Orientalis Comb Research Articles

A new genus for a large, endemic orb-weaving spider (Araneae, Araneidae) from New Zealand

ABSTRACT A new monotypic orb-weaving spider (Araneidae Clerck, 1757) genus, Courtaraneus gen. nov., is described to accommodate the New Zealand species C. orientalis (Urquhart, 1887) comb. nov. This new genus is proposed, as the male pedipalp of the species is unique amongst orb-weaving spiders by the presence of two complex tibial apophyses and a heavily sclerotised cymbial lobe at the base of a strong, elongated paracymbium. The pedipalp bulb is complex with heavily sclerotised sclerites. The median apophysis is situated transverse, the radix strong and wedge-shaped and the terminal apophysis heavily sclerotised and flat, U-shaped. The embolus is accompanied by three terminal apophyses on the elongated stipes. The female epigyne scape forms a tongue, surrounded by an elevated rim, the spermathecae are spherical. The unique autapomorphic characters of the new genus make the phylogenetical placement of the genus difficult. Courtaraneus orientalis comb. nov. is one of the largest endemic orb-weaving spiders in New Zealand and has been found in multiple locations in the North Island in scrub and forest margins. The orb-web is vertical, large, and the catching threads are widely spaced; however, the hub is poorly structured and the orb often incomplete.

Reevaluation of the systematic position of some southern Brazilian

During a study of Discocyrtus Holmberg, 1878 and related genera, several species of alleged Pachylinae, mostly Discocyrtus, from southern Brazil were suspected of belonging in Roeweriinae. Herein, a maximum parsimony phylogenetic analysis of morphological characters was performed to test this hypothesis. Accordingly, the following taxonomic changes are herein proposed: the genus Bunopachylus Roewer, 1943 (currently in Pachylinae) is herein revalidated from synonymy with Discocyrtus, transferred to the Roeweriinae and now includes three species: B. armatissimus comb. nov. (for Discocyrtus armatissimus Roewer, 1913), B. orientalis comb. nov. (for Pachyloides orientalis Roewer, 1913) and B. occultus sp. nov. (which had been misidentified in the literature). A total of five new synonymies are proposed here: Discocyrtus milloti Roewer, 1943 = Discocyrtus coronatus Mello-Leitão, 1935 = Paradiscocyrtus trochanteralis Roewer, 1929 = Discocyrtus calcarifer Roewer, 1917 = Pachyloides orientalis Roewer, 1913, and Bunopachylus magnicalcar Roewer, 1943 (the type-species of Bunopachylus) = Discocyrtus armatissimus Roewer, 1913.

Synonymy of Afenestrata with Heterodera supported by phylogenetics with molecular and morphological characterisation of H. koreana comb. n. and H. orientalis comb. n. (Tylenchida: Heteroderidae)

Abstract Phylogenetic analysis of five gene fragments: ITS-rRNA, D2 and D3 of 28S rRNA, 18S rRNA, Hsp90 and actin, of Heterodera species and two representative Afenestrata species, A. koreana and A. orientalis, form a clade with H. cynodontis, H. bifenestra and an unidentified Heterodera sp. infecting grasses. Based on these results and the consideration that the key diagnostic characters of Afenestrata are convergent and do not define a clade, synonymisation of Afenestrata with Heterodera is proposed. The following new combinations are made: H. africana comb. n., H. axonopi comb. n., H. koreana comb. n., and H. orientalis comb. n. Furthermore, H. (= Afenestrata) sacchari is renamed as H. saccharophila nom. nov. to avoid homonymy. All these species, together with H. bamboosi, are regarded as members of a paraphyletic ‘Afenestrata group’ within Heterodera. Whilst recognised as artificial, the Afenestrata group is nevertheless an aid to discussion about these similar species. Morphological and molecular characterisation of populations of H. koreana comb. n. from Florida and H. orientalis comb. n. from Florida and Guatemala verify the identification of these populations as valid representatives for molecular studies of the species. Light and SEM observations also provide new detail and a broader understanding of the morphological range of both species. These include a longer stylet for females of H. koreana comb. n. and H. orientalis comb. n. than reported in the original descriptions. In addition, previously unreported tuberculate ridges are noted on the surface of vulval lips of H. orientalis comb. n. The lip region of second-stage juveniles of H. koreana comb. n. and H. orientalis comb. n. both include fused adjacent submedian lips that also fuse with the labial disc and the second lip annulus. The ITS-rRNA gene sequences of H. orientalis comb. n. populations from Florida and Guatemala were similar to those from the Russian type locality. Diagnostic PCR-RFLP of ITS-rRNA profiles with six enzymes for H. orientalis comb. n. and H. koreana comb. n. are given. A key for the morphological identification of species of the Afenestrata group is provided.

The genus Brachydesmiella from submerged wood in the tropics, including a new species and a new combination

During studies of fungi occurring on wood submerged in freshwater streams in the tropics, five species ofBrachydesmiella, namely,B. anthostomelloidea, B. biseptata, B. caudata, B. orientalis comb. nov., andB. verrucosa sp. nov., were collected. There are described and illustrated from natural substrata, wooden test blocks, and from pure culture, based mainly on collections made in Thailand.Brachydesmiella verrucosa differs from the other four species in having 3-celled, coarsely verrucose, ampoule-shaped conidia, with a long, thin, cylindrical, verruculose apical cell. A key toBrachydesmiella species is provided.

Comb cells and puparial silk in the oriental hornet nest: Structure and function.

Comb cells and puparial silk in the oriental hornet nest: Structure and function.

Two New Genera of Nocardioform Actinomycetes: Amycolata gen. nov. and Amycolatopsis gen. nov.

We propose two new genera, Amycolata and Amycolatopsis, to accommodate nocardioform actinomycetes having type IV cell wall composition and lacking mycolic acids. These two genera are distinguished from each other by phospholipid and menaquinone composition and phage sensitivity. The following species were assigned to the genus Amycolata: Amycolata autotrophica comb. nov. (type strain, strain ATCC 19727), Amycolata saturnea comb. nov. (type strain, strain NRRL B16172), and Amycolata hydrocarbonoxydans comb. nov. (type strain, strain NRRL B16171). The genus Amycolatopsis includes Amycolatopsis orientalis comb. nov. (type strain, strain ATCC 19795), Amycolatopsis orientalis subsp. lurida nom. rev., comb. nov., subsp. nov. (type strain, strain NRRL 2430), Amycolatopsis mediterranei comb. nov. (type strain, strain ATCC 13685), Amycolatopsis rugosa sp. nov. (type strain, strain ATCC 43014), and Amycolatopsis sulphurea sp. nov. (type strain, strain ATCC 27624).