Photographic Illustrations Research Articles

Notes on the taxonomy, typification, extended distribution and red list assessment of Bulbophyllum nodosum — an endemic and endangered orchid from India

ABSTRACT Bulbophyllum nodosum (Rolfe) J.J. Sm. [Orchidaceae-Epidendroideae-Malaxideae-Dendrobiinae], an Indian endemic species, discovered originally from the Western Ghats in Tamil Nadu and later from the Eastern Himalayas in Arunachal Pradesh, has been recorded from Sikkim Himalaya for the first time, thereby extending its distribution further in the Himalayan region. This species resembles with Bulbophyllum helenae (Kuntze) J.J. Sm. and the two can be easily confused due to morphological similarities. However, the characteristic swollen nodes in the rhizome and a long compact tube formed by the lateral sepals (by cohering along their upper and lower margins) make Bulbophyllum nodosum unique and distinct from B. helenae. Further, a lectotype has been designated for Bulbophyllum nodosum in the present communication from the available original materials of the name. The species has been assessed as “Endangered” by applying the IUCN guidelines. A detailed description, photographic illustration, and information on its phenology, habitat, distribution and threats have been provided for easy recognition and taking the necessary conservation action of this threatened species. Additionally, a photo-plate of Bulbophyllum helenae is also provided to help in identifying these two closely looking species.

Naturalisation of Ranunculus repens in Kashmir Himalaya: Floristic and Ecological Aspects

Naturalisation is the most crucial stage along the ecological process of introduction-naturalisation-invasion continuum. Therefore, reporting the transition of alien plant species at the naturalised stage along the continuum can be crucial for the early warning and rapid response in invasion management. Here we report Ranunculus repens as a new distribution record from Kashmir Himalaya. We provide a floristic account of this newly naturalised species and photographic illustrations of the distinguishing characters from an allied species, R. bulbosus, with which it is misidentified in the region. We also investigated the ecological aspects of this naturalised species by undertaking quadrat sampling in the R. repens-dominated community. Our results revealed that R. repens show positive association with those native species in the community which possess similar traits, but show interestingly negative association with other alien species found within the same community, thus hinting towards habitat filtering among the alien species pool in the region. Hopefully, the present study will validate report of R. repens from this Himalayan region, facilitate its field identification, guide control strategies at this early stage of naturalisation when chances of management success are maximum and prompt further studies on its potential invasion risk.

Citronella suaveolens, a new generic record for Vietnam, with a key to Vietnamese Cardiopteridaceae

Citronella suaveolens is reported from Quang Nam Province in southern Vietnam, representing the first record of this species and the genus Citronella in the country and in mainland Southeast Asia in general. Detailed photographic illustrations of studied specimens are provided. A key to the Vietnamese genera and species of Cardiopteridaceae is presented. Diversity of Citronella in the Malesian region is discussed. Floristic affinities of Malesia and Eastern Indochina are highlighted by a list of illustrative examples.

Kerevata Belokobylskij (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Rogadinae) is no longer a Papua New Guinean endemic with descriptions of three new species from the Indomalayan Region.

The rogadine genus Kerevata Belokobylskij is newly reported from the Indomalayan region. We describe and illustrate three new species, two from India (K. kethai sp. nov. and K. orientalia sp. nov.) and one from Vietnam (K. longi sp. nov.) and provide an illustrated key to the extant species of the genus along with the photographic illustration of the type species of K. pacifica Belokobylskij. Range extension and morphological characters of Kerevata are discussed.

Description of two new species of the genus Baburia Koak, 1981 (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae: Olethreutinae) from India.

The genus Baburia Koak, 1981 of the tribe Olethreutini is newly recorded from India. Two new species B. tinsukiaensis Shashank, n. sp., and B. chettalliensis Shashank and Santhosh, n. sp. are described. This increases the number of species of Baburia to five. Photographic illustrations after the description of two new taxa, checklist and key to species of this genus are provided.

A new genus of bamboo culm tarantula from Thailand (Araneae, Mygalomorphae, Theraphosidae).

Bamboo plays an important role in the animal world, including providing a nutritious food source, shelter, and habitat. Inside of bamboo culm, we discovered a new genus of tarantula, which we describe here as Taksinusgen. nov. (♂♀). Specimens of this new tarantula were collected from Mae Tho, Mueang Tak district, Tak province, in Thailand, making it geographically distant from any other arboreal genera. Genital morphology was used to diagnose its genus, which is supported by distributional data, natural history, morphological characters, and photographic illustrations of the male and female. Diagnosis of the new genus was determined by distinguishing its different characters from those of other arboreal theraphosid spiders distributed throughout Southeast Asia. This tarantula’s specialization is that it lives in the stalks of the Asian bamboo Gigantochloa sp.

