Sandflies (Diptera: Phlebotominae) of the Canary Islands

Of the four species of phlebotomine sandflies known from the Canary Islands one is endemic. The subgenus Phlebotomus (Abonnencius), created to accommodate this endemic species, is newly synonymized with Ph. (Anaphlebotomus). The biology of Canary Island sandflies is summarized and a comparison of the fauna to that of continental Africa suggests a closer affiliation to the eremic Palearctic than to the Afrotropical Region.     

A synopsis of present knowledge of the Simuliidae (Diptera) of the Canary Islands,including keys to the larval and pupal stages

As human demands for water have become more intense in modern times, the Canary Islands have become a difficult environment for all the macroinvertebrate fauna dependent upon running water for their survival; few permanent streams remain. Investigations on the simuliid (blackfly) fauna have shown, however, that at least six species exist in the archipelago, but that one, the endemic Simulium paraloutetense, known only from one site now destroyed, is possibly extinct. The paper presents cumulated data on distribution and material obtained over the past 33 years (since aquatic-stage specimens from breeding sites were first collected) with the aim of providing a baseline against which future studies of the Canarian simuliid fauna can be assessed. Revised identification keys for larvae and pupae are given to aid such monitoring. Remarks concerning each species include notes on chromosomal data when these are available. Comments are included on some aspects of the lotic habitats and island colonization.     

Taxonomy and geography of the blackflies of the Canary Islands (Diptera: Simuliidae)

The Canary Islands provide a difficult habitat for Simuliidae because of the scarcity of running water for the early stages, but the archipelago currently supports a fauna of six species (one other species formerly present is considered extinct). Breeding is confined to three of the seven islands (Gomera, La Palma, Tenerife), but once occurred also in Gran Canaria, an island that now lacks flowing streams. The taxonomic and faunal conclusions are based on a study of all available specimens, including material of early stages and reared adult flies collected by the author and aided by cytological data from the larval polytene chromosomes of several species. Twenty-one nominal species have at some time or another been reported from the Canaries, but, following this revision, only seven are recognized in the fauna (most past records being erroneous and based on misidentifications or false assumptions of endemicity); full synonymies clarify the old records in relation to modern nomenclature. All species belong to Simulium Latreille s.l., and keys are given to them in adult, pupal and larval stages. Three species are endemic (two newly described) and the other four common to the Palaearctic mainland. Some remarks are included on simuliid colonization and extinction in the islands.     

The terrestrial micro-arthropod fauna of the South Sandwich Islands

The South Sandwich Islands are an isolated maritime Antarctic volcanic island arc 550-600km south-east of South Georgia. The terrestrial biology of the islands, with emphasis on the unique habitats associated with volcanically warmed ground, was investigated in 1997 and compared with the data collected during the only previous (1964) terrestrial expedition to the archipelago. The terrestrial fauna includes 29 free-living micro-arthropod species (nine Collembola and 20 Acari) and two, currently unidentified, enchytraeid worms; a further eight parasitic and sublittoral Acari are recorded in the literature. Freshwater habitats are very restricted in the archipelago and no freshwater fauna was located. Supralittoral pools on a single island contained the marine isopod Cassidinopsis maculata. There are no endemic taxa and no shoreline invertebrates other than the supralittoral Archisotoma brucei (Collembola) and two Enchytraeidae. Diversity on individual islands is, in part, a function of available ice-free ground area. The majority of dominant species throughout the archipelago, Cryptopygus antarcticus (Collembola), Nanorchestes nivalis, Eupodes minutus, Alaskozetes antarcticus and Halozetes belgicae (Acarina), originate on other maritime Antarctic islands, while Ayersacarus tilbrooki (Acarina) is sub-Antarctic. Few (one to three) individuals of several other sub-Antarctic species were recorded by either 1964 or 1997 expeditions, but only Pilellus rykei (Acarina) was reported by both. None of the sub-Antarctic species thought to be associated with geothermally warmed ground in 1964 was confirmed in 1997, despite extensive sampling of the same sites. It is more probable that sub-Antarctic colonists frequently arrive on the South Sandwich Islands but are unable to establish longterm viable populations. Cryptopygus caecus, now widespread on Candlemas I., is a solitary exception to this generalization.     

