Oxytropis DC.—names, basionyms, types, and synonyms—Flora North America Project

The taxa centering around Phlox austromontana Coville are revised. Named as a new variety is P. austromontana var. lutescens Welsh from eastern Garfield County, Utah. A new combination is provided as P. austromontana var.  jonesii (Wherry) Welsh.          

IV.—On specific character,fecundation, and abnormal development in Œdogonium

Summary

• 1. A morphological study of five body regions of the Lepidoptera has been made, these being (a) the radial system of the mesothoracic wing, (b) the mesothoracic sternopleural region, (c) the ventral thoraco-abdominal articulative (and adjacent) structures, including the integumental components of the tympanum where present, (d) the dorsal thoraco-abdominal articulation, etc., and (e) the metathoracic furca or endosternite. These regions were selected because the nature of the variation they exhibit suggested that, of the much larger number of regions primarily investigated, they are the most likely to provide information on the evolution of the higher taxa in the order. None of these regions had been investigated at all fully previously, and therefore a considerable amount of basic morphological study was necessary as a preliminary to phylogenetic discussion. This morphological work has been extended to include the primitive Lepidoptera (with the Trichoptera) in the case of the mesosternopleural region, and in the regions of thoraco-abdominal articulation, in order to clarify basic homologies where these were obscure in the Ditrysia.

• 2. Included also in the preliminary morphological treatment are two other body regions, the variation of which is not complex, and can be more briefly described. These regions are the prothoracic sclerites and the metanotal subdivisions—both of these showing interesting variation throughout the order which can be easily interpreted from the phylogenetic standpoint.

• 3. Following reference to the basic morphology of each region studied, a broad outline of the evolutionary dynamics of each character complex is given in order to provide a basis for discussion of the evolutionary trends manifested within the superfamilies.

• 4. In sections four and five of this work, the character complexes which were the subject of morphological study earlier are examined further with regard to their dynamics as manifested within each of the Ditrysian superfamilies. The formation of the concepts which are outlined here is based on consideration of all information derivable from all of these character complexes along with previously published information on other aspects of Lepidopterous anatomy. Resulting from this, a re-organization of the superfamilies has been possible on a phylogenetic basis. The chaotic state of the past literature on the classification of the Lepidoptera, the result of superficial taxonomic work, renders the comparison of the present system with previous ones clearly impossible within the scope of the present paper, but it is noted that many of the superfamily groupings do not differ very widely from those in some of the more comprehensive early studies, such as Forbes (1923). Through lack of material, no radical re-organization of the primitive Ditrysian superfamilies included in the Tinaeoid complex has been attempted, and for the same attempting to convey a very great deal of information by means of varied labelling of the two components of the suture. Reference both to the text, and to the figures given in the introductory (morphological) section of this paper, should however, enable anyone to appreciate these factors from the figures given. (3) Abbreviations used with reference to wing veins and pupal tracheae follow the standard Comstock-Needham system, apart from the identification of Cu2, which follows Tillyard's (1969) interpretation.

Note also that a few of the less common structures have been explained with the captions to the figures.     

Revision of the smiling worms,genera Prosadenoporus Bürger, 1890 and Pantinonemertes Moore and Gibson, 1981 and description of a new species Prosadenoporus floridensis sp. nov. (Prosorhochmidae; Hoplonemertea; Nemertea) from Florida and Belize

