Taxonomical study on a sample of pulmonates from Santa Maria da Vitória, Bahia, Brazil, with description of a new genus and four new species (Mollusca: Orthalicidae and Megalobulimidae)

A sample of Pulmonata collected in Santa Maria da Vitória, interior of Bahia, Brazil, in Caatinga semi-arid environment, is studied taxonomically. From the five species, four are revealed as new, including a new genus. The new taxa are the Bulimulidae (1) Kora corallina gen. et sp. n. characterized by the elongated shell with aperture somewhat dislocated from the shell axis, and an oblique tooth in middle level of inner lip; (2) Spixia coltrorum, mainly characterized by an uneven spire, delicate sculpture and peristome with 4 equidistant teeth; (3) Anostoma tessa, mainly characterized by a broad spire and well-developed anal canal; and the Megalobulimidae (4) Megalobulimus amandus, mainly characterized by pointed protoconch sculptured by dense quantity of axial cords. Rhinus suturalis is the only previously known species, but its geographic distribution is expanded southwards to Bahia state. A discussion with respect to necessity for improving the study on the malacofauna from the interior region of the Brazilian Northeast and the importance for preservation of the Caatinga biome is also provided.

Notes and new taxa in Acanthoderini (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae). V. Three new genera and notes on Irundisaua.

Generic characters of Irundisaua Martins & Galileo, 2005 are expanded (antennal formula, width of prosternal process inferior or equal to the diameter of procoxa, protibia enlarged and flattened) and two species are transferred from Acanthoderes Audinet-Serville, 1835: I. forsteri (Tippmann, 1960) comb. nov from Peru and Brazil (Amazonas) and I. ucayalensis (Tippmann,1960) comb. nov from Ecuador, Peru and Brazil (Amazonas).Three new genera are described: (1) Catuana gen. nov., type species, C. spinicornis (Tippmann, 1960) comb. nov, characterized by the mesosternal tubercle; (2) Mundeu gen. nov, type species, M. maculicollis (Bates, 1861) comb. nov, with rounded sides of protorax and expanded protibiae; (3) Urangaua gen. nov, with eyes divided and finelly granulated, length of antenomeres III-IV subequal to V-XI; the genus is proposed of two species: U. analis Melzer, 1935 comb. nov, type species, and U. subanalis (Zajciw,1964) comb. nov. A key to the species of Urangaua is added.

New taxa and new record of Hemilophini (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae).

New species described and illustrated: Adesmus nigrolineatus sp. nov from Mexico (Oaxaca). From Costa Rica: A, moruna sp. nov. (Heredia); Corcovado bezarki sp. nov. (Guanacaste); Alampyris fuscus sp. nov. (Guanacaste), Cariua gen. nov type species C. sulphurea sp. nov. (Guanacaste). From Bolivia: Phoebemima albomaculata sp. nov. (Cochabamba); Ipepo gen. nov type species I. dilatatus sp. nov. (Santa Cruz). From Brazil: Adesmus facetus sp. nov and Canarana arguta sp. nov. (Rondonia). A new record from Costa Rica of Piruanycha pitilla Galileo & Martins, 2005 is added. The three new species of Adesmus are recognized: A. nigrolineatus by the longitudinal black stripes on elytra; A. moruna by the elytra entirely black; A. facetus by the white belts behind the middle of the elytra and white maculae on apical quarter. Phoebemima albomaculata is characterized by the white macula on the elytral suture. Corcovado bezarki sp. nov is distinguished by the black antennal scape and whitish flagelomeres. Canarana arguta sp. nov has prothorax and urosternites I-IV covered by dense yellowish pubescence. Alampyris fusca sp. nov differs from A. cretaria by the antenomere III longer than scape. Cariua sulphurea sp. nov is distinguished by the urosternites covered by compact white pubescence and Ipepo dilatatus is characterized by the elytra with three carinae.

