On the identity of the Namakosiramiidae Ho & Perkins 1977 (Crustacea,Copepoda), including a review of harpacticoid associates of Echinodermata

The female of the ectoparasitic copepod Namakosiramia californiensis Ho & Perkins 1977, recovered from the holothurian Stichopus parvimensis, is redescribed and refigured. It is suggested that the species should be included in the Laophontidae and tentatively placed in the subfamily Laophontinae, implying the synonymization of the family name Namakosiramiidae. Previous records of harpacticoid associates of Echinodermata are summarized. A compilation of associations between Laophontidae and marine invertebrate hosts is given.     

Systematics and biology of the Rhinocolinae (Homoptera: Psylloidea)

Based on a cladistic analysis, the subfamily Rhinocolinae is redefined to comprise 13 genera and 39 species, of which two genera and eight species remain unnamed. Four new genera and 14 new species are described; one subfamily and one genus are synonymized, and two species are recombined; one lectotype is designated. The subfamily is divided into two groups, one with a Gondwanan distribution comprising four genera in Australia, New Zealand, South America and Africa, and another with Laurasian distribution in the Palaeotropics, the Western Palaerctic and North America comprising nine genera. Twenty-one species develop on host plants in the Rutales, three on Asteraceae, three on Cistaceae and one on Zygophyllaceae. The genus Pistacia (Anacardiaceae) in particular hosts six species whose biology is discussed.     

An overview of Hexabathynella (Crustacea,Syncarida, Parabathynellidae) with the description of a new species

A new species of the cosmopolitan genus Hexabathynella is described from Spain. This new species has four setae on the expopod of the uropod, the rest of the species in the genus have between one and three. The endopod of the uropod has two smooth setae of similar length and one plumose seta, these characters only appear in the new species within the genus. The antennal organ in the males is shown to be a new unique character for the genus. It is the third species of this genus that has been found in Spain. To date the genus consists of 18 species in the world. A key for identification of the 18 species of Hexabathynella is provided. It is the only cosmopolitan genus of Bathynellacea and it is distributed in Europe (nine species), Africa (one species), South America (two species), North America (three species) and Australia and New Zealand (three species).     

A new species of Fabricinuda Fitzhugh, 1990 (Fabriciinae: Sabellidae: Polychaeta) from the Caribbean,with an emendation of the genus

During a survey of the infauna of seagrass meadows in Venezuela, several specimens of an unknown species of Fabriciinae were collected. The species could not be assigned to any genus of the subfamily, although it was most closely allied to Fabricinuda Fitzhugh, 1990. However, the absence of pseudospatulate inferior notochaetae on chaetiger 8 prevented assignment of the specimens to this genus since their presence on chaetigers 3 to 8 is one of its diagnostic apomorphies. In order to decide whether to establish a new genus for the species or to redefine Fabricinuda, a phylogenetic analysis of the subfamily was made on the basis of a pre‐existing character matrix. Twenty‐two anatomical characters were analysed for 59 species including the new one, and from the resulting consensus tree it was clear that the new species must be included within Fabricinuda and consequently an emendation of the genus is provided herein.     

An extraordinary new genus and species of spider wasps (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Pompilidae) from Southeast Asia

The new genus Aberropompilus Shimizu & Wahis, family Pompilidae, is described from Southeast Asia (Malaysia, Thailand) based on the new species A. dayi Shimizu & Wahis. Its peculiar morphological characteristics and taxonomic position within the family are discussed and the genus is tentatively placed in the subfamily Pepsinae.     

A new genus and species of bythitid fish (Teleostei: Ophidiiformes) from New Zealand

Brosmodorsalis persicinus n. gen., n. sp. is described from specimens collected from shallow coastal rocky reefs of northern New Zealand. Brosmodorsalis is placed in the bythitid fish subfamily Brosmophycinae because it has the caudal fin separate from the dorsal and anal fins. The genus differs from all others within the subfamily by the origin of the dorsal fin being well in advance of the posterior margin of the operculum and the anterior dorsal fin rays being free of membrane.     

The world Rhyparochrominae (Hemiptera:Lygaeidae)

Summary

The species of Epitraninae, a subfamily of Chalcididae, parasitic Hymenoptera, are taxonomically revised, from an area including India in the west and New Guinea in the east. Over 500 specimens were studied, including all accessible types. Only one genus, Epitranus Walker, is recognized and its synonymy corrected. A key is given to 29 species of which 17 are described as new and among the earlier names 30 were found to be junior synonyms (and some more are probable synonyms, as suggested in the paper, among the names the types of which were not examined). The treated and illustrated valid species include two from Australia and notes and a figure of another species, E. evanioides, from Mauritius. Two Oriental species were found widely distributed also in Africa: E. observator and E. clavatus. The latter was also recorded in the New World, probably having been inadvertedly introduced. One Oriental species, E. erythrogaster, is not only widely distributed but has an unusual range of variation and may prove to be a composite aggregate when more information is available. Little help could be drawn from the biological data because definite host records are available only for four species.     

