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1. When a genus must become two: resurrection of Pelagella Gray, 1850 with the description of six new species

   https://doi.org/10.1093/mollus/eyad008  

   Paz-Sedano, Sofía ; Smirnoff, Dimitri ; Gosliner, Terrence M. ; Pola, Marta ( May 2023 , Journal of Molluscan Studies)

   Goniodoris is the third most diverse genus of the nudibranch family Goniodorididae. The genus has undergone several taxonomic changes, with c. one-third of the recognized species of Goniodoris having been synonymized (most of these are junior synonyms of genera from other families). In addition, Goniodoris includes other synonymized genera within it, such as Pelagella, which was erected for Doris pareti. This species was synonymized with Goniodoris castanea and the genus Pelagella went almost unnoticed. In the present study, we investigate the systematics of the genus Goniodoris by examining specimens of G. castanea from England and Spain, G. joubini from Hawaii and six undescribed Goniodoris species from Australia, the Philippines and Mozambique. The morphology of the new species is studied using dissections of the internal organs and scanning electron micrographs of the radulae, labial cuticles and the penis. We also carried out phylogenetic analyses using partial DNA sequences of mitochondrial and nuclear genes. These analyses show that the type species of Goniodoris, G. nodosa, is not a member of the clade constituted by the focal species of our study; the valid name for this clade is Pelagella. Six new species of Pelagella, P. albopunctata n. sp., P. balanoyensis n. sp., P. longicornis n. sp., P. scottjohnsoni n. sp., P. rubrobranchiata n. sp. and P. vitrea n. sp., are described.

    

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2. High species richness in the lichen genus Peltigera (Ascomycota, Lecanoromycetes): 34 species in the dolichorhizoid and scabrosoid clades of section Polydactylon, including 24 new to science

   https://doi.org/10.3767/persoonia.2023.51.01  

   Magain, N. ; Miadlikowska, J. ; Goffinet, B. ; Goward, T. ; Pardo-De la Hoz, C.J. ; Jüriado, I. ; Simon, A. ; Mercado-Díaz, J.A. ; Barlow, T. ; Moncada, B. ; et al ( August 2023 , Persoonia - Molecular Phylogeny and Evolution of Fungi)

   Applying molecular methods to fungi establishing lichenized associations with green algae or cyanobacteria has repeatedly revealed the existence of numerous phylogenetic taxa overlooked by classical taxonomic approaches. Here, we report taxonomical conclusions based on multiple species delimitation and validation analyses performed on an eight-locus dataset that includes world-wide representatives of the dolichorhizoid and scabrosoid clades in section Polydactylon of the genus Peltigera . Following the recommendations resulting from a consensus species delimitation approach and additional species validation analysis (BPP) performed in this study, we present a total of 25 species in the dolichorhizoid clade and nine in the scabrosoid clade, including respectively 18 and six species that are new to science and formally described. Additionally, one combination and three varieties (including two new to science) are proposed in the dolichorhizoid clade. The following 24 new species are described: P. appalachiensis , P. asiatica , P. borealis , P. borinquensis , P. chabanenkoae , P. clathrata , P. elixii , P. esslingeri , P. flabellae , P. gallowayi , P. hawaiiensis , P. holtanhartwigii , P. itatiaiae , P. hokkaidoensis , P. kukwae , P. massonii , P. mikado , P. nigriventris , P. orientalis , P. rangiferina , P. sipmanii , P. stanleyensis , P. vitikainenii and P. willdenowii ; the following new varieties are introduced: P. kukwae var. phyllidiata and P. truculenta var. austroscabrosa ; and the following new combination is introduced: P. hymenina var. dissecta . Each species from the dolichorhizoid and scabrosoid clades is morphologically and chemically described, illustrated, and characterised with ITS sequences. Identification keys are provided for the main biogeographic regions where species from the two clades occur. Morphological and chemical characters that are commonly used for species identification in the genus Peltigera cannot be applied to unambiguously recognise most molecularly circumscribed species, due to high variation of thalli formed by individuals within a fungal species, including the presence of distinct morphs in some cases, or low interspecific variation in others. The four commonly recognised morphospecies: P. dolichorhiza , P. neopolydactyla , P. pulverulenta and P. scabrosa in the dolichorhizoid and scabrosoid clades represent species complexes spread across multiple and often phylogenetically distantly related lineages. Geographic origin of specimens is often helpful for species recognition; however, ITS sequences are frequently required for a reliable identification. 

