A review of the genus Talavera Peckham and Peckham, 1909 (Araneae,Salticidae)

The species of the Holarctic jumping spider genus Talavera are reviewed. Five new species are described: Talavera ikedai sp. n. (¦ §) from Japan and Korea; T. krocha sp. n. (¦ §) from France, Ukraine and Kyrghyzstan; T. parvistyla sp. n. (¦ §) from central and northern Europe; T. sharlaa sp. n. (§) from Tuva; and T. tuvensis sp. n. (¦) from Tuva. A lectotype is designated for Euophrys monticola Kulczy ` ski, 1884. A key to the 14 species now encompassed in this genus, and distributional maps, are provided for all of them. Arguments are given for placing the names Euophrys poecilopus Thorell, 1873 and Attus westringi Simon, 1868 as nomina dubia. Talavera aperta Miller, 1971 is removed from synonymy with both Talavera monticola (Kulczy ` ski, 1884) and Talavera thorelli (Kulczy ` ski, 1891).     

XV.—Descriptions of three new freshwater fishes from China

The North American members of the eulophid subfamily Tetrastichinae are reviewed in light of systematic advances which have occurred in other geographic realms. Forty-two genera are recognized as valid, with the largest of these, Aprostocetus, having four subgenera in the study area. Thirteen new genera are described: Apterastichus, Careostrix, Chytrolestes, Comastichus, Cucarastichus, Dapsilothrix, Eriastichus, Exalarius, Exastichus, Hadrotrichodes, Mesofrons, Oxypracetus, Styotrichia; the new subgenus Quercastichus is described in the genus Aprostocetus. Five new generic synonymies are made. With Aprostocetus Westwood, 1833: Exurus Philippi, 1873, Omphalomopsis Girault, 1917, Paromphaloidomyiia Girault, 1917, and Prothymus Girault, 1917. With Pentastichus Ashmead, 1894: Hypertetrastichus Moser, 1965. Six previously described genera are newly recorded from North America: Aceratoneuromyia, Anaprostocetus, Henryana, Kocourekia, Lisseurytomella and Pentastichus. Two hundred and twelve species of North American Tetrastichinae are currently recognized as valid. Eighty new combinations are proposed from North America, and three from the Neotropical Region. The majority of these species are being moved from the genus Tetrastichus, which had previously held most of the North American Tetrastichinae species. Eighteen new species are described: Aprostocetus (Quercastichus) burksi, Apterastichus oculatus, Careostrix yoshimotoi, Chytrolestes alibaba, Comastichus zopheros, Cucarastichus texanus, Dapsilothrix jeanae, Eriastichus cigdemae, E. masneri, E. nakos, Exalarius huachucensis, Exastichus odontos, Hadrotrichodes waukheon, Kostjukovius grahami, Mesofrons villosus, Oxypracetus opacus, Styotrichia bicolor, S. quadrata. One new specific synonymy is made. With Aprostocetus (Quercastichus) pattersonae (Fullaway, 1912): Tetrastichus spilopteris Burks, 1943. A lectotype is designated for Tetrastichus pattersonae Fullaway. Aprostocetus (Ootetrastichus) mymaridis (Girault) is removed from synonymy with Tetrastichus polynemae Ashmead and considered as valid. Twelve previously described species are newly recorded from North America: Aceratoneuromyia fimbriata Graham, Anaprostocetus acuminatus (Ratzeburg), Aprostocetus antiguensis (Crawford), A. leucone (Walker), A. pygmaeus (Zetterstedt), A. strobilanae (Ratzeburg), A. longicauda (Thomson), A. terebrans (Erdös), Henryana magnifica Yoshimoto, Kocourekia debilis (Ratzeburg), Lisseurytomella flava (Ashmead), Tamarixia leucaenae Bou?ek.     

A new genus of Atlantic octocorals (Octocorallia: Gorgoniidae): systematics of gorgoniids with asymmetric sclerites

