An investigation concerning two alleged species of Dracontomelon Bl., Anacardiaceae

Abstract

Three new species of this genus were described in 1961 and 1962 by M. L. Tardieu-Blot. In their original account, Evrard and Tardieu cited five specimens of the first species, D. laoticum, which were collected from Laos and South Vietnam. Of the other two species, D. petelotii Tard. from North Vietnam and D. schmidii Tard. from Cochin-China, only one specimen of each is cited. The present investigation indicates that two of these species do not belong to the genus Dracontomelon Bl.     

Zoogeography and evolutionary ecology of the genus Platorchestia (Crustacea,Amphipoda, Talitridae)

ABSTRACT

Species of the genus Platorchestia occur both in the northern hemisphere (18 species) and southern hemisphere (three species plus a synanthropically introduced species in South America and South Africa). The greater number of endemic Platorchestia species in the North Pacific Ocean suggests that it could be the epicentre of evolution for this genus. North-western Pacific Platorchestia includes 15 species which occupy five ecotopes: wrack (seven species), terrestrial leaf litter (five species), freshwater (one species), marsh (one species) and tentatively present in caves (one species). North-eastern Pacific Platorchestia includes only one putative driftwood specialist, with no other species found in North American coastal habitats. This compares with three good endemic Platorchestia species (plus two putative additional species) and only two ecotopes: wrack (three species) and freshwater (two species) from the North Atlantic Ocean, inclusive of the Gulf of Mexico and Mediterranean Sea. Insufficient data is available to consider Platorchestia zoogeography for the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal. Synanthropic dispersal involving Platorchestia in Polynesian outrigger canoes, or in solid ballast carried in the holds of wooden sailing ships has been identified as a potential complicating factor in the zoogeography of this genus. Platorchestia is proposed to have arisen on Laurasia and is therefore basically a northern hemisphere genus. Questions concerning Platorchestia zoogeography and evolutionary ecology are posed and two methods (more intensive field sampling and molecular genetics) are suggested to be the way to solve them.     

Miscellanea Nematodologica. VI. Echinonema australis sp. nov. from Sminthopsis crassicaudata in South Australia

Summary

Echinonema australis sp. nov. is described from Sminthopsis crassicaudata, and differs most markedly from the only other species of the genus, E. cinctum, in lacking a swollen region with intermediate sized spines immediately posterior to the three circles of large spines which occur on the extreme anterior end of the body.     

XL.—Deux cercopides nouveaux de l'Equateur

Summary

A history of the genus Pseudanisakis Layman &; Borovkova, 1926, is given. After studies on two species of the genus with both light and scanning electron microscopes, the genus is re-defined. A nomen novum, P. tricupola, is proposed for the type-species, P. rotundata (Rud., 1819) Mosgovoi, 1950, and another, P. baylisi, is proposed for Eustoma rotundatum (Rud., 1819) of Punt (1941). These two species are re-described, and a larval stage of P. tricupola is described for the first time. P. rajae Yamaguti, 1941, sensu nov. is included in the genus. Anacanthocheilus australis of Johnston &; Mawson (1945) is placed in the genus Acanthocheilus Molin, 1858. Acanthocheilus and Pseudanisakis are distinguished, and aspects of their life-histories commented upon.     

A new species of Halectinosoma (Copepoda,Harpacticoida) from the Isle of Man

Summary

A new species of Halectinosoma Lang, 1948, H. pterinum sp. nov. is described from the Isle of Man. Examination of this and some other species of the genus under high magnifications suggests that the diagnosis of the genus may have to be modified.     

On the new goby,Ctenogobius veliensis (Teleostei: Gobiidae) from the South-West coast of India

Summary

Ctenogobius veliensis, a new species of gobiid fish is described from the South-West coast of India. The characters of the fish conform to those of the genus Ctenogobius Gill but differ markedly from those of other recorded species of the genus. Apart from the usual, external morphological, morphometric and metistic characters, several other features such as the cephalic-lateralis system, skeletal features and morphology of the alimentary canal are also studied and have been found to be of significance for identifying the species. The fish shows distinct sexual dimorphism in many features.     

A new hyaliodine genus for Megacoelum nigroscutellatum Distant with new combinations and tribal reassignment for some other species of Miridae (Heteroptera)

Summary

A new genus is erected for Megacoelum nigroscutellatum Distant in the Hyaliodinae as opposed to the Mirinae where the species was originally described. Two species previously described in the genus, Araspus Distant, viz. A. scutellaris Poppius and A. bicolor Poppius, are considered not congeneric with the genotype of the genus and are therefore transferred tentatively to Imogen Kirkaldy in the Saturniomirini. The genus Attractotomelus recently erected by Linnavuori (1975) for Attractotomus serosus Odhiambo is synonymized with Millermiris Carvalho while the transfer of the latter to the Phylinae by Schuh (1974) is confirmed. Proboscidocoris nitidus Odhiambo is transferred to Polymerus Hahn while Polymerus capitatus (Distant) is transferred to Proboscidocoris Reuter and P. antennatus (Distant) to Charagochilus Fieber.     

