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.     

A revision of the genus Metallolophia Warren (Lepidoptera,Geometridae, Geometrinae)

The Geometrine genus Metallolophia is revised. In addition to the 11 species known, five new species are described as new. All the known species are redescribed and lectotypes are designated for M. opalina (Warren), M. arenaria (Leech) and M. danielaria (Oberthür) (=M. arenaria (Leech)). The male of M. ocellata (Warren) and the females of M. medullosa Inoue and M. devecisi Herbulot are described for the first time. The generic characters based on all species are summarized and a key to all taxa is given. Illustrations of moths and genitalia are presented. The new and revised taxa are: Metallolophia purpurivenata sp. nov., Metallolophia cuneataria sp. nov., Metallolophia inanularia sp. nov., Metallolophia flavomaculata sp. nov., Metallolophia stueningi sp. nov. and Metallolophia ostrumaria Xue, syn. nov. (of Metallolophia albescens Inoue).     

Rediscovery of Disepyris semiruber (Kieffer) (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae) in Southern Africa,with first description of the male

Holepyris semiruber Kieffer is redescribed and illustrated based on freshly collected specimens. Holepyris semiruber var. striatipleura Kieffer is considered a colour variant of this species and therefore a junior synonym of H. semiruber syn. nov. This species is transferred to Disepyris, D. semiruber (Kieffer) comb. nov., based on the possession of a short 2r-rs&Rs vein in the fore wing and presence of long flat spine-shaped setae on the outer (posterior) surface of the protarsi. The male is described for the first time from new specimens collected in South Africa. This species is recorded for the first time from Namibia and Zimbabwe. All photographs are available on www.waspweb.org.     

Model mimics: antlike jumping spiders of the genus Myrmarachne from Sri Lanka

All nominal species of ant-mimicking jumping spiders of the genus Myrmarachne from Sri Lanka are redescribed, based on type and newly collected material. Three new species are described: Myrmarachne aurantiaca sp. nov., M. dishani sp. nov. and M. morningside sp. nov. Panachraesta Simon, 1900 is shown to be a junior synonym of Myrmarachne MacLeay, 1839, syn. nov. The following species are synonymized: Myrmarachne orientales Tikader, 1973 = Myrmarachne melanocephala MacLeay, 1839 syn. nov., Myrmarachne paivae Narayen, 1915 and Myrmarachne bengalensis Tikader, 1973 = Myrmarachne prava (Karsch, 1880) syn. nov., Myrmarachne hanoii Zabka, 1985 = Myrmarachne pumilio (Karsch, 1880) syn. nov., Myrmarachne maratha Tikader, 1973 = Myrmarachne robusta (Peckham & Peckham, 1892). One new combination is proposed: Myrmarachne paludosa (Simon, 1900) comb. nov. Myrmarachne ramunni Narayan, 1915 is recorded for the first time in Sri Lanka. A total of 12 valid species are now known from the island; six of them are endemic.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:B723C180-996B-471D-B920-4D08E7A8CD53     

The Cassidininae Hansen, 1905 (Crustacea: Isopoda: Sphaeromatidae) of Australia

The Cassidininae of Australia are revised. The status of the subfamily is assessed and it is concluded that, as presently constituted, the Cassidininae is an artificial taxon. It is maintained here as a taxon of convenience (sensu lato) until the other sphaeromatid subfamilies can be reassessed, but a new diagnosis (sensu stricto) is given. The genus Cassidina is redescribed. Three new genera are established: Agostodina gen. nov. (type species: A. munta sp. nov.), Apemosphaera gen. nov. (type species: A. naranagi sp. nov.) and Discidina gen. nov. (type species: D. banawarra sp. nov.). New diagnoses are provided for the genera Cassidina Milne Edwards, Chitonopsis Whitelegge, Cassidinidea Hansen, Paracassidina Baker, Syncassidina Baker and Platysphaera Holdich and Harrison. The genus Dies is placed in synonymy with Cassidinidea and an annotated list is given of all species of the genus. The following new species (excluding the new type species) are described: Chitonopsis booyoolie, Agostodina munta, Paracassidina anasilla, P. bakeri, P. bamarook, P. bilbie, P. cervina, P. dama, P. fuscina, P. incompta, P. kutyo, P. munna, P. petala, P. prolata, P. wurrook and Cassidinidea korpie. Keys to the Australian genera and species are given.     

