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Description of Hemicordulia tuiwawai sp. nov. from Kadavu Island, Fiji (Odonata: Corduliidae)
(2019)
Hemicordulia tuiwawai sp. nov. (Odonata: Corduliidae) is described and diagnosed based on material collected from Kadavu Island, Fiji; holotype: Wainitayuki River about 750 m above Baidamudamu village, -19.0916, 178.1038; 37 m a.s.l., 06 June 2016, M. Marinov leg. This species is distinguished from its congeners in the field by the contrasting colouration – dark green metallic body with bright yellow spots on the synthorax and base of the abdomen. This pattern is comparable to H. pacifica Selys, 1871. However, Hemicordulia tuiwawai sp. nov. can be recognised by the larger size and unique shape of the caudal appendages and genital hamule (in males) and vulvar scale (in females).
In this study we describe a new species of the click-beetle genus Lacon Laporte, 1838 from the relict Hyrcanian forest in northern Iran. Lacon mertliki sp. nov. is morphologically similar to L. lepidopterus (Panzer, 1801) but differs from the latter in the body coloration and pubescence, the shape of pronotum and scutellar shield, and male and female genitalia. We provide brief data on its ecology as well as an identification key to all Lacon species in Iran. Additionally, we synonymize Lacon nadaii Platia & Németh, 2011 with Lacon unicolor (Candèze, 1874).
Descriptions of a new genus, Giesberticus Wappes and Santos-Silva, and seven new species in the Rhinotragini (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Cerambycinae) are included: Oxylymma soniae Wappes and Santos-Silva, from Bolivia; O. surinamensis Wappes and Santos-Silva, from Suriname; O. birai Wappes and Santos-Silva, from Brazil; Paraeclipta albopilosa Wappes and Santos-Silva, from Bolivia; P. vandenberghei Wappes and Santos- Silva, from Nicaragua; Odontocera elllanocarti Wappes and Santos-Silva, from Panama; and Giesberticus longiventris Wappes and Santos-Silva, from Bolivia. In addition, the holotype of Oxylymma gibbicollis Bates, 1873 is figured for the first time, Odontocera argenteolineata Santos-Silva and Bezark, 2016 is newly recorded for Guatemala and the Bolivian record for Odontocera globicollis Zajciw (based on a misidentification), is excluded from the Bolivia fauna.
Descriptions of two new elateroid beetles (Coleoptera: Eucnemidae, Elateridae) from Burmese amber
(2019)
Two new elateroid taxa are described from amber deposits excavated from the northern region of Myanmar. Two genera, Cenomana gen. nov. (Coleoptera: Eucnemidae), and Cretopityobius gen. nov. (Coleoptera: Elateridae) are described for the first time from Burmese amber. The following new species are described: Cenomana clavata sp. nov. and Cretopityobius pankowskiorum sp. nov. Each new species is diagnosed and illustrated.
Petroleum products including crude oils and refined distillates are unique environmental pollutants consisting of thousands of compounds with varying physical-chemical properties and resulting toxicity for aquatic biota. Hence, for a reliable risk assessment individual petroleum product toxicity profiles are needed. Furthermore, the influence of oil spill response strategies like the application of chemical dispersants has to be implemented. The present study addressed the toxicity of water-accommodated fractions (WAFs) of two different oil types on fish early life stages on different biological organization levels in the laboratory model species Danio rerio. Experiments with a 3rd generation dispersant used in loading rated resembling the exposure in experiments with chemically dispersed oils were included, enabling a direct comparability of results. This approach is of high importance as especially the investigation of dispersant toxicity in relevant exposure concentrations is rather scarce. Zebrafish embryos were exposed to different WAFs shortly after and up to 120 hour post fertilization (hpf). Besides phenotypic effects including edema and spine deformations, reduced responses to dark stimuli, increased CYP1A activity and marginal AChE inhibition were observed in sublethal effect concentrations. Both oil types had varying strength of toxicity, which did not correlate with corresponding chemical analysis of target PAHs. Chemically dispersed oils induced stronger acute toxicity in zebrafish embryos compared to native (initial) oil exposure, which was further reflected by very low exposure concentrations for biomarker endpoints. Based on a comparison to the dispersant alone, a higher toxicity of dispersed oils was related to a combination of dispersant toxicity and an elevated crude oil compound bioavailability, due to dispersion-related partitioning kinetics. In contrast to LEWAF and CEWAF neither typical morphological effects nor mechanism-specific toxicity were observed for the dispersant alone, indicating narcosis as the responsible cause of effects.
Consistent individual differences in behaviour (animal personality) are widespread throughout the Animal Kingdom. This includes variation in risk-taking versus risk-averse behavioural tendencies. Variation in several personality dimensions is associated with distinct fitness consequences and thus, may become a target of natural and/or sexual selection. However, the link between animal personality and mate choice—as a major component of sexual selection—remains understudied. We asked (1) whether females and males of the livebearing fish Poecilia mexicana prefer risk-taking mating partners (directional mating preference), (2) or if their preferences are dependent on the choosing individual’s own personality type (assortative mating). We characterized each test subject for its risk-taking behaviour, assessed as the time to emerge from shelter and enter an unknown area. In dichotomous association preference tests, we offered two potential mating partners that differed in risk-taking behaviour but were matched for other phenotypic traits (body size, shape, and colouration). Females, but not males, exhibited a strong directional preference for risk-taking over risk-averse mating partners. At the same time, the strength of females’ preferences correlated positively with their own risk-taking scores. Our study is the first to demonstrate that a strong overall preference for risk-taking mating partners does not preclude effects of choosing individuals’ own personality type on (subtle) individual variation in mating preferences. More generally, two different preferences functions appear to interact to determine the outcome of individual mate choice decisions.
The genus Pleioplectron was first described by Hutton (1896) and included six New Zealand species. This genus has since had three species moved, one each to the genera Pachyrhamma Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1888, Miotopus Hutton, 1898 and Novoplectron Richards, 1958. Here we clarify the status and appearance of Pleioplectron simplex Hutton, 1896 (incl. P. pectinatum Hutton, 1896 syn. nov.) and P. hudsoni Hutton, 1896, as well as P. thomsoni (Chopard, 1923) comb. nov., which is transferred from the genus Weta Chopard, 1923. The genus Weta is newly synonymised with Pleioplectron. We also describe seven new species of Pleioplectron from South Island, New Zealand: P. auratum sp. nov., P. caudatum sp. nov, P. crystallae sp. nov., P. flavicorne sp. nov., P. gubernator sp. nov., P. rodmorrisi sp. nov and P. triquetrum sp. nov. We base these descriptions on morphology using fresh specimens of both male and female adults, and provide support for each with DNA sequence variation (mtDNA, partial COI).
The article presents new faunistic data on 33 Odonata species, based on the material collected by the author in 2012, 2016 and 2017 and a systematic research in 2018 throughout the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic (AR). Onychogomphus assimilis (Schneider, 1845) is a new record for the fauna of Azerbaijan. Eight species were registered for the first time for the territory of Nakhichevan AR: Lestes virens Rambur, 1842, Coenagrion scitulum (Rambur, 1842), Aeshna mixta Latreille, 1805, Anaciaeschna isoceles (Müller, 1764), Anax parthenope (Selys, 1839), Sympetrum sanguineum (Müller, 1764), Crocothemis erythraea (Brullé, 1832), and Selysiothemis nigra (Vander Linden, 1825).
During four field trips in Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan from 2010 to 2018, the author collected data of a total of 55 species (see Tab. 2 in Appendix). This study provides first insights into new or rare species in this ecoregion. Ischnura fountaineae and Cordulia aenea were found for the first time in Armenia. We also highlight the rediscovery of some species that were mentioned in the older literature but had not been confirmed since. An autochthonous population of Lestes macrostigma was discovered in Azerbaijan sixteen years after the single previous record by Dumont (2004). Original information is provided on the distribution of some rare species encountered in these countries. Finally, the identification of a puzzling Cordulegaster sp. observed in south Armenia is discussed briefly.
This paper describes a set of guidelines for the citation of zoological and botanical specimens in the European Journal of Taxonomy. The guidelines stipulate controlled vocabularies and precise formats for presenting the specimens examined within a taxonomic publication, which allow for the rich data associated with the primary research material to be harvested, distributed and interlinked online via international biodiversity data aggregators. Herein we explain how the EJT editorial standard was defined and how this initiative fits into the journal's project to semantically enhance its publications using the Plazi TaxPub DTD extension. By establishing a standardised format for the citation of taxonomic specimens, the journal intends to widen the distribution of and improve accessibility to the data it publishes. Authors who conform to these guidelines will benefit from higher visibility and new ways of visualising their work. In a wider context, we hope that other taxonomy journals will adopt this approach to their publications, adapting their working methods to enable domain-specific text mining to take place. If specimen data can be efficiently cited, harvested and linked to wider resources, we propose that there is also the potential to develop alternative metrics for assessing impact and productivity within the natural sciences.
In the present paper three empidoid fly species new to science are described from the island Sal of the Cabo Verde archipelago. Aphrosylus salensis sp. nov., a marine dolichopodid fly, is found in the splash zone of a rocky sea shore. Crossopalpus salensis sp. nov. (Hybotidae) is recorded from two different sebkhas. Crossopalpus complicatus sp. nov. is reported from an irrigated wasteland. A key to the species of these two genera occurring on Cape Verde is provided. The presence of the morphospecies Tachytrechus tessellatus (Macquart, 1842), a presumed Old World tropical species, is confirmed.
Systematic, faunistic and ecological aspects of the six families and 34 species and subspecies in the order Ephemeroptera currently recorded from Cuba are reviewed based primarily on a reference collection located at the Universidad de Oriente (Santiago de Cuba), collections at the Institute of Ecology and Systematics (Havana) and historic literature. A key to nymphs is included with photographs of significant features of many species. An annotated list of species is presented with comments on type localities, species ecology and distribution. The morpho- ecological types of the nymphs are updated according to current taxonomic changes, and indicator species of organic contamination are analyzed according to the BMWP-Cub index. Based on present data, mayflies are best collected between January and June although many species are present throughout the year, and almost half of the species are widely distributed. Possible routes of penetration from the continents toward Cuba are from South America through the arc of islands formed by the Lesser Antilles, from Central and South America through the peninsula of Yucatan, and via an ancient landspan or island chain from northern South America (GAARlandia). With one exception, there is no evidence for dispersal of species from North America (through Florida) to Cuba (and then to the Antilles) or vice versa. The pattern of geographical distribution of Ephemeroptera inside Cuba is very similar to that of the orders Trichoptera and Odonata. The greatest number of species is found in the Eastern region and the fewest in the Central and Central-East regions. The high endemism (76.5%) is probably due to geographical isolation and processes that bring about this phenomenon together with the low vagility that characterizes the order.
