The foliicolous lichen Gallaicolichen pacificus exhibits unique goniocystangia-like structures named peltidiangia and peltidia. Its taxonomic classification within the Ascomycota has been unclear due to the absence of ascomata and lack of molecular data. Here we clarify the phylogenetic affinities of Gallaicolichen pacificus by analyzing mitochondrial small subunit ribosomal RNA (mtSSU) sequences obtained from specimens collected in New Caledonia. Ascomata and ascospores of G. pacificus, previously unknown, are described and illustrated for the first time. The results from the molecular and morphological analyses clearly indicate that Gallaicolichen pacificus belongs to the Porinaceae and is closely related to Porina guianensis. This is a remarkable extension of the already known, wide morphological diversity of thalli and diaspores produced within this family.

A total of 61 specimens representing five species of shag – Auckland Island shag Leucocarbo colensoi, little pied shag Microcarbo melanoleucos brevirostris, black shag Phalacrocorax carbo novaehollandiae, Otago shag Leucocarbo chalconotus and spotted shag Phalacrocorax punctatus – from the coast around Otago, South Island, New Zealand, were examined for helminths. A total of 18 helminth species was found: six nematodes (Anisakis pegreffi, Contracaecum rudolphii E, Baruscapillaria sp., Cosmocephalus jaenschi, Ingliseria cirrohamata, Desmidocercella australis), four trematodes (Apatemon sp. ‘jamiesoni’, Cardiocephaloides ovicorpus, Apophallus sp., Microphallidae gen. sp.), four cestodes (Microsomacanthus cormoranti, Microsomacanthus sp., Paradilepis urceina, Tetrabothrius sp.) and four acanthocephalans (Andracantha leucocarboi, A. sigma, Corynosoma hannae, Profilicollis novaezelandensis). Descriptions are provided for females of C. jaenschi and D. australis, which were previously undescribed. The data include 20 new host records and seven new locality records. New 18S ribosomal DNA and internal transcribed spacer (ITS1 and ITS2) DNA sequences have been provided where specimen conditions permitted. These data add considerably to our sparse knowledge of helminths in New Zealand shags, and provide a baseline for observations of change in the future.

The regionalisation of the world economy is one of the most important developments in global governance in the past two decades. This process has seen ‘inter-regional’ economic agreements emerge between two or more regional groupings. Drawing mainly on the European Union’s external relations, observers accordingly point to the growing importance of regional actors, explaining their agency (or ‘actorness’) with regional attributes such as (supranational) institutional design, size, and member state cohesion. This article challenges this dominant explanation of regional agency. It argues that regional actors are socially, politically, and historically ‘embedded’. Agency reflects the contingency of regional integration processes, the motivations that underpin those processes, and the specific relationships between regions and third parties. This approach explains an important case of inter-regionalism from the Asia-Pacific: CER-ASEAN relations. Since the early 1990s, Australia and New Zealand have used their ‘Closer Economic Relations’ trade agreement for relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. This reflects the ambitions of Australasian officials to shape processes of Asian-Pacific regionalism, and the interests of ASEAN officials in consolidating their own process of transnational market-making. Here, regional agency owed to a transforming world economy and the reconceptualisation of regions within new networks of trade governance.

The emerging cultures of late nineteenth-century steamship mobility can be distinguished broadly by ocean basin and by specific route. In the Pacific, a steamship connection between Sydney and San Francisco was envisaged to forge and sustain strong bonds between regional ‘branches’ of the Anglo-Saxon race. This article moves beyond the rhetorical purchase of assumed affinities, to explore the more layered ways in which difference was articulated in transpacific encounters, and the attendant uncertainties and frictions in these evolving relations. When compared to routes bridging the Indian and Atlantic Oceans, with familiar imperial hierarchies and formalities behind them, British and colonial travellers in the Pacific were frequently unsettled by the more democratic and republican attitudes of the American crews and passengers they encountered. At the same time, Britain’s long-standing supremacy on the high seas provided a benchmark against which American enterprise and power in the Pacific could be assessed and found wanting.

Ramalina celastri is a highly variable, widely distributed pan-subtropical lichen species. In Australasia the species had been separated into two subspecies; R. celastri subsp. celastri and R. celastri subsp. ovalis. This study compares morphological variation, substratum preference and sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and intergenic spacer (IGS) regions of ribosomal DNA from a range of specimens from New Zealand and one from Australia. Bayesian and ML trees generated using the sequence data form two well-supported clades corresponding to the two previously recognized subspecies. Molecular, morphological and geographical differences support the recognition of R. ovalis at the species rank.

Over 30 studies in Australasia, East Asia and the Pacific Islands region have collected and analysed parasite data to determine the ranges of individual fish, many leading to conclusions about stock delineation. Parasites used as biological tags have included both those known to have long residence times in the fish and those thought to be relatively transient. In many cases the parasitological conclusions have been supported by other methods especially analysis of the chemical constituents of otoliths, and to a lesser extent, genetic data. In analysing parasite data, authors have applied multiple different statistical methodologies, including summary statistics, and univariate and multivariate approaches. Recently, a growing number of researchers have found non-parametric methods, such as analysis of similarities and cluster analysis, to be valuable. Future studies into the residence times, life cycles and geographical distributions of parasites together with more robust analytical methods will yield much important information to clarify stock structures in the area.