Species of genus Schizotheca Hincks (Bryozoa,Cheilostomata) described in the Atlantic‐Mediterranean region,with notes on some species of Parasmittina Osburn

Material held in collections, originally ascribed to the genus Schizotheca and originating from the NE Atlantic and Mediterranean, is revised. Two new species are described: Schizotheca carmenae sp. nov. from Azores and Portugal, originally cited as Strophiella tubigera [sic], and Schizotheca buski sp. nov. from Cape Verde and Brazil, originally cited as Schizotheca fissa. Schizotheca talismani, also from Cape Verde, is redescribed from original material and transferred to the genus Parasmittina. The Atlantic species Schizotheca tuberigera is redescribed and a new synonymy is established. Schizotheca aviculifera, from Morocco, is also redescribed and a lectotype designated. A lectotype is also chosen for Schizotheca fissa, type species of the genus. Schizotheca lepida, from north France, is considered to be an unrecognizable species.     

Species of the genera Bakera and Mangganeura (Homoptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Typhlocybinae) occurring on mango and other crop plants in the Oriental region

The genera Bakera (Bakera), Bakera (Guinobata) and Mangganeura (Homoptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Typhlocybinae) are re-described and compared. Sandalla is considered a synonym of Bakera (Guinobata) (syn. nov.).

Bakera (Bakera) nigrobilineata (Melichar) (=vittata Mahmood) is redescribed and illustrated from mango in the Philippines, on which it is frequently abundant, and found in association with Bakera (Bakera) luzonica sp. nov. which is described. Bakera (Bakera) abaca sp. nov. is described from the Philippines having been collected on abaca (Manila hemp). Bakera (Guinobata) nigroscuta Mahmood is redescribed from the Philippines and its association with coconut confirmed. Mangganeura reticulata Ghauri, described from Malaysia on mango, has been found in Thailand and the hitherto unknown female is described.     

A revision of the family Deckeniidae Ortmann, 1897 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Potamoidea), with description of a new genus (Gecarcinucidae: Gecarcinucoidea) from the Seychelles,Indian Ocean

The family Deckeniidae Ortmann, 1897, is revised and only 2 East African species are recognised, D. imitatrix Hilgendorf, 1869, and D. mitis Hilgendorf, 1898. The identity of the poorly known species from Seychelles, Indian Ocean, Deckenia alluaudi A. Milne Edwards and Bouvier, 1893, is clarified. This species is redescribed, assigned to a new genus (Seychellum gen. nov.), removed from the Deckeniidae sensu stricto and transferred to the family Gecarcinucidae Rathbun, 1904.     

XXXVI.—A new gecko from Sokotra

Summary

The thysanopteran genus Cartomothrips Standard is revised with a key to the four species: browni Standard (= Treherniella niger Moulton syn. nov.), laughlini sp. nov., neboissi sp. nov. and manukae Stannard. Two species are known from Australia, one from New Zealand but the fourth is known from both countries. These thrips are apparently fungus-feeding, two being associated with the dead twigs of Leptospermum species. The significance of the distribution of these insects and their host plants on both sides of the Tasman Sea is discussed.     

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.     

Revision of the Traumatomutilla juvenilis species group (Hymenoptera,Mutillidae)

ABSTRACT

Traumatomutilla duplicata duplicata (Gerstaecker, 1874), T. duplicata feia Casal, 1969, T. bruchi André, 1908, T. cristata (Gerstaecker, 1874), T. aterrima (Gerstaecker, 1874) and T. lorena (Cresson, 1902) are proposed as junior synonyms of Traumatomutilla bivittata (Gerstaecker, 1874). Traumatomutilla immaculiceps André, 1901, T. bivittata rubroguttata André, 1901 and T. estrella (Cresson, 1902) are proposed as junior synonyms of T. juvenilis (Gerstaecker, 1874). Traumatomutilla bispiculata (André, 1907) is proposed as a junior synonym of T. miniata (Gerstaecker, 1874). The previously unknown males of T. guarata Casal, 1969 and T. juvenilis are described and illustrated. All species of the T. juvenilis species group are redescribed and illustrated. A new species, Traumatomutilla juvenindica Bartholomay & Williams sp. nov., is described based on males and females from northern South America. Additionally, identification keys to the species and known colour forms of the T. juvenilis species group are provided.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:3563B9EE-A45B-4939-8436-7A808D4F8996     

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.     

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.     