During the last decades mammalian intracranial structures like the ethmoidal region have rarely been a focus of morphological studies, as they required invasive techniques. Contrary, the ontogeny of the fetal nasal capsule could easily be investigated based on histological material. Since the early 21st century modern imaging techniques like high-resolution computed tomography (μCT) reveal non-destructive insights into the mammalian skull. Furthermore, visualization software enables the virtual reconstruction of the tissues and additionally their morphometric analyses. However, the use of morphometric approaches on the nasal cavity is still scarce. Moreover, the turbinal skeleton is generally regarded as a unit, or the rostral respiratory part is compared to the caudal olfactory part; but the distinct olfactory turbinals have been considered only in a few studies.
The present study focuses on the highly diverse facial shape of the dog (Canis lupus familiaris) that evolved during domestication. Due to human-controlled breeding and care the natural selective pressure in prehistoric dogs has been replaced continually by artificial selection. As a consequence, harmful mutations on gene loci which e.g., control facial length growth got fixed within an extremely short time. According to veterinarian studies the turbinals of short snouted breeds continue their growth after the elongation of the facial bones has stopped prematurely. However, such investigations are based on low-resolution CT or MRT data and the morphological descriptions are vague. Referring to the elongation of the face in dolichocephalic breeds no former study has dealt with the detailed morphology of their turbinal skeleton so far.
The current study is based on comparative anatomical, morphometric, morphofunctional, and ontogenetic patterns of the dog’s turbinal skeleton. The 32 macerated skulls and four histological serial sections represent eleven breeds which cover different snout lengths (brachycephalic, mesaticephalic, dolichocephalic; according to two length indices), functional groups (scent hound, sighthound, companion/toy), and breeding histories (ancient pure-breeding associated with an unchanged appearance, modern time fashion breeding). The nasal cavity of the selected skulls was μCT-scanned and virtual 3D models of the turbinal skeleton were reconstructed. The breeds have been compared with each other in their number of olfactory turbinals, in the morphology of all turbinals and the lamina semicircularis as well as in their morphometrics and ontogeny. Based on morphological and ontogenetic patterns a new terminology of the interturbinals was established. The morphometric data covers the measurement of the relative turbinal surface area (IAT) and the calculation of the surface density (SDEN) and the turbinal complexity (TC). For the latter parameter a new morphometric approach was developed. For the ontogenetic comparison histological serial sections of perinatal dog stages have been consulted. As the dog’s ancestor macerated skulls of three adult Eurasian wolves (Canis lupus lupus) function for outgroup comparison and represent the grundplan with which the breeds are compared.
The results support former studies concerning a species-specific number of the fronto- and ethmoturbinals: in the Eurasian wolf and all postnatal dogs under study three ethmoturbinals and three frontoturbinals are observed. Additionally, two types of interturbinals are distinguished, namely four prominent interturbinals which are present in nearly all individuals and show a homologous pattern, and a variable number of additional interturbinals which differ in their shape among the dogs. Generally, longer snouted breeds have more additional interturbinals, so the total number of olfactory turbinals is increased to a maximum of 16 in the borzoi, whereas several short snouted breeds have only nine olfactory turbinals due to the loss of additional interturbinals and one prominent interturbinal. Regarding ontogeny the growth of the respiratory and the olfactory turbinals and the lamina semicircularis is highly associated with the growth of the facial bones after birth. As the viscerocranium of brachycephalic breeds is subjected to a postnatal growth inhibition the ethmoidal region stops growing prematurely, too. The turbinals of both functional parts develop less accessory lamellae that results in the reduction of the three morphometric parameters IAT, SDEN, and TC. The increase of all these three parameters with increasing snout length proves a correlation between both variables in the maxilloturbinal, all olfactory turbinals, and the lamina semicircularis in the dog. With the help of the perinatal dog stages plesiomorphic patterns which are present in all adult specimens (e.g., separation of ethmoturbinal I into two laminae, the presence of the uncinate process) were distinguished from less established morphological traits which get preferably reduced in association with brachycephaly (e.g., the anterior process of the posterior lamina of ethmoturbinal I, the caudal processes of frontoturbinal 1 and 2 within the frontal sinus due to the latter’s reduction). Obviously, the driving mechanism behind these and further variations are mutations on gene loci which control ontogenetic processes: the in other studies already described postnatal growth inhibition in the dermal bones of the midface of brachycephalic breeds seems to have a similar effect on the ethmoidal region. The results of the present study serve as basis for the evaluation how far the bony turbinals’ morphology, morphometrics, and ontogeny might be associated with physiological, genetic, neurological, and phylogenetic patterns. Additionally, the growth patterns of the hard tissues need to be compared to those of the soft tissues (i.e. the nasal epithelium).
This study investigates the history of Odonata studies in the Republic of Vanuatu and presents results from a two week field sampling mainly on three islands – Efate, Aneityum and Malekula. A total of 32 species are recognised as currently valid names for the country. Three new species have been collected and will be described elsewhere. Various taxonomic, faunistic and biogeographic issues are discussed in the light of the new material collected during the current study in comparison to already published research.
The general conclusion is that provisional species checklist is far from complete. The territory of Vanuatu is still highly insufficiently studied for its Odonata fauna. The local endemic genus Vanuatubasis Ober & Staniczek, 2009 is believed to be far more diverse than currently known with three described and three new species collected during the present study.
Genomic sequencing and analysis of worldwide skipper butterfly (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae) fauna points to imperfections in their current classification. Some tribes, subtribes and genera as they are circumscribed today are not monophyletic. Rationalizing genomic results from the perspective of phenotypic characters suggests two new tribes, two new subtribes and 50 new genera that are named here: Ceratrichiini Grishin, trib. n., Gretnini Grishin, trib. n., Falgina Grishin, subtr. n., Apaustina Grishin, subtr. n., Flattoides Grishin, gen. n., Aurivittia Grishin, gen. n., Viuria Grishin, gen. n., Clytius Grishin, gen. n., Incisus Grishin, gen. n., Perus Grishin, gen. n., Livida Grishin, gen. n., Festivia Grishin, gen. n., Hoodus Grishin, gen. n., Anaxas Grishin, gen. n., Chiothion Grishin, gen. n., Crenda Grishin, gen. n., Santa Grishin, gen. n., Canesia Grishin, gen. n., Bralus Grishin, gen. n., Ladda Grishin, gen. n., Willema Grishin, gen. n., Argemma Grishin, gen. n., Nervia Grishin, gen. n., Dotta Grishin, gen. n., Lissia Grishin, gen. n., Xanthonymus Grishin, gen. n., Cerba Grishin, gen. n., Avestia Grishin, gen. n., Zetka Grishin, gen. n., Turmosa Grishin, gen. n., Mielkeus Grishin, gen. n., Coolus Grishin, gen. n., Daron Grishin, gen. n., Barrolla Grishin, gen. n., Brownus Grishin, gen. n., Tava Grishin, gen. n., Rigga Grishin, gen. n., Haza Grishin, gen. n., Dubia Grishin, gen. n., Pares Grishin, gen. n., Chitta Grishin, gen. n., Artonia Grishin, gen. n., Lurida Grishin, gen. n., Corra Grishin, gen. n., Fidius Grishin, gen. n., Veadda Grishin, gen. n., Tricrista Grishin, gen. n., Viridina Grishin, gen. n., Alychna Grishin, gen. n., Ralis Grishin, gen. n., Testia Grishin, gen. n., Buzella Grishin, gen. n., Vernia Grishin, gen. n., and Lon Grishin, gen. n. In addition, the following taxonomic changes are suggested. Prada Evans is transferred from Hesperiinae to Trapezitinae. Echelatus Godman and Salvin, Systaspes Weeks, and Oenides Mabille are removed from synonymy and are treated as valid genera. The following genera are new junior subjective synonyms: Tosta Evans of Eantis Boisduval; Turmada Evans of Neoxeniades Hayward, Arita Evans of Tigasis Godman, and Alera Mabille of Perichares Scudder. Eantis pallida (R. Felder) (not Achlyodes Hübner), Gindanes kelso (Evans) (not Onenses Godman and Salvin), Isoteinon abjecta (Snellen) (not Astictopterus C. and R. Felder), Neoxeniades ethoda (Hewitson) (not Xeniades Godman), Moeris anna (Mabille) (not Vidius Evans), and Molo pelta Evans (not Lychnuchus Hübner) are new genus-species combinations. The following are species-level taxa: Livida assecla (Mabille) (not a subspecies of Livida grandis (Mabille), formerly Pythonides Hübner) and Alychna zenus (E. Bell) (not a junior subjective synonym of Alychna exclamationis (Mabille), formerly Psoralis Mabille); and Barrolla molla E. Bell (formerly Vacerra Godman) is a junior subjective synonym of Barrolla barroni Evans (formerly Paratrytone Godman). All these changes to taxonomic status of names are propagated to all names currently treated as subspecies (for species), subgenera (for genera) and synonyms of these taxa. Finally, taxa not mentioned in this work are considered to remain at the ranks and in taxonomic groups they have been previously assigned to.
Five new species of the genus Drosophila Fallén, 1823 belonging to the tripunctata group are described and illustrated: D. warmi sp. nov., D. kurillakta sp. nov., D. chichu sp. nov., D. saraguru sp. nov. and D. ayauma sp. nov. from the forests of Podocarpus National Park. The first species is ascribed to subgroup II of Frota-Pessoa (1954), the second species to subgroup IV, and the last three species are not assigned to any subgroup. The flies were captured using plastic bottles containing pieces of yeast fermented banana.
Five new species in four new genera from Western Australia are described. All species have valve characters that are reminiscent of the genus Heterocypris Claus, 1892 and also have similar valve outlines, with highly arched valves. However, all species have a hemipenis morphology that is totally different from the typical form in Heterocypris. In Patcypris gen. nov. (with type species P. outback gen. et sp. nov.), the lateral lobe is large and shaped as a pickaxe, while the medial lobe is divided into two distal lobes. Trilocypris gen. nov. (with type species T. horwitzi gen. et sp. nov.) is characterised by a hemipenis that has three, instead of two, distal lobes. In Bilocypris gen. nov. (with type species B. fortescuensis gen. et sp. nov. and a second species, B. mandoraensis gen. et sp. nov.), the lateral lobe of the hemipenis is spatulate, rather than boot-shaped, and the medial lobe is bilobed. Billcypris gen. nov. (with type species B. davisae gen. et sp. nov.) has a large and sub-rectangular lateral lobe and a pointed medial lobe. We discuss the taxonomic value of the traditional and new morphological characters and speculate that the diversity of this cluster of genera and species may be greater than currently known.
