Establishment of the family Zarkiaceae (Oscillatoriales, Cyanobacteria) and description of the new marine genera Zarkia (Zarkiaceae, Oscillatoriales) and Romeriopsis (Leptolyngbyaceae, Synechococcales), from northern Portugal

The morphology, 16S rRNA gene phylogeny and the 16S-23S rRNA gene ITS secondary structures of three strains of marine Cyanobacteria, isolated from inter- and subtidal environments from north Portugal were studied, resulting in the description of Zarkia subtidalensis gen. et. sp. nov. (Zarkiaceae fam. nov.) and Romeriopsis marina gen. et. sp. nov (Leptolyngbyaceae). No diacritical morphological characters were found either for the new family or for the new genera. The 16S rRNA gene Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian phylogenies supported that Zarkia and Zarkiaceae are members of the Oscillatoriales, positioned close to Microcoleaceae genera, but distant from Microcoleus. Romeriopsis is positioned within the Leptolyngbyaceae and is closely related to Alkalinema. The secondary structures of the D1-D1′, Box B, V2 and V3 helices corroborate with the phylogenetic results. Furthermore, our study supports previous observations of polyphyletic Oscillatoriales families and reinforces the need for their taxonomical revision.

Moss-inhabiting diatom communities from Ile Amsterdam (TAAF, southern Indian Ocean)

Background and aims – Despite the ongoing taxonomical revision of the entire (sub)-Antarctic diatom flora, our knowledge on the ecology and community associations of moss-inhabiting diatoms is still rather limited. In the present study, our research aim was to survey the diversity together with the environmental factors structuring the epiphytic moss diatom communities on Ile Amsterdam (TAAF), a small volcanic island in the southern Indian Ocean.Material and methods – A morphology-based dataset and (physico)chemical measurements were used for the ecological and biogeographical analysis of moss-inhabiting diatom flora from Ile Amsterdam. In total, 148 moss samples were examined using light microscopy.Key results – The analysis revealed the presence of 125 diatom taxa belonging to 38 genera. The uniqueness of the Ile Amsterdam diatom flora is mainly reflected by the species composition of the dominant genera Pinnularia, Nitzschia, Humidophila, and Luticola, with a large number of unknown and often new species. This highly specific diatom flora, together with differences in the habitats sampled and the isolated position of the island, resulted in very low similarity values between Ile Amsterdam and the other islands of the Southern Ocean. From a biogeographical point of view, 40% of the taxa have a typical cosmopolitan distribution, whereas 22% of all observed species can be considered endemic to Ile Amsterdam, with another 17% species showing a restricted sub-Antarctic distribution. The NMDS analysis, based on a cluster dendrogram, divides the samples into six main groups. For each group, indicator species were determined. Both environmental data and diatom distributions indicate that apart from elevation, specific conductance, pH, and moisture are the major factors determining the structure of moss-inhabiting diatom communities on Ile Amsterdam.Conclusion – The isolated geographic position and unique climatological and geological features of the island shaped the presence of a unique diatom flora, characterised by many endemic species. The results of the study are of prime importance for further (palaeo-)ecological and biogeographical research.

Taxonomic remarks on the Centaurea aeolica (Asteraceae) species complex

In the course of a taxonomical revision of Centaurea aeolica and the closely related C. pandataria, species confined to the Aeolian Archipelago (N Sicily) and Ventotene island (Pontian Archipelago, Latium) respectively, we describe a new species, named C. phalacrica, occurring on coastal metamorphic rocks near Messina (NE Sicily). These three species, well differentiated in several features, are examined from morphological, nomenclatural, chorological, and ecological points of view. For each species, a detailed iconography, consideration on their conservation status and identification keys are provided too. The lectotype of C. pandataria kept in the Florence Herbarium (FI) is designated.

