<Emphasis Type="Italic">Calcarisporium xylariicola</Emphasis> sp. nov. and introduction of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Calcarisporiaceae</Emphasis> fam. nov. in Hypocreales

During a survey of fungicolous fungi, a novel taxon from the surface of stroma of an unidentified Xylaria species was collected. Phylogenetic analyses showed that this taxon clustered with Calcarisporium sp. and C. arbuscula isolates, but was resolved as a distinct species. A detailed morphological examination coupled with phylogenetic analysis indicated that the taxon represented a new species. Calcarisporium xylariicola sp. nov. is thus introduced. The new taxon is characterized by short conidiophores with swollen bases and less length/width ratio of conidia that distinguish it from other Calcarisporium species. Calcarisporium is presently placed in Hypocreales genera, incertae sedis genus. Species in the genus are largely fungicolous, or occasionally caulicolous or foliicolous, and have hyaline, erect, verticillate conidiophores and sympodial, polyblastic conidiation. A phylogenetic analysis of combined SSU, ITS, LSU, TEF and RPB2 sequence data from Calcarisporium species and other taxa in Hypocreales indicate that Calcarisporium is a distinct lineage from other families. Therefore, a new family, Calcarisporiaceae, in Hypocreales is introduced.     

Hybridization of alien and aboriginal taxons of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bidens</Emphasis> L. genus in Eastern Europe

Earlier it was suggested, based on study of the morphological features, that a new taxon of burmarigold, which had been noted in recent decades in several locations on the territory of Russia and neighboring countries and described as an alien species of Bidens connata, is in fact a hybrid species that arose in Europe. This hypothesis was confirmed by the molecular genetic method. A complex of taxa of the genus Bidens from various parts of the areal and their F1 first generation offspring were studied, and a polymerase chain reaction was performed using ISSR primers. It was established that the taxon investigated represents a complex of hybrids and recurrent hybrids that arose in the European part of Russia independently by hybridization of the alien B. frondosa and the aboriginal B. cernua.     

Three species of Isotoma (Collembola, Isotomidae) based on morphology, isozymes and ecology

Morphological markers and isozymes were used for identifying three presumed species of the Isotoma genus. Morphological traits separated three taxa of the genus. 10 isozymes determined by at least 11 loci were analysed from each taxon, and 2 loci were taxon-specific, supporting the hypothesis that the three taxa represented three species. The genetic variation found within the taxa measured as fraction of polymorphic loci at the 99% level was 0.82, 0.55 and 0.55 with the corresponding observed heterozygosity 0.15, 0.09 and 0.12. Two populations of the same taxon from Denmark and Norway, respectively, were very closely related. Additional ecological criteria, obtained from a literature survey, also revealed pronounced differences between the three taxa. Due to these facts three distinct species are proposed, namely I. anglicana Lubbock 1862, I. riparia Nicolet 1841 and I. viridis Bourlet 1839.     

Four new species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Tubeufia</Emphasis> (Tubeufiaceae,Tubeufiales) from Thailand

Tubeufia was named for a sexual morph taxon. However, several asexual morph species have been accommodated in this genus as well. In our study, four new species of Tubeufia, viz. T. filiformis, T. latispora, T. laxispora and T. mackenziei, are described and illustrated. The phylogenetic placement of the new species is confirmed by analysis of combined ITS, LSU and TEF1α sequence data. A key to Tubeufia species is provided and the new species are compared with similar fungal taxa.     

The genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Diaporthe</Emphasis>: a rich source of diverse and bioactive metabolites

The genus Diaporthe (asexual state: Phomopsis) comprises pathogenic, endophytic and saprobic species with both temperate and tropical distributions. Although species of Diaporthe have in the past chiefly been distinguished based on host association, studies have confirmed several taxa to have wide host ranges, suggesting that they move freely between hosts, frequently co-colonizing diseased or dead tissue, while some species are known to be host-specific. They are also very frequently isolated as endophytes of seed plants. Due to their importance as plant pathogens, the genus has been thoroughly investigated for secondary metabolites, including during screening programs aimed at the discovery of novel bioactive natural products, but the respective information has never been compiled. Therefore, we have examined the relevant literature to explore and highlight the major classes of metabolites of Diaporthe and their Phomopsis conidial states. These fungi predominantly produce a large number of polyketides, but cytochalasins and other types of commonly encountered fungal secondary metabolites are also predominant in some species. Interestingly, not a single metabolite which is also known from the host plant has ever been isolated as a major component from an endophytic Diaporthe strain, despite the fact that many of the recent studies were targeting endophytic fungi of medicinal plants.     

