Molecular analyses revealed three morphologically similar species of non‐native apple snails and their patterns of distribution in freshwater wetlands of Hong Kong

Hydroides operculata (Treadwell, 1929) was originally very briefly described from a single specimen as Eupomatus operculata, collected in the Gulf of Aden, Somalia. Later the species was reported from the Mediterranean as a potential Lessepsian migrant. The taxa Hydroides inornata Pillai (1960) from Sri Lanka, as well as H. basispinosa and H. gradata described by Straughan (1967) from Australia, were synonymised with H. operculata based only on their similar opercular morphology, making the latter species’ distribution to include South and East Africa, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, tropical Australia, and the eastern Mediterranean. Here we examined the taxonomic status of H. operculata using standard molecular techniques to determine whether this species is a global invader, a complex of regionally distributed morphologically similar species, or a combination of both. The study revealed three well supported clades suggesting a natural phylogeographic pattern. Thus, we argue that the taxa H. inornata (India and Hong Kong) and H. basispinosa (Australia) should be re-instated to full species, but that the Australian H. gradata should be synonymised with H. basispinosa.

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Morphometric and molecular analyses of Skrjabinolecithum pyriforme n. sp. (Digenea: Haploporidae) in mullet fish from the Primorsky Region, Russia

Journal of Helminthology ◽

10.1017/s0022149x16000626 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 91 (5) ◽

pp. 625-632 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

V.V. Besprozvannykh ◽

D.M. Atopkin ◽

A.V. Ermolenko ◽

A.Yu. Beloded

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Oral Sucker ◽

Body Length ◽

Type Species ◽

Close Relationships ◽

The Body ◽

Similar Species ◽

Body Width ◽

Molecular Analyses ◽

A New Species

AbstractA new species of Skrjabinolecithum (Digenea: Waretrematinae), Skrjabinolecithum pyriforme n. sp., has been found in the intestines of Liza haematocheila and Mugil cephalus from the Primorsky Region, Russia. These worms differ from S. vitellosum and S. lobolecithum by the presence of two caeca, as do S. spasskii, S. indicum and S. bengalensis. These species differ morphologically from S. pyriforme n. sp. by a number of features, including body width, oral sucker, pharynx, eggs and ratio of length and width of the body. The most similar species to S. pyriforme n. sp. is Platydidymus flecterotestis (Zhukov, 1971) with some differences in maximal body length, testis and egg sizes. The results of molecular analysis confirmed that this new species belongs to Skrjabinolecithum on the basis of close relationships with S. spasskii-type species.

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South American Fomitiporia (Hymenochaetaceae, Basidiomycota) ‘jump on’ exotic living trees revealed by multi-gene phylogenetic analysis

Phytotaxa ◽

10.11646/phytotaxa.321.3.5 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 321 (3) ◽

pp. 277 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

GUILLERMO MORERA ◽

GERARDO ROBLEDO ◽

VALERIA FERREIRA-LOPES ◽

CARLOS URCELAY

Keyword(s):

Wood Decay ◽

Phylogenetic Position ◽

Similar Species ◽

South American ◽

New Host ◽

Decay Fungi ◽

Molecular Analyses ◽

Living Tree ◽

Wood Decay Fungi ◽

Exotic Tree

Morphological and molecular analyses of Fomitiporia neotropica specimens occurring in different native and exotic tree hosts were performed. For molecular analyses we used three markers (LSU, ITS and tef1-α). The molecular analyses revealed the existence of two morphologically similar species. One of them, Fomitiporia impercepta sp. nov., is described here. The phylogenetic position of these species reveals a South American origin and their occurrence on exotic living tree species hints at their capabilities of new host jump events in evolution. These species do not share same hosts suggesting they are not completely generalist wood-decay fungi.

