Anguina woodi sp. n. (Tylenchida: Anguinidae) from dune grass, Ehrharta villosa, in South Africa

Abstract Anguina woodi sp. n. was found in galls on dune grass, Ehrharta villosa var. villosa, on Milnerton Beach, South Africa. Mature galls varied in colour from purplish to brown and formed elongated to round elevations on the stems, leaf sheaths and, occasionally, the leaf blades. The adult females of Anguina woodi sp. n. are 1.6-2.7 mm long and coiled into a circle or spiral. Adult males were 1.4-2.1 mm long, straight or slightly curved ventrad or dorsad. Second-stage juveniles (J2) were more or less straight with a prominent mucro on the tail. A few larger juveniles, probably J3 and J4, with developing gonads were also found. Morphological, morphometric and molecular analyses showed that Anguina woodi sp. n. is closely related to A. australis Steiner, 1940 and, to a lesser extent, to A. microlaenae (Fawcett, 1938) Steiner, 1940. From A. australis it differs mainly in a slightly longer female stylet (9.5-15.5 vs 8.0-11.1 μm) and wider female head (8.6-11 vs 7.4 μm); a slightly longer male stylet (10.5-12.0 vs 10-11 μm) and longer spicule (33-36 vs 26.5-35.3 μm), and a longer tail (72-96 vs 49-68 μm) and slightly higher c-value (7.3-12 vs 6.1-8.1) in the J2. The mucro on the tail tip of the J2 of A. woodi sp. n. is also more prominent and, on average, longer than the mucro in A. australis (3.3 vs 1.5 μm). Anguina woodi sp. n. differs from A. microlaenae mainly in the appearance of the galls incited (roundish elevations attached to the substrate by a flattened base vs pedunculate galls attached to the substrate by a narrow base), a longer stylet in both females and males (8-9 μm long in females and males of A. microlaenae), body of male curved ventrad or dorsad in A. woodi sp. n. (dorsad in males of A. microlaenae) and female tail in A. woodi sp. n. tapering gradually to a sub-acute tip vs a prominent peg-like process in A. microlaenae. Phylogenetic analysis of the ITS1 sequences of 19 anguinid populations and species using maximum parsimony and maximum likelihood methods revealed that A. woodi sp. n. clustered with high bootstrap support with A. australis. The ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 fragment sequence differed between these species by 20 nucleotides (2.6%). The J2 of A. australis is herein described for the first time and is compared with the J2 of A. woodi sp. n. Phylogenetic relationships of A. woodi sp. n. with other anguinids parasitising grasses are presented.

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Additions to Chaetothyriaceae (Chaetothyriales): Longihyalospora gen. nov. and Ceramothyrium longivolcaniforme, a new host record from decaying leaves of Ficus ampelas

MycoKeys ◽

10.3897/mycokeys.61.47056 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 61 ◽

pp. 91-109 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Danushka S. Tennakoon ◽

Kasun M. Thambugala ◽

Rajesh Jeewon ◽

Sinang Hongsanan ◽

Chang-Hsin Kuo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sequence Data ◽

Phylogenetic Analyses ◽

Host Record ◽

Bootstrap Support ◽

Similar Species ◽

New Host ◽

New Host Record ◽

Distinct Genus ◽

High Bootstrap ◽

First Time

A novel ascomycete genus, Longihyalospora, occurring on leaf litter of Ficus ampelas in Dahu Forest Area in Chiayi, Taiwan is described and illustrated. Longihyalospora is characterized by dark mycelium covering the upper leaf surface, elongate mycelial pellicle with ring of setae, pale brown to brown peridium, broadly obovoid, short pedicellate asci and hyaline, fusiform, elongated (tapering ends) and multi-septate ascospores with a thin mucilaginous sheath. Phylogenetic analyses of combined ITS, LSU and SSU sequence data revealed Longihyalospora as a distinct genus within the Chaetothyriaceae with high bootstrap support. Moreover, based on morphological similarities, Chaetothyrium vermisporum transferred to the new genus. In addition, Ceramothyrium longivolcaniforme is reported for the first time on Ficus ampelas. Newly added species are compared with other similar species and comprehensive descriptions and micrographs are provided.

