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A new species of snail-eating snakes of the genus Pareas Wagler, 1830 is described from the eastern Himalayas. The species Pareas kaduri sp. nov. differs from all known species of the genus in bearing the following suite of characters: SVL 455–550 mm, TaL/TL 0.184–0.207, brown dorsum with black transverse bands throughout the body, 15 dorsal scale rows throughout the body and mid-dorsal vertebral scale rows enlarged, 8 rows keeled in males, loreal not touching orbit, ventrals 160–183, subcaudals 65–70 in males, 52 in one female specimen, hemipenis short, unilobed and 6–7 maxillary teeth. Molecular data for mitochondrial 16S rRNA and cytochrome b genes further attest the distinctness of the new species, which was recovered as a member of the Pareas hamptoni clade. Our work brings the total number of species recognized within the genus Pareas to 20.
The New Caledonian Archipelago is a hot spot for biodiversity and endemism. Whereas popular groups such as birds and plants are well-studied, invertebrate groups such as ostracods remain ill-known. Here, we re-describe Strandesia sanoamuangae Savatenalinton & Martens, 2010, originally described from Thailand (8000 km away from New Caledonia), and describe Strandesia mehesi sp. nov. Both species are known only from females. Material for the present study was collected from diverse aquatic non-marine habitats from Grande Terre, the main island of New Caledonia. Whereas S. sanoamuangae is seemingly easily identifiable, S. mehesi sp. nov. is part of the Strandesia vinceguerrae/vavrai species cluster in the genus, of which the 'older' species (described long ago) often have incomplete and superficial descriptions. Differentiation between the new species and the other members of this species cluster are based on small anatomical details of the valves. The current paper updates the known number of recent freshwater Ostracoda of New Caledonia from 14 to 16 species, although at least five of these species have an uncertain status.
A large, newly collected material of the genus Aquattuor from the Udzungwa Mts, Tanzania, has been studied. Two new species are described, viz., A. mollilobus sp. nov. from the Udzungwa Mts and A. nguruensis sp. nov. from the Nguru Mts, Tanzania. Aquattuor claudiahempae Enghoff & Frederiksen, 2015, is recorded as new for the Udzungwa fauna. Characters from the first pair of male legs are illustrated for all Aquattuor species and are shown to be useful for species discrimination. A new gonopodal difference between A. submajor Enghoff, 2015 and A. udzungwensis Enghoff, 2015 is described and illustrated. Intrageneric relationships and distribution patterns are discussed. A distribution map and a key to all Aquattuor species are presented.
A new cypridopsine genus, Cyprettadopsis gen. nov., described here, is principally characterized by the reduced caudal ramus, the strongly serrated claw G2 of the antenna (A2), the A2 subquadrate terminal segment, the undivided penultimate segment of the second thoracopod (T2), the morphology of the third thoracopod bearing a distinctly separated terminal segment, the complete septa on the posteroventral margin and the incomplete septa on the anterior margin of both valves. Based on a combination of these characters, a new tribe, Cyprettadopsini trib. nov., is created in the subfamily Cypridopsinae Kaufmann, 1900 to accommodate this new genus, and one new species, Cyprettadopsis sutura gen. et sp. nov., is described as the type species. Apart from the above generic characters, the following features are also typical of the new species: the tiny needlepoint-like pores along the anterior and ventral margins of both valves, the remarkably large β-seta on the mandibular palp and the considerably short d2 seta on the T2. The presence of marginal septa in the new genus is a distinctive character and constitutes the first record of this feature within Cypridopsinae. The taxonomically relevant characters in the new taxon and related taxa are briefly discussed.
Neogene (Siwalik-aged) deposits from India and Pakistan have yielded many vertebrate fossils, of which most were named during the 19th century, including numerous geoemydid turtles. In contrast to many other faunal components from the Siwaliks, geoemydids have not undergone taxonomic revision for more than a century and most fossils have therefore been believed to correspond to recent taxa. In this study, we conduct a taxonomic revision of all previously described geoemydid material from the Siwalik-age. We propose that all specimens of 'Clemmys' from the Siwaliks of Punjab, Pakistan should be identified as Melanochelys sivalensis comb. nov.; that Melanochelys tricarinata var. sivalensis represents a valid species, for which we propose the replacement name Melanochelys tapani to avoid homonymy; that specimens originally identified as Batagur cautleyi and Pangshura flaviventer cannot be identified beyond the generic level; and that many fragmentary palatochelydians cannot be identified to any particular species or genus due to the lack of preserved diagnostic osteological characters. With a few exceptions, the Siwalik fauna mostly corresponds in its distribution to that of the recent fauna, indicating a certain amount of geographic stasis. However, as the stratigraphic provenance of most material is poor, it is not possible to discern meaningful temporal patterns.