New fossil anthropoids from the middle Miocene of East Africa and their bearing on the origin of the oreopithecidae

Recent paleontological collections at the middle Miocene locality of Maboko Island in Kenya, dated at 15-16 million years, have yielded numerous new specimens belonging to at least five species of fossil anthropoids. The most common species of ape at the site, a medium-sized primate with a very distinctive dental morphology, clearly represents a previously undescribed taxon. When compared with other Miocene anthropoids from East Africa, it has its closest affinities with the poorly known species Rangwapithecus vancouveringi from the early Miocene locality of Rusinga Island. The species from Maboko Island is described here as belonging to a new genus of fossil anthropoid, to which "Rangwapithecus" vancouveringi is also referred. The new genus has a highly distinctive suite of derived characters of its molars and premolars, which it shares with Oreopithecus bambolii from the late Miocene of Europe. These synapomorphies indicate a close phyletic relationship between the East African species and Oreopithecus and form the basis for the inclusion of these taxa in a single family, the Oreopithecidae Schwalbe, 1915. In many respects, however, the East African forms are more conservative than Oreopithecus, and in a general sense they can be regarded as an intermediate grade between Oreopithecus and the more generalized early Miocene catarrhines, the proconsuloids. There is, therefore, good fossil evidence to indicate that the origins of the Oreopithecidae can be traced back to the early Miocene of Africa.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pseudopestalotiopsis ignota</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ps. camelliae</Emphasis> spp. nov. associated with grey blight disease of tea in China

We combined morphological and combined ITS, TUB and TEF sequence data to infer the phylogeny of the recently introduced genus Pseudopestalotiopsis. Two new species from China, Ps. camelliae from blighted leaves of Camellia sinensis and Ps. ignota from an undetermined host in China, are introduced with illustrated accounts and compared with similar taxa. Grey blight disease of tea appears to be caused by a group of fungi that constitutes a species complex. A new combination is proposed to emend the monophyly of Pseudopestalotiopsis and a species comparison is provided for taxa in the genus.     

The Composition and Density of Epiphyton on Some Macrophyte Species in the Partly Meromictic Lake Verevi

In this paper, some important problems related to taxonomic resolution in water quality assessment by means of macroinvertebrates are discussed. Most quality indices based on macroinvertebrates only require identification up to genus or family level. Although this can be seen as a practical trade-off between taxonomic precision and time constraints and financial resources, it can result in biased assessment scores for certain stream types. An additional difficulty of identification levels other than species is caused by possible changes in taxonomy over time. A given genus may indeed have been split up into two or more genera or a species could be assigned to a different genus. These changes may alter biotic index values calculated over time, due to a change in number of taxa or replacement of one taxon by another one having a different tolerance class. An additional problem is caused by the invasion of exotic species. The genus Corbicula for instance is currently invading Belgian watercourses in increasing numbers. Since no Belgian Biotic Index (BBI) tolerance class is defined for Corbicula, this may cause inconsistencies in index calculations as well. In order to eliminate these, a semi-fixed taxa list, including a tolerance class for each taxon, for BBI calculation is proposed.     

Identification and Phylogenetic Classification of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pennisetum</Emphasis> (Poaceae) Ornamental Grasses Based on SSR Locus Polymorphisms

Pennisetum species are widely used as ornamental grasses and may be a valuable genetic resource for their breeding to broaden its genetic basis. At present, new ornamental Pennisetum cultivars are primarily bred via somaclone, which increases the number of variants. It is difficult to estimate whether the suspected variants are authentic in genetic features by morphological traits because of their many limitations. Moreover, although the phylogenetic classification of the Pennisetum genus has been approved in some morphological and cytological studies, genetic evidence is lacking. In the present study, we developed 15 specific simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers with a large amount of polymorphisms and strong distinguishing abilities for Pennisetum ornamental grasses using magnetic bead enrichment. These markers, together with the other 11 reported polymorphic SSRs, were further used for the identification of a broad collection of 55 Pennisetum samples, including nine original taxa and 46 suspected variants. After comparing the genetic characteristics between each variant and its corresponding original taxon, we verified 20 suspected variants that possess the potential to become new, commercially desirable cultivars. The nine original taxa and the 20 verified variants were identified based on the polymorphisms of six core loci, and unique molecular identities with 15 denary digits for each taxon were further established. The rationality of the traditional phylogenetic classification system of the Pennisetum genus was further verified using 147 polymorphic alleles. The present study promotes the protection, registration, breeding, and international communication of Pennisetum ornamental grasses.     

