Scuticociliates are a rich assemblage of species with mostly unresolved phylogenetic relationships, especially in the order Philasterida. In the present work, 48 new sequences for three linked genes are characterized and phylogenetic trees are constructed to assess the inter- and intra-generic relationships of philasterids. Results reveal the following: (1) the combined three-gene tree provides...

Discussion of the phylogenetic relations between Plesippus, Allohippus, and Equus. Descriptions illustrations 30 Equid extant fossil species younger than 2 Ma. Particular attention is given to slender forms with short protocones usually referred ‘Equus altidens’ from Süssenborn Untermassfeld (Germany), Akhalkalaki Dmanisi (Georgia), Pirro (Italy), Venta Micena (Spain) Aïn Hanech (Algeria). Occu...

In an effort to meet the stringent requirements towards registration of microorganisms as biopesticides, several molecular techniques were tested as part of a strategy to develop a quality control system for Pseudozyma flocculosa, the active ingredient of Sporodex, a biofungicide used for the control of powdery mildew fungi. In the first approach, multiplex PCR fingerprints generated by three s...

The Afrotropical Belostomatidae fauna has long proved to be a difficult taxonomic problem, not so much for the overwhelmingly large number of species involved but rather because of a lack of trained specialists. The rarity of some taxa also contributes to confusion, because some species remain poorly described or are known only from one or two specimens. During a visit to the Muséum National d'...

Cell lineage studies in mollusk embryos have documented numerous variations on the lophotrochozoan theme of spiral cleavage. In the experimentally tractable embryo of the mud snail Ilyanassa, cell lineage has previously been described only up to the 29-cell stage. Here I provide a chronology of cell divisions in Ilyanassa to the stage of 84 cells (about 16 hours after first cleavage at 23 degre...

The genera Tenupedunculus Schultz, 1982 and Stenobermuda Schultz, 1979 are recorded for the first time from beyond the Southern Ocean, at the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Tenupedunculus serrulatussp. n. and Stenobermuda waroogasp. n. are described from Heron Island and Lizard Island respectively, both in the Great Barrier Reef. The genus Tenupedunculus is revised and a new diagnosis presented...

The Solter species of the Maghrebian and sub-Saharan West African Regions are revised. Nine species are recorded, S. bouyeri nov. sp., S. dogon nov. sp., S. francoisi nov. sp., S. leopardalis nov. sp., S. liber Navás, S. lucretii nov. sp., S. naevipennis Navás, S. neglectus Navás stat. rev. and S. rothschildi Navás. A lectotype is designated for the last species. A tenth species, S. ardens (Nav...

The taxonomic and distributional data concerning the representatives of the Quadrideres simplicipes species-group is revised. Selinus parallelus Ancey, 1877, considered by some previous authors as incertae sedis Platynotina species, is transferred to the genus Quadrideres. Q. ruandanus Koch, 1956 is proposed as a synonym of S. parallelus. Lectotypes for Selinus parallelus, S. simplicipes Gebien...

Megaderus is reinstated and attributed to Germar, 1824 and not to Rafinesque, 1815 or Dejean, 1821; Neomegaderus Monn6, 2006 is an unnecessary replacement name; Purpuricenus brasiliensis Schaufuss, 1871 is a synonym of Eriphus purpuratus Chevrolat, 1862; Panchylissus Waterhouse, 1880 is a synonym of Galissus Dupont, 1840 and G rubiventris Martins & Galileo, 2010 a synonym of G. cyaneipennis (Wa...