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The stinkbug Edessa leucogramma (Perty) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae: Edessinae) is reported as a pest of young yellow guayacán trees (Handroanthus chrysanthus (Jacq.) S.O. Grose, Bignoniaceae) in the metropolitan area of the Aburra Valley in Antioquia, Colombia (AMVA). We provide a short description of the adult and immature stages and report for the first-time protozoa associated with the digestive system of this species of true bug in addition to information regarding a fungus found associated with Edessa leucogramma in the field.
ZooBank registration. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:8D06E222-249D-413C-AA0A-48E34BF995C1
This paper treats the planthopper genus, Atracis Stål, 1866 (Flatidae: Flatoidinae) in China. Five new species, A. ocularia sp. nov., A. patefacta sp. nov., A. punctulata sp. nov., A. sphaerica sp. nov. and A. ungulata sp. nov., are described and a checklist of all its known species from China is provided.
The genus Thlaspi has been variously subdivided since its description by Linnaeus in 1753, but due to similarities in fruit shape several segregates have still not gained broad recognition, despite the fact that they are not directly related to Thlaspi. This applies especially to segregates now considered to belong to the tribe Coluteocarpeae, which includes several well-studied taxa, e.g., Noccaea caerulescens (syn. Thlaspi caerulescens), and the widespread Microthlaspi perfoliatum (syn. Thlaspi perfoliatum). The taxonomy of this tribe is still debated, as a series of detailed monographs on Coluteocarpeae was not published in English and a lack of phylogenetic resolution within this tribe was found in previous studies. The current study presents detailed phylogenetic investigations and a critical review of morphological features, with focus on taxa previously placed in Microthlaspi. Based on one nuclear (ITS) and two chloroplast (matK, trnL-F) loci, four strongly supported major groups were recovered among the Coluteocarpeae genera included, corresponding to Ihsanalshehbazia gen. nov., Friedrichkarlmeyeria gen. nov., Microthlaspi s.str., and Noccaea s.l. In addition, two new species of Microthlaspi, M. sylvarum-cedri sp. nov. and M. mediterraneo-orientale sp. nov., were discovered, which are well supported by both morphological and molecular data. Furthermore, M. erraticum comb. nov. (diploid) and M. perfoliatum s.str. (polyploid) were shown to be distinct species, phylogenetically widely separate, but with some overlap in several morphological characters. Detailed descriptions, notes on taxonomy, geographical distribution, and line drawings for the new species and each species previously included in Microthlaspi are provided. In addition, the current taxonomic state of the tribe Coluteocarpeae is briefly discussed and it is concluded that while several annual taxa are clearly distinct from Noccaea, many perennial taxa, after thorough phylogenetic and morphological investigations, may have to be merged with this genus.
The unique Neotropical species of the alderfly genus Protosialis van der Weele, 1909, P. bifasciata (Hagen, 1861), is herein transferred to the newly described genus Caribesialis gen. nov. This new taxon is proposed to be sister to the clade Protosialis + Sialis Latreille, 1802, after a phylogenetic analysis that included male genital characters scored on a previous morphological matrix of the family. Also, Ilyobius nigrocephalus sp. nov., a remarkable new species from Ecuador, is described and its phylogenetic position is discussed. Furthermore, Ilyobius bimaculatus (Banks, 1920) from Bolivia, known solely from the female holotype, is redescribed. Based on the present study, the Neotropical fauna of Sialidae is proposed to be constituted by two genera, one insular (Cuba) and one continental (Mexico to Chile and Argentina).
The taxonomy of the family Desmodoridae (Nematoda: Desmodorida) is partially revised based on morphology. The diagnoses of the Desmodoridae and the subfamilies Desmodorinae and Spiriniinae are emended to accommodate re-analyzed morphological features. Eight known species are redescribed and the implication of the new findings for the taxonomy of the group is discussed. Amphispira and Metadesmodora are confirmed as genera inquirendae. Alaimonema and Sigmophoranema, and their corresponding type species, are proposed as inquirendae due to poor descriptions of the type material. The other three species of Sigmophoranema are transferred to the genus Onyx because they bear the diagnostic features of this group: spear-like dorsal tooth and s-shape precloacal supplements. Echinodesmodora, Paradesmodora and Stygodesmodora are transferred to the Spiriniinae based on the absence of a head capsule and on the amphidial fovea being surrounded by cuticle striation. Paradesmodora toreutes is transferred to the genus Acanthopharyngoides as A. toreutes comb. nov. The genus Onepunema does not fit in the family Desmodoridae because of diorchic males; thus, it is regarded as taxon incertae sedis.
Lists of valid genera for the two subfamilies are provided. A dichotomic key for the identification of the 14 genera within the Spiriinae is provided.
The training of morphological decomposition in word processing and its effects on literacy skills
(2017)
This study set out to examine the effects of a morpheme-based training on reading and spelling in fifth and sixth graders (N = 47), who present poor literacy skills and speak German as a second language. A computerized training, consisting of a visual lexical decision task (comprising 2,880 items, presented in 12 sessions), was designed to encourage fast morphological analysis in word processing. The children were divided between two groups: the one underwent a morpheme-based training, in which word-stems of inflections and derivations were presented for a limited duration, while their pre- and suffixes remained on screen until response. Another group received a control training consisting of the same task, except that the duration of presentation of a non-morphological unit was restricted. In a Word Disruption Task, participants read words under three conditions: morphological separation (with symbols separating between the words’ morphemes), non-morphological separation (with symbols separating between non-morphological units of words), and no-separation (with symbols presented at the beginning and end of each word). The group receiving the morpheme-based program improved more than the control group in terms of word reading fluency in the morphological condition. The former group also presented similar word reading fluency after training in the morphological condition and in the no-separation condition, thereby suggesting that the morpheme-based training contributed to the integration of morphological decomposition into the process of word recognition. At the same time, both groups similarly improved in other measures of word reading fluency. With regard to spelling, the morpheme-based training group showed a larger improvement than the control group in spelling of trained items, and a unique improvement in spelling of untrained items (untrained word-stems integrated into trained pre- and suffixes). The results further suggest some contribution of the morpheme-based training to performance in a standardized spelling task. The morpheme-based training did not, however, show any unique effect on comprehension. These results suggest that the morpheme-based training is effective in enhancing some basic literacy skill in the population examined, i.e., morphological analysis in word processing and the access to orthographic representations in spelling, with no specific effects on reading fluency and comprehension.
