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.     

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.     

A new genus and two new species of Philotarsidae. (Insecta: Psocoptera) from East Africa

Summary

Genus Tarsophilus and its species lineatus and aequabilis (Insecta: Psocoptera: Philotarsidae) are described as new. The specimens, all males, were collected in highland areas of East Africa. The new genus is placed in Philotarsidae rather than Pseudocaeciliidae on characters of hypandrium, phallosome, and lacinial tip. Its position in the subfamily Philotarsinae is justified and it is compared to the other genera of this group on both male and on trans-sexual characters.     

Reclassification of Bracon mendocinus,a gall‐associated doryctine wasp,and description of a new closely related species of Allorhogas (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

One of the first reported gall‐associated braconids, from 1910, Bracon mendocinus Kieffer and Jörgensen, is removed from the subfamily Braconinae and transferred to the doryctine genus Allorhogas, A. mendocinus (Kieffer and Jörgensen) comb. nov. A new species morphologically similar to A. mendocinus, A. joergenseni Martinez and Zaldivar‐Riverón sp. nov., is also described. Additionally a neotype is designated for B. mendocinus Kieffer and Jörgensen. We base our conclusions on the morphological examination of recently collected specimens from central Argentina associated with galls on Lycium chilense (Solanaceae), as well as on the DNA variation at 28S ribosomal RNA and cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) mitochondrial DNA genes.     

Expanding the taxonomic conundrum: Three new species of groundwater crustacean (Syncarida,Bathynellacea, Parabathynellidae) endemic to the Iberian Peninsula

Two new species of the genus Iberobathynella and one new species of the cosmopolitan genus Hexabathynella are described from the Iberian Peninsula. The three new species were found in the groundwater of caves and the gravelly bank of a river, two species in the north of Spain (Cantabria and Burgos) and one in the south (Sevilla). The two new species of the genus Iberobathynella present a unique combination of characters. These character combinations for the species from Cantabria are: thoracopod 8 female with wrinkled cuticle and two teeth; seven spines on the furca; nine spines on the sympod, three barbed and one plumose seta on the exopod and two barbed setae on the endopod of the uropod; maxilla with 0, 0 and 15 setae on the three segments, respectively; five teeth on the pars incisiva and six teeth on the pars molaris of the mandible and seven segments on the antennule. The combinations of characters for the species from Burgos are: antennule with seven segments; segment 5 of the antennule with one aesthetasc; mandible with four and five teeth on the pars incisiva and pars molaris respectively; maxillule with one seta on segment 1 and 14 setae on segment 3; segment 1 of the endopod of the thoracopod 1 with two setae; uropod with six spines on the sympod, four barbed setae and one plumose seta on the exopod and no setae on the endopod; furca with five spines and the thoracopod 8 female with wrinkled cuticle and two teeth. This last species has an exclusive character for the genus: the absence of setae on the endopod of the uropod. The new species of the genus Hexabathynella has six spines of similar length on the sympod of the uropod (in all other species within the genus the distal spine is longer than the others); the form of the antennal organ in the males is shown to be a new unique character for the genus; the maxilla has three and 13 setae on segments 2 and 3, respectively; the uropod has six spines on the sympod, three barbed setae on the exopod and two smooth setae on the endopod, the endopod is twice as long as the exopod and the shape of the female thoracopod 8 is unique.     

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.     

Australian thrips of the Haplothrips lineage (Insecta: Thysanoptera)

