Molecular Phylogenetic Tree Research Articles

Viroinformatics investigation of B-cell epitope conserved region in SARS-CoV-2 lineage B.1.1.7 isolates originated from Indonesia to develop vaccine candidate against COVID-19

Context: SARS-CoV-2, a member of family Coronaviridae and the causative agent of COVID-19, is a virus which is transmitted to human and other mammals. Aims: To analyze the B-cell epitope conserved region and viroinformatics-based study of the SARS-CoV-2 lineage from Indonesian B.1.1.7 isolates to invent a vaccine nominee for overcoming COVID-19. Methods: The sequences of seven Indonesian B.1.1.7 isolates, Wuhan-Hu-1 isolate, and WIV04 isolate were extracted from the GISAID EpiCoV and GenBank, NCBI. MEGA X was employed to understand the transformations of amino acid in the S protein and to develop a molecular phylogenetic tree. The IEDB was implemented to reveal the linear B-cell epitopes. In addition, PEP-FOLD3 web server was utilized to perform peptide modeling, while docking was performed using PatchDock, FireDock, and the PyMOL software. Moreover, in silico cloning was developed by using SnapGene v.3.2.1 software. Results: In this study, the changes of amino acid in all seven Indonesian B.1.1.7 isolates were uncovered. Furthermore, various peptides based on the B-cell epitope prediction, allergenicity prediction, toxicity prediction from S protein to generate a vaccine contrary to SARS-CoV-2 were identified. Furthermore, the development of in silico cloning using pET plasmid was successfully achieved. Conclusions: This study exhibits the transformations of amino acid in Indonesian B.1.1.7 isolates, and proposes four peptides (“LTPGDSSSGWTAG”, “VRQIAPGQTGKIAD”, “ILPDPSKPSKRS”, and “KNHTSPDVDLG”) from S protein as the candidate for a peptide-based vaccine. However, further advance trials such as in vitro and in vivo testing are involved for validation.

Plant diversity and ecology on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau

Plant diversity and ecology on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau

Confirmed polyphyly, generic recircumscription and typification of Dysoxylum (Meliaceae), with revised disposition of currently accepted species

AbstractThe hypothesis that Dysoxylum (Meliaceae), as currently circumscribed, is polyphyletic is tested. Analyses based on nuclear ribosomal ITS, ETS, the plastid trnL‐trnF intron and intergenic spacer, as well as the rps15‐ycf1 intergenic spacer support this hypothesis. Six strongly supported clades within Dysoxylum s.l. were recovered, in large part supporting the classification of Harms. Based on the largest molecular phylogenetic tree hitherto assembled, and morphological considerations, a revised disposition of 94 currently recognized Dysoxylum species, is presented, reinstating the genera Didymocheton, Epicharis, Goniocheton, Prasoxylon and Pseudocarapa. The first valid publication of the generic name Dysoxylum is identified, and it is typified with D. macrocarpum. Forty‐three new combinations at species level and two at infraspecific are proposed; Didymocheton nutans, Dysoxylum alatum, D. pachyphyllum, Epicharis, Trichilia spectabilis and T. alliacea (second step) are lectotypified.

On the brink of extinction: a new freshwater amphipod Jesogammarusacalceolus (Anisogammaridae) from Japan.

Freshwater habitats, especially cold springs, are environments in which the risk of extinction faced by organisms remains high due to human activities. To conserve endangered species, it is important to describe and name them. Here, a new, endangered freshwater anisogammarid amphipod species, Jesogammarus (Jesogammarus) acalceolussp. nov., found in a spring in Aomori Prefecture, Japan, is described which is potentially the sole remaining habitat of this species. Both morphological and molecular phylogenetic results strongly support the nesting of the new species within Jesogammarus. Jesogammarus (J.) acalceolussp. nov. is the first species of genus Jesogammarus that was found to lack a calceolus, a sensory organ located on male antenna 2. Thus, the diagnostic criteria for this genus required amendment. A reconstruction of ancestral calceoli, based on a molecular phylogenetic tree, revealed that the common ancestor of Jesogammarus possessed calceoli, which were secondarily lost in J. (J.) acalceolussp. nov. Our results indicate that this new species, which is key to clarifying the evolution of the calceolus, is of high conservation significance.