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.
Thirteen species of Echinoderes with nearly identical spine/tube patterns, and apparently similar tergal extensions were re-examined and compared. Based on this, redescriptions and/or emended species diagnoses are provided for Echinoderes aureus, E. dujardinii, E. gerardi, E. imperforatus, E. pacificus, E. pilosus, E. sensibilis, E. sublicarum and E. worthingi, and new details about cuticular structures are added for E. kozloffi and E. gizoensis. The new information derived from the redescriptions, and the subsequent comparative studies revealed that: 1) the holotype of Echinoderes lanceolatus is identical with the types of Echinoderes aureus, and E. lanceolatus is thus a junior synonym of E. aureus; other potentially synonymous species that should be addressed further in the future include: E. dujardinii + E. gerardi; E. imperforatus + E. sensibilis, and E. pacificus + E. sublicarum; 2) the paratypes of E. lanceolatus represented a different yet undescribed species, here described as E. songae Sørensen & Chang sp. nov.; 3) a comparison with literature information about E. ehlersi showed that the species is so insufficiently described that a redescription of topotype material is required before the species should be considered for taxonomic comparison; 4) specimens from the Andaman Islands, India, that previously have been reported as Echinoderes cf. ehlersi represent two different undescribed species, of which one is described as E. chandrasekharai Sørensen & Chatterjee sp. nov. and the other is left undescribed due to the limited material available; 5) out of a total of fifteen addressed species, it is proposed that eleven represent a putatively monophyletic group that is named the Echinoderes dujardinii group. The group includes following species: E. dujardinii, E. ehlersi, E. gerardi, E. imperforatus, E. kozloffi, E. sensibilis, E. pacificus, E. sublicarum, E. songae Sørensen & Chang sp. nov., E. chandrasekharai Sørensen & Chatterjee sp. nov., and Echinoderes sp. from the Andaman Islands, and is supported by a similar spine/tube pattern (except for variation regarding the presence of lateral accessory tubes on segment 8); generally short middorsal spines, especially on segments 4 to 6; glandular cell outlets type 1 always present in middorsal positions on segments 1 to 3, and in subdorsal positions on segments 4 to 9; glandular cell outlets type 2 always present in laterodorsal or midlateral positions on segment 8, and sometimes in same positions on segment 9 but never at any other segments or positions; female papillae always present on sternal plates of segments 7 and 8, and occasionally also on segment 6; tergal extensions well-spaced, triangular, gradually tapered cones, and pectinate fringes of sternal extensions are differentiated into seta-like tufts. The comparisons furthermore showed potential taxonomic significance of two echinoderid character traits that previously have been slightly neglected as diagnostic traits, namely the presence and appearance of female papillae, and the dorsal pattern of glandular cell outlets type 1. Female papillae may occur on the sternal plates of segments 6 to 8, but the positions may differ from ventrolateral to ventromedial, and the morphology of the intracuticular substructure also differ at species level. Information about position and morphology of female papillae proved helpful for species recognition, but it might also provide information of phylogenetic importance. Analyses of glandular cell outlet type 1 patterns on the dorsal sides of segments 1 to 9 in species of Echinoderidae, revealed several apparently unique or rare patterns, but also three distinct patterns that applied to larger groups of species. One pattern is the one present in all species of the E. dujardinii group, whereas the other two common patterns included 1) middorsal outlets on segments 1 to 3, and paradorsal outlets on segments 4 to 9 (found in 27 species), and 2) middorsal outlets on segments 1 to 3, 5 and 7, and paradorsal outlets on segments 4, 6 and 8 to 9 (found in 27 species).