Four new species of Brueelia Kéler, 1936 are described and illustrated. All of them parasitize African endemic host species in the families Passeridae, Ploceidae, and Estrildidae (Passeriformes). They are: Brueelia pofadderensis sp. nov. ex Passer melanurus damarensis Reichenow, 1902 and P. m. vicinus Clancey, 1958; B. semiscalaris sp. nov. ex Granatina granatina (Linnaeus, 1758); B. sima sp. nov. ex Malimbus nitens (Gray, 1831); B. terpsichore sp. nov. ex Euplectes jacksoni (Sharpe, 1891) and E. progne delamerei (Shelley, 1903). In addition, Brueelia bicurvata (Piaget, 1880) is redescribed and reillustrated from non-type material. A summary of all published records of lice in the Brueelia complex from Africa since 1980 is provided. We also estimate the unknown diversity of African species of Brueelia based on an index of host specificity calculated for each host family independently. The unknown diversity is estimated to be over 1000 species of Brueelia from African hosts, compared to the < 50 species in this genus currently recorded from Africa.
Although Gastrotricha have previously been recorded in bottom sediments of greenhouses as well as in micro-reservoirs of Bromeliaceae, palm houses provide a more specific microhabitat for these animals that often originate from different regions of the world. This paper presents an investigation of gastrotrich assemblages associated with aquatic plants. Eight species of the epiphytic chaetonotids were found in the Jubilee Greenhouse of the Botanical Garden in Kraków (Poland), including three species new to science, Chaetonotus (Chaetonotus) invitatus sp. nov., C. (Hystricochaetonotus) horridus sp. nov. and C. (H.) inaequabilis sp. nov. Two other species are new to Poland, C. (C.) paucisquamatus Kisielewski, 1991 and C. (Zonochaeta) cestacanthus Balsamo, 1990, both recorded here for the first time outside their terra typica. These observations confirm that greenhouses and palm houses provide many ecological niches and favourable conditions for the development of a number of unintentionally introduced species which cannot be found outside their original climate conditions.
A new monotypic genus of Iassinae Walker, 1870 tribe Hyalojassini Evans, 1972 is proposed based on Guaricicana borgesi gen. et sp. nov. from the states of Paraná and Rio de Janeiro, southern and southeastern Brazil, respectively. Detailed descriptions and illustrations of males and females are provided, as well as comparisons with the presumably more closely related genus, Daveyoungana Blocker & Webb, 1992.
The list of the species of Hoya R.Br. occurring on the Indonesian island of Sumatra is updated and the type citation is clarified. Sixteen taxa are added to the latest checklist. Hoya danumensis subsp. amarii S.Rahayu & Rodda subsp. nov., H. rigidifolia S.Rahayu & Rodda sp. nov., H. solokensis S.Rahayu & Rodda sp. nov., and H. sumatrana S.Rahayu & Rodda sp. nov. are newly described. Hoya parviflora Wight, H. parvifolia Schltr., and H. purpureofusca Hook. are lectotypified.
The success of social insects is largely intertwined with their highly advanced chemical communication system that facilitates recognition and discrimination of species and nest-mates, recruitment, and division of labor. Hydrocarbons, which cover the cuticle of insects, not only serve as waterproofing agents but also constitute a major component of this communication system. Two cryptic Crematogaster species, which share their nest with Camponotus ants, show striking diversity in their cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) profile. This mutualistic system therefore offers a great opportunity to study the genetic basis of CHC divergence between sister species. As a basis for further genome-wide studies high-quality genomes are needed. Here, we present the annotated draft genome for Crematogaster levior A. By combining the three most commonly used sequencing techniques—Illumina, PacBio, and Oxford Nanopore—we constructed a high-quality de novo ant genome. We show that even low coverage of long reads can add significantly to overall genome contiguity. Annotation of desaturase and elongase genes, which play a role in CHC biosynthesis revealed one of the largest repertoires in ants and a higher number of desaturases in general than in other Hymenoptera. This may provide a mechanistic explanation for the high diversity observed in C. levior CHC profiles.
Environmental niche modelling is an acclaimed method for estimating species’ present or future distributions. However, in marine environments the assembly of representative data from reliable and unbiased occurrences is challenging. Here, we aimed to model the environmental niche and distribution of marine, parasitic nematodes from the Pseudoterranova decipiens complex using the software Maxent. The distribution of these potentially zoonotic species is of interest, because they infect the muscle tissue of host species targeted by fisheries. To achieve the best possible model, we used two different approaches. The land distance (LD) model was based on abiotic data, whereas the definitive host distance (DHD) model included species-specific biotic data. To assess whether DHD is a suitable descriptor for Pseudoterranova spp., the niches of the parasites and their respective definitive hosts were analysed using ecospat. The performance of LD and DHD was compared based on the variables’ contribution to the model. The DHD-model clearly outperformed the LD-model. While the LD-model gave an estimate of the parasites’ niches, it only showed the potential distribution. The DHD-model produced an estimate of the species’ realised distribution and indicated that biotic variables can help to improve the modelling of data-poor, marine species.
Four earthworm species, the endogeic Octolasion tyrtaeum (Savigny, 1826), the anecic Lumbricus terrestris Linnaeus, 1758 as well as the epigeic Eisenia fetida (Savigny, 1826) and Dendrobaena veneta (Rosa, 1886), were examined for the presence of astome ciliates. Based on the integrative taxonomic approach, five ciliate species were recognized in their gastrointestinal tracts: Metaradiophrya lumbrici (Dujardin, 1841), M. varians (de Puytorac, 1954), Anoplophrya lumbrici (Schrank, 1803), A. vulgaris de Puytorac, 1954 and A. nodulata (Dujardin, 1841). Their distinctness was assessed using the multivariate morphometric approach and molecular phylogenetic analyses. Although the two species of Metaradiophrya Jankowski, 2007 on the one hand and the two former species of Anoplophrya Stein, 1860 on the other, were not distinctly separated by the multivariate morphometric analyses, they were clearly delimited by the 18S rRNA gene sequences. Species within each genus also differed by their hosts, M. lumbrici and A. lumbrici occurred only in anecic earthworms while M. varians and A. vulgaris occured exclusively in epigeic earthworms. Only a single species, A. nodulata, was detected in endogeic earthworms. It was morphologically distinct from and did not cluster with the two other species of Anoplophrya but was nested within the paraphyletic assemblage containing other astomes from endogeic earthworms. This indicates that the evolution of endosymbiotic ciliates from earthworms has very likely proceeded through a specialization to various ecological groups of their host organisms.
Morphological and allozyme analyses suggested the occurrence of a pseudocryptic species in the Lasioglossum villosulum (Kirby, 1802) species complex (Hymenoptera: Halictidae). We analysed the morphology of more than 1500 specimens and the DNA barcode fragment of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) of 102 specimens of this species complex from several Palaearctic countries. Our phylogenetic tree reconstructions, based on maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference revealed one clade corresponding to all specimens morphologically identified as Lasioglossum medinai (Vachal, 1895) and one divergent specimen morphologically identified as Lasioglossum berberum (Benoist, 1941). The other specimens, morphologically identified as L. villosulum, aggregated into at least three other lineages in our phylogenetic trees. The tree-based species delineations methods based on the Generalized Mixed Yule Coalescent (GMYC) model and the Bayesian Poisson Tree Process (bPTP) identified five to ten candidate species within the L. villosulum species complex, with L. medinai and L. berberum consistently recognized as separated from all other candidate species. Diagnostic morphological differences were found among L. medinai, L. berberum and the remaining specimens identified as L. villosulum. No diagnostic morphological differences were found to distinguish the different phylogenetic candidate species or lineages found within L. villosulum and L. medinai. Thus, both genetic and morphological approaches support the existence of L. medinai and L. berberum as distinct species from L. villosulum.
Korean encyrtids (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) associated with scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha)
(2019)
Scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha) are sap-sucking plant parasites and economically important pests on agricultural and horticultural crops. Scale insects are often difficult to control since their body is protected by a wax cover. Parasitic wasps that live and develop in scale insects are important natural enemies and effective biological control agents of pest scale insects. Chalcid wasps of the family Encyrtidae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) comprise the largest group of parasitoids of scale insects, followed by the family Aphelinidae. Here, an updated list of all thirty-six species of encyrtids in twenty-three genera that have been identified or reported from South Korea is provided, along with a dichotomous taxonomic key to separate them.
Sapodilla (Manilkara zapota (L.) van Royen) is originally from the Neotropics, and has become one of the most important tropical crops in the last few decades. The major producers include India, Mexico, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Venezuela and Guatemala. It is also a minor crop in the United States, specifically South Florida. In 2015, it was reported that Florida growers suffered a loss of up to 80% of their production due to lepidopteran pests. We surveyed two sapodilla orchards weekly in South Florida for about six months. We collected 1,070 lepidopteran individuals (i.e., larvae, pupae and adults) belonging to seven families, nine genera and ten species. Phidotricha erigens Ragonot (30%), Banisia argutula Whalley (22%) and Holcocera crassicornella Dietz (13%) were the most frequently collected species. The most abundant months were April, May and June. Florida has records for ten of the sixteen species of lepidopterans associated with sapodilla in the Americas, four of which are newly reported host records. We also recorded one new record on loquat (Eriobotrya japonica (Thunb.) Lindl.) and another new record on ficus (Ficus sp.). Finally, we found a negative relationship between climate variables and the abundance of Lepidoptera species.
Twenty-two samples of Leptoclinides Bjerkan, 1905 collected along the Brazilian coast between 1998 and 2017 were examined. Herein we describe two new species (Leptoclinides coronatus sp. nov. and Leptoclinides lotufoi sp. nov.). We also extend the distribution of L. latus F. Monniot, 1983 and report that, for the first time, L. torosus F. Monniot, 1983 was found outside its type locality.
Web spiders connect silk proteins, so-called spidroins, into fibers of extraordinary toughness. The spidroin N-terminal domain (NTD) plays a pivotal role in this process: it polymerizes spidroins through a complex mechanism of dimerization. Here we analyze sequences of spidroin NTDs and find an unusually high content of the amino acid methionine. We simultaneously mutate all methionines present in the hydrophobic core of a spidroin NTD from a nursery web spider’s dragline silk to leucine. The mutated NTD is strongly stabilized and folds at the theoretical speed limit. The structure of the mutant is preserved, yet its ability to dimerize is substantially impaired. We find that side chains of core methionines serve to mobilize the fold, which can thereby access various conformations and adapt the association interface for tight binding. Methionine in a hydrophobic core equips a protein with the capacity to dynamically change shape and thus to optimize its function.
Micro-computed tomography for natural history specimens: a handbook of best practice protocols
(2019)
Micro-computed tomography (micro-CT or microtomography) is a non-destructive imaging technique using X-rays which allows the digitisation of an object in three dimensions. The ability of micro-CT imaging to visualise both internal and external features of an object, without destroying the specimen, makes the technique ideal for the digitisation of valuable natural history collections. This handbook serves as a comprehensive guide to laboratory micro-CT imaging of different types of natural history specimens, including zoological, botanical, palaeontological and geological samples. The basic principles of the micro-CT technology are presented, as well as protocols, tips and tricks and use cases for each type of natural history specimen. Finally, data management protocols and a comprehensive list of institutions with micro-CT facilities, micro-CT manufacturers and relative software are included.
