Four new species of Mesomyzostoma (Myzostomida: Annelida)

Mesomyzostoma Remscheid, 1918 currently includes three described species that live in the coelom and/or gonads of comatulid crinoids: Mesomyzostoma reichenspergeri Remscheid, 1918, Mesomyzostoma katoi Okada, 1933 and Mesomyzostoma lanterbecqae Summers and Rouse, 2014 in Summers, Al-Hakim et al. 2014. Here we describe four new species of Mesomyzostoma and assess their phylogenetic relationships using 18S rRNA, cytochrome oxidase subunit I and 16S rRNA sequence data. We also designate a neotype for M. katoi as the original types appear to be lost. We record M. reichenspergeri from the Australian Great Barrier Reef and from northern Papua New Guinea, but samples from the type locality (Aru Islands, Indonesia) and previously recorded host are needed for confirmation. The new species of Mesomyzostoma are one Japanese species: Mesomyzostoma okadai sp. nov., and three Australian species: Mesomyzostoma lobus sp. nov., Mesomyzostoma leukos sp. nov. and Mesomyzostoma botulus sp. nov. The first infects the coelom of crinoid arms and pinnules, and the other three are found in crinoid oral discs. We also record M. leukos sp. nov. and M. botulus sp. nov. from Papua New Guinea. Phylogenetic analyses suggest that M. okadai sp. nov. is the sister group to all other Mesomyzostoma.     

Some corallanid isopods associated with wood from Papua New Guinea,including three new species (Isopoda: Corallanidae)

Summary

The corallanid isopods, C. nodosa, C. estuaria sp. nov. C. bidentata sp. nov. and C. tridentata sp. nov. have been found within timbers of mangroves and man-made structures in marine and brackish waters around Papua New Guinea. Corallana estuaria, C. bidentata and C. tridentata are new to science and are described in detail. In addition, aspects of the ecology of all four species are considered, including their association with the marine-boring isopods, Sphaeroma terebrans and S. triste.     

Novel characters in a conservative coral genus: three new species of Astreopora (Scleractinia: Acroporidae) from West Papua

Three new species of Astreopora (Hexacorallia: Scleractinia: Acroporidae), from Cenderawasih Bay in West Papua, exhibit morphological innovations for this conservative genus, extant since the Cretaceous. Two species are fully branching, a condition never previously described for Astreopora: Astreopora cenderawasih sp. nov. has dendritic branching, also seen in the confamilial genus Montipora, whereas branches of A. acroporina sp. nov. possess an axial corallite, regarded as the key morphological innovation facilitating rapid diversification and dominance of reefs in the younger, confamilial and most diverse genus Acropora (staghorn corals). We propose that these novel characters may be parallelisms indicating deep familial homologies. The third species, Astreopora montiporina sp. nov., has expansive coenosteum, reminiscent of plating Montipora. The new species form part of the most species-rich Astreopora assemblage reported to date, comprising 14 species. The unique tectonic and eustatic history of Cenderawasih Bay may have played a role in the evolution of these new species.     

Scale insects of the families Asterolecaniidae and Eriococcidae (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) in New Caledonia

The scale insect families Asterolecaniidae and Eriococcidae are discussed from New Caledonia. One new genus Oacoccus gen. nov., and a new species Oacoccus nothofagi sp. nov. on Nothofagus sp., are described in the Asterolecaniidae, and a new species Eriococcus millei sp. nov. is described in the Eriococcidae. A new genus Rhopalotococcus gen. nov., and two new species Rhopalotococcus dugdalei sp. nov. and Rhopalotococcus metrosideri sp. nov., are also described in the Eriococcidae. Both species induce leaf galls on Metrosideros sp. Keys are provided for all the New Caledonian genera and species in the families Asterolecaniidae and Eriococcidae.     

Diversity and biogeography of the little known deep-sea barnacles of the genus Waikalasma Buckeridge, 1983 (Balanomorpha: Chionelasmatoidea) in the Southwest Pacific,with description of a new species

Due to the extreme scarcity of specimens, little is known about the biodiversity and biogeography of the barnacles of the genus Waikalasma Buckeridge, 1983 (Thoracica: Waikalasmatidae Ross and Newman, 2001), which inhabit the deep sea of the Southwest Pacific. Previous studies reported only a single living species, W. boucheti Buckeridge, 1996, from Vanuatu. In the present study, the collections by French deep-sea expeditions off New Caledonia (NORFOLK 1 & 2, EBISCO, SMIB 2, SMIB 4, SMIB 8, BIOCAL, MUSORSTOM 6, MUSORSTOM 4, MUSORSTOM 5, BATHUS 2), the Solomon Islands (SALOMON 1), Vanuatu (BOA1) and Papua New Guinea (BIOPAPUA) yielded specimens of Waikalasma species from 500 to 800 m depth. From molecular (DNA barcode region cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and 12S gene) and morphological analysis, a new species Waikalasma dianajonesae sp. nov., and W. boucheti were identified. From molecular phylogenetic analysis, sequence divergence in the DNA barcode region between W. dianajonesae sp nov. and W. boucheti reached > 10%. Waikalasma dianajonesae sp. nov. differs from W. boucheti in the number and size of imbricating plates on the shell and the shape of the tergum. Waikalasma dianajonesae sp. nov. and W. boucheti exhibit sympatric biogeographical distributions in the Southwest Pacific. Waikalasma dianajonesae was found in the waters of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Island, whilst W. boucheti was collected from Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and New Caledonia waters.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:713013C7-677A-478F-B5DF-FD4690A7C6A9     

