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The taxonomic and faunistic status of the spider family Oecobiidae in Iran, Afghanistan and Turkmenistan is revised. A new species, namely Uroctea gambronica sp. nov. (♂) is described from southern Iran, and the male of U. grossa Roewer, 1960 is described and illustrated for the first time. Additionally, new faunistic data are provided, including the first records of Oecobius putus O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1876 and U. grossa in Afghanistan and Turkmenistan, respectively, and the re-evaluation of previously misidentified and questionable records of this family in the region. The known distribution ranges of all species are mapped for these three countries.
The blind and mostly endogean julid genus Stygiiulus Verhoeff, 1929 stat. nov. is reviewed to include ten species: S. ausugi (Manfredi, 1953) comb. nov., S. fimbriatus (Strasser, 1971) comb. et stat. nov., S. gentianae (Strasser, 1971) comb. et stat. nov., S. illyricus (Verhoeff, 1929) comb. nov., S. insularis (Strasser, 1938) comb. nov., S. maximus (Verhoeff, 1929) comb. nov., S. montellensis (Verhoeff, 1930) comb. nov., S. rotundatus (Strasser, 1962) comb. et stat. nov., S. seewaldi (Strasser, 1967) comb. nov., and S. tobias (Berlese, 1886) comb. nov. The distinctiveness of the genus from Typhloiulus is proven by both morphological and molecular data. The monotypic genus Alpityphlus Strasser, 1967 is here treated as a junior subjective synonym of Stygiiulus syn. nov. Stygiiulus fimbriatus comb. et stat. nov. and S. gentianae comb. et stat. nov., originally described as subspecies of S. ausugi comb. nov., are here erected to full species, while the subspecies S. illyricus stygis (Verhoeff, 1933) comb. et syn. nov. is considered to be a junior subjective synonym of the typical S. illyricus comb. nov. Lectotypes are formally designated for S. gentianae comb. et stat. nov. and S. rotundatus comb. et stat. nov., to stabilize the nomenclature of the two species under Article 74.1 of the ICZN. The phylogeny of the genus, its distribution patterns, and the modified mouthparts in some of its species are discussed.
Twenty-one species of the genus Lecithocera Herrich-Schäffer, 1853 from China are described as new: L. angustifolia sp. nov., L. asticta sp. nov., L. balteiformis sp. nov., L. bicornuta sp. nov., L. bigeminata sp. nov., L. duplicispinea sp. nov., L. flavalba sp. nov., L. flavistriata sp. nov., L. furvibasis sp. nov., L. laticuculla sp. nov., L. ligulacea sp. nov., L. margirecta sp. nov., L. medogensis sp. nov., L. nullisigna sp. nov., L. parviflava sp. nov., L. parvispinea sp. nov., L. serratiloba sp. nov., L. sichuanensis sp. nov., L. tenuextrema sp. nov., L. tumicuculla sp. nov. and L. yunnanensis sp. nov. Seven species are newly recorded for China: L. alpestra Park, 2005, L. alpina Park, 2016, L. chersitis Meyrick, 1918, L. haviensis Park, 2016, L. neosticta Meyrick, 1918, L. orbiculata Park, 2010 and L. rubigona Park, 2006. The females of four species are described for the first time: L. alpina, L. haviensis, L. neosticta and L. orbiculata. Six new combinations are proposed: Lecithocera platomona (Wu, 1997) comb. nov. and L. stimulata (Wu, 1994) comb. nov. transferred from the genus Quassitagma; L. frisilina (Gozmány, 1978) comb. nov. transferred from the genus Recontracta; L. baliocata (Wu, 1994) comb. nov., L. sarmenta (Wu, 1994) comb. nov. and L. stictata (Wu, 1994) comb. nov. transferred from the genus Galoxestis. Images of adults and genitalia for all treated species are given, along with a checklist of all Chinese species of Lecithocera.
