Marine green alga Cladophora aokii Yamada and its epiphytes from Yinggehai, Hainan, China： morphological taxonomy, formation and analysis of its environmental adaption

Based on specimens collected in Yinggehai, Hainan, China from 2013 to 2016, a stable epiphytic taxon is found on the surface of the individual of marine green alga Cladophora aokii Yamada. According to the morphological characteristics, the taxonomy of Cl. aokii and its epiphytes is carried out. There are some epiphytes attached on Cl. aokii Yamada including Cl. fascicularis （Mertens ex C. Agardh） Kfitzing, Chaetomorpha pachynerna （Montagne） Kiitzing, Cerarniurn carnouii Dawson, Licmophora abbreviata Agardh, Lyngbya sp. and Chattonella sp.. The formation of the individual of Cl. aokii is dissected and explained, which can help to analyze the adaption in details among this species, its epiphytes and native marine environment. The results reveal the marine macroepiphytic taxonomy in Ha/nan, China, and preliminarily explain the adaptive relationship between macroalgae and environment.

Morphological study of the genus Herposiphonia (Rhodophyta, Rhodomelaceae) on the coast of eastern Guangdong, China, with a description of H. pinnata sp. nov.

We present a taxonomic study of taxa of the red algae genus Herposiphonia （Rhodophyta, Rhodomelaceae）, collected from the coast of eastern Guangdong, China. We made detailed morphological studies and considered recent taxonomic criteria for species delimitation, and are making the first report of five different species on the coast of Guangdong, including a new species. The species identified were H. caespitosa Tseng, H. hollenbergii Dawson, H. pecten-veneris （Harvey） Falkenberg, H. subdisticha Okamura and H. pinnata Ding and Tan sp. nov. H. pinnata sp. nov. is characterized by bright green thaUi; most parts of the feathery thalli are free of the substratum; determinate branches and indeterminate branches are arranged in a chaotic sequence; the primary axis has bare segments; the determinate branch has 9-11 periaxial cells per segment; vegetative trichoblasts are abundant; and tetrasporangia are formed on the middle of the determinate branch with 1-8 successive segments in a single rectilinear series. This paper is also the first record of sporophyte plants ofH. pecten-veneris.

Microscopic Observation of Pyrenoids in Order Ulvales(Chlorophyta) Collected from Qingdao Coast

Pyrenoids found in green algae Order Ulvales have taxonomical significance.Their morphology,microstructure,and the location and number in the cells have been widely used as identification criteria. As these traits can be affected by environmental conditions,it is necessary to look for other different characteristics.Here pyrenoids in several algae species collected along the Qingdao coast were studied for such purpose. The morphology and distribution of pyrenoids in the cells,as well as their change in different parts of the frond and at different times were studied with light microscope.The results are as follows.Pyrenoids appeared to be spherical or oval in observed Ulvales'algae cells.They were embedded in chloroplasts with the number of 1-3 per cell on average.The number of pyrenoids for Ulva pertusa could change drastically with continuing culture and could reach up to 10-20 per cell in late-growth stages.Generally, the pyrenoids in the marginal part were more observable than those in the central part for Ulva pertusa. In addition, the basal part of frond had more distinct pyrenoids with an average diameter of 2.42 μm for Enteromorpha linza. For some species the pyrenoids were difficult to be observed while dark treatment made them more distinguishable.The apoptosis rate of pyrenoids in different species varied under continuing dark treatment, which could be used to identify different species. Pyrenoids disappeared faster in E. linza than those in E.intestinalis.

Sexual Dimorphism and Geographic Variation in the Asian Lance-headed Pitviper Protobothrops mucrosquamatus in the China's Mainland

Sexual dimorphism（SD） and geographic variation（GV） are widespread in snakes. Protobothrops mucrosquamatus（Cantor 1839） is one of the most common Asian venomous snakes with a wide geographical distribution. We examined SD and GV patterns for this species by using multivariate statistical analyses of external morphological characters scored from specimens from the China's Mainland. The result displayed that SD was significant in several external characters in P. mucrosquamatus, and the male P. mucrosquamatus formed two distinct clusters（Hainan Island and China's Mainland）, but the females did not. Based on our present work and the other data, we concluded that no significantly intraspecific differentiation is present within this species.

ON THE MARINE CILIATE, Pseudocohnilembus hargisi(PROTOZOA, CILIOPHORA, SCUTICOCILIATIDA) WITH COMPARISON OF ITS RELATED SPECIES

The living morphology, nuclear apparatus, infraciliature and silverline system of the poorly known ciliate Pseudocohnilembus hargisi Evans & Thompson, 1964, collected from a shrimp culture pond in Qingdao, China, were examined by observation of the live specimen; and by the pyridinated carbonate method and Chatton Lwoff technique. The main characteristics: 13-14 (usually 13) longitudinal or slightly spirally arranged somatic kineties; single contractile vacuole with usually 2 (1-2) pores at posterior ends of the fourth and fifth somatic kineties to the right of the buccal cavity. Several related congeners were compared and morphometrically tabulated.

