We review the three most widely used XML schemas used to mark-up taxonomic texts, TaxonX, TaxPub and taXMLit. These are described from the viewpoint of their development history, current status, implementation, and use cases. The concept of “taxon treatment” from the viewpoint of taxonomy mark-up into XML is discussed. TaxonX and taXMLit are primarily designed for legacy literature, the former being more lightweight and with a focus on recovery of taxon treatments, the latter providing a much more detailed set of tags to facilitate data extraction and analysis. TaxPub is an extension of the National Library of Medicine Document Type Definition (NLM DTD) for taxonomy focussed on layout and recovery and, as such, is best suited for mark-up of new publications and their archiving in PubMedCentral. All three schemas have their advantages and shortcomings and can be used for different purposes.

Abstract. 1. Detennining large-scale distribution patterns for mosquitoes could advance knowledge of global mosquito biogeography and inform decisions about where mosquito inventory needs are greatest.2. Over 43 000 georeferenced records are presented of identified and vouchered mosquitoes from collections undertaken between 1899 and 1982, from 1853 locations in 42 countries throughout the Neotropics. Of 492 species in the data set, 23% were only recorded from one location, and Anopheles albimanus Wiedemann is the most common species.3. A linear log-log species-area relationship was found for mosquito species number and country area. Chile had the lowest relative density of species and Trinidad-Tobago the highest, followed by Panama and French Guiana.4. The potential distribution of species was predicted using an Ecological Niche Modelling (ENM) approach. Anopheles species had the largest predicted species ranges, whereas species of Deinocerites and Wyeomyia had the smallest.5. Species richness was estimated for 1° grids and by summing predicted presence of species from ENM. These methods both showed areas of high species richness in French Guiana, Panama, Trinidad-Tobago, and Colombia. Potential hotspots in endemicity included unsampled areas in Panama, French Guiana, Colombia, Belize, Venezuela, and Brazil.6. Argentina, The Bahamas, Bermuda, Bolivia, Cuba, and Peru were the most underrepresented countries in the database compared with known country species occurrence data. Analysis of species accumulation curves suggested patchiness in the distribution of data points, which may affect estimates of species richness.7. The data set is a first step towards the development of a global-scale repository of georeferenced mosquito collection records.

Preparation of the Gesneriaceae for the Flora of China has revealed new taxa, including one new genus, Paraisometrum ; thirteen new spe¬ cies, Chirita atroglandulosa, C. napoensis, C. pungentisepala , C. pycnantha, C. shouchengensis, C. shuii, C. skogiana, C. wangiana, Didymocarpus subpalmatinervis, Hemiboea wangiana, Opithandra burttii, Oreochari.s dentata, Paraisometrum mileense ;and seven new combinations, Chirita demissa, Hemiboea subcapitata var. guangdongensis , Lysionotus microphyllus var. omeiensis, Lysionotus pauciflorus var. ikedae, Oreocharis aurea var. cordato-ovata, Paraboea glutinosa, and Tengia scopulorum var. potiflora. The new taxa are described, discussed, and compared with related taxa. The transfer and status changes are justified.

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