The evolution and interrelationships of carnivorous squamates (mosasaurs, snakes, monitor lizards, Gila Monsters) are a contentious part of reptile systematics and go to the heart of conflict between morphological and molecular data in inferring evolutionary history. One of the best-preserved fossils in this motley grouping is “Saniwa” feisti Stritzke, 1983, represented by complete skeletons from the early-middle Eocene of Messel, Germany. We re-describe it on the basis of superficial examination, stereoradiography, and high-resolution X-ray computed tomography of new and published specimens. The scalation of the lizard is unique, consisting of small, keeled scales on the head (including a row of enlarged medial supraorbitals) and large, rhomboidal, keeled scales (invested by osteoderms) that covered the rest of the body. Two paired longitudinal rows of enlarged scales ran down the neck. The head was laterally compressed and box-shaped due to the presence of a strong canthal-temporal ridge; the limbs and tail were very long. Notable osteological features include: a toothed, strap-like vomer; septomaxilla with a long posterior process; palpebral with a long posterolateral process; a lacrimal boss and a single lacrimal foramen; a well-developed cultriform process of the parabasisphenoid; two hypoglossal (XII) foramina in addition to the vagus; a lack of resorption pits for replacement teeth; and possibly the presence of more than one wave of developing replacement teeth per locus. There are no osteological modifications suggestive of an intramandibular hinge, but postmortem displacement of the angular-prearticular-surangular complex in multiple specimens suggests that there might have been some degree of mobility in the lower jaw based on soft-tissue modifications. Using phylogenetic analyses on a data-set comprising 473 morphological characters and 46 DNA loci, we infer that a monophyletic Palaeovaranidae Georgalis, 2017, including Eosaniwa Haubold, 1977, lies on the stem of Varanidae Merrem, 1820, basal to various Cretaceous Mongolian taxa. We transfer feisti to the new genus Paranecrosaurus n. gen. Analysis of gut contents reveals only the second known specimen of the cryptozoic lizard Cryptolacerta hassiaca Müller, Hipsley, Head, Kardjilov, Hilger, Wuttke & Reisz, 2011, confirming a diet that was at least partly carnivorous; the preservation of the teeth of C. hassiaca suggests that the gastric physiology of Paranecrosaurus feisti (Stritzke, 1983) n. comb. had high acidity but low enzyme activity. Based on the foregoing and linear discriminant function analysis, we reconstruct P. feisti n. comb., as a powerful, widely roaming, faunivorous-carnivorous stem monitor lizard with a sensitive snout. If the molecular phylogeny of anguimorphs is correct, then many of the features shared by Helodermatidae Gray, 1837 and Varanidae must have arisen convergently, partly associated with diet. In that case, a reconciliation of morphological and molecular data would require the discovery of equally primitive fossils on the helodermatid stem.
The species of Stenothemus Bourgeois, 1907 from Southwest China are reviewed. Three species are transferred to this genus, S. davidi (Pic, 1926) comb. nov. (from Malthacus Kirby, 1837), S. minutissimus (Pic, 1933) comb. nov. (from Micropodabrus Pic, 1920) and S. singularicollis (Pic, 1933) comb. nov. (from Lycocerus Gorham, 1895). Two new synonyms are suggested, S. dinshuiensis Švihla, 2011 syn. nov. is synonymized with S. davidi and S. melleus Švihla, 2005 syn. nov. with S. singularicollis. Stenothemus shaanxiensis Švihla, 2004 stat. nov. is raised to species level from a subspecies of S. benesi Švihla, 2004. Five new species are described, S. gracilis Y. Yang & X. Yang sp. nov., S. chongqingensis Y. Yang & H. Liu sp. nov., S. flavicollis Y. Yang & S. Ge sp. nov., S. jindraimimus Y. Yang & X. Yang sp. nov. and S. laticornis Y. Yang & H. Liu sp. nov., which are illustrated with photographs of habitus, aedeagi, abdominal sternites VIII and internal genitalia of the female. Characters of the female reproductive system are described for the first time for the following species: S. diffusus Wittmer, 1974, S. dundai Švihla, 2004, S. grahami Wittmer, 1974, S. jindrai Švihla, 2004, S. tryznai Švihla, 2004 and S. singularicollis. Some additional distribution information is added for previously known species. A key for the identification of all studied species is provided.