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3. Genomic data reveal new species and the limits of mtDNA barcode diagnostics to contain a global pest species complex ( Diptera: Tephritidae: Dacinae )

   https://doi.org/10.1111/syen.12616  

   Doorenweerd, Camiel ; San Jose, Michael ; Geib, Scott ; Barr, Norman ; Rubinoff, Daniel ( November 2023 , Systematic Entomology)

   The Oriental fruit flyBactrocera dorsalis(Hendel), a global pest that can decimate regional fruit industries and elicit international quarantines, has been the subject of considerable taxonomic confusion. Previous phylogenetic work revealed thatB. dorsalisis part of a monophyletic clade containing 12 species. We present restriction site‐associated DNA sequencing (RAD‐seq) genomic data for 2,292 specimens, which unequivocally supports the delimitation of two new species, here described asBactrocera borneoensissp. n.Doorenweerd & San Jose andB. incognitasp. n.Doorenweerd & San Jose. We additionally obtained 1,985 Cytochrome C oxidase I (COI) sequences for a subset of the specimens to see which species can be diagnosed with this mtDNA marker and conclude thatB. dorsalis,B. incognita,B. carambolaeDrew & Hancock,B. raiensisDrew & Hancock,B. occipitalis(Bezzi) andB. kandiensisDrew & Hancock cannot be identified reliably using COI due to introgression—but the newly described speciesB. borneoensiscan be identified using COI. The supposed innocuous speciesB. raiensisdistribution is underestimated in Asia and Africa.Bactrocera kandiensisCOI genotypes occur in African flies, but RAD‐seq data confirm that these areB. dorsaliswith introgressedB. kandiensisCOI. The phylogenomic dataset brings new light to the extent of theB. dorsalis s.l.clade and the morphological and molecular confusion based on COI. This will have ramifications for ecological data—including host and distribution ranges—associated withB. dorsalis s.l.clade species, pest identification protocols and our understanding of the economic importance of the various species in the clade.

    

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4. A revision of the Rhoptrobothriidae (Cestoda: “Tetraphyllidea”)

   https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4999.3.1  

   JENSEN, KIRSTEN ; PEN, ISABEL A. ; CAIRA, JANINE N. ( July 2021 , Zootaxa)

   The Rhoptrobothriidae are one of the more enigmatic families of cestodes of elasmobranchs. Opinions on the taxonomic status of the family’s three original genera (i.e., Myzophyllobothrium, Rhoptrobothrium, and Myzocephalus) have varied over the 115 years since they were erected. Some authors have considered all three valid, others have considered Rhoptrobothrium to be a synonym of Myzopyllobothrium or a genus inquirendum, yet others have considered Myzocephalus to be a synonym of the phyllobothriid genus Thysanocephalum. All three genera were established for specimens collected from eagle rays off Sri Lanka. The erection of Mixophyllobothrium for two specimens from a cowtail stingray off India three decades ago added additional confusion to the situation, with some authors considering it valid and others a synonym of Myzocephalus. These disagreements stem largely from differences in interpretation of the complex morphology of the scolex of members of these genera. Furthermore, with the exception of Rhoptrobothrium comprising four species, each genus is monotypic. All but Rhoptrobothrium has not been considered in detail for nearly a century, largely because of a lack of available material. The taxonomic status of these genera is assessed here based on light and scanning electron microscopy, and molecular data generated from new material collected from eagle rays off Indonesian and Malaysian Borneo, Japan, Sri Lanka, and Viet Nam. Morphological work indicates that the genera differ largely only in the degree of folding of the four remi that extend from the cephalic peduncle. A molecular phylogeny based on sequence data for the D1–D3 region of the 28S rRNA gene, which include new data for eight specimens of four species, indicates that Myzophyllobothrium, Myzocephalus, and Rhoptrobothrium are not mutually monophyletic. The latter two genera and Mixophyllobothrium are considered synonyms of Myzophyllobothrium and five species are transferred to that genus. Myzophyllobothrium okamuri n. comb. is considered a species inquirendum. Myzophyllobothrium nagasawai n. sp. is described from Aetobatus narutobiei off Japan. Myzophyllobothrium narinari n. comb. is re-described based on newly collected cestodes from the type host and locality (i.e., Aetobatus ocellatus off Sri Lanka). Despite consisting of only a single genus, the family status of the group is retained in recognition of the unusual configuration of the scolex, which bears four biloculate bothridia and four remi extending from the cephalic peduncle. The ordinal placement of the family remains uncertain, but affinities with the Phyllobothriidea, rather than “Tetraphyllidea” are considered. 