Coilodes Westwood, 1846 is a Neotropical genus of Hybosorinae. Despite being a morphologically homogeneous genus, it presents a great deal of intraspecific variation, especially with reference to the colour of integuments. This makes identification of species even more difficult, since the majority of original descriptions present the colour as the main diagnostic character. To solve this problem, the first taxonomic revision of Coilodes is presented. The genus now comprises 13 species. Redescriptions of C. castaneus Westwood, 1846, C. fumipennis Arrow, 1909, C. humeralis (Mannerheim, 1829), C. niger (Mannerheim, 1829), C. ovalis Robinson, 1948, C. parvulus Westwood, 1846, and C. punctipennis Arrow, 1909 are presented. Coilodes niger (Mannerheim, 1829) has its status revalidated and three new synonyms are proposed: C. gibbus (Perty, 1830) and C. chilensis Westwood, 1846 with C. humeralis, and C. nigripennis Arrow, 1903 with C. castaneus. Biological and geographical distribution data are expanded. Lectotypes are designated for C. humeralis and C. niger. Six new species are described: C. bezerrai Basílio & Vaz-de-Mello sp. nov., C. edeiltae Basílio & Vaz-de-Mello sp. nov., C. lunae Basílio & Vaz-de-Mello sp. nov., C. mayae Basílio & Vaz-de-Mello sp. nov., C. ravii Basílio & Vaz-de-Mello sp. nov., and C. skelleyi Basílio & Vaz-de-Mello sp. nov. An identification key for the males of the species is presented.
A new species of Strepsiptera of the genus Paraxenos Saunders, 1872 (Xenidae) from the United Arab Emirates is described. It was recorded from the host species Bembix kohli Morice, 1897 and represents the first occurrence of Paraxenos from Bembix Fabricius, 1775 in the Afrotropical region. A detailed redescription of the female cephalothorax of Paraxenos hungaricus (Székessy, 1955) is provided, together with the first description of the male cephalotheca. The holotype of Paraxenos krombeini Kifune & Hirashima, 1987 was redescribed. Additionally, a key for parasites of Bembix among Paraxenos species is provided based on characters of the female cephalothorax and male cephalotheca. The distribution and conservation status of Paraxenos spp. on Bembix are also discussed.
Organisms are complex entities whose study has necessitated an increasingly reductionistic stance in modern biology (CAPLAN 1987). As a consequence, biology as a science has been split up into numerous sub-disciplines. However, this extremely reductionistic philosophy must not be taken as marking the endpoint of biological research but should be reappraised as the beginning of a new integrative approach encompassing the entire organism (SAUER 1992). This view has been promoted since the second half of the 20th century with the rise of new disciplines such as ecophysiology and ethoecology. Moreover, in morphology, an integrative approach with regard to the form and function of organisms in their relationship to the external environment is becoming increasingly important (e.g. KARR & JAMES 1975, MOTTA & KOTRSCHAL 1992, REILLY & WAINWRIGHT 1994).
Sholl analysis has been an important technique in dendritic anatomy for more than 60 years. The Sholl intersection profile is obtained by counting the number of dendritic branches at a given distance from the soma and is a key measure of dendritic complexity; it has applications from evaluating the changes in structure induced by pathologies to estimating the expected number of anatomical synaptic contacts. We find that the Sholl intersection profiles of most neurons can be reproduced from three basic, functional measures: the domain spanned by the dendritic arbor, the total length of the dendrite, and the angular distribution of how far dendritic segments deviate from a direct path to the soma (i.e., the root angle distribution). The first two measures are determined by axon location and hence microcircuit structure; the third arises from optimal wiring and represents a branching statistic estimating the need for conduction speed in a neuron.
Novel data support validity of Phoxinus chrysoprasius (Pallas, 1814) (Actinopterygii, Leuciscidae)
(2023)
The common minnow species Cyprinus chrysoprasius, previously synonymised to Phoxinus phoxinus, was originally described from the Crimean Peninsula (Black Sea – Sea of Azov basin). A genetic analysis of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxydase 1 in the context of a phylogenetic study of European Phoxinus showed that it represents a distinct genetic clade and potentially a valid species. In the present study, we approach the issue following a broader, both genetic and morphological, study in order to check and support the validity of native Crimean Phoxinus under the earliest available name of the species: P. chrysoprasius. Our data demonstrate a reliable genetic distance of this minnow from geographically neighbouring clades and species, and a certain morphological distinctiveness. In order to determine the taxonomic concept of P. chrysoprasius, as a species involved in a genetically well-differentiated, but phenotypically poorly structured complex of east-European Phoxinus, a neotype for the species, based on topotypical material, is herein described and designated. The original type locality of the species is also clarified.
