Some monogenean parasites of marine perciform fishes of Kuwait

Three monogenean parasites are reported from marine perciform fishes kept in culture tanks at Al-Raas, Kuwait. Tareenia acanthopagri gen. et sp. nov. (Capsalidae: Benedeniinae) and Polylabris angifer sp. nov. (Microcotylidae: Prostatomicrocotylinae) are described from skin and gills, respectively, of Acanthopagrus latus (Sparidae). Megalocotyloides epinepheli Bychowsky and Nagibina, 1967 (Capsalidae: Megalocotylinae) is recorded from skin of Epinephelus tauvina (Serranidae). It is also proposed that Benedenia plataxicola Gupta and Khanna, 1975 and Allometabenedeniella plataxi Velasquez, 1982 are synonyms of Benedenia orbicularis Gupta and Khanna, 1975 and that the latter is transferred to the genus Allometabenedeniella Velasquez, 1982 as A. orbicularis comb. nov. Allosprostonia tauvinae Lawler and Hargis, 1968 is considered to be a synonym of Megalocotyloides epinepheli Bychowsky and Nagibina, 1967.     

A new genus of viviparous gyrodactylid (Monogenea) from the Great Barrier Reef,Australia with descriptions of seven new species

Acanthoplacatus gen. nov., a new genus of viviparous gyrodactylid, is described from the fins and skin of siganid fishes from the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. The genus is characterized by a muscular, tube-like haptor with 16 marginal hooks on the posterior margin. The ventral lobe of the haptor is located anteriorly relative to the dorsal lobe and contains a pair of hamuli and a ventral bar with posteriorly-projecting ventral bar membrane. A dorsal bar is absent. Five pairs of posterior gland cells surround the posterior terminations of the gut. The male copulatory organ is a muscular, non-eversible bulb with several spines around the distal opening. Species of Acanthoplacatus have a bilateral excretory system consisting of six pairs of flame cells and a pair of excretory bladders. Seven new species are described: Acanthoplacatus adlardi sp. nov. and A. amplihamus sp. nov. from Siganus punctatus (Forster, 1801), A. brauni sp. nov. from S. corallinus (Valenciennes, 1835), A. parvihamus sp. nov. from S. vulpinus (Schlegel and Mueller, 1845), A. puelli sp. nov. from S. puellus Schlegel, 1852, A. shieldsi sp. nov. from S. lineatus (Valenciennes, 1835) and A. sigani sp. nov. from S. fuscescens (Houttuyn, 1782). Species can be discriminated by shape and size of the hamuli, marginal hooks and ventral bar and by male copulatory organ sclerite morphology. Three species (A. brauni sp. nov., A. shieldsi sp. nov. and A. sigani sp. nov.) were assessed for seasonal variation of sclerite size. Ten of thirteen morphological characters showed seasonal variation in size for at least one of the species. The characters were longer in winter except dorsal root tissue cap width. Only one character, marginal hook length, showed significant seasonal variation for all three species. Species of Acanthoplacatus were observed to attach using only the marginal hooks and the role of hamuli in attachment is unclear. The dorsal fin of the host is the preferred site for most species but the anal fin, caudal fin and body surfaces are preferred by some species. Prevalences for species range from 57 to 100%.     

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.     

Review of the leafhopper tribe Scaphytopiini (Homoptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae) with a key to genera

The leafhopper tribe Scaphytopiini is reviewed, and a key to genera given. The following taxonomic changes are made: Masiripius lugubris (Distant) comb. nov. (from Mahalana); Mahalana Distant, junior synonym of Platymetopius Burmeister syn. nov. (Athysanini); Hododoecus bunyensis Evans comb. nov. (from Stenometopius) (Stenometopiini). In addition, the monotypic genus Nesothamnus Linnavuori is transferred from Athysanini to Scaphytopiini and its characters discussed.     

