A tale of two genera: the revival of Hoplodoris (Nudibranchia: Discodorididae) with the description of new species of Hoplodoris and Asteronotus

Zootaxa ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 4890 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-37
Author(s):  
SAMANTHA A. DONOHOO ◽  
TERRENCE M. GOSLINER

Nudibranchs in the family Discodorididae are generally medium (~30mm) to large (> 50mm) in size, sometimes cryptic, and are found in almost every marine ecosystem around the world. The diversity and systematics of the genera within Discodorididae are poorly understood and have led to numerous taxonomic changes. Hoplodoris Bergh, 1880 has recently been considered a synonym of Asteronotus Ehrenberg, 1831; however, morphological and molecular phylogenetic analyses reveal a distinct separation between these two genera. Here we provide a re-description of the type species Hoplodoris desmoparypha as well as descriptions of four undescribed species of Asteronotus and Hoplodoris. Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood analyses of two mitochondrial and two nuclear genes were used to evaluate the phylogenetic positions of the new species and clarify the relationships between Asteronotus and Hoplodoris to the rest of the Discodorididae. Based on our results, Hoplodoris is removed from synonymy with Asteronotus. Descriptions for Asteronotus markaensis sp. nov., and Asteronotus namuro sp. nov. from the Red Sea, as well as Hoplodoris balbon sp. nov. and Hoplodoris rosans sp. nov. from the western Pacific are provided. 

Zootaxa ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 4551 (5) ◽  
pp. 556 ◽  
Author(s):  
TATIANA KORSHUNOVA ◽  
RAHUL MEHROTRA ◽  
SPENCER ARNOLD ◽  
KENNET LUNDIN ◽  
BERNARD PICTON ◽  
...  

An integrative molecular and morphological study is presented for the family Unidentiidae. Molecular phylogenetic analyses were conducted with the inclusion of all previous and newly obtained molecular data for the family Unidentiidae Millen & Hermosillo 2012. A new species of the genus Unidentia Millen & Hermosillo 2012, U. aliciae sp. nov., is described from Thailand as part of an inventory of sea slugs at Koh Tao. All up-to-date available morphological data for the species of the genus Unidentia is for the first time summarized. Morphological differences among the different species of Unidentia are clarified showing that every species has its own distinguishable morphological traits. According to the new molecular and morphological data, the family Unidentiidae is re-confirmed as a well-supported taxon of the aeolidacean nudibranchs. The taxonomy and phylogeny of the Aeolidacea in the light of the family Unidentiidae is briefly discussed and necessity of a fine-scale and narrowly-defined taxa approach instead of a ‘‘superlumping’’ one is highlighted. 


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chuan Yu ◽  
Dongsheng Zhang ◽  
Ruiyan Zhang ◽  
Chunsheng Wang

Holothurians of the family Psychropotidae are widely distributed, but remain least studied deep-sea holothurians. On an expedition in the Western Pacific, six psychropotid specimens were collected by the Jiaolong human operated vehicle (HOV). Through morphological examination, four of them were identified as a new species, Benthodytes jiaolongi sp. nov., which was characterized as having minute papillae, narrow brims, and terminal anus; the ossicles were either rods or primary crosses. The remaining two specimens were identified as Psychropotes verrucicaudatus Xiao, Gong, Kou & Li, 2019, which was first recorded at the Kyushu-Palau Ridge. The phylogenetic analysis confirmed the classification status of B. jiaolongi and P. verrucicaudatus, and indicated a paraphyletic relationship within the genus Benthodytes. The new species clustered with Benthodytes sanguinolenta and was separated from the clade containing the other Benthodytes species.


2020 ◽  
pp. 1-33
Author(s):  
Chirasak Sutcharit ◽  
Ekgachai Jeratthitikul ◽  
Piyoros Tongkerd ◽  
Somsak Panha

Indochina land snails of the family Ariophantidae are in need of thorough systematic revision. Here we comprehensively revise the systematics of the large-shelled, sinistral (counterclockwise) coiling snails from Thailand and Peninsular Malaysia. Molecular phylogeny based on mitochondrial (coi and 16S) and nuclear (28S) gene sequences demonstrates that these sinistral snails are not members of Dyakiidae as previously thought, but instead are more closely related to the genus Hemiplecta in the family Ariophantidae. Comparative morphology also reveals similarity of reproductive organ features (globular gametolytic organ, well-developed dart apparatus, and lack of amatorial organ complex). Based on this evidence, we propose to transfer these sinistral snails to the genus Hemiplecta. Molecular phylogenetic analyses further strongly support the monophyly of this sinistral lineage with respect to other members of Hemiplecta. This monophyletic clade consists of five members including three species that were previously classified as “Dyakia”, H. lahatensis, H. retrorsa and H. salangana, and two new species described herein, H. ligorica n. sp. and H. thailandica n. sp. This study also suggests that the anatomy of the gametolytic organ in the genus Hemiplecta corresponds well with the phylogenetic relationships and appears to be a taxonomically informative character, while the penial verge has little utility for generic recognition.


