Aspects of the natural history of Leptodactylus knudseni Heyer, 1972 (Anura: Leptodactylidae) in a pristine forest in Central Amazonia,Brazil, with comments on ontogenetic variation of its tadpoles

The Leptodactylus pentadactylus species group is comprised of medium to large species of Neotropical frogs. Leptodactylus knudseni, a member of this species group, has a wide distribution throughout the Amazon Basin. Herein we describe aspects of the reproductive biology of L. knudseni and provide notes about the ontogenetic variation of its tadpoles based on a population in a non-flooded forest near Manaus, Amazonian Brazil. Amplectant pairs of L. knudseni lay foam nests in excavated basins on the edge of temporary ponds located on clay soil and at least 50 m from a stream. The tadpole development happens initially in the foam nests with access to the pond after the rain flooding the basins. Studied clutches lacked trophic eggs and tadpoles did not produce foam. Ontogenetic variations in L. knudseni tadpoles are related to size, teeth formulae and body colour. The use of excavated basins for the deposition of foam nests has been reported in several species of the L. pentadactylus group. The absence of trophic eggs and production of foam by the tadpoles differ from other species of the L. pentadactylus group. The tadpole morphology is similar to that described for other species of the group.     

A new genus of freshwater crab (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Potamidae) from Thailand,with a description of a new species

A new genus, Stelomon, is established for the Thai freshwater crabs Potamon kanchanaburiense Naiyanetr, 1992, and P. pruinosum Alcock, 1909. The unique structure of the male first pleopod is the key diagnostic generic character. One new species, which differs in the form of the male first pleopod, is also described. A key to the species of Stelomon is included.     

Comparative larval morphology of the European bone-skippers,Thyreophora cynophila (Panzer, 1798) and Centrophlebomyia furcata (Fabricius, 1794) (Diptera: Piophilidae), with notes on their coexistence and natural history

Considered at times as extinct, the European bone-skippers Thyreophora cynophila and Centrophlebomyia furcata (Diptera: Piophilidae) have been recently rediscovered in Spain, coexisting in some areas. Nevertheless, apart from their typical association with big mammal carcasses, little is known about them and the other species of subtribe Thyreophorina. In the present paper, the larval morphology of T. cynophila is described for the first time and compared with that of C. furcata. The morphology of cephalopharyngeal skeleton, the number and arrangement of the spines of ventral creeping welts, and the morphology and presence or absence of tubercles in the two last segments of the body, are the main characters allowing for larval identification of both species. Some preliminary field and laboratory observations on the behaviour and life cycle of the two species are also provided.     

Use of morphological and molecular data to identify three new sibling species of the genus Munida Leach, 1820 (Crustacea,Decapoda, Galatheidae) from New Caledonia

Three cryptic species of the genus Munida from New Caledonia, previously identified as M. tuberculata Henderson, , M. notata Macpherson, and M. clinata Macpherson, , are described and illustrated. The three species are identified by subtle and constant morphological characters, which match clear differences in molecular sequences (16S rDNA and COI genes). The results also confirm the importance of several of these characters (e.g. length of the antennular and antennal spines) in the taxonomy of the genus Munida.     

A taxonomic review of the Rhinotermitidae (Isoptera) of Thailand

Ninety series of rhinotermitid termites were collected from 19 localities distributed across much of Thailand, and compared with specimens deposited in the NHML. Eleven species belonging to five genera of Rhinotermitidae are recorded from Thailand. Three species of two genera, Reticulitermes (Reticulitermes assamensis) and Parrhinotermes (Parrhinotermes microdentiformisoides and Parrhinotermes buttelreepeni), are new records from Thailand. Keys to the genera and species based on the soldier caste are given. Soldiers of all species are illustrated and morphological measurements are given.     

