Heterothallism revealed in the root rot fungi Berkeleyomyces basicola and B. rouxiae

Berkeleyomyces basicola and Berkeleyomyces rouxiae, two sister species previously treated collectively as Thielaviopsis basicola, reside in the Ceratocystidaceae (Microascales, Ascomycota). Both species are important root pathogens of many important agricultural crops and ornamental plants. Although T. basicola has been known for more than 150y, a sexual state has never been found and it has been assumed to be an asexual pathogen. The aim of this study was to determine the mating strategy of the two Berkeleyomyces species. Investigation of the genome sequences of two B. basicola isolates allowed for the complete characterization of the MATlocus, revealing that it has a typical heterothallic mating system with the MAT1-1andMAT1-2 idiomorphs occurring in different isolates. PCR amplification using mating type primers developed in this study, showed that the MAT1-1-1andMAT1-2-1 genes were also present in different isolates of B. rouxiae. Pairing of isolates representing the two mating types of both species,using a variety of techniques failed to produce sexual structures. Although we have found no direct evidence that they reproduce sexually, these fungi are clearly heterothallic with both mating types occurring in some countries suggesting that a cryptic sexual cycle could exist for them.     

New damsel-dragonflies with “calopterygid”-like wing shape from the Middle Jurassic of China (Odonata: Isophlebioidea: Campterophlebiidae)

The new damsel-dragonflies Zygokaratawia incompleta nov. sp. and Parazygokaratawia azari nov. gen., nov. sp., closely related to the campterophlebiid genus Zygokaratawia, are described from the Middle Jurassic locality of the Daohugou and Chentaizi villages, respectively (Ningcheng County, Inner Mongolia, NE China). Parazygokaratawia nov. gen. and Zygokaratawia share a narrowly reduced cubito-anal area, unique synapomorphy in the Isophlebioptera. Campterophlebiids with this character are only known from the Daohugou biota.     

A new trogiid genus from lower Eocene Fushun amber (Insecta: Psocodea: Trogiomorpha)

A new fossil brachypterous psocid tax on belonging to the family Trogiidae is characterized, illustrated and described from the early Eocene Fushun amber. Paralepinotus fushunensis nov. gen., nov. sp., shares several characters with the genus Lepinotus von Heyden, 1850, but differs from it mainly by the presence of tibial spurs other than apical ones and the absence of a forked sensillum on the last maxillary palp. This fossil taxon is also characterized by relatively developed elytriform forewing but still not reaching the tip of the abdomen. A checklist of all known Trogiidae is provided.     

A new hawker dragonfly from the Middle Jurassic of China (Odonata: Aeshnoptera)

A new genus and species Linqibinia panae of paracymatophlebiid hawker dragonfly is described from the Middle Jurassic Haifanggou Formation (Inner Mongolia, China). Previously only known from Karatau in Kazakhstan, the discovery of another member of this family extends its range across Central Asia. It confirms that the Aeshnoptera was among the most diverse odonatan clades during the Middle-Late Jurassic.     

Application of the Wagner's Parsimony Method in fossil plant assemblages from the Cretaceous of Europe

Wagner's Parsimony Method, a grouping method used in phylogeny and synecology, is applied for the first time to taxon lists of fossil plant assemblages from the Albian–Cenomanian of Europe. When compared to a “classical” Correspondence Analysis, WPM allows for a higher resolution, using taxa named in “cf.” or “aff.” and points out both clusters and gradients. WPM results in a tree in which localities order according to their species content and minimizes the number of changes of character states (presence/absence), whereas Correspondence Analysis plots the localities along axes and maximizes the inertia (“variance” explaining most differences between localities). Close relationships exist between the plant palaeobiocenoses and palaeobiotopes, the latter being inferred from taphonomical data (especially the salinity and the clastic size). The space/time working scale can be very fine, up to the landscape ecology level.     

New braconid wasps from French Cretaceous amber (Hymenoptera, Braconidae): synonymization with Eoichneumonidae and implications for the phylogeny of Ichneumonoidea

Two new fossils of Braconidae are described from Albian-Cenomanian amber of south-western France, Protorhyssalodes arnaudi gen. n., sp. n., and Aenigmabracon capdoliensis gen. n., sp. n. The former appears superficially similar to the type genus and species of the extinct sub-family Protorhyssalinae, from Turonian New Jersey amber specimens, and the latter both to Protorhyssalus and to members of the extinct family Eoichneumonidae. However, both new taxa display unique combinations of wing venation characters making confident assignment to sub-family impossible. Indeed, they are the first braconids ever known to possess both vein 2-CU and a distinct trace of vein 2-1A on hindwing. The new fossil taxa are incorporated into a morphological analysis of extinct and extant ichneumonoids. As a result of the analyses we synonymize the Eoichneumonidae with the Braconidae.     

New fossil arthropods (Notostraca and Insecta: Syntonopterida) in the Continental Middle Permian of Provence (Bas-Argens Basin,France)

Apart frequent and relatively common ichnites, only a few body fossils (Ostracoda) have been mentioned in the Red Continental Permian formations of Provence till these last years. During 2006 and 2007 field researches, new arthropods have been discovered in the Pradineaux Formation of the Bas-Argens. They are Triopsidae (Crustacea, Notostraca) and an insect wing (Syntonopteridae) corresponding to a new genus and species Gallolithoneura butchlii gen. et sp. n. This latter is the first insect record in the Permian of Provence and the youngest one of this enigmatic Carboniferous paleopteran family. As in the other French Permian basins (Lodève, Saint-Affrique), these discoveries demonstrate that the Permian Provençal paleofauna was rich and diverse. For the Upper part of the Pradineaux Formation, Capitanian (Upper Guadalupian) in age, the Triopsidae mean the presence of periodical ponds settled in a playa environment evolving under a xerophytic climate. Gallolithoneura butchlii suggests also the presence of aquatic habitats.