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.     

Four new species of Anagrus Haliday (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) from India,with a key to Indian species

Four new species of Anagrus (Anagrus) Haliday (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) are described from India: A. (Anagrus) karnatakus Triapitsyn sp. n., A. (Anagrus) kolhapurensis Manickavasagam & Sankararaman sp. n., A. (Anagrus) latus Manickavasagam & Sankararaman sp. n. and A. (Anagrus) sujathae Manickavasagam & Sankararaman sp. n. A key to females of the 15 described and one undescribed species of Anagrus known from India is provided.www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:99ED388D-BE3E-4FBA-A383-3482D96DA42F.     

Zopfochytrium is a new genus in the Chytridiales with distinct zoospore ultrastructure

While surveying chytrid diversity in lakes and streams, we found on cellulosic bait a chytrid that had both monocentric and polycentric thallus forms. We brought this chytrid into axenic culture from three sites in eastern North America, studied its thallus development and zoospore ultrastructure, and compared its 28S rDNA sequence with those of other members of the Chytridiomycota. Thallus morphology matched that described for the rare chytrid, Cladochytrium polystomum Zopf. Sporangia were spherical and produced numerous long discharge tubes. After discharge, zoospores remained in spherical clusters at the tips of the inoperculate openings of discharge tubes. After 10–30 min zoospores either swam away or encysted in place. Zoospore ultrastructural features included a cell coat, flagellar plug, and paracrystalline inclusion, features typical of members of the Chytridiales. However, the flagellar apparatus structure and organellar organization differed from that of zoospores previously described. Based on its molecular phylogeny and its zoospore ultrastructural features, we classify C. polystomum as a member of the Chytridiaceae in the Chytridiales. Because its thallus development and its ribosomal DNA sequences diverged decidedly from those of Cladochytrium tenue Nowak, the type species of Cladochytrium, we erected Zopfochytrium as a new genus for this chytrid.     

Coltriciella minuscula sp. nov., a new species of poroid fungus on Pinus merkusii from an Indonesian tropical forest

Coltriciella minuscula sp. nov. is described and illustrated from a specimen collected on Pinus merkusii from Bogor, Indonesia. This species is characterized by the size of its basidiocarp up to 4 mm in diam, with long hair on the stipe and with ornamented spores. Both morphological distinctiveness and phylogenetic separation based upon analyses of nrDNA ITS sequences support the establishment of this new species. Morphological dissimilarities between C. minuscula and closely related species are discussed.     

A new genus and species of the subtribe Leptopsaltriina (Hemiptera: Cicadidae: Leptopsaltriini) from Vietnam,with a key to the genera of Leptopsaltriina

Vietanna Lee & Pham, gen. nov. and Vietanna hanoiensis Pham & Lee, sp. nov. are described based on a cicada specimen from Hanoi, Vietnam and placed in the subtribe Leptopsaltriina Moulton, 1923 of the tribe Leptopsaltriini Moulton, 1923 in the subfamily Cicadinae Latreille, 1802 (Hemiptera: Cicadidae). This new genus is morphologically similar to Tanna Distant, 1905 but distinguished from Tanna by the timbal cover exposing the inner part of timbal, the male abdominal epipleurite 3 with a distinct oblique linear fold, the male abdominal sternites without tubercle-like projections, and the aedeagus bifurcate at the apex. A key to the genera of Leptopsaltriina is provided.www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:3B9CBC95-B54A-4BDE-A488-0DEAB69114BD.     

On the phylogeny of Euryteinae (Crustacea,Copepoda, Cyclopoida), with description of one new species from Korea