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Two new lecanoroid lichen species from the forested wetlands of South Korea, with a key for Korean Protoparmeliopsis species

MycoKeys ◽

10.3897/mycokeys.84.70798 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 84 ◽

pp. 163-183

Author(s):

Beeyoung Gun Lee ◽

Jae-Seoun Hur

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

South Korea ◽

Internal Transcribed Spacer ◽

Forested Wetlands ◽

Small Subunit ◽

Lichen Species ◽

Substrate Preference ◽

Similar Species ◽

Molecular Analyses

Lecanora parasymmicta Lee & Hur and Protoparmeliopsis crystalliniformis Lee & Hur are described as new lichen species to science from the forested wetlands in southern South Korea. Molecular analyses employing internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and mitochondrial small subunit (mtSSU) sequences strongly support the two lecanoroid species to be distinct in their genera. Lecanora parasymmicta is included in the Lecanora symmicta group. It is morphologically distinguished from Lecanora symmicta (Ach.) Ach., its most similar species, by areolate-rimose thallus, blackish hypothallus, larger apothecia, absence of thalline excipulum from the beginning, narrower paraphyses, larger ascospores, smaller pycnoconidia, and the presence of placodiolic acid. The second new species Protoparmeliopsis crystalliniformis is included in a clade with Protoparmeliopsis bipruinosa (Fink) S.Y. Kondr. and P. nashii (B.D. Ryan) S.Y. Kondr., differs from Protoparmeliopsis ertzii Bungartz & Elix, its most morphologically similar species, by whitish thallus, flat to concave and paler disc, longer ascospores, thallus K+ yellow reaction, presence of atranorin and rhizocarpic acid, and the substrate preference to sandstone or basalt. A key is provided to assist in the identification of Protoparmeliopsis species in Korea.

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A new species of Cantellius and a redescription of C. sextus (Hiro, 1938) (Cirripedia, Balanomorpha Pyrgomatidae) from the elephant skin coral, Pachyseris speciosa (Dana, 1846) (Scleractinia, Agariciidae) from Taiwan

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.2022.1.2 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 2022 (1) ◽

pp. 15-28 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

YAIR ACHITUV ◽

LING MING TSANG ◽

BENNY KWOK KAN CHAN

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Mitochondrial Gene ◽

Sequence Divergence ◽

Sister Group ◽

Mitochondrial Genes ◽

12S Rrna ◽

Similar Species ◽

Molecular Analyses ◽

Molecular Phylogenetic ◽

A New Species

Two species of Cantellius from Taiwan were identified from the elephant skin coral, Pachyseris speciosa Dana, 1846. Cantellius sextus was found on the underside of the coral plate and a new species, C. hoegi sp. nov., on the upper surface. The microdistribution indicates the different requirements of the two species. In the present study, both arthropodal and opercular plate characters of these two species were investigated using SEM techniques. Morphologically, C. hoegi is close to C. pallidus. However, the tergal scutal margins of C. pallidus are curved, whilst those of C. hoegi are straight, and its spur is narrower than that of C. pallidus. The apex of the scutum and tergum of C. hoegi forms a honeycomb-like surface, most probably the ‘imprint’ of the chitinous primordial valves. The separation of C. hoegi from C. pallidus is also supported by molecular analyses of three mitochondrial gene sequences (COI, 16S, and 12S rRNA). Cantellius hoegi differs from C. pallidus and C. sextus by >5% in all three mitochondrial genes (COI, 16S, and 12S rRNA) sequenced. The values of sequence divergence in 12S are comparable to the inter-specific divergence reported for other Cantellius and Savignium species. Interestingly, C. hoegi is not the sister group of C. pallidus, a morphologically similar species, in the present study. Further studies should focus on molecular phylogenetic analysis of Cantellius species.

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Gastrochilus kadooriei (Orchidaceae), a new species from Hong Kong, with notes on allied taxa in section Microphyllae found in the region.