The genus Platypalpus Macquart (Diptera: Hybotidae) from Northeast Thailand with comments on the species groups in the Oriental region

The first records on the genus Platypalpus Macquart from Thailand are presented including 10 species new to science: P. fai sp. nov., P. gaemluang sp. nov., P. hualuang sp. nov., P. isaanensis sp. nov., P. nuadkhao sp. nov., P. phomyaaw sp. nov., P. seedam sp. nov., P. seeluang sp. nov., P. siamensis sp. nov., and P. thaicus sp. nov.. A key to these species is provided. All species of Platypalpus known from the Oriental Region (totally 54) are arranged into the species groups currently established for the genus. Eight species groups are recognized from the Oriental Realm and the distribution of each group is briefly discussed. The P. albiseta‐group is most diverse in the Orient with 16 species recorded. Two species of this group possess a modified structure and vestiture of certain abdominal segments that is the first record of this phenomenon in Platypalpus. Also, within the P. albiseta‐group a complex of closely related species sharing an apomorphous condition of the hypoproct has been recognized. In these species the structure of the hypoproct is likely to deal with clasping during copulation instead of the cerci and epandrial lamellae.     

A new neobisiid pseudoscorpion species from Crete (Greece), with notes on its morphology,distribution, evolution,and phylogeny

This study, based on an analysis of some palaeo‐Mediterranean pseudoscorpions (Ernstmayria venizelosi n. sp. and E. apostolostrichasi ?ur?i? and Dimitrijevi? from the family Neobisiidae) represents an outstanding improvement of our knowledge of the diversity of relict and distributionally limited false scorpions from the ancient (or proto‐) Aegean area. Both E. venizelosi n. sp. and E. apostolostrichasi originated in the proto‐Balkan region; their ancestors are to be sought among extinct forms. Since Ernstmayria species presently inhabit the ‘peripheral’ location of the ancient Aegeis, it is evident that their remote ancestor gave rise to a number of recent genera which presently constitute two generic groups inhabiting the Mediterranean region: Neobisium Chamberlin, Occitanobisium Heurtault, Roncobisium Vachon, Protoneobisium ?ur?i?, and Pennobisium ?ur?i?, on the one hand, and Acanthocreagris Mahnert, Balkanoroncus ?ur?i?, Insulocreagris ?ur?i?, and Roncocreagris Mahnert, on the other.     

Integrative taxonomy of Thalerosphyrus Eaton, 1881 (Ephemeroptera,Heptageniidae) in Thailand

ABSTRACT

A comprehensive revision of the genus Thalerosphyrus in Thailand is assessed. Four species are recognised: T. flowersi, T. sinuosus, T. vietnamensis and one new species, Thalerosphyrus thailandensis sp. nov., which is described here. A morphological comparison of the described species is provided. A Maximum Likelihood (ML) consensus tree based on 658 bp of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene of five species was performed. Uncorrected p-distances strongly support the identity of these species, originally based on morphology, and show differences of 8.4–29.8% between species and 1.4–6.3% within species.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:850FB31C-2B6A-4AB2-92D5-3413B193F196     

The flower bug genus Orius Wolff, 1811 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Anthocoridae: Oriini) of Thailand

The flower bug genus Orius Wolff, 1811 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Anthocoridae: Oriini) in Thailand is reviewed. Eleven valid species are recognised; seven of them are described as new to science: Orius (O.) sakaerat, O. (O.) taksini, O. (O.) tomokunii, O. (O.) filiferus, O. (O.) machaerus, O. (O.) inthanonus and O. (Trichorius) crassus. Orius (Heterorius) dravidiensis Muraleedharan, 1977, which has been known from India, is recorded from Thailand for the first time, and is correctly placed in the subgenus Dimorphella Reuter, 1884. The subgenus Paraorius Yasunaga and Miyamoto, 1993 is proposed as a synonym of Dimorphella. Diagnoses, digital habitus images, scanning electron micrographs and illustrations of diagnostic features including both male and female genitalia are provided. Keys to the Thai species are offered to facilitate identification. Biology of Thai species is also discussed.     