Diplecogaster tonstricula,a new species of cleaning clingfish (Teleostei: Gobiesocidae) from the Canary Islands and Senegal,eastern Atlantic Ocean,with a review of the Diplecogaster-ctenocrypta species-group

The Diplecogaster-ctenocrypta species-group is reviewed; it comprises two species. The clingfish Diplecogaster ctenocrypta from the Canary Islands is redescribed. The new species Diplecogaster tonstricula, a facultative cleaner of other teleosts, is described on the basis of eight specimens and colour photos from Senegal and the Canary Islands, eastern Atlantic Ocean. The species is small, apparently not exceeding 23 mm total length; it is characterised by having nine dorsal-fin rays, eight anal-fin rays, 24–25 pectoral-fin rays, 14–15 principal caudal-fin rays, 13–16 rakers on third gill arch, pelvic disc without lateral papillae in region A, disc region B with two rows of weak papillae, interorbital distance 4.1–4.6 in head length, distance between disc and anus 14–17% of SL, head and body with 10–13 narrow vertical brownish bars, cheek with a white ocellus surrounded by black, and with a small black spot in the middle. The new species is compared with other species of the genus; a key to the six known species of the eastern Atlantic, Mediterranean and Black Sea and South African genus Diplecogaster is presented. A checklist is provided for the species of Diplecogaster and their synonyms.     

The blackfly fauna of Majorca and other Balearic Islands (Diptera: Simuliidae)

Results are presented of a survey of the Simullidae of the Balearic Islands, an archipelago not previously studied for its blackfly fauna. Four morphospecies occur, none endemic, of which Prosimulium aculeatum is a rare species previously known only from Sardinia and Sicily, and Simulium cryophilum, S. velutinum and S. intermedium widespread in western Europe and North Africa.     

Evaluation of the taxonomy of Helix cincta (Muller, 1774) and Helix nucula (Mousson, 1854); insights using mitochondrial DNA sequence data

Phylogenetic relationships of the Aegean Helix cincta and Helix nucula with congeneric species found in Greece were inferred using mitochondrial DNA sequence data. Twenty-three specimens from mainland Greece, Aegean Islands, Cyprus and North Africa were analysed, revealing that (1) H. nucula is monophyletic, (2) H. cincta from Greece and Cyprus is paraphyletic, and so questions arise regarding the taxonomy of this species, and (3) H. cf. cincta from Tunisia might be considered as a distinct evolutionary lineage. Moreover Helix valentini, an endemic species of Kalymnos Island group, is clustered within the lineage of H. c. anatolica, so supporting the synonymy of the two ‘species’, and the elevation of H. c. anatolica to species level. Hence, our results stress the need for a taxonomic reconsideration of H. cincta in the Aegean Sea, indicating that sequence data can prove useful in overcoming taxonomic issues at both species and subspecies level.     

A new genus of Dicrocoeliidae (Digenea) from the lizard Gallotia atlantica (Sauria: Lacertidae) from the Canary Islands (Spain)

A helminthological investigation was carried out on the lacertid lizard, Gallotia atlantica (Peters and Doria, 1882) (Reptilia: Lacertidae) from Lanzarote, Canary Islands (Spain). One hundred and three digenean trematodes were found in the small intestine. Based on morphological and morphometric analysis of 35 specimens, it is concluded to be a new species which is here named Pseudoparadistomum yaizaensis gen. et sp. nov. referring to the locality where the hosts were caught. Pseudoparadistomum n.g. most closely resembles members of Paradistomum and Paradistomoidella, but is characterized by a V-shaped excretory vesicle, a spined tegument, and the position of the ovary relative to the testes.     

Ecological aspects of the pumpkin toadlet,Brachycephalus garbeanus Miranda-Ribeiro, 1920 (Anura: Neobatrachia: Brachycephalidae), in a highland forest of southeastern Brazil

Brachycephalus garbeanus is an aposematic toadlet, endemic to the Atlantic Forest in the mountains of the state of Rio de Janeiro, southeastern Brazil. Information regarding the ecology of species in this genus is scarce, with no information on most species, including B. garbeanus. We provide ecological information about B. garbeanus, in particular regarding microhabitat use, sexual dimorphism in body size, and feeding habits. Our study was conducted in a montane area of the Parque Estadual dos Três Picos, the largest State park in Rio de Janeiro. Most of the B. garbeanus in the study area were found on the forest floor leaf litter. Females were larger on average than males. Brachycephalus garbeanus consumed a wide array of prey, comprising exclusively invertebrates and predominantly arthropods. There were seasonal differences in the diet composition, but mites and ants were important in both wet and dry seasons.     