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Hirschmanniella kwazuna sp. n. from South Africa with notes on a new record of H. spinicaudata (Schuurmans Stekhoven, 1944) Luc & Goodey, 1964 (Nematoda: Pratylenchidae) and on the molecular phylogeny of Hirschmanniella Luc & Goodey, 1964

Nematology ◽

10.1163/138855409x12465362560430 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 11 (4) ◽

pp. 523-540 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Esther Van den Berg ◽

Sergei A. Subbotin ◽

Zafar A. Handoo ◽

Louwrens R. Tiedt

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Phylogenetic Analyses ◽

Body Cavity ◽

Rrna Genes ◽

Entire Body ◽

Lateral Field ◽

Molecular Sequence ◽

Its Rrna ◽

Tail Tip ◽

First Time

Abstract A new species of the genus Hirschmanniella, H. kwazuna sp. n., is described from unidentified grass growing in undisturbed veldt from South Africa. Hirschmanniella kwazuna sp. n. is characterised by having a very irregular heat-relaxed body posture, body 1522-2049 μm long, lip region low and rounded with four or five lip annuli, stylet 18-22.5 μm long, lateral field areolated along entire body, spermatheca filled with sperm, tail with 62-81 ventral annuli narrowing to a tip bearing a ventral mucro, angular crystal-like inclusions within body cavity in most of the specimens and phasmid situated 12-24 annuli or 15-26 μm anterior to tail tip. Males, like females, have crystal-like inclusions with the tail curved strongly dorsad in most specimens. Juveniles are similar to females. Molecular sequence analysis using the D2-D3 expansion segments of 28S, partial 18S and ITS rRNA sequences distinguished H. kwazuna sp. n. from H. loofi and other species of the genus. Hirschmanniella spinicaudata is reported from South Africa for the first time and described. Phylogenetic analyses based on analysis of the D2-D3, 18S and ITS rRNA genes are given for eight, ten and five valid and unidentified Hirschmanniella species, respectively.

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The Legal Status of Local Government in South Africa under the New Constitutional Dispensation

Southern African Public Law ◽

10.25159/2522-6800/2952 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 33 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Mbuzeni Mathenjwa

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Local Government ◽

Legal Status ◽

Case Law ◽

The Status ◽

History Of ◽

The Republic ◽

First Time

The history of local government in South Africa dates back to a time during the formation of the Union of South Africa in 1910. With regard to the status of local government, the Union of South Africa Act placed local government under the jurisdiction of the provinces. The status of local government was not changed by the formation of the Republic of South Africa in 1961 because local government was placed under the further jurisdiction of the provinces. Local government was enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa arguably for the first time in 1993. Under the interim Constitution local government was rendered autonomous and empowered to regulate its affairs. Local government was further enshrined in the final Constitution of 1996, which commenced on 4 February 1997. The Constitution refers to local government together with the national and provincial governments as spheres of government which are distinctive, interdependent and interrelated. This article discusses the autonomy of local government under the 1996 Constitution. This it does by analysing case law on the evolution of the status of local government. The discussion on the powers and functions of local government explains the scheme by which government powers are allocated, where the 1996 Constitution distributes powers to the different spheres of government. Finally, a conclusion is drawn on the legal status of local government within the new constitutional dispensation.