Endogeophilus ichnusae gen. et sp. nov. (Chilopoda: Geophilidae sensu stricto) is described based on three specimens from two localities in south-western Sardinia, examined by light and scanning electron microscopy. The new centipede resembles the rare Ibero-Pyrenean genus Galliophilus Ribaut & Brolemann, 1927 in some features, especially in the forcipular segment, and the temperate European species Geophilus electricus (Linnaeus, 1758) in other features, especially in the ultimate leg-bearing segment. However, the true affinities of E. ichnusae gen. et sp. nov. are uncertain, because the new species departs significantly from the majority of geophilids for the higher number of legs (91–107 pairs in the specimens examined), the slender trunk segments (the sternites being longer than wide), the relatively stout legs (the tarsus being only about twice as long as wide) and the very short setae (≤ 15 mm) scattered on the body surface. All these features are probably derived and suggest adaptation to a more strictly endogeic habit than other geophilids.
To date, six species of the Australian endemic millipede genus Boreohesperus have been recognized: all have highly localized distributions, consistent with being short-range endemic species, and all are from the Cape Range and Pilbara region of Western Australia. In this paper, we describe three new species, B. alcyonis sp. nov., B. psittacinus sp. nov., and B. vascellus sp. nov., each from a different island in the Kimberley region of north-western Australia.
Macrobrachium australe is an amphidromous prawn living in the insular freshwater systems of the Indo-Pacific. Because it possesses few informative morphological characters, that often vary from one habitat to another, M. australe has produced much taxonomic confusion and has historically been described under eight synonyms. Here, 53 specimens collected throughout the Indo-Pacific under the name M. australe were phylogenetically and morphologically examined. Results revealed that what has been called M. australe belongs to at least two distinct species: M. australe, distributed from the Southwest Indian Ocean to the Central Pacific Ocean, and a cryptic species potentially restricted to the Northwest Pacific Ocean, here identified as M. ustulatum, which until now was considered as a junior synonym. Although they are not quite found in the same habitat (lentic-lotic), the presence of these distinct, and reciprocally monophyletic entities in the same rivers on the islands of Palau and Santo strongly favors the hypothesis of two reproductively isolated entities. Six morphological characters, including the proportions of the joints of the male second pereiopod, the shape of the epistome lobe and the armature of the fourth thoracic sternite, are evidenced as diagnostic. A neotype of M. australe is designated and deposited in the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle in Paris.
Five species of the terrestrial diatom genus Luticola D.G.Mann were found during a taxonomic survey of two small volcanic islands, Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul (Southern Indian Ocean). Apart from the two already known Luticola species L. beyensii Van de Vijver et al. and L. subcrozetensis Van de Vijver et al., two new species are described: L. ivetana Chattová & Van de Vijver sp. nov. and L. vancampiana Chattová & Van de Vijver sp. nov. Finally, one, up to now unknown, Luticola species is briefly discussed and illustrated. Detailed morphological descriptions of these taxa are provided based on both light and scanning electron microscopy observations. Morphological features of the new species are compared to morphologically similar taxa, and notes on their ecology and biogeography are added.
Nemoura Latreille, 1796 and Amphinemura Ris, 1902 are the two largest genera of Nemouridae in China. In this paper, two new species are described and illustrated from China: Nemoura lixiana sp. nov. from Sichuan Province and Amphinemura jiaoheensis sp. nov. from Jilin Province. The two new species are diagnostic from congeners by the genitalic structures in males and females.
This paper describes work on the morphological and syntactic annotation of Sumerian cuneiform as a model for low resource languages in general. Cuneiform texts are invaluable sources for the study of history, languages, economy, and cultures of Ancient Mesopotamia and its surrounding regions. Assyriology, the discipline dedicated to their study, has vast research potential, but lacks the modern means for computational processing and analysis. Our project, Machine Translation and Automated Analysis of Cuneiform Languages, aims to fill this gap by bringing together corpus data, lexical data, linguistic annotations and object metadata. The project’s main goal is to build a pipeline for machine translation and annotation of Sumerian Ur III administrative texts. The rich and structured data is then to be made accessible in the form of (Linguistic) Linked Open Data (LLOD), which should open them to a larger research community. Our contribution is two-fold: in terms of language technology, our work represents the first attempt to develop an integrative infrastructure for the annotation of morphology and syntax on the basis of RDF technologies and LLOD resources. With respect to Assyriology, we work towards producing the first syntactically annotated corpus of Sumerian.
An illustrated description of Withius hispanus (L. Koch, 1873) is provided based on its morphological and morphometric characters. This finding of W. hispanus is the first record of the family Withiidae in Slovakia. The present re-description of this species allows an assessment of the variability of its morphological and morphometric characters.
The pseudoscorpions Chthonius (Chthonius) carinthiacus Beier, 1951 and Chthonius (Ephippiochthonius) tuberculatus Hadži, 1937, are recorded for the first time from Slovakia. An illustrated description of these species is provided based on their morphological and morphometric characters. The descriptions of the species offer an update on the variability of their morphological and morphometric characters.
The marine annelid family Sigalionidae is little known in the Grand Caribbean Region; there are few records of these worms in the area, and some of the recorded species have uncertain taxonomic status. In this contribution, the subfamily Pelogeniinae was addressed through a faunistic study, aiming to improve the knowledge of Sigalionidae in the region. In order to do this, material deposited in the three following institutions was examined: University of Miami Deep Sea Expeditions; Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville; and El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Chetumal. Eleven species are recognized, including six newly described: Dayipsammolyce paulayi sp. nov., Hartmanipsammolyce pettiboneae sp. nov., Neopsammolyce fragilis sp. nov., Pelogenia brevipalpata sp. nov., P. capitata sp. nov. and P. salazarvallejoi sp. nov. Four other species are confirmed for this region: N. floccifera (Augener, 1906), P. hartmanae Pettibone, 1997, P. kinbergi (Hansen, 1882) and Psammolyce flava Kinberg, 1856; and one is indeterminate: N. aff. floccifera. A standardized terminology of neurochaetae is proposed, along with notes on the notochaetal morphology and elytral structures. For all genera covered in this study, identification keys are also provided.