Euryte koreana sp. nov. is described from the shallow littoral on the East Coast of South Korea, and represents the first record of the subfamily Euryteinae Monchenko, 1974 in the Pacific Ocean north of the tropics. It belongs to a group of species that have the caudal rami length/width ratio of around four, but differs from all congeners by a number of morphological features. Detailed drawings and extensive scanning electron micrographs of many characters of ornamentation provided for this species should serve as a benchmark for distinguishing closely related species in this subfamily with conservative macro-morphology. A morphologically distinct population from anchialine caves in Mallorca, identified previously as Euryte longicauda Philippi, 1843, is described as another new species: Euryte jaumei sp. nov. To test the phylogenetic relationships of its members and previous hypotheses about generic placement of two species associated with scleractinian corals, several cladistic analyses are performed on all 16 currently recognized species of Euryteinae and two outgroups, Neocyclops australiensis Karanovic, 2008 and Troglocyclops janstocki Rocha and Iliffe, 1994, using 25 morphological characters. All resulting trees suggest a close relationship between the two commensal species and them as a sister clade to all other Euryteinae. They are transferred into a newly erected genus Coraleuryte gen. nov., as C. bellatula (Humes, 1991) comb. nov. and C. verecunda (Humes, 1992) comb. nov., and a revised diagnoses is provided for the genus Euryte Philippi, 1843. Obtained cladograms also show that Ancheuryte Herbst, 1989 is nested deeply within the Euryte clade, so the genus is synonymized and its only species is transferred, as E. notabilis (Herbst, 1989) comb. nov. A key to species of Euryteinae is also provided.     

Two new species of the genus Teredorus Hancock, 1906 (Orthoptera,Tetrigidae) from China,with a key to the species of the genus

Taxonomy of a tetrigid genus Teredorus Hancock is reviewed. Two new species, Teredorus parvipulvillussp. n. and Teredorus hunanensissp. n. are described from China and an updated identification key to all known species of the genus is given, as well as brief comments on phylogenetic relationships, biology and ecology.     

Melampsora salicis-sinicae (Melampsoraceae,Pucciniales), a new rust fungus found on willows in China

Based on morphological characteristics and molecular phylogeny, a rust fungus on Salix hsinganica, S. sinica, S. starkeana, S. wallichiana and S. xerophila in China is described as a new species, Melampsora salicis-sinicae. This new species morphologically resembles M. capraearum and M. epiphylla in having subcuticular teliospores with a thickened apical wall, but it differs from these two species in its amphigenous telia. In addition, this new species differs from M. capraearum in its slender teliospores and thinner apical thickness of teliospores, and it also differs from M. epiphylla in the dimension of urediniospores, the position of teliospores and the apical thickness of teliospores. Phylogenetic analyses using partial sequences of the D1/D2 region of nuclear large subunit and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS1 and ITS2) regions including 5.8S of ribosomal RNA gene and the translation elongation factor 1 alpha (EF-1α) gene revealed that this rust fungus was distinct from its morphologically similar species, M. capraearum and M. epiphylla.     

Pinnaticoemansia, a new genus of Kickxellales, with a revised key to the genera of Kickxellales

Pinnaticoemansia coronantispora gen. sp. nov. (Kickxellaceae, Kickxellales) is described and illustrated. This species is characterized by imparipinnate sporocladia (sporocladia arranged in pairs), sporangiospores with a three-lobed corona, and the germination pattern of sporangiospores with downward hyphal growth and repeated dichotomy. The key to the genera of Kickxellales by Kurihara et al. (2001) is revised based on the observation of the germination pattern of this fungus in comparison with that of Asellariales.     

Two new species of Neosartorya isolated from soil in Xinjiang, China

Two new species, Neosartorya shendaweii and N. tsunodae, isolated from soil in Xinjing, China and in Pernambuco, Brazil, are described and illustrated. The first species is characterized by its ascospores with two widely separated equatorial crests and tuberculate to verrucose convex surfaces. This species has affinities with several known species of the genus, bearing ascospores with a similar ornamentation, but can be distinguished from these species by other morphological characteristics such as smaller cleistothecia and conidiophores, spathulate vesicles and rather ellipsoidal conidia. The second species is characterized by its unique ascospores with two low equatorial crests, an evident furrow as a deep depression, and finely reticulate convex surfaces. The validation of these new species is supported further by analyses of the β-tubulin, calmodulin and actin gene sequences.     

A new species of the holothurian genus Pkyllophorus from South Africa with a key to subgenus Phyllophorella

Fourteen specimens of a shallow-water, sand-inhabiting, polytentaculate holothuroid, dredged from Durban, South Africa, are new and described as Phyllophorus (Phyllophorella) rosetta sp. nov. The new species is distinct in possessing an abundance of rosettes in all parts of the body wall, often in combination with tables typical of those of the Phyllophorus subgenus Phyllophorella Heding & Panning, 1954. In the form of its tables and rosettes the new species appears to be closely related to P. (P) contractura Cherbonnier, 1988 from Madagascar but differs from it in the form of its calcareous ring, the number of polian vesicles and the presence of rosettes throughout the body wall, instead of their restriction to the anal region. The presence of rosettes makes the new species, together with P. (P) contractura , a good intermediate between Phyllophorus and Lipotrapeza. The new species increases to nine the number of species now classified in the subgenus Phyllophorella. All nine species are keyed.     