ZooKeys ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 790 ◽  
pp. 1-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yee Wah Lau ◽  
Frank Robert Stokvis ◽  
Leendert Pieter van Ofwegen ◽  
James Davis Reimer

A new genus and two new species of stoloniferous octocorals (Alcyonacea) within the family Arulidae are described based on specimens collected from Okinawa (Japan), Palau and Dongsha Atoll (Taiwan).Hanagen. n. is erected within Arulidae.Hanahanagasasp. n.is characterised by large spindle-like table-radiates andHanahanatabasp. n.is characterised by having ornamented rods. The distinction of these new taxa is also supported by molecular phylogenetic analyses. The support values resulting from maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference analyses for the genusHanaand new speciesH.hanagasaandH.hanatabaare 82/1.0, 97/1.0 and 61/0.98, respectively.Hanahanagasasp. n.andHanahanatabasp. n.are the first arulid records for Okinawa, Palau, and Dongsha Atoll, and represent species of the second genus within the family Arulidae.


Phytotaxa ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 189 (1) ◽  
pp. 268 ◽  
Author(s):  
VASUN POENGSUNGNOEN ◽  
LEKA MANOCH ◽  
PACHARA MONGKOLSUK ◽  
KANSRI BOONPRAGOB ◽  
SITTIPORN PARNMEN ◽  
...  

Graphidaceae is the largest family of tropical crustose lichens, with nearly 2,400 known species, and exhibits a large diversity of ascoma morphologies. Ascomata that open by triangular marginal lobules that become recurved to form geaster-like fruiting bodies, so-called chroodiscoid ascomata, were recently shown to have evolved independently several times within the family. A special type of such ascomata is the gyrotremoid form in which the hymenium and excipulum are organized in concentric rings. In the present study, we address the phylogenetic position of two chroodiscoid species collected in Thailand that form aggregate or gyrotremoid, chroodiscoid ascomata, using a molecular phylogeny of nuclear LSU and mitochondrial SSU rDNA sequences of 92 Graphidaceae. Our morphological, chemical and phylogenetic analyses show that one species is an undescribed species in the genus Astrochapsa, here newly described as A. kalbii Poengsungnoen, Lücking & Lumbsch, with a unique, gyrotremoid ascoma morphology. The second species belongs in the recently established genus Nitidochapsa, which is a close relative of Ocellularia, and is here described as new species N. siamensis Poengsungnoen, Lücking & Lumbsch. Based on these findings, three further new combinations are proposed in the genus Nitidochapsa, viz. N. aggregata (Hale) Poengsungnoen, Lücking & Lumbsch, N. phlyctidea (Vain.) Lücking & Lumbsch, and N. stictoides (Leight.) Tehler, Lücking & Lumbsch. A key to all five species is presented.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu Yang ◽  
Yuanpin Xiao ◽  
Gangjiang Yu ◽  
TingChi Wen ◽  
ChunYing Deng ◽  
...  

Ophiocordyceps is the largest genus in the family Ophiocordicipitaceae, including many entomopathogenic species. In recent years, many species have been described in this genus, with a wide range of host insects. Entomopathogenic fungi include ecologically, economically and medicinally important species, but a large portion of their diversity remains to be discovered and described. In this study, a new species, Ophiocordyceps aphrophoridarum sp. nov, parasitising Aphrophoridae sp. (Hemiptera) is proposed from China, based on evidence from morphology and molecular phylogenetic analyses. This species is characterised by fibrous, pigmented stromata, cylindrical asci and filiform ascospores. Compared to its closest relative, O. tricentri, the new species has wider perithecia and longer asci. Molecular phylogenetic analyses of a multilocus dataset (consisting of SSU, ITS, LSU, TEF1, RPB1 and RPB2) confirm its placement in Ophiocordyceps. Ophiocordyceps aphrophoridarum is morphologically described and illustrated with colour photographs. Morphological comparisons with closely-related species are also presented in tabulated format.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chuan Yu ◽  
Chunsheng Wang ◽  
Dongsheng Zhang ◽  
Ruiyan Zhang