Keys are presented to the 11 genera and 50 species, including 21 new species, of Thysanoptera in Australia that are related to the worldwide genus Haplothrips Amyot and Serville. These taxa belong to what, in recent literature, has been called the “Haplothrips‐lineage”, that is, one of the three major radiations among the 2700 species and 350 genera of Thysanoptera Phlaeothripinae. The group is redefined, and the available tribal name Haplothripini shown to be appropriate. The character states on which the definition is based are discussed, and a list given of the 34 genera worldwide that can be included. The Australian species in these genera exhibit a diversity of biologies. Three genera involve species that invade galls induced by other thrips: Androthrips monsterae (Moulton) from New Guinea is newly recorded from Australia; Mesothrips jordani Zimmermann from South‐East Asia is newly recorded from Australia, with two new synonyms; the Asia‐Pacific genus, Euoplothrips Hood, includes two species in northern Australia. Three haplothripine genera are associated with grasses: one widespread genus, Apterygothrips Priesner, considered polyphyletic, includes only one Australian species; the only known species of Dyothrips Kudo is Oriental but extends into tropical Australia; Podothrips Hood, a circum‐tropical genus of thrips predatory on grass‐living coccoids, has 11 Australian species, six newly described. One grass‐associated genus, Bamboosiella Ananthakrishnan, is excluded from the Haplothripini. An Oriental genus of leaf‐ and flower‐living species, Dolichothrips Karny, includes one species in northern Australia, D. reuteri (Karny); Membrothrips Bhatti in which this species has been placed is considered a synonym. Karnyothrips Watson includes two species introduced to Australia, both predators of coccoids. Priesneria Bagnall includes three species from Australia, of which one fungus‐feeding species is newly described. Xylaplothrips Priesner is a widespread but ill‐defined, polyphyletic genus that currently includes three little‐known Australian species. Haplothrips is the main focus of this study, and character state variation among the Australian species is discussed. In total 24 species of Haplothrips from Australia are recognised, 14 being new species. Also included are the following, one new generic synonym, four new species synonyms, and one new combination. The 250 species worldwide in the genus are usually associated with the flowers of Asteraceae and Poaceae. In Australia, several of the species are specific to flowers, particularly of Poaceae and Cyperaceae but not Asteraceae. Almost half of these Australian species are presumed to be predatory on other small arthropods, and two have unusual host associations—with salt marsh Chenopodiaceae, and with the sori of Dicksonia tree ferns.     

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.     

Redescription of Leydigia parva Daday, 1905 and assignment to Parvalona gen. nov. (Cladocera: Anomopoda: Chydoridae)

A morphological investigation of Leydigia parva Daday, (Chydoridae: Anomopoda: Cladocera), based on specimens from Paraguay (type specimens) and Brazil, clarifies its position in the subfamily and prompts its assignment to a new genus, Parvalona. The affinity of this rare benthic chydorid with Leydigia Kurz, 1875 and Alona Baird, 1843, in which this taxon was placed earlier, is discussed.     

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.     

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.     

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.     

The amphipod genus Alexandrella (Amphipoda,Stilipedidae): taxonomic status,allometric growth and description of two new species

Two new species of the genus Alexandrella are described: A. mandibulata and A. martae. One species, A. mixta, is considered a junior synonym of the type species A. dentata. The genus now comprises six species, all of which are restricted to either the Antarctic or sub‐Antarctic region or the South Pacific. Oostegites are observed to be present on pereopod 1 in two Alexandrella species. This is a novel morphological trait among the Amphipoda. Developmental information is presented for two other Alexandrella species, in which the mandibular incisor is seen to be modified from strongly toothed in marsupial young to totally smooth in mature specimens. Also the armature dorsally on their body and the morphology of the telson undergo conspicuous allometric changes. A key to all known Alexandrella species is provided.     

Description of a new Tetranychus (Acarina,Prostigmata: Tetranychidae) pest of Musa from French Guiana

A new species of tetranychid mite, genus Tetranychus Dufour, 1832, is described and illustrated herein from neotropical area. Tetranychus musae sp. nov. (Acari, Prostigmata: Tetranychidae) differs from other species in the genus by the combination between the arrangement of leg setae on females tarsus I and the shape of the aedeagus. Tarsus I bears one tactile setae proximal to proximal duplex setae and three tactiles in line or almost in line with proximal duplex setae. The aedeagus knob consists of an acute posterior projection bent ventrally and a larger anterior rounded projection directed anterodorsally. T. musae specimens were collected in French Guiana where they appeared to be a pest of Musa sp. A key to adults of neotropical species of the genus Tetranychus feeding on banana is provided.     

