New species of cave-dwelling beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Trechinae) from the Azores

The cave-dwelling beetles, Trechus pereirai, new species, and Trechus oromii, new species, and the epigean Trechus terrabravensis, new species, from the Azores islands are described. The male of the cave-dwelling beetle Trechus jorgensis Oromí and Borges is described for the first time. Affinities between Trechus species from the Azores and from other Macaronesian archipelagoes are discussed based on the morphology of the aedeagus. Ecological data are also included.

Nesta contribuição são descritos para os Açores os escaravelhos cavernícolas, Trechus pereirai, nova espécie, e Trechus oromii, nova espécie, e ainda o escaravelho epígeo Trechus terrabravensis, nova espécie. É feita pela primeira vez a descrição do macho da espécie cavernícola Trechus jorgensis Oromí & Borges. Com base na morfologia da genitália masculina são discutidas as afinidades com as outras espécies de Trechus dos Açores e outros arquipélagos Macaronésicos. Incluem-se ainda dados ecológicos.     

Re-evaluation of the fossil Phoridae (Diptera)

I re-evaluated the known fossil phorids after re-examining much of the Baltic amber and Dominican amber fauna. Many extant genera reported from Eocene Chinese and Eocene/Oligocene Baltic amber are actually not present; instead there are representatives of relatively primitive stem-group taxa. A new genus and species of fossil phorid, Limulomyia tyche, based on a male and a limuloid female, is described from Baltic amber. Some changes in the taxonomy of amber phorids are proposed: Pseudometopina Disney is synonymized with Metopina Schmitz (new synonymy), Diplonevra meunieri Brues is transferred to the genus Godavaria Brown (new combination), Protophorites fimbriatus Brues is considered a junior subjective synonym of Protoplatyphora tertiaria Brues (new synonymy) and Phalacrotophora tertiara Statz is transferred to the genus Gymnophora (new combination). The oldest confirmed dates for extant phorid genera are given.     

On the occurrence of blood flukes (Sanguinicolidae: Trematoda) in British freshwater fish

Summary

A new genus, Cahara, is described, based upon Dalpada brevivitta Walker, as its type species C. brevivitta (Walker) comb. nov., C. confusa (Distant) comb. nov. and C. jugatoria (Lethierry) comb. nov. are redescribed and illustrated. C. murreeana sp. nov., C. montana sp. nov., C. kightleyi sp. nov., C. chaubattia sp. nov., C. bhowaliana sp. nov. and C. metallica sp. nov. are described as new. The genus Cahara occurs in the subhimalayan region of India, Pakistan and Nepal. Its members feed on deciduous trees, apple, walnut, fir, deodar, Bauhinia, etc. Superficially, the species resemble one another, as well as members of Dalpada s. lat. in their coloration and some have been confused with species like Dalpada versicolor in the past, but certain characters, like the shape of the head, the simple second antennal segment and more particularly the male and female genitalia, distinguish the genus Cahara from all others. A key to the species of Cahara is provided.     

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.     

CVIII.—The African spiders of the family Ctenidae in the collections of the British Museum (Natural History)

Summary

The African Ctenidae in the Collections of the British Museum (Natural History) are revised. Thirty species are contained in the subfamilies Cteninae and Acantheinae. Ctenus batesii Pocock, 1903, is a synonym of Ctenus capulinus (Karsch), 1879, Ctenus dirus Thorell, 1899, is a synonym of Ctenus kingsleyi F. O. P.-Cambridge, 1898, Ctenus marshalli F. O. P.-Cambridge, 1898, is a synonym of Ctenus melanogastra (Bösenberg & Lenz), 1895, and Ctenus spenceri F. O. P.-Cambridge, 1898, is a synonym of Ctenus pulchriventris Simon, 1896.

The subfamily Acantheinae is recorded from Africa for the first time. A new genus, Africactenus, is erected for a group of allied species. The genotype is Ctenus agilior Pocock, 1899, and the following new species are described:—A. depressus, A. desartsi, A kribiensis, A. pococki, A. sandersoni, A. simoni, A. sladeni, A. tridentatus and A. trilateralis. Ctenus longurio Simon, 1909, is transferred to the genus Africactenus on examination of the type-material.

Certain species from the Simon Collection are listed in the Appendix and figured for the first time.     

