Studies of Neotropical tree pathogens in Moniliophthora: a new species, M. mayarum, and new combinations for Crinipellis ticoi and C. brasiliensis.

The crinipelloid genera Crinipellis and Moniliophthora (Agaricales, Marasmiaceae) are characterized by basidiomes that produce long, dextrinoid, hair-like elements on the pileus surface. Historically, most species are believed to be saprotrophic or, rarely, parasitic on plant hosts. The primary morphological diagnostic characters that separate Crinipellis and Moniliophthora are pliant vs. stiff (Crinipellis) stipes and a tendency toward production of reddish pigments (ranging from violet to orange) in the basidiome in Moniliophthora. Additionally, most species of Moniliophthora appear to have a biotrophic habit, while those of Crinipellis are predominantly saprotrophic. Recently, several new neotropical collections prompted a morphological and phylogenetic analysis of this group. Herein, we propose a new species and two new combinations: Moniliophthora mayarum sp. nov., described from Belize, is characterized by its larger pileus and narrower basidiospores relative to other related species; Moniliophthora ticoi comb. nov. (= Crinipellis ticoi) is recollected and redescribed from biotrophic collections from northern Argentina; and M. brasiliensis comb. nov. (= Crinipellis brasiliensis), a parasite of Heteropterys acutifolia. The addition of these three parasitic species into Moniliophthora support a hypothesis of a primarily biotrophic/parasitic habit within this genus.

Four new species of Morchella from the Americas.

Morphological and molecular phylogenetic studies of true morels (Morchella) in North America, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Peru led to the discovery of four undescribed species of Morchella. Two new species in the Elata clade, one from the Dominican Republic, initially distinguished by the informal designation Mel-18, and a newly discovered sister species from northern Arizona, are now recognized. Mel-18 is described as a novel phylogenetically distinct species, M. hispaniolensis. Its sister species from Arizona is described as M. kaibabensis, also recovered as an endophyte of Rocky Mountain juniper. Two additional species in the Esculenta clade, M. peruviana discovered in Peru and M. gracilis (previously reported as Mes-14) from the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, and Ecuador, are described as new. We also demonstrate that scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging of ascospores using rehydration/dehydration/critical point drying preparation techniques provides for enhanced resolution of spore wall surfaces, thereby increasing the number of morphological traits available to assess differences among otherwise closely related species.

Sarcodon in the Neotropics I: new species from Guyana, Puerto Rico and Belize.

Four species of the ectomycorrhizal (ECM) genus Sarcodon (Bankeraceae, Thelephorales, Basidiomycota) are described as new to science. Sarcodon pakaraimensis sp. nov. is described from forests dominated by the ECM trees Pakaraimaea dipterocarpacea (Dipterocarpaceae) and Dicymbe jenmanii (Fabaceae subfam. Caesalpinioideae) in the Pakaraima Mountains of Guyana. Sarcodon portoricensis sp. nov. is described from lower montane wet forest within the El Yunque National Forest of Puerto Rico. Sarcodon quercophilus sp. nov. and Sarcodon umbilicatus sp. nov. are described from Quercus (Fagaceae) cloud forests within the Maya Mountains of Belize. The discovery of these species is significant given that the majority of the approximately 87 described Sarcodon species are north temperate or boreal in distribution and frequently associate with coniferous host plants; these constitute the most recent records for Sarcodon from the greater Neotropics. Each of the new species is morphologically consistent with accepted diagnostic characters for Sarcodon: pileate-stipitate stature, a dentate hymenophore, determinate basidiomatal development, fleshy, non-zonate context and brown, tuberculate basidiospores. DNA (ITS) sequence analysis corroborated the generic placement of S. pakaraimensis, S. portoricensis, S. quercophilus and S. umbilicatus and, along with morphological differences, supported their recognition as distinct species. Macromorphological, micromorphological, habitat and DNA sequence data from the nuc rDNA internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) are provided for each of the new species. A key to Neotropical Sarcodon species and similar extralimital taxa is provided.

A new Cantharocybe from Belize with notes on the type of Cantharocybe gruberi.

A new species of Cantharocybe, C. brunneovelutina, is described and illustrated from the Orange Walk District of Belize. The species is characterized by the subvelutinous brown pileus, brownish gray stipe and microscopically by cheilocystidia that have prong-like appendages. Analysis of nLSU rDNA sequences relates this species to Cantharocybe gruberi, the sole member of a previously monotypic genus of uncertain placement. We also provide a microscopic description and illustrations of the type collection of Cantharocybe gruberi and compare the two species. Morphological comparisons among Cantharocybe and its sister genus, Cuphophyllus (= Camarophyllus), and allied genera are discussed.

Arthromyces and Blastosporella, two new genera of conidia-producing lyophylloid agarics (Agaricales, Basidiomycota) from the neotropics.