On the genus Orcus Mulsant with descriptions of new species (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae: Chilocorini)

Three new species of the genus Orcus from Papua New Guinea are described and illustrated: Orcus frommi, Orcus nietzschei and Orcus popperi. New records of Orcus cinctus Weise from New Britain Island of Papua New Guinea and Orcus lafertei Mulsant from New Guinea (Papua New Guinea) are given. An updated key to Orcus species is presented.     

Thirteen new species of the genus Helina R.-D. (Diptera: Muscidae) from China

Thirteen new species of the genus Helina are described: H. briaroacantha sp. nov., H. corrugicerca sp. nov., H. cuneicauda sp. nov., H. curvoifemoralisa sp. nov., H. deqinensis sp. nov., H. dianibrunneigena sp. nov., H. kytososurstylia sp. nov., H. mesolobata sp. nov., H. nigrointermedia sp. nov., H. nudusimacula sp. nov., H. spinusiabdomena sp. nov., H. tigrisipedisa sp. nov., and H. yanzigouensis sp. nov.     

The Indo-Australian and E. Palaearctic braconine wasp genus Euurobracon (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

An illustrated key to the females of Euurobracon is provided. Three new species and two new subspecies are described: E. interstitialis sp. nov. from Malaysia; E. denticephalus sp. nov. from Dutch New Guinea; E. latitempus sp. nov. from New Guinea; E. cephalotes sumatranus ssp. nov. from Sumatra; impossibilis curticaudis ssp. nov. from Papua New Guinea. E. quadriceps var. apicalis Roman is raised to specific status. The following new synonyms are proposed: Euurobracon maculipennis (Cameron, 1910) (= E. triplagiata (Cameron, 1900)); E. melanospilus (Cameron, 1910) (= E. yokahamae (Dalla Torre, 1898)); E. merinotoides (Enderlein, 1920) (= E. forticornis (Cameron, 1905)); E. montivagus (Cameron, 1910) (= E. cephalotes cephalotes (Smith, 1858); stat. nov.); Collastes nigropectus (Cameron, 1911) (= E. yokahamae (Dalla Torre, 1898)). Two species are excluded from Euurobracon for the first time: E. nitidulus Brues, 1922 and E. mandibularis Brues, 1924. Each species of Euurobracon is fully described.     

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.     

Distribution of the Pacific coconut mealybug,Dysmicoccus cocotis (Maskell) and of a new related species on coconut in southern Asia (Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Pseudococcidae)

A new species of mealybug from southern Asia, Dysmicoccus finitimus sp. nov., is described. It has often been confused with D. cocotis (Maskell), to which it is closely related. Both species are common on coconut and often occur in sufficient numbers to cause growers concern. D. cocotis is known from a wide area of Micronesia, Polynesia and Melanesia, but it is not known to occur west of the Federated States of Micronesia in the north and Fiji in the south. There are no records of D. cocotis from the Solomon Islands or Papua New Guinea, despite extensive collecting on coconut in these territories. D. finitimus is confined to southern India, Sri Lanka, Cocos (Keeling) Islands and peninsular Malaysia. There are no records yet of the new species from Indonesia.     

New Polypheretima and Pithemera (Oligochaeta: Megascolecidae) species from the Mt. Malindang Range,Mindanao Island,Philippines

We describe four new pheretimoid earthworm species, one in Polypheretima and three in Pithemera, from Mt. Malindang, Misamis Occidental Province, Mindanao Island, Philippines, and provide diagrams of external morphology and internal anatomy. Polypheretima mindanaoensis sp. nov. belongs to the Po. elongata species group, characterised by having genital markings on xix and successive segments and pairs of spermathecal batteries in vi and/or vii. It differs from the other members of the Po. elongata species group in having no copulatory bursae. This species shows individual variation in the number of spermathecae in each battery. Individuals that lack spermathecae are presumed to reproduce parthenogenetically. Pithemera malindangensis sp. nov. and Pi. duminagati sp. nov. belong to the Pi. bicincta species group, characterised by having the first spermathecal pores in 4/5. These two species differ in size and in the distance between male pores. Pithemera donvictorianoi sp. nov. belongs to the Pi. pacifica species group, characterised by having the first spermathecal pores in 5/6. This is the only member of this species group so far reported from the Philippines, and this is the only Philippine Pithemera species whose clitellum covers two rather than two and a half segments. Current studies show that worldwide, the Philippines has the highest diversity for Pithemera, with 13 species, followed by Papua New Guinea and the Pacific Islands, each area with six species. Indonesia has the highest diversity for Polypheretima, with 18 species, followed by Vietnam with 13 species, and then Papua New Guinea and the Philippines, each area with eight species. These findings indicate a high degree of endemicity within these areas, suggesting that many species remain to be detected in the Philippines.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:2198709C-F5E1-4A0D-A185-CA506D206171     