The hoplonemertean genera Prosadenoporus Bürger, 1890 Bürger, O. 1890. Untersuchungen über die anatomie und histologie der nemertinen nebst beiträgen zur systematik [Studies of anatomy and histology of nemerteans with contribution to systematics].. Z Wiss Zool., 50: 1–277. German [Google Scholar] and Pantinonemertes Moore and Gibson, 1981 Moore, J. and Gibson, R. 1981. The Geonemertes problem (Nemertea).. J Zool., 194: 175–201.  [Google Scholar] are revised and synonymized based on a morphological re‐evaluation. We redefine Prosadenoporus Bürger, 1890 Bürger, O. 1890. Untersuchungen über die anatomie und histologie der nemertinen nebst beiträgen zur systematik [Studies of anatomy and histology of nemerteans with contribution to systematics].. Z Wiss Zool., 50: 1–277. German [Google Scholar] on the basis of characters held in common by the eight species: Prosadenoporus agricola (Willemoes‐Suhm, 1874 Willemoes‐Suhm, R. 1874. On a land‐nemertean found in the Bermudas.. Ann Mag Nat Hist. Ser 4., 13: 409–411.  [Google Scholar]) comb. nov., Prosadenoporus arenarius Bürger, 1890 Bürger, O. 1890. Untersuchungen über die anatomie und histologie der nemertinen nebst beiträgen zur systematik [Studies of anatomy and histology of nemerteans with contribution to systematics].. Z Wiss Zool., 50: 1–277. German [Google Scholar], Prosadenoporus spectaculum (Yamaoka, 1940 Yamaoka, T. 1940. Two nemerteans from the Riukiu Islands.. Annot Zool Japon., 19: 13–18.  [Google Scholar]) comb. nov., Prosadenoporus winsori (Moore and Gibson, 1981 Moore, J. and Gibson, R. 1981. The Geonemertes problem (Nemertea).. J Zool., 194: 175–201.  [Google Scholar]) comb. nov., Prosadenoporus enalios (Moore and Gibson, 1981 Moore, J. and Gibson, R. 1981. The Geonemertes problem (Nemertea).. J Zool., 194: 175–201.  [Google Scholar]) comb. nov., Prosadenoporus mooreae (Gibson, 1982b Gibson, R. 1982b. Nemerteans of the Great Barrier Reef. 5. Enopla Hoplonemertea (Monostilifera).. Zool J Linn Soc., 75: 269–296.  [Google Scholar]) comb. nov., Prosadenoporus mortoni (Gibson, 1990 Gibson, R. 1990. “The macrobenthic nemertean fauna of Hong Kong.”. In The Marine Flora and Fauna of Hong Kong and Southern China, Edited by: Morton, B. 33–212. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press.  [Google Scholar]) comb. nov. and Prosadenoporus fujianensis (Sun, 2001 Sun, S. 2001. A new mangrove‐dwelling nemertean from China.. Hydrobiologia, 456: 199–209.  [Google Scholar]) comb. nov. We describe a new semi‐terrestrial species Prosadenoporus floridensis sp. nov. from Belize and Florida and compare its morphology to other species of Prosadenoporus. The average sequence divergence of P. floridensis sp. nov. from other congeners is 9.15% (16S) and 10.65% (COI) and 7.8% and 10.3% respectively from the nearest sequenced congener P. mortoni.     

Tanaidacea (Crustacea: Peracarida) of the northeast Atlantic: Chauliopleona Dojiri and Sieg, 1997 and Saurotipleona n. gen. from the ‘Atlantic Margin’

Two akanthophoreid taxa, Chauliopleona and the new genus Saurotipleona, are modest contributors to tanaidacean diversity in the benthos of seas from Iceland to the British Isles along the ‘Atlantic Margin’. Three of H.J. Hansen’s ‘Ingolf’ species, originally within the genus Leptognathia, are rediagnosed, i.e. Chauliopleona amdrupii, C. armata and C. hastata. One new species, C. bamberi, from British waters is described and a new genus and species, Saurotipleona julii, is described from bathyal depths in the Irminger and Iceland basins. The latter is similar to Chauliopleona in having a sternal spur on pleonite-5 but this is of a slightly different form and is ventrally directed; it also has two superodistal spines on the propodus of pereopod-5, a distinctly plesiomorphic character in the family. A distribution map and key to the identification of these species are given.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:E7EF8C72-D1C6-438E-B9C2-A5CE637FB75A     

Rediscovered population of Mexican Plateau spotted whiptail lizard, Aspidoscelis septemvittata , from México, D.F.

Multiple surveys carried out by herpetologists in México, D.F., during the 1980s failed to find specimens of Aspidoscelis septemvitatta (Squamata: Teiidae). However, 10 specimens were recently collected to the east of México, D.F., inside a protected area, Sierra de Santa Catarina. The Sierra de Santa Catarina has been heavily modified by human activity and habitation. Morphological and natural history information about the specimens are presented, as well as notes on locality.     

Freshwater harpacticoids (Crustacea: Copepoda: Harpacticoida) in Norway – a comprehensive contribution from G.O. Sars,and a provisional checklist

Since the pioneering works of the Norwegian biologist G.O. Sars, little attention has been given to the freshwater harpacticoids in Norway. The prime purpose of this paper is to present the state of current knowledge about the Norwegian freshwater harpacticoid fauna based on all known published and unpublished literature and archive material. We highlight the contribution of G.O. Sars to the knowledge of this group by presenting his remaining unpublished archive material. We present two Norwegian species checklists – one for freshwater harpacticoids (16 species) and another for freshwater-associated/brackish-water harpacticoids (nine species). Four of the freshwater harpacticoid species are described by G.O. Sars. Original unpublished plates with drawings of those species are included in the paper. In addition, an overview of species distributions throughout the country is given.     

