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North-western Africa has a large Andrena fauna, but parts of the country away from coastal areas remain poorly studied, and confusion persists as to the identity of certain taxa due to the long history of study combined with imperfectly examined type material. New fieldwork, genetic barcoding, and study of museum material has substantially improved our understanding of this region. Eleven new species are described: A. (Aciandrena) bendai sp. nov., A. (Aciandrena) ifranensis sp. nov., A. (Euandrena) berberica sp. nov., A. (Hoplandrena) darha sp. nov., A. (Micrandrena) anammas sp. nov., A. (Micrandrena) gemina sp. nov., A. (Micrandrena) tinctoria sp. nov., and A. (incertae sedis) muelleri sp. nov., all from Morocco, and A. (Aciandrena) quieta sp. nov., A. (Euandrena) abscondita sp. nov., and A. (Taeniandrena) prazi sp. nov. from Morocco and Tunisia. Andrena (Aciandrena) nitidilabris Pérez, 1895 was misdiagnosed, and is actually the senior synonym of A. (Graecandrena) montarca parva Warncke, 1974 syn. nov. Andrena (Aciandrena) pisantyi sp. nov. is described from Algeria, Tunisia, and Israel, conforming to A. nitidilabris auctorum sensu Warncke. Andrena (Graecandrena) andina Warncke, 1974 stat. nov. and A. (Micrandrena) heliaca Warncke, 1974 stat. nov. are elevated from sub species to species status. Lectotypes are designated for A. (Melanapis) ephippium Spinola, 1838,
A. (Melanapis) rutila Spinola, 1838, A. (Simandrena) rhypara Pérez, 1903, and A. (Suandrena) savignyi Spinola, 1838. Neotypes are designated for A. (Melandrena) soror Dours, 1872 and A. (Notandrena) nigroviridula Dours, 1873. The female of A. (Aciandrena) triangulivalvis Wood, 2020 is described. The following seven additional synonymies are reported (senior name first): A. (Chrysandrena) testaceipes Saunders, 1908 = A. (Chrysandrena) rubricorpora Wood, 2021 syn. nov., A. (incertae sedis) maidaqi Scheuchl & Gusenleitner, 2007 = A. (Carandrena) hoggara Wood, 2021 syn. nov., A. (Lepidandrena) tuberculifera Pérez, 1895 = A. (Poecilandrena) nigriclypeus Wood, 2020 syn. nov., A. (Notandrena) albohirta Saunders, 1908 = A. (Notandrena) eddaensis Gusenleitner, 1998 syn. nov., A. (Notandrena) microthorax Pérez, 1895 = A. (Notandrena) nigrocyanea Saunders, 1908 syn. nov., A. (Simandrena) rhypara = A. (Simandrena) palumba Warncke, 1974 syn. nov., and A. (Taeniandrena) poupillieri Dours, 1872 = A. (Taeniandrena) lecerfi Benoist, 1961 syn. nov. Andrena (Notandrena) viridiaenea Pérez, 1903 is returned to synonymy with A. nigroviridula. Relative to the 2020 baseline, 16 Andrena species are newly recorded for Morocco, and six species are removed from the faunal list. These revisions bring the total number of Andrena species known from Morocco to 202 with 25 endemic species, making it one of the hotspots for Andrena diversity globally.
With six valid species, Luciobrotula is a small genus of the family Ophidiidae, commonly known as cusk-eels. They are benthopelagic fishes occurring at depths ranging from 115–2300 m in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans. Among them, Luciobrotula bartschi is the only known species in the West Pacific. Three specimens of Luciobrotula were collected from the Philippine Sea, Bismarck Sea, and Solomon Sea in the West Pacific during the AURORA, PAPUA NIUGINI, and MADEEP expeditions under the Tropical Deep-Sea Benthos program, and all of them were initially identified as L. bartschi. Subsequent examination with integrative taxonomy indicates that they belong to two distinct species, with the specimen collected from the Solomon Sea representing a new species, which is described here. In terms of morphology, Luciobrotula polylepis sp. nov. differs from its congeners by having a relatively longer lateral line (end of the lateral line below the 33rd dorsal-fin ray) and fewer vertebrae (abdominal vertebrae 13, total vertebrae 50). In the inferred COI gene tree, the two western Pacific species of Luciobrotula do not form a monophyletic group. The genetic K2P distance between the two species is 13.8% on average at the COI locus.