New taxa of Hemilophini (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Lamiinae) of the Americas

New taxa of Hemilophini (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Lamiinae) of the Americas. The new genus Mexicoscylus is described to include: M. rosae sp. nov., type species of the genus, and M. bivittatus (Gahan, 1892), comb. nov. both from Mexico. A key to the species of Mexicoscylus is added. More three species are described: Cotycuara villosa sp. nov., from Costa Rica; Phoebe parvimacula sp. nov., from Bolivia and Adesmus beruri sp. nov., from Brazil (Amazonas). All new species are illustrated.

Two new species of marsupial tree-frogs genus Gastrotheca Fitzinger, 1843 (Anura, Hemiphractidae) from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest

Two new species of Gastrotheca are described from northeastern Minas Gerais and southern Bahia, in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil. Data on morphology, calls, mitochondrial, and nuclear DNA are provided. Allied to G. fissipes and G. megacephala, the new taxa provide evidence for a higher diversity of species of Gastrotheca than previously thought at the Atlantic Forest. The data also suggest that G. pulchra, another Atlantic Forest taxon, is more closely related to non-Atlantic Forest species than to the remaining analyzed Brazilian Gastrotheca species. This implies that the Gastrotheca at the Brazilian coastal forests have at least two independent origins.

A revision of Evaniscus (Hymenoptera, Evaniidae) using ontology-based semantic phenotype annotation

The Neotropical evaniid genus Evaniscus Szepligeti currently includes six species. Two new species are described, Evaniscus lansdownei Mullins, sp. n. from Colombia and Brazil and E. rafaeli Kawada, sp. n. from Brazil. Evaniscus sulcigenis Roman, syn. n., is synonymized under E. rufithorax Enderlein. An identification key to species of Evaniscus is provided. Thirty-five parsimony informative morphological characters are analyzed for six ingroup and four outgroup taxa. A topology resulting in a monophyletic Evaniscus is presented with E. tibialis and E. rafaeli as sister to the remaining Evaniscus species. The Hymenoptera Anatomy Ontology and other relevant biomedical ontologies are employed to create semantic phenotype statements in Entity-Quality (EQ) format for species descriptions. This approach is an early effort to formalize species descriptions and to make descriptive data available to other domains.

Two new genera of Pteronemobiini crickets from the Brazilian Atlantic forest (Orthoptera, Grylloidea, Trigonidiidae, Nemobiinae)

Two new genera and species of Pteronemobiini crickets (Grylloidea: Trigonidiidae: Nemobiinae) are described from southern Brazilian Atlantic Forest: Kevanemobius paulistorum gen. n. et sp. n., and Pepoyara jagoi gen. n. et sp. n. The position of these genera among other Pteronemobiini is briefly discussed.

New Neotropical cunaxine species (Acari: Prostigmata: Cunaxidae)

Four new Brazilian cunaxine species, namely Armascirus brasiliensis Den Heyer sp. nov., A. bahiaensis Den Heyer sp. nov., Dactyloscirus saopauloensis Den Heyer sp. nov. and Riscus austroamericanus Den Heyer sp. nov. are described and figured. A key to the new species, as well as the known species of Riscus, is provided.

First record of the genus Ruffojassa Vader & Myers, 1996 (Amphipoda, Corophiidea) from Brazilian waters, with description of a new species

A new species, Ruffojassa petronioi sp. nov., is described from southern Brazilian coast. The new species was collected at 56 m depth at the coordinates 21º42'S / 40º15'W with a mini biological trawl aboard of R.V. Prof.W.Besnard. In this paper we recorded the genus for the first time from Brazilian waters.