Evolutionary origin of species diversity on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau

AbstractThe Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (QTP) sensu lato (sl) houses an exceptional species diversity in Asia. To develop a comprehensive understanding of species diversity in this fascinating region, we reviewed recent progress from biogeographic, paleogeographic, paleontological and genomic research of both plants and animals in the QTPsl. Numerous studies have been conducted to examine whether the QTPsl uplift triggered the production of rich species diversity there, whether a Quaternary “unified ice sheet” eliminated plants and animals on the central plateau and how high‐altitude species developed the extreme environment adaptations. Major disputes arose about the first issue, mainly from different understanding of the QTP circumscriptions and related uplift, inaccurate dating of molecular phylogenetic trees, and non‐causal correlations between uplift and species diversification. The QTPsl uplift is spatially and temporally heterogeneous, and abundant fossils reported recently similarly support such an asynchronous upheaval model across the entire region. Available phylogeographic studies of alpine plants and animals suggested their glacial refugia in the central QTPsl, rejecting a unified ice sheet during the Last Glacial Maximum. Genomic evidence from a limited number of alpine species has identified numerous candidate genes for high‐altitude adaptation. In the future, more studies should be focused on speciation and adaptation mechanisms of the alpine species in the QTPsl based on the cutting‐edge methods.

Systematics of the rare Amazonian genus Eutrachelophis (Serpentes: Dipsadidae), with an emended diagnosis for Eutrachelophis papilio

Integrative analyses of multiple data sources and increased coverage in genetic and taxa sampling have been increasingly clarified the phylogenetic relationships of caenophidian snakes. However, some knowledge gaps remain, especially at higher-levels and among genera, and unclear relationships of some taxa with scant available information. One of these taxa is the recently described Amazonian genus Eutrachelophis (Dipsadidae), whose members are rarely recorded and lack associated molecular information. By analyzing recently collected specimens from Amazonian expeditions, we found a series of Eutrachelophis papilio and obtained molecular information (two mitochondrial genes and one nuclear gene) for two specimens. This allowed the first assessment of the molecular phylogenetic relationships of the genus Eutrachelophis. Molecular phylogenetic trees of the caenophidian diversification were inferred considering the information of 10 genes (five mitochondrial and five nuclear), under both Bayesian and Maximum Likelihood optimality criteria. Resulting trees corroborate the distinctiveness and taxonomic validity of Eutrachelophis, and its family and subfamily level allocation. A highly supported clade composed of Eutrachelophis and another enigmatic Amazonian genus, Arcanumophis, was recovered nested in the subfamily Xenodontinae. The Eutrachelophis + Arcanumophis clade is recovered as sister to a clade containing the remaining genera of tribe Xenodontini. These results do not corroborate that the phenotypic apomorphies of Eutrachelophis are secondarily developed within Xenodontini diversification, therefore refuting the recent allocation of this genus in this tribe. In the light of these results, we reassessed the morphological similarities of Eutrachelophis, Baliodryas and Arcanumophis and their distinctiveness among xenodontines. Based on combined phenotypic and molecular evidence, we propose the revalidation of tribe Eutrachelophiini to better reflect the high evolutionary distinctiveness of these snakes. We also obtained novel data on the morphometrics, meristics, color variations, natural history and geographical distributions from the analyzed museum specimens of Eutrachelophis papilio. We found a considerable variation in the range of analyzed morphological characters, including in some considered as diagnostic, justifying the designation of an emended diagnosis for the species. Despite these advances, some gaps remain with respect to these snakes, such as the taxonomic validity of Eutrachelophis species, molecular phylogenetic relationships of Baliodryas, and the internal and hemipenial morphology of Arcanumophis. Further investigation on these issues and reassessment of museum specimens should increase the knowledge associated with these rare snakes.

Parasitic nematodes of the genus Syphacia Seurat, 1916 infecting Cricetidae in the British Isles: the enigmatic status of Syphacia nigeriana.

Oxyurid nematodes (Syphacia spp.) from bank (Myodes glareolus) and field/common (Microtus spp.) voles, from disparate geographical sites in the British Isles, were examined morphologically and genetically. The genetic signatures of 118 new isolates are provided, based primarily on the rDNA internal transcribed spacers (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2) region and for representative isolates also on the small subunit 18S rDNA region and cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox-1) gene locus. Genetic data on worms recovered from Microtus spp. from the European mainland and from other rodent genera from the Palaearctic, North America and West Africa are also included. We test historical hypotheses indicating that S. nigeriana is a generalist species, infecting a range of different rodent genera. Our results establish that S. nigeriana is a parasite of both bank and field voles in the British Isles. An identical genotype was also recorded from Hubert's multimammate mouse (Mastomys huberti) from Senegal, but Mastomys spp. from West Africa were additionally parasitized by a related, although genetically distinct Syphacia species. We found no evidence for S. petrusewiczi in voles from the British Isles but isolates from Russia and North America were genetically distinct and formed their own separate deep branch in maximum likelihood molecular phylogenetic trees.