A new species of Protocladorchis (Paramphistomidae,Dadaytrematinae) from Pangasius nasutus (Bleeker, 1863) in Thailand

Protocladorchis chinabutae sp. nov. from Pangasius nasutus in Thailand differs from Protocladorchis burmanicus mainly in the size, shape and position of the testes and from P. pangasii in body shape, egg size and the shape of the pharyngeal sacs. The genus has not previously been reported from Thailand.     

Taxonomic revision of the genus Littorophiloscia Hatch, 1947 (Crustacea,Isopoda, Oniscidea) with description of six new species

In the present revision 15 species of Littorophiloscia are recognized. Six species, namely L. tropicalis, L. koreana, L. amphindica, L. pallida, L. bifasciata and L. hawaiiensis are described as new. Littorophiloscia isabellae (Vandel, 1973) is considered to be a junior synonym of L. albicincta (Vandel, 1973), and Philoscia dartevellei Brian, 1953 and Vandeloscia orientalis Roman, 1977 are considered to be junior synonyms of L. culebrae (Moore, 1901). Alloniscus compar sens. Vandel, 1952 nec Budde-Lund, 1893 is considered to be distinct from L. riedli (Strouhal, 1966) and it has been renamed L. tropicalis sp. nov. The genera Bilawrencia Vandel, 1973, Helenoscia Vandel, 1977, Vandeloscia roman, 1977 and Sayoscia Schultz, 1983 are considered to be synonymous with Littorophiloscia. Diagnostic characters of all the species are illustrated. A map and comments on the distribution of the 15 species are included.     

Taxonomic notes on the Asian frogs of the tribe Paini (Ranidae,Dicroglossinae): 1. Morphology and synonymy of Chaparana aenea (Smith, 1922), with proposal of a new statistical method for testing homogeneity of small samples

The species from northern Vietnam described as Rana fansipani Bourret, is shown to be a synonym of the species from northern Thailand described as Rana aenea Smith, . The male secondary sex characters of this species are described in detail for the first time. Combined with a few other characters, they allow this species to be distinguished from the closely related Rana unculuanus Liu, Hu and Yang, 1960 from southern China. Both species should be placed in a subgenus Chaparana (Chaparana), a member of the tribe Paini of the subfamily Dicroglossinae of the Ranidae. In this study, we propose a new statistical method for testing homogeneity of small samples: this consists of considering the values obtained for each specimen and for each regression factor score as morphometric characteristics of this specimen within the frame of this analysis; these values, or some of them, can be used to compare subgroups of specimens by non‐parametric tests such as the Mann–Whitney U test.     

New contributions to the marine benthic ciliates from the Antarctic area,including description of seven new species (Protozoa,Ciliophora)

Twenty‐six marine benthic ciliates including seven new species were isolated from King George Island, Antarctic. The morphology and taxonomy of 19 of them are described in the present paper: Aegyriana paroliva, Amphileptus sp., Amphisiella antarctica nov. spec., Condylostoma cf. magnum, Dysteria parovalis nov. spec., Folliculina ? sp., Hartmannula cf. angustipilosa, Hemigastrostyla szaboi nov. spec., Heterostentor coeruleus, Holosticha sp., Intranstylum antarcticum nov. spec., Metaurostylopsis rubra, Orthodonella shenae, Philasterides cf. armatalis, Pithites pelagicus nov. spec., Pleuronema coronatum, Strombidium apolatum nov. spec., Telotrochidium sp., and Thigmokeronopsis magna nov. spec. Based on the new observations, an improved diagnosis for the genus Aegyriana is suggested: dorsoventrally flattened Dysteriidae with tail‐shaped podite, which is positioned subcaudally in a glabrous region within somatic kineties; oral structure in two parts: ca three close‐set fragments on right and one preoral kinety on left; left postoral kineties shortened posteriorly and continuous with right ones, leaving no median gap or suture; cytopharyngeal rods dominant. According to the new understanding and information obtained, a refined diagnosis of the genus Hemigastrostyla is also suggested: hypotrich with Oxytricha‐like cirral pattern; eight to ten frontal (including one buccal) and five to seven ventral cirri; five transverse and three caudal cirri; no right‐lateral anlagen of dorsal kineties occurring and the old adoral zone will be partly replaced by newly formed structure during morphogenesis; dorsal cilia located in small pits, fibre system highly developed; marine habitat.     