Hemipogon s. str. (Apocynaceae: Asclepiadoideae) currently consists of three species sharing an erect herbaceous habit, narrow leaves and corona-less flowers with urceolate, internally bearded corolla, that are mainly distributed in savannahs of the Cerrado biodiversity hotspot, South America. Here, we describe and illustrate a new species of Hemipogon, H. trilobatus Bitencourt & Rapini sp. nov., from an open savannah in Chapada dos Veadeiros, Central Brazil. Hemipogon trilobatus sp. nov. differs from the other species of the genus mainly by the presence of a reduced staminal corona with 3-lobed lobes, but also by opposite leaves and triangular anthers. Distribution and habitat data, as well as a key and a comparative table to distinguish the four species currently accepted in Hemipogon s. str., are provided. Based on criteria B2ab(i,ii,iii,iv) of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the species is provisionally assessed as Critically Endangered.
Sweat bees in the subgenus Lasioglossum (Dialictus) are one of the most diverse and abundant bee taxa, and a critically important component of bee biodiversity. Yet, the most basic taxonomic knowledge of these bees is lacking in many regions. As a step towards a better understanding of the L. (Dialictus) of the western Nearctic region, a revision of the ‘red-tailed’ L. (Dialictus) species was completed. Thirty-six species were revised, 20 of which are described as new, and two names are treated as junior subjective synonyms. Descriptions, figures, distribution maps, floral hosts, and keys to species for females and males are provided. The following 20 species are described as new: Lasioglossum (Dialictus) arenisaltans sp. nov., L. (D.) argammon sp. nov., L. (D.) austerum sp. nov., L. (D.) cactorum sp. nov., L. (D.) cembrilacus sp. nov., L. (D.) clastipedion sp. nov., L. (D.) clavicorne sp. nov., L. (D.) decorum sp. nov., L. (D.) festinum sp. nov., L. (D.) imbriumbrae sp. nov., L. (D.) julipile sp. nov., L. (D.) lilianae sp. nov., L. (D.) meteorum sp. nov., L. (D.) miltolepoides sp. nov., L. (D.) minckleyi sp. nov., L. (D.) perditum sp. nov., L. (D.) rufornatum sp. nov., L. (D. ) spivakae sp. nov., L. (D.) tessellatosum sp. nov., and L. (D.) torrens sp. nov. Previously unknown males of L. (D.) clematisellum (Cockerell, 1904), L. (D.) droegei Gibbs, 2009, L. (D.) kunzei (Cockerell, 1898), and L. (D.) pallidellum (Ellis, 1914) are described and figured for the first time. Lasioglossum (Dialictus) clarissimum (Ellis, 1914) (= Halictus clarissimus Ellis, 1914) and L. (D.) perexiguum (Sandhouse, 1924) (= Halictus (Chloralictus) perexiguus Sandhouse, 1924) are new subjective junior synonyms of L. mesillense (Cockerell, 1898) (= Halictus nymphalis var. mesillensis Cockerell, 1898). A lectotype specimen is newly designated for L. mesillense, for which the location of the type material has not previously been known. The following five new records for Mexico are reported: L. clematisellum, L. droegei, L. eophilus (Ellis, 1914), L. kunzei, and L. pallidellum.