First Report of an Important Sheat Nematode, Hemicycliophora Poranga, Associated with Sugar Beet (Beta Vulgaris L.) in Vietnam.

SummarySeveral species of the sheat nematodes, Hemicycliophora spp., have been known to cause significant damage to agricultural crops, including Hemicycliophora arenaria, H. conida, H. parvana, H. poranga, H. similis, and H. typica. Remarkably, our study reported on the presence of H. poranga for the first time in Vietnam. This species was found on 83.33% of the total samples with an average density of 270 individuals/100ml of soil (positive samples). In this study, the Vietnamese population of H. poranga was characterized based on both morphology and molecular characterization of D2-D3 expansion segment of 28S rRNA sequence. Besides, a molecular phylogenetic tree of the genus Hemicycliophora was also provided.

Preliminary results of studying the genetic diversity of Malaxis monophyllos (Orchidaceae) in the Amur region

For research the plants of Malaxis monophyllos (L.) Sw. were sampled in the Amur region and takenfrom the herbarium collections of the same region (MW and MHA). The plants of M. monophyllos have a high degreeof vari-ability of quantitative morphological characters. First, we paid attention to the number of leaves, the height ofplants and peduncles, the number and size of leaves and the number of flowers. Therefore, the purpose of this workwas compara-tive molecular studies of individuals of the same species with different morphological characteristics.Internal transcribed spacers (ITS1 and ITS2) of the 18S–26S region of nuclear ribosomal DNA were chosen as amolecular marker. On the molecular phylogenetic tree, the analyzed M. monophyllos plants form clade with a highposterior probability (1.0). The ITS sequences of the analyzed samples are not identical. The level of geneticdifferentiation of nucleotide sequences was 0.12 %, which corresponds to the variability within the species, whichconfirms the belonging of the analyzed samples to the same species. Since the species has a large area, it is necessary toanalyze plant samples from other regions to obtain reliable results. The different regions of the nuclear and plastidgenomes should be added to the genetic analysis.

A new species of wood lizard (Hoplocercinae, Enyalioides) from the Río Huallaga Basin in Central Peru

We report the discovery of a new species of Enyalioides from the premontane forest of the Río Huallaga basin in central Peru. The most similar and phylogenetically related species are E. binzayedi and E. rudolfarndti. However, the new species differs from E. binzayedi (state of character in parentheses) by having dorsal scales strongly keeled on paravertebral region and feebly keeled or smooth elsewhere (prominent medial keel on each dorsal scale), more dorsals in transverse row between dorsolateral crests at midbody 26–39, x̄ = 30.44 (22–31, x̄ = 27.57), and a conspicuous posteromedial black patch in the gular region of males (absent). Contrarily, adult males of the new species and E. rudolfarndti are readily distinguished by having a conspicuous posteromedial black patch in the gular region, absent in E. rudolfarndti, and by lacking a conspicuous orange blotch (faint if present) on the antehumeral region, as in E. rudolfarndti. We also present an updated molecular phylogenetic tree of hoplocercines, which strongly supports both referral of the newly discovered species to Enyalioides and its status as distinct from those recognized previously.

Molecular phylogeny of pimoid spiders and the limits of Linyphiidae, with a reassessment of male palpal homologies (Araneae, Pimoidae).

We address the phylogenetic relationships of pimoid spiders (Pimoidae) using a standard target-gene approach with an extensive taxonomic sample, which includes representatives of the four currently recognized pimoid genera, 26 linyphiid genera, a sample of Physoglenidae, Cyatholipidae and one Tetragnathidae species. We test the monophyly of Pimoidae and Linyphiidae and explore the biogeographic history of the group. Nanoa Hormiga, Buckle and Scharff, 2005 and Pimoa Chamberlin Ivie, 1943 form a clade which is the sister group of a lineage that includes all Linyphiidae, Weintrauboa Hormiga, 2003 and Putaoa Hormiga and Tu, 2008. Weintrauboa, Putaoa, Pecado and Stemonyphantes form a clade (Stemonyphantinae) sister to all remaining linyphiids. We use the resulting optimal molecular phylogenetic tree to assess hypotheses on the male palp sclerite homologies of pimoids and linyphiids. Pimoidae is redelimited to only include Pimoa and Nanoa. We formalize the transfer from Pimoidae of the genera Weintrauboa and Putaoa to Linyphiidae, re-circumscribe the linyphiid subfamily Stemonyphantinae, and offer revised morphological diagnoses for Pimoidae and Linyphiidae.