Gorgonian corals from the families Gorgoniidae and Plexauridae are among the most abundant and diverse shallow‐water cnidarians found along tropical and temperate Atlantic coasts and reefs. Some morphological traits in the Gorgoniidae comprise a taxonomic challenge due to their morphological plasticity as well as a lack of discrete character states among most genera. Some gorgoniids have asymmetrical sclerites in the surface coenenchyme, a character trait that consists of a continuum among several genera and can cause confusion with members of the family Plexauridae. The collection of a unique gorgoniid in Tobago (Trinidad and Tobago), which contains this trait but also maintains affinities to many different genera, stimulated a wider morphological comparison of gorgoniids using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Using the morphology of asymmetrical sclerites, gorgoniids could be grouped in four monophyletic clades that were compatible with recent molecular phylogenies and provide a provisional subfamilial classification: (1) a derived clade including gorgoniids with scaphoid sclerites, comprising the reef fauna from the western Atlantic (e.g. Gorgonia, Pseudopterogorgia [ = Antillogorgia], Pterogorgia, and Phyllogorgia); (2) a related group with taxa containing capstan sclerites including genera with short capstans and/or disk‐spindles sclerites such as Pacifogorgia and Leptogorgia ( = Lophogorgia); (3) a clade of gorgoniids with asymmetrical spiny sclerites including the Atlantic genus Muriceopsis and the Indopacific Pinnigorgia together with the distant single species from the new genus and species Tobagogorgia hardyi (it is worth noting that Muriceopsis was previously classified in the Plexauridae, but there is overwhelming molecular support that groups it with the Gorgoniidae and morphological evidence that suggests affinity with Pinnigorgia); and finally (4) a basal clade with long and spiny spindles, which includes some African species such as Filigorgia angolana and F. schoutedeni as well as other new combinations (all species previously classified as Leptogorgia but not phylogenetically related). The combined set of sclerites of Tobagogorgia (e.g. both asymmetrical and irregularly bent spindles) separates it from the diagnostic characters of related genera such as Muriceopsis and Pinnigorgia. The latter two genera are also profusely branched, including pinnate patterns, whereas T. hardyi has only one or two branches. Externally, T. hardyi looks like some Leptogorgia colonies that branch minimally but it is clear that the sclerites are very different and thus also their phylogenetic divergence.     

Poecilostome copepods (Lichomolgidae) associated with the scleractinian coral Galaxea in the Moluccas

Summary

Nine species of Scirtothrips are here recorded from the Australasian region, eight from Australia and two including one endemic species from New Zealand. A key is provided for their identification, and diagnostic details and collection notes are given for each species. Two new species, S. casuarinae and S. helenae are described from Australia and one new synonym, S. gladiiseta Girault = Dendrothripoides ipomeae Bagnall, is recorded.     

Notes on types of Australian Chartocerus Motschulsky (Hymenoptera: Signiphoridae)

ABSTRACT

Type specimens of 11 species of Chartocerus (Hymenoptera: Signiphoridae) from Australia described by A.A. Girault, in the collection of the Queensland Museum, and one species described by W.H. Ashmead, in the United States Museum of Natural History, are redescribed and illustrated. Lectotypes are designated for Chartocerus australiensis (Girault) and Chartocerus hebes (Girault).     

Report on the Raphitomidae Bellardi, 1875 (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Conoidea) from the China Seas

Twenty-seven Raphitomidae species belonging to nine genera, are recorded from the China Seas, including two new species, which are described here: Asperdaphne paramoretonica sp. nov., Daphnella inangulata sp. nov. Eight species are recorded for the first time from the China Seas.     

Butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) of Mount Kilimanjaro: family Pieridae,subfamily Pierinae

This paper, which presents an annotated checklist of the whites (Pieridae: Pierinae), is the third in a series on the butterfly fauna of Mount Kilimanjaro. Four genera (Colotis, Nepheronia, Belenois, Mylothris), with a total of 10 included species, are known to occur within the main forest zone, from c.1800 to c.2800 m. Of the species, only Mylothris sagala appears restricted to the primary forests. The fauna from the lower slopes, below 1800 m, is far richer, with a total of 11 genera and 40 species listed. An identification key to the genera of Pierinae that occur in Tanzania, together with a key to the adults of all pierine butterflies considered to occur or have occurred on Kilimanjaro, with 310 colour images, are included as online Supplementary Information.     

Key to the Holarctic species of Anagrus Haliday (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) with a review of the Nearctic and Palaearctic (other than European) species and descriptions of new taxa

The Holarctic species of the genus Anagrus Haliday are keyed. The Palaearctic species, other than the European ones revised earlier by Chiappini (1989), and 10 out of 11 valid species described from the Nearctic region are reviewed, based on a study of their type material. Two new species, A. rilensis Donev sp. n. and A. longitibialis Donev sp. n., are described from Bulgaria. A new specific synonymy is proposed: A. giraulti Crawford, 1913 with A. nigriventris Girault, 1911 (described as A. armatus var. nigriventris). New replacement name: A. oregonensis S. Triapitsyn nom. n. pro A. nigriceps Girault, 1915 (A. armatus var. nigriceps) nec Smits van Burgst, 1914. A. spiritus Girault, 1911 and A. columbi Perkins, 1905 are reinstated as valid species. A checklist of 68 presently recognized species of Anagrus is given in accordance with their distribution in different biogeographic regions.     