Two new genera of Epilachnini Mulsant from New Guinea and Aru Islands (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)

The species formerly classified in the genus Afidentula Kapur from New Guinea and Aru Islands are revised. As a result of detailed analysis of mouth parts and genital structures of the species, two new genera are proposed: monotypic Lalokia gen. nov. from Aru Islands and New Guinea, with Lalokia aruensis (Crotch) (comb. nov.), and Papuaepilachna gen. nov. from New Guinea including Papuaepilachna bivacana (Bielawski) (comb. nov.), P. kapuri (Bielawski) (comb. nov.), P. nasti (Bielawski) (comb. nov.), P. tenmana (Bielawski) (comb. nov.), P. watalai (Jadwiszczak) (comb. nov.) and P. wiebesi (Bielawski) (comb. nov.). All species are illustrated and an identification key to the species of Papuaepilachna is provided. A key to the genera of Epilachnini from New Guinea and Aru Islands is also provided. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:F721B07F-CBF0-4516-853D-1FD434FE06F1     

Description of a new Tetranychus (Acarina,Prostigmata: Tetranychidae) pest of Musa from French Guiana

A new species of tetranychid mite, genus Tetranychus Dufour, 1832, is described and illustrated herein from neotropical area. Tetranychus musae sp. nov. (Acari, Prostigmata: Tetranychidae) differs from other species in the genus by the combination between the arrangement of leg setae on females tarsus I and the shape of the aedeagus. Tarsus I bears one tactile setae proximal to proximal duplex setae and three tactiles in line or almost in line with proximal duplex setae. The aedeagus knob consists of an acute posterior projection bent ventrally and a larger anterior rounded projection directed anterodorsally. T. musae specimens were collected in French Guiana where they appeared to be a pest of Musa sp. A key to adults of neotropical species of the genus Tetranychus feeding on banana is provided.     

A revision of the Labiidae (Dermaptera) of the Neo-tropical and Nearctic Regions

A new genus, Helenolius (Cixiidae, Pentastirini), is described to accommodate the species H. dividens (Walker) comb. nov. and H. insulicola sp. nov. Both species are described and illustrated; they are endemic on the island St Helena.     

Some flagellates (Protista) from tropical marine sediments

An account is given of 114 new or otherwise interesting species of benthic marine flagellates from Fiji, Northern Australia (Queensland), Hawaii, Panama and Brazil. Most species are heterotrophs drawn from the euglendis, dinoflagellates, kinetoplastids, bicosoecids, heteroloboseids, and a variety of taxa of uncertain affinities. The work emphasizes the rich variety of protist taxa in marine benthic sites. New names are Amphidinium corrugatum, Anisonema glaciale, Bodo cephalophorus, B. platyrhynchus, B. saliens, Bordnamonas tropicana, Cafeteria ligulifera, C. marsupialis, C. minuta (Ruinen, 1938) nov. comb., Cryptaulax elegans, Dinematomonas inaequalis = Dinema inaequale, Dinematomonas maculata (= Dinema maculatum), Dinematononas valida (= Dinema validum), Diplonema ambulator, Diplonema metabolicum, Discocelis punctata, Dolium sedentarium, Goniomonas amphinema, Goniomonas pacifica, Gyrodinium oblongum, Heteronema exaratum, H. splendens, H. vittatum, Mastigamoeba psammobis, M. skujae nom. nov., Massisteria marina, Metopion fluens, Metromonas grandis, M. simplex (Griessmann, 1913) nov. comb., Notosolenus alatellus, N. navicula, N. ostium, N. scutulum, N. urceolatus, N. tamanduensis, N. triangularis, Percolomonas cuspidata, P. descissa (Perty, 1852) nov. comb., P. elephas (Klug, 1936) nov. comb., P. membranifera, P. pyriformis (Klebs, 1892) nov. comb., P. salina (Entz, 1904) nov. comb., P. spinosa (Klug, 1936) nov. comb., P. sulcata (Stein, 1878) nov. comb., Petalomonas boadicea, P. marginalis, P. minor, P. poosilla, P. raiula, Phyllomitus granulatus, P. vesiculosus, Platychilomonas psammobia, Ploeotia adhaerens, P. corrugata, P. decipiens, P. heracleum, P. discoides, P. longifilum, P. oblonga, P. pseudanisonema, P. punctata, P. robusta, P. scrobiculata, P. tenuis, Protaspis obliqua, P. verrucosa, P. gemmifera, P. tegere, Pseudoperanema (= Peranema) dolochonema, Thecamonas filosa, T. mutabilis (Griessmann, 1913) nov. comb., T.trahens, Urceolus cornutus, U. cristatus.     

