Thermonectus tremouillesi sp. nov. (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae: Aciliini): description of the adults and larvae and comparisons with other species of the genus

A new species of Aciliini diving beetles, Thermonectus tremouillesi sp. nov., is described on the basis of adult and larval specimens collected in shaded forest ponds in Argentina. The adults are compared with morphologically close species and diagnosed by the following combination of characters: the colour pattern on pronotum and elytra; the sexual sculpture of the female well marked, covering basal fourth to basal half of elytra; the male protibia narrow with dorsal margin slightly prominent; the tergite IX of male with four posterior projections; the median lobe of aedeagus bifid apically; and the parameres bearing a terminal spur. The larvae, for their part, are compared with those of other species of the genus and diagnosed by the colour pattern of the cephalic capsule, the shape of the nasale, the spinulae on the prementum, and several chaetotaxic features. Both adults and larvae are illustrated in detail combining scanning electron microscope images, digital photos and line drawings of selected structures. The habitat of the new species and its associated fauna are briefly described.     

Polymorphism,taxonomy and host plant associations in Alebra leafhoppers (Homoptera: Cicadellidae: Typhlocybinae)

The taxonomy of a complex of morphologically similar Alebra species is clarified, and the number of adult colour pattern morphs of each in Britain, and their host plant associations, established. Morphological characters are figured for the identification of the four species now recognized, including two that are associated with different species of deciduous oaks and which were previously regarded as colour pattern morphs of A. albostriella. Three nymphal colour pattern morphs are described within the A. albostriella sibling species, two of which are shared, thus supplying further evidence for their close relationship. A key is given for the identification of the species and adult morphs of Alebra in Britain.     

A new predatory flatworm (Platyhelminthes,Polycladida) from Botany Bay,New South Wales,Australia

A new species of Stylochidae flatworm Imogine lateotentare is described from Botany Bay, eastern New South Wales, Australia. This flatworm is distinguished from other species in the same genus mainly by having small, transparent and inconspicuous tentacles, densely packed purplish pink flecks at the posterior of the dorsal surface, distinctive purplish red colour gonopores and continuous bands of numerous frontal and cerebral eyes. Feeding and reproductive behaviour in the laboratory are described. This flatworm was found closely associated with the barnacle Balanus variegatus (Darwin, 1854) on which it fed by extending its pharynx over the barnacle opercular and sucking out the flesh but ejecting the cirri. It consumed one Balanus variegatus in a 14‐day observation period and it was observed feeding exclusively at night.     

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.     

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.     

Breeding behaviour and mating success of Phyllomedusa rohdei (Anura,Hylidae) in south‐eastern Brazil

Observations on the courtship behaviour, mating behaviour and mating success of a leaf‐frog, Phyllomedusa rohdei, population were conducted in a temporary flooded site of the Atlantic Forest, south‐eastern Brazil. We did not find any influence of size and body weight on male mating success across three scales: seasonal, nightly chorus and local groups (males found within 1?m of a mated pair). In addition, no evidence was found that female Phyllomedusa rohdei exhibit overt mate choice. The formation of mated pairs in P. rohdei occurred because males moved toward the females, rather than reverse. The only variable that was significantly related to male mating success was the number of nights of participation in chorus activity. Besides calling tactics, males showed active searching behaviour. There was no evidence of size‐ and mass‐assortative mating, and a high percentage of fertilization at all size and mass ratios of males and females was observed. Clutches in this species are produced in the same manner found in others members of Phyllomedusa; a purse‐like nest is made over water by folding a leaf around the egg mass (embryos and fluid‐filled capsules). Finally, we supply a list of several studies that examined the relationship between size or mass ratios of males and females in amplexus and its influence on fertilization rate, and show that size‐assortative mating in anurans is inconsistent (present in some species but not in other).     

The first record of Syncarida in Montana,USA: a new genus and species of Parabathynellidae (Crustacea,Bathynellacea) in North America

Montanabathynella salish gen. nov. sp. nov., of the family Parabathynellidae, from Montana, USA, is described. The new species displays several exclusive characters: distal endite of the maxillule with nine claws and a very large and distinctive male thoracopod 8 with four lobes in the basal penial region and a long recurved exopod without setation. It also presents a unique combination of characters: antennule seven‐segmented; antenna six‐segmented; labrum with 18 teeth; exopod of thoracopods three‐ to six‐segmented, endopod with one dorsal seta on the first and second segments and epipod only present on thoracopods 4 to 7; pleopods absent; endopod of thoracopod 8 male with two setae and exopod without setae; female thoracopod 8 having two segments, first segment with two groups of denticles and the second one with three long barbed setae; 15 spines on sympod, four spines and spinous process on endopod and 12 setae on exopod of uropod.     