Homing behaviour of rock pool blenny Parablennius parvicornis (Pisces: Blenniidae)

The homing ability of the rock pool blenny Parablennius parvicornis was studied at a rocky shore on Gran Canaria (Canary Islands, Spain). A total of 140 fish was tagged in five different rock pools and 100 of these were displaced from their original site, during low tide. This blenny species shows great site fidelity and is able to return home from 400 m away. Results show that homing success mainly depends on the displacement distance and it increases when fish return against the current, whereas sex and fish size have no influence.     

The persistence of an ancient marine fauna in Mediterranean waters: new evidence from misophrioid copepods living in anchihaline caves

Two new species of misophrioid copepods are described from anchihaline cave habitats. Both sexes of Speleophriopsis canariensis are described from material collected on Lanzarote, Canary Is. Expansophria sarda is described from a single male collected on Sardinia. Both genera have widely disjunct distributions which are broadly Tethyan in character. Species of both genera are stenotopic and appear to be restricted to hypogean habitats of near-marine salinities. The presence of species of both genera on Mediterranean islands is interpreted as evidence of the persistence of marine fauna throughout the Messinian Salinity Crisis.     

The genus Cotylopus (Teleostei: Gobioidei) endemic to the rivers of islands of the Indian Ocean with description of a new species from Mayotte (Comoros)

Cotylopus rubripinnis, new species, is described on the basis of nine specimens collected from the Island of Mayotte (Comoros), Indian Ocean. Cotylopus rubripinnis differs from the only other known species in the genus (C. acutipinnis Guichenot, 1863) in usually having fewer scales in lateral (LS), transverse back (TRB), transverse forward (TRF), and zigzag series (ZZ), and in having pectoral, dorsal and caudal fins reddish. The genus was previously only known from the Mascarene Islands (Réunion and Mauritius). The discovery of a second species for that rare and endemic genus 1400?km farther to the north‐west in the Indian Ocean is discussed.     

Patterns of insect flower visitation in Lavandula buchii Webb (Lamiaceae), an endemic shrub of Tenerife (Canary Islands)

The foraging ecology of insect visitors of the endemic lavender Lavandula buchii (Lamiaceae) was studied in a relict population of the plant in north-west Tenerife (Canary Islands). Timed observations were used to describe this pollination system in terms of the structure of the visitor assemblage, foraging patterns and efficiencies of the main insect species. The visitor pool was dominated by anthophorid solitary bees. Furthermore, it was characterized by a high level of endemicity and a small number of species compared with continental relatives of Lavandula. The main visitors, two anthophorids and a bombyliid fly, clearly differed in their foraging behaviour, i.e. visitation frequency, visit duration, rate of flower probing, and in anatomical traits (body size and proboscis length). In these terms, the bees were by far more efficient foragers than the fly. These results are discussed in the context of insect-flower interactions in insular pollination systems.     

Haematozoans,mites and body condition in the oceanic island lizard Gallotia atlantica (Peters and Doria, 1882) (Reptilia: Lacertidae)

We studied relationships among blood haemogregarines (Apicomplexa), ectoparasitic mites (Ophyonissus; Acari: Trombiculidae) and an endemic lizard host (Gallotia atlantica, Lacertidae) on an oceanic islet (Alegranza, Canary Islands). We asked whether blood infection, mite load and body condition were related in lizard subpopulations at two contrasting habitats. Both haemogregarine prevalence (100%) and intensity of parasitism (>1) were strikingly higher than values found for congeneric lizards from the other Canary Islands. There were few differences between habitats in infection levels, suggesting low influence of habitat on parasite performance. Both mite prevalence and intensity were very high, though only prevalence differed between habitats (higher in the richest and climatically more sheltered site). Body condition in lizards did not differ significantly between habitats. We found no association among blood parasite load, mite infection and lizard body condition. Results are discussed in the context of parasite‐host relationships on small islands as compared to larger areas such as continents.     