A new deep-water calanoid copepod and the phylogeny of the genus Nullosetigera nom. nov. in the Nullosetigeridae nom. nov. (pro Phyllopus: Phyllopodidae) from Japanese waters

Nullosetigeridae nom. nov. is proposed for Phyllopodidae Brodsky, 1950, nom. nud., and Nullosetigera nom. nov. is introduced for Phyllopus Brady, 1883, non Rafinesque, 1815. A new species, Nullosetigera auctiseta, is described from Japanese waters. Nullosetigera mutica comb. nov. (Sars, 1907) and N. mutata comb. nov. (Tanaka, 1964) are redescribed. Phylogenetic analysis implies that two groups, N. auctiseta–N. mutica group and N. mutata–N. impar–N. bidentata–N. helgae group, exist within the genus Nullosetigera and that the new species first diverges with N. mutica. The relatively advanced species, N. impar, N. bidentata, and N. helgae are the most widespread, and are vertically distributed from the epipelagic to the bathypelagic layers.     

Studies on gorgoderid digeneans from Australian and Assian Freshwater fishes

Pseudophyllodistomum gen. nov. is proposed for a section of Phyllodistomum Braun, 1899. The new genus is distinguished by the simple form of the uterus, the eggs which reach over 60 μm long in length, the saccular excretory bladder, the 2[3 + 3 + 3) + (3 + 3 + 3)] = 36 flame-cell formula, the metacercaria which may have fully developed genitalia and is parasitic in decapod crustaceans, the use of corbiculid bivalves as first intermediate hosts, and the cercaria which has a long tail not enclosing the cercarial body. Two species, P. johnstoni sp. nov. and P. murrayense sp. nov., are described from Australian freshwater fish and five new combinations of previously described Phyllodistomum species from Asian freshwater fish are proposed — P. macrobrachicola (Yamaguti, 1934) comb. nov., P. lesteri (Wu, 1938) comb. nov., P. srivastavai (Rai, 1964) comb. nov., P. lucknowense (Pandey, 1970) comb. nov. and P. mingense (Tang, 1985) comb. nov. The first intermediate host of P. johnstoni is a Corbiculina species. The long-tailed cercariae infect the gonads of palaemonid prawns, Macrobrachium spp., in which they grow to unencysted metacercariae which may have fully developed genitalia. The metacercaria of P. murrayense also infects a Macrobrachium species. The evolution of the Gorgoderinae is discussed and it is suggested that, prior to the erection of Pseudophyllodistomum, Phyllodistomum may have encompassed as many as five different phylogenetic lines, each with similar adult morphology but distinguishable by life-cycle characters. It is postulated that more study will lead to further division of Phyllodistomum.     

Three new species of earthworms belonging to the genera Amynthas and Metaphire (Oligochaeta: Megascolecidae) from Yunnan,China

ABSTRACT

Herein, three new species are described, all from Yunnan Province, China: Amynthas hiatus sp. nov., Amynthas recavus sp. nov. and Metaphire daliensis sp. nov. Amynthas hiatus sp. nov. belongs to the Amynthas aeruginosus-group, A. recavus sp. nov. belongs to the Amynthas corticis-group and M. daliensis sp. nov. belongs to Metaphire insulana-group. Amynthas hiatus sp. nov. and M. daliensis sp. nov. have two pairs of spermathecal pores in 7/8-8/9, A. recavus sp. nov. has four pairs of spermathecal pores in 5/6-8/9. The male pores of A. hiatus sp. nov. are 1/3 circumference apart ventrally and each on top of a large, raised pulvinate pad; the male pores of A. recavus sp. nov. are 2/5 circumference apart ventrally and each on top of a raised, elliptic, collapse-topped porophore; the male pores of M. daliensis sp. nov. are 2/5 circumference apart ventrally and in the oval copulatory chambers. In this paper, the anatomical and morphological characters of these three species are described. We also sequenced COI and 12S gene fragments in order to provide an analysis of K2P distances and a neighbour-joining tree.     

