A review of the genus Geraldus Fitton (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Banchinae), with description of a new species

An undescribed species of Banchinae from Chile in the Natural History Museum collections is described as Geraldus fittoni Broad, sp. nov. Four more specimens of Geraldus cambrensis have been found, from Chile and Argentina. The monophyly of Geraldus and of Philogalleria are supported.     

The parasitic wasp genera Skiapus,Hellwigia, Nonnus,Chriodes, and Klutiana (Hymenoptera,Ichneumonidae): Recognition of the Nesomesochorinae stat. rev. and Nonninae stat. nov. and transfer of Skiapus and Hellwigia to the Ophioninae

The ichneumonid wasp genera Skiapus Morley, Hellwigia Gravenhorst, Nonnus Cresson, Chriodes Förster, and Klutiana Betrem are each formally removed from the Campopleginae on the basis of morphological, molecular, and simultaneous analyses using PAUP* and the optimization alignment program POY. Skiapus and Hellwigia are shown to form a monophyletic group with the Ophioninae to which they are transferred. Nonnus is treated as comprising the Nonninae stat. nov. and Chriodes and Klutiana (sometimes treated as a junior synonym of Chriodes) are treated as comprising the Nesomesochorinae stat. rev. The status of Nesomesochorinae and Nonninae is not fully resolved as they are not consistently recovered as separate groups, forming a single clade in some analyses. We keep them separate because of this uncertainty. Molecular synapomorphies within the D2–3 expansion region of the 28S rDNA gene show the utility of this gene region in determining subfamily‐level placement within the higher Ophioniformes.     

A revision of the European species of Baeoneurella Dodd (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae)

ABSTRACT

The genus Baeoneurella Dodd, is resurrected, and Eumicrosoma Gahan, is treated as a junior synonym. A comparison between Baeoneurella and Telenomus Haliday, with emphasis on the T. floridanus group, is made to evaluate the generic limits of Baeoneurella, and synapomorphies for this genus are presented. The European species of Baeoneurella, including a new species, B. maceki Popovici, Masner and Polaszek, are described and illustrated, with new data concerning their distribution and habitats. Keys to the European species of this genus for females and for males are provided.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:3F3ECAB2-FBF9-40BB-8447-06CEF1073038     

Eight new species of the genus Promalactis (Lepidoptera: Oecophoridae) from Indonesia,with a checklist of the genus

Eight new species of Promalactis were discovered from Indonesia: Promalactis diazomatis sp. nov., Promalactis hamatella sp. nov., Promalactis ingenticula sp. nov., Promalactis laetusella sp. nov., Promalactis latifundus sp. nov., Promalactis minutispina sp. nov., Promalactis mooatana sp. nov. and Promalactis trigonilancis sp. nov. Illustrations of adults and genitalia of the new species and taxonomic information for the six previously known species from Indonesia are provided. A checklist of the genus in Indonesia is given.

www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:E25224C7-2D41-4F5A-A4BB-41AA1307E0C0     

Review of Loxopus Townes (Hymenoptera,Ichneumonidae, Cryptinae), with descriptions of six new species

The taxonomic limits of Loxopus Townes are reviewed. The genus is characterized by the lateral margin of the clypeus projecting as subtriangular lobe; lateral lobes of fourth tarsomeres distinctly longer than mesal lobes; fore wing vein 3r-m absent; hind wing vein 2-1A absent or vestigial; and first metasomal tergite with a basolateral tooth. It occurs from Mexico to southern Brazil. Nine species are recognized, of which six are described as new: L. dodecius Santos et Aguiar, L. duckei Santos et Aguiar, L. exius Santos et Aguiar, L. ichilus Santos et Aguiar, L. tenuis Santos et Aguiar, and L. venezuelanus Santos et Aguiar. The type species, L. australis Townes, and L. multicolor Kasparyan et Ruíz-Cancino are redescribed, and a diagnosis is provided for L. unicolor Kasparyan et Ruíz-Cancino, not examined. All studied species are illustrated and distribution records are mapped. An identification key for the species of Loxopus is presented.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:5B73E8B4-1288-4FD9-AABD-845B5085FFE3     

