British species of the parasitic cynipid-wasp genus Aegilips (Hymenoptera: Cynipoidea,Anacharitinae)

The British species of Aegilips are revised and a key to species is provided. Of the eight species previously described from Britain seven are synonymized under the name A. nitidula (Dalman). Three new species (A. atricornis, A. romseyensis and A. vena) are described. A neotype is designated for A. nitidula (Dalman) and lectotypes are designated for A. rufipes (Westwood), A fumipennis (Westwood) and A. dalmani Reinhard.     

The Anopheles (Anopheles) maculipennis complex (Diptera: Culicidae) in Greece

Mosquitoes belonging to the Maculipennis Complex of Anopheles subgenus Anopheles were collected in 10 prefectures across Greece: Attiki, Evros, Florina, Fthiotida, Ioannina, Lakonia, Magnesia, Rodopi, Serres, and Xanthi. DNA was extracted from 276 specimens and sequences for the nuclear rDNA ITS2 region were obtained from 257 of these (93.1%). Four members of the An. maculipennis Meigen complex were identified: An. maculipennis, An. sacharovi Favre, An. melanoon Hackett, and An. messeae Falleroni. Species were identified based on correlation of their sequences with those available in GenBank. All four species have been incriminated as primary or secondary vectors of malaria. Species distributions in relation to potential threats of reintroduction of malaria in Greece are discussed. This study comprises the most complete study of the Maculipennis Complex in Greece to date, and contributes substantially to the current knowledge of the genetics and distributions of the four species.     

Paranannopidae (Copepoda: Harpacticoida) from sublittoral soft sediments in Spitsbergen

Based on specimens of Paranannopidae collected from 30 to 123 m depth in Sassenfjord, Spitsbergen, two species of Paradanielssenia Soyer, 1970 (P. christineae sp. nov. and P. kathleenae sp. nov.) are described. These can be distinguished from known species by differences in the number of claviform aesthetascs on the mouthparts and in the arrangement or form of setae on the legs. A key to species of Paradanielssenia is provided. Mucrosenia gen. nov. (type species M. kendalli sp. nov.) is established on the basis of a single female and can be distinguished from all known paranannopid genera by the structure of the caudal ramus and the P2 endopod-2 which has no inner seta and a large mucroniform process at the outer distal corner. Psammis kliei Smirnov, 1946 is assigned to this genus as species incertae sedis. Danielssenia quadriseta Gee, 1988 is recorded for the first time outside its type locality in Oslofjord. Danielssenia spitsbergensis sp. nov. is described from a single male specimen and can easily be distinguished from other known species by the presence of only two outer spines on exopod-3 of P3-4. However, because of differences in the structure of the P2 endopod and P5, the species is placed incertae sedis within Danielssenia pending the discovery of the female.     

Aphidiinae parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) of Macrosiphoniella aphids (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in the western Palaearctic region

The parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae) of Macrosiphoniella del Guercio (Hemiptera: Aphididae) from the western Palaearctic region are reviewed and keyed. The host associations and distribution of each species are summarized. Aphidius stigmaticus sp. nov. reared from Macrosiphoniella tanacetaria on Tanacetum polycephalum, which is another member of the Macrosiphoniella aphid parasitoid guild from high-mountain habitats in western Iran, is described in the present contribution. Some taxonomic problems within Macrosiphoniella parasitoid guilds are discussed as well.     

A new deep-water calanoid copepod and the phylogeny of the genus Nullosetigera nom. nov. in the Nullosetigeridae nom. nov. (pro Phyllopus: Phyllopodidae) from Japanese waters

Nullosetigeridae nom. nov. is proposed for Phyllopodidae Brodsky, 1950, nom. nud., and Nullosetigera nom. nov. is introduced for Phyllopus Brady, 1883, non Rafinesque, 1815. A new species, Nullosetigera auctiseta, is described from Japanese waters. Nullosetigera mutica comb. nov. (Sars, 1907) and N. mutata comb. nov. (Tanaka, 1964) are redescribed. Phylogenetic analysis implies that two groups, N. auctiseta–N. mutica group and N. mutata–N. impar–N. bidentata–N. helgae group, exist within the genus Nullosetigera and that the new species first diverges with N. mutica. The relatively advanced species, N. impar, N. bidentata, and N. helgae are the most widespread, and are vertically distributed from the epipelagic to the bathypelagic layers.     

Minute but constant morphological differences within members of Stenothoidae: the Stenothoe gallensis group with four new members,keys to Stenothoe worldwide,a new species of Parametopa and Sudanea n. gen. (Crustacea: Amphipoda)

The hitherto-known species of Stenothoe are grouped by their distribution. A key for Mediterranean–Atlantic species is given. To the so-called Stenothoe gallensis group (until now, four species), four others are added: S. andamanensis, S. clavetta, S. himyara and S. senegalensis, all new to science. Knowledge of Stenothoe aucklandica, frecanda, macrophthalma, valida and verrucosa is amended. The studied material also yields both a new species of Parametopa (P. gorea n. sp.) and a new genus (Sudanea n. gen.) with S. inopinata n. sp.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:23C8BB82-5CC1-40B2-BED9-431AA55901B9     

Four new species of the Diphascon nobilei group (Eutardigrada,Hypsibiidae)

