A synopsis of the genus Arthothelium (Arthoniales) in Tasmania

The genus Arthothelium A. Massal. in Tasmania comprises ten species. Five of these are described as new: A. bacidinum Kantvilas, a saxicolous, littoral species with subglobose apothecia, non-macrocephalic ascospores, 25−40 × 11−19 μm, and containing the pigment Endoaurantiacum-gold which yields a K+ red reaction; A. insolitum Kantvilas, lichenicolous in rainforest and characterized by subglobose apothecia, very large, non-macrocephalic ascospores, 50−80 × 22−40 μm, and containing the pigment Interveniens-brown which reacts K+ olive green; A. macounioides Kantvilas, corticolous in wet forest and characterized by sessile, convex apothecia, macrocephalic ascospores, 29−42 × 11−18 μm, and containing the pigment Endoaurantiacum-gold; A. magenteum Kantvilas, a common wet forest epiphyte with applanate apothecia, non-macrocephalic ascospores, 25−55 × 11−22 μm, and containing a unique maroon-red, K+ pink pigment; and A. subtectum Kantvilas, a saxicolous species with convex apothecia, macrocephalic ascospores, 22−36 × 9−14 μm, and containing Endoaurantiacum-gold. The New Zealand species A. endoaurantiacum Makhija & Patw. and A. suffusum (C. Knight) Müll. Arg., and the Australian A. velatium Müll. Arg. are recorded for Tasmania for the first time. The names A. obtusulum (Nyl.) Müll. Arg., A. pellucidum (C. Knight) Müll. Arg. and A. polycarpum Müll. Arg. are considered synonyms of the widespread A. ampliatum (C. Knight & Mitten) Müll. Arg. Arthothelium ferax Müll. Arg. is a synonym of A. interveniens (Nyl.) Zahlbr. and A. subspectabile Vĕzda & Kantvilas is a synonym of A. suffusum. The sole record of A. macrothecum (Fée) A. Massal. from Tasmania is found to be based on a misidentification. A key to the species is provided. The importance of apothecial pigments, apothecial morphology and ascospore septation is discussed, and three pigments are characterized by their appearance in water and other standard media.

Aerial and aquatic respiration in littoral Oniscidea (Isopoda) from Southern California, USA

The large radiation of terrestrial isopods (suborder Oniscidea) includes several families that are represented primarily in marine-littoral or riparian habitats. Among these are members of Ligiidae and Tylidae as well as several basal families within the section Crinocheta. Structural and physiological evidence supports a marine-littoral ancestry of the Oniscidea. We examined aerial and aquatic respiration (measured as VCO2) in six species of marine-littoral Oniscidea representing five families, as well as one riparian and one endogean species. Complimentary data were collected for immersion tolerance and whole-animal permeability in air, and structural specialization of the respiratory pleopods was examined using SEM. Ligia occidentalis Dana, 1853 (marine, littoral) and Ligidium lapetum Mulaik & Mulaik, 1942 (riparian) showed similar VCO2 in air and water. VCO2 in air for the other species was significantly higher than in water. Compared across species, aerial VCO2 scaled with mass in accordance with Kleiber’s law (β = 0.774) while aquatic VCO2 increased in approximate proportion to mass (β = 0.957). At least some specimens of the six marine-littoral species survived over 24 h immersion. Ligidium lapetum and the endogean trichoniscid Brackenridgia heroldi (Arcangeli, 1932) also tolerated prolonged immersion in freshwater but did not survive beyond 5–6 h, probably due to limited capacity for hyper-regulation. The upper shore sand-burrowers, Tylos punctatus Holmes & Gay, 1909 and Alloniscus perconvexus Dana, 1856 had the lowest permeability among the study species and are the only representatives with elaborated pleopodal respiratory fields (Alloniscus) and lungs (Tylos). The ventral lung spiracles of T. punctatus are surrounded by an extensive cuticle meshwork and we propose that this functions as a plastron field to enhance aquatic gas exchange. Collectively, the results show that littoral species tolerate significant periods of immersion, allowing them to withstand habitat inundation during spring high tides, storm swells and, in riparian species, rainstorms and snowmelt.

Diatomic flora of Lake Tikozero in the Holocene

Preliminary data of micropaleontological (diatom) study of sediments of Lake Tikozero located on the eastern coast of Lake Yokostrovskaya Imandra (Murmansk region) are presented. Based on the results of diatom analysis, the taxonomic composition and structure of diatom complexes were studied, the stages of the development of the ecosystem of the lake were established. The studied lake was characterized by the dominance of benthic forms and fouling in the composition of paleosocial communities. Upward in the column of sediments, there is a change in indicator groups with respect to pH: the proportion of acidophils decreases from 62% to 18%, and the proportion of alkaliphiles increases from 5% to 40%. A change in the dominant diatom complex was revealed: the acidophilic benthic species Brachysira zellensis (Grunow) Round & D.G. Mann is replaced by the littoral species Staurosira construens Ehrenberg, which prefers slightly alkaline waters.

