Species of Staurotheca Allman, 1888 (Cnidaria: Hydrozoa: Sertulariidae) from US Antarctic expeditions,with the description of three new species

Seventeen species of the genus Staurotheca Allman have been studied, three of which are new to science (Staurotheca abyssalis sp. nov., S. densa sp. nov. and S. profunda sp. nov.). The material studied was collected by several US Antarctic expeditions. Each species is described and figured, the systematic position amongst allied species discussed and available data concerning autecology and geographical distribution given. The remaining six known species of the genus are also considered, regarding synonymy, autecology and geographical distribution. The type material of two poorly known species of Staurotheca, S. juncea (Vanhöffen) and S. pachyclada (Jäderholm) has been re-examined, re-described and figured. Finally, a general survey of the bathymetrical and biogeographical distribution of the known species of Staurotheca is given.     

Species of Oswaldella Stechow, 1919 (Cnidaria: Hydrozoa: Kirchenpaueriidae) from US Antarctic expeditions,with the description of three new species

Seventeen species of the genus Oswaldella Stechow have been studied, three of which are new to science (Oswaldella frigida sp. nov., O. medeae sp. nov. and O. monomammillata sp. nov.). The material studied was collected by several US Antarctic expeditions. Each species is described and figured, the systematic position amongst allied species is discussed and available data concerning autecology and geographical distribution are given. The remaining eight known species of the genus are also considered, regarding synonymy, autecology and geographical distribution. Finally, a general survey of the bathymetrical and biogeographical distribution of the known species of Oswaldella is given.     

Species of Schizotricha Allman, 1883 (Cnidaria: Hydrozoa: Halopterididae) from US Antarctic expeditions with the description of two new species

Twelve species of the genus Schizotricha Allman have been studied, two of which are new to science (Schizotricha heteromera sp. nov. and S. trinematotheca sp. nov.). The material studied was collected by several US Antarctic expeditions. Each new species is described and figured, the systematic position amongst allied species discussed and available data concerning autecology and geographical distribution given. The remaining 10 species are considered regarding diagnosis, autecology and geographical distribution. Finally, a general survey of the bathymetrical and biogeographical distribution of the known species of Schizotricha is given.     

Species of Symplectoscyphus Marktanner-Turneretscher, 1890 (Cnidaria: Hydrozoa,Sertulariidae) from recent Antarctic expeditions with R.V. Polarstern,with the description of four new species

Fifteen species of the genus Symplectoscyphus Marktanner-Turneretscher have been studied, four of which are new to science (Symplectoscyphus anae sp. nov., S. frigidus sp. nov., S. sofiae sp. nov. and S. weddelli sp. nov.). The material studied originates from the Weddell Sea and was collected by several French and German Antarctic expeditions with R.V. Polarstern. Each species is described and figured, the systematic position amongst allied species discussed and available data concerning autecology and geographical distribution given. The type material of five poorly known species of Symplectoscyphus, S. aggregatus (Jäderholm), S. cumberlandicus (Jäderholm), S. glacialis (Jäderholm), S. hero Blanco and S. plectilis (Hickson and Gravely), has been re-examined, re-described and figured. Finally, a general survey of the bathymetrical and biogeographical distribution of the known Antarctic species is given.     

Description of Kashmirobroscus gen. nov. with two new species from the Northwest Himalaya,and remarks on the East Asian genus Eobroscus Kryzhanovskij, 1951 (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Broscini)

The ground beetle taxon Kashmirobroscus gen. nov. and two species Kashmirobroscus mirabilis sp. nov. and Kashmirobroscus ortrudae sp. nov. are described from the Northwest Himalaya of Pakistan. Diagnostic characters of both new species are figured and their distributional areas are mapped. Several features of the new genus are discussed to work out its systematic position within Broscini. As a result, Kashmirobroscus is proposed as a sister taxon of the East Asian genus Eobroscus Kryzhanovskij, 1951, of the subtribe Broscina. In addition, new data relating to systematics and distribution of all the known species of the genus Eobroscus are provided. The taxon Orobroscus Morita, 1990 is proposed as a junior synonym of Eobroscus Kryzhanovskij, 1951, and Eobroscus uenoi Morita, 1995 is proposed as a junior synonym of Eobroscus bhutanensis Morvan, 1982, a macropterous species with a wide distribution in the eastern parts of High Asia. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:1775013D-FE87-41CA-87AF-D730E809331B     