Taxonomic review of Coccobius species (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) from China,with notes on their use in biological control of scale insect pests (Hemiptera: Diaspididae), and description of a new species

The Chinese species of the genus Coccobius Ratzeburg (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) are reviewed. Sixteen species, C. abdominis Huang, C. annulicornis Ratzeburg, C. azumai Tachikawa, C. chaoi Huang, C. curtifuniculatus Huang, C. flaviceps (Girault & Dodd), C. flavicornis Compere & Annecke, C. fulvus (Compere & Annecke), C. furviflagellatus Huang, C. furvus Huang, C. languidus Huang, C. longialatus Huang, C. longifuniculatus Huang, C. maculatus Huang, C. wuyiensis Huang, and one new species, Coccobius albiscutellum Wang and Huang sp.nov., are treated. A key is provided for the recognition of the females of all Chinese species of Coccobius, and notes are given on their use in biological control of scale insect pests. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:F510059B-F176-46BA-B7B5-8252B06BE91F     

A revision of the genus Siamthelphusa Bott, 1968 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Parathelphusidae), with descriptions of five new species from Thailand

The taxonomy of the northern Peninsular Malaysian and Thai freshwater crab genus Siamthelphusa Bott, 1968 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Parathelphusidae) is revised. Nine species are recognized: S. improvisa (Lanchester, 1901), S. holthuisi Naiyanetr and Ng, 1990, S. retimanus n. sp., S. paviei (De Man, 1898), S. acutidens n. sp., S. faxoni (Rathbun, 1905), S. transversa n. sp., S. nan n. sp., and S. variegata n. sp. A neotype is designated for S. improvisa (Lanchester, 1901), the type species of the genus.     

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.     

Revision of the Indo-Australian braconine wasp genus Ischnobracon Baltazar (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) with description of six new species from Thailand,Laos and Sri Lanka

The uncommon Asian braconine wasp genus Ischnobracon Baltazar is revised. Eleven species are recognized of which six are described as new, namely I. albitarsus Butcher and Quicke from mainland Malaysia, I. baltazarae Butcher and Quicke from the Philippines, I. hannongbuai Butcher and Quicke from Thailand, Laos, Myanmar and Indonesia (Sulawesi), I. morleyi Butcher and Quicke from Sri Lanka, I. feliciae Butcher and Quicke from Thailand, I. xanthoflagellaris Butcher and Quicke from Thailand, Laos and Vietnam. Ischnobracon rhyssides (Enderlein) is a new junior subjective synonym of I. laboriosus (Smith).     

Mating behaviour,territoriality and natural history notes of Phyllomedusa ayeaye Lutz, 1966 (Hylidae: Phyllomedusinae) in south-eastern Brazil

The mating (male courtship, amplexus and oviposition) and male territorial behaviours of Phyllomedusa ayeaye are described from a high-altitude site in the state of Minas Gerais, south-eastern Brazil. Information related to male breeding success and territoriality, as well as egg clutch parameters, is provided, together with qualitative information regarding tadpole phenology and juvenile recruitment. In addition, estimations of sexual dimorphism and numbers of marked individuals are available through capture-mark-recapture sampling. Females bred with males within spatially clustered oviposition sites (broadleaf plants). In some cases, the amplectant couple actively searched for the oviposition site. Males defended territories from other males, employing both acoustic and physical interactions. Some males successfully maintained their calling sites over successive nights, and others seemed to switch among nearby sites during successive nights and tried to disrupt ongoing ovipositions. No significant relationship was found between physical attributes (snout vent length or body mass) of males with breeding success. Also, no influence of the number of nights a male was active in chorus and its breeding success was detected. Therefore, it is proposed that the mating system in P. ayeaye may be opportunistic. Additional information related to reproduction (egg clutch parameters and breeding behaviours) is also discussed for other species of the Phyllomedusa hypochondrialis group and compared with the results of the present study.