Morphological and molecular characteristics of a new species of Pasteuria parasitic on Meloidogyne ardenensis

A species of the hyper-parasitic bacterium Pasteuria was isolated from the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne ardenensis infecting the roots of ash (Fraxinus excelsior). It is morphologically different from some other Pasteuria pathogens of nematodes in that the spores lack a basal ring on the ventral side of the spore and have a unique clumping nature. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed that the clumps of spores are not random aggregates but result from the disintegration of the suicide cells of the thalli. Sporulation within each vegetative mycelium was shown to be asynchronous. In addition to the novel morphological features 16S rRNA sequence analysis showed this to be a new species of Pasteuria which we have called P. hartismeri. Spores of P. hartismeri attach to juveniles of root-knot nematodes infecting a wide range of plants such as mint (Meloidogyne hapla), rye grass (unidentified Meloidogyne sp.) and potato (Meloidogyne fallax). (c) 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The genus Borassus (Arecaceae) in West Africa, with a description of a new species from Burkina Faso

Borassus akeassii Bayton, Ouedraogo & Guinko sp. nov. (Arecaceae) is described as a new species from western Burkina Faso in West Africa. It has been confused with the widely distributed African species B. aethiopum and more recently with the Asian B. flabellifer. However, it is distinguished by its glaucous, green leaves with weakly armed petioles and a characteristic pattern of lamina venation. The fruits have a pointed apex and are greenish when ripe, and the flowers of the pistillate inflorescence are arranged in three spirals. The pollen has a reticulate tectum and distinctive ornamentation. The distribution of B. akeassii is discussed and the status of the varieties of Borassus aethiopum (var. bagamojensis and var. senegalensis) is examined. (c) 2006 The Linnean Society of London.

A new species of Myosotis L. (Boraginaceae) from Cameroon, with a key to the Tropical African species of the genus

Myosotic cameroonensis Cheek & R Becker (Boraginacene) is described from Cameroon. Its conservation status and taxonomic affinities are assessed and an updated key to the Tropical African species of the genus is presented.

Mapania multiflora, a distinctive new species of Cyperaceae (Mapanioideae) from Borneo

Mapania multiflora is described and illustrated. It is vegetatively similar to taxa with broad leaves and pseudopetioles, such as M. cuspidata. However, it is reproductively similar to sect. Thoractostachyum with a paniculate inflorescence and furrowed fruit. The DNA is similar to M. bancana in sect. Thoractostachyum, in the three sampled cpDNA regions: atpH-F, trnL-F and psbA-trnH. However, it is identical to none of these due to its unique combination of vegetative, reproductive and molecular characteristics.

Conservation and sustainable use of wild species as sources of new ornamentals

While only about 1-200 species are used intensively in commercial floriculture (e.g. carnations, chrysanthemums, gerbera, narcissus, orchids, tulips, lilies, roses, pansies and violas, saintpaulias, etc.) and 4-500 as house plants, several thousand species of herbs, shrubs and trees are traded commercially by nurseries and garden centres as ornamentals or amenity species. Most of these have been introduced from the wild with little selection or breeding. In Europe alone, 12 000 species are found in cultivation in general garden collections (i.e. excluding specialist collections and botanic gardens). In addition, specialist collections (often very large) of many other species and/or cultivars of groups such as orchids, bromeliads, cacti and succulents, primulas, rhododendrons, conifers and cycads are maintained in several centres such as botanic gardens and specialist nurseries, as are 'national collections' of cultivated species and cultivars in some countries. Specialist growers, both professional and amateur, also maintain collections of plants for cultivation, including, increasingly, native plants. The trade in ornamental and amenity horticulture cannot be fully estimated but runs into many billions of dollars annually and there is considerable potential for further development and the introduction of many new species into the trade. Despite this, most of the collections are ad hoc and no co-ordinated efforts have been made to ensure that adequate germplasm samples of these species are maintained for conservation purposes and few of them are represented at all adequately in seed banks. Few countries have paid much attention to germplasm needs of ornamentals and the Ornamental Plant Germplasm Center in conjunction with the USDA National Plant Germplasm System at The Ohio State University is an exception. Generally there is a serious gap in national and international germplasm strategies, which have tended to focus primarily on food plants and some forage and industrial crops. Adequate arrangements need to be put in place to ensure the long- and medium-term conservation of representative samples of the genetic diversity of ornamental species. The problems of achieving this will be discussed. In addition, a policy for the conservation of old cultivars or 'heritage' varieties of ornamentals needs to be formulated. The considerable potential for introduction of new ornamental species needs to be assessed. Consideration needs to be given to setting up a co-ordinating structure with overall responsibility for the conservation of germplasm of ornamental and amenity plants.

Phenotypic and phylogenetic characterization of a new Corynebacterium species from dogs: description of Corynebacterium auriscanis sp. nov.

Six strains of a previously undescribed catalase-positive coryneform bacterium isolated from clinical specimens from dogs were characterized by phenotypic and molecular genetic methods. Biochemical and chemotaxonomic studies revealed that the unknown bacterium belonged to the genus Corynebacterium sensu stricto. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequencing showed that the six strains were genealogically highly related and constitute a new subline within the genus Corynebacterium; this subline is close to but distinct from C. falsenii, C. jeikeium, and C. urealyticum. The unknown bacterium from dogs was distinguished from all currently validated Corynebacterium species by phenotypic tests including electrophoretic analysis of whole-cell proteins. On the basis of phylogenetic and phenotypic evidence, it is proposed that the unknown bacterium be classified as a new species, Corynebacterium auriscanis. The type strain of C. auriscanis is CCUG 39938T.