Phytotaxa ◽

10.11646/phytotaxa.164.2.3 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 164 (2) ◽

pp. 91 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Pankaj Kumar ◽

Stephan W. Gale ◽

Alexander Kocyan ◽

Gunter A. Fischer ◽

Leonid Averyanov ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hong Kong ◽

New Species ◽

Conservation Status ◽

Similar Species ◽

Distinguishing Features ◽

A New Species

A new species, Gastrochilus kadooriei, is described from Hong Kong. Notes are presented on its distribution, ecology and conservation status, and its distinguishing features are compared with those of allied taxa. Gastrochilus jeitouensis is reduced to the synonymy of G. distichus, and a lectotype is assigned for G. pseudodistichus. Gastrochilus fuscopunctatus is reinstated as an accepted species. Dichotomous keys to this taxonomically difficult group of morphologically similar species are presented.

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A critique of the systematic position of the asp viper subspecies Vipera aspis aspis (Linnaeus, 1758), Vipera aspis atra Meisner, 1820, Vipera aspis francisciredi Laurenti, 1768, Vipera aspis hugyi Schinz, 1833 and Vipera aspis zinnikeri Kramer, 1958

Amphibia-Reptilia ◽

10.1163/156853802760061831 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 23 (2) ◽

pp. 191-213 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Marco Zuffi

Keyword(s):

Discriminant Analysis ◽

Distinct Species ◽

Systematic Position ◽

Complete Separation ◽

Species Range ◽

Molecular Analyses ◽

Patterns Of Distribution ◽

Internal Morphology ◽

Morphological Differences ◽

Vipera Aspis

AbstractExternal and internal morphology of 415 specimens of the Palaearctic asp viper (Vipera aspis subspecies and populations), and outgroup taxa (V. ammodytes, V. berus), have been examined in order to find patterns of distribution and variation throughout the species range. Within the aspis group V.aspis aspis, V.aspis atra, V. aspis francisciredi, V. aspis hugyi and V. aspis zinnikeri were considered. Ventral scales and number of dorsal bars proved to be the most important external characters to separate populations. Hemipenes showed marked differences between subspecies, in particular in differentiating V. aspis atra, V. aspis hugyi and V. aspis zinnikeri from one another, and also in separating them from the V. aspis aspis — V. aspis francisciredi group. Discriminant Analysis on external features indicated the complete separation of V. aspis atra, V. aspis hugyi and V. aspis zinnikeri and the almost complete overlap of V. aspis aspis and V. aspis francisciredi. The strong morphological differences observed suggest that zinnikeri, atra and hugyi are distinct species, even if further molecular analyses are needed to clarify the whole problem, and neotypes should be designated in order to stabilize taxonomy.

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Two new calcicolous caloplacoid lichens from South Korea, with a taxonomic key to the species of Huriella and Squamulea

MycoKeys ◽

10.3897/mycokeys.84.71227 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 84 ◽

pp. 35-55

Author(s):

Beeyoung Gun Lee ◽

Jae-Seoun Hur

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

South Korea ◽

Ribosomal Rna ◽

Internal Transcribed Spacer ◽

Large Subunit ◽

Small Subunit ◽

Similar Species ◽

Molecular Analyses ◽

Tip Cells ◽

Large Subunit Ribosomal Rna

Pyrenodesmia rugosa Lee & Hur and Huriella aeruginosa Lee & Hur are described as new lichen-forming fungi from a calcareous mountain of South Korea. Pyrenodesmia rugosa is distinguishable from Pyrenodesmia micromontana (Frolov, Wilk & Vondrák) Hafellner & Türk, the most similar species, by thicker thallus, rugose areoles, larger apothecia, shorter hymenium, shorter hypothecium and narrower tip cells of paraphyses. Huriella aeruginosa, the second new species, differs from ‘Squamulea’ chelonia Bungartz & Søchting by dark greenish-grey to grey thallus without pruina, gold to yellow-brown epihymenium, larger ascospores and thallus K– and KC– reaction. Molecular analyses employing internal transcribed spacer (ITS), mitochondrial small subunit (mtSSU) and nuclear large subunit ribosomal RNA (LSU) sequences strongly support the two caloplacoid species to be distinct in their genera. A surrogate key is provided to assist in the identification of all 20 taxa in Huriella and Squamulea.

