii is a valid species in the S. nigripinnis clade, remaining samples of S. nigripinnis form a paraphyly. This speciation process is attributed to geographical isolation and special environmental conditions experienced by S. czerskii and stable environments experienced by the other S. nigripinnis populations. This type of speciation process was suggested to be very common. Samples of Sarcocheilichthys sinensis sinensis and Sarcocheilichthys sinensis fukiensis that did not form their own monophyletic groups suggest an early stage of speciation and support their sub‐species status. Molecular clock analysis indicates that the two major lineages of the genus Sarcocheilichthys, clades I and II diverged c. 8·89 million years ago (mya). Sarcocheilichthys v. microoculus from Japan probably diverged 4·78 mya from the Chinese group. The northern–southern clades of S. nigripinnis began to diverge c. 2·12 mya, while one lineage of S. nigripinnis evolved into a new species, S. czerski, c. 0·34 mya.     

A taxonomic revision and pollen morphology of the genus Dendrokingstonia (Annonaceae)

The genus Dendrokingstonia (Annonaceae) is taxonomically revised and palynologically studied. Three species are recognized, one of which, D. gardneri , is described as new to science. One new combination, D. acuminata , is made. The genus occurs from southern Thailand to Peninsular Malaysia and Sumatra. On the basis of macromorphology and pollen characters, it is considered to be related to Monocarpia. Both genera show a combination of macromorphological characters that is rare in the family, i.e. considerably enlarged stigmas, leaves with percurrent tertiary veins, a highly reduced number of carpels per flower and relatively large monocarps with a thick, hard wall. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy show that the pollen grains of Dendrokingstonia and Monocarpia are monosulcate monads with a columellate infratectum and a more or less bulging intine at the sulcus. © 2011 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2012, 168 , 76–90.     

A taxonomic revision of the genus Tordylium L. (Apiaceae)

The four related genera: Ainsworthia Boiss., Tordylium L., Synelcosciadium Boiss. and Mandenovia Alava are revised. Data are presented from detailed gross morphology, mericarp surface features and anatomy, and palynology.
The results show: (1) Ainsmorthia and Synelcosciadium are congeneric with the genus Tordylium, and that Mandenovia is a good monotypic genus; (2) Tordylium persicum is synonymous with 7. cappadocicum and 7. aegaeum with 7. pestalozzae; (3) the genus Tordylium is best divided into subgenus Tordylium (including Synelcosciadium) and subgenus Ainsworthia (Boiss.) Drude. The latter is divided into section Condylocarpus (Hoffm.) DC, section Hasselquistia (L.) Boiss. and section Univittata Drude.
A new species of Tordylium is described, and two new combinations made. A taxonomic treatment of the genus 'Tordylium', together with a key to the species, is given.     

An aero-aquatic fungus, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Peyronelina glomerulata</Emphasis>, is shown to have teleomorphic affinities with cyphelloid basidiomycetes

On decayed wood near a stream, tiny cyphelloid, hair-bearing, Flagelloscypha-like basidiomata were found coexisting with conidia of an aero-aquatic fungus, Peyronelina glomerulata. An isolate originating from the basidioma produced conidia of P. glomerulata by soaking the culture in water. Three additional strains originating from conidia of P. glomerulata produced immature basidiomata with basidium-like structures on the agar medium after about 4 months incubation. Fine structure of the hyphal septa of P. glomerulata was found to be of the dolipore type. Phylogenetic analysis based on sequences from the D1/D2 regions of the LSU rDNA showed that the strains from conidia and from a basidioma clustered together in the Flagelloscypha clade and nested within the Nia clade of Hymenomycetes. The culture studies and molecular phylogenetic analysis suggested that P. glomerulata has a Flagelloscypha teleomorph, a cyphelloid basidiomycete. The molecular data also indicate that P. glomerulata is phylogenetically related to the marine basidiomycetes, Nia and Halocyphina. Thus, this study revealed that cyphelloid basidiomycetes have evolved into both marine as well as freshwater habitats by morphological adaptations of the teleomorphs in the former and of the anamorph in the latter case.     

海南产鳞始蕨属(鳞始蕨科)的分类学修订

澄清海南有鳞始蕨属Lindsaea Dryand.植物11种和1变种,其中碎叶鳞始蕨L. chingii C. Chr.为海南分布新记录。讨论了团叶鳞始蕨L. orbiculata (Lam.) Mett. ex Kuhn和钱氏鳞始蕨L. chienii Ching的形态变异。4个学名, 即L. annamensis K. U. Kramer、海南鳞始蕨L. hainanensis Ching、封开鳞始蕨L. fengkaiensis B. S. Wang &; S. H. Shi和海岛鳞始蕨L. orbiculata var. commixta (Tagawa) K. U. Kramer处理为异名。列出了分种检索表, 在每一分类群下列有文献引证、标本引证、生境及分布资料。