New species of Polysphondylium from Madagascar.
Two series of samples collected for isolation of dictyostelid cellular slime molds (dictyostelids) in Madagascar yielded a relatively large number of isolates of Polysphondylium. Most of these turned out to be species new to science that show varying degrees of clustering from unclustered to coremiform as well as an ability to migrate. Migratory ability (phototaxis) is a common feature of species assigned to Group 2 of the Polysphondylia and is common in the new species from Madagascar. Another common feature, clustering, appears to be a strategy for keeping fruiting bodies erect for a longer time in a climate that is relatively dry, whereas migratory ability may function seasonally when there is more rainfall. Thirteen species are described herein. Each of these is characterized by a particular set of distinguishing features, and collectively they expand our concept of the genus Polysphondylium.
Departmental of Environmental and Plant Biology, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio 45701.
James C
JC
Cavender
Department of Biology, Shepherd University, Shepherdstown, West Virginia 25443.
John C
JC
Landolt
Program in Systematic Biology, Department of Organismal Biology, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Norbyvägen 18D, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden 75236.
Maria
M
Romeralo
Program in Systematic Biology, Department of Organismal Biology, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Norbyvägen 18D, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden 75236.
Allison
A
Perrigo
Escuela de Farmacia and Bioquimica, J.F. Kennedy University, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Eduardo M
EM
Vadell
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701 slsteph@uark.edu.
Steven L
SL
Stephenson
D001483:Base Sequence; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D016837:Dictyosteliida / Q000145:classification* / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics; D005843:Geography; D008270:Madagascar; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D033761:Spores, Protozoan
D016054:DNA, Protozoan
dictyostelids; ecology; morphology; phylogeny; social amoebae; taxonomy