The existence of a group of species similar to Diphascon (Diphascon) nobilei is shown. These species have some common characteristics: a well‐evident drop‐shaped thickening between the buccal tube and the pharyngeal tube, pharyngeal bulb, more or less elongate, with three rod‐shaped macroplacoids and microplacoid, claws of the hind legs different from those of the first three pairs of legs in having a very wide basal portion and indented basal margin, basal spurs also present on the external claws and, in some cases, also on the internal claws of the first three pairs of legs. Four new species of this group are described: Diphascon (D.) serratum, D. (D.) nelsonae, D. (D.) platyungue, and D. (D.) hydrophilum. They differ from one another in the dimensions and shape of the claws; in some cases the difference also affects the value of the ptd index relative to the insertion point of the stylet supports, the buccal and the pharyngeal tube length or the macroplacoid length.     

Redescription of Retilaskeya horrida (di Monterosato, 1874) comb. nov. and a re-evaluation of the taxonomic affinity of the genus Retilaskeya (Caenogastropoda: Triphoroidea)

The family Cerithiopsidae H. Adams and A. Adams, 1853 is distributed worldwide, and comprises around 800 extant species divided into ~40 genera. The most speciose genus within the family is Cerithiopsis Forbes and Hanley, 1850, a taxon currently used as a general receptacle rather than as a proper phylogenetic lineage. We hereby redescribe the rare species Cerithiopsis horrida di Monterosato, 1874, review its nomenclature, known material, and distribution as well as figure the entire protoconch, operculum, and radula for the first time. Our results highlight extreme differences between ‘Cerithiopsis’ horrida and the Cerithiopsis type species Cerithiopsis tubercularis (Montagu, 1803) and strong morphological and radular similarities with species belonging to the genus Retilaskeya Marshall, 1978. A wide discussion lists several taxa that might be ascribed to the same group of species, which presumably constitute a different worldwide lineage. Pending relevant molecular phylogenetic studies of the Triphoroidea Gray, 1847, for morphological conformity we suggest transferring ‘Cerithiopsis’ horrida to the genus Retilaskeya, and the same action is presumably appropriate for its possible sister species ‘Cerithiopsis’ leopardus Rolán and Gori, 2013. Finally, Retilaskeya better conforms to Newtoniellidae Korobkov, 1955 than Cerithiopsidae.     

The West Palaearctic species of Fidiobia Ashmead, 1894 (Hymenoptera: Platygastroidea)

One new genus Songmachilis and six new species in family Machilidae are described from China: Songmachilis xinxiangensis gen. sp. nov., Coreamachilis songi sp. nov., Pedetontinus jiuzhaiensis sp. nov., Pedetontinus maijiensis sp. nov., Pedetontinus taishanensis sp. nov. and. Pedetontinus wudangensis sp. nov. A key to all Chinese species of Pedetontinus is given. We also examined the relationships among Chinese machilids based on partial sequences of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI). The molecular study further supported the species status of the six new taxa.     

Description and ecology of a spongicolous lysianassoid amphipod (Crustacea) from Antarctica

In the canals of three species of Antarctic Demospongiae, a new species of Lysianassoidea (Crustacea: Amphipoda) was found. The new species Pseudokoroga spongiophila is described, its ecology is briefly summarized. While the superfamily is represented in the Southern Ocean by 146 species, belonging to 54 genera, Pseudokoroga spongiophila n. sp. is one of the rare species symbiontically living in sponges. Up to 24 individuals were collected in 1000 cm³ of tissue of the host Demospongiae Jophon spatulatus (Kirkpatrick, 1907).     

Pre-ovipositional and ovipositional behaviour of Trichouropoda ovalis (C.L. Koch) and Uroobovella marginata (C.L. Koch) (Parasitiformes: Uropodina: Trematuridae,Urodinychidae) with notes on egg incubation and hatching behaviour

Egg deposition by the soil mites Trichouropoda (= Oodinychus) ovalis (C.L. Koch and Uroobovella (= Fuscuropoda) marginata (C.L. Koch), egg incubation and hatching behaviour were observed using continuous video-monitoring. The oviposition in both species was found to consist of three distinct phases. In Phase 1, both species engage in pre-ovipositional activity prior to the egg being extruded from the genital opening. Phase 1 lasted approximately 7.5 minutes in T. ovalis and about 6 minutes in U. marginata. Phase 2 involved egg deposition and lasted approximately 2.5 times longer in T. ovalis (88 seconds) than in U. marginata. Egg covering occurs in Phase 3, and in both species lasts about 25 minutes. Incubation time in U. marginata (137 hours) was approximately 30% shorter compared to that of T. ovalis, while the hatching time was 2 times longer (150 min) in the latter species.     

Macrobrachium malayanum (Roux, 1934) stat. nov. (Decapoda,Palaemonidae) as a synonym of M. geron Holthuis, 1950, with notes on its distribution

Macrobrachium pilimanus malayanus (Roux, 1934) is synonymized with M. geron Holthuis, 1950 and accorded full species status as M. Malayanum (Roux, 1934) stat. nov. A lectotype is also designated. Variation within M. malayanum and differences between this species and M. pilimanus (De Man, 1879) are discussed, and the taxonomy of the species clarified. New records of M. malayanum are presented for Sarawak and Sumatra.