On the Live Coloration and Partial Mitochondrial DNA Sequences in the Topotypic Population of Goniurosaurus kuroiwae orientalis(Squamata: Eublepharidae), with Description of a New Subspecies from Tokashikijima Island, Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan

Careful investigations of live coloration and other characters in the eublepharid gecko Goniurosaurus kuroiwae orientalis from Tonakijima Island, the type locality of the subspecies in the Central Ryukyus, Japan, revealed its slight but consistent external differences from the consubspecific Tokashikijima population, whose phylogenetically divergent status against the former had been strongly suggested in a previous molecular study. A new subspecies, Goniurosaurus kuroiwae sengokui subsp. nov., is thus described for the Tokashikijima population. In life, Goniurosaurus k. sengokui subsp. nov. can be discriminated from G. k. orientalis in showing tint of reddish or pinkish, instead of yellowish, coloration in dorsal body pattern, and also usually darker and more or less reddish, instead of yellowish or grayish, iris in both adults and juveniles. Recalculation of sequence data at hand with relevant Gen Bank data confirmed substantial sequence divergences of G. k. sengokui from all other congeneric taxa of the Ryukyus described so far.

Variation in morphological traits in a recent hybrid zone between closely related Quercus liaotungensis and Q.mongolica(Fagaceae)

Aims Hybridization usually leads to gene introgression between related spe-cies in hybrid zones,associated with complex patterns of morpho-logical variation.Nevertheless,previous studies have tended to ignore the effects of geographic variation in hybridization rates on species taxonomy.This study aims to investigate the variation of morphologi-cal traits between two sympatric and taxonomically confused oak spe-cies,Quercus liaotungensis and Q.mongolica,and reveal the effects of hybridization rates on morphological traits and the taxonomic boundary.Methods We used seven microsatellite loci to evaluate species status and measured 15 morphological traits in 26 trees in the recent hybrid zone between Q.liaotungensis and Q.mongolica,and we char-acterized the differences between the two oak species and their hybrids for the investigated traits.Important Findingsmolecular analyses indicated that 74%of 78 sampled maternal trees were hybrids between Q.liaotungensis and Q.mongolica although the observed morphological variation suggested that they had remained distinct species.across all of the differentiated leaf and reproductive traits,the hybrids expressed patterns similar to Q.liaotungensis,which may suggest dominant expression of paren-tal characters.These results are consistent with our expectation that hybrids will be difficult to distinguish from parental species in a recent hybrid zone.

Dothideales

The type specimens or representative specimens of the potentially dothidealean genera Bagnisiella,Botryochora,Coccostromella,Columnosphaeria,Delphinel la,Dictyodothis,Discosphaerina,Dothidea,Dothiora,Endodothiora,Jaffuela,Mycoporis,Omphalospora,Pachysacca,Plowrightia,Saccothecium,Stylodothis,Sydowia and Yoshinagaia were examined while,fresh specimens of Aureobasidium pullulans,Dothidea insculpta,Plowrightia ribesia and Saccothecium sepincola were made from Italy and Thailand.An introduction and the history of these genera,their family placement,morphology,and molecular phylogeny are provided.Morphology plus GenBank data are used to provide a systematic treatment of Dothideales.Phylogenetic analysis of LSU,SSU and ITS gene regions was carried out and in the resulting phylogenetic tree the taxa cluster in two clades with high bootstrap support.Clade A comprises Dothideaceae,the family type of Dothideales.The family Dothioraceae is not recognized as a distinct family and is synonymized under Dothideaceae.Neocylindroseptoria is introduced to accommodate Cylindroseptoria pistaciae as it forms a well-supported distinct clade in Dothideaceae.Clade B comprises Aureobasidium,Kabatiella,Pseudoseptoria,Saccothecium and Selenophoma species and Columnosphaeria fagi,for which we propose a new family,Aureobasidiaceae.The recently introduced Sydowia eucalypti also clustered within Clade B and therefore based on morphology and molecular phylogeny a new genus Pseudosydowia is introduced for Sydowia eucalypti.Celosporium laricicola is separated in a distinct clade,and therefore it is placed in Dothideales,genera,incertae sedis.The genera Bagnisiella,Botryochora,Coccostromella,Jaffuela,Lucidascocarpa,Mycoporis,Omphalospora,Pachysacca and Yoshinagaia are excluded from Dothideales and their placements are discussed.

Revision of genera in Asterinales

The order Asterinales comprises a single family,Asterinaceae.In this study,types or specimens of 41 genera of Asterinaceae are re-examined and re-described and illustrated by micrographs.Seventeen genera,namely Asterina(type genus),Asterinella,Asterotexis,Batistinula,Cirsosia,Echidnodella,Halbania,Lembosia,Meliolaster,Parasterinopsis,Platypeltella,Prillieuxina,Schenckiella(=Allothyrium),Trichasterina,Trichopeltospora,Uleothyrium and Vizellopsis,are maintained within Asterinaceae.Echidnodes,Lembosiella,Lembosina,Morenoina,and Thyriopsi s are transferred to Aulographaceae based on morphological and molecular characteristics.Anariste is transferred to Micropeltidaceae,while Lembosiopsis is transferred to Mycosphaerellaceae.Placoasterella and Placosoma are morphologically close to taxa in Parmulariaceae,where they are transferred.Aulographina is placed in Teratosphaeriaceae,while Asterodothis,Asterinema,Dothidasteromella,Leveillella,Petrakina and Stephanotheca are transferred to Dothideomycetes,genera incertae sedis.Eupelte,Macowaniella,Maheshwaramyces,Parasterinella,and Vishnumyces are treated as doubtful genera,because of lack of morphological and molecular data.Aphanopeltis,Asterolibertia,Neostomella,Placoasterina,and Symphaster are synonyms of Asterina based on morphology,while Trichamelia,Viegasia,and Yamamotoa are synonyms of Lembosia.The characteristics of each family are discussed and a phylogenetic tree is included.