Revision of the subfamily Cardiochilinae Ashmead, 1900 (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in Egypt,with new records and a new species

In the present study, the subfamily Cardiochilinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is revised. This study is based on specimens deposited in Egyptian repositories. Many of them were collected during Priesner’s trips to Gebel Elba (extreme south-west of Egypt). The subfamily Cardiochilinae is represented in Egypt by 11 species in three genera, Bohayella Belokobylskij, 1987 (one species), Cardiochiles Nees, 1819 (three species) and Schoenlandella Cameron, 1905 (seven species). The cardiochiline species C. pseudofallax Telenga, 1955 and S. deserta (Telenga, 1955) are recorded here as new records in the fauna of Egypt. The females of previously known male C. weidholzi Fischer, 1958, S. acrenulata (Fischer, 1958) and S. obscuriceps (Fischer, 1958) as well as the male of the previously known female S. glabra (Fischer, 1958) are described. Schoenlandella pseudoglabra sp. nov. is also described and illustrated.

www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:C134A1AA-81F6-4661-9C7B-12A7CAE08F67     

A review of the species of Neococcidencyrtus (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), parasites of diaspidid scale insects

A key is provided to the 18 known species of Neococcidencyrtus. Platylyca is synonymized with Neococcidencyrtus and its type-species, quadraticeps, is transferred to Neococcidencyrtus. The following species are described as new: brenhindis, cleddis, cliradainis, colynis, cullainis, delis, dryslydis, hynodis, melynis, selogis, synodis, and two further undescribed species are keyed but not formally described. All available published information on the biology and distribution of each species is listed and the pest status of the hosts is included.     

The West Palaearctic species of Fidiobia Ashmead, 1894 (Hymenoptera: Platygastroidea)

One new genus Songmachilis and six new species in family Machilidae are described from China: Songmachilis xinxiangensis gen. sp. nov., Coreamachilis songi sp. nov., Pedetontinus jiuzhaiensis sp. nov., Pedetontinus maijiensis sp. nov., Pedetontinus taishanensis sp. nov. and. Pedetontinus wudangensis sp. nov. A key to all Chinese species of Pedetontinus is given. We also examined the relationships among Chinese machilids based on partial sequences of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI). The molecular study further supported the species status of the six new taxa.     

Revision of the Neotropical species of the tribe Euderomphalini (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae)

The Neotropical species and genera of the tribe Euderomphalini (Eulophidae: Entedoninae) are revised. Five genera are described as new: Cabeza, including six species (baeostigma (§, ¦), canaliculata (§), laticeps (¦), petiolata (§), planiscapus (§), ugaldei (§)); Itahipeus, including two species (brasilicola (§, ¦), euryceps (¦)); Monterrondo, including one species (aphelosoma (§)); Sifraneurus, including one species (strigifer (§)); Xenopomphale, including one species (sulcata (§)); all above-mentioned species are described as new. Five additional genera are included: Aleuroctonus LaSalle and Schauff, with four species, one described previously: vittatus (Dozier) (§, ¦), and three described here: latiscapus (§), marki, (§, ¦) and metallicus (§); Entedononecremnus Girault, with 14 species, two described previously: krauteri Zolnerowich and Rose (§, ¦), unicus Girault (§, ¦), and 12 described here: bennetti (§, ¦), bimaculatus (§, ¦), convexus (§, ¦), crassicornis (§, ¦), depressus (§), fulgens (§), hansoni (§, ¦), imdasus (§, ¦), parfer (§, ¦), reticulatus (§), tripar (§) and unicarinatus (§); Euderomphale Girault, with two species, one described previously: flavimedia (Howard), and one described here: sulciscapus (§, ¦); Neopomphale LaSalle and Schauff, with 20 species, two described previously: aleurothrixi (Dozier) (§, ¦), quercicola (Dozier) (§, ¦), and 18 described here: azofeifai (¦), cerrobius (¦), depilis (§), dichrous (§, ¦), erecta (¦), graciliclava (§), longicornis (¦), longipilis (§, ¦), nonaequa (§, ¦), noyesi (§), pinguicornis (§, ¦), prymna (§), rubescens (§, ¦), rubii (§), silvestris (¦), transversa (§), umbonata (§, ¦), xenipennis (§); Dasyomphale LaSalle and Schauff, including one species (chilensis LaSalle and Schauff). The genera are placed in either one of three genus-groups, one of which is newly created. The species Euderomphale quercicola Dozier is newly combined to Neopomphale. Lectotypes are designated for Entedononecremnus unicus Girault, Euderomphale quercicola Dozier and Gyrolasia flavimedia Howard. Key to genera and species are included.     