Most valvatiform genera of the gastropod family Hydrobiidae are narrow-range taxa. One exception is the genus Arganiella, which is comprised of three congeners: the type species A. pescei from the Apennine Peninsula, A. wolfi from the Iberian Peninsula and A. tabanensis from the Balkans. The genus assignment of the latter two species was based on morphological similarities with A. pescei in the shell, operculum, radula and genitalia. Given that the morphology of hydrobiids is sometimes susceptible to convergence, this study re-evaluates the taxonomic status of species of Arganiella by analysing mitochondrial (mtCOI) and nuclear (18S rRNA) sequences of topotypes or near topotypes to infer their phylogenetic position. Our phylogenetic analyses depicted Arganiella as a non-monophyletic group within Hydrobiidae, and sequence divergence among the three species ranged from 14.5 to 16.7% for mtCOI and 2.0 to 3.8% for 18S. We also re-examined the extent of morphological variation among species of Arganiella and found a few differences among them and other valvatiform genera. Consequently, we propose two new genera for A. wolfi and A. tabanensis. Our results conflict with the classification of valvatiform hydrobiid species solely based on traditional phenotypical methods and suggest further taxonomic evaluation within a molecular framework.
The Smicridea (Smicridea) fasciatella species group occurs from the southwestern USA, throughout Central America, the Greater Antilles islands, and most of South America, except for the Chilean subregion. It is characterized by the phallic apparatus being a simple tube with eversible internal sclerites at the apex. The fasciatella group is composed of 61 species, of which only 11 occur in Brazil, mainly in the Atlantic Forest biome in the southeastern region. In order to reduce the Linnean and Wallacean shortfalls for the Smicridea Brazilian fauna, we diagnose, describe, and illustrate males of six new species in the fasciatella group: Smicridea (Smicridea) blahniki Desiderio, Pes & Hamada sp. nov., S. (Smicridea) brevitruncata Desiderio, Pes & Hamada sp. nov., S. (Smicridea) caaguara Desiderio, Pes & Hamada sp. nov., S. (Smicridea) ipiranga Desiderio, Pes & Hamada sp. nov., S. (Smicridea) jeaneae Desiderio, Pes & Hamada sp. nov., and S. (Smicridea) polyacantha Desiderio, Pes &; Hamada sp. nov. Additionally, we provide distributional data for S. (Smicridea) albosignata Ulmer, 1907, S. (Smicridea) bivittata (Hagen, 1861), S. (Smicridea) erecta Flint, 1974, S. (Smicridea) obliqua Flint, 1974, S. (Smicridea) paranensis Flint, 1983, and S. (Smicridea) sattleri Denning & Sykora, 1968. The number of S. (Smicridea) species in Brazil increases from 21 to 27 and Smicridea is recorded from the states of Acre, Amapá, and Sergipe for the first time.
Three fossil leafhopper inclusions from Eocene Baltic amber, representing three new extinct genera and species, are described and illustrated. Eomegophthalmus lithuaniensis gen. et sp. nov. is tentatively placed in Megophthalminae, although it may represent the stem group from which Megophthalminae, Ulopinae, and Membracidae arose. Xestocephalites balticus gen. et sp. nov. and Brevaphrodella nigra gen. et sp. nov. are placed in Aphrodinae: Xestocephalini based on the structure of the head, leg chaetotaxy, and male genital capsule. These new genera and species represent the oldest known representatives of their respective subfamilies and the latter is the oldest known brachypterous adult leafhopper.
Revision of the endemic Malagasy leafhopper tribe Platyjassini (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Iassinae)
(2020)
The leafhopper tribe Platyjassini, endemic to Madagascar, is revised, largely based on specimens obtained in a recent bioinventory project led by the California Academy of Sciences. Platyjassini was previously known based on the type genus, Platyjassus Evans, 1953, and four described species. Betsileonas marmorata (Blanchard, 1840), the largest leafhopper recorded from Madagascar, presently known from a few specimens collected > 100 years ago and recently considered a genus and species incertae sedis within Cicadellidae, is newly placed in Platyjassini. Fourteen new genera and 54 new species are described and illustrated, and three new combinations are proposed. Pachyjassus gen. nov. includes three new species: Pachyjassus alatus sp. nov., Pachyjassus basifurcatus sp. nov. and Pachyjassus ranomafanensis sp. nov. Pallijassus gen. nov. is erected to include two species previously placed in Platyjassus, Pallijassus reticulatus (Evans, 1959) comb. nov. and Pallijassus stenospatulatus (Evans, 1959) comb. nov. Petalojassus gen. nov. includes one new species, Petalojassus ochrescens sp. nov. Phaiojassus gen. nov. includes seven new species: Phaiojassus acutus sp. nov., Phaiojassus bispinosus sp. nov., Phaiojassus constrictus sp. nov., Phaiojassus grandis sp. nov., Phaiojassus spatulatus sp. nov., Phaiojassus undulatus sp. nov. and Phaiojassus unispinosus sp. nov. Pictojassus gen. nov. includes three new species: Pictojassus kirindiensis sp. nov., Pictojassus productus sp. nov. and Pictojassus tulearensis sp. nov. Platyjassella gen. nov. includes six new species: Platyjassella ancora sp. nov., Platyjassella andohahelensis sp. nov., Platyjassella attenuata sp. nov., Platyjassella cormorana sp. nov., Platyjassella emarginata sp. nov. and Platyjassella immaculata sp. nov. Platyjassula gen. nov. includes four new species: Platyjassula cyclura sp. nov., Platyjassula heterofurca sp. nov., Platyjassula isofurca sp. nov. and Platyjassula mahajangensis sp. nov. In addition to the type species, Platyjassus viridis Evans, 1953, Platyjassus includes 11 new species: Platyjassus acutus sp. nov., Platyjassus asymmetricus sp. nov., Platyjassus fisheri sp. nov., Platyjassus griswoldi sp. nov., Platyjassus harinhalai sp. nov., Platyjassus irwini sp. nov., Platyjassus