Three noteworthy pleosporalean fungi on Southern Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) and grapevine (Vitis sp.) from Qujing, Yunnan, P. R. China

Three pleosporalean fungi were collected from Qujing, Yunnan, China. Morphological characterisation and multigene phylogenetic analyses confirmed that these fungi belong to the order Pleosporales but in different families. Alternaria alternata sensu lato (Pleosporaceae) is reported herein as a new geographical record from southwestern China. Neocucurbitaria juglandicola (Cucurbitariaceae) is reported from Magnolia grandiflora as a new host and country record. Phragmocamarosporium qujingensis (Lentitheciaceae) is reported from Vitis sp. for the first time. Morphological data, photographic illustrations and descriptions are provided along with the phylogenetic trees.

Deux nouveaux Discocoris des Petites Antilles (îles de Guadeloupe et Martinique) (Hemiptera, Thaumastocoridae, Xylastodorinae)

Two new Discocoris from Lesser West Indies (Guadeloupe and Martinique Islands) (Hemiptera, Thaumastocoridae, Xylastodorinae). Two new Discocoris from French West Indies (Guadeloupe and Martinique islands) are described, each from a single male specimen, D. bonfilsi n. sp. from Guadeloupe island and D. rogueti n. sp. from Martinique island. Photographic illustrations of the dorsal and ventral sides of each species are given. A key to species of Discocoris is provided.

<i>Spathoglottis affinis</i> (Orchidaceae): A New Addition for The Flora of India

Spathoglottis affinis de Vriese is reported for the first time from India based on specimens collected from Meghalaya. A brief description, photographic illustration, along with information on flowering, habitat and distribution have been provided to facilitate its identification. Its Red list status has been assessed as ‘Vulnerable’ as per IUCN guidelines.

New records of Cochylini moths (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) from the Balkans.

In the course of expeditions conducted on the Balkan Peninsula by Ignc Richter in 20042019, altogether 45 species of Cochylini moths were collected. The examination of the collected specimens revealed one new species of the genus Aethes: Aethes larissae sp. nov., from the North Macedonia. Additionally, a new subspecies, Aethes kindermanniana macedonica ssp. nov. is described from the North Macedonia too. Phtheochroa amasiana (Ragonot, 1894) and Cochylimorpha erlebachi Huemer Trematerra, 1997 are recorded from the Balkans for the first time. A male of Aethes eichleri Razowski, 1983 is collected for the first time, and DNA barcoding data of this species was obtained. We established a new synonymy: Aethes eichleri Razowski, 1983 syn. nov. of Aethes francillana (Fabricius, 1794). Illustrations of specimens and photographs of the genitalia of all described taxa are provided.

Castela senticosa (Simaroubaceae: Sapindales), a New Species from the Caribbean Clade Endemic to Seasonally Dry Tropical Forest on Hispaniola

Abstract— Recent fieldwork in the Sierra Martín García in southwestern Dominican Republic has yielded a new species of the American clade Castela (Simaroubaceae), Castela senticosa sp. nov., from seasonally dry tropical forest. This species has been collected from two separate localities, including Môle St. Nicolas in northwestern Haiti in 1929, but until now fertile material with both flowers and fruit was unknown. We provide a photographic plate and illustration, place it phylogenetically using plastome data, and compare it morphologically with close relatives. This increases the number of known species of Castela on Hispaniola from one to two, both of which are endemic but from different clades, and yields another species for the Greater Antilles, a known biodiversity hotspot and clear center of diversification for this group of arid-adapted, thorny shrubs. This work emphasizes that seasonally dry, tropical forests, although often understudied, house as yet undiscovered biodiversity and deserve far more comprehensive studies.

Stadiochilus R. M. Sm. (Zingiberaceae: Zingibereae), a new generic record for India

The monotypic ginger genus Stadiochilus R. M. Sm. with S. burmanicus R. M. Sm. earlier known from Myanmar is reported here as a new record for India from the state of Nagaland. A detailed taxonomic description along with photographic illustrations of S. burmanicus is given. For conservation purposes, the IUCN status of this species has been evaluated as Endangered. The present field study ascertained that extraction of timber and non-timber forest products, forest fires and shifting cultivation are the major threats to the species in the locality in Nagaland reported here.