Novos táxons de Cerambycidae (Coleoptera) das Américas Central e do Sul

Novos táxons descritos: em Cerambycinae, Bomarion caudatum sp. nov., da Bolívia (Ectenessini); Nephalius levigatus sp. nov., do Brasil, Paraíba (Elaphidiini); Bothriospila pulcherrima sp. nov., do Brasil, Bahia (Bothriospilini); Cycnidolon rufescens sp. nov., do Brasil, Paraíba (Neoibidionini). Em Lamiinae: Cicatricallia gen. nov., espécie-tipo: C. cicatricosa sp. nov. de Trindade e Tobago (Calliini); Mimasyngenes clarkei sp. nov., de Trinidad e Tobago e Mimasyngenes fonticulus sp. nov., do Brasil, Piauí; Ibypeba gen. nov., espécie-tipo: I. camiri sp. nov., da Bolívia; Micratelodesmis gen. nov., espécie-tipo: M. minor sp. nov. (Desmiphorini); Lycidola affinis sp. nov. de Trinidad e Tobago (Hemilophini). Novos registros: Lycidola beltii Bates, 1872 para a Costa Rica e Alampyris fuscus Martins & Galileo, 2008 para o Panamá (Hemilophini).

Comparative Genomics of Early-Diverging Brucella Strains Reveals a Novel Lipopolysaccharide Biosynthesis Pathway

Brucella species are Gram-negative bacteria that infect mammals. Recently, two unusual strains (Brucella inopinata BO1(T) and B. inopinata-like BO2) have been isolated from human patients, and their similarity to some atypical brucellae isolated from Australian native rodent species was noted. Here we present a phylogenomic analysis of the draft genome sequences of BO1(T) and BO2 and of the Australian rodent strains 83-13 and NF2653 that shows that they form two groups well separated from the other sequenced Brucella spp. Several important differences were noted. Both BO1(T) and BO2 did not agglutinate significantly when live or inactivated cells were exposed to monospecific A and Mantisera against O-side chain sugars composed of N-formyl-perosamine. While BO1(T) maintained the genes required to synthesize a typical Brucella O-antigen, BO2 lacked many of these genes but still produced a smooth LPS (lipopolysaccharide). Most missing genes were found in the wbk region involved in O-antigen synthesis in classic smooth Brucella spp. In their place, BO2 carries four genes that other bacteria use for making a rhamnose-based O-antigen. Electrophoretic, immunoblot, and chemical analyses showed that BO2 carries an antigenically different O-antigen made of repeating hexose-rich oligosaccharide units that made the LPS water-soluble, which contrasts with the homopolymeric O-antigen of other smooth brucellae that have a phenol-soluble LPS. The results demonstrate the existence of a group of early-diverging brucellae with traits that depart significantly from those of the Brucella species described thus far. IMPORTANCE This report examines differences between genomes from four new Brucella strains and those from the classic Brucella spp. Our results show that the four new strains are outliers with respect to the previously known Brucella strains and yet are part of the genus, forming two new clades. The analysis revealed important information about the evolution and survival mechanisms of Brucella species, helping reshape our knowledge of this important zoonotic pathogen. One discovery of special importance is that one of the strains, BO2, produces an O-antigen distinct from any that has been seen in any other Brucella isolates to date.

Mapping of angular leaf spot resistance QTL in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) under different environments

Background: Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is the most important grain legume for human diet worldwide and the angular leaf spot (ALS) is one of the most devastating diseases of this crop, leading to yield losses as high as 80%. In an attempt to breed resistant cultivars, it is important to first understand the inheritance mode of resistance and to develop tools that could be used in assisted breeding. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) controlling resistance to ALS under natural infection conditions in the field and under inoculated conditions in the greenhouse. Results: QTL analyses were made using phenotypic data from 346 recombinant inbreed lines from the IAC-UNA x CAL 143 cross, gathered in three experiments, two of which were conducted in the field in different seasons and one in the greenhouse. Joint composite interval mapping analysis of QTL x environment interaction was performed. In all, seven QTLs were mapped on five linkage groups. Most of them, with the exception of two, were significant in all experiments. Among these, ALS10.1(DG,UC) presented major effects (R-2 between 16% - 22%). This QTL was found linked to the GATS11b marker of linkage group B10, which was consistently amplified across a set of common bean lines and was associated with the resistance. Four new QTLs were identified. Between them the ALS5.2 showed an important effect (9.4%) under inoculated conditions in the greenhouse. ALS4.2 was another major QTL, under natural infection in the field, explaining 10.8% of the variability for resistance reaction. The other QTLs showed minor effects on resistance. Conclusions: The results indicated a quantitative inheritance pattern of ALS resistance in the common bean line CAL 143. QTL x environment interactions were observed. Moreover, the major QTL identified on linkage group B10 could be important for bean breeding, as it was stable in all the environments. Thereby, the GATS11b marker is a potential tool for marker assisted selection for ALS resistance.