First record of the subfamily Coelotinae in Laos,with review of Coelotinae embolus morphology and description of seven new species from Laos and Vietnam (Araneae,Amaurobiidae)

First records of Coelotinae are reported from Laos. Five new species of the genus Draconarius are described from the northern Luang Nam Tha Province: Draconarius bounnami sp. nov. (male), D. latidens sp. nov. (female), D. postremus sp. nov. (male, female), D. songi sp. nov. (male) and D. tabularis sp. nov. (female). In addition, two new Coelotinae species are described from Vietnam: D. hanoiensis sp. nov. (female) and D. huongsonensis sp. nov. (female). Of the 429 currently valid Coelotinae species, 154 of them have only females described (36%). The embolus characteristics of those with males described (275 species, 64%) are reviewed. Two characters have been found that might be informative for the estimation of phylogeny, and their congruence with the current Coelotinae classification system is discussed. One character is the point from which the embolus arises and another is the embolus shape.     

New species and records of the Neoserica (sensu stricto) group (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Sericini)

In this paper we examined newly collected specimens of the Neoserica Brenske, 1894 (sensu stricto) species group housed in Chinese collections. Four new species are described from China: Neoserica (s. str.) mengsongensis Liu & Ahrens, sp. nov. (Yunnan Prov.), Neoserica (s. str.) pseudosangangana Liu & Ahrens, sp. nov. (Guizhou Prov.), Neoserica (s. str.) taibaiensis Liu & Ahrens, sp. nov. (Shaanxi Prov.) and Neoserica (s. str.) yongkangensis Liu & Ahrens, sp. nov. (Zhejiang Prov.). Habitus and the male genitalia are illustrated. Additionally, we provide new distribution records, an updated distribution map and an updated key to the species of the Neoserica (sensu stricto) group.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:A3C6B300-EAC3-445E-8B14-E1DBB7BBFB7F     

New oriental aradid bugs in the collections of the British Museum (Natural History) (Insecta: Hemiptera)

Summary

The following new taxa of Oriental Aradidae are described: Acoryphocoris duodecimus sp. nov. (Sulawesi), A. minor sp. nov. (Sulawesi), Apaniocoris micropterus gen. and sp. nov. (Sulawesi), Aphelocoris minutissimus sp. nov. (Sarawak), Arictus gracilis sp. nov. (Sulawesi), Artabanus burmensis sp. nov. (Borneo), Chelonocoris tomentosus sp. nov. (Malaya), Chinessa kokodensis sp. nov. (New Guinea), C. major sp. nov. (New Guinea), Crimia tertia sp. nov. (Java), Magdalenia excelsa gen. and sp. nov. (Sulawesi), Mastigocoris insularis sp. nov. (Christmas Is, Indian Ocean), Mezira mekongensis sp. nov. (Laos), M. submontana sp. nov. (India), Mezira (Zimera) kachinensis sp. nov. (Burma), Neuroctenus perplexus sp. nov. (Bhutan), Notoplocaptera breviceps sp. nov. (N. Borneo), N. dollingi sp. nov. (N. Borneo), Overlaetiella elongata sp. nov. (Sulawesi), Parapictinus confusus sp. nov. (Sri Lanka), Proxius (Nesoproxius) malayensis sp. nov. (Malaya), Scironocoris malayensis sp. nov. (Malaya), and Usingerida longirostris sp. nov. (India).

Males of Artabanus magnificus Kormilev and Dimorphacantha luchti (Kiritshenko) are described for the first time. Brachyrhynchus lignicolus Kirby is transferred to the genus Neuroctenus as a new combination and redescribed. The following new synonymies are proposed: Melvertes Vásárhelyi, 1976=Notoplocaptera Usinger and Matsuda, 1959 syn. nov., and Chinessa furcella Vásárhelyi, 1976=C. bispiniceps Walker, 1873 syn. nov.     

VIII.—Notes on the Silurian Brachiopod genera Delthyris,Uncinulina, and Meristina

Summary

In this paper the different interpretations of the genus Delthyris are discussed, and that given by Schuchert in 1913 is adopted with slight amendment. The species Delthyris elevata, D. crispa, D. elegans (nom. nov. for D. crispa, Hisinger, non Linnæus), and D. tenuilamellata, sp. n., from the British Silurian, are all described and figured.

The distinguishing characters of the genera Uncinulus and Uncinulina are pointed out, and Uncinulina is retained with U. fallaciosa as genotype. Rhynchonella stricklandi and Terebratula lewisi are transferred to the genus Uncinulina. Meristina tumida (Dalman) is shown to be a synonym of Meristina obtusa (Sowerby).

The British Silurian Spirifers can be separated into two groups:—(1) those with longitudinal folds and a transverse ornament of imbricating lamellæ (=Delthyris of Dalman) and (2) those with longitudinal folds bearing fine continuous longitudinal striæ (=Eospirifer of Schuchert).

The species referable to both these genera have as a rule been assigned to the genus Spirifer, from which, however, they differ in internal characters.