Chelodesmid studies. XVIII. On some new or poorly-known taxa in the tribe Batodesmini (Polydesmida: Chelodesmidae)

Summary

Some new and poorly-known taxa of batodesmine diplopods are described from northern South America, with notes on their affinities. New genera include Igaraparana, based on I. batesi, sp. nov. from Amazonian Colombia; Curimagua, based on C. granulata, sp. nov. from Edo. Falcon, Venezuela; and Cheirogonus, based on C. pittieri, sp. nov. from Panama. The inadequately proposed species Leptodesmus interrupticolor Silvestri (southeastern Ecuador) is redescribed and figured from type material, and referred to Cordilleronomus as its third species. The enigmatic genus Tunochilus Chamberlin, 1950, is clarified and referred to the Batodesmini from its incorrect location in the Cryptodesmidae, with notes and drawings made from a paratype of the type species T. marginis; the presumptive congener T. marcuzzii is described as new from material taken at Caracas, Venezuela.     

A new species of Metatrichoniscoides (Crustacea: Isopoda: Oniscoidea) from the coast of South Wales,U.K.

Summary

A new species of terrestrial isopod, Metatrichonixoides celticus is described and differentiated from other European species of the same genus. M. celticus occurs on the coast of South Wales, U.K. and its supralittoral habitat is outlined.     

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.     

A note on the feeding of Simocephalus vetulus (O. F. Müller) (Crustacea; Cladocera) in light and dark

Summary

Simocephalus vetulus can be reared in the dark on a diet of Scenedesmus, but not on a pure culture of Chlamydomonas moewusii, unless the latter is frequently stirred. This failure appears to result from the ability of this alga to adhere to the sides and bottom of the culture vessel where the cladoceran is apparently unable to ingest it.     

Mitochondrial genetic variation within and between Holbrookia lacerata lacerata and Holbrookia lacerata subcaudalis,the spot-tailed earless lizards of Texas

ABSTRACT

We examined genetic relationships among individuals and populations of the species Holbrookia lacerata, the spot-tailed earless lizard, using whole mitochondrial genomes. Lizards were collected from south, central and west Texas. We found significant amounts of genetic structure among populations and evidence of two major reciprocally monophyletic groups of spot-tailed earless lizards in Texas. Holbrookia lacerata lacerata occurs on the Edwards Plateau and adjacent regions of West Texas north of the Balcones Escarpment, while Holbrookia lacerata subcaudalis occurs in South Texas and adjacent Mexico south of the Balcones Escarpment. These two recognised subspecies correspond to the two clades we discovered. Holbrookia l. lacerata occupies much of its historical range at sometimes high population densities, while populations of H. l. subcaudalis appear to be highly fragmented based on recent observations compared to their historical range.     

The taxonomy and biology of the British Adelognathinae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae)

Summary

The known biology of Adelognathus, including new findings, is summarized. An illustrated key is given to the 15 species found in the British Isles. One species, A. stelfoxi, is described as new.     

The identity of Orius tantillus (Motschulsky) and notes on other Oriental Anthocoridae (Hemiptera,Heteroptera)

Abstract

Studies on the biology of Toxoptera aurantii (Boy.) showed that populations of the aphid contain females only, and that reproduction is parthenogenetic and viviparous and occurs exclusively on the undersurface of flush leaves. The aphid is described and a key is drawn for the various instars. The development of the aphid is temperature-dependent but at the optimum temperature it takes 6 days to become adult. The incidence of alates in populations is influenced both by high aphid density and leaf age.     

Morphological and molecular separation between Macrocamptoptera grangeri Soyka and M. metotarsa (Girault) (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae)

ABSTRACT

Based on morphological and molecular evidence, the European fairyfly Herulia sundholmi Hedqvist syn. n. (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) is removed from previous synonymy with the Nearctic Macrocamptoptera metotarsa (Girault), and synonymised with the Palaearctic M. grangeri Soyka, which is newly recorded from Georgia, Slovakia and Spain. Macrocamptoptera bulagarica (Donev) syn. n., known from Bulgaria and Italy, is also synonymised with M. grangeri. An updated key to females of the three currently recognised species of the rarely collected genus Macrocamptoptera Girault is given.     