The species of four genera of Metopiinae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) in Britain,with new host records and descriptions of four new species

Two genera of Metopiinae are recorded for the first time from the British Isles, Ischyrocnemis Holmgren and Synosis Townes. An account is also given of a further two genera, Apolophus Townes and Stethoncus Townes, that have been recently recorded from Britain but remain little known. Apolophus and Synosis are shown to be koinobiont endoparasitoids of Lepidoptera larvae of the families Schreckensteiniidae and Yponomeutidae, respectively. Four species are described as new: Stethoncus monopicida sp. nov., Synosis caesiellae sp. nov., Synosis fieldi sp. nov., and Synosis parenthesellae sp. nov. A key to the Western Palaearctic species of Synosis is provided.     

African Derbidae (Homoptera,Fulgoroidea): taxonomic notes with descriptions of new species collected mainly from coconut

An annotated list of the African Derbidae described since Synave's 1973 monograph is given, with some corrections and additions to that work together with a revision of the genus Robigus from Africa. The following new species are described: Diostrombus schuilingi sp. nov., D. mkurangai sp. nov., Zorabana vipaku sp. nov., Patara minazi sp. nov., P. chambeziensis sp. nov., Paraphenice mawai, sp. nov., Phenice pongwei sp. nov., Robigus magawai sp. nov., Robigus synavei sp. nov. (= R. tortrinotatus sensu Synave, 1973), Kamendaka ukutu sp. nov. All of these new species with the exception of R. synavei were collected from coconut. The following new synonomies are made: Proutista fritillaris (Boheman) = P. tesselata (Westwood) syn. nov., Diostrombus abdominalis (Distant) = D. moerensis Synave syn. nov., Paraphenice dissimilis Synave = Pamendanga fuscinervis Van Stalle syn. nov., Zoraida fuligipennis Muir = Z. nigeriensis Synave syn. nov., Platocera africana Muir, omitted in error from Synave (1973), is described and figured. Proutista moesta (Westwood) is recorded from Africa for the first time.     

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.     

Three new species of Benthana Budde-Lund (Isopoda, ‘Philosciidae’) from Brazil

Three new species of Benthana Budde-Lund, 1908 are described from material collected near São Fancisco de Paula, a town in the north-east of the southernmost Brazilian State, Rio Grande do Sul (RS). The new species are: Benthana serrana sp. nov., Benthana trinodulata sp. nov. and Benthana araucariana sp. nov. (from Araucaria Forest). The presence of more than one nodulus lateralis on coxal plate VII, a characteristic not previously known in the genus, is reported. New occurrences of B. picta (Brand, 1833) and B. taeniata (Araujo and Buckup, 1994) are also recorded. A method is given for defining the shape of the exopod of pleopod 1 of the male based on morphometry.     

New taxa of the parasitic quill mites associated with accipitrid birds indicating close relationship of falconid birds to Psittaci–Columbi clade

Two new species of syringophilid mites (Acari: Prostigmata: Cheyletoidea: Syringophilidae) associated with accipitrid diurnal raptors (Falconiformes: Accipitridae) are described and figured: Megasyringophilus aquilus sp. nov. from two host species of the genus Aquila, A. rapax (Temminck, 1828) and A. pomarina Brehm, 1831, and Peristerophila accipitridicus sp. nov. from Terathopius ecaudatus (Daudin, 1800). Relationships between birds of prey and Psittaci–Columbi clade are briefly discussed.     

A new genus with three new species of copepods from the family Diaixidae (Crustacea: Calanoida), and a redefinition of the family

Plankton samples taken in the Gulf of Carpentaria, Australia, yielded material of a new genus containing 3 new species: Anawekia spinosa gen. nov. et sp. nov., A. robusta sp. nov. and A. bilobata sp. nov., which are described herein. The family Diaixidae now contains 12 described species in 2 genera, 9 being in the genus Diaixis. It is noted that 3 of the Diaixis species (including the type species) share some features which are not shared with the remaining 6 species, and that these latter species should probably be placed into a third genus. An amplified redefinition of the family is given.     

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.     

