Scientiae biologicae

Distribution data on large branchiopods (Anostraca, Notostraca, Spinicaudata, Laevicaudata) from the middle Dyje river area are summarised. Recently, in the period 1997–2013, the following seven species have been recorded in this area: Branchipus schaefferi Fischer, 1834, Chirocephalus carnuntanus (Brauer, 1877), Eubranchipus grubii (Dybowski, 1860), Streptocephalus torvicornis (Waga, 1842), Triops cancriformis (Lamarck, 1801), Leptestheria dahalacensis (Rüppell, 1837), Imnadia yeyetta Hertzog, 1935 and Lynceus brachyurus O. F. Müller, 1776. Finding of the clam shrimp Imnadia yeyetta represents the first reliable country record for the Czech Republic and so far the northernmost known occurrence spot of the species. Findings of the fairy shrimp Chirocephalus carnuntanus represent a new records from the Czech Republic after more than 30 years and findings of the fairy shrimp Streptocephalus torvicornis represent the only known findings of adults in the wild in the Czech Republic since 1957, the species was thus rediscovered in southern Moravia after 40 years. Ecology, phenology, habitat preferences, syntopic occurrence, keeping and breeding in semicaptivity and conservation status of large branchiopods recorded in the study area are discussed.

Four new species of the speciose genus Dindymus Stål, 1861 are described: Dindymus (Dindymus) flavinotum sp.nov. from Thailand, Dindymus (Dindymus) nigriventris sp.nov. from Vietnam, Dindymus (Dindymus) rubricus sp.nov. from Indonesia (East Kalimantan), and Dindymus (Pseudodindymus) vinulusoides sp.nov. from Malaysia (Kalimantan: Sarawak). Dindymus seminiger Blöte, 1931 is recorded for the first time from Kalimantan (Malaysia: Sabah).

Three species of Odontocheila Laporte de Castelnau, 1834 are presented. Odontocheila howdeni Nidek, 1980 syn.nov. is here synonymized with O. hamulipenis W. Horn, 1933, and an externally similar O. davidbrzoskai sp.nov. is described as a new species for science. While O. hamulipenis is known only from Colombia, the new species, distinguished particularly by the different shape of its aedeagus, is described from two rather distant localities in Panama. Detailed redescriptions of O. hamulipenis according to the male holotype (by monotypy) and other specimens, as well as of another barely known species O. angulipenis W. Horn, 1932, are presented, and a lectotype of the latter here designated. Illustrations of diagnostic characters of the type and other specimens of all these taxa are presented in colour photographs. In addition, O. iodopleuroides Mandl, 1972 (originally lacking a locality label), is here excluded from the genus Odontocheila, because examination of the holotype (by monotypy) has revealed that it is East Asian species Prothyma heteromala MacLaey, 1825.

Pentacomia (Mesochila) wappesi sp.nov. is described as a new species to science, representing the second species of the genus to be recorded from Costa Rica. By the pattern of the whitish elytral maculation and mandibles with only three teeth, this new species resembles P. (M.) skrabali Duran et Moravec, 2013 described from Panama, but P. (M.) wappesi sp.nov. clearly differs both in its external and internal characters, immediately in having nearly smooth and shiny pronotum with only several, mostly fine transverse median wrinkles. Examination of type specimens of relevant species of Pentacomia has confirmed that by the complex of its characters, P. (M.) wappesi sp.nov. is markedly distinguished from all known species in the genus. It represents an intermediate link between the subgenera Pentacomia s. str., Mesochila Rivalier, 1969, and Beckerium Rivalier, 1969. Particularly due to the tridentate mandibles, both P. (M.) skrabali and P. (M.) wappesi sp.nov. may represent a separate subgenus. Illustrations of the habitus and diagnostic characters of the new species and distinguishing external characters of P. (M.) skrabali are presented in colour photographs.

Examination of type specimens of Apogonia reticulata Frey, 1969 leads to the conclusion that the name is a junior subjective synonym of Apogonia cribricollis Burmeister, 1855. The type locality of A. reticulata is discussed and the assertion made that this species has previously been described on the basis of mislabelled specimens collected in the Oriental region. Apogonia cribricolis is redescribed, compared with closely related species, and its geographical distribution is mapped.

This paper publishes the first record of Xeromphalina cauticinalis in the Czech Republic. This fungus was found in Podyjí National Park (southern Moravia). A detailed description based on the collected specimens is given, including a photograph and drawings of microscopic characters. Related taxa are discussed.

Hybrids in the genus Carex occur quite frequently. However, only one hybrid with C. fritschii as a parental species has been reported to date. In 2010, plants with an appearance transitional between C. caryophyllea and C. fritschii were found at two sites in southern Moravia, Czech Republic. The results of morphological and anatomical analysis show that the plants are in many respects similar to C.caryophyllea in morphology, but some plants possess a combination of characters indicating an intermediate position between C. caryophyllea and C. fritschii. The fertility of the hybrid plants varies widely, between fully sterile and completely fertile. The anatomical characters of the leaf cross-section correspond largely to C. caryophyllea, but the teeth on the adaxial side of the leaf demonstrate the hybrid’s position closer to C. fritschii. Based on the results of analysis, the plants discovered are considered the new nothospecies Carex ×moravica between members of two different sections of the subgenus Carex (Mitratae and Acrocystis).

A total of nine infraspecific names in the genus Rosa published by Heinrich Braun and Albin Wildt together and one name published by Albin Wildt alone are typified and commented upon.