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5. Re-examination of the Southern Hemisphere truffle genus Amylascus (Pezizaceae, Ascomycota) and characterization of the sister genus Nothoamylascus gen. nov.

   https://doi.org/10.3767/persoonia.2023.51.03  

   Healy, R.A. ; Truong, C. ; Castellano, M.A. ; Bonito, G. ; Trappe, J. ; Caiafa, M.V. ; Mujic, A.B. ; Nouhra, E. ; Sánchez-Ramírez, S. ; Smith, M.E. ( January 2023 , Persoonia - Molecular Phylogeny and Evolution of Fungi)

   Amylascusis a genus of ectomycorrhizal truffles withinPezizaceaethat is known from Australia and contains only two described species,A. herbertianusandA. tasmanicus. Species ofAmylascusare closely related to truffles (Pachyphlodes,Luteoamylascus) and cup fungi (Plicariella) from the Northern Hemisphere. Here we reevaluate the species diversity ofAmylascusand related taxa from southern South America and Australia based on new morphological and molecular data. We identify previously undocumented diversity and morphological variability in ascospore color, ascospore ornamentation, hymenial construction, epithecium structure and the amyloid reaction of the ascus in Melzer’s reagent. We redescribe twoAmylascusspecies from Australia and describe seven newAmylascusspecies, five from South America and two from Australia. This is the first report ofAmylascusspecies from South America. We also describe the new South American genusNothoamylascusas sister lineage to thePachyphlodes-Amylascus-Luteoamylascusclade (includingAmylascus,Luteoamylascus,Pachyphlodes, andPlicariella). We obtained ITS sequences of mitotic spore mats fromNothoamylascus erubescensgen. & sp. nov. and four of the seven newly describedAmylascusspecies, providing the first evidence of mitotic spore mats inAmylascus. Additional ITS sequences from mitotic spore mats reveal the presence of nine additional undescribedAmylascusand oneNothoamylascusspecies that do not correspond to any sampled ascomata. We also identify three additional undescribedAmylascusspecies based on environmental sequences from the feces of two ground-dwelling bird species from Chile,Scelorchilus rubeculaandPteroptochos tarnii. Our results indicate that ascomata fromAmylascusandNothoamylascusspecies are rarely collected, but molecular data from ectomycorrhizal roots and mitotic spore mats indicate that these species are probably common and widespread in southern South America. Finally, we present a time-calibrated phylogeny that is consistent with a late Gondwanan distribution. The time since the most recent common ancestor of: 1) the familyPezizaceaehad a mean of 276 Ma (217–337 HPD); 2) theAmylascus-Pachyphlodes-Nothoamylascus-Luteoamylascusclade had a mean of 79 Ma (60–100 HPD); and 3) theAmylascus-Pachyphlodesclade had a mean of 50 Ma (38–62 HPD). The crown age ofPachyphlodeshad a mean of 39 Ma (25–42 HPD) andAmylascushad a mean age of 28 Ma (20–37 HPD), falling near the Eocene-Oligocene boundary and the onset of the Antarctic glaciation (c. 35 Ma).

    

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