Petrified Marattiales pinnae from the Lower Permian of North-Western Gondwana (Parnaiba Basin, Brazil)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

A new genus and species of cavernicolous Pomatiopsidae (Mollusca, Caenogastropoda) in Bahia, Brazil

Spiripockia punctatais a new genus and species of Pomatiopsidae found in a cave from Serra Ramalho, SW Bahia, Brazil. The taxon is troglobiont (restricted to subterranean realm), and is characterized by the shell weakly elongated, fragile, translucent, normally sculptured by pustules with periostracum hair on tip of pustules; peristome highly expanded; umbilicus opened; radular rachidian with 6 apical and 3 pairs of lateral cusps; osphradium short, arched; gill filaments with rounded tip; prostate flattened, with vas deferens inserting subterminally; penis duct narrow and weakly sinuous; pallial oviduct simple anteriorly, possessing convoluted bypass connecting base of bulged portion of transition between visceral and pallial oviducts with base of seminal receptacle; spermathecal duct complete, originated from albumen gland. The description of this endemic species may raise protective environmental actions to that cave and to the Serra Ramalho Karst area.

Diatom abundances in ODP Leg 114 holes

The practically continuous, paleomagnetically dated late Gauss-Brunhes sediment profiles of ODP Sites 699 and 701, south of the present Polar Front Zone (PFZ), and Site 704, north of the present PFZ, are used for a high-resolution study of abundance fluctuations of eight stratigraphic marker species in space and time. Ecological restrictions and preferences of the diatom species Hemidiscus karstenii, Actinocyclus ingens f. planus, Thalassiosira elliptipora, Thalassiosira kolbei, Thalassiosira vulnifica, Simonseniella barboi, Cosmiodiscus insignis, and Nitzschia weaveri are deduced. The ages of their first abundant appearance datums (FAAD), last-appearance datums (LAD), and last abundant appearance datums (LAAD) at the three sites are determined. The interpolated datum ages agree relatively well with those determined by other authors, if one interprets most of their LADs as LAADs. FAADs and LAADs produce more accurate datums than LADs. For the late Matuyama (younger than approximately 2.0 Ma), when PFZ fluctuations effected all three site sites, the datum ages determined agree within the methodically caused limits of accuracy for each datum. For the early Matuyama (older than approximately 2.0 Ma) the results can be interpreted as either that the ages of the FAAD of T. kolbei and LAAD of T. vulnifica datums determined at Sites 699 and 701 are more reliable or that these datums are diachronous between these two sites and Site 704. Such a diachroneity could be caused by different paleoceanographic conditions (stable subantarctic conditions over Site 704 and stable antarctic conditions over Sites 699 and 701). A few taxonomic changes were necessary. One new genus is defined (Simonseniella gen. nov.) and five new combinations are proposed: Simonseniella barboi (Brun) comb, nov., Simonseniella praebarboi (Schrader) comb, nov., Simonseniella curvirostris (Jousé) comb, nov., Thalassiosira elliptipora (Donahue) comb, nov., and Thalassiosira vulnifica (Gombos) comb. nov.

(Table 1) Distribution of ostracods in Jurassic sediments of DSDP Hole 79-547

Eighteen samples from the Early Jurassic (Hettangian to Pliensbachian) and nine from the Bajocian to Berriasian interval have been examined. The ostracode fauna has been left largely in open nomenclature pending a more detailed study. At least four new genera, listed simply as Gen. nov. A-D sp. nov. have been recognized. Although many new species are present, there is a similarity between this ostracode fauna and that of northwest Europe of comparable age. This is particularly true for the Early Jurassic from which Bairdia guttulae Herrig, 1979, Ptychobairdia cf. aselfingenensis (Lord and Moorley, 1974), Monoceratina scrobiculata Triebel and Bartenstein, 1938, Bairdia sp. 4134 Michelsen, 1975, Ogmoconcha cf. contractula Triebel, 1941, and Paracypris cf. redcarensis Blake, 1876 have been obtained. Monoceratina vulsa (Jones and Sherborn, 1888), present in the Toarcian to Callovian of Britain, is recorded here from a sample provisionally dated as Bajocian to Callovian on foraminiferal evidence. The more important species are illustrated and their distribution recorded in Table 1.