Revision of the Indo-Australian braconine wasp genus Ischnobracon Baltazar (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) with description of six new species from Thailand,Laos and Sri Lanka

The uncommon Asian braconine wasp genus Ischnobracon Baltazar is revised. Eleven species are recognized of which six are described as new, namely I. albitarsus Butcher and Quicke from mainland Malaysia, I. baltazarae Butcher and Quicke from the Philippines, I. hannongbuai Butcher and Quicke from Thailand, Laos, Myanmar and Indonesia (Sulawesi), I. morleyi Butcher and Quicke from Sri Lanka, I. feliciae Butcher and Quicke from Thailand, I. xanthoflagellaris Butcher and Quicke from Thailand, Laos and Vietnam. Ischnobracon rhyssides (Enderlein) is a new junior subjective synonym of I. laboriosus (Smith).     

Ovipositor mechanics of the braconine wasp genus Zaglyptogastra and the ichneumonid genus Pristomerus

The multiply-arched, apical quarter to half of the ovipositors of Zaglyptogastra species are capable of flexing ventrally through up to 180°. Flexion is achieved by ventral protrusion of the lower ovipositor valves relative to the upper one, an action which juxtaposes swollen lower valve sections with weak concave narrowings of the upper valve. The structural modifications associated with this flexion mechanism are described and similar ovipositor features are illustrated for the cremastine ichneumonid genus Pristomerus.     

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.     

A survey of the genus Geometra Linnaeus (Lepidoptera,Geometridae, Geometrinae)

The type genus of the family Geometridae, Geometra Linnaeus, is reviewed. In addition to the 16 species known worldwide, two new species are described: Geometra neovalida sp. nov. from China, and Geometra burmensis sp. nov. from Burma (Myanmar). All the known species are redescribed. Genitalia of all species are described and illustrated, most for the first time. Generic characters based on all species are summarized. The monophyly of the genus and its relationship with allied genera are reviewed and discussed in detail. Most species fall into two species groups, named the papilionaria and smaragdus groups, on the basis of the morphology of the male genitalia. Biological information is provided where available. Illustrations of moths and genitalia are presented.     

First record of the genus Setelacher Bouček (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae: Eulophinae) from the Afrotropical region,with description of a new species

ABSTRACT

A new species of the genus Setelacher Bou?ek, S. lasallei sp. nov. Gumovsky and van Noort, is described from the Afrotropical region (Central African Republic, Gabon and Uganda). It confirms the presence of the genus in the region. The only described species of the genus, S. fasciatus Bou?ek, is of Australasian and Indo-Malayan distribution, and one undescribed species was previously recorded from South Africa. All images presented here are available on www.waspweb.org

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:D6AA0B15-6EA7-4C93-827C-1807E69BD6D2     

Genus Promalactis Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Oecophoridae) in northern Vietnam. Part II: six new species of the genus

This paper is the second part of a series on the genus Promalactis (Lepidoptera: Oecophoridae) in northern Vietnam, describing six new species: Promalactis albipars sp. nov., Promalactis bitrigona sp. nov., Promalactis diorbis sp. nov., Promalactis forticosta sp. nov., Promalactis magnipuncti sp. nov. and Promalactis polyspina sp. nov. Adults and genitalia of the new species are illustrated.     

The type species of the bee genus Epicharis Klug, 1807 (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

Modern authors have treated Lutz and Cockerell’s indication of Centris umbraculata Fabricius, 1804 as the first valid type-species designation for Epicharis Klug, 1807. It is argued here, however, that Epicharis dasypoda Klug, 1807, junior synonym of Apis rustica Olivier, 1789, is the valid type species of Epicharis, as designated by Desmarest, in the article on Epicharis published in 1845 in volume 5 of d’Orbigny’s Dictionnaire Universel d’Histoire Naturelle. This overlooked designation makes Epicharana Michener, 1954, and not Xanthepicharis Moure, 1945, a junior synonym of Epicharis s.str. Therefore, Xanthepicharis should be revalidated for the group containing Epicharis umbraculata (Fabricius, 1804) and related species.

htpp://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:1BA1C185-25D8-45A8-BC29-109387C1E100     

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).     