A new species of Cerchysiella (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) parasitic in larva of chestnut trunk borer (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) from China with notes on its biology

A new species of Cerchysiella Girault (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea, Encyrtidae), Cerchysiella raddeii Yang, sp. nov., is described from China. It is a gregarious koinobiont endoparasitoid in mature larvae of the chestnut trunk borer, Massicus raddei (Blessig) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), a serious pest which causes severe damage to many oak tree species, particularly Quercus mongolica and Quercus liaotungensis (Fagaceae) in forested areas of northeastern China. The new species is one of the principal natural enemies of the wood borer and it has high potential as a biological control agent with parasitism rates of 6.7%, large numbers of adult wasps were reared from a single host larva (average 1083.8), and there is a high female : male sex ratio (9.67 : 1).     

The alimentary canal and nervous system of Curculionoidea (Coleoptera): gross morphology and systematic significance

The alimentary canal and central nervous system are described and illustrated for 208 species of weevils (Curculionoidea, representing 140 genera and eight families, and the results are compared with the published data on related species.

The phylogenetic importance of the alimentary canal and central nervous system of adult Curculionoidea is discussed. The alimentary canal and nervous system of the genera Car, Cylas, Eurhynchus, and Antliarhinus are described and the systematic position of these genera discussed. It is concluded that, on the basis of internal characters, Car, previously considered to belong to the Attelabidae, is better placed in the Apionidae; Cylas, now placed in the Brentidae, may be allied to both Brentidae and Apionidae; and both Eurhynchus and Antliarhinus are primitive apionids.     

Butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) of Mount Kilimanjaro: Nymphalidae subfamily Helconiinae

ABSTRACT

This paper, which presents an annotated checklist of the nymphalid subfamily Heliconiinae, is the fifth in a series on the butterfly fauna of Mount Kilimanjaro. Three genera of Heliconiinae (Acraea, Phalanta, Issoria), with a total of 12 included species, are known or believed to occur within the main forest zone, from ca 1800 to 2800 m. Of these, only two species (Acraea acuta, Issoria hanningtoni) may be restricted locally to this primary forest. The lower slopes fauna, below 1800 m, is considerably richer, with a total of four genera and 33 confirmed species listed (10 of which species extend into the forest zone). Possible additional species of Acraea, including some doubtful earlier records, are noted and discussed. An identification key to the genera of Heliconiinae that occur in Tanzania, together with a key to the adults of all heliconiine species considered to occur or likely to occur on Kilimanjaro, with 280 colour images, are included as online Supplementary Information.     

Helminth biodiversity of Costa Rican Anurans (Amphibia: Anura)

One hundred and sixty-three frogs representing 21 species collected in Costa Rica were examined for helminths. Those found were: one species of Digenea (Mesocoelium monas), one species of Cestoda (Cylindrotaenia americana), 15 species of Nematoda, 11 species represented by gravid individuals (Aplectana hylambatis, Aplectana incerta, Aplectana itzocanensis, Capillaria recondita, Cosmocerca parva, Cosmocerca podicipinus, Falcaustra costaricae, Hedruris heyeri, Oswaldocruzia costaricensis, Oswaldocruzia nicaraguensis, Rhabdias savagei) and four species represented by larvae (Physaloptera sp., Porrocaecum sp., Spirocamallanus sp., Ascarididae gen. sp.) and three species of Acanthocephala, one species represented by gravid individuals (Anuracanthorhynchus lutzi) and two species by cystacanths (Centrorhynchidae gen. sp. and Oligacanthorhynchidae gen. sp.). Mean helminth diversity (number of helminth species) per frog species was 2.4 ± 0.3 SE, range: 1–6. Forty-nine new host records are reported. Costa Rican frogs are infected by generalist helminths, which infect other species of frogs from Central and South America.     

On a new genus and new species of xanthid crab (Crustacea,Decapoda, Brachyura,Xanthinae) from the South China Sea,with notes on the genus Liagore De Haan, 1833

A new genus and new species of xanthid crab, Ovatis simplex, is described from the South China Sea. The genus is closest to Liagore but can be distinguished by a suite of carapace and male gonopod characters. The systematic position of Liagore is also considered, and both genera, Liagore and Ovatis, are here referred to the subfamily Xanthinae. Comparisons with the allied genera, Paratergatis and Pulcratis, are also provided.     

Tasmanian Phoridae (Diptera) and some additional Australasian species

The list of Phoridae recorded from Tasmania is increased from five species in three genera to at least 52 species in eight genera. One species on the original list is transferred to the status of being incertae sedis. One new genus and 37 new species are described, two being reported from mainland Australia also. One species was previously only known from New Zealand, five from mainland Australia, four from Europe but one of which is now an almost cosmopolitan tramp species and one being from the Holarctic Region. However, one of the 'European' species may have orginally been introduced to Europe from Tasmania. Keys to genera, to all known species of Aphiura, to the Tasmanian species of Megaselia and to the Australasian species of Metopina are provided. A newly named and a new mainland Australian species of Aphiura, three mainland Australasian species of Metopina and three from Papua New Guinea are described and seven undescribed males (given code letters only) of this genus are included in the key (four from Papua New Guinea, two from Western Australia and one from Tonga). Aphiura and Paraphiura are transferred to the tribe Metopinini and the tribe Beckerinini is set aside, as it cannot be satisfactorily characterized as it is currently conceived. Megaselia dissita is synonymized with M. comparabilis.     