Genetic uniformity of international isolates of Leifsonia xyli subsp xyli, causal agent of ratoon stunting disease of sugarcane

An international collection of the sugarcane ratoon stunting disease pathogen, Leifsonia xyli subsp. xyli, was analysed to assess genetic diversity. DNA fingerprinting using BOX primers was performed on 105 isolates, comprising 65 Australian isolates and an additional 40 isolates from Indonesia (n = 8), Japan (n = 1), USA (n = 3), Brazil (n = 2), Mali (n = 2), Zimbabwe (n = 13), South Africa (n = 9) and Reunion (n = 2). Sixty-two of these isolates were also screened using ERIC primers. No variation was found among any of the isolates. The intergenic spacer (IGS) region of the ribosomal RNA genes from 54 isolates was screened for sequence variation using single-stranded conformational polymorphism (SSCP), but none was observed. Direct sequencing of the IGS from a subset of nine isolates, representing all of the countries sampled in this study, confirmed the results of the SSCP analysis. Likewise, no sequence variation was found in the 16S ribosomal RNA genes of the same subset. Four Colombian isolates from sugarcane, morphologically similar to L. xyli subsp. xyli, were putatively shown to be an undescribed Agrococcus species of unknown pathogenicity. The lack of genetic variation among L. xyli subsp. xyli isolates, independent of time of sampling, cultivar of isolation, or country of origin, suggests the worldwide spread of a single pathogenic clone, and further suggests that sugarcane cultivars resistant to ratoon stunting disease in one area should retain this property in other regions.

Systematics of African Amphicyonidae, with descriptions of new material from Napak (Uganda) and Grillental (Namibia)

The Early Miocene Napak XV locality (ca 20.5 Ma), Uganda, has yielded an interesting assemblage of fossils, including the very well represented amphicyonid Hecubides euryodon. The remarkable find of a nearly complete mandible, unfortunately with poorly preserved dentition, together with new dental remains allow us to obtain a better idea about the morphology and variability of this species. Additionally, we describe a newly discovered mandible of Hecubides euryodon from the Grillental-VI locality (Sperrgebiet, Namibia), which is the most complete and diagnostic Amphicyonidae material found in this area. Comparisons with Cynelos lemanensis from Saint Gérand le Pouy (France), the type locality, and with an updated sample of the species of amphicyonids described in Africa leads us to validate the genus Hecubides. Hecubides would be phylogenetically related to the medium and large size species of Amphicyonidae from Africa, most of them now grouped into the genera Afrocyon and Myacyon, both endemic to this continent.

Novo gênero de Calliini (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Lamiinae)

Paradrycothaea gen. nov. (Calliini, Lamiinae) é proposto para duas espécies mexicanas: P. pilosicornis sp. nov., espécie-tipo, de Quintana Roo e P. jamesi sp. nov. de Chiapas.

Eranina Monné (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Lamiinae) e novo gênero de Hemilophini

Novas espécies descritas em Eranina Monné, 2005: E. moysesi e E. esquinas da Costa Rica; E. rondonia do Brasil (Rondônia) e E. hovorei do Equador. Acrescenta-se chave para as 34 espécies de Eranina. O gênero monotípico Eraninella gen. nov. é criado para Eranina longiscapus (Bates, 1881).

Novos táxons em Elaphidionini (Cerambycinae) e Onciderini (Lamiinae) e novos registros em Cerambycidae

Fundamentados em material da Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense (Museu de Entomologia), descreve-se em Cerambycinae, Elaphidionini: Magaliella gen. nov., espécie-tipo, M. punctata sp. nov. (Espírito Santo) e em Lamiinae, Onciderini: Oncideres hoffmanni sp. nov. (Bahia). Acrescentam-se novos registros para o Brasil: Potiaxixa intermedia (Martins, 1979) (Bahia); Appula melancholica Gounelle, 1909 (Distrito Federal), Pseudogisostola reichardti Fontes & Martins, 1977 (Rio de Janeiro), Hesycha bimaculata Martins & Galileo, 1990 (Bahia) e .Xenofrea apicalis Melzer, 1931 (Rio de Janeiro).