Molecular Systematics of the Long-Snouted Deep Water Dogfish (Centrophoridae, Deania) With Implications for Identification, Taxonomy, and Conservation

According to the most recent taxonomical revision, the deep-sea dogfish genus Deania encompasses four species. Three of them, D. calcea, D. profundorum, and D. hystricosa, occur in the North Atlantic. Whilst D. profundorum can be identified by the presence of a subcaudal keel, the other two species are not easily visually distinguished. Uncertainties over identification raises concerns over stock units and whether management plans are adequate. In this study we compared onboard visual identification of Deania specimens, with morphological inspection of skin denticles under stereo microscope and with independent molecular taxonomical assignment using two molecular markers. Particular emphasis was paid to specimens identified as D. calcea and D. hystricosa in the NE Atlantic where these species potentially occur sympatrically and may be easily confused. In the past the species have been discriminated on the basis of the size of skin denticles (skin roughness), but our study showed that the crown length of skin denticles covaries with size (and sex), irrespective of species, and therefore this is not a reliable morphological character and should not be used to discriminate between the two species. Phylogenetic analyses did not indicate that D. hystricosa to be a distinct lineage from D. calcea. Interestingly, however four individuals (specimens from: UK, Azores Is., Madeira Is. and Seine seamount) formed a well-defined sub-clade nested within the D. calcea clade, possibly a signature of a past vicariance event or a result of coalescent stochasticity.

Inventory of the historical Dianthus sylvestris herbarium materials from Herbarium Croaticum and Herbarium Ivo and Marija Horvat

In order to initiate a taxonomical revision of the Dianthus sylvestris group, an inventory of historical herbarium materials from ZA and ZAHO collections was conducted. Herbarium specimens of D. sylvestris group from these two herbaria were digitized and the data from the original herbarium labels were inserted in the Flora Croatica Database. A total of 344 herbarium sheets were digitized and six taxa (D. sylvestris Wulfen in Jacq. ssp. sylvestris, D. sylvestris ssp. tergestinus (Rchb.) Hayek, D. sylvestris ssp. longicaulis (Ten.) Greuter et Burdet, D. sylvestris ssp. nodosus (Tausch) Hayek, D. siculus C. Presl and D. arrosti C. Presl) were registered within studied collections. Inventory of herbarium sheets from ZA and ZAHO historical collections provided a significant insight into historical distributional data of D. sylvestris taxa related to the area of the Balkan Peninsula, which is a prerequisite for accurate taxonomic/ geographic sampling for further morphological and molecular analyses.

Molecular phylogeny and taxonomic evaluation of the genus Asaccus Dixon and Anderson, 1973 (Reptilia: Phyllodactylidae) in Iran

The Iranian species of the phyllodactylid geckos of the genus Asaccus are found only in the valleys of the Zagros Mountains, a region which represents an important area of endemism in western Iran. Recently, many relict species have been described from the central and southern parts of the Zagros Mountains, which were previously known as A. elisae. The recent descriptions of species within this complex suggest that diversity within the genus may be higher than expected and that its taxonomy and systematics should be revised. In the present study, phylogenetic relationships within the genus Asaccus were evaluated using two mitochondrial and one nuclear gene. Genetically, the genus shows high levels of variability. The molecular phylogeny of the genus suggests the presence of three main clades along the Zagros Mountains with the southern population (from the Hormozgan province) and one clade (A. sp8 and A. sp9) being sister taxon to A. montanus from UAE. The remaining samples are separated into two reciprocally monophyletic groups: the northern (Kurdistan, Kermanshah and Ilam provinces) and the central (Lorestan, Khuzestan, Kohgilouye-Bouyer Ahmad and Fars provinces) Zagros groups. The results of the present study suggest that populations attributed to A. elisae in Iran correspond to distinct lineages with high genetic distances. In brief, our results suggest that the genus needs a major taxonomical revision The Arabian origin of the genus has not been confirmed, because two populations from Zagros were located within the A. montanus, A. gallagheri and A. platyrhynchus clade. Further morphological analyses are needed to systematically define each genetic lineage as a new taxon.

