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The subfamily Sepiolinae (Mollusca: Cephalopoda: Sepiolidae), currently containing the genera Sepiola Leach, 1817, Euprymna Steenstrup, 1887, Inioteuthis Verrill, 1881, Rondeletiola Naef, 1921 and Sepietta Naef, 1912, is characterized by the hectocotylization of the left dorsal arm, i.e., its transformation into a copulatory organ thanks to modifications of sucker/pedicel elements. The hectocotylus morphology varies to a great extent across genera and species. In particular, one to several pedicels in its proximal third lose their sucker and become highly and diversely modified in shape to constitute a copulatory apparatus. An evolutionary gradient was observed in the copulatory apparatus morphology, from the simple modification into a papilla of just one pedicel from the third element of the ventral sucker row (some nominal species of Euprymna) to a quite complex structure involving several variously modified pedicels from both the ventral and dorsal sucker rows (Inioteuthis). In some species, elements in the distal portion of the hectocotylus may also be highly modified, such as the columnar suckers in Euprymna. The hectocotylian diversity allows to distinguish nine groups of species that do not match the current generic subdivision of Sepiolinae. Additional morphological characters (number of sucker rows on arms, female bursa copulatrix, occurrence and shape of visceral light organs, etc.) corroborate the subdivision of Sepiolinae into nine subtaxa, i.e., genera. Accordingly, a cladogram is drawn to describe the possible phylogenetic relationships among the nine clades. To comply with these results, all current genera are redefined and four new genera are described, namely Adinaefiola gen. nov., Boletzkyola gen. nov., Eumandya gen. nov. and Lusepiola gen. nov.
The generic status of Winitia Chaowasku (Annonaceae Juss., Miliuseae Hook.f. & Thomson) is reaffirmed by an extensive phylogenetic reconstruction using seven plastome regions (matK, ndhF, rbcL, ycf1 exons; trnL intron; psbA-trnH, trnL-trnF intergenic spacers) and including, among others, seven accessions of Winitia plus two accessions of its sister group, Stelechocarpus Hook.f. & Thomson. The results disclosed a maximally supported clade of Winitia, as well as of Stelechocarpus. The sister relationship of the two genera is still rather poorly supported and the branch uniting them is very short, whereas the branches leading to Winitia and to Stelechocarpus are relatively long, corresponding to their considerable morphological differences. Additionally, in Miliuseae there is a particular indel of eight continuous base pairs in the trnL-trnF intergenic spacer potentially diagnostic for generic discrimination, i.e., members in the same genus possess the same indel structure (absence or presence of a gap), and this indel differentiates Winitia from Stelechocarpus. Winitia cauliflora (Scheff.) Chaowasku appears polyphyletic and Winitia longipes (Craib) Chaowasku & Aongyong comb. nov. based on Stelechocarpus longipes Craib is consequently proposed. Furthermore, our phylogenetic data support a new species, Winitia thailandana Chaowasku & Aongyong sp. nov. from southern Thailand, which is described and illustrated. A key to genera in the sageraeoid clade (Sageraea-Winitia-Stelechocarpus) and a key to the four species of Winitia are provided.
Chondrocyclus Ancey, 1898 is a genus of nine species of African operculate land snails restricted to indigenous forest and mesic thicket. Worn specimens (i.e., without a periostracum or operculum), on which some species descriptions and records were based, appear to be indistinguishable morphologically. A comprehensive revision of Chondrocyclus s.l. is provided here based on comparative morphological examinations of the shell, protoconch, periostracum, operculum, radula and penis, and on mitochondrial genes cytochrome c oxidase subunit I and 16S rRNA. Two genus-level lineages are recognised, Chondrocyclus s.s. and Afrocyclus gen. nov. Revised species descriptions are given for seven species. Two species, C. meredithae Bruggen, 1983 and C. chirindae Bruggen, 1986 both from north of South Africa, are removed from Chondrocyclus. Twelve new species are described: C. herberti sp. nov., C. silvicolus sp. nov., C. amathole sp. nov., C. pondoensis sp. nov., C. devilliersi sp. nov., C. pulcherrimus sp. nov., C. cooperae sp. nov., C. langebergensis sp. nov., C. kevincolei sp. nov., A. oxygala gen. et sp. nov., A. potteri gen. et sp. nov. and A. bhaca gen. et sp. nov. This is the first detailed systematic revision of an Afrotropical cyclophorid group to include morphological and molecular data. This study complements research on other taxa of low-vagility forest-dwelling habitat specialists by providing comparative distribution data for an independent, widespread group. Such evidence is urgently needed for conservation of South Africa’s threatened forest biome.
