Type specimens and identity of the described species of Conus VII. The species described 1810–1820

During the second decade of the 19th century, eight authors described 24 recent and 26 fossil species of Conus , bringing to 486 the number of proposed species-group names in the genus through 1820. This study analyses these nominal species, as well as three described by Perry in 1810, and evaluates the status of each. Most of the European Tertiary species described by Brocchi in 1814 and some of those described by Borson and Schlotheim in 1820 are valid. Megerle von Mühlfeld in 1816 and Dillwyn in 1817 each described a valid recent species. All other Conus species names introduced during the period are synonyms of previously or contemporaneously described species or nomina dubia. Type specimens of 23 species, including one neotype, are known to exist today. At the present time 148 valid species of Conus are recognized from the species-group names introduced between 1758 and 1820. Of these, 131 are extant and 17 are known only as Tertiary fossils. In addition, six otherwise valid species, three recent and three fossil, were described but were given preoccupied names.     

Type Specimens and identity of the described species of Conus II. The species described by Solander, Chemnitz, Born, and Lightfoot between 1766 and 1786

Twenty-three species of Conus were described by authors other than Linnaeus between 1766 and 1786. Of these, 3 are Eocene species from England described by Solander in Brander (1766), and the remainder are Recent. Chemnitz (1777) described one valid species. Of the 10 species described by Born (1778), 7 are valid, 2 are junior synonyms of Linnaean species, and 1 is a nomen dubium. Solander in [Lightfoot] (1786) described 5 species, of which 3 are valid and 2 are junior synonyms of Linnaean species. Lightfoot (1786) described 4 species, of which 1 is valid and 3 are junior synonyms of Linnaean species.
Holotypes of 7 species and lectotypes of 3 species exist, and representatives of lecto-types of 10 species have been selected. All of these types are illustrated photographically.
Between 1758 and 1786, 60 species of Conus were described, of which 45 are now considered valid. Of these, 42 are Recent.     

A taxonomic review of the nivicolous species of myxomycetes described by Kowalski. I. Order Stemonitales

Five type specimens of species from the order Stemonitales proposed by Kowalski are re-examined. These are Comatricha fusiforme, Diacheopsis effusa, D. serpula, Lamproderma acanthosporum and L. disseminatum. SEM and LM micrographs of spores, capillitia and sporocarps are provided. Critical study of these type specimens supports Kowalski’s recognition of these taxa as good and valid species.     

神农架国家公园植物采集史及模式标本名录

本文基于标本及文献数据对神农架国家公园高等植物标本采集史进行简要概述。该地区有着近140年的标本采集历史, 最早对神农架地区进行植物标本采集的是爱尔兰植物学家Augustine Henry。中国科学院武汉植物园标本馆(HIB)收藏了采自该地区的21,402份标本, 居首位; 其次为中国科学院植物研究所标本馆(PE) 16,483份、华中农业大学博物馆(CCAU) 1,851份。标本采集年份主要集中在1956-1959、1976-1981、1985-1987三个时间段, 其中以1976年采集数量为最多。标本采集月份主要集中在4-11月, 8月采集量最大。不同植物的标本数量两极分化严重, 标本量多的如桦叶荚蒾(Viburnum betulifolium), 高达295份, 然而有612种植物的标本量仅1份, 约2/3的植物标本量少于10份。因而, 在今后的采集工作中我们应该将重心置于标本数量不足的物种和类群, 而标本数量过剩的类群则应减少或停止采集; 植物标本的采集过程应尽可能全覆盖, 突出对高海拔、峡谷、石壁、无人区等特殊生境的调查。采集时间上应该注重春、冬二季。此外, 我们对该地区的维管植物模式标本进行了考证, 编制了《神农架国家公园维管植物模式标本名录》。该地区共有维管植物模式标本39种2变种3变型, 隶属24科34属。对神农架国家公园维管植物模式标本的整理为履行联合国教科文组织世界遗产中心的要求及进一步开展神农架遗产的管理与保护提供了依据。     

A new species of Ptilomymar (Hymenoptera,Mymaridae) and a key to the described species

Ptilomymar dianensis sp. n. (Hymenoptera, Mymaridae) from southwest China is described and illustrated. A key to the six described species is given. The type specimens are deposited in the insect collections of Northeast Forestry University, China.     