Taxonomical revision of the genus Hypseocharis in Peru and Bolivia

In the present study we revised the genus Hypseocharis in Bolivia and Peru. A total number of 105 herbarium specimens were revised to evaluate the morphological diversity across the range of the genus. In a subset of 24 complete individuals a multivariate morphometric analysis was performed to evaluate the morphological characters historically used to differentiate the “species” of the genus Hypseocharis. A revision of the herbarium material indicated that there are no sharp lines dividing the different “species” with the only exception of H. tridentata. The multivariate analysis indicated that H. bilobata, H. malpasensis and H. pedicularifolia all occupy the same morphospace as H. pimpinellifolia and there are no individual morphological characters or suites of characters permitting the differentiation of distinct taxa. This confirms earlier findings from Argentina: There are only two species in the genus, widespread Hypseocharis pimpinellifolia and H. tridentata. Hypseocharis pilgeri, originally described from Peru, can also not be differentiated from H. pimpinellifolia. We propose the recognition of only two species: H. pimpinellifolia with variously pinnate to bipinnate leaves with a terminal leaflet at most marginally larger than the lateral ones, flowers with 15 anthers and capsular fruits as differing from H. tridentata with pinnate leaves with the terminal leaflet much larger than the lateral ones, flowers with 5 anthers and schizocarpic fruits. Hypseocharis pimpinellifolia is a widespread and polymorphic species, ranging from Ancash (Peru) to La Rioja (Argentina) and comprises forms with white, yellow, orange, and red corollas and with simply pinnate to very finely bipinnate leaves.

Synergus Hartig species group (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Synergini) with partially smooth mesopleurae from the New World

Inquiline oak gall wasps from the genus Synergus Hartig (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Synergini) that occur in the New World should be classified into the following morphological groups: i) species with the radial cell of fore wings open; ii) species with the radial cell of fore wings closed and mesopleurae completely sculptured, always with transversal striae covering its surface; iii) species with the radial cell of fore wings closed and mesopleurae partially smooth, with the speculum always shiny and not sculptured. The latter group, which appears to be unique to the New World’s fauna, is the focus of this study. An exhaustive taxonomical revision of all the Synergus species within this morphological group is carried out for the first time after the initial treatment by Lobato-Vila & Pujade-Villar (2017). Redescriptions, images and new distribution and biological data are provided. A new species from Mexico, Synergus aurofacies Lobato-Vila & Pujade-Villar, sp. nov., is here formally described and illustrated. Synergus variegatus McCracken & Egbert, 1922 is a junior synonym of S. flavens McCracken & Egbert, 1922 syn. nov.; S. profusus McCracken & Egbert, 1922 is a junior synonym of S. pacificus McCracken & Egbert, 1922 syn. nov.; and S. flavus Kieffer, 1904 and S. varicolor Fullaway, 1911 are junior synonyms of S. pomiformis (Ashmead, 1885) syn. nov. A key to species of this group is provided. The morphological traits of the species with partially smooth mesopleurae are discussed.

Rigorous Morphological Studies Confirm That the Classical Object of Pest Control Chilocorus kuwanae Is the Same Species as Ch. renipustulatus (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)

The ladybug Chilocorus kuwanae, which was described in Japan, has been used for biological control of pests for 100 years. Chilocorus kuwanae was recently synonymized with Ch. renipustulatus described in Europe. The synonymy was based on the examination of few specimens. Our aim is to verify this synonymy. We studied all characters previously used to distinguish these taxa: eight metric and nine qualitative characters. Examination of 107 specimens from Japan and Sakhalin and 174 specimens from Europe showed that the ranges of variability in all characters in Asian and European specimens strongly overlap. There are no characters with interspecific hiatuses. Analysis with Amadon’s criteria showed that Asian and European specimens also do not represent different subspecies. Conclusions: (1) No differences between the specimens from Asia (Japan and Sakhalin) and Europe were found at specific or subspecific levels. Chilocorus kuwanae is a junior synonym of Ch. renipustulatus. (2) The releases of “Chilocorus kuwanae” in Europe and the Caucasus did not represent classical biological control since the same species was native to these regions. (3) A thorough taxonomical revision with the study of morphological variability should be conducted before the introduction of any species to new regions. (4) Taxonomical conclusions based on morphological studies should be confirmed by statistical methods.