LXV.—On an Encyrtid (Leefmansia bicolor,gen. et sp. n.) reared from eggs of Sexava (Orth.) in the Dutch East Indies

Summary

Eleven species of marine mites (Halacaroidea) are recorded from intertidal and subtidal collections made along the coast of California. Four new species Copidognathus spinifer sp. nov., Copidognathus ilsebartschi sp. nov., Agaue variabilis sp. nov., and Halacarus newelli sp. nov. are described. Agaue californica (Hall) is completely redescribed. Agauopsis newelli Krantz and Halacarus magniporus Krantz, new records for California, are diagnozed and described. Agauopsis curvata Krantz is diagnozed and further described. The juvenile stages of Copidognathus curtus Hall are described. The range of Agauopsis filirostris MacQuitty is extended within California. A tabular key to the Californian species of Copidognathus is given. The distribution of the halacaroids in California is compared to that of other fauna.     

The genus Platypalpus Macquart (Diptera: Hybotidae) from Northeast Thailand with comments on the species groups in the Oriental region

The first records on the genus Platypalpus Macquart from Thailand are presented including 10 species new to science: P. fai sp. nov., P. gaemluang sp. nov., P. hualuang sp. nov., P. isaanensis sp. nov., P. nuadkhao sp. nov., P. phomyaaw sp. nov., P. seedam sp. nov., P. seeluang sp. nov., P. siamensis sp. nov., and P. thaicus sp. nov.. A key to these species is provided. All species of Platypalpus known from the Oriental Region (totally 54) are arranged into the species groups currently established for the genus. Eight species groups are recognized from the Oriental Realm and the distribution of each group is briefly discussed. The P. albiseta‐group is most diverse in the Orient with 16 species recorded. Two species of this group possess a modified structure and vestiture of certain abdominal segments that is the first record of this phenomenon in Platypalpus. Also, within the P. albiseta‐group a complex of closely related species sharing an apomorphous condition of the hypoproct has been recognized. In these species the structure of the hypoproct is likely to deal with clasping during copulation instead of the cerci and epandrial lamellae.     

New species of Australian arid zone chelonine wasps from the genera Phanerotoma and Ascogaster (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) informed by the ‘Bush Blitz’ surveys of national reserves

Here we focus on the poorly studied braconid wasp subfamily Cheloninae for the arid zone of the Australian continent, using material, in part, resulting from comprehensive surveys of three arid zone reserves. The Bush Blitz programme is a multi-institutional project with the aim of documenting the diversity of the flora and fauna in Australia’s National Reserve System, with describing new species being a key focus of the programme. In total, 11 species from the genera Ascogaster and Phanerotoma are treated, with species’ delimitation based on both molecular and morphological data. Two species are redescribed (Phanerotoma behriae Zettel, 1988a and P. decticauda Zettel, 1988a) and nine species are described as new (Ascogaster brevivena sp. nov., A. ferruginegaster sp. nov., A. prolixogaster sp. nov., A. rubriscapa sp. nov., Phanerotoma bonbonensis sp. nov., P. bushblitz sp. nov., P. lutea sp. nov., P. nigriscapulata sp. nov. and P. witchelinaensis sp. nov.). Keys to the arid zone species of these two genera are provided, along with a species richness estimation of Australian chelonine wasps.     

“Typhloplanoida” (Platyhelminthes: Rhabdocoela) from the Indian Ocean,with the description of six new taxa

Seven typhloplanoids from the Indian Ocean are discussed; six of them are new to science. We place four of the new species within the Trigonostomidae. Gandalfia bilunata gen. nov. sp. nov. is characterized by a tubiform stylet and two semilunar structures in the afferent duct. Mahurubia clava gen. nov. sp. nov. has a gutter‐shaped stylet and a club‐shaped mouthpiece on the bursa. Parapharyngiella involucrum gen. nov. sp. nov. is characterized by a stylet in the form of a question mark and a bursal mouthpiece with a club‐shaped and a barrel‐shaped part. Poseidoplanella halleti gen. nov. sp. nov. is characterized by an unpaired ovary, a funnel‐shaped stylet connected with a plate, and a small, tubular bursal mouthpiece. Furthermore, new data are given on Ceratopera axi. The two other new species belong to the Typhloplanidae. Aegira annabellae gen. nov. sp. nov., a marine species, is characterized by a box‐shaped stylet and a long, pseudocuticularized ejaculatory duct. Castrada trispina sp., a freshwater species, has a copulatory bursa with three spines. Mahurubia clava gen. nov. sp. nov. and Parapharyngiella involucrum gen. nov. sp. nov. occur at Zanzibar, Tanzania. The other five species have been found on Kerguelen.