Features of the Maechidiini (Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae) genera Maechidius Macleay, 1819, Epholcis Waterhouse, 1875 and Paramaechidius Frey, 1969 are critically revised and a new synonymy is proposed: Maechidius = Epholcis syn. nov. = Paramaechidius syn. nov. A key to and an annotated checklist of Maechidiini from the Indo-Australian transition zone are presented for the first time. Thirty-five new species are described, namely Maechidius aiyura sp. nov., M. alesbezdeki sp. nov., M. awu sp. nov., M. babyrousa sp. nov., M. bintang sp. nov., M. boessnecki sp. nov., M. brocki sp. nov., M. caperatus sp. nov., M. ciliatus sp. nov., M. crypticus sp. nov., M. dani sp. nov., M. deltouri sp. nov., M. dendrolagus sp. nov., M. hamatus sp. nov., M. kazantsevi sp. nov., M. konjo sp. nov., M. lapsus sp. nov., M. legalovi sp. nov., M. leucopsar sp. nov., M. longipes sp. nov., M. mailu sp. nov., M. maleo sp. nov., M. merdeka sp. nov., M. miklouhomaclayi sp. nov., M. nepenthephilus sp. nov., M. owenstanleyi sp. nov., M. riedeli sp. nov., M. similis sp. nov., M. skalei sp. nov., M. sougb sp. nov., M. suwawa sp. nov., M. trivialis sp. nov., M. ursus sp. nov., M. weigeli sp. nov. and M. yamdena sp. nov. Six new synonyms are proposed: Maechidius Macleay, 1819 = Epholcis Waterhouse, 1875 syn. nov. = Paramaechidius Frey, 1969 syn. nov., Maechidius esau Heller, 1914 = M. setosus Moser, 1920 syn. nov. = M. setosellus Frey, 1969 syn. nov., Maechidius heterosquamosus Heller, 1910 comb. rest. = Paramaechidius clypeatus Frey, 1969 syn. nov. and Maechidius paupianus Heller, 1910 = M. arrowi Frey, 1969 syn. nov. The first records of Maechidiini from the Tanimbar Islands (Yamdena), Sangihe Islands (Sangir) and Lesser Sunda Islands (Bali) are documented, of which the latter two are the northern- and westernmost known records of Maechidius and of the tribe Maechidiini. Lectotypes are designated for 23 species. Fifteen new combinations are proposed and the original combination to Maechidius is restored for four species. Ecological data are presented for the first time for selected Papuan and Wallacean species. Type material of Wallacean and Papuan Maechidiini is depicted for the first time. A key to species is given. In total, 78 species of Maechidiini are confirmed for the Indo-Australian transition zone.
On eight species of the spider genus Synagelides Strand, 1906 from China (Araneae: Salticidae)
(2020)
Six new species of Synagelides Strand, 1906 are diagnosed and described: S. bohdanowiczi sp. nov. (♂♀), S. leigongensis sp. nov. (♂♀), S. logunovi sp. nov. (♂♀), S. subgambosus sp. nov. (♂♀), S. wuliangensis sp. nov. (♂♀) and S. xingdouensis sp. nov. (♂♀). The female of S. forkiforma Yang, Zhu & Song, 2007 and the male of S. longus Song & Chai, 1992 are described for the first time. Photos of the habitus and copulatory organs, as well as a distributional map, are provided.
We describe a new species of the genus Zhangixalus Li, Jiang, Ren & Jiang, 2019 from Ha Giang Province, Vietnam based on morphological and molecular data. In the molecular phylogenetic analyses, the new species is nested in the Zhangixalus duboisi (Ohler, Marquis, Swan & Grosjean, 2000) group, where it is sister to Z. duboisi with a genetic distance of 2.51%. The new species, Zhangixalus franki sp. nov., differs from its congeners by a combination of the following morphological characters: size large, SVL 77.9–85.8 mm in males; finger webbing formula I1-1II0-1III½-0IV; dorsal surface of head and body green with dark brown spots; ventral surface grey or dark grey, white stripe along edge of jaw, insertion of limbs, and along lateral ridges of fore and hind limbs and flank, separating upper green part from lower grey part. The new species occurs in evergreen montane tropical forests at an elevation of ca 1300 m a.s.l. The new discovery brings the total number of known species in the genus Zhangixalus to 38 and the species number reported from Vietnam to nine.
The current knowledge of the scorpionfly genus Dicerapanorpa Zhong & Hua, 2013 is taxonomically reviewed. Two new species of Dicerapanorpa are described and illustrated, increasing the species number of this genus to 20. Dicerapanorpa bifurcata sp. nov. from the Minshan Mountains, Sichuan Province, is characterized by the absence of the paramere basal branch and the elongated mesal branch in males, and the medigynium having a short basal stalk in females. Dicerapanorpa zhengkuni sp. nov. from the Wuling and Miaoling Mountains, Guizhou Province, is distinguishable by the greatly elongated hypovalves, the very short basal branch of the paramere, and the dorsomedially curved lateral branch in males, and the rounded main plate of the medigynium in females. An updated key to species of Dicerapanorpa is presented.
One individual referable to Calliopiidae G.O. Sars, 1893 was collected from a chemically reduced habitat, the hydrothermal vent systems in Okinawa Trough, and was identified as a new genus and species belonging to this family after a morphological examination. A formal description of this new species and a discussion of the relationship of the new genus within Calliopiidae are presented.