Synopsis of ‘onychocellid’ cheilostome bryozoan genera

Genera assigned to the cheilostome bryozoan family Onychocellidae are revised based on the skeletal morphology of the type species and, when possible, the type material of these species. All genera are illustrated using scanning electron micrographs, some for the first time. Onychocellidae, which ranges from the Cenomanian stage of the Cretaceous to the Recent, has been a particularly troublesome family because of poorly defined generic concepts correlating at least in part with a paucity of morphological characters. Thirty-five genera are described in this review. Of these, two are recognised as subjective synonyms of other onychocellid genera (Rhebasia and Semieschara), one cannot be sufficiently characterised from the type material (Collura), and two are new: Aechmellina gen. nov. (type species Aechmella falcifera) and Kamilocella gen. nov. (type species Eschara latilabris). A neotype is chosen for Rhagasostoma hexagonum, the type species of Rhagasostoma. A key is provided to assist in the identification of onychocellid genera. Phylogenetic relationships between genera remain obscure and are unlikely to be fully resolved based on skeletal morphology alone. The family as an entity is loosely circumscribed and almost certainly paraphyletic, containing stem genera of other anascan familes such as Lunulitidae, Coscinopleuridae and Aspidostomatidae.

www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:org:pub:63A31AD2-F049-42CB-A45B-557014DC286E     

A re-assessment of the genera Holorusia Loew (=Ctenacroscelis Enderlein), Ischnotoma Skuse and Zelandotipula Alexander (Diptera: Tipulidae), with notes on their phylogeny and zoogeography

Summary

A short historical background to the genera considered is given. A review is made of a number of characters which had previously only been treated inconsistently, or not at all. As a result, the old-world genus Ctenacroscelis is merged with Holorusia sensu stricto, as represented by the isolated Californian type-species. All other species previously referred to Holorusia sensu lato are redistributed to two genera; the tropical South American and New Zealand forms are united into Zelandotipula; the Chilean element and the Australian species are united into Ischnotoma, the name Icriomastax Enderlein being resurrected as a subgenus to receive most of the Chilean species.

Tentative phylogenetic and zoogeographic observations are made. Holorusia and Ischnotoma are considered and discussed as sister-groups, whilst Zelandotipula is believed to be only distantly related. Zoogeographically Holorusia is seen as a successful Asiatic genus; Ischnotoma as a receding group, with extreme southern-continental distribution, having had a much wider distribution as indicated by the European Oligocene fossil Holorusia vasifera, transferred here to Ischnotoma. Zelandotipula is viewed as an essentially Neotropical genus, which has made one ‘invasion’ of New Zealand, probably in the geologically recent past.

Résumés of the principal features of the re-defined genera are given, together with systematic notes on certain species, and species catalogues giving distributions and all new name combinations.     

Corals and reefs of Cosmoledo and Aldabra atolls: Extent of damage,assemblage shifts and recovery following the severe mortality of 1998

An updated list of over 200 species of corals from Cosmoledo and Aldabra atolls is presented, which more than doubles previously known species diversity, and establishes these atolls as amongst the most species-rich in the Western Indian Ocean. However, partly this is an artefact of a new method of recording with digital cameras, described here, which greatly improves recording efficiency. This is the first underwater study of Cosmoledo, and the first for Aldabra outside the expedition reports cited. The survey extended to >30 m depth, and comes after the 1998 massive coral mortality. Coral cover was virtually eliminated at that time to about 8-10 m depth in Cosmoledo on seaward slopes, below which coral mortality was only about 50%. Mortality was selective regarding different species, genera and families. Cosmoledo's lagoon of >150 km² is shallower than the 'critical depth' of 8-10 m, resulting in an almost complete elimination of corals. To compare these atolls with other reefs in the region, critical depths are summarized for over 25 Indian Ocean locations. New coral recruits are abundant in the shallows of Cosmoledo and Aldabra 4 years later, though cover remains very low. Much bare rock remains (with turf algae) and some genera such as Acropora, previously apparently abundant, remain relatively very scarce. Apart from Porites, whose higher survival is now well documented, the best survivors from the 1998 mortality, and the most successful recruitment of new corals, are of faviids. Soft corals remain extremely scarce in all locations examined above the 'critical depth'. It is predicted that there may be a shift in the identity of the main species of corals in these atolls for many years.