pedistylus sp. nov., Platyjassus pennyi sp. nov., Platyjassus pictipennis sp. nov., Platyjassus symmetricus sp. nov. and Platyjassus vestigius sp. nov. Plerujassus gen. nov. includes one new species, Plerujassus brunnescens sp. nov., in addition to Plerujassus appendiculatus (Evans, 1959) comb. nov., previously placed in Platyjassus. Plexijassus gen. nov. includes one new species, Plexijassus caliginosus sp. nov. Pseudocurtara gen. nov. includes three new species: Pseudocurtara minima sp. nov., Pseudocurtara nigripicta sp. nov. and Pseudocurtara quadrata sp. nov. Pseudocyrta gen. nov. includes one new species, Pseudocyrta hyalina sp. nov. Pseudomarganana gen. nov. includes two new species: Pseudomarganana olivacea sp. nov. and Pseudomarganana rosea sp. nov. Pulchrijassus gen. nov. includes eight new species: Pulchrijassus anjozorobensis sp. nov., Pulchrijassus eunsunae sp. nov., Pulchrijassus pallescens sp. nov., Pulchrijassus roseus sp. nov., Pulchrijassus rubrilineatus sp. nov., Pulchrijassus sindhuae sp. nov., Pulchrijassus talatakelyensis sp. nov. and Pulchrijassus toamasinensis sp. nov. Punctijassus gen. nov. includes three new species: Punctijassus circularis sp. nov., Punctijassus compressus sp. nov. and Punctijassus ivohibensis sp. nov. Illustrated keys to genera and species are provided.
Comanopa Blocker, 1979 and Gehundra Blocker, 1976 are small and poorly known genera of leafhoppers, previously comprising four and five species, respectively. In this study, two new species are proposed: Comanopa mananciensis sp. nov. from the state of Paraná, Southern Brazil, and Gehundra cristalinensis sp. nov. from the state of Mato Grosso, Centralwestern Brazil. The male of Gehundra sordida (Baker, 1900) is studied by the first time. Detailed descriptions and illustrations of males and females are provided and keys to males of Comanopa and Gehundra are given.
The Neotropical fauna of Gyponini is very diverse and still poorly known. Many new species have characters that do not fit with the currently recognized genera, which makes it necessary to propose new ones. Herein, we propose two new Brazilian genera of Gyponini: Acuthana gen. nov., based on A. transgressa gen. et sp. nov. from the State of Mato Grosso, Central-West Brazil and Rectapona gen. nov. based on R. nigrifascia gen. et sp. nov. from the states of Paraná and São Paulo, South and Southeast Brazil, respectively. Diagnosis, detailed description and illustrations of male and female are provided for each taxon, as well as comparisons with closely related genera.
A new monotypic genus of Iassinae Walker, 1870 tribe Hyalojassini Evans, 1972 is proposed based on Guaricicana borgesi gen. et sp. nov. from the states of Paraná and Rio de Janeiro, southern and southeastern Brazil, respectively. Detailed descriptions and illustrations of males and females are provided, as well as comparisons with the presumably more closely related genus, Daveyoungana Blocker & Webb, 1992.
A new species of abyssal Neanthes Kinberg, 1865, N. goodayi sp. nov., is described from the Clarion-Clipperton Zone in the central Pacific Ocean, a region targeted for seabed mineral exploration for polymetallic nodules. It is a relatively large animal found living inside polymetallic nodules and in xenophyophores (giant Foraminifera) growing on nodules, highlighting the importance of the mineral resource itself as a distinct microhabitat. Neanthes goodayi sp. nov. can be distinguished from its congeners primarily by its distinctive, enlarged anterior pair of eyes in addition to characters of the head, pharynx and parapodia. Widespread, abundant, and easily recognisable, N. goodayi sp. nov. is also considered to be a suitable candidate as a potential indicator taxon for future monitoring of the impacts of seabed mining.
We provide the current holdings of Meropeidae in the Florida State Collection of Arthropods (FSCA). To date, FSCA holds a well-curated collection of extant meropeids representing 17 U.S. states and Western Australia (n = 316 Merope tuber Newman, fi ve Austromerope poultoni Killington). Merope tuber records from Vermont, Texas, and South Carolina are published here for the fi rst time. A total of 298 pinned M. tuber and four pinned
A. poultoni; six M. tuber specimens preserved in 95% ethanol; and 12 M. tuber and one A. poultoni sputter-coated with gold-palladium for SEM are available for researchers interested in studying this unique family of insects.
Camel spiders (Arachnida: Solifugae) are one of the arachnid groups characterised by a prosomal dorsal shield composed of three distinct elements: the pro-, meso- and metapeltidium. These are associated respectively with prosomal appendages one to four, five, and six. What is less well known, although noted in the historical literature, is that the coxae of the 4th and 5th prosomal segments (i.e. walking legs 2 and 3) of camel spiders are also separated ventrally by a distinct membranous region, which is absent between the coxae of the other legs. We suggest that this essentially ventral division of the prosoma specifically between coxae 2 and 3 is homologous with the so-called sejugal furrow (the sejugal interval sensu van der Hammen). This division constitutes a fundamental part of the body plan in acariform mites (Arachnida: Acariformes). If homologous, this sejugal furrow could represent a further potential synapomorphy for (Solifugae + Acariformes); a relationship with increasing morphological and molecular support. Alternatively, outgroup comparison with sea spiders (Pycnogonida) and certain early Palaeozoic fossils could imply that the sejugal furrow defines an older tagma, derived from a more basal grade of organisation. In this scenario the (still) divided prosoma of acariform mites and camel spiders would be plesiomorphic. This interpretation challenges the textbook arachnid character of a peltidium (or ‘carapace’) covering an undivided prosoma.