Premaxillae of the Extinct Megalonychid Sloths <Emphasis Type="Italic">Acratocnus</Emphasis>, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Neocnus</Emphasis>, and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Megalonyx</Emphasis>, and their Phylogenetic Implications (Mammalia,Xenarthra)

In most folivorans, the premaxilla is loosely attached to the maxilla, so that it is often missing in otherwise very well-preserved fossil skulls. Despite its infrequent preservation in sloths, the premaxilla has been shown to have phylogenetically significant variation among the taxa that do preserve the element. In the family Megalonychidae, the premaxilla is known only in the early taxon Eucholoeops (Santacrucian South American Land Mammal Age [SALMA]), the extant two-toed sloth Choloepus, and the North American Neogene taxon Megalonyx, the last described only in an unpublished Master’s thesis. We report here the discovery of the premaxilla in two genera of extinct megalonychids, Neocnus and Acratocnus. These small bodied, semiarboreal megalonychid sloths are endemic to the islands of the Greater Antilles. Though the presence of sloths in the Caribbean dates at least to the late Oligocene, the best known taxa derive from Pleistocene to Holocene cave deposits in Puerto Rico, Hispaniola, and Cuba. We also describe the premaxilla in two species of Megalonyx from North America, the Blancan North American Land Mammal Age (NALMA) M. leptostomus and Rancholabrean NALMA M. jeffersonii. These species show a progressive reorientation of the premaxilla within Megalonyx from a primitive horizontal element to a nearly vertical element, and some significant changes in the anatomy of the incisive foramen. Morphological evidence suggests that a broadened, plate-like premaxilla constitutes a synapomorphy for the entire clade Megalonychidae. Furthermore, although Eucholoeops retains a short anterior process of the premaxilla like that of megatherioid sloths, this process is lacking in the other megalonychids, suggesting that the loss of this process may unite late Miocene to Recent megalonychids.     

一种改进的PAE方法及其在锦鸡儿组(锦鸡儿属)特有性分析中的应用

针对特有性简约性分析（PAE）不足之处,提出一个新的改进分析方法。主要区别是,新方法对分布区内分类群区分了原始和演化,相应地编码为0／1;为了获取分类群原始和演化的特性,分析以分类群分支图为基础。新方法是系统发育与地理分布相统一原理的一个具体的定量化探讨。用新方法分析了豆科锦鸡儿属锦鸡儿组15种,结果表明新方法优于以前的PAE方法。用新的改进方法分析得到的可能的祖先分布区是原始类群树锦鸡儿和一大类属内原始类群的分布区。与目前属的起源问题的一般观点相一致。     

New Species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Tenuisvalvae</Emphasis> (Duverger) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) Feeding on <Emphasis Type="Italic">Parthenolecanium perlatum</Emphasis> (Cockerell) (Hemiptera: Coccidae) in Citrus Crop

A new species of Hyperaspidini, Tenuisvalvae quadripunctata sp. nov. is described and illustrated. The genus is now represented by 11 species, all native of South America, and the new taxon is integrated into the existing key to species of the genus. Ecological data for T. quadripunctata sp. nov. and a list with prey and host plants to the species of the genus Tenuisvalvae are provided.     

Uncovering the Laurasian roots ofEubranchipus

The species of the anostracan genusEubranchipus Verrill, 1870 can be recognized as belonging to the same taxon and unambiguously distinguished from all other taxa in the family Chirocephalidae Daday, 1910 by the common morphology of their eversible penes. These reproductive structures are short, fat, and cylindrical with a single long, thin spine on the lateral margin at the tip of each penis. This ends the erroneous perception ofEubranchipus as a New World genus and recognizes it as an old taxon with members distributed accross the modern continents that once comprised Laurasia.     

A settled sub-family for the orphan tree: The phylogenetic position of the endemic Colombian genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Orphanodendron</Emphasis> in the Leguminosae

Orphanodendron is a taxonomically and geographically isolated South American genus of two species. When first described by Barneby and Grimes in 1990, the genus was placed in Leguminosae subfamily Caesalpinioideae, but that placement was doubted and the name Orphanodendron (Gr. orphanos, orphan + dendron, tree) was chosen to reflect the uncertain subfamilial relationship of the genus. In this study, nucleotide sequence data from five Orphanodendron specimens were added to 662 other, previously sampled, Leguminosae taxa representing all three currently recognized subfamilies (Caesalpinioideae, Mimosoideae and Papilionoideae) in a matK maximum parsimony analysis that resolved Orphanodendron as a member of the genistoid s.l. clade of subfamily Papilionoideae. Two additional Bayesian phylogenetic analyses with reduced taxon sampling of plastid (matK combined with trnL-F) and nuclear (ITS) loci strongly support the monophyly of Orphanodendron and unambiguously establish Orphanodendron as a member of the genistoid sensu lato clade. Although our plastid phylogenetic analysis finds relatively low support for a sister-group relationship with the African genus Camoensia, the nuclear-encoded ITS resolves Orphanodendron as sister to the Bowdichia clade with strong support and Camoensia as sister to other core genistoids. The phylogenetic resolution of Orphanodendron as a member of the genistoid s.l. legumes based on nuclear and plastid sequences will undoubtedly advance future evolutionary investigations of this Colombian endemic tropical tree genus.     