A revision of the genus Platythelphusa A. Milne-Edwards, 1887 from Lake Tanganyika,East Africa (Decapoda: Potamoidea: Platythelphusidae)

The genus Platythelphusa is revised and six species are recognized. These species are P. armata A. Milne-Edwards, 1887, P. maculata (Cunnington, 1899), P. conculata Cunnington, 1907, P. tuberculata Capart, 1952, P. polita Capart, 1952 and P. echinata Capart, 1952. A seventh taxon, P. denticulata Capart, 1952 is considered here to be a junior synonym of P. conculata. A diagnosis for each species is provided and most are figured from the type. Keys to the families of African freshwater crabs and to the genus Platythelphusa are also provided.     

A new genus and three new species of free‐living marine nematodes from the Yellow Sea,China

One new genus, Paramphimonhystrella gen. nov., and three new species of free‐living marine nematodes in this genus, P. elegans sp. nov., P. minor sp. nov., and P. sinica sp. nov., are described and illustrated from the Yellow Sea, China. Paramphimonhystrella gen. nov. differs from the similar genus Amphimonhystrella by the elongated buccal cavity, cervical setae and large caudal glands. Paramphimonhystrella elegans sp. nov. is characterized by ovoid amphids and spicules with a small hook at distal end and cylindrical part of tail shorter than conical part. Paramphimonhystrella sinica sp. nov. is characterized by circular amphids, wide buccal cavity, spicules with blunt tip, and cylindrical part of tail longer than conical part. Paramphimonhystrella minor sp. nov. differs from the other two species by its smaller body (shorter than 800 µm), circular amphids, and spicules with sharp tip. The type species of this new genus is P. elegans gen. nov. and sp. nov. Types are deposited in the College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China.     

A survey of the genus Stegana Meigen from southern Japan (Diptera,Drosophilidae), with descriptions of three new species

Nine species of genus Stegana from southern Japan, including three new species, S. (Oxyphortica) nigripennis Hendel, S. (Steganina) ctenaria Nishiharu, S. (Steganina) izu Sidorenko, S. (Steganina) kanmiyai Okada and Sidorenko, S. (Steganina) masanoritodai Okada and Sidorenko, S. (Steganina) ornatipes Wheeler and Takada, S. (Oxyphortica) dendrobium sp. nov., S. (Steganina) biprotrusa sp. nov. and S. (Steganina) bacilla sp. nov. are surveyed and described with designation of a new synonym S. (Steganina) maymyo Sidorenko. A key to all species of genus Stegana from southern Japan is provided.     

Revision of the proctotrupoid genus Pelecinus Latreille (Hymenoptera: Pelecinidae)

The extant Pelecinidae consist of the single genus Pelecinus Latreille. This group is restricted to the continental New World; miscellaneous reports and specimens from Jamaica, Australia, India and Malaysia are errors. Three species are recognized: the widespread Pelecinus polyturator (Drury), found from the southern portions of the eastern provinces of Canada, the eastern USA (west to North Dakota, Colorado and New Mexico) and Mexico south to northern Argentina; Pelecinus thoracicus Klug revised status, from western Mexico; and Pelecinus dichrous Perty revised status from northern Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and south-eastern Brazil. Pelecinus rufus Klug, 1841 and Pelecinus annulatus Klug, 1841 are treated as junior synonyms of Pelecinus dichrous Perty, 1833. The status of Pelecinus polyturator var. apicalis Roman is discussed and the name is treated as a synonym of P. polyturator. The only recorded host species for the genus are for P. polyturator: Phyllophaga anxia (LeConte), P. drakei Kirby, P. futilis (LeConte), P. rugosa (Melsheimer) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae, Melolonthinae); and Podischnus agenor Olivier (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae, Dynastinae).     

LXXXI.—Notes on the classification of the African monkeys in the genus Cercopithecus,erxleben

Summary

The Ethiopian species of the genus Agrypon Foerster (Anomaloninae) are revised and a key is given to the eight species. Four species, A. zebrinum, A. omum, A. seyrigi and A. hancocki, are described as new and three new synonymies are proposed. A. leucostomum (Cameron) is newly transferred to Agrypon. Notes on the phylogeny of the species are included.     

VI.—Revision of the species of Hyrax,founded on the specimens in the British Museum

Summary

Spirocamallanus olseni, previously known only from Madagascar in lutjanids and a remora, also infects the lutjanid, Lutjanus fulviflamma, in the Gulf of Elat; it becomes the second member of the genus reported from the Red Sea. Procamallanus elatensis sp. nov. from two siganid fishes becomes the second known Red Sea species in that genus, but appears most related to two other species from signaids. It can be characterized by having a distinct ledge in the buccal capsule anterior to the basal ring and an excretory pore anterior to the nerve ring. In the male, a gubernaculum and three pre-cloacal plus five post-cloacal papillae are present and the spicules have blunt tips with a crook and a ratio of 1:2·4 to 3·3. In the female, the vulva occurs 33 to 45% of the body length from the anterior end.