Novos táxons e novos registros sobre Cerambycidae (Coleoptera) Neotropicais

Novos táxons e novos registros sobre Cerambycidae (Coleoptera) Neotropicais. Novos táxons descritos em Cerambycinae, Eligmodermini: Eligmoderma lara sp. nov. da Venezuela; Elaphidiini: Cratericus gen. nov., espécie-tipo, C. divaricatus sp. nov., da Jamaica. Em Lamiinae, Desmiphorini: Capillicornis gen. nov., espécie-tipo, C. basilaris sp. nov. do Equador; Cotycicuiara acuminata sp. nov. do Panamá; C. guiana sp. nov. da Guiana Francesa; Eupromerini: Puanama skillmani sp. nov. do Brasil (Rondônia). Novos registros são feitos para Temnopis martinezi Martins, 1995 (Oemini) e Estoloides (E.) aurantius Martins & Galileo, 2010 (Desmiphorini). A localidade-tipo de Hovorelus adiectus Galileo & Martins, 2010 (Prioninae, Anacolini) é corrigida e novos dados são acrescentados.

Novos táxons de Lamiinae (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae) da América do Sul

Novos táxons descritos: Acanthoderini, Nesozineus osorioensis sp. nov., do Brasil (Rio Grande do Sul); Calliini, Drycothaea clara sp. nov., do Brasil (Rondônia) e Drycothaea hovorei sp. nov., do Equador (Napo); Forsteriini, Itacolomi gen. nov., espécie-tipo I. letiziae sp. nov., do Brasil (Minas Gerais); Yapyguara gen. nov., espécie-tipo Y. fusca sp. nov., da Bolívia (Santa Cruz); Xenofreini, Xenofrea zischkai sp. nov., do Equador (Napo) e da Bolívia (Santa Cruz).

Mutation Spectrum in the Large GTPase Dynamin 2, and Genotype-Phenotype Correlation in Autosomal Dominant Centronuclear Myopathy

Centronuclear myopathy (CNM) is a genetically heterogeneous disorder associated with general skeletal muscle weakness, type I fiber predominance and atrophy, and abnormally centralized nuclei. Autosomal dominant CNM is due to mutations in the large GTPase dynamin 2 (DNM2), a mechanochemical enzyme regulating cytoskeleton and membrane trafficking in cells. To date, 40 families with CNM-related DNM2 mutations have been described, and here we report 60 additional families encompassing a broad genotypic and phenotypic spectrum. In total, 18 different mutations are reported in 100 families and our cohort harbors nine known and four new mutations, including the first splice-site mutation. Genotype-phenotype correlation hypotheses are drawn from the published and new data, and allow an efficient screening strategy for molecular diagnosis. In addition to CNM, dissimilar DNM2 mutations are associated with Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) peripheral neuropathy (CMTD1B and CMT2M), suggesting a tissue-specific impact of the mutations. In this study, we discuss the possible clinical overlap of CNM and CMT, and the biological significance of the respective mutations based on the known functions of dynamin 2 and its protein structure. Defects in membrane trafficking due to DNM2 mutations potentially represent a common pathological mechanism in CNM and CMT. Hum Mutat 33: 949-959, 2012. (C) 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.