Mallocybe velutina (Agaricales,Inocybaceae), a new species from Pakistan

A new species of Mallocybe is described and illustrated based on material collected near the vicinity of Pinus wallichiana in mixed conifer forests in district Abbottabad, Khyber Pakhtoonkhaw, Pakistan. Mallocybe velutina is recognized by the presence of moderate yellow to light yellow pileal margin with deep yellow or fulvous pileus center; strikingly velvety pileus surface; subdistant moderate yellow lamellae; subphaseoliform to ellipsoid basidiospores, clavate to cylindrical cheilocystidia and an ecological association with Pinaceae. The internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) and large subunit of the nuclear ribosomal RNA gene (nrLSU) were used for the delimitation of this species based on sequence data. The evolutionary relationships of M. velutina with other closely related species of Mallocybe were inferred by means of maximum likelihood and maximum parsimony of concatenated ITS + nrLSU dataset. Mallocybe velutina is most closely related to M. arenaria, M. heimii and M. tomentosula.     

A new oligolectic bee species of the genus Rhophitulus Ducke (Hymenoptera,Andrenidae) from South Brazil

The genus Rhophitulus Ducke, 1907 is a large and complex group of bees of the tribe Protandrenini comprising small, slender, mostly black ground-nesting species that are restricted to South America. We describe a new species of Rhophitulus from Parque Nacional São Joaquim, Urubici, state of Santa Catarina, Brazil. Rophitulus ater sp. nov. is distinctive and easily distinguished from other species of the genus by a unique combination of morphological characters in both sexes, but especially by the following: dull black body, coarsely and densely punctate integument, basal area of metapostnotum depressed and areolate rugose, posterior margin of hind tibia and pygidial fimbria of female with blackish pilosity, and characters of the male genitalia with hidden sterna. The new species is closely associated with Blumenbachia catharinensis (Loasaceae), which is restricted to cloud forest of the southeastern rim of Serra Geral. Flowers of B. catharinensis are pollen and nectar resources and mating sites for the new species.     

A New Lichen-Forming Fungus,Aspicilia humida,from a Forested Wetland in South Korea,with a Taxonomic Key for Aspicilioid Species of Korea

Aspicilia humida Lee is described as a new lichen-forming fungus from a wetland forest, South Korea. The new species is distinguishable from Aspicilia aquatica (Fr.) Körb., the most similar species, by the absence of prothallus, black disk without green color in water, olive-brown epihymenium, shorter hymenium, hymenium I + yellowish blue-green, wider paraphysial tips without a vivid pigment, smaller asci, smaller ascospores, and the presence of stictic acid. Molecular analyses employing internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and mitochondrial small subunit (mtSSU) sequences strongly support A. humida as a distinct species in the A. cinerea group. A surrogate key is provided to assist in the identification of all 28 aspicilioid species of Korea.     

Meristoderes gen. nov., a new kinorhynch genus, with the description of two new species and their implications for echinoderid phylogeny (Kinorhyncha: Cyclorhagida, Echinoderidae)

A new kinorhynch genus, Meristoderes gen. nov., and two new species from Spain and the Solomon Islands, respectively, are described. The new genus is distinguished from all other genera by the first segment consisting of a closed cuticular ring, and the second segment having partial tergosternal junctions, and a superficial midventral fold. This is a new cuticular configuration that may shed light into the phylogenetic relationships of echinoderid kinorhynchs. Meristoderes macracanthus gen. et sp. nov. from the Mediterranean coast of Spain is recognised by the presence of middorsal spines on segments 4, 6 and 8, ventrolateral tubules on segment 2, lateroventral tubules on segment 5, lateroventral spines on segments 6-9, lateral accessory tubules on segment 8, one pair of laterodorsal tubules on segment 10. Meristoderes galatheae sp. nov. from the Solomon Islands is recognized by having a middorsal spine on segment 4 only, ventrolateral tubules on segment 2, lateroventral tubules on segment 5, lateroventral spines on segments 6-9, lateral accessory tubules on segment 8 and subdorsal tubules on segment 10. Both species have a pattern of paraventral perforation site clusters on segments 3-9, with conspicuously long bracteate hairs from the posteriormost perforations sites on the segments 3-7 and 3-6, respectively.The new genus Meristoderes gen. nov. is included into the family Echinoderidae Bütschli, 1876 and appears closely related with the genera Cephalorhyncha Adrianov, 1999 and Echinoderes Claparède, 1863. The new information it provides is discussed to clarify the internal phylogeny of Echinoderidae. The terminology for cuticular characters in the overlapping area between consecutive segments is also standardized.     