Wolves (Canis lupus) are currently showing a remarkable comeback in the highly frag-mented cultural landscapes of Germany. We here show that wolf numbers increasedexponentially between 2000 and 2015 with an annual increase of about 36%. Wedemonstrate that the first territories in each newly colonized region were establishedover long distances from the nearest known reproducing pack on active militarytraining areas (MTAs). We show that MTAs, rather than protected areas, served asstepping-stones for the recolonization of Germany facilitating subsequent spreadingof wolf territories in the surrounding landscape. We did not find any significant differ-ence between MTAs and protected areas with regard to habitat. One possible reasonfor the importance of MTAs may be their lower anthropogenic mortality rates com-pared to protected and other areas. To our knowledge, this is the first documented casewhere MTAs facilitate the recolonization of an endangered species across large areas.
Flesh flies (Sarcophagidae) are necrophagous insects initially colonizing on a corpse. The species-specific developmental data of the flies collected from a death scene can be used to estimate the minimum postmortem interval (PMImin). Thus, the first crucial step is to correctly identify the fly species. Because of the high similarity among species of flesh flies, DNA-based identification is considered more favorable than morphology-based identification. In this study, we demonstrated the effectiveness of combined sequences (2216 to 2218 bp) of cytochrome c oxidase subunit I and II genes (COI and COII) for identification of the following 14 forensically important flesh fly species in Thailand: Boettcherisca nathani Lopes, Fengia ostindicae (Senior-White), Harpagophalla kempi (Senior-White), Liopygia ruficornis (Fabricius), Lioproctia pattoni (Senior-White), Lioproctia saprianovae (Pape & Bänziger), Parasarcophaga albiceps (Meigen), Parasarcophaga brevicornis (Ho), Parasarcophaga dux (Thomson), Parasarcophaga misera (Walker), Sarcorohdendorfia antilope (Böttcher), Sarcorohdendorfia inextricata (Walker), Sarcorohdendorfia seniorwhitei (Ho) and Seniorwhitea princeps (Wiedemann). Nucleotide variations of Thai flesh flies were evenly distributed throughout the COI-COII genes. Mean intra- and interspecific variations ranged from 0.00 to 0.96% and 5.22% to 12.31%, respectively. Using Best Match (BM) and Best Close Match (BCM) criteria, identification success for the combined genes was 100%, while the All Species Barcodes (ASB) criterion showed 76.74% success. Maximum Likelihood (ML) and Bayesian Inference (BI) phylogenetic analyses yielded similar tree topologies of monophyletic clades between species with very strong support values. The achieved sequences covering 14 forensically important flesh fly species including newly submitted sequences for B. nathani, F. ostindicae and S. seniorwhitei, can serve as a reliable reference database for further forensic entomological research in Thailand and in other areas where those species occur.
Background: The invasive temperate mosquito Aedes japonicus japonicus is a potential vector for various infectious diseases and therefore a target of vector control measures. Even though established in Germany, it is unclear whether the species has already reached its full distribution potential. The possible range of the species, its annual population dynamics, the success of vector control measures and future expansions due to climate change still remain poorly understood. While numerous studies on occurrence have been conducted, they used mainly presence data from relatively few locations. In contrast, we used experimental life history data to model the dynamics of a continuous stage-structured population to infer potential seasonal densities and ask whether stable populations are likely to establish over a period of more than one year. In addition, we used climate change models to infer future ranges. Finally, we evaluated the effectiveness of various stage-specific vector control measures.
Results: Aedes j. japonicus has already established stable populations in the southwest and west of Germany. Our models predict a spread of Ae. j. japonicus beyond the currently observed range, but likely not much further eastwards under current climatic conditions. Climate change models, however, will expand this range substantially and higher annual densities can be expected. Applying vector control measures to oviposition, survival of eggs, larvae or adults showed that application of adulticides for 30 days between late spring and early autumn, while ambient temperatures are above 9 °C, can reduce population density by 75%. Continuous application of larvicide showed similar results in population reduction. Most importantly, we showed that with the consequent application of a mixed strategy, it should be possible to significantly reduce or even extinguish existing populations with reasonable effort.
Conclusion: Our study provides valuable insights into the mechanisms concerning the establishment of stable populations in invasive species. In order to minimise the hazard to public health, we recommend vector control measures to be applied in ‘high risk areas’ which are predicted to allow establishment of stable populations to establish.
Small usually beautifully coloured mussels from the Kattegat were to date identified as Modiolus adriaticus (Lamarck, 1819) since C.G.Johs. Petersen’s account of the shell-bearing molluscs was published in 1888. However, these mussels from Danish and Swedish waters represent a very distinct new species which also is endemic. The present paper serves to describe this new species, Modiolus cimbricus sp. nov., which belongs to the genus Modiolus Lamarck, 1799. The genus Gibbomodiola Sacco, 1898, to which Modiolus adriaticus has been moved, is here synonymized with Modiolus Lamarck, 1799.
Due to the possession of huge contort strongyles, and a lack of triaenes in an otherwise 'astrophorine' spicule complement, the phylogenetic position of the endemic, monospecific New Zealand sponge genus, Lamellomorpha Bergquist, 1968, has remained enigmatic. The genus was established within Jaspidae de Laubenfels, 1968 (in the abandoned order Epipolasida Sollas, 1888), but it was not until 2002 that the genus was transferred formally to Astrophorina Sollas, 1887, albeit incertae sedis, by Hooper & Maldonado (2002). In this study, we recognise specimens of Lamellomorpha from the Subantarctic New Zealand region and Chatham Rise, considered by Bergquist to be conspecific with the type species, L. strongylata Bergquist, 1968, first described from the Three Kings-Spirits Bay region of Northland, as the new species, L. australis Kelly & Cárdenas sp. nov. These two species of Lamellomorpha have differences in external morphology and colour, skeletal architecture and spicules, natural products, geographical distribution, and depth ranges. Sequencing of the COI Folmer barcode/mini-barcode and of 28S (C1–C2 domains) of these two species suggests phylogenetic affinities of Lamellomorpha with the tetractinellid suborder Astrophorina and the family Vulcanellidae Cárdenas et al., 2011. Two Subantarctic New Zealand species of the vulcanellid genus Poecillastra Sollas, 1888, P. ducitriaena Kelly & Cárdenas sp. nov. and P. macquariensis Kelly & Cárdenas sp. nov., provide further support for the close relationship of Lamellomorpha and Poecillastra.
Necropsies of Baltic grey (Halichoerus grypus) and ringed seals (Pusa hispida) presented a rare opportunity to study their acanthocephalan fauna. Both species hosted adults of three species of the genus Corynosoma Lühe, 1904, namely C. magdaleni Montreuil, 1958, C. semerme (Forsell, 1904) Lühe 1911 and C. strumosum (Rudolphi, 1802) Lühe 1904. A comparative morphological analysis of these three species of Corynosoma, combining both light and scanning electron microscopy, was performed for the first time. Sexual dimorphism in the size and shape of the trunk was observed in both C. magdaleni and C. semerme, but there was insufficient material to investigate this phenomenon in C. strumosum. Genital spines were not observed in any of the female acanthocephalans. Three possible explanations for the presence of genital spines in some females, but not others are (i) cryptic speciation, (ii) phenotypic variation and (iii) loss by extraction or shearing when the copulatory cap is released. Copulatory caps were observed on female C. semerme. The size and morphology showed considerable variability and all caps were strongly autofluoresecent.
Aronia Medik. (chokeberry, Rosaceae) is a genus of woody shrubs with two or three North American species. Species boundaries and relationships between species of Aronia are frequently under question. The only European species in the genus, A. mitschurinii A.K.Skvortsov & Maitul., is suggested to be an inter-generic hybrid. In order to clarify the relationships between species of Aronia, we performed several morphometric and molecular analyses and found that the molecular and morphological diversity within data on American Aronia is low, and species boundaries are mostly not clearly expressed. Whereas morphology is able to separate American species from A. mitschurinii, there is no support for such discrimination from the molecular data; our analyses did not reveal evidence of A. mitschurinii hybrid origin. We believe that higher-resolution markers are needed to resolve species boundaries and putative hybridization events.
Mapping biodiversity is the marathon of the 21st Century as an answer to the present extinction crisis. A century in which science is also characterised by large scientific datasets collected through new technologies aiming to fill gaps in our knowledge of species distributions. However, most species records rely on observations that are not linked to specimens, which does not allow verification of species hypotheses by other scientists. Natural history museums form a verifiable source of biodiversity records which were made by taxonomists. Nonetheless, these museums seem to be forgotten by biologists in scientific fields other than taxonomy or systematics. Naturalis Biodiversity Center (NBC) in Leiden is care keeper of large collections of marine organisms, which were sampled in the Northeast Atlantic during the CANCAP and Tyro Mauritania II expeditions (1976–1988). Many octocorals were sampled and deposited in the NBC collection, where they became available for study and were partially identified by the senior author (M.G.) in the 1980s. Nonetheless, no checklist or taxonomic revision was published so far with the complete results. In 2016 the first author visited NBC to examine NE Atlantic Plexauridae octocorals. Plexauridae octocoral-vouchered records were listed and mapped to reveal high standard primary biodiversity records unreported so far for the NE Atlantic Ocean. Twenty-four Plexauridae species with ~ six putative new species to science were discovered and eleven new biogeographical records were made from distinct Macaronesian archipelagos. Finally, new depth range records were found for three species at sea basin level and for eight species at a regional scale.
The status of the taxon Ceratochodaeus Huchet, 2017 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea), initially described as a subgenus of Nothochodaeus Nikolajev, 2005, is reconsidered and raised to generic level. New information on the distribution of Ceratochodaeus eliotti (Huchet, 2014), new combination, in the Philippine archipelago is provided. Ceratochodaeus darlingi Huchet, a new species from Negros island, Central Visayas (region VII), is described and illustrated.
The sponge genus Latrunculia is a prolific source of discorhabdin type pyrroloiminoquinone alkaloids. In the continuation of our research interest into this genus, we studied the Antarctic deep-sea sponge Latrunculia biformis that showed potent in vitro anticancer activity. A targeted isolation process guided by bioactivity and molecular networking-based metabolomics yielded three known discorhabdins, (−)-discorhabdin L (1), (+)-discorhabdin A (2), (+)-discorhabdin Q (3), and three new discorhabdin analogs (−)-2-bromo-discorhabdin D (4), (−)-1-acetyl-discorhabdin L (5), and (+)-1-octacosatrienoyl-discorhabdin L (6) from the MeOH-soluble portion of the organic extract. The chemical structures of 1–6 were elucidated by extensive NMR, HR-ESIMS, FT-IR, [α]D, and ECD (Electronic Circular Dichroism) spectroscopy analyses. Compounds 1, 5, and 6 showed promising anticancer activity with IC50 values of 0.94, 2.71, and 34.0 µM, respectively. Compounds 1–6 and the enantiomer of 1 ((+)-discorhabdin L, 1e) were docked to the active sites of two anticancer targets, topoisomerase I-II and indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO1), to reveal, for the first time, the binding potential of discorhabdins to these proteins. Compounds 5 and 6 are the first discorhabdin analogs with an ester function at C-1 and 6 is the first discorhabdin bearing a long-chain fatty acid at this position. This study confirms Latrunculia sponges to be excellent sources of chemically diverse discorhabdin alkaloids.