New species of Corcyrogobius,Thorogobius and Wheelerigobius from West Africa (Teleostei: Gobiidae)

Three new West African species of gobiid fishes are described from the Gulf of Guinea in the tropical eastern Atlantic. These are Corcyrogobius lubbocki sp. nov., Thorogobius rofeni sp. nov. and Wheelerigobius wirtzi sp. nov. Generic features are discussed. T. rofeni, known from only the holotype, was trawled on the upper continental slope, an unusually deep occurrence for a gobiid species.     

Description of four new species of the Cirolana ‘parva group’ (Crustacea: Isopoda: Cirolanidae) from Thailand,with supporting molecular (COI) data

Four new species of the Cirolana ‘parva group’ from shallow coastal habitats in Thailand are described: Cirolana andamanensis sp. nov. and C. phangnga sp. nov., from the Andaman Sea, and C. siamensis sp. nov. and C. thailandica sp. nov. from the Gulf of Thailand. Molecular (The cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene) analysis incorporating taxa from the Cirolana ‘tuberculate group’ shows a monophyletic clade (Bayesian inference = 1 and maximum likelihood = 100%) within the Cirolana ‘parva group’ with two clades reflecting morphological characters. Cirolana andamanensis sp. nov. with antennula peduncle articles 1 and 2 entirely fused; male pereopod 1 without a setal fringe; uropod peduncle ventrolateral margin with 1 sensory seta. Cirolana phangnga sp. nov., C. siamensis sp. nov. and C. thailandica sp. nov. share the morphological characters of antennula peduncle articles 1 and 2 distinctly articulated; pereopod 1 in male with a setal fringe on the carpus and propodus; uropod peduncle ventrolateral margin with 3 sensory setae. Uncorrected p-distances strongly support the separation of these species, originally based on morphology, and show that the highest value of 32.1% is between C. thailandica sp. nov. and C. andamanensis sp. nov., while the lowest value of 22.5% is between C. phangnga sp. nov. and C. siamensis sp. nov.     

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     

Four new species of terrestrial earthworms belonging to the genus Amynthas (Megascolecidae: Oligochaeta) from Taiwan with discussion on speculative synonyms and species delimitation in oligochaete taxonomy

This paper describes four new species of earthworms, Amynthas shinanmontis sp. nov., Amynthas chilanensis sp. nov., Amynthas bilineatus sp. nov., and Amynthas cruxus sp. nov. from Taiwan. Amynthas shinanmontis is sexthecate and parthenogenetic with individuals with various levels of degeneration of spermathecae and male reproductive organs. It occurs at elevations of 1700–2700 m in the Central Mountain Range in southern Taiwan. Amynthas bilineatus and A. chilanensis are athecate and also parthenogenetic. They occur, respectively, at elevations of 1000 m in the central region and 1325 m in the northeastern region of Taiwan. Amynthas cruxus is octothecate, amphimictic, and occurs at elevations of 900–1700 m in southern Taiwan. This paper also discusses confusion and dilemma caused by uncertain, speculative synonyms and parthenogenetic morphs in species delimitation in oligochaete taxonomy, and recommends the use of absolute synonyms and phylogenetic species concept.     

The Lepidoptera of Acacia domatia in Kenya,with description of two new genera and six new species

The contents of swollen-thorn domatia of three Acacia species are given. Lepidoptera bred from swollen thorns of Acacia are listed; two new genera, Endotera gen. nov. and Kenyatta gen. nov., and six new species: Phthoropoea chalcomochla sp. nov., Endotera nodi sp. nov., Hystrichophora vittana sp. nov., Hystrichophora griseana sp. nov., Hystrichophora bopprei sp. nov. and Kenyatta iodes sp. nov., are described.     

Nephtyidae (Polychaeta: Phyllodocida) of Australia: new species from the North West Shelf,and a key to Australian species

Five species of Nephtyidae new to Australia are described from the North West Shelf, and a key to the 18 known species of Australian nephtyids is given. Four of the species described are new: three species of Aglaophamus (A. foliocirrata sp. nov., A. hedlandensis sp. nov. and A. victoriae sp. nov.) and a new species of Inermonephtys (I. tetrophthalmos sp. nov.). Difficulties in the clear definition of Aglaophamus, Micronephthys and Nephtys indicate the need for systematic revision of the family.     

Four new species of Platycephala with a key to the Chinese species (Diptera,Chloropidae)

The following four new species of the genus Platycephala from China are described: Platycephala apicinigra sp. nov., P. brevifemura sp. nov., P. lateralis sp. nov. and P. nanlingensis sp. nov. An updated key to the species of the genus Platycephala from China is presented.