A new semifossorial snake of the genus Arrhyton (Squamata: Dipsadidae) from eastern Cuba, with taxonomic comments on other species

The genus Arrhyton is endemic to Cuba, with eight currently known species. A new species, Arrhyton albicollum sp. nov., is described from the karst areas of Gibara, Holguín Province. The new species is closely related to A. redimitum, another eastern species, according to morphology and molecular phylogeny. It differs from all other species of the genus by having a conspicuous, white nuchal band, a contrasting black pattern on the head, a gray-colored body with faint stripes, and a high number of ventral and subcaudal scales. Additional comments on other species include new locality records and information on morphology and relationships.

Vitis Species from the Southwestern United States Vary in Their Susceptibility to Powdery Mildew

The European grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) has been cultivated in North America for about 500 years. One of the major limitations to its culture is the powdery mildew (PM) fungus, Erysiphe necator Schw. This study reports on the most extensive screening of Vitis species from the southwestern United States and northern Mexico for resistance to PM, testing 147 accessions of 13 Vitis species. In addition, Vitis vinifera cv. Carignane, a highly susceptible wine grape cultivar, was used as a reference to evaluate the effect of the inoculum 14 days postinoculation. Inoculation was done with a vacuum-operated settling tower using a broadly virulent isolate of E. necator, the C-strain. Resistant accessions (nine), moderately susceptible accessions (39), and highly susceptible accessions (99) were detected. The resistant accessions were then inoculated with an additional fungal isolate, e1-101, and they retained their resistance. Vitis species susceptibility was not associated with a North-South gradation, but Western species were more susceptible than Midwestern and Eastern species. All five of the V. monticola accessions were susceptible, as were the accessions of V. treleasei. The species V. acerifolia, V. candicans, V. cinerea, and V. × doaniana had significantly more resistant to moderately susceptible accessions compared with V. arizonica, V. berlandieri, V. californica, V. × champinii, V. girdiana, V. riparia, and V. rupestris, which had relatively more susceptible accessions than the other species. This research identified new sources of PM resistance in Vitis from the southwestern United States that could be incorporated into PM resistance breeding programs throughout the world.

Toward Clarifying the Wyoming Ranges of the Vireo gilvus Complex

The Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus), generally recognized as one polytypic species, is widely distributed across North America, but differences in morphology, song, genetics, and ecology suggest the western and eastern populations may represent two species. Understanding their distributions enables tracking of range changes and other factors that might affect the conservation of populations. Therefore, I studied museum specimens, specimen data, and identifications provided by investigators recording songs to help clarify the ranges of the two taxa in Wyoming. Of 18 specimens in the U.S. National Museum collected from 1858 to 1930, I identify 15 as the western species V. swainsoni. These are spread over most of Wyoming, east to Crook and Albany counties. Only three represent the eastern species V. gilvus, two from Greybull, Big Horn Co., and one from Cheyenne. Whether the overlap represents sympatry of breeding populations in eastern Wyoming or overlap in migration remains to be determined.

The phytogeography of moist forests across Eastern Zimbabwe

Background and aims – During the 1970s, a comprehensive survey of moist forest areas across Zimbabwe’s Eastern Highlands was carried out, from Nyanga in the north to Chirinda Forest in the south. All tree stems 8 cm diameter or greater in both canopy and sub-canopy layers were measured in 176 quarter-hectare plots, and plots were then classified into 12 altitude-related forest types. The aim of the present study is to categorise the woody species recorded in these plots in terms of their chorological status. The findings are compared to similar analyses from moist forests across Malawi.Material and methods – All tree species recorded during the initial survey were listed and placed into 12 described chorological (phytogeographical) categories based on their continental distribution. Their occurrence across the 12 previously described forest types is given. Key results and conclusions – A total of 211 tree species was recorded from 176 plots. Most species (86, or 40.8%) are Afromontane endemics or near-endemics, while 48 species (22.7%) are Guineo-Congolian linking, 31 (14.7%) are Eastern endemic or near-endemics, and 16 (7.6%) are sub-Afromontane endemics or near-endemics. The remainder comprise African linking and Zambezian species. This shows that species of the moist forests of eastern Zimbabwe form a complex phytogeographical mix. While Afromontane species dominate at high altitudes, Guineo-Congolian and Eastern species become more common at lower altitudes. In terms of proportions of chorological categories, results were found to be similar to those from forest studies in Malawi.