A biological inventory focused on plant-caterpillar-parasitoid associations at Yanayacu Biological Station, Ecuador, yielded 81 adult specimens of Tortricidae (Lepidoptera: Tortricoidea) representing 42 species in 13 genera. Based on this material, new host records are presented for species in the following genera: Lypothora Razowski, 1981; Inape Razowski, 1988; Orthocomotis Dognin, 1905; Paraptila Meyrick, 1912; Runtunia Razowski and Wojtusiak, 2008; Transtillaspis Razowski, 1987; Xoser Razowski and Pelz, 2003; Argyrotaenia Stephens, 1852; Anacrusis Zeller, 1877; Sisurcana Powell, 1986; Amorbia Clemens, 1860; Paramorbia Powell and Lambert, 1986; and Episimus Walsingham, 1892. Tortricids were reared from 46 plant species representing 24 plant families, with Piperaceae, Melastomataceae, and Asteraceae supporting the most tortricid herbivores (six species each).
Three new species of Thinophilus Wahlberg, 1844 are described from marine sites on the Andaman Sea coasts in peninsular Thailand: T. inaequalis Samoh & Grootaert sp. nov. belonging to the 'Thinophilus simplex-group' sensu Grootaert, 2018, T. plektron Samoh & Grootaert sp. nov., an unplaced species characterised by a long flattened apical spur on the hind tibia, and T. subapicalis Samoh & Grootaert sp. nov. belonging to the 'Thinophilus spinatus-group' sensu Grootaert, 2018. New records are given for following species occurring in peninsular Thailand: T. apicatus Grootaert, 2018, T. chaetulosus Grootaert, 2018, T. clavatus Zhu, Yang & Masunaga, 2006, T. evenhuisi Grootaert, 2018, T. lenachanae Grootaert, 2018, T. longicilia Evenhuis & Grootaert, 2002, T. nigrilineatus Grootaert, 2018, T. simplex Grootaert, 2018, T. superbus Grootaert, 2018, and T. yeoi Grootaert, 2018.
This paper is based on three collections of Ptiliidae from Sarawak totalling more than 2000 specimens made by staff and affiliates of the Natural History Museum, London, between March–July 1978. One new genus Niptella gen. nov with its type species Niptella gutta gen. et sp. nov. and 24 new species are described and figured: Sindosium collinsi sp. nov., Bambara hammondi sp. nov., Bambara subtortuosa sp. nov., Bambara tortuosa sp. nov., Erro brookei sp. nov., Cissidium globulum sp. nov., Cissidium longum sp. nov., Cissidium marshallae sp. nov., Cissidium pauxillum sp. nov., Cissidium subfoveolatum sp. nov., Cissidium triangulum sp. nov., Discheramocephalus nigritus sp. nov., Kuschelidium sarawakense sp. nov., Ptinella alisonae sp. nov., Acrotrichis acuta sp. nov., Acrotrichis belli sp. nov., Acrotrichis bidens sp. nov., Acrotrichis geiseri sp. nov., Acrotrichis globosa sp. nov., Acrotrichis hanskii sp. nov., Acrotrichis muluensis sp. nov., Acrotrichis plaga sp. nov., Storicricha resticula sp. nov., Storicricha umbella sp. nov. New records and information are provided for Dipentium latum Darby, 2019; Ptiliola semitaria Darby, 2018; Baeocrara minima Darby, 2019; Acrotrichis agricola Darby, 2019; Acrotrichis britteni Johnson, 1969; Acrotrichis bubalis Darby, 2019; Acrotrichis cognata (Matthews, 1877) and Acrotrichis cursitans (Nietner, 1856).
New species and records of Sericini from the Indian subcontinent (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae) II
(2019)
The current paper presents new locality records, including first state records for Mizoram and Nagaland, of 50 species of Sericini (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae) from the Indian subcontinent. Nine new species are described herein: Maladera naveeni sp. nov., M. sujitrae sp. nov., M. thirthahalliensis sp. nov., M. viraktamathi sp. nov., Neoserica (s. lat.) reuteri sp. nov., Oxyserica goertzae sp. nov., Selaserica hosanagarana sp. nov., Serica (s. str.) eberlei sp. nov. and S. (s. str.) tashigaonensis sp. nov.
Seven new species of Cacostola Fairmaire and Germain, 1859 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae: Onciderini) are described: C. plotkini Wappes and Santos-Silva from Costa Rica; C. galenae Wappes and Santos- Silva from Panama; C. opitzi Wappes and Santos-Silva from Bolivia; C. howdenae Wappes and Santos-Silva from Guatemala; C. thomasorum Wappes and Santos-Silva from Brazil; C. nearnsi Wappes and Santos-Silva from Bolivia and Panama; and C. rothschildi Wappes and Santos-Silva from Argentina and Brazil. Notes on C. simplex (Pascoe, 1859), and C. mexicana (Breuning, 1943) are also included.
New species and taxonomical notes in Gorybia Pascoe, 1866 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Cerambycinae)
(2019)
Three new Gorybia Pascoe, 1866 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Cerambycinae: Piezocerini), species from Bolivia are described: G. martinsi Wappes, Botero and Santos-Silva new species; G. galileoae Wappes, Botero and Santos-Silva, new species; and G. clarkeorum Wappes, Botero and Santos-Silva, new species. In addition, G. bispinosa Martins, Galileo and Limeira-de-Oliveira, 2009 is proposed as a synonym of G. castanea (Gounelle, 1909) and G. maculosa Martins, 1976 as a synonym of G. apatheia Martins, 1976.
This paper provides descriptions of two new species of Calcigorgia gorgonians collected from the Sea of Okhotsk between 1973 and 2008. The new species are Calcigorgia herba sp. nov. and С. lukini sp. nov., belonging to the deep-water coral fauna of the temperate Northern Pacific. The taxonomy structure of the genus is reviewed and a comparative table is provided for all known species of Calcigorgia. The following taxonomic changes are made: the diagnosis of the genus was corrected from that given in Matsumoto et al. (2019); synonymization of C. simushiri Dautova, 2018 with C. spiculifera Broch, 1935 and inclusion of additional specimens in C. japonica Dautova, 2007 (both performed by Matsumoto et al. 2019) are assumed erroneous. The finding of previously undescribed species emphasizes the need for further surveys, particularly in deeper waters, to improve knowledge of the Octocorallia fauna in Far East seas. The distribution of Calcigorgia (Octocorallia, Acanthogorgiidae) is reviewed and presented based on field and collection studies published since 1935 as well as miscellaneous data from previous literature.
Three new species of Ochodaeus Dejean (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea: Ochodaeidae) from Madagascar are described that have a strongly granulate pronotum and, unlike all previously described species from the country, possess a clypeal tubercle or minute horn: O. meridialis, O. umbonulus, and O. iniquipes. An update to the key to the species of Ochodaeus from Madagascar is provided.
Two new species of Mexican Clytini (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Cerambycinae) are described: Trichoxys giesberti Botero, Santos-Silva and Wappes (also added to a recent key) and Megacyllene giesberti Botero, Santos-Silva and Wappes. The geographical distribution of Megacyllene melanaspis (Chevrolat, 1862) is expanded to include Bolivia, new country record, and compared to the similar and sympatric Megacyllene proxima (Laporte and Gory, 1841); Megacyllene asteca (Chevrolat, 1860) is proposed as a new combination for the previous Plagionotus asteca, and Amyipunga armaticollis (Zajciw, 1964) is redescribed to correct previous errors regarding it in the literature. Additionally, characters to help separate it from the similar species Amyipunga moritzii (Thomson, 1861) are provided.
Coniopteryx tineiformis Curtis (Neuroptera: Coniopterygidae) is reported from Pennsylvania for the first time, a new state record. The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture’s collection holdings were reviewed and four specimens from two counties were found. These records fill in a gap in this species’ reported range, despite no records of it from adjacent states.
New tribes, overview and checklist of Neotropical Cladonotinae (Orthoptera: Caelifera: Tetrigidae)
(2019)
The Cladonotinae (Orthoptera: Caelifera: Tetrigidae) are a peculiar tetrigid taxon characterized by a relatively widened fascial carina on the frontal costa. This group currently has a doubtful taxonomic status since this is the only character shared by its members. Here, we provide an overview of the Cladonotinae reported from the Neotropical region (29 species, three of them fossils), based on the morphological examination of the specimens housed at several museums. We show that Neotropical Cladonotinae share more characteristics, which strengthen its taxonomic status, and propose two new tribes: Choriphyllini n. trib. and Mucrotettigini n. trib. We propose the new combination Cota undulata (Cadena-Castañeda and Cardona-Granda, 2015) n. comb. (from Metrodora undulata Cadena-Castañeda and Cardona, 2015). We also propose splitting the genus Dasyleurotettix Rehn, 1904 by revalidating the status of one of its junior synonyms, Liotettix Bolívar, 1906, and creating the combinations Liotettix affinis Bruner, 1920 n. comb. (from Dasyleurotettix affinis (Bruner, 1920)), L. lobulatus Stål, 1861, rev. comb. and L. miserabilis Blanchard, 1851, rev. comb. We then transfer both Liotettix and Dasyleurotettix out of Cladonotinae, with the former going to subfamily Tetriginae and the latter going to tribe Criotettigini (Tetrigidae: Scelimeninae). Additionally, we provide a taxonomic key for Neotropical Cladonotinae genera.