We recognize and review 40 species of Chlamydastis Meyrick, 1916 (Lepidoptera: Depressariidae) from Costa Rica, including four previously described (i.e., C. vividella (Busck, 1914), revived status; C. phytoptera (Busck, 1914); C. orion Busck, 1920; and C. ungulifera (Meyrick, 1929)) and 36 new species: C. abelulatei Phillips and Brown, new species; C. carolinagodoyae Phillips and Brown, new species; C. angelsolisi Phillips and Brown, new species; C. lindapitkinae Phillips and Brown, new species; C. iangauldi Phillips and Brown, new species; C. anniapicadoae Phillips and Brown, new species; C. antonioazofeifai Phillips and Brown, new species; C. mignondavisae Phillips and Brown, new species; C. marianofigueresi Phillips and Brown, new species; C. colleenhitchcockae Phillips and Brown, new species; C. bernardoespinozai Phillips and Brown, new species; C. bobandersoni Phillips and Brown, new species; C. carlosviquezi Phillips and Brown, new species; C. christerhanssoni Phillips and Brown, new species; C. christhompsoni Phillips and Brown, new species; C. paulhansoni Phillips and Brown, new species; C. elenaulateae Phillips and Brown, new species; C. gladysrojasae Phillips and Brown, new species; C. powelli Phillips and Brown, new species; C. gracewoodae Phillips and Brown, new species; C. juanmatai Phillips and Brown, new species; C. isidrochaconi Phillips and Brown, new species; C. jimlewisi Phillips and Brown, new species; C. jimmilleri Phillips and Brown, new species; C. montywoodi Phillips and Brown, new species; C. johnnoyesi Phillips and Brown, new species; C. luisdiegogomezi Phillips and Brown, new species; C. paulthiaucourti Phillips and Brown, new species; C. dondavisi Phillips and Brown, new species; C. irenecanasae Phillips and Brown, new species; C. manuelzumbadoi Phillips and Brown, new species; C. noramartinae Phillips and Brown, new species; C. vitorbeckeri Phillips and Brown, new species; C. ronaldzunigai Phillips and Brown, new species; C. munifigueresae Phillips and Brown, new species; and C. willsflowersi Phillips and Brown, new species.COI nucleotide sequences (“DNA barcodes”) were obtained for 33 of the species, which helped associate males with females for sexually dimorphic species and revealed a few cryptic, presumably evolutionary siblings. We illustrate adults of all species, along with their male and female genitalia, where available.Nineteen species were reared from caterpillars, and their foodplants are listed. In Costa Rica, 15 species of Chlamydastis are recorded exclusively from Sapotaceae; one species each exclusively from Clethraceae, Vochysiaceae, Combretaceae, and Melastomataceae. Larvae are illustrated for 10 of the 36 new species, and superficial larval descriptions are provided based on photographs and notes. Of the 40 species of Chlamydastis reported from Costa Rica, 32 have been light-collected or reared from Área de Conservación Guanacaste.
The alpha-taxonomy of triphorids is still largely based on the study of the shell, and the scarcity of studies dealing with their anatomy is a result of the difficulty of sampling live animals and their very small size. Whereas radula and operculum are important structures in the taxonomy at the generic level, the jaw of triphorids has never been properly studied, being regarded as presenting a morphological homogeneity. The present research explored the basic anatomy (especially internal hard structures: operculum, jaw and radula) of 12 species from Brazil, distributed in 11 genera: Cheirodonta Marshall, 1983 (with a new generic allocation, Cheirodonta dupliniana (Olsson, 1916) comb. nov.), Cosmotriphora Olsson & Harbison, 1953, Iniforis Jousseaume, 1884, Latitriphora Marshall, 1983, Metaxia Monterosato, 1884, Monophorus Grillo, 1877, Nanaphora Laseron, 1958, Nototriphora Marshall, 1983, Sagenotriphora Marshall, 1983, Similiphora Bouchet, 1985 and Strobiligera Dall, 1924; in addition, the basic anatomy of the Caribbean species "Inella" harryleei Rolán & Fernández-Garcés, 2008 was analysed. Radular examination showed that the majority of species studied is properly allocated in their genera after comparisons in the literature with respective type species, albeit a few species are clearly in need of a new generic allocation. The jaw of triphorids is remarkably heterogeneous, displaying different patterns of scales and micro-pores between outer and inner sides.
Five new species of Peltonotellini (Caliscelinae) are described and illustrated: Bruchomorpha pseudodorsata sp. nov., Fitchiella brachyrhina sp. nov., Protrocha nigrilutea sp. nov. and P. punctatosa sp. nov. from Mexico, and Fitchiella zahniseri sp. nov. from Panama. Additionally, five previously described species are redescribed based on newly collected specimens: Aphelonema brevata Caldwell, 1945 (proposed original combination), Bruchomorpha decorata Metcalf, 1923, Bruchomorpha mormo Kirkaldy, 1907, Nenema virgata (Doering, 1941) and Protrocha nesolitaria (Caldwell, 1945). Bruchomorpha decorata is recorded from Panama for the first time. Redescriptions provide new information on the distribution of sensory pits and the first detailed descriptions of male and female terminalia for these species.
