Phylogeny, ultrastructure and histopathology of Myxobolus lomi sp nov., a parasite of Prochilodus lineatus (Valenciennes, 1836) (Characiformes: Prochilodontidae) from the Peixes River, Sao Paulo State, Brazil

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Morphological and molecular characterization and phylogenetic relationships of a new species of trypanosome in Tapirus terrestris (lowland tapir), Trypanosoma terrestris sp nov., from Atlantic Rainforest of southeastern Brazil

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Wickerhamiella kiyanii f.a., sp nov and Wickerhamiella fructicola f.a., sp nov., two yeasts isolated from native plants of Atlantic rainforest in Brazil

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Hanseniaspora nectarophila sp nov., a yeast species isolated from ephemeral flowers

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Clypeina tibanai, sp. nov. (Polyphysacea, Dasycladales, Chlorophyta), mid-Cretaceous green alga from the Potiguar Basin, Brazilian margin of the young South Atlantic Ocean

The fossil genus Clypeina (Michelin, 1845) comprises some 40 species. We describe Clypeina tibanai, a new species from ? upper Albian-Cenomanian strata of the Potiguar Basin, Brazil, characterised by closely set verticils of tubular, bended laterals. It is compared with Clypeina hanabataensis Yabe & Toyama, 1949, a Late Jurassic species, and with Pseudoactinoporella fragilis (Conrad, 1970), an Early Cretaceous taxon. The new species belongs to a short list of green algae found in the young South Atlantic oceanic corridor, an assemblage defining a phycological paleobioprovince discrete from that of the Tethyan realm.

Paracoccidioides lutzii sp nov.: biological and clinical implications

Paracoccidioides lutzii, formerly known as 'Pb01-like' strains in the P. brasiliensis complex, is proposed as a new species based on phylogenetic and comparative genomics data, recombination analysis, and morphological characteristics. Conidia of P. lutzii are elongated, different from those of P. brasiliensis. P. lutzii occurs in the central and northern regions of Brazil. Studies comparing P. brasiliensis and P. lutzii may have significant clinical consequences for the diagnosis and treatment of paracoccidioidomycosis.

Heydrichia (?) poignantii, sp nov (Sporolithaceae, Sporolithales, Rhodophyta), a 100 million year old fossil coralline red alga from north-eastern Brazil, and a new Hauterivian record of Sporolithon from Switzerland

Fossil specimens of Heydrichia (?) poignantii, sp. nov. (Sporolithaceae, Sporolithales, Rhodophyta), representing the first confirmation of the genus in the fossil record, were discovered in thin sections of Albian limestones from the Riachuelo Formation, Sergipe Basin, and in thin sections of Albian -Cenomanian limestones from the Ponta do Mel Formation, Potiguar Basin in north-eastern Brazil. A detailed morphological-anatomical account of the species is provided, and its placement in Heydrichia is discussed in relation to current classification proposals. Comparisons with the four other known species of the genus, all non-fossil, show that H. poignantii is the only known species of Heydrichia in which thalli are encrusting to sparsely warty to horizontally layered with overlapping lamellate branches that commonly appear variously curved or arched, and in which thalli have sporangial complexes that become buried in the thallus. The evolutionary history of Heydrichia remains uncertain, but available data suggest that the genus may have diverged from the sporolithacean genus Sporolithon, known as early as Hauterivian times (c. 129.4-132.9 +/- 1 Ma) from Spain (and newly reported here from Switzerland), or it may have arisen from a graticulacean alga such as Graticula, dating from mid-Silurian times (c. 427-435 Ma). Current data also suggest that Heydrichia is more likely to have arrived in Brazil from Central Atlantic waters than from higher latitude South Atlantic waters. This implies that currently living species in southern Africa probably arose later from ancestors further equatorward in the South Atlantic, although confirming studies are needed. All non-fossil species of Heydrichia are known only from the southern hemisphere.

New light on the systematics of fungi associated with attine ant gardens and the description of escovopsis kreiselii sp nov

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Tmesiphantes mirim sp nov (Araneae: Theraphosidae) from the Atlantic Forest of Bahia, Brazil, biogeographical notes and identification keys for species of the genus

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Escovopsis trichodermoides sp nov., isolated from a nest of the lower attine ant Mycocepurus goeldii

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Yamadazyma riverae sp. nov., a yeast species isolated from plant materials

Nine strains of a novel yeast species were isolated from rotting wood, tree bark, ant nests or living as endophytes in leaves of Vellozia gigantea. Analysis of the sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and the D1/D2 domains of the large subunit rRNA gene showed that this species is related to Candida insectorum in the Yamadazyma clade. The new species differs from its closely related species by 10 and 11 substitutions in the ITS region and the D1/D2 domains of the large subunit of the rRNA gene, respectively. The species is heterothallic and forms asci with one to two hat-shaped ascospores. The name Yamadazyma riverae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of Yamadazyma riverae sp. nov. is UFMG-CM-Y444T (= CBS 14121) and the allotype strain is TT12 (= CBS 14098 = UFMG-CM-Y577). The Mycobank number is MB 813221.