Phylogeny and species delimitation of the C-genome diploid species in Oryza

The diploid Oryza species with C-genome type possesses abundant genes useful for rice improvement and provides parental donors of many tetraploid species with the C-genome (BBCC,CCDD).Despite extensive studies,the phylogenetic relationship among the C-genome species and the taxonomic status of some taxa remain controversial.In this study,we reconstructed the phylogeny of three diploid species with C-genome (Oryza officinalis,O.rhizomatis,and O.eichingeri) based on sequences of 68 nuclear single-copy genes.We obtained a fully resolved phylogenetic tree,clearly indicating the sister relationship of O.officinalis and O.rhizomatis,with O.eichingeri being the more divergent lineage.Incongruent phylogenies of the C-genome species found in previous studies might result from lineage sorting,introgression/hybridization and limited number of genetic markers used.We further applied a recently developed Bayesian species delimitation method to investigate the species status of the Sri Lankan and African O.eichingeri.Analyses of two datasets (68 genes with a single sample,and 10 genes with multiple samples) support the distinct species status of the Sri Lankan and African O.eichingeri.In addition,we evaluated the impact of the number of sampled individuals and loci on species delimitation.Our simulation suggests that sampling multiple individuals is critically important for species delimitation,particularly for closely related species.     

Achieving Target 2 of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation: building a preliminary assessment of vascular plant species using data from herbarium specimens

The Global Strategy for Plant Conservation calls for a preliminary assessment of the conservation status of all known plant species by the year 2010. To date insufficient progress has been made on meeting this target. New efforts to develop a preliminary list beyond using the full IUCN criteria in plant assessments are needed. Here we present an algorithm that provides a preliminary assessment of the conservation status of plant species using data from herbarium specimens. We use Hawaiian specimen data from the United States National Herbarium to calibrate the parameters of the algorithm and then use specimen data from the Arecaceae, Commelinaceae, Gesneriaceae and Heliconiaceae as examples of the application of the algorithm. The algorithm was calibrated to insure 95% accuracy in placing the Hawaiian plant species into previously and independently determined threatened categories. Our results indicate that 28% of the Hawaiian taxa, 27% of the species of Arecaceae, 45% of the species of Commelinaceae, 32% of the species of Gesneriaceae, and 35% of the species of Heliconiaceae are Not Threatened and will not need any further evaluation for the preliminary assessment. Species identified here as Potentially Extinct and Potentially Threatened can be further assessed by additional herbarium material and/or conservation specialists for final evaluation using other assessment strategies (e.g., regional and national lists, taxonomic expert assessment, etc.).     

The type specimens and identity of the Siberian species described in the genus Lithobius by Anton Stuxberg in 1876 (Chilopoda: Lithobiomorpha)

The nine Siberian species described by Stuxberg in the genus Lithobius are redescribed from the original material. It is concluded that six of these species (ostiacorum, princeps, sulcipes, nordenskioldii, fugax and vagabundus) are valid and that three (scrobiculatus, formicarum and captivus) are junior synonyms. Three further species, one of them new, have been found among Stuxberg's Siberian specimens and are described.     

Primers for identification of type and other archived specimens of Aphrodes leafhoppers (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae)

Primers were developed for leafhoppers of the genus Aphrodes amplifying 84-244 bp fragments of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene. DNA was extracted from legs of over 100-year-old archived museum specimens, amplified and sequenced. The fragments contain sufficient variation to unequivocally identify the different species. The majority of the analysed museum specimens, including three specimens of the syntype series for the UK endemic species A. aestuarina (Edwards 1908), were found to have been assigned to the wrong species. This work clearly underlines the need to validate museum specimens using molecular methods where identity is in doubt, based on reliable standards for species discrimination.