A revision of the Labiidae (Dermaptera) of the Neo-tropical and Nearctic Regions

A new genus, Helenolius (Cixiidae, Pentastirini), is described to accommodate the species H. dividens (Walker) comb. nov. and H. insulicola sp. nov. Both species are described and illustrated; they are endemic on the island St Helena.     

New species and records of earthworms from Jamaica with notes on the genus Eutrigaster Cognetti, 1904 (Octochaetidae: Oligochaeta)

Details are presented of earthworm collections from Jamaica. Eleven species are reported, eight being new records of which two are new species, to bring the total number of species known from the island to 16 and the number of families represented to six. The geographical affinities of each species and its faunal status are summarized. The new species are members of the genus Eutrigaster Cognetti (Octochaetidae) whose validity is reviewed; a table is provided for the identification of the 11 Central American and Caribbean species currently included in the genus.     

Revision of Acroleptus Bourgeois, 1886 and descriptions of New Acroleptina taxa (Coleoptera,Lycidae, Calopterini)

ABSTRACT

The Neotropical lycid genus Acroleptus Bourgeois, 1886 is revised and illustrations of diagnostic characters, geographic distribution maps and an identification key to the species are presented. Acroleptus chevrolati Bourgeois, 1886 is redescribed and a lectotype and a paralectotype are designated; two new species are described for the genus: Acroleptus alvarengai new species and Acroleptus limai new species. Two Aporrhipis Pascoe, 1887 species are described: Aporrhipis obrieni new species and Aporrhipis milleri new species and a key and geographic distribution map to the species of the genus are provided. Acroleptus costae Ferreira, 2015 is moved to the genus Paracroleptus new genus, a new genus erected to accommodate Paracroleptus costae (Ferreira, 2015) new combination.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:5F72E2BB-48BF-491D-8D3A-E7D878222B72     

The coconut pathosystem: weed hosts of nymphs of the American palm Cixiid Haplaxius crudus (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea)

Lethal yellowing (LY) of coconut palm (Cocos nucifera L., Arecaceae) is a disease of economic importance that is caused by the phytoplasma ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma palmae’ and is transmitted by the planthopper Haplaxius crudus (Van Duzee) (Hemiptera: Cixiidae). This study explores the weeds used by H. crudus nymphs and other Cixiidae in a coconut pathosystem in southern Mexico. Nymphs were collected directly from the root system of each weed by hand or with the help of a vacuum after carefully opening the culm. This study included 11 species of weeds: nine Poaceae [Brachiaria decumbens Stapf, B. humidicola (Rendle) Schweick, B. mutica (Forssk.) Stapf, Digitaria abyssinica (Hochst. Ex A. Rich.) Stapf, Eustachys petraea (Sw.) Desv., Leersia hexandra Sw., Panicum laxum Sw., P. maximum Jacq., Paspalum notatum Flüggé]; one Cyperaceae [Cyperus ligularis L.], and one Portulacaceae: [Portulaca pilosa L.]. Brachiaria mutica, E. petraea, B. humidicola, P. maximum were identified as the principal host species for H. crudus nymphs. Brachiaria decumbens, D. abyssinica, and C. ligularis are new host records for the nymphs of H. crudus. Additionally, it was found that H. crudus may coexist with its cogeners H. skarphion Kramer (Cixiidae) and H. caldwelli Kramer (Cixiidae), on B. mutica. On C. ligularis, H. crudus may coexist with Oecleus snowi Ball (Cixiidae) nymphs. These results suggest that in the coconut pathosystem there is a complex of multitrophic interactions that should be considered in integrated management of LY.     

XCI.—New Brachiopoda from the Eocene of England,France and Africa

Abstract

Six new species of Eocene brachiopods are described, one being referred to a new genus. One previously-described species is named and referred to a new genus; additional records are given for an eighth species. Five of these are from England, two from France and one from Africa.     

Classical Biological Control of Bemisia tabaci in the United States. By Juli Gould,Kim Hoelmer & John Goolsby

ABSTRACT

The present study describes two new genera, six new species and three new records from the Sea of Marmara. The new genus Marmara gen. nov. belonging to the family Sagartiidae is mainly characterized by having conspicuous muscular belts along the column and the absence of suckers and tenaculi on the body wall. The genus Charisactis gen. nov. belonging to the family Condylanthidae is mainly characterized by having an atypical mesentery arrangement, single siphonoglyph and homotrichs in tentacles. The other species newly described from the Sea of Marmara belong to the families Diadumenidae (one species from deep waters), Halcampoididae (one species from shallow waters), Edwardsiidae (one species from shallow waters) and Epizoanthidae (one species from deep waters). Three species, namely Epizoanthus arenaceus (family Epizoanthidae), Rolandia coralloides (family Clavulariidae) and Virgularia sp. (family Virgulariidae) are reported for the first time from the Sea of Marmara. The external and internal anatomical features as well as cnidom structures of the species are presented and discussed with the closely related species. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:51DA9869-D786-4A8A-8C1F-62DC1BB67923     

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.     

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.     

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).     

Redescriptions of two termites from Burmese amber

Summary

Danothrips Bhatti 1971 is revised and its relations with Chaetanaphothrips Priesner are discussed. The genus is redefined in view of the increased number of species within the genus, and a key is provided to distinguish the species. Six species are included: setifer Bhatti 1971 theifolii (Karny 1921), theivorus (Karny 1921), trifasciatus Sakimura 1975, and two new species, alis and moundi. The range of distribution of trifasciatus, originally described from Hawaii, is considerably extended by its new findings from the Lesser Antilles (St. Vincent Island) and Indonesia (Andalas).     

I.—Notes on the Natural History of East Finmark

Synopsis

A new species of Argyrophylax, parasitic on the Banana Scab-Moth Nacoleia octasema Meyrick, is described and the Oriental and Australasian species of this genus are reviewed; a key is given for their identification. Six species and a subspecies hitherto placed in other genera are here assigned to Argyrophylax, and seven new combinations are established; two specific names are newly placed in synonymy.     

The Mollissima subgroup of fannia Desvoidy,with the description of a new species from Burma and a revised key to species (Diptera: Muscidae)

Synopsis

A comparison of the type-species of the genus Coelomyia Haliday (C. mollissima Haliday) with that of the genus Fannia Desvoidy (F. scalaris Fabricius) shows that these two genera cannot be maintained as equivalent phylogenetie taxa. Coelomyia is synonymized with Fannia and its species placed in Fannia, four new combinations thus being established. The mollissima subgroup is defined and its affinities shown, a new species is described, and a revised key to species is given.     

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.     

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.     

Some new African Ulopini (Homoptera,Cicadellidae, Ulopinae)

Summary

Two new genera and two new species of Ulopini are described from Africa; the distribution, and some aspects of the evolution, of genera in this tribe are discussed. It is suggested that Ulopa damaspina Dlabola belongs to the genus Moonia Distant and a new synonmy is suggested. In an Appendix the genera and species of the Ulopini are listed according to their geographical distribution.