New species and records of Pyrgulopsis (Gastropoda: Hydrobiidae) from the Snake River basin, southeastern Oregon: further delineation of a highly imperiled fauna

Here we describe two new species from southeastern Oregon based on morphologic and molecular (mtCOI) evidence. Pyrgulopsis fresti n. sp., commonly known as the “Owyhee hot springsnail” and long considered to be distinct and critically imperiled, lives in thermal springs along a short reach of the Owyhee River above Three Forks. This snail differs from other regional species in its squat shell; penial ornament consisting of a large, disc-shaped ventral gland; absence of a seminal receptacle; and mtCOI sequences. Pyrgulopsis owyheensis n. sp. ranges among five disjunct groups of springs in the Owyhee and Malheur river drainages and is occasionally sympatric with P. fresti. This snail is closely similar to another regional congener, P. intermedia (Tryon, 1865), but is smaller and further differentiated by its typically disjunct inner shell lip, longer and narrower penial filament, more distally positioned ventral gland of penis, and mtCOI sequences. The type locality (Owyhee Spring) population of P. owyheensis is genetically differentiated from the other geographical subunits of this species (1.5–1.8% sequence divergence) and should perhaps be managed as a separate conservation unit. New records are provided for P. intermedia which extends the range of this conservation priority species into the lower Owyhee River basin. We also show that the “Malheur springsnail,” which has been listed in various conservation-related publications and documents, is the same as P. intermedia. This study provides critical information for the conservation of springsnails in southeastern Oregon and underscores the need for additional field surveys in the region.

Studies on the genus Aphanolaimus de Man, 1880 (Nematoda: Aphanolaimidae) with description of two new species

Three known and two new species of Aphanolaimus are described, viz. A. louisae, A. seshadrii, A. brasiliensis, A. aberrans sp. n. and A. vietnamicus sp. n. New data on the morphology and distribution of A. louisae, A. seshadrii and A. brasiliensis are given. The male of A. brasiliensis is described for the first time: it is characterised by the presence of one pair of neck setae, four tubular supplements, two precloacal and six caudal setae, 13-18 μm long spicules with oval manubrium and gradually narrowing shaft, platelike gubernaculum. Aphanolaimus aberrans sp. n. is characterised by a 495-681 μm long body, longitudinally striated cuticle, presence of 24-34 lateral epidermal glands, weakly sclerotised stoma, amphid with central elevation, lateral field starting on the third to seventh annule, oval ventral gland cell; female reproductive system with developed spermathecae, straight vagina without sclerotisations; male with one pair of neck setae, with two or three small tubular supplements and three or four caudal setae, 13-18 μm long spicules with oval manubrium and gradually narrowing shaft, plate-like gubernaculum. Aphanolaimus vietnamicus sp. n. is characterised by a 544-569 μm long body, longitudinally striated cuticle, presence of 19 lateral epidermal glands, weakly sclerotised stoma, amphid with central elevation, lateral field starting on 14th-18th annule, oval ventral gland cell; female reproductive system with developed spermathecae, straight vagina without sclerotisations; male with one pair of neck setae, with two tubular supplements and four caudal setae, 12 μm long spicules with oval manubrium and gradually narrowing shaft.

Cloacal anatomy of the palmate newt, Triturus helveticus (Amphibia, Salamandridae)

The cloacal anatomy of the palmate newt, Triturus helveticus, was studied in both sexes using light and scanning electron microscopes. The female cloaca is characterized by the occurrence of rugae and folds. Two folds are especially prominent in the region where the spermathecal tubules open into the cloaca. In addition to sperm storage structures, vent glands are obvious in the connective tissue around the cloacal orifice. Their pores occur externally to the cloacal borders, thus suggesting that these glands are a possible source of mating pheromones. Typical features of the male cloaca are: a ciliated epithelium; a cloacal tube dorsal and separate from the anterior cloacal chamber; a broad pseudopenis and wide lateral recesses in the cloacal chamber. Four main types of cloacal glands are recognized in males (dorsal, pelvic, Kingsbury's, and ventral gland). Quite unusual is the occurrence of two distinct types of dorsal glands, possibly related to the production of different pheromonal substances. These glands in the male, together with the occurrence of vent glands in the female, are proposed as cloacal specializations for the production of unequivocal species-specific sex attractants.

Composition of the Ventral Gland-Pad Sebum from the Mongolian Gerbil, Meriones unguiculatus

The chemical composition of the gland-pad sebum of gerbils of both sexes is analysed using gas-liquid chromatographical and mass spectroscopical techniques and compared with the lipids from distal skin areas. Cholesterol esters, with (ω-1)-methyl-substituted fatty acids as acidic constituents, were shown to occur in the gland-pad sebum of both sexes in high concentrations, whereas cholesta-3,5-diene could be detected in the males only.