scholarly journals Black spicules from a new interstitial opheliid polychaete Thoracophelia minuta sp. nov. (Annelida: Opheliidae)

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Naoto Jimi ◽  
Shinta Fujimoto ◽  
Mami Takehara ◽  
Satoshi Imura

AbstractThe phylum Annelida exhibits high morphological diversity coupled with its extensive ecological diversity, and the process of its evolution has been an attractive research subject for many researchers. Its representatives are also extensively studied in fields of ecology and developmental biology and important in many other biology related disciplines. The study of biomineralisation is one of them. Some annelid groups are well known to form calcified tubes but other forms of biomineralisation are also known. Herein, we report a new interstitial annelid species with black spicules, Thoracophelia minuta sp. nov., from Yoichi, Hokkaido, Japan. Spicules are minute calcium carbonate inclusions found across the body and in this new species, numerous black rod-like inclusions of calcium-rich composition are distributed in the coelomic cavity. The new species can be distinguished from other known species of the genus by these conspicuous spicules, shape of branchiae and body formula. Further, the new species’ body size is apparently smaller than its congeners. Based on our molecular phylogenetic analysis using 18S and 28S sequences, we discuss the evolutionary significance of the new species’ spicules and also the species' progenetic origin.

Parasite ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 25 ◽  
pp. 29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Weishan Zhao ◽  
Can Li ◽  
Dong Zhang ◽  
Runqiu Wang ◽  
Yingzhen Zheng ◽  
...  

Balantidium grimi n. sp. is described from the rectum of the frog Quasipaa spinosa (Amphibia, Dicroglossidae) from Lishui, Zhejiang Province, China. The new species is described by both light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and a molecular phylogenetic analysis is also presented. This species has unique morphological features in that the body shape is somewhat flattened and the vestibulum is “V”-shaped, occupying nearly 3/8 to 4/7 of the body length. Only one contractile vacuole, situated at the posterior body, was observed. The phylogenetic analysis based on SSU-rDNA indicates that B. grimi groups together with B. duodeni and B. entozoon. In addition, the genus Balantidium is clearly polyphyletic.


2020 ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
Thomas E. Guensburg ◽  
James Sprinkle ◽  
Rich Mooi ◽  
Bertrand Lefebvre

Abstract Twelve specimens of Eumorphocystis Branson and Peck, 1940 provide the basis for new findings and a more informed assessment of whether this blastozoan (a group including eocrinoids, blastoids, diploporites, rhombiferans) constitutes the sister taxon to crinoids, as has been recently proposed. Both Eumorphocystis and earliest-known crinoid feeding appendages express longitudinal canals, a demonstrable trait exclusive to these taxa. However, the specimen series studied here shows that Eumorphocystis canals constrict proximally and travel within ambulacrals above the thecal cavity. This relationship is congruent with a documented blastozoan pattern but very unlike earliest crinoid topology. Earliest crinoid arm cavities lie fully beneath floor plates; these expand and merge directly with the main thecal coelomic cavity at thecal shoulders. Other associated anatomical features echo this contrasting comparison. Feeding appendages of Eumorphocystis lack two-tiered cover plates, podial basins/pores, and lateral arm plating, all features of earliest crinoid ‘true arms.’ Eumorphocystis feeding appendages are buttressed by solid block-like plates added during ontogeny at a generative zone below floor plates, a pattern with no known parallel among crinoids. Eumorphocystis feeding appendages express brachioles, erect extensions of floor plates, also unknown among crinoids. These several distinctions point to nonhomology of most feeding appendage anatomy, including longitudinal canals, removing Eumorphocystis and other blastozoans from exclusive relationship with crinoids. Eumorphocystis further differs from crinoids in that thecal plates express diplopores, respiratory structures not present among crinoids, but ubiquitous among certain groups of blastozoans. Phylogenetic analysis places Eumorphocystis as a crownward blastozoan, far removed from crinoids.


Phytotaxa ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 329 (3) ◽  
pp. 277 ◽  
Author(s):  
ANDREW S. URQUHART ◽  
PAULINE M. L. COULON ◽  
ALEXANDER IDNURM

Pilaira australis, a new species of fungus in the coprophilous genus Pilaira, was isolated from emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae) faeces and is described. Morphologically, the species resembles other species in the genus, particularly P. moreaui, except differs in its unique combination of sporangiophore height and sporangiospore length. Molecular phylogenetic analysis indicates that P. australis is distinct from other species in the genus with two regions, the internal transcribed spacers (ITS) and a fragment of the pyrG gene, showing 91% and 90% identity to the nearest species, respectively. Ultrastructure features and carbon utilisation were determined for P. australis, and may provide characteristics for species identification in this genus.


Phytotaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 512 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
YU-YANG ZHOU ◽  
YUN-HAO SI ◽  
ZHEN ZHANG ◽  
QIANG WANG ◽  
YAN YU

Codonopsis atriplicifolia (Campanulaceae) from western Sichuan, China, is described here as a new species, which is similar to C. subscaposa in a number of characters. The results of molecular phylogenetic analysis of 25 species of Codonopsis based on chloroplast DNA fragments (matK, petD with petB-petD, rbcL) show that C. atriplicifolia is closely related to C. farreri. In morphology, the new species is distinctly different from the allied species by its linear-lanceolate leaves with subentire to pinnatipartite margins.


Phytotaxa ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 350 (1) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
RUI-HONG WANG ◽  
MAO-QIN XIA ◽  
JIN-BO TAN ◽  
CHUAN CHEN ◽  
XIN-JIE JIN ◽  
...  

A new species, Scrophularia jinii (Scrophulariaceae), from Central China is described and illustrated. This new species was formerly misidentified as S. fargesii, from which it differs in many morphological characters. Moreover, it is distinct with all known Scrophularia species in its unique deeply double serrate leaf margin with 3–7 big teeth on each side. Molecular phylogenetic analysis further supports its species delimitation and suggests a close relationship with several Japanese and North American species.


ZooKeys ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 1038 ◽  
pp. 179-194
Author(s):  
Sota Komeda ◽  
Kenta Adachi ◽  
Susumu Ohtsuka

A new species of the continental shelf hyperbenthic genus Pilarella is described, the first from the Indo-Pacific. This is the second species of Pilarella known, and the first description of a male in the genus. The new species is easily distinguished from other species of Pilarella (P. longicornis) based on: (1) short caudal rami, approximately 1.5 times longer than wide; (2) 2 setae on the mandibular endopod; (3) 6 setae on the maxillular coxal epipodite; and (4) in the female, a short left antennule reaching the posterior border of the genital double-somite. The new diagnosis of Pilarella differs from Metacalanus in the separation of ancestral segments IX–XII and XIV–XV of the antennule, and the presence of 5–6 setae on the maxillular praecoxal arthrite. Pilarella is also separated from Metacalanalis based on the absence of a seta on the third ancestral segment of the antennary exopod, the symmetry of legs 1–3, the presence of a medial basal seta on the female leg 5, and 2 lateral exopodal spines on the female leg 5. A molecular phylogenetic analysis of some representative genera of the family Arietellidae, including the present new species, recovers two arietellid clades (Metacalanus- and Arietellus-clades) as in previous studies. Dichotomous keys for the genera of Arietellidae and the species of Pilarella are included.


PhytoKeys ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 156 ◽  
pp. 103-112
Author(s):  
Jiao Sun ◽  
Dai-Gui Zhang ◽  
Xian-Han Huang ◽  
Komiljon Tojibaev ◽  
Jing-Yuan Yang ◽  
...  

This report provides a description of Primula sunhangii from the Shennongjia Forestry District, Hubei Province in Central China, which is categorized as a new species of the primrose family. Primula sunhangii is morphologically similar to P. involucrata Wall. ex Duby in terms of its simple umbel, efarinose, and prolonged bracts. However, P. sunhangii is distinguished by its glabrous sepal, short petiole (compare with blade) and cylindrical calyx and capsule. Molecular phylogenetic analysis based on nuclear and cpDNA genes demonstrates that P. sunhangii and P. involucrata are closely related. Combining genetic and morphological data, the recognition of P. sunhangii as a unique new species is supported.


2021 ◽  
Vol 773 ◽  
pp. 19-60
Author(s):  
Yuri I. Kantor ◽  
Nicolas Puillandre

The genus Sibogasyrinx has to date included only four species of rare deep-water Conoidea, each known from few specimens. In shell characters it strongly resembles three distantly-related genera, two of which, Comitas and Leucosyrinx, belong to a different family, the Pseudomelatomidae. A molecular phylogenetic analysis of a large amount of material of Conoidea has revealed the existence of much additional undescribed diversity within Sibogasyrinx from the central Indo-Pacific and temperate Northern Pacific. Based on partial sequences of the mitochondrial cox1 gene and morphological characters of 54 specimens, 10 species hypotheses are proposed, of which six are described as new species: S. subula sp. nov., S. lolae sp. nov., S. maximei sp. nov., S. clausura sp. nov., S. pagodiformis sp. nov. and S. elbakyanae Kantor, Puillandre & Bouchet sp. nov. One of the previously described species was absent in our material. Most of the new species are very similar and are compared to Leucosyrinx spp. Species of Sibogasyrinx are unique among Conoidea on account of the high intrageneric variability in radular morphology. Three distinct radula types are found within Sibogasyrinx, two of which are confined to highly supported subclades.


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