A new genus and species of Pteromalidae (Hymenoptera,Chalcidoidea) from Spain,parasitic in cynipid galls on Fumaria

Neaylax versicolor (Hymenoptera, Cynipidae), which forms galls on fumitory (Fumaria), is attacked in Spain by Rivasia fumariae, a species of Pteromalidae (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea) herein described as new and assigned to a new genus. The new genus has an unusual combination of morphological characters but seems best placed in the pteromalid subfamily Ormocerinae. An account is given of the biology and larval morphology of the new species.     

The phylogenetic position of Thermophis (Serpentes: Colubridae), an endemic snake from the Qinghai‐Xizang Plateau,China

The snakes of the genus Thermophis, including two species (Thermophis baileyi and Thermophis zhaoermii), which are found only on the Qinghai‐Xizang Plateau, were studied to determine the phylogenetic position of the genus within the broad superfamily Colubroidea. In this study, T. baileyi from two different localities in Xizang and T. zhaoermii from western Sichuan formed a monophyletic group as determined using Bayesian and likelihood methods of phylogenetic inference. Based on the nucleotide sequence of the cyt b and c‐mos genes, Thermophis appeared to be a member of the subfamily Xenodontinae, which prior to this finding had been confined to a New World distribution. The molecular data also indicate a large genetic distance between T. baileyi and T. zhaoermii, which strengthens the validity of the new species: T. zhaoermii.     

Typhlosyrinx -like tropical deep-water turriform gastropods (Mollusca,Gastropoda, Conoidea)

Based on radular and protoconch morphology, the genus Typhlosyrinx Thiele, 1925 has been successively classified in the subfamily Turriculinae of the family Turridae and in the subfamily Clathurellinae of the family Conidae. It is shown that the protoconch had earlier been misinterpreted, and the presence of a diagonally cancellated sculpture indicates a placement in the conid subfamily Raphitominae. Two conchologically similar genera, based on teleoconch sculpture and radular morphology are recognized: Typhlosyrinx, with axial ribbing on teleoconch spire whorls and a radula with long (250 μm) barbed teeth, and Leiosyrinx n. gen., without axial sculpture and a radula with short (<100 μm) simplified teeth. Five species (two new) of Typhlosyrinx and four species (all new) of Leiosyrinx are recognized, all at bathyal depths between 280 and 1840 m in the tropical Indo-Pacific and Panamic provinces. The two genera are not known earlier than the Pliocene, where they already occurred in deep-water assemblages.     

Shamshevia,a new genus of long-legged flies from Namibia (Diptera: Dolichopodidae: Diaphorinae)

The genus Shamshevia Grichanov, gen. nov. is described from Namibia to accommodate a new species, Shamshevia hoanibensis Grichanov sp. nov. Despite flattened posterior mesonotum, the new genus is placed in the subfamily Diaphorinae and is considered close to the genus Dactylonotus Parent, differing from the latter in peculiar characters of male antenna, wing and genitalia.     

Some helminth parasites of marine fishes of South Africa: Santeria rubalo gen. et sp. nov. (Digenea: Cryptogonimidae)

A new genus and species, Santeria rubalo, is described from the sparid fish Cheimerius nufar from the south-western Indian Ocean. It is placed in the cryptogonimid subfamily Neochasminae and is distinguished from Paracryptogonimus and Apophallus mainly by its oral spination, which consists of six to eight annular rows of spines.     

Revision of the genus Lepidastheniella Monro, 1924 (Polychaeta: Polynoidae: Lepidastheniinae) with notes on the subfamily Lepidastheniinae and the description of a new species

The present revision covers all known species of the genus Lepidastheniella Monro, 1924 (i.e. Lepidastheniella comma (Thomson, 1902), L. phillippensis Monro, 1924 and L. monroi Benham, 1950). The comparison of the available type material showed that L. monroi is a junior synonym of L. comma and that specimens from a collection of scale worms from off Shimoda (Japan) belong to the new species L. nishii sp. nov. described herein. The generic diagnosis of Lepidastheniella is emended and an identification key to all valid species given. Additionally, the subfamily affiliation of Lepidastheniella is discussed, distinctive characters of all genera belonging to the subfamily Lepidastheniinae Pettibone, 1989 are described, and an identification key to these genera is given.     

On the taxonomic position of Indiacypridinae (Crustacea,Ostracoda), with the description of a new species of Indiacypris Hartmann, 1964 from Chalakkudy River (Kerala,India)

A new species of Indiacypris, I. chalakkudensis n. sp., is described from Chalakkudy River in Kerala, India; an asexual population of I. dispar occurred sympatrically with the new species and is here briefly redescribed. This is only the third species reported in this genus, and indeed also in the subfamily. The taxonomic position of this lineage is discussed in light of new morphological evidence. The subfamily could either belong to Cyprididae, or to Ilyocyprididae, or could represent an intermediate branch. Until molecular phylogeny can test these hypotheses, the subfamily remains in Ilyocyprididae.     