Three new species of Aprusia (Araneae: Oonopidae) from Sri Lanka with a phylogenetic analysis of the genus

The South Asian goblin spider genus Aprusia Simon, 1893 currently consists of five species. All species are narrow endemics with very restricted distributions. In this paper, the Sri Lankan species are revised and three new species described from both sexes: Aprusia koslandensis n. sp., Aprusia rawanaellensis n. sp. and Aprusia vankhedei n. sp. We also provide some notes on the poorly known species A. strennus and A. vestigator. In addition, we present a key to adult Aprusia and a distribution map of the Sri Lankan species, highlighting their diversity in the highly fragmented forests of the island. To test the monophyly of Aprusia and infer relationships among its species, a matrix of 49 morphological characters scored for 11 taxa (seven ingroup and four outgroup) was assembled and analysed. The monophyly of Aprusia is recovered and supported by three unambiguous synapomorphies: the presence of smooth male endites, the presence of leg spines on the prolateral side of the femur I and the procurved ridge of the postepigastric scutum.

www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:40352A9B-F455-4F41-B293-FF57BACA2997     

Morphological variability of adult Heizmannia greenii (Diptera: Culicidae) from Sri Lanka

Morphological variations in 10 habitus characters of adult Heizmannia greenii (Theobald) collected from the eastern, central and southern regions of Sri Lanka were examined and quantified. Pale-scaled areas conforming to those of the type form of the species were seen in 67–100 and 74–93% of eastern and central region specimens respectively. By contrast, 76–100% of specimens from the southern region had the the same areas completely or nearly completely covered with dark scales. Specimens with individual characters and character combinations intermediate between the extreme ‘pale’ and ‘dark’ forms were observed. All of these variants were inseparable from typical Hz. greenii on the basis of male genitalia characters, and larval and pupal morphometrics and chaetotaxy. It is likely that the variability observed in adult ornamentation is the reason for the confusion that has existed in the literature regarding the identity and distribution of Hz. greenii. Such extreme variability within a species raises questions regarding the stability of taxonomic characters used to separate species within the genus.     

Functional anatomy of male antennal glands in three species of Encyrtidae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea)

The occurrence of male antennal glands in three hymenopteran parasitoids belonging to the family Encyrtidae (Leptomastix dactylopii, Rhopus meridionalis and Asitus phragmitis) is reported for the first time. The ultrastructure and function of these glands are described in detail. In all three species the glands consist of clustered unicellular secretory units extending underneath the cuticle. Glandular secretions were released externally and spread onto female antennae by specialized ‘release and spread sites’, appearing as ‘scale-like’ or ‘peg-like’ cuticular structures. These antennal glands play an important role during the complex sequences of courtship behaviour, eliciting female acceptance. The possible behavioural and taxonomical implications are discussed.     

Recent and fossil species of Characodoma Maplestone, 1900 (Bryozoa) from the Mediterranean with description of two new species

Three species of Characodoma Maplestone, 1990 from the Mediterranean are discussed here. Two, C. rostratum and C. reclinatum are described as new from Pleistocene bathyal sediments of Southern Italy. The third, C. mamillatum (Seguenza, 1880) was already known from Tertiary-to-Quaternary sediments of Southern Italy. It has been recognized as the senior synonym of C. bifurcatum (Waters, 1918). Stratigraphical, geographical and ecological distributions of all the species are discussed. Morphological studies, principally of C. mamillatum, provide useful information about the life habit of these species.     

