A Mysterious World Revealed: Larval-Adult Matching of Deep-Sea Shrimps from the Gulf of Mexico

The identification of deep-sea (>200 m) pelagic larvae is extremely challenging due to the morphological diversity across ontogeny and duration of larval phases. Within Decapoda, developmental stages often differ conspicuously from their adult form, representing a bizarre and mysterious world still left to be discovered. The difficulties with sampling and rearing deep-sea larvae, combined with the lack of taxonomic expertise, argues for the use of molecular methods to aid in identification. Here, we use DNA barcoding combined with morphological methods, to match larval stages with their adult counterpart from the northern Gulf of Mexico and adjacent waters. For DNA barcoding, we targeted the mitochondrial ribosomal large subunit 16S (16S) and the protein coding cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI). These data were combined with previous sequences to generate phylogenetic trees that were used to identify 12 unknown larval and two juvenile species from the infraorder Caridea and the suborder Dendrobranchiata. Once identified, we provide taxonomic descriptions and illustrations alongside the current state of knowledge for all families. For many groups, larval descriptions are missing or non-existent, so this study represents a first step of many to advance deep-sea larval diversity.

The moss family Rhachitheciaceae (Dicranales, Bryophyta) in Thailand

A taxonomic study of the family Rhachitheciaceae in Thailand is presented based on newly collected materials from field surveys and herbarium specimens. Two species are recognized, including Hypnodontopsis spathulata and Rhachithecium perpusillum. Hypnodontopsis spathulata, previously known only from the type locality, is reported here as a new genus and species record for Thailand. A key to species, taxonomic descriptions and illustrations are provided. In addition, the lectotype of Zygodon perpusillus (=Rhachithecium perpusillum) is also designated here.

First record of six marine fish species caught occasionally in the northern Arabian Sea in Pakistan

The present article presents the results of a recent independent fishery survey conducted in the northern Arabian Sea off the coast of Pakistan in 2016–2018. The survey confirmed the underreported occurrence of six fish species that are now included in the ichthyofauna diversity of Pakistan: Ambassis natalensis, Pomadasys striatus, Narcine oculifera, Paramonacanthus choirocephalus, Paramonacanthus tricuspis, Chromis westaustralis. The fishes were collected with demersal trawls operated at the depth of 165 m (90 fathoms), and the taxonomy, habitat, and distribution range of each of the species were carefully examined and verified with information available in Eschmyer’s fish catalog, Fishbase, WoRMS, and FAO. It is necessary to update the marine ichthyofauna record of Pakistan with the detailed taxonomic descriptions of each species and their distribution ranges.

Recent trend, biases and limitations of cultivation-based diversity studies of microbes

The current study attempts to analyze recent trends, biases and limitations of cultivation-based microbial diversity studies based on published, novel species in the past 6 years in the International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology (IJSEM), an official publication of the International Committee on Systematics of Prokaryotes (ICSP) and the Bacteriology and Applied Microbiology (BAM) Division of the International Union of Microbiological Societies (IUMS). IJSEM deals with taxa that have validly published names under the International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes (ICNP). All the relevant publications from the last 6 years were retrieved, sorted and analyzed to get the answers to What is the current rate of novel species description? Which country has contributed substantially and which phyla represented better in culturable diversity studies? What are the current limitations? Published data for the past 6 years indicate that 500–900 novel species are reported annually. China, Korea, Germany, UK, India and the USA are at the forefront while contributions from other nations are meager. Despite the recent development in culturomics tools the dominance of Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria are still prevalent in cultivation, while the representation of archaea, obligate anaerobes, microaerophiles, synergistic symbionts, aerotolerant and other fastidious microbes is poor. Single strain-based taxonomic descriptions prevail and emphasis on objective-based cultivation for biotechnological and environmental significance is not yet conspicuous.

New species of Asterina and Balladyna (black mildew fungi) from Mahabaleshwar, Maharashtra, India

Two new black mildew fungal species, Asterina rubiacearum sp. nov. and Balladyna canthiigena sp. nov., which infect the leaves of Canthium dicoccum var. umbellatum (Rubiaceae) are described from Mahabaleshwar, Maharashtra (India). Taxonomic descriptions, photomicrographs, line drawings and comparative account of close associate species are provided.

New records and distribution extension of Nassarius persicus (Martens, 1874) and N. tadjallii Moolenbeek, 2007 (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Nassariidae) to India

We report new findings of live specimens of Nassarius persicus (Martens, 1874) and N. tadjallii Moolenbeek, 2007, extending their range to the Gulf of Kachchh, Gujarat, India. The known distribution of both species was limited: N. persicus was distributed in the Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, and Karachi in Pakistan; N. tadjallii was reported from the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. We also provide comprehensive taxonomic descriptions of both species, along with additional morphological and ecological information.