Heligmosomoides johnsoni sp. nov. (Nematoda: Heligmosomatidae) from the Heather Vole, Phenacomys intermedius Merriam

Heligmosomoides johnsoni sp. noy. is described from the cecum of the heather vole, Phenacomys intermedius Merriam, from the Olympic Mountains, Washington. The absence of longitudinal cuticular ridges dorsally separates H. johnsoni from species of Heligmosomoides other than H. hudsoni (Cameron, 1937), which occurs in varying lemmings, Dicrostonyx spp., and from which H. johnsoni is distinguished by its longer spicules, form of the dorsal ray, and other characters. Both Phenacomys and Dicrostonyx have a specialized cecum, with long villi around which the nematodes are found tightly coiled. The zoogeography of heligmosomid nematodes in Phenacomys is briefly discussed. French abstract: On décrit Heligmosomoides johnsoni sp. nov. parasite du caecum du rongeur néarctique, Phenacomys intermedius Merriam, des Montagnes Olympiques de Washington. L'absence de crêtes cuticulaires sur la face dorsaIe sépare H. johnsoni des autres Heligmosomoides à I'exception d'H. hudsoni (Cameron, 1937) qui se trouve chez Dicrostonyx spp., et duquel H. johnsoni se distingue par ses spicules plus longs, par la forme différente de la côte dorsale et par d'autres caractères. Phenacomys et Dicrostonyx ont un caecum spécialisé, muni de villosités allongées, autour desquelles les nématodes s'enroulent étroitement. La zoogéographie des nematodes héligmosomes chez Phenacomys est discutée.

Verrucosispora maris sp nov., a novel deep-sea actinomycete isolated from a marine sediment which produces abyssomicins

Verrucosispora isolate AB-18-032(T), the abyssomicin- and proximicin-producing actinomycete, has chemotaxonomic and morphological properties consistent with its classification in the genus Verrucosispora. The organism formed a distinct phyletic line in the Verrucosispora 16S rRNA gene tree sharing similarities of 99.7%, 98.7% and 98.9% with Verrucosispora gifhornensis DSM 44337(T), Verrucosispora lutea YIM 013(T) and Verrucosispora sediminis MS 426(T), respectively. It was readily distinguished from the two latter species using a range of phenotypic features and from V. gifhornensis DSM 44337(T), its nearest phylogenetic neighbor, by a DNA G+C content of 65.5 mol% obtained by thermal denaturation and fluorometry and DNA:DNA relatedness values of 64.0% and 65.0% using renaturation and fluorometric methods, respectively. It is apparent from the combined genotypic and phenotypic data that strain AB-18-032(T) should be classified in the genus Verrucosispora as a new species. The name Verrucosispora maris sp. nov. is proposed for this taxon with isolate AB-18-032(T) (= DSM 45365(T) = NRRL B-24793(T)) as the type strain.

Streptomyces brevispora sp nov and Streptomyces laculatispora sp nov., actinomycetes isolated from soil

The taxonomic positions of two actinomycetes isolated from a hay meadow soil sample were determined using a polyphasic approach. The isolates had chemical and morphological properties typical of streptomycetes and formed a distinct 16S rRNA gene subclade together with the type strain Streptomyces drozdowiczii NRRL B-24297(T). DNA DNA relatedness studies showed that the three strains belonged to different genomic species. The organisms were also distinguished using a combination of phenotypic properties. On the basis of these data it is proposed that the isolates be assigned to the genus Streptomyces as Streptomyces brevispora sp. nov. and Streptomyces laculatispora sp. nov., with BK160(T) (=KACC 21093(T) =NCIMB 14702(T)) and BK166(T) (=KACC 20907(T) =NCIMB 14703(T)) as the respective type strains.

A new drought resistant gymnosperm taxon Duartenia araripensis gen. nov et sp nov (Cheirolepidiaceae?) from the Early Cretaceous of Northern Gondwana

A new gymnosperm taxon from the Lower Cretaceous (upper Aptian to possibly lower Albian) Crato Formation of Brazil, Duartenia araripensis gen. nov. et sp. nov. is described. The most prominent specimen, a branch with attached lateral branches of higher orders exhibits a distinct anisotomous branching pattern. The very dense wood is composed of tracheids with spaced and partly contiguous uniseriate pits and low rays with one pit per cross-field (mixed protopinaceous type). When foliage is not abraded, Duartenia exhibits coriacious Brachyphyllum-type leaves. Duartenia may be linked to cheirolepid conifers, however, the systematic affinity remains uncertain. The dense wood, characteristic growth pattern and thick, scale like, trichome bearing leaves may be related to ecological conditions that reflect a seasonally dry climate.