Nesting behaviour and prey of Pseudoplisus Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae)

Nesting behaviour and prey of two species of Pseudoplisus, a gorytine wasp genus in the sphecid subfamily Nyssoninae, are described. P. natalensis is a solitary nester in southern Africa nesting often in the soil in flower-pots. P. ranosahae in Madagascar nests in the ground in large aggregations. Both species show a high degree of prey specificity. Nests are provisioned only with large adult froghoppers (Aphrophoridae), P. natalensis preying on Ptyelus grossus and P. ranosahae on Ptyelus goudoti.     

Ooencyrtus marcelloi sp. nov. (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), an egg parasitoid of Heliconiini (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Heliconiinae) on passion vines (Malpighiales: Passifloraceae) in Central America

A new species belonging to the genus Ooencyrtus Ashmead is described. Ooencyrtus marcelloi sp. nov. has been reared from eggs of Heliconiini (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae, Heliconiinae) collected in Panama on Passiflora spp. The new species is compared with its closest Ooencyrtus species, i.e. O. caligo Noyes, O. neustriae Mercet, O. flavipes (Timberlake), O. camerounensis (Risbec), O. endymion Huang and Noyes and Ooencyrtus sp. “undet. C.” (from India). This represents the second record of Ooencyrtus from Heliconinae and the first record of this genus from Panama.     

Two new species of asterocherid (Copepoda: Siphonostomatoida) associated with a sponge from the Strait of Messina,Italy: taxonomic and ecological traits

Two new species of asterocherid associated with sponges are described from the Mediterranean Sea. They are Psilomyzon laetitiae sp. nov. and Psilomyzon sarcotragusicola sp. nov. The genus Psilomyzon consists of only one known species, P. pauciseta. The two new species can be easily distinguished from the cogener species by reduction of the endopod of leg 4. In P. pauciseta the leg 4 endopod is 3-segmented, with the third segment reduced; in both new species it is 2-segmented, with the second segment carrying an inner projection, possibly homologous to the third segment of the leg 4 endopod of P. pauciseta. In the two new species, the bifid outer process on male leg 4 second endopodal segment seems to be serially homologous to the similar processes on the same segment in legs 1–3, whereas the inner projection may represent a vestigial element of the third endopodal segment of leg 4.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:33BF0653-BBA9-426B-B365-5D8C62DFD44A     

A taxonomic review of the genus Gibbotettix with description of one new species (Orthoptera: Tetrigidae)

During an investigation of species diversity in the Lengshuihe Nature Preserve, Jinsha County, Guizhou Province, China, in August of 2015, a new species of the rare genus Gibbotettix was discovered. Gibbotettix vallis Zha and Wen sp. nov. is introduced, described and photographed, and compared with other species. A taxonomic review of the genus Gibbotettix is provided and a key to all known species of the genus is given.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:74D8DCB9-A31E-4E4D-A2E8-692A54A81317     

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).     

Insular species of Neotropical freshwater crabs (Crustacea: Brachyura)

One species of Trichodactylidae and four species of Pseudothelphusidae are present on continental islands in three areas of Central and South America. (1) Trinidad and Margarita Island have, in common with the Venezuelan mainland, the pseudothelphusid Eudaniela garmani (Rathbun, 1898); additionally, Trinidad shares with the mainland the trichodactylid Dilocarcinus dentatus (Randall, 1839). These disjunct distributions can be attributed to changes in sea level during the Quaternary, but the presence of the endemic pseudothelphusid Microthelphusa odaelkae (Bott, 1970) in Trinidad probably reflects an older connection with the continent. (2) A new species, Potamocarcinus roatensis, was found on Roatan Island, off the coast of Honduras. A cladistic analysis of the genus Potamocarcinus (H. Milne Edwards, 1853) revealed a close association of P. roatensis with P. magnus (Rathbun, 1896), a widely distributed Central American pseudothelphusid. Possibly both species originated in a pre-Quaternary vicariant event. (3) Another pseudothelphusid, Hypolobocera gorgonensis von Prahl, 1983, inhabits disjunct areas on Gorgona Island, off the Pacific coast of Colombia, and on the mainland of Ecuador, reflecting either a wider distribution before the last Holocene transgression or accidental dispersal through natural rafts.     