Nomenclatural and taxonomic changes are proposed for American Apomecynini (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae). New synonymies: Parmenonta valida Thomson, 1868, type species of Parmenonta Thomson, 1868, is transferred to Adetus LeConte, 1852, making obligatory the synonymy of Parmenonta with Adetus; Adetus cylindricus Bates, 1866 = A. inaequalis (Thomson, 1868); Adetus leucostigma Bates, 1880 = Adetus binotatus (Thomson, 1868); Adetus tuberosus Galileo and Martins, 2003 = Typophaula melancholica Thomson, 1868; Adetus latericius Belon, 1902, and Adetus irregularis (Breuning, 1939) = Adetus nanus (Fairmaire and Germain, 1859). New records: Adetus binotatus for Chiapas, Guerrero, Tamaulipas, and Quintana Roo (Mexico), new state records; A. inaequalis for Amapá (Brazil), new state record; A. punctatus for Brazil (Rondônia), and Suriname, new country records; Adetus bacillarius Bates, 1885 for Mexico, new country record, and Brazil, new country record; Adetus insularis Breuning, 1940 for Mexico, new country record; Adetus nanus, for Brazil (Pará), new state record, Colombia and Venezuela, new country records. Adetus validus (Thomson, 1868) comb. nov. (from Parmenonta Thomson, 1868). New genera and new species: Adetus x-fasciatus Santos-Silva, Nascimento and Wappes, from Paraguay and Argentina; Adetus monteverdensis Santos-Silva, Nascimento and Wappes, from Costa Rica; Adetus pseudobacillarius Santos-Silva, Nascimento and Wappes, from Costa Rica; Adetus clinei Santos- Silva, Nascimento and Wappes, from Bolivia; Adetaptera Santos-Silva, Nascimento and Wappes, new genus, with A. albisetosus (Bates, 1880) comb. nov. designated as type species; Adetaptera schaffneri Santos-Silva, Nascimento and Wappes, from Mexico; Morrisia Santos-Silva, Nascimento and Wappes, new genus, for M. squamosa (Chemsak and Noguera, 1995) comb. nov., transferred from Adetus LeConte, 1852 and designated as type species, and M. pulchra Santos-Silva, Nascimento and Wappes, from Mexico; Skillmania Santos-Silva, Nascimento and Wappes, new genus, with S. obrienorum Santos-Silva, Nascimento and Wappes comb. nov., from Mexico, designated as type species. New combinations: The following 15 species are transferred from Parmenonta to Adetaptera: A. albosticta (Galileo and Martins, 2003), A. chapadensis (Martins and Galileo, 1999), A. fulvosticta (Bates, 1885), A. insularis (Fisher, 1930), A. laevepunctata (Breuning, 1940), A. lenticula (Galileo and Martins, 2006), A. maculata (Martins and Galileo, 1999), A. minor (Bates, 1880), A. ovatula (Bates, 1880), A. parallela (Lameere, 1893), A. punctigera (Germar, 1823), A. strandiella (Breuning, 1940), A. thomasi (Linsley and Chemsak, 1985), A. wickhami (Schaeffer, 1908), and A. dominicana (Galileo and Martins, 2004).
A survey of the parasitoids associated with Acanthococcus lagerstroemiae (Kuwana) (Hemiptera: Eriococcidae) in the Republic of Korea in 2014 resulted in the documentation of one species of Aphelinidae, Marietta picta (Andre), and two species of Encyrtidae, Metaphycus eriococci (Timberlake) and Zaomma eriococci (Ferrière). Of these, M. eriococci and Z. eriococci are newly recorded from Korea. In addition, one species of encyrtid is newly recognized as a parasitoid associated with A. lagerstroemiae from Korea. In this paper, the list of parasitoid species of A. lagerstroemiae that occur in Korea is updated and a brief diagnosis and photographs of these species are provided.
The host plant and life history observations of Plesioclytus morrisi Wappes and Skelley and Plesioclytus relictus Giesbert (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Plesioclytini) are described for the first time. The host for both species is shown to be Polygonum polygamum Vent. (Polygonaceae). Observations also indicate that plants chosen for oviposition occur in open sand areas of scrub habitat.
Host plants of Romulus globosus Knull (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) are described for the first time. Notes on its natural history are provided. The larvae of R. globosus feed in living roots of scrub oaks, including Quercus geminata Small, Quercus myrtifolia Willd., and Quercus laevis Walter. Field observations show that the beetle emerges below ground, and females may burrow to lay eggs on the roots.
Records of Odonata from the southwest of Sri Aman Division and the extreme east of Serian Division in Sarawak are presented. The sampled areas are interesting not only because they are poorly known for Odonata but also because many are just to the south and west of the Lupar Line which is a division between the ancient Sunda shelf and more recent geological formations. Differences between the odonate faunas on either side of the Lupar Line are discussed. Eightyfive species of Odonata were recorded during the surveys reported on. The single most notable record is that of Coeliccia southwelli Dow & Reels, 2011, which represents a considerable extension to the known range of this species. Other interesting records include Telosticta dupophila (Lieftinck, 1933), T. species cf longigaster Dow & Orr, 2012, Podolestes parvus Dow & Ngiam, 2019 and Heliogomphus species cf olivaceous Lieftinck, 1961. Variation in the markings of Stenagrion dubium (Laidlaw, 1912) across its range is discussed and a gene tree using the COI marker is presented to illustrate the high variability of this species in this marker. However the variability in COI does not appear to be correlated with other characters.
Records of Odonata collected in Gunong Mulu National Park in Sarawak are presented. Between 2005 and 2019, in 12 surveys that lasted between one week and five months, 163 species were collected. The collections from Gunong Mulu National Park are of importance for the taxonomic study of dragonflies and damselflies in Borneo; several species have been described based on material collected in the Park.
Another survey of Odonata on the Indonesian island of Belitung is reported. This survey was the second survey conducted in the Belitung area with International Dragonfly Fund support and was focused to Belitung Regency's outer islands. Seventy two species were recorded during the survey. Significant records from the surveyed islands include Amphicnemis kuiperi, Mortonagrion arthuri, Mortonagrion appendiculatum, Teinobasis ruficollis, Platylestes heterostylus, Pornothemis serrata, Pornothemis starrei and Tramea phaeoneura. Almost all the records are new to the small islands surveyed, except for Mendanau Island for which there were already records of four species. A checklist of the odonate fauna of the outer islands is given in an appendix.
Globally urban wetlands are under high anthropogenic pressure of degradation. Urban wetlands are hotspots for species losses and rapid turnover in species assemblages. Therefore, studying such wetlands may provide an estimate of the pace of local extinction, concerning wetlanddependent species such as odonates. We undertook a study to document odonate species across a tropical urbanization gradient. We sampled six localities across the gradient across the Mula River that flows through the Pune City, India. We sampled adult odonates using a newly devised Halfcircle Point Count method from September 2016 to March 2017. We took multiple temporal replicates per site. We also sampled larvae across six sites once in November 2016. We measured site characteristics such as canopy cover, solid waste, and water turbidity to understand the level of disturbance at each site. We recorded 41 odonates, six species (primarily Gomphidae members) exclusively from the larval sampling. We did not find the localization of species in a particular site across the urbanization gradient, possibly because we sampled a relatively short stretch of the river to capture the variation. Here, we update the Odonata list of Pune including data on larvae. We demonstrate that larval sampling complements Odonata surveys, especially in recording Gomphids.
We recommend future research to include a longer timespan and extensive sampling area.
Odonatological results of a trip across the southern Far East of Russia, from nearly the border of North Korea to Khabarovsk from July 1st to 16th, 2014, are presented. In total, 50 species were recorded, including those with limited presence in Russia, such as Paracercion calamorum, P. hieroglyphicum, P. plagiosum (for this species the 3rd Russian locality is reported), Pseudocopera tokyoensis, Stylurus annulatus (2nd Russian locality), Sinictinogomphus clavatus; Trigomphus citimus, Macromia daimoji (3rd Russian locality), M. manchurica, Deielia phaon, Lyriothemis pachygastra (2nd Russian locality). For S. annulatus, M. manchurica and D. phaon the northernmost known localities in the world are reported. D. phaon, earlier reported from one locality in Russia, have been found in five localities in Primorye and for the first time reported for Khabarovskiy Kray in general and Bol'shekhekhtsirskiy State Nature Reserve in particular. A trend of mutual exclusion of two abundant Shaogomphus postocularis epophthalmus and S. schmidti is supposed: the lowermost Ussuri River / Amur River, respectively. Variation in Paracercion spp. and Macromia amphigena fraenata is discussed.
The New Caledonia archipelago is known for its high level of endemism in both faunal and floral groups. Thus far, only 12 species of non-marine ostracods have been reported. After three expeditions to the main island of the archipelago (Grande Terre), about four times as many species were found, about half of which are probably new. Here, we describe a new species, Cyprinotus drubea sp. nov., which is characterised mainly by the hyper-developed dorsal hump on the right valve, much larger than in any other known Recent species in this genus. After a literature study of the other presumed species in Cyprinotus Brady, 1886, we retain seven Recent species in the genus, including the present new species. Cyprinotus crenatus (Turner, 1893), C. dentatus (Sharpe, 1910), C. flavescens Brady, 1898, C. inconstans Furtos, 1936, C. newmexicoensis Ferguson, 1967, C. ohanopecoshensis Ferguson, 1966, C. pellucidus (Sharpe, 1897), C. scytodus (Dobbin, 1941) and C. sulphurous Blake, 1931 are here all referred to the genus Heterocypris s. lat. Claus, 1892. Cyprinotus unispinifera Furtos, 1936 is assigned to the genus Cypricercus Sars, 1895. Cyprinotus tenuis Henry, 1923, C. fuscus Henry, 1919 and C. carinatus (King, 1855) are here classified as doubtful species. A checklist of the 14 non-marine ostracods, now including Cyprinotus drubea sp. nov. and Cypris granulata (Daday, 1910), thus far reported from New Caledonia, is provided. Herpetocypris caledonica Méhes, 1939 and H. caledonica var. minor Méhes, 1939 are synonymised with Candonocypris novaezelandiae (Baird, 1843).
Survey in three protected areas of Chhattisgarh reveals the presence of 50 species of Odonata belonging to 34 genera and 9 families. Specimens were sampled from different lotic and lentic ecosystems. 17 species were exclusively found in or around running water. Larvae or exuviae of 23 species were found and photographed. Habitat availability, larval abundance, species composition and phenology are discussed.
Phnom Tumpor is a scarcely accessible basalt table mountain in the Cardamom Mts. in Pursat Province of Cambodia. On top surface it bears tall evergreen forest (ca 1100 m a.s.l.), concealing a slow rivulet, O'Gran, being a chain of deep pools. It was examined odonatologically on March 1418th, 2019. Six common species were recorded in dry and burnt scrub on the Phnom Tumpor slopes and ten on the forested upper surface at O'Gran, among them Polycanthagyna erythromelas (Selys, 1891) and Macromia sp. cf. pinratani Asahina, 1987 for the first time in Cambodia. The peculiarities of the males of Coeliccia kazukoae Asahina, 1984 from Phnom Tumpor and the problem of distinguishing females of M. pinratani and M. moorei are discussed.
The primary types of Onciderini Thomson, 1860 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae) of the Museu de Zoologia, Universidade de São Paulo (MZSP), São Paulo, are catalogued and illustrated. Data on the original combination, current name, gender, and type locality are verified and presented. There are 85 primary types of Onciderini including 23 in Oncideres Lacordaire, 1830; 10 in Cacostola Fairmaire and Germain, 1859; and five in Hesychotypa Thomson, 1868. Of the 85 primary types, 71 were described by Ubirajara R. Martins, many of these with Maria Helena M. Galileo. The type locality for Cacostola exilis Martins, Galileo, and Limeira-de- -Oliveira, 2011 is corrected based on the specimen label. A brief history of the Coleoptera collection at the MZSP is also presented.