Holothurians of the family Psychropotidae are widely distributed, but are the least studied deep-sea holothurians. On the expedition of the Western Pacific, four holothurians specimens of the family Psychropotidae were collected by the Jiaolong human operated vehicle (HOV). Through morphological examination, two of them were identified as a new species, Benthodytes jiaolongi sp. nov., which was characterized as having minute papillae, narrow brims, and terminal anus; the ossicles were either rods or absent. The remaining two specimens were identified as Psychropotes verrucicaudatus Xiao, Gong, Kou & Li, 2019, which was firstly recorded at Kyushu-Palau Ridge (KPR). The phylogenetic analysis confirmed the classification status of B. jiaolongi and P. verrucicaudatus, and indicated a paraphyletic relationship within the genus Benthodytes. The new species clustered with Benthodytes sanguinolenta and was separated from the clade of the other Benthodytes species. Furthermore, B. sanguinolenta and B. jiaolongi sp. nov. was found to be different from the other Benthodytes species based on their morphology. Therefore, a revision of the genus Benthodytes is needed to solve its phylogenetic relationship.


2013 ◽  
Vol 58 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vincent Widmer ◽  
Boyko Georgiev ◽  
Jean Mariaux

AbstractA new species of hymenolepidid cestodes from Sephanoides sephaniodes (Trochilidae) found in Chile is described. The most characteristic features of Colibrilepis pusilla gen. nov., sp. nov. are the lack of rostellum, a cirrus sac with a thick-walled distal end (separated by a constriction) and protruding into genital atrium, a thick-walled saccular uterus filling entire median field of the gravid proglottis and the small number of eggs containing thick walled embryophores with polar swellings. Staphylepis is the most similar genus but differs in its apical structure because of the presence of a rudimentary rostellum. Moreover, molecular phylogenetic analyses show that Staphylepis and Colibrilepis are not sister taxa.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean Evans I. Codjia ◽  
Qing Cai ◽  
Sheng Wen Zhou ◽  
Hong Luo ◽  
Martin Ryberg ◽  
...  

Many species of Amanita sect. Phalloideae (Fr.) Quél. cause death of people after consumption around the world. Amanita albolimbata, a new species of A. sect. Phalloideae from Benin, is described here. The taxon represents the first lethal species of A. sect. Phalloideae known from Benin. Morphology and molecular phylogenetic analyses based on five genes (ITS, nrLSU, rpb2, tef1-α, and β-tubulin) revealed that A. albolimbata is a distinct species. The species is characterized by its smooth, white pileus sometimes covered by a patchy volval remnant, a bulbous stipe with a white limbate volva, broadly ellipsoid to ellipsoid, amyloid basidiospores, and abundant inflated cells in the volva. Screening for the most notorious toxins by liquid chromatography–high-resolution mass spectrometry revealed the presence of α-amanitin, β-amanitin, and phallacidin in A. albolimbata.


Zootaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4964 (2) ◽  
pp. 395-400
Author(s):  
MARIA PAULA PEREIRA ◽  
FACUNDO MARTÍN LABARQUE

The family Oonopidae Simon, 1890 is composed of tiny spiders between 0.5 and 4mm (Baehr et al. 2012) that are distributed all over the world (Platnick et al. 2020; World Spider Catalog 2021). They occupy diverse habitats, mainly in tropical and subtropical regions (Platnick et al. 2020), generally associated with the soil and litter fauna (Ranasinghe & Benjamin 2018). Oonopidae is among the eight most diverse spider families with 114 genera and 1872 species (World Spider Catalog 2021). Most of this diversity was discovered after 2006, as a result of the Planetary Biodiversity Inventory (PBI) project: Goblin Spider (Platnick et al. 2012). Recent molecular phylogenetic analyses recovered Oonopidae as monophyletic (Wheeler et al. 2017), hypothesis supported by the presence of a synapomorphic pair of completely fused testicles (Burger & Michalik 2010). Brazil has a great diversity of Oonopidae (e.g., Brescovit et al. 2012a; Platnick et al. 2013; Feitosa et al. 2017), including the genus Predatoroonops Brescovit, Rheims & Ott 2012, endemic to the Atlantic Forest, that includes 17 species (World Spider Catalog 2021). The genus can be recognized by the male chelicerae frontally modified, with one or two pairs of distally sclerotized, and sometimes branched, apophyses, and by the pars cephalica dorsally squared (Brescovit et al. 2012b). In this paper, we describe a new species of the genus, based on a male specimen from the State of Minas Gerais: Predatoroonops stani sp. nov.. Also, we give new records for Predatoroonops yautja Brescovit, Rheims & Santos, 2012 from the same state and a distribution map with all the records of Predatoroonops along the Atlantic Forest. 


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