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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
Male cerci variability was used as the main source of information to separate taxonomic units in the genus Pseudochelidura. Based on these data it was considered that three species of Pseudochelidura coexisted in the Pyrenees: P. sinuata, P. minor and P. montuosa. However, our phylogeographic and phylogenetic analyses based on molecular data (mitochondrial cytb and nuclear ITS2) do not support those conclusions. Combining these analyses with morphological studies we concluded that: 1) the Pyrenees are inhabited by a single evolutionary unit: P. sinuata (Germar, 1825) (= P. minor Steinmann, 1979 syn. nov., = P. montuosa Steinmann, 1981 syn. nov.). 2) Cantabrian and Pyrenean populations are reciprocally monophyletic and morphologically diagnosable representing two independent evolutionary units: Pseudochelidura cantabrica Cuesta-Segura, Jurado-Angulo & García-París sp. nov. and P. sinuata. And, 3) their conservation status needs to be evaluated in the light of current taxonomic changes. We have shown that the use of male cerci for species identification is problematic. Patterns of variation possibly affected by sexual selection (e.g., intrapopulational variability) appear to be very difficult to separate from variation driven by natural selection or genetic drift (i.e., character divergence in geographical isolation). The large sequence divergence observed between Pyrenean and Cantabrian populations of Pseudochelidura suggest a lasting genetic and geographic isolation between them, rendering difficult to ascertain their phylogenetic relationships.
This study reviews the taxonomy of the ant genus Nesomyrmex Wheeler, 1910 in the Afrotropical region. Previous revisionary studies are discussed and four species groups are proposed on the basis of external morphology. The N. angulatus group contains seven species that are widely distributed throughout the whole Afrotropical region, with one species also occurring in the Palaearctic and Malagasy regions. The N. cataulacoides group is monotypic, with one morphologically bizarre species found in Equatorial rain forests. The N. humerosus group is also monotypic and occurs in East Africa. The last and by far most species-rich group is the N. simoni group that contains 17 species, all of which are endemic to South Africa. The four groups are defined for the first time for the region, and an illustrated identification key is provided. Furthermore, the N. angulatus group is more thoroughly reviewed. One new species from Mozambique is described, N. inhaca sp. nov., and species accounts for the other six are provided. Also, an illustrated identification key to the species of the N. angulatus group is presented.
Four species of Bradysia Winnertz (Diptera, Sciaridae) from the Northern Holarctic are described and illustrated for the first time: Bradysia bigeminata sp. nov. (Finland, Canada), B. falciceps sp. nov. (Finland, Canada), B. oelandica sp. nov. (Sweden) and B. plusiospina sp. nov. (Finland). A few Bradysia species, described previously and now found in Northern Europe, are also redefined and illustrated.
The New World genus Axina Kirby (Coleoptera: Cleridae) is revised for the first time. Thirty-two new species are described: Axina acutipennis, A. adelosa, A. atmis, A. bahia, A. bella, A. brunnea, A. chiasta, A. furcula, A. heveli, A. ignota, A. klisis, A. latilinea, A. lobispinula, A. luzia, A. macilenta, A. megaspina, A.minas, A. ochra, A. oligocheia, A. ordinis, A. orcastomata, A. pallidioccabus, A. phallospina, A. piperata, A. pollex, A. polycaula, A. rio, A. schenklingi, A. spina, A. trinalis, A. villa, and A. vista. The 19 previously described species are: Axina analis Kirby, A. apicalis Pic, A. basalis Schenkling, A. bifasciata (Chevrolat), A. centrimaculata Schenkling, A. conspicua Schenkling, A. diversesignata Pic, A. equestris (Schenkling), A. fasciata Kirsch, A. fortipes Pic, A. lateralis Pic, A. longevittata Pic, A. munda Schenkling, A. nigrifrons Schenkling, A.parcepunctata Schenkling, A. picta Schenkling, A. plagiata Schenkling, A. proxima (Chevrolat), and A. sexmaculata Spinola. Two species Priocera equestris Schenkling and Priocera proxima Chevrolat, are transferred into the genus Axina becoming new combinations: Axina equestris (Schenkling) and Axina proxima (Chevrolat). Two names, Priocera podagrica Schenkling, 1900, and P. podagrica variety pygmaea Schenkling, 1902, are new synonymies of Priocera proxima Chevrolat, 1876. Lectotypes are here designated for nine species: Axina basalis Schenkling, 1900; Axina centrimaculata Schenkling, 1900; Axina conspicua Schenkling, 1900; Axina diversesignata Pic, 1946; Axina munda Schenkling, 1900; Axina nigrifrons Schenkling, 1906; Axina parcepunctata Schenkling, 1900; Axina picta Schenkling, 1907; and Axina plagiata Schenkling, 1900. It is proposed that Axina species are predators of lignicolous insects, particularly bark beetles. The species of Axina can be classified into eight species groups and a theory of their phylogenetic relationships is proposed via WINCLADA in conjunction with NONA. Of the 51 species that now comprise Axina, only one traversed the Panamanian portal before the Colombian Andes reached their modern altitudes. This work includes a generic-level morphological analysis, brief treatise of natural history, key to species, comments about Axinazoogeography, and hypotheses of species-group phylogeny.