Morphological observations and molecular confirmation of larvae ofLevisquilla inermis(Crustacea: Stomatopoda) from the Seto Inland Sea

AbstractMantis shrimps are commercially important crustaceans in many areas of the world. In contrast to the relatively common studies of adults, limited studies have been attempted of larvae because of a lack of identification keys. The objectives of this study were two-fold: (1) to link wild-caught larval specimens from the Seto Inland Sea to a certain species and (2) to present a detailed morphological description of the last larval stage. The resulting molecular phylogenetic tree based on 16S rRNA gene sequences strongly implies that our larval specimens were linked toLevisquilla inermis, which was barcoded from a newly collected adult specimen with a morphological identification. K2P genetic divergence was found to be 0% among the larval and adult specimens. The congeneric speciesL. jurichiwas the sister group of theL. inermiscluster, but the K2P distance between them was 3.4%, and it was considered a distinct species. Morphological observations provided five major distinguishing characteristics of the last-stage larva ofL. inermis: (1) propodus of second maxilliped with three basal spines, (2) all five pleopods possessing an appendix interna with cincinnuli, (3) exopod of uropod longer than the endopod, (4) distal margin of the exopod of the uropod reaching the lateral tooth of telson, and (5) telson with nine intermediate denticles. Overall, our results reveal the importance of combining molecular and morphological analyses for solving stomatopod larval identification. This finding can be used to support and facilitate future research on the taxonomy and biodiversity of stomatopod larvae.

Systematic Position of Heterotermitinae and Coptotermitinae (Blattodea: Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)

AbstractRhinotermitidae (Isoptera) is an economically important termite family globally. The family is not monophyletic, and the relationships among some of its taxa remain confusing. The taxonomic status of some subfamilies is likely questionable because of various morphological characters of the soldiers and imagoes. Twenty species in 10 genera, representing all six subfamilies of Rhinotermitidae were studied herein. Morphological phylogenetic trees based on 65 characters and molecular phylogenetic trees based on mitochondrial COII and 16SrRNA genes were reconstructed. The sequence composition and genetic distance were analyzed. Based on these results, Rhinotermitidae is polyphyletic. In the morphological trees, the family was divided into five clades. Heterotermitinae and Coptotermitinae were grouped into the most apical one of them and constituted the sister group to Termitidae in the Bayesian inference (BI) tree. In the combined molecular tree, Rhinotermitidae was divided into three clades. The position of the clade composing Heterotermitinae and Coptotermitinae was the same as in the morphological BI tree. The nucleotide sequence analyses also showed that the genetic distances between Heterotermitinae or Coptotermitinae with Termitidae might be closer than those between Heterotermitinae or Coptotermitinae with other subfamilies in Rhinotermitidae. It is postulated that the relationship of Heterotermitinae and Coptotermitinae with other subfamilies of Rhinotermitidae is not as close as that indicated in the current taxonomic system. They might be the real representative of the intermediate lineage from lower to higher termites. These findings further suggest that Heterotermitinae and Coptotermitinae should be separated from Rhinotermitidae and be upgraded as a whole to family rank.

Molecular Characterization of Copy’s Frog Hydrophylax Leptoglossa Based on 16s rRNA Gene

Copy’s frog, commonly observed in Bangladesh, is ecologically important for evergreen forest. Sample was collected from Satchari National park, Hobigonj, Sylhet. Attempts were made to combine morphological and molecular techniques for identification and analysis of evolutionary relation of Copy’s frog with anuran species. Morphological identification of Hydrophylax sp. was conducted based on distinguishing characteristics of the body and different body measurement parameter. The species was identified morphologically as Hydrophylax leptoglossa based on the taxonomic key of finger toes and formula was 3>1>4>2. Simultaneously genomic DNA was isolated using CTAB extraction method. The 16S rRNA gene was amplified from the genomic DNA by polymerase chain reaction method using the pair of universal primers. Amplified product was a 308 bp fragment that generated AT/GC ratio of 1.08% once sequenced. In the present study comparative analysis of intraspecific and interspecific variation was conducted based on nucleotide sequence of 16S rRNA gene collected from GenBank. The intraspecific variation compares between Southeast Asia and Bangladesh was 1.29% for 16S rRNA gene. The interspecific genetic divergence was studied between H. leptoglossa and H. tytleri was observed 14.29%. The nucleotide sequence of the present study will be used as DNA barcode for that particular individual collected from Sylhet, Bangladesh. Furthermore, a molecular phylogenetic tree was constructed, where all the anuran species from a monophyletic group. Four species of Hydrophylax form monophyletic group and is consistent with relation based on morphology. Bangladesh J. Zool. 49(1): 105-115, 2021

