The major osteological features are described for living billfishes. All billfish remains are reviewed critically and some questionable forms are placed in Xiphioidei Incertae Sedis (uncertain status). The remaining xiphioids are placed into three families: Istiophoridae, Xiphiidae, and Xiphiorhynchidae. A new undescribed xiphiid from Mississippi shows that the billfish lineages must have diver...

Based on morphology and DNA sequence data the taxonomic relationships of Microdochium, Monographella and Idriella were reassessed. Microdochium is morphologically and phylogenetically circumscribed, and the sexual genus Monographella treated as synonym on the basis that Microdochium has more species, is more commonly encountered, and more frequently used in literature. An epitype is designated ...

The present paper represents the second contribution in the Genera of Fungi series, linking type species of fungal genera to their morphology and DNA sequence data, and where possible, ecology. This paper focuses on 12 genera of microfungi, 11 of which the type species are neo- or epitypified here: Allantophomopsis (A. cytisporea, Phacidiaceae, Phacidiales, Leotiomycetes), Latorua gen. nov. (La...

Phycologists have hypothesized that the diminutive fronds produced by species in the genera Chiharaea and Yamadaia, which are composed of comparatively few genicula and intergenicula, represent morphological intermediates in the evolution of articulated corallines from crustose ancestors. We test this "intermediate frond hypothesis" by comparing rbcL sequences from the generitype species Chihar...

One new cyclic hexapeptide named rubipodanin A (1), which is the first identified natural N-desmonomethyl Rubiaceae-type cyclopeptide, together with six known Rubiaceae-type cyclopeptides (2-7) were obtained using the TLC cyclopeptide protosite detection method with ninhydrin from the roots and rhizomes of Rubia podantha. The cyclopeptide structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic an...

Species of infraorder Cimicomorpha of Heteroptera exhibit holokinetic chromosomes with inverted meiosis for sex chromosomes and high variation in chromosome number. The family Reduviidae, which belongs to this infraorder, is also recognized by high variability of heterochromatic bands and chromosome location of 18S rDNA loci. We studied here five species of Reduviidae (Harpactorinae) with preda...

The family Elmidae Curtis, 1830 has cosmopolitan distribution and most species inhabit riffles on streams and rivers, hence the name "riffle beetle". In recent years, this family has been featured in papers addressing the assessment and environmental monitoring of water quality. In Brazil, studies on the family remain scarce and the present investigation is a pioneering study in the state of Sã...

Within the marine environment, per offspring investment (POI) is associated with modes in larval development; an increase in POI has often been described with a decrease in temperature, as evidenced along latitudinal clines. However, the environmental drivers of POI remain largely hypothetical and have not yet been tested within an evolutionary context. Here, we test the hypothesis that develop...

This study investigated the effect of changes in organic loading rate (OLR) and feedstock on the volatile fatty acids (VFAs) production and their potential use as a bioengineering management tool to improve stability of anaerobic digesters. Digesters were exposed to one or two changes in OLR using the same or different co-substrates (Fat Oil and Grease waste (FOG) and/or glycerol). Although all...