Two new genera encompassing three new species of lyophylloid agarics that produce conidia on the basidiomata are described. Arthromyces is a genus comprised of two very different arthrospore-producing mushroom species found in the Greater Antilles and Central America. Blastosporella is a monotypic genus with spherical balls of blastospores covering the pileus surface with age and is known from Hispaniola and Colombia. A key to the species of Arthromyces is included.

A new poroid species of Resupinatus from Puerto Rico, with a reassessment of the cyphelloid genus Stigmatolemma.

A fungus with gelatinous poroid fruiting bodies was found in Puerto Rico and determined by macro- and micromorphology to be most similar to members of the lamellate agaric genus Resupinatus. This species is described as a new species, Resupinatus porosus. Phylogenetic analyses of ribosomal DNA sequences support the inclusion of this fungus in the clade containing Resupinatus, and indicate that this monophyletic group also includes members of Asterotus and the cyphelloid genus Stigmatolemma. Resupinatus porosus is another example of tropical poroid representatives of lamellate agaric genera. Resupinatus is emended to include species with poroid (R. porosus) or merulioid (R. merulioides) hymenophore as well as those with laterally stipitate (Asterotus) or cyphelloid (Stigmatolemma) fruiting bodies. Seven new combinations in Resupinatus are proposed to accommodate well-known species of Stigmatolemma.

Hygrophoraceae (Agaricales) of the Greater Antilles: Hygrocybe subgenus Pseudohygrocybe sections Coccineae and Neohygrocybe.

A key to 17 species in the genus Hygrocybe, subgenus Pseudohygrocybe, sections Coccineae and Neohygrocybe sensu Boertmann is provided for the Greater Antilles. Five new species and five taxa that are new reports for the region are described. The new species in section Coccineae are H. pseudoadonis, H. viridiphylla, and H. zonata. The new species in section Neohygrocybe are H. albomarginata and H. ovinoides. The new reports are H. caespitosa, H. coccinea, H. cf. miniata, H. papillata, and H. subovina. Three new combinations are proposed: Hygrocybe mycenoides, H. papillata and H. subovina.

Scleroderma stellatum versus Scleroderma bermudense: the status of Scleroderma echinatum and the first record of Veligaster nitidum from the Virgin Islands.

The type of Scleroderma stellatum from Brazil exhibits a sharp echinulate, dark brown peridium, and the type of S. bermudense from Bermuda has a peridium that is loosely woven and fibrillose, whitish to pale brownish. These characters indicate two independent species. This information is contrary to that of Guzmán in 1970, who interpreted S. bermudense to be a synonym of S. stellatum based on the similar spores. Scleroderma echinatum from Borneo and Panama, as recently discussed by Guzmán and Ovrebo, also has an echinulate, dark brown peridium and is a synonym of S. stellatum. All these fungi have a stellate dehiscence. New records of S. bermudense from the Greater Antilles and Mexico's Pacific Coast, and Veligaster nitidum from Virgin Islands also are discussed.

New species of Psilocybe in the Caribbean, with an emendation of P. guilartensis.

Five new species of Psilocybe from the Caribbean are described: P. caribaea, P. egonii, P. subpsilocybioides, P. zapotecoantillarum and P. zapotecocaribaea. All except P. zapotecocaribaea, which is known only from Martinique, are native to Puerto Rico. Psilocybe guilartensis, previously described from Puerto Rico, is the most commonly collected species of Psilocybe in Puerto Rico. New information on morphology is provided for P. guilartensis, and an emendation of the species circumscription is presented.

Global biodiversity scenarios for the year 2100.

Scenarios of changes in biodiversity for the year 2100 can now be developed based on scenarios of changes in atmospheric carbon dioxide, climate, vegetation, and land use and the known sensitivity of biodiversity to these changes. This study identified a ranking of the importance of drivers of change, a ranking of the biomes with respect to expected changes, and the major sources of uncertainties. For terrestrial ecosystems, land-use change probably will have the largest effect, followed by climate change, nitrogen deposition, biotic exchange, and elevated carbon dioxide concentration. For freshwater ecosystems, biotic exchange is much more important. Mediterranean climate and grassland ecosystems likely will experience the greatest proportional change in biodiversity because of the substantial influence of all drivers of biodiversity change. Northern temperate ecosystems are estimated to experience the least biodiversity change because major land-use change has already occurred. Plausible changes in biodiversity in other biomes depend on interactions among the causes of biodiversity change. These interactions represent one of the largest uncertainties in projections of future biodiversity change.

Productivity, efficiency, & effectiveness in the management of healthcare technology: an incentive pay proposal.

Modern healthcare managers are looking for better ways to motivate their employees as well as document and evaluate employee performance. The term productivity is familiar to most healthcare managers. The term efficiency is less familiar. These terms are defined and their significance for use as unique and valuable indicators of effective employee performance is discussed. Similar criteria were applied to make a general comparison between biomedical technician performance in two different hospitals in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, in Central America. A performance-based incentive program using an Incentive Pay Index chart is proposed as a tool through which hospital or company managers can provide technicians or technologists with ongoing motivation to improve both their productivity and efficiency on the job.