Gas exchange, δ 13 C, and heterotrophy for Castilleja linariifolia and Orthocarpus tolmiei , facultative root hemiparsites on Artemisia Tridentata

Gas exchange and carbon isotope ratios were measured on 2 facultative hemiparasites, Castilleja linariifolia Benth. (Indian paintbrush); Scrophulariaceae) and Othrocarpus tomiei H. & A. (Tolmie owl clover, Scrophulariaceae), and their Artemisia tridentata L. (big sagebrush; Asteraceae) hosts. Photosynthetic rates differed greatly between years; rates in 1995 were more than double those in 1994, likely due to more precipitation and less water stress during 1995. Despite the difference in precipitation, photosynthetic rates for C. linariifolia were not different from those of their hosts for either year. However, carbon isotope ratios of C. linariifolia and O. tolmiei were up to 3% more negative than those of their A. tridentata hosts. Using measured δ 13 C ratios in conjunction with δ 13 C predicted from gas exchange measurements, we calculated that C. linariifolia derived, on average, 40% of its leaf carbon heterotrophically. Contrary to current suggestions that high photosynthetic rates of hemiparasites are an indication of reduced heterotrophy, C. linariifolia exhibited photosynthetic rates similar to autotrophic plants and used a substantial amount of host-derived carbon. Moreover, this evidence shows that manipulation of a heterotrophic carbon supply transcends obligate hemiparasites to include those plants whose parasitism is facultative.     

VII.—Notes on the Braconidæ in the British Museum.—II. On the Australian species of Cardiochilinæ and Doryctinæ

Summary

A key to the beetles of the 33 families of Heteromera (Cucujoidea) is presented for the world and a summary of about 67 imaginal characters (where known) for each family is also included. The key is intended not only for those who wish to identify beetles with heteromeroid aedeagi but also for those who want to learn the existing gaps in our knowledge on this subject and problems for future researches. Sincere efforts to distinguish or discover the primitive and derivative characters and groups for all families of beetles (Coleoptera including Strepsiptera) are urgently required.     

XII.—Description of a new genus and species of Cleridæ

Summary

Observations on the vertical distribution of earthworms in pasture confirm that Allolobophora longa, A. rosea and Lumbricus terrestris are relatively deep burrowers, and that the adults of these species burrow deeper than juveniles. Deep burrowing species have more elongated bodies than surface dwellers such as Dendrobaena mammalis and L. castaneus, and adults have more elongated bodies than juveniles. Long-bodied species tend to have more segments than short-bodied ones. On the limited evidence available, increase in relative thinness with age is not, apparently, associated with increased number of segments in A. rosea or L. terrestris but is in A. caliginosa and A. longa, and to a lesser extent in A. chlorotica. In adults and juveniles the diameter of the anterior region is greater than that of the posterior region of the body, and the latter is more strongly flattened dorsoventrally than the former. Such morphological differentiation is consistent with the differences in function of the anterior and posterior regions indicated by a simple model of earthworm locomotion. From the model it can be concluded that short-bodied earthworms will take relatively longer ‘steps’ when moving on the surface than will long-bodied ones, and that earthworms with relatively large anterior segments will take longer ‘steps’ than those with relatively small ones. This is in line with the results of observations on living earthworms. The mechanism of locomotion is just one of many factors influencing earthworm size and form. Others include feeding mechanics, vulnerability to predation and desiccation, and exposure to anaerobic conditions.     

Plovers breeding in the highlands of Jalisco, Aguascalientes, Zacatecas, and San Luis Potosí, central Mexico

From April to July 2008, we surveyed for breeding plovers at 32 sites in the semiarid highlands of Jalisco, Aguascalientes, Zacatecas, and San Luis Potosí, in the Central Mexican High Plateau. We documented evidence or presumption of breeding Snowy Plovers ( Charadrius alexandrinus ) at 3 sites, Killdeer ( C. vociferus ) at 15 sites, and Mountain Plovers ( C. montanus ) at 1 site. Our surveys showed that the region is important breeding ground for only the Killdeer. We documented an apparent breeding range extension of the Mountain Plover to slightly more than 200 km south of its previously known breeding range.