The land snail genus Amphidromus Albers, 1850 and its subgenus Syndromus Pilsbry, 1900 (family Camaenidae) in Laos are revised. Fourteen species from various habitats of deciduous forest and limestone areas throughout Laos are confirmed. The classification is revised and discussed, based on material examined from Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand and after comparison with the type specimens in many museums. Two new species, A. (Amphidromus) syndromoideus Inkhavilay & Panha sp. nov., from central Laos, and A. (Syndromus) xiengkhaungensis Inkhavilay & Panha sp. nov., from northern Laos, are described and discussed.
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.
Brachiacantha Dejean (Coccinellinae: Hyperaspidini), containing 49 species, is discussed, species described, illustrations provided, and a key to all recognized taxa included. Coccinella octopustulata F., Cleothera groendali Mulsant, Hyperaspis argentinica Weise, Hyperaspis blandula Weise, and Hyperaspis egae Crotch are transferred to Brachiacantha. Cleothera billoti parva Mulsant is recognized as a valid species and transferred to Brachiacantha. Brachiacantha arrowi Brèthes, Brachiacantha australe Leng, Brachiacantha manni Nunenmacher, and Brachiacantha propria Kirsch are recognized as synonyms of Brachiacantha groendali (Mulsant). A total of 29 new species of Brachiacantha are described; B. amber, B. anita, B. april, B. cathy, B. clara, B. charlotte, B. danielle, B. darlene, B. debbie, B. eleanor, B. emma, B. esther, B. eva, B. gail, B. hazel, B. jamie, B. joanne, B. jill, B. juanita, B. lauren, B. leslie, B. lynn, B. monica, B. pauline, B. pseudoarrowi, B. regina, B. sally, B. valerie, and B. veronica. Lectotypes are designated for B. argentinica (Weise), B. armandi (Mulsant), B. arrowi Brèthes, B. bahiensis Brethès, B. bilineata Weise, B. blandula Weise, B. bruchi Weise, B. loricata (Mulsant), B. octopustulata (F.), B. propria Kirsch.
Simulium (Trichodagmia) Enderlein, 1934 has an unstable classification system. The broader concept of the subgenus includes five species-groups resulting from an extensive history of synonymisations, often outside of a phylogenetic framework. This concept also ignores relationship hypotheses with the Afrotropical subgenera S. (Anasolen) Enderlein, 1930, S. (Freemanellum) Crosskey, 1969, S. (Xenosimulium) Crosskey, 1969, and the Oviedoi species-group, with several Neotropical species of S. (Trichodagmia). We performed a morphological phylogenetic analysis to test the monophyly of S. (Trichodagmia), its species-groups, and their relationship with the above-mentioned subgenera and Oviedoi species-group. We analysed a data matrix with 69 terminal taxa and 62 characters under parsimony implied weights, with a range of concavities (k1–100), finding three categories of k. Our analysis concludes that S. (Trichodagmia) is not monophyletic, since Oviedoi and the Afrotropical subgenera group with its species-groups Tarsatum and Orbitale. Therefore, we propose a new classification for S. (Trichodagmia) by restricting it to the Orbitale species-group, revalidating S. (Hearlea) Vargas et al., 1946, S. (Hemicnetha) Enderlein, 1934, S. (Obuchovia) Rubtsov, 1947 and S. (Shewellomyia) Peterson, 1975, synonymysing S. (Xenosimulium) with S. (Anasolen), and erecting a new subgenus, S. (Disculter) subgen. nov. for Oviedoi. The geographical distribution of the groups involved is discussed.
Selizitapia gen. nov. (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Flatidae) from tapia woodlands of Madagascar
(2021)
A new monotypic genus of flatid planthoppers (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Flatidae), Selizitapia gen. nov., is described for Selizitapia pennyi gen. et sp. nov. (type species) from the island of Madagascar. Habitus, male and female external and internal genital structures of the new species are illustrated and compared with similar taxa. Selizitapia pennyi gen. et sp. nov. is endemic to Madagascar where it is known to date only from one locality in the Central Plateau and is associated with tapia woodland formation.