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Hide-and-Seek with Tiny Neotenic Beetles in One of the Hottest Biodiversity Hotspots: Towards an Understanding of the Real Diversity of Jurasaidae (Coleoptera: Elateroidea) in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest

Biology ◽

10.3390/biology10050420 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (5) ◽

pp. 420

Author(s):

Gabriel Biffi ◽

Simone Policena Rosa ◽

Robin Kundrata

Keyword(s):

Atlantic Forest ◽

Field Research ◽

Transitional Zone ◽

Biodiversity Hotspot ◽

Biodiversity Hotspots ◽

Brazilian Atlantic Forest ◽

Life Stages ◽

Adult Males ◽

Undescribed Species ◽

First Time

Jurasaidae are a family of neotenic elateroid beetles which was described recently from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest biodiversity hotspot based on three species in two genera. All life stages live in the soil, including the larviform females, and only adult males are able to fly. Here, we report the discovery of two new species, Jurasai miraculum sp. nov. and J. vanini sp. nov., and a new, morphologically remarkable population of J. digitusdei Rosa et al., 2020. Our discovery sheds further light on the diversity and biogeography of the group. Most species of Jurasaidae are known from the rainforest remnants of the Atlantic Forest, but here for the first time we report a jurasaid species from the relatively drier Atlantic Forest/Caatinga transitional zone. Considering our recent findings, minute body size and cryptic lifestyle of all jurasaids, together with potentially high numbers of yet undescribed species of this family from the Atlantic Forest and possibly also other surrounding ecoregions, we call for both field research in potentially suitable localities as well as for a detailed investigation of a massive amount of already collected but still unprocessed materials deposited in a number of Brazilian institutes, laboratories and collections.

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Two new species and taxonomic notes on the Neotropical spiny orb-weaving spi-ders Micrathena and Chaetacis (Araneae: Araneidae), with remarks on the development of Micrathena excavata IVAN L. F. MAGALHÃES & ADALBERTO J. SANTOS (Brazil)

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.2983.1.3 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 2983 (1) ◽

pp. 39 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

IVAN L. F. MAGALHÃES ◽

ADALBERTO J. SANTOS

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Junior Synonym ◽

Adult Males ◽

Development Stages ◽

Brazilian Amazonia ◽

Central Brazil ◽

Adult Females ◽

Two New Species ◽

Senior Synonym ◽

First Time

In this paper, M. yanomami n. sp., from Brazilian Amazonia, Chaetacis bandeirante n. sp., from Central Brazil, and the males of M. gaujoni Simon, 1897 and M. ruschii (Mello-Leitão, 1945) n. comb. , respectively from Ecuador and Brazil, are described and illustrated for the first time. An ontogenetic series of the last development stages of both sexes of Micrathena excavata (C. L. Koch, 1836) is illustrated and briefly described. Adult females are larger and have longer legs and larger abdomens than adult males. Probably females undergo at least one additional moult before adulthood, compared to males. Micrathena ornata Mello-Leitão, 1932 is considered a junior synonym of M. plana (C. L. Koch, 1836), and M. mastonota Mello-Leitão 1940 is synonymized with M. horrida (Taczanowski, 1873). Acrosoma ruschii Mello-Leitão, 1945 is revalidated, transferred to Micrathena and considered a senior synonym of M. cicuta Gonzaga & Santos, 2004. Chaetacis necopinata (Chickering, 1960) is recorded for Brazil for the first time. Chaetacis incisa (Walckenaer, 1841) is considered a nomen dubium.

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Implications for the age of South African Devonian rocks in which Tropidoleptus (Brachiopoda) has been found