A new genus and two new species of Parastenocarididae (Copepoda: Harpacticoida) from southeastern India

Indocaris gen. nov. with two new species, Indocaris imbricata sp. nov. and Indocaris inopinata sp. nov., and also for the already known Indocaris tirupatiensis (Ranga Reddy 2011a) comb. nov. – all from the groundwaters in peninsular India. The highly diagnostic synapomorphy of the new genus is a composite character associated with the male leg 4 basis: five or six prominent, imbricate, enlarged, petal-like spinules, arranged as a semi-whorl at the insertion of the endopod and increasing in size from internal to external. Another distinctive feature of the same appendage is that its one-segmented endopod is dilated or bulbous in the proximal half, produced distally into an incurved spiniform or horn-like structure about as long as the corresponding first exopodal segment, and ornamented with three or four fine spinules on the subproximal outer margin. The three species also share a unique constellation of other salient morphologic features, which along with the phylogenetic position of Indocaris gen. nov. within the family Parastenocarididae are discussed. Indocaris gen. nov. has closest phylogenetic affinity with the Neotropical Remaneicari Jakobi, 1972. A short note on the ecology and biogeography of the parastenocaridid species of the Indian subcontinent is provided besides a key for their identification.     

Some helminth parasites of marine fishes of South Africa: Families Gorgoderidae,Zoogonidae, Cephaloporidae,Acanthocolpidae and Lepocreadiidae (Digenea)

The following digeneans are described, recorded or figured from South African waters: Phyllodistomum tongaatense sp. nov. from Coracinus multifasciatus; Steganodermatoides [= Proctophantastes] allocytti comb. nov. (syn. Hudsonia pacifica) from Neocyttus rhomboidalis; Overstreetia sodwanaensis gen. et. sp. nov. from Pranesus pinguis; Cephaloporus bakeri sp. nov. from Pervagor melanocephala; Stephanostomum (?) solontschenki from Merluccius capensis; S. ditrematis from Megalaspis cordyla; Stephanostomum. spp. metacercariae from Merluccius capensis and Chaetodon marleyi; Lepidapedon (Lepidapedoides) nicolli from Epinephelus albomarginatus; Holorchis pycnoporus (syns: legendrei, ioannoui) from Sparodon durbanensis and Diplodus sargus; Pseudaephnidiogenes rhabdosargi from Rhabdosargus sarba and R. holubi; P. rossi sp. nov. from Caffrogobius nudiceps; Clavogalea gaevskayae gen. et sp. nov. from Trachinotus botla. The following other taxa are discussed: genus Steganodermatoides (syns: Hudsonia, Allosteganoderma); family Cephaloporidae; genus Stephanostomum; subgenus Lepidapedon) (Lepidapedoides); subfamily Aephnidiogeninae and subfamily Acanthogaleinae.     

A revision of the subtribe Hippomelanina,part II: Gyascutus (Gyascutus) LeConte (Coleoptera: Buprestidae)

The subgenus Gyascutus (Gyascutus) is revised and 12 species are recognized: G. planicosta (LeConte) with three subspecies— G. p. planicosta (LeConte), stat. nov.; G. p. obliteratus (LeConte), stat. nov., with G. pistorius Casey as a syn. nov.; and G. p. cribriceps Casey, stat. nov.; with syn. nov. as follows: G. acutangulus Casey, G. amplus Casey, G. amplus aerata Casey, G. egregius Casey, and Hippomelas (G.) lariversi Barr; G. insularis (Helfer), comb. nov.; G. castaneus (Helfer), comb. nov.; G. fulgidus (Barr), comb. nov.; G. pacificus (Chamberlin), comb. nov.; G. paragranulatus Nelson, sp. nov.; G. granulatus (Van Dyke), comb. nov.; G. westcotti Nelson, sp. nov.; G. carolinensis Horn with syn. nov. as follows: G. juniperinus Wickham, G. obesus Casey, G. obesus aeneoviridis Casey, G. compactus Casey, G. compactus solidus Casey, G. cylindrinus Casey, G. debilis Casey, and G. tenuis Casey; G. dianae (Helfer), comb. nov.; G. allenrolfeae (Verity), comb. nov.; and G. jeanae (Nelson), comb. nov. All species and subspecies are described and information on type localities, variation, distribution, biology, and comparisons is presented. Keys to the species and subspecies are provided. Photographs of each species and drawings of body parts, including male genitalia, are included.     