Records and descriptions of caddisflies from Natma Taung National Park and adjacent localities in the Chin Hills of Myanmar (Insecta, Trichoptera)

During several excursions to the Chin Hills of Myanmar from 2001 to 2015, rich collections of caddisflies were made which form the basis of the present taxonomic and biogeographic study. A total of 106 species were identified including seven new species. They are described as Arctopsyche subflavasp. nov., Hydromanicus abdominalissp. nov., Cheumatopsyche janosolahisp. nov., Lepidostoma subpanaitossp. nov., Aplatyphylax pumilussp. nov., Adicella natmataungensissp. nov. and Triaenodes mindatensissp. nov. Illustrations of the male genitalia and images of the adults are provided. Two species names were recognised as junior synonyms: Hydropsyche athamas Malicky & Chantaramongkol, 2000, = Hydropsyche januha Oláh & Barnard, 2008, syn. nov.; Hydropsyche khasigiri Oláh & Barnard, 2008, = Hydropsyche kiogupa Oláh & Schefter, 2008, syn. nov. In an attempt to determine the biogeographic character of the fauna, the known ranges of all resident species were plotted into three longitudinal transects from 85°–95°E, 95–98°E and 98°–108°E, ranging from the eastern Himalayas to northern Vietnam. About half of the species have ranges extending over all three transects. The fauna is equally composed of western and eastern species qualifying the Chin Hills as part of a transition zone including palearctic elements. Most of the species, which are widely distributed in south-east Asia, are members of the suborder Annulipalpia. The investigations of the authors yielded 77 autochthonous species, which have been unrecorded from the country including the newly-described taxa. This brings the number of species records from Mynamar to 304.

In vitro Barnardia japonica (Thunb.) Schult. et Schult. fil. micropropagation by direct regeneration

In vitro micropropagation of rare Far Eastern species Barnardia japonica by the direct regeneration method was studied for the first time. The effect of different concentrations of 6-benzylaminopurine and kinetin in combination with auxins on the regeneration potential of young seedlings using Murashige and Skoog media was estimated. It was found that the largest number of new plants (61 new shoots on average) is formed when explants are cultivated on the medium with a high concentration of kinetin (10 mg/L) and a minimum of α-naphthylacetic acid (0.1 mg/L). The resulting plants are rooted easily on a hormone-free medium of the same mineral composition. The least effective for the mass production of plants by direct regeneration was a medium with a combination of 2 mg/L kinetin and 1 mg/L α-naphthylacetic acid. The developed approach can be applied for the effective propagation of Barnardia japonica and returning the species to its natural habitat.

RESEARCH OF AQUATIC CULTURE OF FAR EASTERN SPECIES OF TREE PLANTS IN SCHOOL EXPERIMENT

A number of experiments with aquatic cultures of Far Eastern woody plants have been tested and proposed for use within the framework of specialized training in the classroom of elective courses in biology, laboratory work of ecological and biological centers. Regional material is aimed at developing students' interest in biology, deepening knowledge in the field of plant physiology and ecology.

FIRST RESULTS ON STUDY OF THE SHANTAR ISLANDS MYCOBIOTA

Preliminary results of the first mycological expedition to the Shantar Islands, where the Federal national park of the same name has been operating since 2013, have been summed up. It includes 15 large and small Islands with adjacent waters. We were able to study the basidiomycetes and ascomycetes species diversity in plant communities on two of them – Bolshoy Shantar and Prokofiev islands. The main feature of the identified mycobiota is the abundance of boreal species that are rarely found in the continental part of the Far East and the weak participation of both background boreal and endemic Far Eastern species.