Amended Description Research Articles

Morphology of obligate ectosymbionts reveals Paralaxus gen. nov.: A new circumtropical genus of marine stilbonematine nematodes.

Stilbonematinae are a subfamily of conspicuous marine nematodes, distinguished by a coat of sulphur‐oxidizing bacterial ectosymbionts on their cuticle. As most nematodes, the worm hosts have a relatively simple anatomy and few taxonomically informative characters, and this has resulted in numerous taxonomic reassignments and synonymizations. Recent studies using a combination of morphological and molecular traits have helped to improve the taxonomy of Stilbonematinae but also raised questions on the validity of several genera. Here, we describe a new circumtropically distributed genus Paralaxus (Stilbonematinae) with three species: Paralaxus cocos sp. nov., P. bermudensis sp. nov. and P. columbae sp. nov. We used single worm metagenomes to generate host 18S rRNA and cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) as well as symbiont 16S rRNA gene sequences. Intriguingly, COI alignments and primer matching analyses suggest that the COI is not suitable for PCR‐based barcoding approaches in Stilbonematinae as the genera have a highly diverse base composition and no conserved primer sites. The phylogenetic analyses of all three gene sets, however, confirm the morphological assignments and support the erection of the new genus Paralaxus as well as corroborate the status of the other stilbonematine genera. Paralaxus most closely resembles the stilbonematine genus Laxus in overlapping sets of diagnostic features but can be distinguished from Laxus by the morphology of the genus‐specific symbiont coat. Our re‐analyses of key parameters of the symbiont coat morphology as character for all Stilbonematinae genera show that with amended descriptions, including the coat, highly reliable genus assignments can be obtained.

<p><strong><em>Pinanga</em></strong><strong> <em>gruezoi </em>(Arecaceae), a new slender clustering palm from the Philippines with notes on an amended description of <em>P. samarana</em></strong></p>

We describe a new species of Pinanga, P. gruezoi, from the islands of Samar, Bucas Grande, Dinagat, and (northeastern) Mindanao, Philippines. It is a diminutive slender clustering palm with pluricostulate coriaceous leaflets, rather few, short and arching to reflexed rachillae, which bear relatively large distichously arranged and closely-set ovoid-ellipsoidal fruits. Additionally, we rediscovered P. samarana, hitherto known from type material that was first collected more than a century ago, and provided an amended description based on recent collections and field observations. Discussions on their morphology, habitat, distribution, ecology, conservation status, and comparisons with putatively closest congeners are included. Furthermore, we herein provided a tentative key for the functional groups of Philippine Pinanga and for the two species described.

Transfer ofXanthomonas campestrispv.arecaeandX. campestrispv.musacearumtoX. vasicola(Vauterin) asX. vasicolapv.arecaecomb. nov. andX. vasicolapv.musacearumcomb. nov. and Description ofX. vasicolapv.vasculorumpv. nov.

We present an amended description of the bacterial species Xanthomonas vasicola to include the causative agent of banana Xanthomonas wilt, as well as strains that cause disease on Areca palm, Tripsacum grass, sugarcane, and maize. Genome-sequence data reveal that these strains all share more than 98% average nucleotide with each other and with the type strain. Our analyses and proposals should help to resolve the taxonomic confusion that surrounds some of these pathogens and help to prevent future use of invalid names.[Formula: see text] Copyright © 2020 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY 4.0 International license.

<p><strong>Rediscovery of <em>Aster polius</em> (Astereae: Asteraceae), a rare and endemic species from China, after one century</strong></p>

Aster polius C.K. Schneider (Asteraceae, Astereae) was known only from the holotype locality after having been collected in 1908. Its systematic position and relationships among Aster and related genera remained unknown. In this work, we report the rediscovery of Aster polius at the type locality in western Sichuan, China, in 2016. After a detailed comparison with herbarium specimens and a phylogenetic reconstruction of densely sampled relatives based on nuclear markers (nrITS & nrETS), the position of Aster polius was determined to be in Aster ser. Albescentes. This species differs from other species of A. ser. Albescents in some key characters, i.e., leaves adaxially verruculose, leaves narrowly ovate to elliptic, 0.6–1.5 × 0.2–0.7 cm, capitula in corymbiform synflorescences. An amended description with a distribution map and a drawing of the species are presented.