Sea pens (Cnidaria: Anthozoa: Pennatulacea) constitute a distinctive group of colonial marine invertebrates. They inhabit the world`s oceans, from shallow to deep waters. Studies about this group in Argentina are scarce, and no species have been described in the area in over a decade. Based on samples collected in Mar del Plata Submarine Canyon at about 3000 m deep we describe a new species of sea pen, Umbellula pomona Risaro, Williams & Lauretta sp. nov. This is a spiculate Umbellula that differs from other species of Umbellula with sclerites, by the number, development and distribution of the autozooids in its terminal cluster, as well as the shape of its axis. Molecular data also distinguishes it from other known species. Of the forty-three described species approximately ten are considered valid for the genus Umbellula, four of them are registered for the South Atlantic Ocean and only three are described for the Antarctic region. Since sampling efforts in this area have been scarce, the number of species of sea pens from the region is likely to increase substantially in the coming years.
Chaetopterus is a globally distributed genus of marine Annelida with a long history of taxonomic confusion. Here, we describe Chaetopterus bruneli sp. nov. from a depth of 350 m in the St. Lawrence Estuary, eastern Canada. The new species represents the northernmost record for Chaetopterus in the western Atlantic to date. The similar European species Chaetopterus norvegicus M. Sars, 1835 is resurrected from long-standing synonymy and redescribed from type material, and a lectotype is designated.
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 species of the Eumerus tricolor species group in Iran are reviewed. Six species new to science are described from Iran, i.e., Eumerus atricolorus Gilasian & van Steenis sp. nov., E. brevipilosus Gilasian & van Steenis sp. nov., E. chekabicus Gilasian & van Steenis sp. nov., E. ovoformus Gilasian & van Steenis sp. nov., E. pilosipedes Gilasian & van Steenis sp. nov. and E. vallicolus Gilasian & van Steenis sp. nov. Three species, E. hissaricus Stackelberg, 1949, E. longitarsis Peck, 1979 and E. richteri Stackelberg, 1960, are newly recorded from Iran. Photographs of the species as well as illustrations of the male genitalia of the new species and closely related species are provided. An identification key to the males of the Iranian Eumerus tricolor species group is presented. A row of long posterodorsal setae on the wing vein costa basally is presented and argued as a new diagnostic morphological character for the entire Eumerus tricolor species group.
A new millipede species of the genus Sechelleptus Mauriès, 1980 is described and illustrated from Mayotte Island, Indian Ocean. This new species, S. arborivagus sp. nov., found on trees, looks particularly similar to the sympatric S. variabilis VandenSpiegel & Golovatch, 2007, but is much larger and has a very different ecological behavior. Phylogenetic analyses based on a concatenated dataset of the COI and 16S rRNA genes and including nine species of Spirostreptidae (including Sechelleptus, Doratogonus Attems, 1914, Bicoxidens Attems, 1928 and Spirostreptus Brandt, 1833), strongly support the monophyly of Sechelleptus. Despite the similarity of their genitalia, the molecular analyses also reveal a clear-cut genetic divergence between S. arborivagus sp. nov. and S. variabilis (22.55% for COI and 6.63% for 16SrRNA) and further suggest the presence of a higher diversity within the genus Sechelleptus on Mayotte.
The Chinese fauna of the pselaphine genus Sathytes Westwood (Batrisitae: Batrisini) currently includes 20 species. In this paper, 15 new species from various provinces of the country are described: S. alpicola sp. nov. (Xizang), S. australis sp. nov. (Guangdong, Guangxi), S. chayuensis sp. nov. (Xizang), S. chengzhifeii sp. nov. (Yunnan), S. huapingensis sp. nov. (Guangxi), S. linzhiensis sp. nov. (Xizang), S. maoershanus sp. nov. (Guangxi), S. nujiangensis sp. nov. (Yunnan), S. panzhaohuii sp. nov. (Xizang), S. shennong sp. nov. (Hubei), S. tianquanus sp. nov. (Sichuan), S. transversus sp. nov. (Xizang), S. valentulus sp. nov. (Guangxi), S. xingdoumontis sp. nov. (Hubei) and S. xizangensis sp. nov. (Xizang). New collection records are provided for S. longitrabis Yin & Li, 2012, S. tangliangi Yin & Li, 2012 and S. yunnanicus Yin & Li, 2012. Maps showing the distribution of the genus in China, and an updated checklist of the world species are provided.