Genus Promalactis Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Oecophoridae) from Cambodia,Part II: five new species,checklist and taxonomic key for the species in Cambodia

This study is the second report on the genus Promalactis, which includes five new species, P. ceratiscus sp. nov., P. flavidius sp. nov., P. latifasciata sp. nov., P. mecodigita sp. nov. and P. petasumella sp. nov., from western and southern Cambodia. Also provided is a taxonomic key to all species of Cambodian Promalactis.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:72474144-5D65-48BE-9021-0490952AAA3C     

Swedish nemerteans (phylum Nemertea), with description of a new hoplonemertean genus and species

A survey of the nemertean fauna along the Swedish west coast found specimens of 20 genera and 32 species, of which one genus and species is new to science (Tetraneuronemertes lovgreni gen. et sp. n.). The proportions of the three taxa Hoplonemertea, Heteronemertea, and Palaeonemertea are 34, 55, and 11%, respectively, with respect to specimen numbers, and the proportions for species within these taxa are 53, 31 and 16%, respectively. The most common species encountered during the survey were the heteronemerteans Lineus bilineatus, Micrura fasciolata, and Micrura purpurea, the hoplonemertean Nipponnemertes pulcher, and the palaeonemertean Cephalothrix rufifrons.     

Revision of the Australian endemic genus Hyptiogaster Kieffer (Hymenoptera: Gasteruptiidae), with descriptions of seven new species

The Australian hyptiogastrine wasp genus Hyptiogaster Kieffer is revised. Among other characters, species of Hyptiogaster can be readily distinguished from other Hyptiogastrinae by having an exserted ovipositor and the anterior face of the mesothorax truncate in lateral view. Ten species are recognised including seven which are newly described: H. arenicola Turner, H. humeralis (Schletterer), H. rufus (Westwood), H. cobarensis sp. nov., H. hulli sp. nov., H. kalbarrii sp. nov., H. kiefferi sp. nov., H. naumanni sp. nov., H. pinjarregaensis sp. nov., H. weowaniensis sp. nov. Two synonymies are proposed; H. flavosignata (Kieffer) with H. humeralis and H. crassiceps (Schletterer) with H. rufus. An illustrated key to species is presented and relationships among genera of Hyptiogastrinae and species of Hyptiogaster are discussed.     

Descriptions of two new species of the genus Agathis Latreille (Hymenoptera,Braconidae, Agathidinae) from Spain,with a record of mating by one species on flowers

Two new species of the genus Agathis Latreille, A. icarus sp. n. and A. nixoni sp. n., are described from southern Spain. Both species were observed feeding on the nectar of Anacyclus clavatus (Desf.) Pers.. (Asteraceae). A. nixoni was also observed mating on flowers. Mating by parasitoids at feeding sites is discussed.     

Hysterothylacium,Iheringascaris and Maricostula new genus,nematodes (Ascaridoidea) from Australian pelagic marine fishes

The state of knowledge of Australian fish parasitic ascardioids is briefly reviewed. The following species are described in full: Hysterothylacium cornutum, H. pelagicum, H. scomberoidei n. sp. Additional data are provided for Iheringascaris inquies. Maricostula n. gen. is established for those species that have lips with lateral flanges, deep postlabial grooves, interlabia, and elongate intestinal caecum, pyriform ventriculus, long sac-like ventricular appendix, an expanded filamentar excretory system and excretory pore near the nerve ring. The males of all the species have precloacal crests. Species included are: M. caballeroi (Deloya), M. cenatica n. sp., M. histiophori (Yamaguti), M. incurva (Rudolphi), M. makairi n. sp. and M. tetrapteri n. sp. All are recorded from billfishes, and all but M. caballeroi are recorded from Australian waters. The systematic position of the genus is discussed. New characters of taxonomic utility used in the discrimination of fish parasitic ascaridoids are discussed. These include fine details of alae, male caudal crests and papillae. We demonstrate that these characters can be used to separate species of Maricostula. Remarks are also given on nomenclatural problems within the Indo-Pacific fish parasitic Ascardioidea.