North Pacific versus North Atlantic: a case with species of the amphiboreal littoral mite genus Thalassogamasus gen. nov. (Parasitifomes, Mesostigmata, Parasitidae)

A new amphiboreal gamasid mite genus, Thalassogamasus gen. n. is described, characterised by two distinct dorsal shields (opisthonotum hypotrichous, usually with ten pairs of setae); peritrematal shield reduced and posteriorly free; setae al1, al2 on palp genu and al on palp femur entire; dorsal chaetome homogenous; opisthosoma laterocaudally hypertrichous; in female, epigynium whip-like anteriorly, endogynium with two thick sclerotic masss; in male, tritosternum fully lost, hypostome deeply cleft, cheliceral arthrodial membrane fringelike. The new genus includes T. sidortschukae sp. nov. (Chukotka and Okhotsk coast), T. kurilensis sp. nov. (Kuril Islands) and T. lindrothi (Sellnick, 1974) (Iceland) comb. nov. The female of T. lindrothi (Sellnick, 1974) is considered conspecific with the male of Parasitus (Neogamasus) anderssoni Sellnick, 1974, comb. nov., syn. nov. All three Thalassogamasus species are seaside dwellers, inhabiting sandy beaches, salt marshes, and seaweed accumulations. Keys to the species (females and males) are presented. Peculiar morphological aspects of the dorsal shields, peritremes, and leg tarsi of the new genus are discussed. For another littoral species of Parasitidae, Parasitus kempersi Oudemans, 1902, a new combination is established, Phorytocarpais kempersi (Oudemans, 1902) comb. nov. Three littoral species of Uropoda (Phaulodinychus) Berlese, 1903 are first recorded from Russia: U. (P.) japanorepleta Hiramatsu, 1980 (northern and eastern Chukotka, Magadan Region, Kuril Islands), U. (P.) maritima Hiramatsu, 1977, and U. (P.) marihirschmanni Hiramatsu, 1977 (Kuril Islands).

Greenhouse Production of Native Aquatic Plants

Wetland restoration is critical for improving ecosystem services, but many aquatic plant nurseries do not have facilities like those typically used for large-scale plant production. We questioned if we could grow littoral aquatic plant species in a variety of substrates and irrigation methods similar to those used for traditional greenhouse production. Plants were grown in pots with drainage holes that were filled with potting substrate, topsoil, coarse builders’ sand, or a 50/50 mix of topsoil and builders’ sand. These substrates were amended with 2 g of 15N–3.9P–10K controlled-release fertilizer per liter of substrate and were watered using either overhead irrigation or subirrigation. Plants were grown for 16 weeks, then scored for quality and height before a destructive harvest. Blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium angustifolium) and arrow arum (Peltandra virginica) performed best when subirrigated and cultured in potting substrate or sand. Golden club (Orontium aquaticum) and lemon bacopa (Bacopa caroliniana) grew best when plants were cultured in potting substrate and maintained under subirrigation. These experiments provide a framework for using existing greenhouses to produce these littoral species and give guidance to growers who wish to produce plants for the restoration market.

Two new littoral species of the genus Anurida Laboulbène, 1865 (Collembola, Neanuridae) from the Pacific coast of Asia

Two new littoral species of the genus Anurida, viz. A. kyshyensis sp. nov. and A. abashiriensis sp. nov., have been described from the eastern coasts of Chukchi Peninsula (Russia) and Hokkaido Island (Japan), respectively. The former species is most similar to sympatric A. similis Fjellberg, 1985 and A. martynovae Fjellberg, 1985 differing from both of them due to the permanent presence of additional lateral setae on thorax and 3+3 axial setae on Abd.4. A. abashiriensis sp. nov., having unique mandibles and hypertrophic elongate maxillae with long lamellae, is hard to compare with any known species of Anurida and allied genera.

Макрозообентос придунайского озера Ялпуг (Одесская область, Украина)

<p>The taxonomic composition and quantitative characteristics of the macrozoobenthos of the largest lake in Ukraine Yalpug, were studied. In 2006-2012 some 396 samples of macrozoobenthos were collected on the littoral and sublittoral of Lake Yalpug. 183 species and subspecies of Spongia, Hydrozoa, Turbellaria, Annelida, Crustacea, Insecta, Gastropoda, and Bivalvia were found. All the species were found on the littoral, while in the sublittoral – only 47 species. For the first time, we discoeverd 46 species for the lake zoobenthic fauna. Ponto-Caspian faunal complex was represented by 19 species. The littoral species number had changed from 63 species in the upper reaches to 160 in the lower reaches of the lake. In littoral habitat the number and biomass increased from winter to summer, and in the sublittoral habitat the abundance increased from winter to summer, whereas the biomass – from winter to autumn. The most abundant were oligochaetes and chironomids, the maximum biomass was registered for molluscs. During the growing season, the average abundance and biomass of macrozoobenthos in the littoral area were 2482 ind./m² and 117.0 g/m² respectively; in sublittoral area – 1600 ind./m² and 121.0 g/m² respectively.</p>