Studies on the genus Paecilomyces in China V. Taifanglania gen. nov for some monophialidic species

A rare monophialidic fungus, Taifanglania hechuanensis gen. & sp. nov., was isolated from soil oil the banks of Jialin River, Hechuan, Chongqing City during a survey of soil-borne filamentous fungi from different phytogeographical areas in China. It is described and illustrated in this paper. A further eight monophialidic species of Paecilomyces are transferred to the genus. Diagnosis features of the new genus are white, grey, straw yellow or brown to black colonies on Czapek agar. Conidiophores are always absent or simple. Phialides are solitary, consisting of a cylindrical or ellipsoidal swollen basal portion, tapering into a thin neck, directly arising on vegetative hyphae or prophialides, sometimes consisting of a whorl of 2 to 3 phialides oil simple conidiophores. Conidia arc one-celled, hyaline, smooth-walled, subglobose, ellipsoidal or fusiform, having or no the connective between conidia and being thermotolerant. The new species is characterized by pale yellow to grey-yellow colonies, solitary phialides with ail ellipsoidal or fusiform basal portion that arise directly from the vegetative hyphae, big conidia (3.1-)3.9-8.7 x ( 1.7-)2.1-4.7(-5.1) mu m with the connective, and thermotolerant growth. A molecular study based oil the nucleotidic sequences of the SSU rDNA and ITS regions support the status of T. hechuanensis as a new species and Taifanglania as a new genus.

Genetic characterization of tick-borne flaviviruses: new insights into evolution, pathogenetic determinants and taxonomy

Here, we analyze the complete coding sequences of all recognized tick-borne flavivirus species, including Gadgets Gully, Royal Farm and Karshi virus, seabird-associated flaviviruses, Kadam virus and previously uncharacterized isolates of Kyasanur Forest disease virus and Omsk hemorrhagic fever virus. Significant taxonomic improvements are proposed, e.g. the identification of three major groups (mammalian, seabird and Kadam tick-borne flavivirus groups), the creation of a new species (Karshi virus) and the assignment of Tick-borne encephalitis and Louping ill viruses to a unique species (Tick-borne encephalitis virus) including four viral types (i.e. Western Tick-borne encephalitis virus, Eastern Tick-borne encephalitis virus, Turkish sheep Tick-borne encephalitis virus and Louping ill Tick-borne encephalitis virus). The analyses also suggest a complex relationship between viruses infecting birds and those infecting mammals. Ticks that feed on both categories of vertebrates may constitute the evolutionary bridge between the three distinct identified lineages.

Synthesis, structure and reactivity of the novel tetratin species bromoheptakis(2,6-diethylphenyl)-cyclotetrastannabutane

Metallation of ArBr (Ar = 2,6-diethylphenyl) with Li powder in diethyl ether, followed by addition of stannous chloride at low temperature does not give the expected oligomeric diarylstannane but an essentially quantitative yield of the novel tetrastannabutane [{SnAr2}3SnArBr]. Some reactions of the new species are reported.

Species concepts in Cercospora: spotting the weeds among the roses

The genus Cercospora contains numerous important plant pathogenic fungi from a diverse range of hosts. Most species of Cercospora are known only from their morphological characters in vivo. Although the genus contains more than 5 000 names, very few cultures and associated DNA sequence data are available. In this study, 360 Cercospora isolates, obtained from 161 host species, 49 host families and 39 countries, were used to compile a molecular phylogeny. Partial sequences were derived from the internal transcribed spacer regions and intervening 5.8S nrRNA, actin, calmodulin, histone H3 and translation elongation factor 1-alpha genes. The resulting phylogenetic clades were evaluated for application of existing species names and five novel species are introduced. Eleven species are epi-, lecto- or neotypified in this study. Although existing species names were available for several clades, it was not always possible to apply North American or European names to African or Asian strains and vice versa. Some species were found to be limited to a specific host genus, whereas others were isolated from a wide host range. No single locus was found to be the ideal DNA barcode gene for the genus, and species identification needs to be based on a combination of gene loci and morphological characters. Additional primers were developed to supplement those previously published for amplification of the loci used in this study. TAXONOMIC NOVELTIES: New species - Cercospora coniogrammes Crous & R.G. Shivas, Cercospora delaireae C. Nakash., Crous, U. Braun & H.D. Shin, Cercospora euphorbiae-sieboldianae C. Nakash., Crous, U. Braun & H.D. Shin, Cercospora pileicola C. Nakash., Crous, U. Braun & H.D. Shin, Cercospora vignigena C. Nakash., Crous, U. Braun & H.D. Shin. Typifications: epitypifications - Cercospora alchemillicola U. Braun & C.F. Hill, Cercospora althaeina Sacc., Cercospora armoraciae Sacc., Cercospora corchori Sawada, Cercospora mercurialis Pass., Cercospora olivascens Sacc., Cercospora violae Sacc.; neotypifications - Cercospora fagopyri N. Nakata & S. Takim., Cercospora sojina Hara.

Could there be a superhuman species?

Transhumanism is the school of thought that advocates the use of technology to enhance the human species, to the point where some supporters consider that a new species altogether could arise. Even some critics think this at least a technological possibility. Some supporters also believe the emergence of a new, improved, superhuman species raises no special ethical questions. Through an examination of the metaphysics of species, and an analysis of the essence of the human species, I argue that the existence of an embodied, genuinely superhuman species is a metaphysical impossibility. Finally, I point out an interesting ethical consideration that this metaphysical truth raises.