<p><strong>Emended description and new localities of <em>Oxygyne shinzatoi </em>(Burmanniaceae/Thismiaceae), with discussion of phylogenetic relationships of <em>Oxygyne </em>from Japan and Africa</strong></p>

During a recent survey, Oxygyne specimens were discovered in three lowland evergreen forests on Okinawa Island, Japan. After morphological investigation, we identified the specimens as O. shinzatoi. Intriguingly, the colour of the specimens from one of the localities was significantly different from that of specimens collected from both the type and two of the new localities. Furthermore, morphological analysis also revealed clear differences between specimens collected from the type locality, including the type specimen, and previous descriptions of O. shinzatoi. Therefore, an amended description of O. shinzatoi is provided, based on the type and newly collected specimens. Phylogenetic relationships of Oxygyne from Japan and western Central Africa are also discussed, with consideration of the characteristics of newly discovered colour variation.

Surirella wulingensis sp. nov. and fine structure of S. tientsinensis Skvortzov (Bacillariophyceae) from China

Two Surirella species from China are studied using light and scanning electron microscopy. Surirella wulingensis sp. nov., discovered from Li River (located in Wuling Mountains, China), bears five undulations from pole to pole throughout the whole valve diminution series and parallel valve margins, which differ from other similar taxa. Based on the observations of the fine structure, an amended description is provided for S. tientsinensis which possesses a unique character within the genus Surirella: rounded and rimmed outer openings of areolae. Three new morphological terms are proposed: costa-stria bundle (CSB), over-fibula costa (OFC), and mantle sinking against a fibula (MSAF), which can be used for describing some Surirella taxa more succinctly and explicitly including these taxa in this study.

<p><strong>Notes on morphology and distribution of <em>Acmanthera</em> (A. Juss.) Griseb. (Malpighiaceae), an endemic genus from Brazil</strong></p>

We present the amended description of the species Acmanthera minima and A. parviflora based on specimens collected in the Lower Negro River basin and the Serra do Aracá National Park, respectively, in the Amazonas State, Brazil. We also provide photographs, a distribution map, notes on conservation status and a key to all species of the genus Acmanthera. We report new records and range extension for Acmanthera latifolia and A. minima, previously known only for the Negro and Madeira River basins, respectively.

A NEW SPECIES OF BEGONIA (BEGONIACEAE) FROM SOUTH SULAWESI, INDONESIA, AND AN AUGMENTED DESCRIPTION OF BEGONIA BONTHAINENSIS

ARDI, W. H . & THOMAS, D. C. 2018. A new species of Begonia (Begoniaceae) from South Sulawesi, Indonesia, and an augmented description of Begonia bonthainensis. Reinwardtia 18(1): 19−26. — Based on collections from South Sulawesi, Indonesia, an amended description of B. bonthainensis Hemsl. is provided, B. grandipetala Irmsch is placed in synonymy of B. bonthainensis, and the new species Begonia mattampensis Ardi & D.C.Thomas is described and illustrated. Provisional conservation assessments indicate an Endangered (EN) status for B. bonthainensis, an endemic of Mt. Lompobatang and several adjacent mountains at the tip of the Southwestern arm of Sulawesi, and a Critically Endangered (CR) status for Begonia mattampensis, a limestone endemic only known from the Pangkadjene Karst.

Taxonomic revision of the genus Ononis (Trifolieae, Fabaceae) in Egypt, with the first record of Ononis viscosa subsp. breviflora

The genus Ononis comprises 86 species worldwide distributed in temperate regions. It is represented in Egypt by ten species. During recent excursions to the mountains of southern Sinai Peninsula, a newly recorded species, namely O. viscosa subsp. breviflora, was collected. This new record was previously confused with O. sicula. These two species can be differentiated by corolla length and shape. This study provides a full taxonomic revision of the genus for the flora of Egypt, updated nomenclature for all taxa, amended descriptions, detailed hand drawings, and a diagnostic key to the species. The most valuable diagnositic characters in the taxonomy of the genus in Egypt are discussed. After critical examination and literature study, we found that two names (O. serrata and O. vaginalis) needed to be lectotypified.