Geological Magazine ◽

10.1017/s0016756800025024 ◽

1983 ◽

Vol 120 (1) ◽

pp. 51-58 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

A. J. Boucot ◽

C. H. C. Brunton ◽

J. N. Theron

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

North America ◽

South African ◽

Early Carboniferous ◽

Fossil Plants ◽

Geological Time ◽

Marine Sedimentation ◽

History Of ◽

Near Shore ◽

First Time

SummaryThe Devonian brachiopod Tropidoleptus is recognized for the first time in South Africa. It is present in the lower part of the Witteberg Group at four widely separated localities. Data regarding the stratigraphical range of the genus elsewhere, combined with information on recently described fossil plants and vertebrates from underlying strata of the upper Bokkeveld Group, suggest that a Frasnian or even Givetian age is reasonable for the lower part of the Witteberg Group. The recognition of Tropidoleptus in a shallow water, near-shore, molluscan association, at the top of the South African marine Devonian sequence, is similar to its occurrence in Bolivia, and suggests a common Malvinokaffric Realm history of shallowing, prior to later Devonian or early Carboniferous non-marine sedimentation. It is noteworthy that Tropidoleptus is now known to occur in ecologically suitable environments around the Atlantic, but is absent from these same environments in Asia and Australia. Tropidoleptus is an excellent example of dispersal in geological time — first appearing in northern Europe and Nova Scotia, then elsewhere in eastern North America and North Africa, followed by South America and South Africa, while continuing in North America.

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Anastomosis Groups and Pathogenicity of Rhizoctonia solani and Binucleate Rhizoctonia from Potato in South Africa

Plant Disease ◽

10.1094/pdis-02-15-0236-re ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 99 (12) ◽

pp. 1790-1802 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

N. Muzhinji ◽

M. Truter ◽

J. W. Woodhall ◽

J. E. van der Waals

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Rhizoctonia Solani ◽

Stem Canker ◽

Black Scurf ◽

Bootstrap Support ◽

Internal Transcribed Spacer Region ◽

Binucleate Rhizoctonia ◽

Anastomosis Groups ◽

Potato Plants ◽

Comprehensive Survey

A survey of anastomosis groups (AG) of Rhizoctonia spp. associated with potato diseases was conducted in South Africa. In total, 112 Rhizoctonia solani and 19 binucleate Rhizoctonia (BNR) isolates were recovered from diseased potato plants, characterized for AG and pathogenicity. The AG identity of the isolates was confirmed using phylogenetic analysis of the internal transcribed spacer region of ribosomal DNA. R. solani isolates recovered belonged to AG 3-PT, AG 2-2IIIB, AG 4HG-I, AG 4HG-III, and AG 5, while BNR isolates belonged to AG A and AG R, with frequencies of 74, 6.1, 2.3, 2.3, 0.8, 12.2, and 2.3%, respectively. R. solani AG 3-PT was the most predominant AG and occurred in all the potato-growing regions sampled, whereas the other AG occurred in distinct locations. Different AG grouped into distinct clades, with high maximum parsimony and maximum-likelihood bootstrap support for both R. solani and BNR. An experiment under greenhouse conditions with representative isolates from different AG showed differences in aggressiveness between and within AG. Isolates of AG 2-2IIIB, AG 4HG-III, and AG R were the most aggressive in causing stem canker while AG 3-PT, AG 5, and AG R caused black scurf. This is the first comprehensive survey of R. solani and BNR on potato in South Africa using a molecular-based approach. This is the first report of R. solani AG 2-2IIIB and AG 4 HG-I causing stem and stolon canker and BNR AG A and AG R causing stem canker and black scurf on potato in South Africa.

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From the Madrasah to the Museum: The Social Life of the “Kietaabs” of Cape Town