Genomics and Molecular Phylogenetics Tree Analysis of Actinopolyspora Iraqiensis

Actinopolyspora iraqiensis IQ-H1 is a novel strain of actinobacteria isolated from extremely halophilic soil samples in Iraq. The whole-genome sequence of this strain is deposited in the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) GenBank under the accession number NZ_AICW01000000. In this study, the genome features and the molecular phylogenetic tree of Act. iraqiensis IQ-H1are analyzed. The RAST tool was used for genome annotation. The genomic features were elucidated using QUAST tool. The circular genome map, and the core and pan-genome map of Act. iraqiensis IQ-H1 was generated using CGView and the GView tools respectively. The JSpeciesWS server was used for the tetranucleotide signature analysis and the REALPHY server was utilized for the construction of the whole genome sequence based phylogenetic tree. The genome size of the strain was around 4.0 Mpb and the number of contigs was 110 with a GC content of 70.46%. The core genome of Act. iraqiensis IQ-H1 was estimated to be 2.2 Mpb. Based on z-scores of the tetranucleotide signature analysis, Act. halophila DSM 43834, Act. mortivallis DSM 44261 and Act. saharensis DSM 45459 were the most relative strains to Act. iraqiensis IQ-H1with z-scores 0.99784, 0.98943 and 0.99789 respectively. Based on the phylogenetic tree constructed from the whole genome sequences, Act. iraqiensis IQ-H1 was the most closely related to Act. saharensis DSM 45459, Act. halophila DSM 43834 and Act. mortivallis DSM 44261. The results suggest that the web-based bioinformatics tools such as QUAST, CGView, GView, JSpeciesWS and REALPHY can be utilized for the analysis of the genomic features of Act. iraqiensis IQ-H1 and other species of the genus Actinopolyspora.

Morphology and molecular phylogeny of a new brackish pleurostomatid ciliate, Loxophyllum paludosum sp. n. (Ciliophora, Litostomatea, Haptoria), from a mangrove wetland in China

A new ciliate species of the genus Loxophyllum Dujardin, 1841, Loxophyllum paludosum sp. n., is described from a mangrove wetland near Daya Bay in Guangdong Province, southern China, based on morphological and molecular analyses. The new species can be distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following characters: (1) 12–14 right kineties and 4–6 left kineties; (2) two macronuclear nodules and one micronucleus; (3) a single contractile vacuole located terminally; (4) extrusomes bar-shaped, evenly spaced along entire ventral margin, and clustered to form 5–7 warts along dorsal margin; and (5) presence of three ridges on the left side of cell. The new species is divergent from its congeners from 0.4% to 6.7% (5–104 nucleotide sites) based on the small subunit (SSU) rRNA gene sequence data. The validity of the new species is also supported by molecular phylogenetic trees inferred from SSU rRNA gene sequences.

Molecular systematic and phylogenetic analysis of indigenous bacterial isolates with potential as bioremediation agent based on 16S rRNA gene analysis

Liquid biomedical waste is a form of medical waste from community health centers (Pusat Kesehatan Masyarakat or Puskesmas) with high levels of health hazardous organic contaminants. Bioremediation is an alternative way to eliminate toxic components in liquid waste. A bacteria community that can be used as component of organic waste bioremediation is indigenous hydrolytic and non-pathogenic to low-pathogenic bacteria. From previous studies, 4 hydrolytic indigenous bacterial isolates with such characteristics were obtained from liquid clinical wastes of two health centers in Semarang City, namely H1, H3, H5 (from Puskesmas Halmahera), and T3 (from Puskesmas Tlogosari Kulon). This study aimed to reveal the molecular identity and kinship these bacterial isolates to understand more of their properties as consortium of bioremediation agent. Molecular identification and phylogenetic tree construction works were carried out based on 16S rRNA gene sequences. Sequences of 16S rRNA gene sequences were obtained by isolation and gene amplification using the PCR method followed by sequencing. Based on the results of molecular identification, the four isolates studied were in the same class, namely Gammaproteobacter with Phylum Proteobacter. H1 bacterial isolates have 98.01% similarity with Acinetobacter schindleri. H3 and H5 isolates share the same genus, Stenotrophomonas, with 99.79% similarity with S. maltophiphila and 97.69% with S. acidaminiphila, respectively. T3 isolate had a similarity of 98.85% with Pararheinheimera aquatica species, which was widely known as a potent bioremediation agent. The phylogenetic tree design with the MEGA 6 program showed that the H3 and H5 isolates had the closest kinship compared to the other two isolates, while the T3 isolates had the farthest relationship with the 3 other isolates. This is in line with the fact that T3 isolate was originated from a different location separating it from 3 other isolates.