Contribuição para o estudo dos Rhinotragini (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae). II. Revisão de Ommata White, 1855

O gênero Ommata é revisto e dividido em quatro gêneros: Ommata sensu strictu, Acatainga gen. nov. (espécie-tipo Odontocera (?) maia Newman, 1841), Etimasu gen. nov. (espécie-tipo Ommata cosmipes Peñaherrera-Leiva & Tavakilian, 2003) e Pyrpotyra gen. nov. (espécie-tipo Ommata (Ommata) paradisiaca Tippmann, 1953). São descritas cinco espécies novas provenientes do Brasil e Bolívia: Ommata nigricollis (Brasil, Espírito Santo), O. andina (Bolívia), Pyrpotyra pytinga (Brasil, Pará), P. capixaba (Brasil, Espírito Santo) e P. paraensis (Brasil, Pará). As seguintes espécies são transferidas de Ommata para os novos gêneros, além das espécies-tipos: Acatinga boucheri (Tavakilian & Peñaherrera-Leiva, 2005), comb. nov.; A. gallardi (Peñaherrera-Leiva & Tavakilian, 2004), comb. nov.; A. quinquemaculata (Zajciw, 1966), comb. nov.; Pyrpotyra albitarsis (Galileo & Martins, 2010), comb. nov.

Notas e descrições em Hesperophanini, Eburiini, Piezocerini e Trachyderini (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Cerambycinae) do Brasil e da Bolívia

Novos táxons descritos - Hesperophanini: Paraliostola nigramacula sp. nov., do Brasil (Rondônia); Eburiini: Simplexeburia gen. nov., e sua espécie-tipo, S. divisa sp. nov. do Brasil (Amazonas); Piezocerini: Gorybia amazonensis sp. nov. and G. sulcata sp. nov., ambas do Brasil (Amazonas); Trachyderini: Galissus rubiventris sp. nov., da Bolívia (Santa Cruz). Notas e novos registros são apresentados para Liostola nitida Zajciw, 1962 e Ochrus chapadense Napp & Martins, 1982 (Hesperophanini); Uncieburia rogersi (Bates, 1870) e Quiacaua taguaiba Martins, 1970 (Eburiini).

Cerambycidae (Coleoptera) da Serra Bonita, Camacan, Bahia, Brasil

Serra Bonita está situada na Mata Atlântica do sul da Bahia. A área, sob proteção ambiental, tem 2.000 ha e a maior parte está coberta por floresta de neblina. Os Coleoptera ainda não foram estudados na região e esta é a primeira contribuição sobre a Ordem. São mencionadas 51 espécies de Cerambycidae, das quais 19 são novos registros para a Bahia. Em Hexoplonini, é descrito Uirassu gen. nov., espécie-tipo, U. beckeri sp. nov.

Contribuição para o estudo dos Rhinotragini (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae): I. mudança de status nos subgêneros de Ommata white, 1855 e revisão de Agaone Pascoe, 1859

Todos os subgêneros de Ommata são elevados a gênero, levando-se em consideração a diversidade de caracteres encontrados em cada um deles. Agaone é revisto e uma nova espécie é descrita do Brasil (Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro): A. punctilla sp. nov. Cantharoxylymna Linsley, 1934 é considerado sinônimo junior de Agaone. Grupiara gen. nov. é descrito para alocar Ommata (Agaone) viridis Gounelle, 1911.

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

Oito novos táxons são descritos: Periboeum spinosum sp. nov.; Cotyperiboeum gen. nov., espécie-tipo, C. antennarium sp. nov.; Rhomboidederes iuba sp. nov. (Elaphidionini da Bolívia); Hexoplon bellulum sp. nov. (Hexoplonini da Bolívia); Alienus gen. nov., espécie-tipo, A. curiosus sp. nov. (Eligmodermini do Brasil); Phaedinus rubrus sp. nov. (Trachyderini, Trachyderina do Equador).

Novas espécies, nova sinonímia e novo registro em Cerambycidae (Coleoptera) do México e da América do Sul

São descritos três novos táxons de Cerambycinae do Brasil: em Cerambycini, Iuati gen. nov., espécie-tipo, I. spinithorax sp. nov. (Rondônia); em Trachyderini, Ancylosternus annulicorne sp. nov. (Mato Grosso). Em Lamiinae são descritas três espécies novas: em Apomecynini, Ptericoptus avanyae sp. nov. (Brasil, Paraíba); em Desmiphorini, Estoloides (Estoloides) aurantius sp. nov. (México, Quintana Roo); Mimestoloides fasciatus sp. nov. (México, Guerrero). Butherium scabricolle Nonfried, 1895 é considerada sinônimo de Coleoxestia corvina (Germar, 1824). Trachyderomorpha notabilis Tippmann, 1960 é registrada para o Peru.