A new species of Josephiella (Hymenoptera: Agaonidae) forming leaf galls on Ficus microcarpa L. (Moraceae)

A second species of Josephiella Narendran, J. microcarpae, is described and figured, based on specimens reared in Hawaii, California and the Canary Islands. This wasp develops in galls on the leaves of Ficus microcarpa L., a widely cultivated ornamental banyan tree that is native to South-East Asia and adjacent islands. It has not been found on any other hosts. Both sexes are described, and males, which are apparently all fully winged, are relatively rare. We postulate that this wasp is a recent introduction into Hawaii, California and the Canary Islands, from an unknown location in South-East Asia, where Ficus microcarpa is native.     

Acerophagus artelles sp. nov. (Hymenoptera Chalcidoidea Encyrtidae), a biocontrol agent of Dysmicoccus grassii (Leonardi) (Hemiptera Coccoidea Pseudococcidae) on banana in the Canary Islands (Spain)

Acerophagus artelles sp. nov., an effective parasitoid of Dysmicoccus grassii on banana in the Canary Islands, is described, illustrated and compared with related species. A concise diagnosis and relevant taxonomic notes on the genus Acerophagus are also reported.     

Environmental humidity and leaf-litter depth affecting ecological parameters of a leaf-litter frog community in an Atlantic Rainforest area

We studied a leaf-litter frog community from an Atlantic Rainforest area in the state of Espírito Santo, south-eastern Brazil. Frogs were sampled using 4 × 4-m plots. We recorded 348 individuals from 13 species. The estimated overall density of leaf-litter frogs in the study area was 6.6 frogs/100 m² with an estimated overall frog biomass of 0.04 g/ha. Brachycephalus didactylus was the species with the highest estimated density and highest abundance. Five of the litter frog species recorded are considered endemic to the Atlantic Forest and two species are endemic to the state of Espírito Santo, including Euparkerella robusta, which is considered threatened as the result of habitat loss. The overall abundance of leaf litter was positively related to relative humidity and depth of the leaf litter. The relationship between frog body mass and frog abundance was significant, suggesting that a general biological trend in this relationship occurs in our study area.     

Two new genera of Epilachnini Mulsant from New Guinea and Aru Islands (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)

The species formerly classified in the genus Afidentula Kapur from New Guinea and Aru Islands are revised. As a result of detailed analysis of mouth parts and genital structures of the species, two new genera are proposed: monotypic Lalokia gen. nov. from Aru Islands and New Guinea, with Lalokia aruensis (Crotch) (comb. nov.), and Papuaepilachna gen. nov. from New Guinea including Papuaepilachna bivacana (Bielawski) (comb. nov.), P. kapuri (Bielawski) (comb. nov.), P. nasti (Bielawski) (comb. nov.), P. tenmana (Bielawski) (comb. nov.), P. watalai (Jadwiszczak) (comb. nov.) and P. wiebesi (Bielawski) (comb. nov.). All species are illustrated and an identification key to the species of Papuaepilachna is provided. A key to the genera of Epilachnini from New Guinea and Aru Islands is also provided. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:F721B07F-CBF0-4516-853D-1FD434FE06F1     

Two new Tarphius species from Macaronesia (Coleoptera,Zopheridae)

Two new species of Tarphius are described: Tarphius desertaensis n. sp. sifted from saxicole lichens on the small islet of Deserta Grande, east of Madeira, and Tarphius jandiensis n. sp. from Fuerteventura, in the Canary Islands, where it lives in the upper parts of the massif of Jandía as a relict of the once more hygrophilous fauna that inhabited the island. Both species are of small size and have a fairly convex body.     

Cave-dwelling Fulgoroidea (Homoptera: Auchenorrhyncha) from the Canary Islands

Examination of Fulgoroid specimens collected in several caves of volcanic origin on the Canary Islands (Tenerife, El Hierro) has revealed the existence of at least two undescribed troglobitic Fulgoroid species. These are apparently the first records of troglobitic Auchenorrhyncha, not only from the Middle Atlantic Islands, but from the Palaeartic Region. These cavernicolous taxa belong to the families Cixiidae (Tachycixius lavatubus sp. nov.) and Meenoplidae (Meenoplus cancavus sp. nov.). Possible pathways towards the evolution of troglobitic forms in Auchenorrhyncha and ways of speciation—sympatric or allopatric—for T. lavatubus sp. nov. and its epigean relative Tachycixius canariensis (Lindberg) are discussed. These findings suggest that cavernicolous Homoptera are more widely distributed over the world than was previously assumed.