Debate exists regarding the number of species of the moon jellyfish (genus Aurelia), a common member of the planktonic community of the coastal shelf seas around the world. Three Aurelia congeners (A. aurita, A. labiata and A. limbata) are currently considered to exist but recent genetic analyses suggested that this is an oversimplification. We analyzed the morphological characteristics of scyphistomae, morphological characteristics of ephyrae and differences in the time span of the strobilation process of Aurelia congeners from 17, 7 and 6 different source populations, respectively, of known species. Morphological characteristics of scyphistomae were similar among the 17 populations but those of ephyrae, such as the shape and form of lappets, were effective discriminators in the 6 cases examined. We recommend identifying species based on differences in 1) the morphological characteristics of scyphistomae and ephyrae (and not only medusae), 2) the genetics of individuals, and 3) the geographical occurrence of the population. This study adds to the growing body of knowledge on scyphozoan scyphistomae and ephyrae, stages of the metagenic life cycle of scyphozoans that have received relatively little study compared to medusae.
Three new species of the genus Mimetus Hentz, 1832 are described and named as M. bucerus sp. nov. (♂), M. lingbaoshanensis sp. nov. (♂♀) and M. yinae sp. nov. (♂♀). Detailed morphological descriptions, photos of the body and copulatory organs, line drawings of copulatory organs, as well as the distribution maps are provided.
A new species of verrucid barnacle, Gibbosaverruca weijiai sp. nov., is described and illustrated based on specimens collected from a deep-sea seamount, Weijia Guyot, in the West Pacific. This is the third barnacle species reported from Weijia Guyot. The new species is distinguished from its congeners by its extremely long caudal appendage. In terms of shell morphology, G. weijiai sp. nov. is most similar to G. gibbosa and G. sulcata but differs from them by the intermediate articular ridges of its movable tergum and scutum, which are distinctly wider than the axial ridges. The COI and 16S rRNA sequences of the holotype of G. weijiai sp. nov. are presented to support future research, and a key to extant species of the genus Gibbosaverruca Young, 2002 is provided.
The genus Miridiba Reitter, 1902, of phytophagous chafers from Asia, is revised based on external morphological and genital (male and female) characters. In this study, a total fifty-eight species of Miridiba were examined, and the genus is redescribed. Male genital characters of Miridiba, especially the morphology of parameres and endophallus, are studied in depth herein. The female genitalia of Miridiba are studied and described in detail for the first time. According to genital characters, nine genital morphotypes, including fifty-four species, are established under the genus Miridiba. Sixty-seven type specimens are studied. Miridiba gressitti (Frey, 1970) comb. nov., Miridiba borneensis (Moser, 1918) comb. nov., Miridiba coxalis (Arrow, 1944) comb. nov., Miridiba rugaticollis (Moser, 1913) comb. nov., Miridiba nigrescens (Moser, 1916) comb. nov., Miridiba scutata (Reitter, 1902) comb. nov., Miridiba ciliatipennis (Moser, 1903) comb. nov. and Miridiba brunneipennis (Moser, 1916) comb. nov. are transferred from Holotrichia. Holotrichia dalatensis Frey, 1970 is transferred to Miridiba as a synonym of Miridiba sinensis (Hope, 1842). Four junior subjective synonyms are proposed: Miridiba pilosella (Moser, 1908) (= Holotrichia formosana Moser, 1909), Miridiba sinensis (= Holotrichia dalatensis Frey, 1970), Miridiba scutata (= Holotrichia scutulata Dalla Torre, 1912 and Miridiba lassallei Keith, 2010). Miridiba frontalis (Fairmaire, 1886) is resurrected as a valid species. A key to 51 of the 58 valid species of Miridiba is presented.
A new woodlouse species of the genus Buchnerillo Verhoeff, 1942 is described and illustrated from the Cantabrian Coast of Asturias (Eastern Atlantic Ocean of the Iberian Peninsula). Buchnerillo atlanticus sp. nov. is a halophilic woodlouse that lives under embedded rocks in fine-grained sand areas of its type locality beach. Its morphological features, including secondary sexual characteristics, allow it to be distinguished from the other three known species of the genus Buchnerillo. Biological, ecological and ethological data of the new species are commented. To facilitate the separation of the four known species of Buchnerillo, the main diagnostic features are summarized and their known distribution is commented.
An unusual eye malformation observed in Trichiotinus rufobrunneus (Casey) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Cetoniinae: Trichiini), is described and illustrated. The functionality of the ectopic compound eye is discussed. According to label data, larval association with oak rotten log habitats is reported.
A new scale insect genus and species, Gompholopium quercicola gen. et sp. nov. is described and illustrated, based on material from China (Yunnan Prov.). Hemaspidoproctus cinereus (Green, 1922) is redescribed, based on material from India (Allahabad). Walkeriana tosariensis Reyne, 1957 is transferred to the genus Hemaspidoproctus Morrison, 1927 – H. tosariensis (Reyne, 1957) comb. nov. Monophlebus neglectus Gavrilov-Zimin, 2018 syn. nov. is formally synonymized with the unrecognizable Monophlebus atripennis Burmeister, 1835 in order to resolve an old taxonomic and nomenclatural problem in the subfamily Monophlebinae.
Three new scale insect species, Coccidohystrix daedalea Gavrilov-Zimin sp. nov., Mirococcopsis ptilura Gavrilov-Zimin sp. nov. (both from the family Pseudococcidae) and Cryptinglisia millari Gavrilov-Zimin sp. nov. (family Coccidae), are described and illustrated from the Western Cape Province of South Africa.