A new species of the pseudoscorpion genus Megachernes (Pseudoscorpiones: Chernetidae) associated with a threatened Sri Lankan rainforest rodent,with a review of host associations of Megachernes

Most species of the Old World pseudoscorpion genus Megachernes are associated with mammals, either within their nests or in their pelage, whereas others are found in cave systems, usually in bat guano. The first Sri Lankan species of the genus, Megachernes kanneliyensis, is described from the fur of an endemic, threatened Sri Lankan mouse, Mus mayori pococki from the Kanneliya rainforest. The species is compared with other species of the genus. Host associations of all named and several unnamed species of Megachernes are reviewed, with two main habitat types, those found in mammal nests and in their pelage, and those found in bat guano. Based on similarities with Megachernes, Chiridiochernes is transferred to Lamprochernetinae as the spermathecae are T-shaped, the sole diagnostic feature of the subfamily.     

The Cassidininae Hansen, 1905 (Crustacea: Isopoda: Sphaeromatidae) of Australia

The Cassidininae of Australia are revised. The status of the subfamily is assessed and it is concluded that, as presently constituted, the Cassidininae is an artificial taxon. It is maintained here as a taxon of convenience (sensu lato) until the other sphaeromatid subfamilies can be reassessed, but a new diagnosis (sensu stricto) is given. The genus Cassidina is redescribed. Three new genera are established: Agostodina gen. nov. (type species: A. munta sp. nov.), Apemosphaera gen. nov. (type species: A. naranagi sp. nov.) and Discidina gen. nov. (type species: D. banawarra sp. nov.). New diagnoses are provided for the genera Cassidina Milne Edwards, Chitonopsis Whitelegge, Cassidinidea Hansen, Paracassidina Baker, Syncassidina Baker and Platysphaera Holdich and Harrison. The genus Dies is placed in synonymy with Cassidinidea and an annotated list is given of all species of the genus. The following new species (excluding the new type species) are described: Chitonopsis booyoolie, Agostodina munta, Paracassidina anasilla, P. bakeri, P. bamarook, P. bilbie, P. cervina, P. dama, P. fuscina, P. incompta, P. kutyo, P. munna, P. petala, P. prolata, P. wurrook and Cassidinidea korpie. Keys to the Australian genera and species are given.     

Description of two new species of Guernea (Crustacea,Amphipoda, Dexaminidae) from Japan,with tentative revision of subfamily Prophliantinae

Guernea minor sp. nov. and G. ezoensis sp. nov. are described from Japan. Based on these new species and the literature, a tentative revision of the subfamily Prophliantinae is proposed. The subgenus Prinassus of the genus Guernea is invalidated. The subgenus Haustoriopsis of the genus Guernea is re-elevated to a separate genus from Guernea. Dexaminoculus is transferred from Prophliantinae to Dexamininae.     

The Mediterranean species of Malmgreniella Hartman, 1967 (Polychaeta: Polynoidae: Polynoinae), including the description of a new species

The present review is based on material from different localities in the Mediterranean Sea, and where appropriate, on type material; it comprises all Malmgreniella species known to occur in this area: i.e. Malmgreniella andreapolis (McIntosh, 1874), M. castanea (McIntosh, 1876), M. darbouxi Pettibone, 1993, M. lilianae Pettibone, 1993, M. ljungmani (Malmgren, 1867), M. lunulata (Delle Chiaje, 1830), M. polypapillata sp. nov. Two species are new for the Mediterranean: M. lilianae, previously only known from the southwest Atlantic, represents a new record, and M. polypapillata is a new species, occurring not only in the Mediterranean, but probably also in the northeast Atlantic. The seven Malmgreniella species listed above are described and figured, and an identification key is provided. Furthermore, the subfamily affiliation of the genus Malmgreniella Hartman, 1967 and the validity of Malmgrenia McIntosh, 1874 are discussed.     

New Zealand chelonine braconid wasps (Hymenoptera)

The New Zealand braconid fauna is remarkable in that the only chelonine genus represented is Ascogaster; no member of the world-wide genus Chelonus has yet been found. The New Zealand species of Ascogaster are revised, keyed and illustrated. Of the 12 species, nine are new, two (crenulata Cameron, elongata Lyle) are redescribed and quadridentata, which was introduced into New Zealand for biological control of codling moth, was redescribed in a recent paper. One new synonym is established. The classification and biology of chelonines are briefly reviewed and the faunal relationships between Australian and New Zealand species of Ascogaster are discussed.