BACKGROUND: Current biodiversity patterns are considered largely the result of past climatic and tectonic changes. In an integrative approach, we combine taxonomic and phylogenetic hypotheses to analyze temporal and geographic diversification of epigean (Carychium) and subterranean (Zospeum) evolutionary lineages in Carychiidae (Eupulmonata, Ellobioidea). We explicitly test three hypotheses: 1) morphospecies encompass unrecognized evolutionary lineages, 2) limited dispersal results in a close genetic relationship of geographical proximally distributed taxa and 3) major climatic and tectonic events had an impact on lineage diversification within Carychiidae.
RESULTS: Initial morphospecies assignments were investigated by different molecular delimitation approaches (threshold, ABGD, GMYC and SP). Despite a conservative delimitation strategy, carychiid morphospecies comprise a great number of unrecognized evolutionary lineages. We attribute this phenomenon to historic underestimation of morphological stasis and phenotypic variability amongst lineages. The first molecular phylogenetic hypothesis for the Carychiidae (based on COI, 16S and H3) reveals Carychium and Zospeum to be reciprocally monophyletic. Geographical proximally distributed lineages are often closely related. The temporal diversification of Carychiidae is best described by a constant rate model of diversification. The evolution of Carychiidae is characterized by relatively few (long distance) colonization events. We find support for an Asian origin of Carychium. Zospeum may have arrived in Europe before extant members of Carychium. Distantly related Carychium clades inhabit a wide spectrum of the available bioclimatic niche and demonstrate considerable niche overlap.
CONCLUSIONS: Carychiid taxonomy is in dire need of revision. An inferred wide distribution and variable phenotype suggest underestimated diversity in Zospeum. Several Carychium morphospecies are results of past taxonomic lumping. By collecting populations at their type locality, molecular investigations are able to link historic morphospecies assignments to their respective evolutionary lineage. We propose that rare founder populations initially colonized a continent or cave system. Subsequent passive dispersal into adjacent areas led to in situ pan-continental or mountain range diversifications. Major environmental changes did not influence carychiid diversification. However, certain molecular delimitation methods indicated a recent decrease in diversification rate. We attribute this decrease to protracted speciation.
A new species of the eutroglobiont gastropod taxon Zospeum Bourguignat, 1856 is described. Zospeum tholussum sp. n. is characterized based on a population from the Lukina Jama–Trojama cave system (Velebit Mts., Croatia). A single living specimen occurred at 980 m depth. The species is morphologically related to Zospeum amoenum (Frauenfeld, 1856), but can be readily distinguished from the latter by the presence of a weak columellar fold and its dome-like structured 2nd whorl. DNA barcoding is capable to clearly delineate Zospeum tholussum from other Zospeum spp. as well.
A new genus, Janzena (Erebidae), and 37 new species of Noctuoidea (Lepidoptera) are described from Florida as well as two species elevated from synonymy to species status. Bleptina biformata, Bleptina extincta, Bleptina flavivena, Bleptina verticalis, Lascoria coma, Janzena pyraliformis, Sigela sordes, Sigela minuta,Sigela incisa, Sigela subincisa, Sigela rosea, Sigela lynx, Dyspyralis ocala, Metalectra nigrior, Metalectra dixoni, Melipotis florida, Doryodes acta, Doryodes unica, Doryodes fulva, Toxonprucha killamae, Zale lafontainei,Zale vargoi, Zale clandestina, Athyrma fakahatchee, Antiblemma perva, Antiblemma carolae, Paectes hercules,Meganola georgei, Litoprosopus linea, Tripudia calusa, Catabenoides insularis, Neogalea caracara, Condica collaris, Homophoberia australis, Diastema leo, Pyreferra slotteni, and Leucania elephas are described as new. Hemeroplanis floccalis (Zeller), revived status, is raised to species status from the synonymy of Hemeroplanis scopulepes (Haworth),and Euscirrhopterus argentata (Druce), revived status, is raised to species status from the synonymy of Euscirrhopterus poeyi Grote. The genus Araeopteron Hampson is restricted to the Old World and Araeopteron vilhelmina (Dyar) is transferred to the genus Sigela Hulst, new combination. The barcode index number (BIN) is provided for each species, when available.