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     

A review of Eunotinae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Pteromalidae) from China

Five genera of Eunotinae are included in this paper. Ophelosia, Moranila, Cephaleta, Eunotus are reviewed and a new genus Cavitas is described. Four new species, Cavitas concava sp. nov., Eunotus applanatus sp. nov., E. strenus sp. nov. and E. aequalivenus sp. nov. are described. The type specimens are deposited in the Zoological Museum, Institute of Zoology, the Chinese Academy of Sciences.     

British species of the parasitic cynipid-wasp genus Aegilips (Hymenoptera: Cynipoidea,Anacharitinae)

The British species of Aegilips are revised and a key to species is provided. Of the eight species previously described from Britain seven are synonymized under the name A. nitidula (Dalman). Three new species (A. atricornis, A. romseyensis and A. vena) are described. A neotype is designated for A. nitidula (Dalman) and lectotypes are designated for A. rufipes (Westwood), A fumipennis (Westwood) and A. dalmani Reinhard.     

Natural history and ecology of foraging of the Camponotus crassus Mayr, 1862 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

ABSTRACT

Ants are abundant in terrestrial ecosystems, especially in the Brazilian Cerrado, where they can play several roles at different levels of the food chain, including protection of plants against herbivores. Although there are many studies that evaluate the ant–plant interaction in the Cerrado, little is known about the natural history of most species of ants. Camponotus crassus Mayr, 1862, for example, is considered one of the main agents of plant biotic defence in Cerrado. But there are no studies specifically focused on this species, which hinders the understanding of how arthropod–plant interactions are structured in Cerrado. Here, we describe the natural history and ecology of the foraging of the C. crassus. We conducted the study from January 2013 to December 2014 in 10 quadrants of 40 m² to measure: the abundance, density and distribution of nests, location of the nests, the internal structure of the nests, the daily foraging of workers out of the nest, the food items they collect and the existence of territoriality and dominance of the workers on the soil and vegetation. We found 18 nests, 13 in the soil and 5 in hollow trunks on the ground with variable internal structures. The distribution of nests is aggregate, with density of 0.045 nests/m² and average distance of 3.73 m between nests. The foraging activity occurs on the daytime during the rainy and dry season. Extrafloral nectar and honeydew were the resources most collected, comprising 83.33% of the resources in the rainy period and 30% in the dry period. Camponotus crassus is a dominant species, especially on vegetation, although it also forages on the soil. This is the first study to evaluate in detail the natural history and foraging ecology of C. crassus, a diurnal, aggressive and territorial ant that mainly forage climbing onto the plants.     

A new genus of Neotropical whitefly,secreting blue-iridescent wax (Sternorrhyncha,Aleyrodidae, Aleurodicinae), and its parasitoids (Hymenoptera,Aphelinidae)

Azuraleurodicus pentarthrus Martin gen. and sp. n. is described from three different host plant families in Central and northern South America. Adults of both sexes were reared in culture and adult characters are discussed in addition to those of puparia. The systematic position of Azuraleurodicus within the Aleurodicinae is discussed. One new combination, Aleuronudus ferrisi (Sampson and Drews) comb. n., is here proposed in the course of discussion. The secretion of blue wax by whiteflies is discussed and illustrated by colour photographs. Two species of hymenopterous parasitoids, Dirphys aphania Polaszek sp. n. and Encarsiella pithecura, Polaszek sp. n. emerged from puparia of Azuraleurodicus pentarthrus and are here described.