Before the advent of molecular phylogenetics, species concepts in the downy mildews, an economically important group of obligate biotrophic oomycete pathogens, have mostly been based upon host range and morphology. While molecular phylogenetic studies have confirmed a narrow host range for many downy mildew species, others, like Pseudoperonospora cubensis affect even different genera. Although ...

Three new species of chigger mites, Eutrombicula cubensis sp. n. and E. anguliscuta sp. n. from lizards and bats, and E. leiocephali sp. n. from lizards, are described. One species, E. lipovskyana (Wolfenbarger, 1953), is recorded for the first time in Cuba. Data on distribution of E. alfreddugesi (Oudemans, 1910) in Cuba are reported.

abstract downy mildew of cucurbits is one of the most important diseases of cucumber in humid areas and greenhouses. damage of disease is estimated 50% to 100% in suitable climatic conditions. therefore, achieving resistant or tolerant genotypes can be designed as the most important and safe method to reduce the damage and increase the benefits of cucumber farming. in order to evaluate the resi...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Four species of Pinus subsection Australes occur in the Caribbean Basin: P. caribaea, P. cubensis, P. maestrensis and P. occidentalis. This study analyses the phylogeography of these species to assess possible colonization events from Central America to the islands and subsequent population expansions during glacial periods driven by both drier climate and larger emerged lan...

BACKGROUND It is generally accepted that material collected by leaf-cutting ants of the genus Acromyrmex consists solely of plant matter, which is used in the nest as substrate for a symbiotic fungus providing nutrition to the ants. There is only one previous report of any leaf-cutting ant foraging directly on fungal basidiocarps. FINDINGS Basidiocarps of Psilocybe coprophila growing on cow d...

This term refers to mushrooms that grow naturally and have hallucinogenic (sometimes called psychedelic) properties. Consumption of different species has occurred in various cultures over the centuries, with use in ritual ceremonies in Mexico being particularly well known. In the UK at present the species most commonly used is Psilocybe semilanceata, also known as the ‘liberty cap’ mushroom. Th...

A description is given of Physa acuta Draparnaud, 1805, based on topotypic specimens from the Garonne river basin, and additional samples from the environs of the French cities of Montpellier and Perpignan. It proved indistinguishable, in shell and anatomy, from topotypic Physa cubensis Pfeiffer, 1839, thus leading the authors to admit the synonymy of the two nominal species under the older nam...