A phytophagous braconid,Allorhogas conostegia sp. nov. (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), in the fruits of Conostegia xalapensis (Bonpl.) D. Don (Melastomataceae)

Before 1989 all braconid wasps were thought to be parasitoids, but in that year the first phytophagous species was reported. Subsequently, a few other examples of phytophagy have been discovered, most of which are species of Allorhogas in the subfamily Doryctinae. Until now, all demonstrated examples of phytophagy in this genus have been as gall inducers in the fruits of Fabaceae. Here we describe a new species from Costa Rica, Allorhogas conostegia Marsh and Shaw, and provide evidence that it forms galls in the fruits of Conostegia xalapensis (Melastomataceae). We also provide information on the phenology of the plant and of the galls and the effects of the galls on the host plant, and we discuss the potential species richness of Allorhogas in the Neotropics.     

A revision of the genus Prionocrangon (Crustacea: Decapoda: Caridea: Crangonidae)

Additional specimens belonging to the rare crangonid genus Prionocrangon Wood‐Mason and Alcock, collected from recent deep‐sea expeditions in the West Pacific enable a revision of this poorly known genus. The four previously described species are all valid. The type species P. ommatosteres Wood‐Mason and Alcock, , originally known only from the Andaman Sea, is considered to be also distributed in the Philippines and Indonesia. However, the material previously assigned to “P. ommatosteres” by de Man () and Chace () from Indonesia and the Philippines actually represents a new species, P. demani sp. nov., close to P. pectinata Faxon, . Prionocrangon pectinata and P. curvicaulis Yaldwyn, are still only known by their types. The distribution of P. dofleini Balss, is now extended from Japan to Taiwan. Two more new species are recognized. Prionocrangon formosa sp. nov. from Taiwan is closely related to P. curvicaulis while P. paucispina sp. nov. from Taiwan and New Caledonia is unique in having very few dorsal carapace spines. The genus Prionocrangon is newly diagnosed and a key to the species is provided. Nevertheless, a damaged specimen from the Sulu Sea could not be satisfactorily assigned to any of the above seven species, suggesting that this genus may have even higher diversity.     

Revision of the genus Niwaella in China (Pisces,Cobitidae), with description of two new species

Loaches of the genus Niwaella, family Cobitidae, are distributed only in East Asia. At present only in Japan and South Korea have fishes of the genus Niwaella been found. Herein we revise the genus Niwaella in China. Son and He () transferred the species Cobitis laterimaculata to the genus Niwaella, but their specimens were not N. laterimaculata, but a new species, N. longibarba sp. n., collected from Cao'ejiang River, Huangzezhen, Chengxian County, Zhejiang Province. The new species is distinguished from N. laterimaculata by its colour pattern of a row of slightly large, and long, scattered dark brown vertical bars on the dorsolateral surface, two or three striations on the caudal fin, and long barbels and undeveloped mental lobes. In this paper we also describe another new species, N. xinjiangensis sp. n., collected from Xinjiang River, Guangfeng County, Jiangxi Province, May 1990, with diagnostic colour pattern of 17–20 large and long, dark brown vertical bars on the dorsolateral surface, a dark stripe or rounded black spots along the lateral midline and some blotches below the lateral midline; it is a large‐sized species, with shorter barbels, and longer caudal peduncle. Thus five species of the genus Niwaella are known, three are endemic to eastern China and two are endemic to either Japan or South Korea.     

On a new genus and new species of xanthid crab (Crustacea,Decapoda, Brachyura,Xanthinae) from the South China Sea,with notes on the genus Liagore De Haan, 1833

A new genus and new species of xanthid crab, Ovatis simplex, is described from the South China Sea. The genus is closest to Liagore but can be distinguished by a suite of carapace and male gonopod characters. The systematic position of Liagore is also considered, and both genera, Liagore and Ovatis, are here referred to the subfamily Xanthinae. Comparisons with the allied genera, Paratergatis and Pulcratis, are also provided.