Kermadecia brinoniae (Proteaceae: Macadamieae), a new species from New Caledonia previously confused with K. elliptica

Hopkins, H.C.F. & Y. Pillon (2019). Kermadecia brinoniae (Proteaceae: Macadamieae), a new species from New Caledonia previously confused with K. elliptica. In English, English and French abstracts. Candollea 74: 85–92. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15553/c2019v741a9Kermadecia brinoniae H.C. Hopkins & Pillon (Proteaceae), which occurs in southern New Caledonia, principally on ultramafic substrates, is described and illustrated. Material of this species was previously included in Kermadecia elliptica Brongn. & Gris. An amended description is given for the latter and a lectotype designated. These two species differ in the prominence of the venation on the lower leaf surface and in their ecology. Kermadecia brinoniae, like other species of Proteaceae growing on ultramafic substrates of New Caledonia, has a relatively high content of manganese in its leaves. A revised key to the species of Kermadecia Brongn. & Gris is provided as well as notes on the morphology of the pollen presenter.

Rediscovery and new data on distribution of the imperfectly known Philippine endemic Etlingera pubimarginata (Zingiberaceae; Alpinieae)

Recent exploration on the mountains of Northern Mindanao, Philippines resulted in the recollection of Etlingera pubimarginata, an enigmatic endemic species recollected after a lapse of over a century. An amended taxonomic description with colour photographs as well as comparative morphology to its allied species, geographical distribution, and conservation status are provided.

Las Hydrangeas trepadoras (Hydrangeaceae) de México, incluyendo la descripción de seis nuevas especies en peligro (crítico)

Antecedentes y Objetivos: El género Hydrangea consta de aproximadamente 200 taxones en Asia y América. Mientras que las especies arbustivas de Asia y los EUA, así como los más de 1000 híbridos y cultivares derivados de estos, son muy conocidos por su valor ornamental, las especies neotropicales son mucho menos apreciadas. Hydrangea sección Cornidia, con 13 taxones aceptados, se distribuye desde México hasta Chile y Argentina, con una especie en el sureste de Asia. Sus representantes son lianas trepadoras que pueden crecer hasta 60 m de altura en el dosel de árboles de bosques templados a selvas (sub)tropicales. Extenso trabajo de campo a lo largo de su área de distribución y estudio de especímenes de herbario ha resultado en el descubrimiento de nuevos taxones. Presentamos una revisión de las diez especies mexicanas actualmente conocidas.Métodos: Se llevó a cabo trabajo de campo en el noroeste, centro y sureste de México, incluida la exploración en áreas donde el género no se había recolectado anteriormente. Se llevaron a cabo estudios morfológicos y arquitectónicos detallados, basados en plantas vivas en su hábitat natural, así como en muestras secas de nuestras colecciones y el material de herbario disponible.Resultados clave: Se describen seis especies nuevas para la ciencia, incluyendo una clave de identificación para las nativas y una ampliamente cultivada, ilustraciones y mapas de distribución. Se presentan descripciones enmendadas para dos especies descritas anteriormente, por lo que todas las Hydrangeas mexicanas conocidas actualmente cuentan con una descripción morfológica detallada.Conclusiones: El género Hydrangea ejemplifica la falta de actividades de recolección botánica específicas de taxones en México. El descubrimiento de estas nuevas especies es aún más sorprendente teniendo en cuenta el tamaño considerable de estas plantas. Todas las especies mexicanas están amenazadas, principalmente debido a la deforestación y cambios en el uso del suelo.

