Thailandina and Neothailandina and their family Thailandinidae salvaged: a valid taxonomic group of peculiar Permian fusuline Foraminifera

The fusuline genera Thailandina Toriyama and Kanmera, 1968 and Neothailandina Toriyama and Kanmera, 1968 were established by Toriyama and Kanmera (1968) based on material from the Khao Phlong Phrab section of the Permian Rat Buri Limestone in central Thailand that is currently assigned to the Khao Khad Formation of the Saraburi Group (Ueno and Charoentitirat, 2011). These fusuline genera are peculiar in having parachomata and replaced tests by secondary mineralization. Moreover, Neothailandina was described to have a test with transverse septula, considered to be characteristic for Neoschwagerinidae. Based on these remarkable test features, Toriyama and Kanmera (1968) newly introduced the subfamily Thailandininae to accommodate these two new genera and assigned it to the Neoschwagerinidae, despite the lack of septula in Thailandina. Later, Kobayashi et al. (2010) argued that Thailandina and Neothailandina are just a mixed grouping of several known genera of schwagerinids, verbeekinids, and neoschwagerinids that are too altered by recrystallization to be recognizable, and rejected the taxonomic validity of these two genera as well as Thailandininae. The Khao Phlong Phrab section represents one of the standard late Cisuralian−Guadalupian (late early−middle Permian) fusuline successions in the eastern Paleotethys (Zhang and Wang, 2018) and contains not only Thailandina and Neothailandina but also abundant schwagerinid, verbeekinid, and neoschwagerinid fusulines (Toriyama, 1975; Fig. 1). I investigated the original specimens described by Toriyama and Kanmera (1968) and Toriyama (1975) from the section that are housed in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences of Kyushu University, Japan. I found that most of the grounds for Kobayashi et al.'s (2010) arguments to regard the thailandinin genera as taxonomically invalid are not supported by observations on these specimens as explained in the account that follows. In this taxonomic note, I propose that Thailandina and Neothailandina, and their family Thailandinidae, should be retained as valid taxonomic groups.

Morphological description and phylogenetic estimation of Favolus roseus (Polyporaceae): first documented records for the Indian mycobiota

During the course of macrofungal forays, we collected several wood-rotting fungi from three states in India: Bihar, Jharkhand, and Maharashtra. We identified some of these macrofungal collections as Favolus roseus Lloyd. A critical literature survey and taxonomic investigation established that this is the first report of F. roseus from India. We give a detailed morphological description, illustration, and molecular phylogeny of the species, along with taxonomic note and extended biogeographical distributional map.

Taxonomic notes on subgenus Steneotarsonemoides (Acari: Tarsonemidae) with description of a new species of Steneotarsonemus from Tiger grass in the northern hill zone of West Bengal, India

A new species of tarsonemid mite, Steneotarsonemus amlisoae sp. nov. collected from tiger grass Thysanolaena latifolia (Poaceae) is described with illustrations of adult female, male and larva. The new species is the fourth species of Steneotarsonemus described from India. The species shares a lot of similarities with S. konoi but differ by apodeme architecture, cheliceral structure, setal length and positions. A taxonomic note on subgenus Steneotarsonemoides is provided.

Saussurea talungensis (Asteraceae), a new species from Humla, Nepal Himalayas

A new species Saussurea talungensis S.K.Ghimire & H.K.Rana, sp. nov. (sect. Strictae), from Talung valley of Humla district, Nepal, is described and illustrated. Morphologically, this species resembles Saussurea roylei and Saussurea lanata in habit, though it can be distinguished in having longer leaf petioles, purplish leaf margin, 1 or 3 capitula, shorter phyllaries, shorter receptacle bristles and the same anthers, comparatively shorter corolla with shorter lobes. Phylogenomic analysis also supports S. talungensis as a distinct species of Saussurea. Here, we provide taxonomic note, distribution map and phylogenomic inference to distinguish the new species and its allied members.

A taxonomic note of Pterocephalus (Caprifoliaceae) from N Iran

Pterocephalus ramianensis (Caprifoliaceae) is described and illustrated as a new species from Golestan Province, north Iran. This species is morphologically and micromorphologically well-differentiated from P. plumosus. The characters that distinguish this new species from P. plumosus are provided along with a key to the Iranian annual species in Pterocephalus.

Taxonomic note of Parnassia (Celastraceae) in China II: population surveys reveal that P. guilinensis is conspecific to P. xinganensis

Based on investigation of populations of Parnassia guilinensis and P. xinganensis, examination of herbarium specimens (including types), as well as consultation of protologues and distributions, P. guilinensis is hereby reduced to a synonym of P. xinganensis. P. xinganensis is endemic to northeastern Guangxi Province of China and characterized by having elliptic to ovate leaves and staminodes 3–5-branched with globose glands. Field photographs and an updated morphological description of P. xinganensis are provided.

Reappraisal of the genus Cycas L. (Cycadaceae) in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India

The genus Cycas is reviewed for Andaman and Nicobar Islands. C. andamanica, C. darshii and C. sainathii have been treated as synonyms of C. pschannae, C. spherica and C. zeylanica respectively. Records of C. darshii from Botanic garden Culcutta have been shown to described on the basis of plant under cultivation and claimed natural population in Andaman and Nicobar Islands without any supportive evidence. A taxonomic note a brief discussion on its distribution is also discussed here. Morpho-anatomical and palynological data of C. zeylanica described here is for the first time. A key to the species of Cycas from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands is also provided.

Taxonomic note on Parnassia (Celastraceae): the identity of P. nubicola

Based on examination of herbarium specimens (including types) and living plants, as well as analysis of protologues and distributions, Parnassia tibetana, P. nubicola subsp. occidentalis, and P. nubicola var. nana are reduced to synonyms of P. nubicola.

Taxonomic note on Trichelix horrida (Pfeiffer, 1863) from Laos, with a type catalogue of Moellendorffia, Trichelix, and Moellendorffiella (Heterobranchia, Camaenidae)

Land snail surveys conducted in northern Laos between 2013 and 2014 have led to the discovery of a living population of Trichelix horrida (Pfeiffer, 1863). This species has never been recorded from specimens other than the types, and its distribution and anatomy have remained essentially unknown. The genitalia and radula morphology are documented here for the first time and employed to re-assess the systematic position of this species: the unique morphological characters of T. horrida are a penis similar in length to the vagina, a small and triangular penial verge, gametolytic organs extending as far as the albumen gland, head wart present, and unicuspid triangular radula teeth. The type locality of this species was believed to be from “Lao Mountains, Camboja,” and is restricted herein to be Luang Phrabang Province, northern Laos. The assignment of species to either of three genera, Trichelix Ancey, 1887, Moellendorffia Ancey, 1887, and Moellendorffiella Pilsbry, 1905, based solely on information provided in their original descriptions is difficult. The type specimens of all nominal species presently placed in either of these three genera are examined and illustrated herein. Comparison with the primary type specimens will assist future revisions aiming to resolve the systematics of these taxa. In addition, we transfer Moellendorffia faberiana (Möllendorff, 1888) to the genus Moellendorffiella.