New troglobitic species of the genus Troglocheles (Acari: Prostigmata: Rhagidiidae) from caves in northern Italy and Austria,with a key to adult species of the genus

Three new troglobitic species of rhagidiid mites of the genus Troglocheles – two from northern Italy, Troglocheles quinquesolenidiata sp. nov. and T. lanai sp. nov., and T. christiani sp. nov. from Austria – are described. A key to adults of the known species of the genus Troglocheles Zacharda of the world is given. In these vicariant species the different apomorphic morphological traits, troglomorphisms, are discussed in aspects of allopatric speciation, climatic relict hypothesis and evolutionary processes of adaptation to specific niches and time of occupation of the subterranean habitat. All new taxa are authored by M. Zacharda only.     

Partial revision of the Indo-Australian braconine wasp genus Gammabracon Quicke (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) with descriptions of new species from Indonesia (Mollucas), Malaysia,Philippines and Thailand

Ten distinctive new species of the taxonomically difficult braconine wasp genus Gammabracon Quicke, 1984 are described: G. apicoluteus sp. nov. from Malaysia (Negri); G. curticornis sp. nov. from Malaysia (Negri); G. philippinensis sp. nov. from the Philippines; G. siamensis sp. nov. from Thailand; G. striatus sp. nov. from West Malaysia; G. strandorum sp. nov. from Indonesia (Java), G. subvena sp. nov. from Malaysia (Negri and Sabah); G. townesorum sp. nov. from the Philippines; G. variipennis sp. nov. from Thailand; and G. wegeneri sp. nov. from Indonesia. Myosoma forticarinata Cameron, 1902 is transferred to Gammabracon, hence Gammabracon forticarinata comb. nov. A lectotype is designated for Gammabracon erythroura (Cameron). The status of Cratobracon strandiellus (Cameron) is discussed and a new combination proposed, Shelfordia strandiellus Cameron, 1910 comb. nov. (=Bracon strandiellus Cameron). Paucity of discrete morphological variation makes separation of most of the species with orange-red mesosoma, black metasoma and conspicuous back setae currently unrealistic and it may be that there is a single widespread and morphologically variable species.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:56B8884E-99C8-4B53-9747-D011F552312D     

Reclassification of Bracon mendocinus,a gall‐associated doryctine wasp,and description of a new closely related species of Allorhogas (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

One of the first reported gall‐associated braconids, from 1910, Bracon mendocinus Kieffer and Jörgensen, is removed from the subfamily Braconinae and transferred to the doryctine genus Allorhogas, A. mendocinus (Kieffer and Jörgensen) comb. nov. A new species morphologically similar to A. mendocinus, A. joergenseni Martinez and Zaldivar‐Riverón sp. nov., is also described. Additionally a neotype is designated for B. mendocinus Kieffer and Jörgensen. We base our conclusions on the morphological examination of recently collected specimens from central Argentina associated with galls on Lycium chilense (Solanaceae), as well as on the DNA variation at 28S ribosomal RNA and cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) mitochondrial DNA genes.     

Lanayrella,a new Acteonidae genus (Gastropoda,Heterobranchia) from Tierra del Fuego

ABSTRACT

We introduce herein Lanayrella gen. nov. to accommodate two Acteonidae species that have proven resistant to stable classification: Tornatella vagabunda Mabille, 1885 and Acteon ringei Strebel, 1905. The new genus is diagnosed by a protoconch fully immersed within the shell and a platform-like columellar region of the aperture, which bears a strong and sharp adapical fold. Both species are restricted to Tierra del Fuego: Lanayrella vagabunda comb. nov. on the Chilean part and Lanayrella ringei comb. nov. on the Argentinean side.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:37EA6720-0E0E-4C81-A2A8-F85FA2E53929