Redescription and molecular characterisation of Hemicriconemoides rosae Rathour, Sharma, Singh & Ganguly, 2003 from rhizosphere of sugarcane in India

Summary A population of a Hemicriconemoides species was found from the rhizosphere of sugarcane in the Meerut district, Uttar Pradesh, India. Preliminary morphological studies led to the identification of the species as H. rosae. Further morphological and morphometric characterisation of the species was carried out by light microscopy. The gross morphology was consistent with the description of H. rosae except for some deviations in measurements. Here we present an amended description of the species together with illustrations and additional morphometric and morphological characters. The diagnostic relationship of H. rosae is given based on morphological and molecular information and a comparative study of paratype and holotype females. In addition, ITS rRNA and D2-D3 sequences were used for the construction of evolutionary relationship by Bayesian inference. The present study provides molecular data and a redescription of H. rosae collected from the rhizosphere of sugarcane in India.

Caspary's fungi from Baltic amber: historic specimens and new evidence

AbstractAmber is a valuable source of Mesozoic and Cenozoic fossil fungi. The earliest amber‐preserved fungi were described in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries from Eocene Baltic amber. In 1907, Richard Klebs summarized the legacy of Robert Caspary based on his specimens, research notes and publications. This treatise contains descriptions and illustrations of 13 morphologies of fossil fungi which have not been investigated since. We managed to locate six of Caspary's amber specimens and imaged and re‐investigated the fossil fungi within. We provide amended descriptions of these six specimens, select new specimens from historic and recent collections which are probably conspecific with five fossils that appear to have been lost, and finally also describe and evaluate five newly found fossil fungi from Baltic amber. The fungi belong to the phylum Ascomycota (Subkingdom Dikarya). Only two of Caspary's fungi can be confidently assigned to modern genera, Metacapnodium (Metacapnodiaceae) and Calicium (Caliciaceae). The new combination Calicium succini (Caspary) Rikkinen & A. R. Schmidt is made. The fossils originally placed in Acremonium, Cetraria, Gonatobotrys, Ramularia, Stilbum and Torula cannot be assigned to these genera, and should not be used as minimum age constrains for the respective lineages.

An update on the taxonomy of the genus Frankia Brunchorst, 1886, 174AL.

Since the recognition of the name Frankia in the Approved Lists of bacterial names (1980), few amendments have been given to the genus description. Successive editions of Bergey's Manual of Systematics of Archaea and Bacteria have broadly conflicting suprageneric treatments of the genus without any advances for subgeneric classification. This review focuses on recent results from taxongenomics and phenoarray approaches to the positioning and the structuring of the genus Frankia. Based on phylogenomic analyses, Frankia should be considered the single member of the family Frankiaceae within the monophyletic order, Frankiales. A polyphasic strategy incorporating genome to genome data and omniLog® phenoarrays, together with classical approaches, has allowed the designation and an amended description of a type strain of the type species Frankia alni, and the recognition of at least 10 novel species covering symbiotic and non symbiotic taxa within the genus. Genome to phenome data will be shortly incorporated in the scheme for proposing novel species including those recalcitrant to isolation in axenic culture.

Rediscovery of Croton hadrianii (Euphorbiaceae), a well distributed but long-forgotten species in Brazilian Amazon

During a taxonomic study on Croton sect. Geiseleria from Brazil, 40 specimens were found from the southern portion of the Brazilian Amazon that correspond to C. hadrianii, a species hitherto known only from its original description and with the type locality within Brazil unknown. We present an amended description of C. hadrianii providing the first information on fully developed fruits and seeds, which previously undocumented, morphological characterization, as well as comments on its geographical range, including a distribution map, conservation status, and period of flowering and fruiting. The species is also illustrated and photographs in its habitat for the first time. Typification is also presented and the species systematic position within Croton sect. Geiseleria is discussed. Additionally, we provide a key to the 16 species of Croton sect. Geiseleria occurring in the Brazilian Amazon, as well as field images for most of them.

Terasakiella salincola sp. nov., a marine alphaproteobacterium isolated from seawater, and emended description of the genus Terasakiella.