The primary types of Onciderini Thomson, 1860 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae) of the Museum für Naturkunde - Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Berlin (ZMHB), Germany, are catalogued and illustrated. Data on the original combination, current name, gender, and type locality are verified and presented. There are 16 primary types of Onciderini including four in Oncideres Lacordaire, 1830 and three in Trestonia Buquet, 1859. Of the 16 primary types, seven were described by Ubirajara R. Martins, four by Wilhelm Ferdinand Erichson, and three by Ernst Friedrich Germar.
Polysyncraton Nott, 1892 is the second largest genus of didemnid ascidians; it has a wide distribution ranging from temperate to tropical waters. Seventy-one specimens of Polysyncraton from eight museum collections and recently collected samples were analyzed. This resulted in the description of three new species (P. cabofriense Oliveira & Rocha sp. nov. from Brazil, P. globosum Oliveira & Rocha sp. nov. from Australia and P. snelliusi Oliveira & Rocha sp. nov. from Suriname) and emended descriptions of three further species (P. amethysteum (Van Name, 1902), P. magnilarvum (Millar, 1962) and P. purou C. Monniot & F. Monniot, 1987).
Populus primaveralepensis A.Vázquez, Muñiz-Castro & Zuno sp. nov., a new species from relict gallery cloud forest in Bosque La Primavera Biosphere Reserve (Mexico), is described and illustrated. The new species belongs to P. subsect. Tomentosae Hart., and is morphologically similar to P. luziarum A.Vázquez, Muñiz-Castro & Padilla-Lepe, but differs from it in having taller trees without root suckers, white and ringed young stems and branches, a branching angle of ca 45º, leaves with higher blade to petiole ratio, leafs frequently elliptic or ovate to widely ovate (vs widely ovate to ovatedeltoid), denser inflorescences, and shorter capsules. The conservation status of the species was assessed as Critically Endangered (CR).
Records of Odonata from Sarawak's Bintulu Division are presented. One hundred and sixtysix (or more) species are listed, of which three (Oligoaeschna amata (Förster, 1903), O. buehri (Förster, 1903) and Oligoaeschna (?) species) had not previously been recorded in Sarawak and Macromia species cf dione Lieftinck, 1971 had not previously been recorded from Borneo. Additionally this is the first published record of Prodasineura tenebricosa Lieftinck, 1937 from Sarawak, although it had been found at another location in the state prior to its discovery in Bintulu, and the first published record of Phyllothemis raymondi Lieftinck, 1950 from Borneo, although specimens from Kalimantan are present in the collections of the Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden. Other notable records include "Elattoneura" longispina Lieftinck, 1937, Pericnemis dowi Orr & Hämäläinen, 2013, Linaeschna polli Martin, 1909, Burmagomphus arthuri Lieftinck, 1953, Heliogomphus borneensis Lieftinck, 1964, Merogomphus femoralis Laidlaw, 1931, Chlorogomphus species, Macromidia genialis erratica Lieftinck, 1948 and Tetrathemis flavescens Kirby, 1889. Altogether there do not appear to be any previous published records from Bintulu Division of 52 of the species listed in this paper. The status of Rhyothemis fulgens Kirby, 1889 is discussed and illustrations of its anal appendages and those of R. pygmaea (Brauer, 1867) are provided. Illustrations of the anal appendages of Tetrathemis hyalina Kirby, 1889 and T. irregularis Brauer, 1868 are also provided. Identification problems when using COIbased DNA barcoding with some species of Archibasis are discussed, and the nuclear marker ITS is shown to be a successful alternative in these cases; COI and ITS gene trees for part of the genus are included. Some COI data for Macromia species are published and the marker is used to identify larvae of M. corycia Laidlaw, 1922 and establish the relationship of another Macromia larva with M. dione, a very poorly known species from Sumatra. Macromia euterpe Laidlaw, 1915 is considered to be the same species as M. westwoodii Selys, 1874 and dropped from the list of species known from Sarawak, however formal combination of the two species is left for a peer reviewed publication. A detailed list of previously unpublished specimens from the locations covered is given in an appendix. Concise checklists for two of the locations covered Similajau National Park (54 species) and the Bukit Mina Wildlife Corridor (84 species) are given in another appendix.
Climate change forces many species to move their ranges to higher latitudes or elevations. Resulting immigration or emigration of species might lead to functional changes, e.g., in the trait distribution and composition of ecological assemblages. Here, we combined approaches from biogeography (species distribution models; SDMs) and community ecology (functional diversity) to investigate potential effects of climate-driven range changes on frugivorous bird assemblages along a 3000 m elevational gradient in the tropical Andes. We used SDMs to model current and projected future occurrence probabilities of frugivorous bird species from the lowlands to the tree line. SDM-derived probabilities of occurrence were combined with traits relevant for seed dispersal of fleshy-fruited plants to calculate functional dispersion (FDis; a measure of functional diversity) for current and future bird assemblages. Comparisons of FDis between current and projected future assemblages showed consistent results across four dispersal scenarios, five climate models and two representative concentration pathways. Projections indicated a decrease of FDis in the lowlands, an increase of FDis at lower mid-elevations and little changes at high elevations. This suggests that functional dispersion responds differently to global warming at different elevational levels, likely modifying avian seed dispersal functions and plant regeneration in forest ecosystems along tropical mountains.
Telegeusinae is a small subfamily of Elateroid beetles presently attached to the Omethidae family. Pseudotelegeusis Wittmer, 1976 is composed of three species, two occurring in northern South America and one in Mexico. Here we describe the fourth species for the genus, Pseudotelegeusis meloi sp. nov., collected in a Malaise sample from the region of Madre de Dios, Peru. The new species is diagnosed mainly by the antennae serrate from antennomeres III to X, eyes occupying half of head width in lateral view and vertex occupying 3/5 of head in dorsal view. This new species is close to the other two South American species, P. howdeni Wittmer, 1976 and P. oculatus Wittmer, 1976, according to the serrate antennae and number of ventrites. The three South American species differ from the Mexican species, P. jiliotupaensis Zaragoza-Caballero, 2008, by the different antennae and the number of ventrites, which indicates that the Mexican species should possibly be classified in a different genus. The main morphological characters, including maxillar palpi, tentorial pits and male genitalia, are illustrated, and an updated key to the species of Pseudotelegeusis is given, as well as distribution maps.
Insect taxonomy is fundamental to global biodiversity research, but few studies have been conducted to track progress in this field using objective criteria. This study reports publishing trends in the taxonomy of four diverse, globally-distributed insect families from 1946 to 2012 to elucidate recent progress and the current status of insect taxonomy. Publications included in the Zoological Record online literature database were analyzed for Cicadellidae (leafhoppers), Miridae (plant bugs), Pyralidae (moths) and Staphylinidae (rove beetles). Data on numbers of new species, article length, species description length, authorship and collaborations, and taxonomic journals were extracted and compiled for each year. The results showed that (1) the number of taxonomic papers increased before 1980, followed by a steep decline with subsequent partial recovery; (2) the number of papers describing new species generally mirrored the trend in numbers of new species, suggesting no overall change in the proportion of larger, synthetic works (monographs) and more such work is encouraged; (3) the average number of new species described per publication decreased over the time period investigated, but with an increase in the average description pages per new species; (4) researchers from Europe and North America continue to produce the most taxonomic research on three of the four families, but the main center for Cicadellidae taxonomy has recently shifted to Asia; (5) collaboration among authors within and across continents has increased as indicated by increases in coauthored papers; and (6) journal prevalence differed for the four families and the top 10 most utilized journals for each family were given out for reference. Based on the analysis of the publication trend of the four families, we found that the overall trend toward increasing rates of species discovery is encouraging. But more human resources training and financial support on taxonomic work are required in order to complete a global faunistic inventory in a reasonable timeframe. Future study that conducts more in-depth and comprehensive analysis based on more families is required to reflect the overall trend of the insect taxonomy.
The present study aims to clarify the confused taxonomy of Z. schaufussi von Frauenfeld, 1862 and Zospeum suarezi Gittenberger, 1980. Revision of Iberian Zospeum micro snails is severely hindered by uncertainties regarding the identity of the oldest Iberian Zospeum species, Z. schaufussi von Frauenfeld, 1862. In this paper, we clarify its taxonomic status by designating a lectotype from the original syntype series and by describing its internal and external shell morphology. Using SEM-EDX, we attempt to identify the area of the type locality cave more precisely than "a cave in Spain". The shell described and illustrated by Gittenberger (1980) as Z. schaufussi appears not to be conspecific with the lectotype shell, and is considered a separate species, Z. gittenbergeri Jochum, Prieto & De Winter, sp. n.
Zospeum suarezi was described from various caves in NW Spain. Study of the type material reveals that these shells are not homogenous in shell morphology. The holotype shell of Z. suarezi is imaged here for the first time. The paratype shell, illustrated by Gittenberger (1980) from a distant, second cave, is described as Zospeum praetermissum Jochum, Prieto & De Winter, sp. n. The shell selected here as lectotype of Z. schaufussi, was also considered a paratype of Z. suarezi by Gittenberger (1980). Since this specimen is morphologically very similar to topotypic shells of Z. suarezi, the latter species is considered a junior synonym of Z. schaufussi (syn. n.). The internal shell morphology of all these taxa is described and illustrated using X-ray Micro Computer Tomography (Micro-CT).
Naviauxella varians Wiesner and Constant, n. sp. (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae), is described. Neocollyris (Pachycollyris) bipartita unicolor (Horn, 1935), Therates laotiensis Sawada and Wiesner, 1999, Cosmodela duponti duponti (Dejean, 1826) and Cylindera (Ifasina) somnuki Naviaux, 1991 are recorded for the first time from Cambodia. Five tiger beetle species are recorded for the first time from Kampong Speu province, two for the first time from Ratanakiri province, and one each the first time from Pursat province and Preah Vihear province.
Chrysidea pumiloides Zimmermann, 1956 and its Malagasy allies are taxonomically revised. As a result, C. pumiloides and C. phoebe Zimmermann, 1956 are redescribed; two new species, C. vazimba sp. nov. and C. merina sp. nov., are described from museum collections, and another new species, C. rioae sp. nov., is described based on a male recently collected in Southern Madagascar, at Berenty Reserve. The habitus of the holotypes and the male genitalia are illustrated and the key to Malagasy Chrysidea Bischoff, 1913 is updated.