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H3N2 influenza viruses from domestic chickens in Italy: an increasing role for chickens in the ecology of influenza?

Journal of General Virology ◽

10.1099/0022-1317-83-2-413 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 83 (2) ◽

pp. 413-420 ◽

Cited By ~ 38

Author(s):

Laura Campitelli ◽

Concetta Fabiani ◽

Simona Puzelli ◽

Alessandro Fioretti ◽

Emanuela Foni ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hong Kong ◽

Intermediate Host ◽

Influenza Viruses ◽

Aquatic Birds ◽

Highly Pathogenic ◽

Molecular Analyses ◽

H5n1 Influenza ◽

Pathogenic Viruses ◽

Avian Origin ◽

H3n2 Influenza

In Italy, multiple H3N2 influenza viruses were isolated from chickens with mild respiratory disease and were shown to replicate in the respiratory tracts of experimentally infected chickens; this finding is the first to show that H3N2 influenza viruses can replicate and cause disease in chickens. H3N2 influenza viruses in pigs on nearby farms seemed a likely source of the virus; however, antigenic and molecular analyses revealed that the gene segments of the viruses in chickens were mainly of Eurasian avian origin and were distinguishable from those isolated from pigs and wild aquatic birds in Italy. Thus, several different H3 influenza viruses were circulating in Italy, but we failed to identify the source of the chicken H3N2 influenza viruses that have disappeared subsequently from Italian poultry. Until recently, the transmission of influenza viruses (other than the H5 and H7 subtypes) from their reservoir in aquatic birds to chickens was rarely detected and highly pathogenic and non-pathogenic viruses were considered to be restricted to poultry species. However, the recent reports of the transmission of H9N2 and H5N1 influenza viruses to chickens in Hong Kong and, subsequently, to humans and our findings of the transmission of H3N2 influenza viruses to domestic chickens in Italy suggest an increased role for chickens as an intermediate host in the ecology of influenza.

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A new species of Panaeolus (Agaricales, Basidiomycota) from Yunnan, Southwest China

Phytotaxa ◽

10.11646/phytotaxa.434.1.3 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 434 (1) ◽

pp. 22-34

Author(s):

YUWEI HU ◽

PETER E. MORTIMER ◽

SAMANTHA C. KARUNARATHNA ◽

OLIVIER RASPÉ ◽

ITTHAYAKORN PROMPUTTHA ◽

...

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Southwest China ◽

Morphological Features ◽

Full Description ◽

Similar Species ◽

Molecular Analyses ◽

Brown Patch ◽

Chinese Academy Of Sciences ◽

Academy Of Sciences ◽

A New Species

A new Panaeolus species was collected on a lawn at the Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences in Southwest China and subjected to morphological and molecular analyses. Both macro- and micro-morphological features of the new species were described and compared with morphologically similar species in Panaeolus. The pileus has a distinctive reddish brown patch at the center. Phylogenetic analysis of nrITS data showed a distinct placement of the new species among the closest Panaeolus species, i.e. Panaeolus cyanescens (Berk & Broome) Sacc., Panaeolus cambodginiensis Ola’h & R. Heim, Panaeolus bisporus (Malençon & Bertault) Ew. Gerhardt and Panaeolus cyanescens var. bisporus (Malençon & Bertault) G. Moreno & Esteve-Rav. Both morphological features and phylogenetic data supported naming our taxon as a distinct new species in Panaeolus. Color photographs of basidiomata and micromorphological structures, a full description of the new species, and an updated phylogenetic tree to show the placement of the new species are provided.

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