A Gram-reaction-negative, S-shaped, motile, poly-β-hydroxybutyrate-accumulating, facultatively anaerobic, beige-pigmented bacterium, designated strain KMU-80T, was isolated from seawater collected from the Republic of Korea. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed that the novel isolate was affiliated with the family Methylocystaceae, of the class Alphaproteobacteria, and that it possessed the greatest sequence similarity (96.7 %) to Terasakiella pusilla NBRC 13613T. The DNA G+C content of KMU-80T was 48.3 mol%, and ubiquinone 10 was the sole respiratory quinone. The predominant cellular fatty acids consisted of C18 : 1ω7c (60.2 %), C16 : 0 (13.4 %) and C16 : 1ω7c and/or C16 : 1ω6c (11.1 %). Strain KMU-80T had phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, an unidentified aminolipid, an unidentified phospholipid and four unidentified lipids as polar lipids. Based on its distinct phylogenetic position and the combination of genotypic and phenotypic characteristics, this strain is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Terasakiella, for which the name Terasakiella salincola sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of T. salincola sp. nov. is KMU-80T (= KCCM 90274T = NBRC 112846T). An amended description of the genus Terasakiella is also provided.

Rediscovery of Thismia neptunis (Thismiaceae) after 151 years

Thismia neptunis, as many of its congeners, is a poorly understood species that has only been known from the type collection and its limited original description. In January 2017 it was rediscovered in the type area in the Gunung Matang massif, western Sarawak, Borneo, Malaysia. The paper provides the amended description and drawings of the species, very first available photographs and short notes on taxonomy and historical context of Beccari’s work on Thismia.

Phylogeny of the Inula group (Asteraceae: Inuleae): Evidence from nuclear and plastid genomes and a recircumscription of Pentanema

AbstractThe Inula complex (Asteraceae: Inulinae) is a monophyletic group which comprises eight genera distributed in Eurasia and Africa: Amblyocarpum, Carpesium, Chrysophthalmum, Inula, Pentanema, Rhanteriopsis, Telekia, and Varthemia. With the aim to shed light on the circumscription of these genera, phylogenetic analyses were performed with 293 new DNA sequences (ITS region from nrDNA and three plastid spacers from cpDNA: rps16–trnQ, rpl32–trnL, ndhF–rpl32). It is concluded that both Inula and Pentanema are paraphyletic and that generic delimitations within the Inula complex need to be revised. Based on the results of the analyses, together with morphological and karyological data, we argue that the best solution is a new circumscription of the genus Pentanema including an amended description and 24 new combinations of former Inula species. Resurrection of the names Codonocephalum, Monactinocephalus and Vicoa is proposed to preserve the monophyly of the genera included in the Inula complex. Incongruences between nrDNA and cpDNA are documented and discussed.

Characterization of the first rice paddy cluster I isolate, Methyloterricola oryzae gen. nov., sp. nov. and amended description of Methylomagnum ishizawai.

Three gammaproteobacterial methanotrophic strains (73aT, 175 and 114) were isolated from stems of rice plants. All strains are Gram-negative, motile and grow on methane or methanol as sole carbon sources. They oxidize methane using the particulate methane monooxygenase. Strains 114 and 175 possess additionally a soluble methane monooxygenase. All strains contain significant amounts of the cellular fatty acids C16 : 0, C16 : 1ω6c and C16 : 1ω7c, typical for type Ib methanotrophs. Characteristic for strains 114 and 175 are high amounts of C14 : 0 and C16 : 1ω6c , while strain 73aT contains high quantities of C16 : 1ω5c. 16S rRNA gene sequence analyses showed that strains 114 and 175 are most closely related to Methylomagnum ishizawai (≥99.6 % sequence identity). Strain 73aT is representing a new genus within the family Methylococcaceae, most closely related to Methylococcus capsulatus (94.3 % sequence identity). Phylogenetic analysis of the PmoA sequence indicates that strain 73aT represents rice paddy cluster I (RPCI), which has almost exclusively been detected in rice ecosystems. The G+C content of strain 73aT is 61.0 mol%, while strains 114 and 175 have a G+C content of 63.3 mol%. Strain 73aT (=LMG 29185T, =VKM B-2986T) represents the type strain of a novel species and genus, for which the name Methyloterricola oryzae gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed and a description is provided. Strains 175 (=LMG 28717, VKM B-2989) and 114 are members of the species Methylomagnum ishizawai. This genus was so far only represented by one isolate, so an amended description of the species is given.