The 'D. bakoue species complex' Rafael, 1984 ('D. montium species group' Da Lage et al., 2007) comprises seven Afrotropical species. Using complete mitochondrial genome sequences and detailed morphological analysis, we revised thephylogenetic relationships between these species including two new ones. We found the 'D. bakoue species complex' to be a junior synonym of the 'D. seguyi species complex' Lachaise, 1971 and its seven species polyphyletic. We thus classified the species into three complexes, the 'D. seguyi species complex' comprises D. seguyi Smart, 1945, D. malagassya Tsacas & Rafael, 1982, D. curta Chassagnard & Tsacas, 1997 and D. chocolata sp. nov., the new 'D. tsacasi species complex' comprises D. tsacasi Bock & Wheeler, 1972 and D. seguyiana Chassagnard & Tsacas, 1997, and the new 'D. vulcana species complex' comprises D. vulcana Graber, 1957 and D. mylenae sp. nov. Drosophila bakoue Tsacas & Lachaise, 1974 could not be assigned to any of the defined complexes. The two new species are endemic to Madagascar and we report the presence of D. seguyi and D. curta in Mayotte and Madagascar, respectively. The results hence represent a significant step towards understanding the diversity and evolution of this species group in Africa and the islands of the Western Indian Ocean.
In this study, a total of 108 Aphidiinae species, belonging to 18 genera, associated with 240 aphid species in 16 countries of the Middle East and North Africa are reviewed. 743 host aphidparasitoid associations are listed. New material was collected from various regions of Saudi Arabia during 2011–2013. Three species including Aphidius avenae Haliday, 1834, Aphidius platensis Brèthes, 1913 and Praon barbatum Mackauer, 1967 are first recorded for the fauna of this country. Lysiphlebus marismortui Mescheloff & Rosen, 1990 syn. nov. is classified as the junior synonym of Lysiphlebus confusus Tremblay & Eady, 1978. An illustrated up-to-date key to all known species of Aphidiinae that occur in the Middle East and North Africa is provided. The findings are discussed in relation to the overall parasitoid-aphid associations in the target investigated region.
The taxonomic limits of Palpostilpnus Aubert, 1961 are reviewed. The genus is characterized mainly by having a very elongated maxillary palp; head short and depressed, with mandible small and with distinct basal groove; ovipositor short and slender, needle-like. A total of seventeen species are recognized, of which ten are described as new: P. aki sp. nov., P. angka sp. nov., P. angkor sp. nov., P. hainanensis sp. nov., P. mangrovi sp. nov., P. pterodactylus sp. nov., P. ranui sp. nov., P. singaporensis sp. nov., P. tamasek sp. nov. and P. trifolium sp. nov. The combination Palpostilpnus rufinator (Aubert, 1961) stat. rev. is proposed. An illustrated key to the known species of the genus is provided.
The Asian species of the subfamily Thaumastodinae Champion, 1924 are reviewed. Seven new species are described: Acontosceles borneensis sp. nov., Pseudeucinetus papuanus sp. nov., Mexico ogasawaraensis sp. nov., M. baliensis sp. nov., M. papuanus sp. nov., M. palauensis sp. nov. and M. borneensis sp. nov. The genus Babalimnichus Satô, 1994 is treated as a junior synonym of the genus Mexico Spilman, 1972, and three known species of the genus Babalimnichus are transferred to Mexico, viz. M. taiwanus (Satô, 1994) comb. nov., M. masamii (Satô, 1994) comb. nov. and M. splendens (Hernando & Ribera, 2003) comb. nov. Additional specimen data are shown, and new distributional records are as follows: Acontosceles chujoi Yoshitomi & Satô, 2005 from Vietnam; A. zetteli Pütz, 2008 from Laos; Pseudeucinetus javanicus Yoshitomi & Putra, 2010 from Lombok Island; Mexico taiwanus (Satô, 1994) comb. nov. from Lutao, Lanhsu and the Yonaguni-jima Islands; and M. masamii (Satô, 1994) comb. nov. from Kume-jima. A species list of the subfamily Thaumastodinae is given, with ZooBank LSIDs. The phylogenetic relationships of the thaumastodine genera are discussed.
The Swedish species of Ophion Fabricius, 1798 are revised. More than 4800 specimens and relevant type material were studied; 234 sampled specimens produced COI sequences. The study recognises 41 species, 18 of which are described as new to science, mainly from Fennoscandian material: Ophion angularis Johansson & Cederberg sp. nov., Ophion arenarius Johansson sp. nov., Ophion autumnalis Johansson sp. nov., Ophion borealis Johansson sp. nov., Ophion broadi Johansson sp. nov., Ophion brocki Johansson sp. nov., Ophion confusus Johansson sp. nov., Ophion ellenae Johansson sp. nov., Ophion inclinans Johansson sp. nov., Ophion kallanderi Johansson sp. nov., Ophion matti Johansson sp. nov., Ophion norei Johansson sp. nov., Ophion paraparvulus Johansson sp. nov., Ophion paukkuneni Johansson sp. nov., Ophion splendens Johansson sp. nov., Ophion sylvestris Johansson sp. nov., Ophion tenuicornis Johansson sp. nov. and Ophion vardali Johansson sp. nov. Barcoding analysis also indicated the possible presence of at least three additional, partly cryptic species, but these cannot be separated morphologically with certainty at this point. Ophion costatus Ratzeburg, 1848 and Ophion artemisiae Boie, 1855 are interpreted and defined. Ophion slaviceki Kriechbaumer, 1892 is excluded from synonymy with Ophion luteus Linnaeus, 1758 stat. rev. Ophion polyguttator (Thunberg, 1824) stat. rev. and Ophion variegatus Rudow, 1883 stat. rev. are excluded from synonymy with O. obscuratus Fabricius, 1798. Ophion variegatus is redescribed and a neotype is designated. Ophion albistylus Szépligeti, 1905 (syn. nov.) is synonymized with Ophion pteridis Kriechbaumer, 1879 and Ophion frontalis Strobl, 1904 (syn. nov.) is synonymized with Ophion areolaris Brauns, 1889 syn. nov. Eleven species are reported from Sweden for the first time: Ophion artemisiae, Ophion crassicornis Brock, 1982, Ophion costatus, Ophion dispar Brauns, 1895, Ophion forticornis Morley, 1915, Ophion kevoensis Jussila, 1965, Ophion ocellaris Ulbricht, 1926, Ophion perkinsi Brock, 1982, Ophion subarcticus Hellén, 1926, Ophion variegatus Rudow, 1883 and Ophion wuestneii Kriechbaumer, 1892. The study shows that a number of species that previously have been treated as highly variable taxa, actually consist of several valid species that are separable using morphological characters. An illustrated key for the determination of the Swedish Ophion species is provided.
Several taxonomic groups within Empidoidea Latreille, 1809 have been subject to unclear phylogenetic assignments along with multiple parallel hypotheses causing difficulties in classification and morphological identification. This study reviews the internal classification of the Ragadidae and includes a diagnosis and description of all included subfamilies and genera based on the results of an analysis of morphological characters using maximum parsimony. Illustration of important characters and a key to all genera in the family is given. The genus Hormopeza Zetterstedt, 1838 is found to be most closely related to Anthepiscopus Becker, 1891 and Iteaphila Zetterstedt, 1838, and the subfamily Iteaphilinae Wahlberg & Johanson, 2018 is therefore expanded to also include that genus. Hormopeza is consequently excluded from Ragadinae Sinclair, 2016. This study provides diagnoses, descriptions and keys in a contribution to a thorough classification of the empidoid groups and increased ease in morphological recognition.
We re-examined the type material of five of the seven described species of the marine tardigrade genus Angursa Pollock, 1979, namely, A. abyssalis Renaud-Mornant, 1981, A. bicuspis Pollock, 1979 (type species), A. capsula Bussau, 1992, A. lanceolata Renaud-Mornant, 1981, and A. lingua Bussau, 1992. In addition, we describe A. seisuimaruae sp. nov. from the Sea of Kumano, Japan. Based on new data obtained, we amend the diagnosis of this genus, provide a taxonomic key to species, and discuss their geographical distributions.
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.
The Neotropical Distictus Townes, 1966 is diagnosed, redescribed and its species revised. A neotype is designated for the type species, D. tibialis (Brullé, 1846). The genus is characterized mainly by having the body subcylindric; clypeal margin with median tooth; areolet medium-sized, pentagonal, with crossvein 3r-m distinct; first metasomal tergite short and stout, with anterolateral tooth. Distictus aurantium Santos & Aguiar, 2008 is shown to lack some of these character states and is transferred to Mallochia Viereck, 1912. A total of 12 valid species are recognized, ten of which are new: D. apaensis sp. nov., D. ardens sp. nov., D. asterios sp. nov., D. ateles sp. nov., D. caligaris sp. nov., D. commatus sp. nov., D. daelus sp. nov., D. notabilis sp. nov., D. paratibialis sp. nov. and D. terrosus sp. nov. Other valid species are D. tibialis and D. mexicanus Kasparyan & Ruíz-Cancino, 2005. All species are described and illustrated. New distribution records, maps and separate keys for females and males of the species are provided.
The world species of Netomocera Bouček, 1954 (Hymenoptera Linnaeus, 1758: Pteromalidae Dalman, 1820), excluding those from the Oriental region, are revised. The Oriental species are excluded because their types could not be examined, the species limits could not be reliably assessed based on original descriptions and available Oriental material was scarce. Eighteen species, including 11 species described as new, are recognized: N. africana Hedqvist, 1971; N. alboscapus Hedqvist, 1971; N. amethysta sp. nov.; N. celebensis sp. nov.; N. cyanocephala sp. nov.; N. desaegeri sp. nov.; N. formiciformis sp. nov.; N. gloriosa sp. nov.; N. irregularis sp. nov.; N. masneri sp. nov.; N. merida sp. nov.; N. meridionalis sp. nov.; N. nearctica Yoshimoto, 1977; N. ramakrishnai Sureshan, 2010; N. rufa Hedqvist, 1971; N. sedlaceki Bouček, 1988; N. setifera Bouček, 1954; N. virgata sp. nov. The female brachypterous form of N. nearctica and the male of N. alboscapus are described for the first time. A key to both sexes is provided, as well as diagnoses, descriptions and illustrations for all treated species. The genus is reported for the first time in the Neotropical region. For several species, new distributional records are also given.
The African shieldbug genus Afrius Stål, 1870 is revised. Cantheconidea migratoria Distant, 1913 and A. williamsi Miller, 1952 are proposed as junior synonyms of A. (Subafrius) flavirostrum (Signoret, 1861) whereas Canthecona marmorata Dallas, 1851, Canthecona annulipes Dallas, 1851 and A. rubromarginatus Bergroth, 1903 are proposed as junior synonyms of A. (Afrius) purpureus (Westwood, 1837) based on the general morphology and genitalia of the species. The three valid species, viz. A. (Subafrius) flavirostrum, A. (Afrius) kolleri Schouteden, 1911 and A. (Afrius) purpureus, are redescribed with details of male and female genitalia morphology, and a lectotype is designated for A. (Afrius) kolleri. A key to identify the species as well as an update of the geographical distribution for each species are provided, including new records for A. (Afrius) purpureus.