Thai limestone karsts are known to contain a rich biodiversity of animals, especially terrestrial snails, but still require further intensive exploration to evaluate their biodiversity. To date, only a few studies on the limestone karst-inhabiting land snail genera have been published. The present work focuses on the species diversity and phylogenetic relationships of the limestone karst-restricted land snail genus Aenigmatoconcha from Thailand, based on comparative morphology and molecular evidence. The results yielded three known species (A. clivicola Tumpeesuwan & Tumpeesuwan, 2017, A. sumonthai Tumpeesuwan & Tumpeesuwan, 2018, and A. mitis (Pfeiffer, 1863) comb. nov.), plus a new species (A. eunetis Pholyotha & Panha sp. nov). The phylogenetic analyses of partial fragments of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase c subunit I (COI) gene confirmed the monophyly of all recognized species and congruence with the traditional morphology-based species designations. Average uncorrected p-distances of COI sequences between species were 9.7–12.0% and within species were 0.2–4.2%. This study also provides the re-description of penial sculpture, penial sheath, flagellum, penial caecum, and mantle lobe morphology that were neglected from the type species description. The present discovery of a new species increases the known diversity of Thai land snails and will support the conservation planning to protect karst biodiversity.
Within the well-studied Palearctic entomofauna, it is often assumed that the discovery of new species is limited to resolving cryptic species complexes within dark taxa. Herein, we describe a highly distinctive species of Aphanogmus Thomson, 1858 (Hymenoptera: Ceraphronidae) from Germany and provide a COI barcoding sequence for the new species. We present a 3D reconstruction of the holotype based on micro-CT to serve as a cybertype. The females of Aphanogmus kretschmanni Moser sp. nov. are diagnosed by two rows of prominent spines on the ventral edge of the 7th metasomal sternite, a character set that has not previously been found in Hymenoptera. We analyse the functional morphology of the ovipositor mechanism and discuss hypotheses regarding the functional implications of the unique modification of the 7th metasomal sternite. Possible host associations are reviewed and the taxonomic placement of the new species is discussed.
We describe a new troglophilic species of Filistata, F. betarif sp. nov. , collected from two caves in central Israel, by using light and electron microscopy and by DNA barcoding of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene. Sequences of this gene show more than 15% of divergence between the new species and its sibling, F. insidiatrix (Forsskål, 1775), which is widely distributed across the Mediterranean and the Middle East. Notwithstanding, the two species are diagnosed only by a minor morphological detail in the embolic keel of the male pedipalp; females of both species are not diagnosable based only on morphology. We also find that samples of F. insidiatrix from different localities have large genetic divergence values (larger than 15% in some cases), but their pedipalps are identical in males; this suggests that F. insidiatrix might hide an additional cryptic diversity. We take this opportunity to provide a dichotomous key for identifying the crevice-weavers (Filistatidae) of Israel and Palestine.
In the vast abyssal plains northwest of Iceland, white glass sponges of the genus Caulophacus Schulze, 1886 were inhabited by reddish Bythocaris G.O. Sars, 1870 shrimps and pinkish amphipods. After in situ observations at 3700 m depth, in -1°C waters by a remotely operated vehicle, members of this assemblage were collected and preserved for molecular studies. Based on integrative taxonomic analyses, the amphipods were identified as a new species of the genus Halirages Boeck, 1871 – Halirages spongiae sp. nov. Lörz, Nack & Tandberg –, as described in detail below. Part of our integrative approach was to establish reference DNA barcodes for known species of Halirages. However, our investigation of material of Calliopiidae G.O. Sars, 1895 collected around Iceland and Norway revealed slight morphological discrepancies in all the described species of Halirages. Except for Halirages fulvocinctus (M. Sars, 1858), none of the encountered specimens of Calliopiidae fully matched a current species description. We illuminate the morphological characteristics of nine operational taxonomic units, which also represented clades in COI and 28S. We set the Icelandic samples in the context of Halirages from Canada and Norway. A key to the world species of Halirages is provided.
The genus Onychelmis Hinton, 1941 was for a long time regarded as a small taxon with only three known species distributed in the Andes. A study of new material from Ecuador, using morphological and molecular data, has resulted in the discovery of five new species: Onychelmis lenkae sp. nov., O. lobata sp. nov., O. minor sp. nov., O. onorei sp. nov. and O. splendida sp. nov. We also revised the entire genus and redescribed the three known species, O. longicollis (Sharp, 1882), O. leleupi Delève, 1968 and O. whiteheadi Spangler & Santiago, 1991. Habitus photographs of adults are provided, together with line drawings of male and female genitalia, and schematic illustrations of the distribution of femoral tomentum for each species. DNA sequences for barcoding the COI mtDNA fragment were used to support species delimitation and to suggest possible relationships among species. The revision includes a key to adults of all species of Onychelmis and notes on the biogeography of the genus, with an updated distribution map.