A systematic redefinition of the species belonging to the genus Geomyphilus Gordon and Skelley, 2007 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae) of Mexico and neighboring countries is presented. The new species G. tuzincola of Mexico is described and figured. The new combination Coelotrachelus macgregori (Islas, 1955) is proposed.
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.
The Australian wolf spider genus Tetralycosa Roewer, 1960, with Lycosa meracula Simon, 1909 (junior synonym of Lycosa oraria L. Koch, 1877) as type species, is revised to include 13 species, eight of which are described as new here: Tetralycosa adarca sp. nov., T. alteripa (McKay, 1976), T. arabanae Framenau, Gotch & Austin, 2006, T. baudinettei sp. nov., T. caudex sp. nov., T. eyrei (Hickman, 1944), T. floundersi sp. nov., T. halophila sp. nov., T. oraria (L. Koch, 1876), T. orariola sp. nov., T. williamsi sp. nov., T. wundurra (McKay, 1979) comb. nov. and T. rebecca sp. nov. Members of Tetralycosa are halotolerant, exclusively inhabiting saline environments such as coastal beaches, and mound springs, clay pans and salt lakes in the Australian interior. A phylogenetic analysis of the genus identified a monophyletic clade of eight species that live permanently on the barren surface of salt lakes suggesting a single radiation into this extremely inhospitable habitat. Some of these Tetralycosa species are currently known from single salt lakes only and with increasing disturbances of these systems by mining, agriculture an
The genus Camafroneta gen. nov. is established to accomodate Camafroneta oku gen. et sp. nov., a new species of mynoglenine spider from Cameroon, West Africa, with unusual complex male genitalia. Phylogenetic analyses suggest that the new species does not belong to a known genus of mynoglenine spiders. Another three new species of Afroneta Holm, 1968 from East Africa are described: Afroneta flavescens sp. nov., Afroneta serrata sp. nov. and Afroneta sarahae sp. nov. We also describe the missing sex (♂) of Afroneta elgonensis Merrett, 2004.
It appeared necessary to undertake a redescription of Laophontodes typicus T. Scott, 1894, but with the absence of the type specimen, several additional individuals collected from a number of regions were studied. The specimens chosen were from the western coast of Sussex and the Scottish Firth of Forth (UK), the Skjerstad fjord (Norway), the Patagonian continental slope (Chile) and the Great Meteor Seamount (subtropical north-eastern Atlantic Ocean). All specimens examined had been previously determined as L. typicus and deposited in the collections of renowned research institutions.
However, detailed morphological comparison revealed that only the Sussex material can be assigned to L. typicus; the remaining specimens represent distinct species whose original assignment to L. typicus was erroneous, due to a morphological ambiguity. Thus, the current status of L. typicus must be regarded as a species complex. The Sussex material enabled a detailed redescription of L. typicus. Additionally, five new species are described, namely L. scottorum sp. nov., L. sarsi sp. nov., L. gertraudae sp. nov., L. monsmaris sp. nov. and L. norvegicus sp. nov. They exhibit some morphological similarity, but equally present discrete characters justifying their establishment as distinct taxa. The descriptions are
accompanied by a detailed discussion that explains the justification of the splitting of L. typicus.