The occurrence of Podocotyle atomon (Rud., 1802)(Digenea), Bothriocephalus scorpii (Müller, 1776) (Cestoda), Contracaecum clavatum (Rud., 1809) (Nematoda) and Echinorhynchus gadi Zoega,in Müller, 1776 (Acanthocephala) in the five-bearded rockling,Onos mustelus (L.)

Summary

The variation in the incidence and intensity of infestation of the five-bearded rockling, Onos mustelus (L.) with Podocotyle atomon, Bothriocephalus scorpii, Contracaecum clavatum and Echinorhynchus gadi has been studied for a period of one year, on a shore at Mumbles Head, Swansea.

There is a general increase in the incidence and intensity of infestation by P. atomon and C. clavatum with increase in the length (age) of the host. With E. gadi and B. scorpii, however, infestation decreases in the larger fish.

The seasonal variations in the incidence and intensity of infestation with these parasites are influenced by tidal fluctuations, temperature and by the feeding habits and breeding cycle of the fish.

The frequency distribution of parasite specimens is also described and discussed.     

A new species of the genus Zhangixalus (Amphibia: Rhacophoridae) from Vietnam

ABSTRACT

A new rhacophorid species is described from Vietnam on the basis of nine specimens collected in Quan Ba District, Ha Giang Province, northeastern Vietnam. The new species is morphologically similar to Zhangixalus pinglongensis, Z. dorsoviridis, and Z. nigropunctatus, however, it differs from the latter by having the flank cream with large black blotches on axilla and groin. The genetic distance between the new species and Zhangixalus pinglongensis, Z. dorsoviridis and Z. nigropunctatus is >3.57% (16S mtDNA gene fragment). Zhangixalus jodiae sp. nov. can be distinguished from all other species of Zhangixalus and other small rhacophorid species from Southeast Asia by a combination of the following characters: size small (SVL 36.1–39.8 mm in males); head as long as wide; vomerine teeth present; dorsal surface of head and body green without spots; axilla cream with large black blotches, groin and front-rear parts of the thigh, ventral surface of tibia black with orange blotches; lower jaw region greyish, chest and belly cream.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:89597718-024F-4FFC-B0AE-2005F12CF66C     

Two new species of Rhizorhina (Copepoda: Siphonostomatoida) from leptostracan and tanaidacean hosts

Summary

Two new species of parasitic copepods from the North Atlantic, Rhizorhina leptostracae associated with Nebaliella caboti, and Rhizorhina tanaidaceae from Leviapseudes hanseni, are described. Leptostracans and tanaids are new host groups for this genus. The systematic position of Rhizorhina is discussed.     

The inoculation of the fungus comb in newly founded colonies of some species of the Macrotermitinae (Isoptera) from Nigeria

Summary

The critical factor in the survival of newly-founded colonies of the fungus-growing termites (Macrotermitinae) is the successful inoculation of the new comb with the fungus Termitomyces. At least two methods have evolved within the subfamily, which appear to be mutually exclusive. Namely, inoculation by carriage of conidia by reproductive alates (Macrotermes bellicosus, 5 species of Microtermes) and collection of basidiospores by foraging workers (3 species of Ancistrotermes, Macrotermes subhyalinus, 2 species of Odontotermes). Basidiocarps, associated with five of these species have been recorded in the Nigerian savanna and although uncommon, the timing of their appearance is closely geared to the requirements of new colonies for basidiospores.     

Scorpion-flies of the Panorpa cognata-complex in the western palaearctic region (Mecoptera)

Summary

The Panorpa cognata-complex comprises four morphologically distinct species two of which, P. cognata and P. meridionalis, show a confusing degree of variation. P. meridionalis is separated by the bi-lobed ventral parameres, which are singlelobed in P. cognata, P. annexa and P. etrusca. P. meridionalis is also allopatric and has two geographical forms which may prove to be biologically distinct species. P. cognata is sympatric with, and closely related, to P. annexa. P. cognata and P. etrusca are also sympatric. There is a clear morphological and distributional division between P. annexa and P. etrusca, for which reason the latter is raised to species level. Based on morphological evidence P. ghilianii, P. cognata osellai and P. adnexa [sic] var. subalpina are synonymized with P. cognata and P. meridionalis var. commissa, P. meridionalis var. germanizans and P. meridionalis var. liberata are synonymized with P. meridionalis.