The importance of the anatomy and fine morphology of reproductive structures for the systematics of the family Parmeliaceae is highlighted by the new genus Notoparmelia, described here for Australasian species of Parmelia. These species were known to form a monophyletic lineage but correlated characters for its delimitation were lacking. A major characteristic used here for the circumscription of this genus is the overlooked apothecial anatomy. The proper exciple is reduced to one layer formed exclusively by large hyphae without any clear branching pattern and embedded in an abundant polysaccharide matrix. This feature differs from the rest of Parmeliaceae which have a stratified three-layered proper exciple composed of a thin hyaline layer, intermediate layer and basal cortex-like structure. The anatomy of proper exciple, together with the thickness of spore walls and other morphological characters such as lobe morphology, pseudocyphellae and rhizine type, allow a precise diagnosis of the new genus. The area of distribution is also useful for characterizing this genus. Sixteen new combinations are proposed.

With 30 species, Tasmania is a major area of species diversity in the genus Menegazzia. Seven of these are new to science: M. abscondita Kantvilas, known from Tasmania and New Zealand, and M. athrotaxidis Kantvilas, M. hypogymnioides Kantvilas, M. petraea Kantvilas, M. ramulicola Kantvilas, M. subtestacea Kantvilas and M. tarkinea Kantvilas, all endemic to Tasmania. An identification key, descriptions based exclusively on Tasmanian collections, and detailed discussion of distribution, ecology, chemical composition and inter-species relationships are provided. All literature records of Menegazzia species pertaining to Tasmania are accounted for. New synonyms include: Menegazzia prototypica P. James and Parmelia pertusa var. coskinodes F. Wilson [synonyms of M. myriotrema (Müll. Arg.) R. Sant.], M. fertilis P. James [a synonym of M. platytrema (Müll. Arg.) R. Sant.] and Parmelia pertusa var. montana F. Wilson (a synonym of M. subtestacea). Incorrectly recorded species that should be deleted from the Tasmanian census include M. castanea P. James & D. J. Galloway (present on Macquarie Island) and M. testacea P. James & D. J. Galloway (endemic to New Zealand). The South American species, M. sanguinascens (Räs.) R. Sant., is recorded in Australasia (Tasmania) for the first time, whereas the widespread south-eastern Australian M. norstictica P. James is recorded for Western Australia. Salient features of the genus are discussed, including morphology, anatomy and chemistry. The biogeography of the genus is explored briefly. Twelve species (40%) are endemic to Tasmania, a level of endemism unmatched by any other species-rich genus on the island. Twelve species are shared with mainland Australia, eleven are shared with New Zealand, and only four species are shared with southern South America, all of which are sorediate, suggesting they are products of long-distance dispersal.

This article aims to identify the significance of George Augustus Selwyn, the first Bishop of New Zealand, for the development of the Anglican Communion. It is based on evidence derived from secondary sources, most obviously the two-volume life of Selwyn written shortly after his death by his former chaplain, and on recent studies of the development of the Anglican Communion, especially the development of provincial synodical government in Australasia, and on the constitution of the Episcopal Church in the United States.

The article concludes that Selwyn had ideal qualities and experiences to enable him to achieve a constitution for a new Anglican province independent of the state, and with self-government, including elected representatives of laity and clergy, as well as bishops meeting together. His commitment to creating a constitutional framework for the dioceses and provinces of the Anglican Communion, including the Episcopal Church, enabled a second Lambeth Conference to happen.

Eophliantidae are poorly studied marine algal-dwelling amphipods with a wide distribution. A new species was found to excavate burrows across the main stem of Carpophyllum maschalocarpum (Turner) Grev. in the New Zealand subtidal, and a detailed morphological description of this amphipod is given. Bircenna macayai sp. nov. can be distinguished from other Bircenna species by a combination of the following characters: bilobed coxa 1, merus and carpus of pereopods 5–7 strongly extended posteriorly, crenulate basis of pereopod 7 and smooth posterior margin of epimeron 3, pereopod 7 basis longer than wide. A key to the fourteen world species of Eophliantidae is provided. Taxonomy, evolutionary sequences, functional morphology and biogeography of the Eophliantidae are briefly discussed. New Zealand and Australian shallow waters show the highest species diversity of Eophliantidae, containing both species bearing plesiomorphic and highly derived characters, suggesting that Australasia is an evolutionary centre for this amphipod family.

The tooth of a tiger shark, perforated to make a pendant, was lost in New Ireland, New Guinea between 39500 and 28000 years ago. The author argues that this has to be the work of anatomically modern humans, and implies the use of symbolic language not only across the former continent of Sahul, but also Eurasia.

Two species of Halecania from Asia, H. lobulata van den Boom & Elix and H. pakistanica van den Boom & Elix are described as new to science. In addition, the new combination Halecania pepegospora (H. Magn.) van den Boom is made. The ecology, distribution and chemistry of some selected species are discussed and a key to the fifteen species known worldwide is given.