Natural history of neotropical Ericaceae, 1

Gonocalyx pulcher (Ericaceae: Vaccinieae) has been rediscovered in the northeastern Colombian Andes after a lapse of over 135 years. Recent collections herein reported represent the only collections made since the type gathering by Schlim in 1851. The history of collections, cultivation, taxonomy, and nomenclature is re-viewed. Generic and species descriptions for G. pulcher are updated and photographic illustrations are provided. The vegetation in which G. pulcher occurs, a list of its commonly associated Ericaceae, and its conservation status are briefly described. A new second-step lectotypification is made and the associated type herbarium specimens are illustrated. A key to all 11 species of Gonocalyx is provided.

Determination of Sequence of Strokes-Conventional & Non-Conventional Techniques - A Review Study

The most important tool for a document examiner is his or her own vision, but in this section and the laboratory tour section we will consider the external tools which enable the examiner to see, evaluates and record more than is apparent to the unaided eye. The number of papers outlines the basic necessity of photographic illustrations for demonstrating the data offer clinching evidence, strong enough to with stand legal scrutiny on which opinions of the document examiner are based, hence play a very vital role in the examination of forensic documents. For the purpose of examination in the laboratory as well as the use of photographs becomes indispensible in cases involving traced or simulated forgery, built-up documents, forgery over genuine signatures and forgery by substitution, interpolations, differences in the tint of ink etc. The authors have solved a case in resolving the sequence of strokes with same ball point ink in an actual case received in the laboratory.

Oreocharis reticuliflora (Gesneriaceae), a new species from southeastern Sichuan, China

Based on morphological observation and literature consultation, a new species of Oreocharis (Gesneriaceae), O. reticuliflora Li H. Yang & X.Z. Shi, is described and illustrated. This new species resembles O. auricula, but differs by its conspicuous and reticular secondary veins, corolla with a network of violet stripes on each lip lobe, glandular‐pubescent ovary, shorter capsule and being densely brown woolly on the abaxial leaf surface, outside of bracts and calyx lobes. A detailed morphological description and photographic illustration of the new species are presented.

New and noteworthy species of Begonia (Begoniaceae) from Vietnam and Laos

The paper provides additions to the known diversity of Begonia in Vietnam and Laos. One species new to science from Lao PDR (B. vivipara) and three new species from Vietnam (B. aspersa, B. gracilifolia, B. maculifolia) are described. Three species (B. rotundilimba, B. versicolor, B. wenshanensis) are reported as new records for the flora of Vietnam. For each species, the information on ecology, phenology, estimated conservation status and distribution is presented, as well as the relevant taxonomic notes and analytical photographic illustrations.

Rediscovery of Aponogeton lakhonensis A. Camus (Aponogetonaceae): a long-lost aquatic plant of India

Aponogeton lakhonensis A. Camus is rediscovered after a gap of 123 years from India. The detailed morphology of the plant along with a comparative analysis with Aponogeton natans (L.) Engler & Krause has been provided in this study supported by photographic illustrations.

Henckelia inaequalifolia (Gesneriaceae), a new species from Sichuan, China

Henckelia inaequalifolia, a new species in the genus Henckelia of the family Gesneriaceae is described here. The detailed morphological description, photographic illustration and geographical distribution of the new species are provided. Its morphological affinities between related species are also discussed in this paper.

Two new species of the genus Camptoscaphiella from Yunnan, China (Araneae, Oonopidae).

Two new species of the genus Camptoscaphiella Caporiacco, 1934 are described from Yunnan, China, i.e., C. changxu Tong & Li, sp. nov. (♂♀) and C. linyejiei Tong & Li, sp. nov. (♂♀). Camptoscaphiella changxu Tong & Li, sp. nov. is characterized by the long, strongly-curved setae between male paturons, which is unknown in other oonopids and in any other spiders. Camptoscaphiella linyejiei Tong & Li, sp. nov. is the third blind species of this genus in the world. Morphological descriptions and photographic illustrations of the two new species are given.

A new genus and two new species of oonopid spiders from Tibet, China (Araneae, Oonopidae).

A new genus, Paramolotra Tong & Li, gen. nov., including two new species, Paramolotra pome Tong & Li, sp. nov. (♂♀) and Paramolotra metok Tong & Li, sp. nov. (♂♀), is described from Tibet, China. Morphological descriptions and photographic illustrations of the two new species are given.