Chromosome counts in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Chaetogastra</Emphasis> (Melastomataceae,Melastomateae)

Chaetogastra is the largest genus in Melastomateae, with about 165–190 species. The genus was only recently resurrected, based on species that have been traditionally treated in Tibouchina sects. Diotanthera, Pseudopterolepis, Purpurella and Simplicicaules. This article presents 15 chromosome counts for the genus, a review of the available counts and also a discussion of these counts in a systematic context. Although the sampling in the genus is still poor, the data found in the literature and in our research indicate x=9 as the base chromosome number for the genus. We also found that euploidy may be common in Chaetogastra, with diploid, tetraploid and hexaploid species. Basic chromosome numbers also seem to be a taxonomic character that distinguishes Chaetogastra (x=9) from Brachyotum (x=10).     

Morphology, Biometry, and Taxonomy of Freshwater and Marine Interstitial Cyphoderia (Cercozoa: Euglyphida)

ABSTRACT. Good taxonomy is essential for ecological, biogeographical, and evolutionary studies of any group of organisms. Therefore, we performed detailed light- and scanning electron microscopy investigations on the shell ultrastructure and biometric analyses of the morphometric variability of five freshwater and marine interstitial testate amoebae of the genus Cyphoderia ( C. trochus var. amphoralis, C. ampulla, C. margaritacea var. major, C. compressa , and C. littoralis ), isolated from different populations in Bulgaria and Switzerland. Our aims were (1) to clarify the morphological characteristics of these taxa, and (2) to compare the morphology of a given taxon ( C. ampulla ) among different locations in Bulgaria and Switzerland as a first step towards an assessment of the geographical variation within a supposedly cosmopolitan taxon. Four of the studied taxa are characterized by a well-expressed main-size class and by a small size range of all the characters and can be defined as size-monomorphic species. Based on these results, the following systematic changes are proposed: C. major ( Penard, 1891 ) n. comb. (Syn.: C. margaritacea var. major ( Penard, 1891 ) and C. amphoralis ( Wailes & Penard, 1911 ) n. comb. (Syn.: C. trochus var. amphoralis ( Wailes & Penard, 1911 )). However, we also show significant morphological variability between the Swiss and Bulgarian populations of C. ampulla , suggesting the possible existence of more than one taxon within this species. Further studies are required to assess (1) if these two morphologically different taxa represent individual species, (2) if so, if more species exist, and if this diversity is due to limited distribution ranges (endemism) or if several closely related taxa occur together in different geographical areas.     

Ceci n'est pas une pipe: names, clades and phylogenetic nomenclature

An introduction is provided to the literature and to issues relating to phylogenetic nomenclature and the PhyloCode, together with a critique of the current Linnaean system of nomenclature. The Linnaean nomenclature fixes taxon names with types, and associates the names with ranks (genus, family, etc.). In phylogenetic nomenclature, names are instead defined with reference to cladistic relationships, and the names are not associated with ranks. We argue that taxon names under the Linnaean system are unclear in meaning and provide unstable group–name associations, notwithstanding whether or not there are agreements on relationships. Furthermore, the Linnaean rank assignments lack justification and invite unwarranted comparisons across taxa. On the contrary, the intention of taxon names in phylogenetic nomenclature is clear and stable, and the application of the names will be unambiguous under any given cladistic hypothesis. The extension of the names reflects current knowledge of relationships, and will shift as new hypotheses are forwarded. The extension of phylogenetic names is, therefore, clear but is associated to (and thus dependent upon) cladistic hypotheses. Stability in content can be maximized with carefully formulated name definitions. A phylogenetic nomenclature will shift the focus from discussions of taxon names towards the understanding of relationships. Also, we contend that species should not be recognized as taxonomic units. The term ‘species’ is ambiguous, it mixes several distinct classes of entities, and there is a large gap between most of the actual concepts and the evidence available to identify the entities. Instead, we argue that only clades should be recognized. Among these, it is useful to tag the smallest named clades, which all represent non-overlapping groups. Such taxa  – LITUs (Least Inclusive Taxonomic Units) – are distinguished from more inclusive clades by being spelled with lower-case initial letter. In contrast to species, LITUs are conceptually straightforward and are, like other clades, identified by apomorphies.