Postojna-Planina Cave System in Slovenia, a Hotspot of Subterranean Biodiversity and a Cradle of Speleobiology

The Postojna-Planina Cave System (PPCS) in central Slovenia is a globally exceptional site of subterranean biodiversity, comprised of many interconnected caves with cumulative passage length exceeding 34 km. Two rivers sink into the caves of the PPCS, called the Pivka and Rak, and join underground into Unica River, which emerges to the surface. The studies of fauna of PPCS began in the 19th century with the first scientific descriptions of specialized cave animals in the world, making it “the cradle of speleobiology”. Currently, the species list of PPCS contains 117 troglobiotic animal species belonging to eight phyla, confirming its status as the richest in the world. Of these, 47 species have been scientifically described from the PPCS, and more than 10 await formal taxonomic descriptions. We expect that further sampling, detailed analyses of less studied taxa, and the use of molecular methods may reveal more species. To keep the cave animals’ checklist in PPCS up-to-date, we have supplemented the printed checklist with an online interface. As the revised checklist is a necessary first step for further activities, we discuss the importance of PPCS in terms of future research and conservation.

Importance of the postcranial skeleton in eusuchian phylogeny: Reassessing the systematics of allodaposuchid crocodylians

Our current knowledge on the crocodyliform evolution is strongly biased towards the skull morphology, and the postcranial skeleton is usually neglected in many taxonomic descriptions. However, it is logical to expect that it can contribute with its own phylogenetic signal. In this paper, the changes in the tree topology caused by the addition of the postcranial information are analysed for the family Allodaposuchidae, the most representative eusuchians in the latest Cretaceous of Europe. At present, different phylogenetic hypotheses have been proposed for this group without reaching a consensus. The results of this paper evidence a shift in the phylogenetic position when the postcranium is included in the dataset, pointing to a relevant phylogenetic signal in the postcranial elements. Finally, the phylogenetic relationships of allodaposuchids within Eusuchia are reassessed; and the internal relationships within Allodaposuchidae are also reconsidered after an exhaustive revision of the morphological data. New and improved diagnoses for each species are here provided.

Taxonomy and Phylogeny of Rust Fungi on Hamamelidaceae

Hamamelidaceae is composed of woody plant taxa of important economic value; however, reports on diseases affecting these plants are rare. Three kinds of rusts were studied, of which the first one is characterized by catenulate spores in peridiate columnar sori on Sycopsis sinensis, the second one produces two-celled pedicellate teliospores in pulvinate sori on S. sinensis and Corylopsis spp., and the last one produces aeciospores in cup-shaped aecia on Hamamelis spp. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that the three species belong to the same genus in Pucciniaceae. The first fungus is distinct in teliospore morphology, producing one-celled catenulate spores in peridiate columnar sori and molecular phylogeny from species of other genera. Thus, it is described herein as a new genus and species Novopuccinia sycopsis-sinensis in Pucciniaceae. The latter two species were reported as Puccinia corylopsidis and Aecidium hamamelidis, respectively. However, phylogenetic analysis using ITS and 28S genes has revealed that these are closely related to the new genus and species. By combining host, distribution, and evolutionary hypothesis of rust fungi with endocyclic life cycle, these are reclassified as N. corylopsidis and N. hamamelidis. Taxonomic descriptions, illustrations, and a key to rust fungal species occurring in Hamamelidaceae in Asia are provided.

The first description of the nymphal stages of Hoplopleura longula (Psocodea: Anoplura: Hoplopleuridae) from the harvest mouse Micromys minutus (Rodentia: Muridae)

Despite the widespread belief that an extensive body of knowledge exists for the sucking lice (Anoplura), some of their common, Eurasian or even cosmopolitan species still lack complete taxonomic descriptions, especially those for their nymphal stages. This applies especially to the most common rodent parasites: the lice of the genus Hoplopleura. In Europe, only two of the five most common Hoplopleura species have full taxonomic characteristics with a description of the nymphal stages. This study enriches the current state of knowledge for another species, Hoplopleura longula and presents the first description of its nymphal stages. The study includes five rare louse specimens (two nymphs I, one nymph II, two nymphs III) of H. longula collected from 63 Eurasian harvest mice Micromys minutus. The collected lice were fixed and preserved in 70% ethyl alcohol solution and then placed in polyvinyl-lactophenol to form total preparations. Only two of the five species found in Eurasia (H. acanthopus, H. affinis, H. captiosa, H. edentula and H. longula) have been given full taxonomic descriptions, including immature stages. This paper presents a description of the nymphal stages of H. longula (described for the first time).