A revision of the genus Prionocrangon (Crustacea: Decapoda: Caridea: Crangonidae)

Additional specimens belonging to the rare crangonid genus Prionocrangon Wood‐Mason and Alcock, collected from recent deep‐sea expeditions in the West Pacific enable a revision of this poorly known genus. The four previously described species are all valid. The type species P. ommatosteres Wood‐Mason and Alcock, , originally known only from the Andaman Sea, is considered to be also distributed in the Philippines and Indonesia. However, the material previously assigned to “P. ommatosteres” by de Man () and Chace () from Indonesia and the Philippines actually represents a new species, P. demani sp. nov., close to P. pectinata Faxon, . Prionocrangon pectinata and P. curvicaulis Yaldwyn, are still only known by their types. The distribution of P. dofleini Balss, is now extended from Japan to Taiwan. Two more new species are recognized. Prionocrangon formosa sp. nov. from Taiwan is closely related to P. curvicaulis while P. paucispina sp. nov. from Taiwan and New Caledonia is unique in having very few dorsal carapace spines. The genus Prionocrangon is newly diagnosed and a key to the species is provided. Nevertheless, a damaged specimen from the Sulu Sea could not be satisfactorily assigned to any of the above seven species, suggesting that this genus may have even higher diversity.     

A new,sibling, tree frog from Jerusalem (Amphibia: Anura: Hylidae)∗

A new, sibling, species of tree frog of the Hyla arborea group is described from Jerusalem and the adjacent Judean hills. Hyla heinzsteinitzi sp. n. differs from the sympatric common H. savignyi of the Middle East in head shape, as the head is relatively wider and the snout more truncate; in call structure, as in each segment of its advertisement call the energy peaks abruptly near the segment's onset; and in colouration, as its dark lateral band is highly disrupted. In at least one of the H. heinzsteinitzi populations the frogs' green‐phase colour is turquoise rather than green. The distinction of the two species is demonstrable by Principal Coordinate Analysis. Hyla heinzsteinitzi seems to be endemic to a small area within the range of distribution of H. savignyi; here the two are sympatric and at least sometimes apparently syntopic. The ecological relations of the two are unknown. The new species is probably endangered.     

Thalassarachna and Halacarellus (Halacaridae: Acari): two separate genera

During the last half century, the generic names Halacarellus and Thalassarachna have been used in parallel. The author now proposes to regard them as two separate genera distinguished by the number of dorsal setae on tarsi I and II. Halacarellus s. str., with Halacarus balticus Lohmann as the type species, has three dorsal setae on both tarsi, whilst Thalassarachna s. str., with the type species Acarus basteri Johnston, has five or more dorsal setae on tarsus I and four or more on tarsus II. The number of setae on tarsi I and II is expected to be a valid generic character. Species of the genus Halacarellus s. str. are recorded from both the northern and southern hemispheres; the North Atlantic species are distinct from those in the southern oceans. Thalassarachna s. str. is known only from the North.     

Genus Baseodiscus (Nemertea: Heteronemertea): Molecular identification of a new species in a phylogenetic context

A new heteronemertean, Baseodiscus jonasii sp. nov., is described from Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands. It resembles B. delineatus in inner morphology but can be distinguished from this species by its different colour pattern and differences in the nucleotide sequence of the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene. The monophyletic status of the genus is investigated by reconstructing the phylogeny of six specimens from four species assigned to this genus, together with 22 specimens from nine other heteronemertean genera, using parsimony and Bayesian analysis. The results imply that Baseodiscus is a monophyletic group while several other heteronemertean genera are non‐monophyletic.     

Colour change in Darwin's frogs (Rhinoderma darwinii,Duméril and Bibron, 1841) (Anura: Rhinodermatidae)

In the laboratory, wild-caught male Rhinoderma darwinii frogs, but not females, changed body colour from brown to green starting with the appearance of green dorsal spots or a greenish dorsal tone on a brown body colour. After a year in captivity, most males exhibited a greenish or complete green dorsal colour, probably induced by the terrarium's swamp (green) vegetation and season.     

A systematic revision of the large-scaled Marcusenius with description of a new species from Cameroon (Teleostei; Osteoglossomorpha; Mormyridae)

Nine out of 37 recognized species in the genus Marcusenius have eight large circumpeduncular scales rather than 12 or 16, which is more typical of the genus. They are: M. dundoensis, M. fuscus, M. ghesquierei, M. intermedius, M. kutuensis, M. lambouri, M. moorii, M. paucisquamatus and M. schilthuisiae. All nine are restricted to West-Central and Central Africa. A detailed morphometric analysis could not distinguish differences between M. moorii, M. paucisquamatus and M. lambouri. Therefore they are considered as synonyms with M. morrii as the senior synonym. The systematic status of M. intermedius is uncertain owing to the existence of only three specimens. Within this species complex a new species, Marcusenius sanagaensis, is described from the Sanaga River basin in Cameroon. It differs from all the others in the number of scales on the lateral line and in the extent of the broad dark band between the anterior base of the dorsal fin and the anterior base of the anal fin. All valid Marcusenius species with eight circumpeduncular scales are redescribed and a key to these species is given.     

Three new Brazilian species of the land planarian Choeradoplana (Platyhelminthes: Tricladida: Geoplaninae), and an emendation of the genus

Three new Brazilian species of the neotropical land planarian genus Choeradoplana (Platyhelminthes: Tricladida: Continenticola: Geoplaninae) are described, making a total of nine species within the genus. All the new species share unique derived characters typical of the genus. Two of the new species exhibit important features representing morphological variations that were previously unknown for the genus: the dorsal cutaneous longitudinal muscle layer, as well as the ventral one, partially sunken into the parenchyma in one species, and the common ovovitelline duct approaching the copulatory apparatus ventrally in the other. As a consequence of these morphological variations, an emendation of the genus is proposed.