History in Africa ◽

10.1353/hia.2011.0002 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 38 ◽

pp. 369-399 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Saarah Jappie

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Social Life ◽

Living Room ◽

Family Tree ◽

Personal Journey ◽

The Social ◽

Arabic Script ◽

Two Generations ◽

Place Of Origin ◽

First Time

Ebrahiem Manuel sits opposite me, about to embark upon his story. His living room is filled with material manifestations of his research: boxes overflowing with books and papers cover his entire sofa, newspapers and articles line the floor, and collages of images and texts hang on the walls and sit in the cabinets. It is clear that he is consumed by his passion for heritage, and his personal journey of discovery. He speaks in an animated, almost theatrical tone, raising and lowering his voice, stressing certain syllables, alive as he tells his story of “the ancient kietaabs.”The journey began in 1997, when Ebrahiem returned to South Africa after years at sea, working as a cook on shipping vessels. Upon his return, he began a quest to learn about his personal heritage, inspired by a dream he had had about his grandfather. This search led him to an oldkietaab, given to him by an elderly aunt. This was not the first time he had come across the old book; he remembered seeing it as a child, amongst other kietaabs, stored out of reach of the children, on top of his grandfather's wardrobe. It was inside this book that a possible key to his ancestors was to be found.This significant find was a range of hand-written inscriptions inside the book, in Arabic, English, and an unknown script. The Arabic script and its corresponding English transliteration read “Imaam Abdul Karriem, son of Imaam Abdul Jaliel, son of Imaam Ismail of Sumbawa.” Here was his family tree, starting from his great-grandfather and leading to two generations before him and, it seemed, their place of origin, the island of Sumbawa in eastern Indonesia. Ebrahiem then decided to go to Indonesia to solve what had become the mystery of “the ancient kietaab.”

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Political Change in Rhodesia: The South Africa Factor

Issue A Journal of Opinion ◽

10.1017/s0047160700500456 ◽

1975 ◽

Vol 5 (4) ◽

pp. 13-20

Author(s):

Philip E. Chartrand

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

United Nations ◽

Majority Rule ◽

Political Change ◽

The South ◽

The United Nations ◽

Liberation Movements ◽

Minority Regime ◽

Near Future ◽

First Time

In December 1974, Ian Smith, the leader of the white minority regime in Rhodesia, announced for the first time since declaring his country’s independence from Britain in 1965 that his government was willing to begin direct negotiations with the African liberation movements seeking to achieve majority rule in Rhodesia. The prospect of such talks leading to an end to guerrilla fighting in Rhodesia and a termination of the United Nations authorized sanctions against the illegal Smith regime is dimmed by the fact that the Africans demand African rule for Rhodesia in the near future if not immediately, while Smith and his supporters have refused to consider such a development “in his lifetime.” Still the announcement constituted a step forward which few informed observers would have deemed likely even a few weeks before.

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Population irruption of the clam Meretrix morphina in Lake St Lucia, South Africa

South African Journal of Science ◽

10.17159/sajs.2017/20160397 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 113 (7/8) ◽

Author(s):

Nelson A. F. Miranda ◽

Nasreen Peer ◽

Renzo Perissinotto ◽

Nicola K. Carrasco ◽

Salome Jones ◽

...

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

South African ◽

East Coast ◽

Severe Drought ◽

Freshwater Input ◽

Large Populations ◽

Ocean Region ◽

West Indian Ocean ◽

First Time ◽

Eastern Seaboard

The thick-shelled clam Meretrix morphina, previously referred to as Meretrix meretrix, now occurs in the west Indian Ocean region, along the eastern seaboard of Africa, from the Red Sea to the Mlalazi Estuary, close to the Tugela River. Its presence in South Africa is only of recent recording. Meretrix morphina was detected for the first time in Lake St Lucia in 2000. The population declined and was not detected from 2005 until 2011, most likely as a result of a severe drought that resulted in widespread desiccation and hypersalinity in the lake. The system then experienced increased freshwater input resulting in lower salinities from 2011 until 2014, during which time M. morphina reappeared and their population gradually increased. In 2015, M. morphina became abundant in St Lucia, attaining unprecedented densities of 447 ind./m2. Biomass, expressed as a fresh weight, varied in the different basins of St Lucia, ranging from 195 g/m2 at Lister’s Point to 1909.8 g/m2 at Catalina Bay. However, in 2016, when drought conditions returned, M. morphina disappeared. This species appears to thrive under brackish salinities and high temperatures. It is able to establish large populations with high biomass and can become dominant. However, M. morphina is sensitive to desiccation and hypersaline conditions. This clam has substantial commercial value and is exploited along the African east coast, particularly in Mozambique. In future, it may feature more prominently in South African estuaries. However, the ecology of M. morphina is still largely unknown.

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