A new reducing polyketide synthase gene from the lichen-forming fungus Cladonia metacorallifera

Lichens produce unique polyketide secondary metabolites including depsides, depsidones, dibenzofurans and depsones. The biosynthesis of these compounds is governed by polyketide synthase (PKS), but the mechanism via which they are produced has remained unclear until now. We reported the 6-methylsalicylic acid synthase (6-MSAS) type of PKS gene, which is a member of the fungal-reducing PKSs. A cultured mycobiont of Cladonia metacorallifera was employed in the isolation and characterization of a polyketide synthase gene (CmPKS1). The complete sequence information for CmPKS1 was acquired via the screening of a Fosmid genomic library with a 456 bp fragment corresponding to part of the acyl transferase (AT) domain as a probe. CmPKS1 contains β-ketoacyl synthase (KS), AT, dehydratase (DH), ketoreductase (KR) and phosphopantetheine attachment site (PP) domains.: The domain organization of CmPKS1 (KS-AT-DH-KR-PP) is a typical 6-MSAS-type PKS, and the results of phylogenetic analysis showed that CmPKS1 grouped with other fungal-reducing PKSs. Quantitative real time PCR analyses showed that CmPKS1 was expressed preferentially in the early growth stage of the axenically cultured mycobiont. Furthermore CmPKS1 expression was found to be dependent on the carbon sources and concentrations in the medium.     

Mojiangia oreophila(Crepidinae,Cichorieae, Asteraceae), a new species and genus from Mojiang County,SW Yunnan,China, and putative successor of the maternal Faberia ancestorOA

A single small population of chasmophytic plants is described as Mojiangia oreophila, a monotypic genus in the subtribe Crepidinae, characterised by a unique combination of morphological features, in particular densely long-papillose homomorphic achenes with five main ribs each accompanied by two secondary ribs, coarse brownish pappus bristles, moderately many-flowered capitula, a small involucre with numerous outer phyllaries, perennial rosette herb growth and brown-woolly caudex and leaf axils...     

Eifelian (Middle Devonian) species of Bipennatus from the Beiliu Formation at Nalai,South China

A conodont fauna from the uppermost part of the Beiliu Formation at the Nalai section (Guangxi, South China) is studied. Four species of Bipennatus Mawson are described, of which B. hemilevigatus n. sp. is differentiated by a short sulcus flanked by a smooth left margin and a nodose right margin, and B. planus n. sp. is characterized by a distinctly flat, smooth, and narrow platform in the middle part of the blade above the basal cavity. Another species in open nomenclature, Bipennatus? sp., is distinguished by an extremely primitive sulcus or a totally fused and adenticulate ridge above the basal cavity. This paper also reports occurrences of ‘Ozarkodina’? sp. B, Polygnathus nalaiensis n. sp., and P. costatus costatus Klapper. The conodont fauna situates the investigated samples in the lower Eifelian costatus Zone. Taking specimens of Bipennatus from the Hillesheimer Mulde and Bergischen Land (Germany) into consideration, the conodont material furnishes new data on the diversification and phylogeny of this genus. A taxonomic revision of Bipennatus is conducted, and this genus includes B. bipennatus (Bischoff and Ziegler), B. hemilevigatus, B. montensis (Weddige), B. planus, B. scalaris (Mawson), and B. mayri (Uyeno), the latter two are raised herein to species level. More importantly, the prominent diversification of Bipennatus in the costatus Zone cannot be interpreted by previously proposed hypotheses on the phylogeny of Bipennatus, which specifically focus on the development of a characteristic sulcus on the upper margin above the basal cavity. It is apparent that the ornamentation of the narrow or wide platform above the basal cavity is more complicated and variable than previously estimated, and that this genus needs further investigation, especially on the lowest occurrences of its assigned species.