Preliminary investigation on multi metal tolerance of Bacillus thuringiensis isolated from industrial effluent soil

Bacteria are considered as foremost bioremediating agents among microorganisms, encompassing simple biological mechanism to tolerate higher concentration of heavy metal and favoring conservative strategies to substitute the usage of chemicals. Relating this implication, the present study is designed to identify, screen and characterize bacteria from industrial site soil to tolerate multimetals. Almost 108 colonies were obtained at various concentrations (0.5–2.0 mM) of heavy metals (cadmium, nickel and lead) and were thrived in the reformed minimal media. Bacterial isolates that grown in the higher concentration of heavy metals (2.0 mM) were taken for further studies. Among ten bacterial colonies, one isolate was selected for each heavy metal and further screened for their multi metal tolerance. Isolate, C20 alone survived in heavy metal mixture fortified medium with high recovery rate and increased colony forming units. Molecular level characterization and phylogenetic tree analysis revealed that the isolate is identical to Bacillus thuringiensis. The study highlights that the multi metal tolerant B. thuringiensis could be used as an effective bioremediating agent to manage heavy metals particularly cadmium, nickel and lead in industrial area. Further, attributed to be a plant growth promoting rhizobacteria, this organism can promote dual stratagems as a bio remediating agent and fertility enhancer in agricultural field due to its dual functions.

2020 ESC Guidelines for the management of adult congenital heart disease

Bacteria are considered as foremost bioremediating agents among microorganisms, encompassing simple biological mechanism to tolerate higher concentration of heavy metal and favoring conservative strategies to substitute the usage of chemicals. Relating this implication, the present study is designed to identify, screen and characterize bacteria from industrial site soil to tolerate multimetals. Almost 108 colonies were obtained at various concentrations (0.5–2.0 mM) of heavy metals (cadmium, nickel and lead) and were thrived in the reformed minimal media. Bacterial isolates that grown in the higher concentration of heavy metals (2.0 mM) were taken for further studies. Among ten bacterial colonies, one isolate was selected for each heavy metal and further screened for their multi metal tolerance. Isolate, C20 alone survived in heavy metal mixture fortified medium with high recovery rate and increased colony forming units. Molecular level characterization and phylogenetic tree analysis revealed that the isolate is identical to Bacillus thuringiensis. The study highlights that the multi metal tolerant B. thuringiensis could be used as an effective bioremediating agent to manage heavy metals particularly cadmium, nickel and lead in industrial area. Further, attributed to be a plant growth promoting rhizobacteria, this organism can promote dual stratagems as a bio remediating agent and fertility enhancer in agricultural field due to its dual functions.

Eutetrarhynchus pacificus n. sp. (Cestoda: Trypanorhyncha) from Raja inornata Jordan & Gilbert (Batoidea: Rajiformes) off the coast of California with comments on congeners.

Eutetrarhynchus pacificus n. sp. is described from the spiral valve of Raja inornata Jordan & Gilbert off the coast of California, USA. The new species is distinguished from E. ruficollis (Eysenhardt, 1829) and E. leucomelanus (Shipley & Hornell, 1906) in having acraspedote rather than craspedote segments and a saccate rather than a branched uterus. It is distinguished from E. platycephali Palm, 2004 in lacking an enlarged hook in the eighth row of the basal armature and from E. beveridgei Schaeffner, 2013, which has a basal swelling and a distinctive basal armature. A partial redescription of E. ruficollis, the type-species of the genus, is provided based on available museum specimens, highlighting the need for a comprehensive redescription of this species to better define the characteristics of the genus. The presence of an undescribed species in museum collections is also noted. Based on the 28S ribosomal gene, the new species clustered with Dollfusiella in a molecular phylogenetic tree. The delimitation of Eutetrarhynchus and its relationship with Dollfusiella is discussed.