Taxonomic revision of North American Eusphalerum Kraatz, 1857 (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Omaliinae)
(2014)
The North American species of the genus Eusphalerum Kraatz (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Omaliinae) are revised. The taxonomic history, natural history, geographical distribution of the genus, characters, species groups, diversity, and biogeography of North American species are presented. Two main phylogenetic lineages and 13 species groups are provisionally recognized. The following new synonymies are proposed: Eusphalerum farrarae (Hatch, 1944) = E. lawrencei Hatch, 1957; Eusphalerum californicum (Fauvel, 1878) = E. atriventre (Casey, 1894), = E. nigerrimum (Casey, 1894), = E. gilvipenne (Casey, 1894), = E. dichroum (Fall, 1922), = E. bonnelli (Hatch, 1944), = E. lunae Hatch, 1957; Eusphalerum fraternum (Casey, 1894) = E. minskae (Hatch, 1944); Eusphalerum rugulosum (Mäklin, 1853) = E. grayae (Hatch, 1944); Eusphalerum orientale (Bernhauer, 1912) = E. frosti (Bernhauer, 1928). The following lectotypes are designated: E. subangulatum (Casey), E. californicum (Fauvel), E. gilvipenne (Casey), E. diversicolle (Casey), E. convexum (Fauvel), E. fraternum (Casey), E. horni (Fauvel), E. orientale (Bernhauer), E. pothos (Mannerheim), and E. punctatum (Casey). The following new species are described: Eusphalerum pilosum (California); E. klimaszewskii (British Columbia); E. chatzimanolisi (California); E. carolinensis (Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia); E. caterinoi (California); E. luteipes (California); E. thayeranum (Alberta, British Columbia, Idaho, Indiana (doubtful record), Oregon, Washington); E. margaretae (Tennessee); E. newtoni (British Columbia, Oregon, California); E. parvispiculum (California, Oregon); E. uncinatum (British Columbia, California, Oregon, Washington). Eusphalerum lapponicum (Mannerheim, 1830) is excluded from the North American fauna. The following new combination is proposed: Xylodromus segmentarius (Mäklin, 1852: 322) (ex Omalium), wrongly attributed to Eusphalerum in the literature. Omalium marginatum Say, 1832 is considered a doubtful species, probably not Eusphalerum. A key to the 27 recognized North American Eusphalerum species and a catalog of the species are provided.
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.
Walter Biese described Littoridina santiagensis Biese, 1944 (Cochliopidae) from Estero Dehesa in 1944 based exclusively on external shell features and a second allopatric population in Yeso Spring three years later. Since 2011 different samplings have been carried out at the type locality and have only provided specimens of the morphologically similar invasive mudsnail Potamopyrgus antipodarum Gray, 1843 (Tateidae), raising doubts about the identity of the species. The recent finding of two snail morphotypes in Yeso Spring, a thick shelled form congruent with type specimens of L. santiagensis and a slender one morphologically associable to P. antipodarum, allowed comparative studies, including the taxonomic analysis of additional populations with similar shell morphology occurring in central Chile. A DNA barcoding (COI) approach identified the slender form from Yeso Spring in Maipo Basin and a second population from the contiguous Rapel Basin indeed as the invasive P. antipodarum; however, L. santiagensis was recovered among species of Potamolithus Pilsbry, 1896 (Tateidae), justifying the Potamolithus santiagensis (Biese, 1944) comb. nov. Besides recognition of three other populations as belonging to Potamolithus, the molecular analysis also suggests trans-Andean dispersal of this group of snails in the Southern Cone of South America.
Soft-winged flower beetles from the United Arab Emirates are studied for the first time. Three new genera, Tonyattalus gen. nov. of the tribe Attalini, Tonycolotes gen. nov. of the tribe Colotini, and Arabotroglops gen. nov. of the tribe Troglopini, and two species, Tonyattalus vanharteni gen. et sp. nov. and Arabotroglops longantennatus gen. et sp. nov., are described. Tonycolotes kovari (Švihla, 1987) gen. et. comb. nov. is recorded from the United Arab Emirates for the first time and transferred from the genus Colotes Erichson, 1840. All species discussed in the paper are described and illustrated. The fauna of soft-winged flower beetles of the Arabian Peninsula is reviewed.