The Isla Sala y Gómez or Motu Motiro Hiva is located 415 km northeast of Rapa Nui (Easter Island) and 3420 km from the coast of northern Chile. It is a small oceanic island (2.5 km2) dominated by volcanic rock with very little vegetal cover. Here, we describe the first endemic arachnid for the island, Ariadna motumotirohiva sp. nov. Females are similar to those of Ariadna perkinsi Simon, 1900 from Hawaiʻi and Ariadna lebronneci Berland, 1933 from the Marquesas in the dorsal dark abdominal pattern, but they differentiate from the latter in the anterior receptaculum, promarginal cheliceral teeth and leg IV macrosetae. A recent survey of the arachnid fauna of Rapa Nui, which included Motu Nui and the rocky shores, did not record the presence of the family Segestriidae, neither has it been found during previous surveys. However, it is not possible to discard the possibility of a local extinction on Rapa Nui and survival on Sala y Gómez. This study suggests other endemic terrestrial arthropods could be present on this very small and remote island.
Three new species of the genus Superciliaris Meng, Qin & Wang, 2020 are described from southern Vietnam, Malaysia (northern Borneo), and Indonesia (northern Sulawesi). The genus is recorded for the first time from mainland Asia and Sunda Archipelago. A key to species of Superciliaris is given. The relationships of the species are discussed.
The planthopper family Caliscelidae (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Fulgoromorpha) and the tribe Adenissini are recorded here for the first time from the Socotra Archipelago (Yemen). A new genus, Oceatra gen. nov., is described for two new species from Socotra Island – Oceatra litoralis gen. et sp. nov. (type species) from coastal sand dunes and salt marshes, and O. scandens gen. et sp. nov. from evergreen montane woodland and shrub communities of the Hagher mountains. Oceatra gen. nov. is similar to Perissana Metcalf, 1952 but differs in the structure of the male style and phallobase. A key to distinguish the genera of the subtribe Adenissina is provided.
During a survey of the moss-inhabiting diatom flora of the sub-Antarctic Campbell Island, located in the southern Pacific Ocean, several unknown centric diatoms were observed that could not be identified using the currently available literature. Detailed light and scanning electron microscopical observations and comparisons with the characters of several species of Melosira, Angusticopula, Ferocia and Arcanodiscus worldwide indicated that five of them should be described as new to science: Angusticopula cosmica Goeyers & Van de Vijver sp. nov., Arcanodiscus crawfordianus Goeyers & Van de Vijver sp. nov., A. indistinctus Goeyers & Van de Vijver sp. nov., A. saundersianus Goeyers & Van de Vijver sp. nov. and Ferocia houkiana Goeyers & Van de Vijver sp. nov. A sixth species, Angusticopula chilensis, was illustrated for the first time using SEM and as a result is considered to differ sufficiently from A. dickiei to warrant epitypification as A. chilensis. The new species were first described in genera that formerly were included within the genus Melosira. All six species are morphologically characterized and compared with similar species within their respective genera. Their presence and distribution on Campbell Island are discussed based on the observations made in the available samples.
Ophiuroidea is the largest class among extant echinoderms, with over 2000 described species assigned to 33 families. Here, the first identification key to the recently revised classification was developed, and revised morphological descriptions were derived from it, expanding the previous short diagnoses. The key was built by analyzing internal and external skeletal characters of predominantly the type species of each family, including at least two mutually exclusive attributes per family. Various numeric and multistate characters were used to create a traditional as well as an interactive key using the DELTA and Xper software programs. Illustrations (SEM and digital photos) are included in the key to facilitate the assessment of character states by users. Not only is it the first identification key to the families, according to the recently proposed new classification and the examined species, but this interactive key also assists users in understanding the family level taxonomy of brittle stars. The interactive key allows new characters and states to be added, when more species will have been analyzed, without the need to reconfigure the complete key (as may be necessary with conventional keys).
The genus Cyparium Erichson, 1845 (Staphylinidae, Scaphidiinae, Cypariini) comprises 55 species, distributed mainly in the Neotropical and Oriental regions. Twenty-four species are known from the Neotropical region, but only eight species are reported from Brazil. In this paper we describe five new species and redescribe two species of Brazilian Cyparium, as follows: Cyparium achardi sp. nov., C. lescheni sp. nov., C. loebli sp. nov., C. newtoni sp. nov., C. pici sp. nov.; Cyparium collare Pic, 1920; and Cyparium oberthueri Pic, 1956. We provide images of adult males and females and their dissected parts, and information on host fungi whenever available. We also provide a comparative plate of dorsal colour patterns of Neotropical Cyparium.
Sipuncula are marine unsegmented worms that can be found in benthic habitats, from shallow to deep-sea waters. In Mexico these worms have been scarcely studied. Among nine studies in the entire Mexican Pacific coasts, seven are from the central and northwestern Mexican Pacific. For over 80 years, only 24 species have been recorded. To improve the knowledge of the sipunculans from the central and northwestern Mexican Pacific, 501 specimens from three scientific collections of Mexico were revised. The specimens were collected by diverse methods from intertidal, subtidal, and bathyal depths (~1000 m), from 27 locations along the central and northwestern Mexican Pacific. Sixteen taxa belonging to nine genera and five families were identified. One species is recorded for the first time in the Mexican Pacific and five new species are described, one from intertidal and shallow subtidal depths: Phascolosoma (Phascolosoma) azteca sp. nov.; two from subtidal depths: Phascolion (Lesenka) salgadoi sp. nov. and Sipunculus (Sipunculus) bastidai sp. nov.; and two from bathyal depths: Apionsoma (Apionsoma) silviae sp. nov. and Apionsoma (Edmondsius) hendrickxi sp. nov.