A phylogenetic revision of Spilodiscus Lewis (Coleoptera: Histeridae)

Spilodiscus Lewis, a Nearctic group of Histerini, is polyphyletic as presently constituted. Morphological analyses indicate that the following species should be removed from the taxon to Hister: militaris Horn, lucanus Horn, patagiatus Lewis, sarcinatus Lewis, penulatus Lewis, tunicatus Lewis, humilis Fall, bilobatus Casey, and quadratulus Casey. Based on cladistic character evidence, Spilodiscus contains eight valid species (new junior synonyms in brackets). Morphological data supports exclusive, full-species status for S. arcuatus (Say), S. sellatus (LeConte), S. flohri (Lewis), and S. floridanus Ross. The remaining four taxa are ferespecies, which are putatively reproductively isolated entities whose phylogenetic exclusivity is not well-supported: S. ‘ulkei’ (Horn) [= Hister sculpticauda Casey, H. subcruentus Casey, H. coruscans Casey, H. iowensis Casey], S. ‘gloveri’ (Horn), S. ‘biplagiatus’ (LeConte), and S. ‘instratus’ (LeConte) [= Hister semiruber Casey, H. solaris Carnochan]. Over time the lineage has shifted from largely free-living but facultatively inquilinous habits to obligate rodentophily with a more recent reversal back to facultative inquilinism.     

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.     

Phylogenetic trends in the Scarabaeoidea (Coleoptera)

Phylogenetic trends of the states of 24 adult and 14 larval characters of the major groups of Scarabaeoidea are discussed on the basis of outgroup and ingroup comparison. Evolutionary trends within the major groups are also discussed. The following (i) adult and (ii) larval characters are discussed: (i) antennal segments, antennal sensilla, ocular canthus, ommatidium structure, epipharynx, mandibles, maxillae, labium, tentorium, trochantin, coxal cavities, mesothoracic spiracles, wing venation, metendosternite, empodium, abdominal sternites, abdominal spiracles, male genitalia, female genitalia, ovarioles, karyotype, central nervous system, spermatozoan number and malpighian tubules; (ii) antennae, frontoclypeal suture, lateral ocelli (stemmata), labial palpi, maxillae, maxillary palpi, maxillary/mandibular stridulatory areas, labrum, epipharyngeal tormae, legs, stridulatory apparatus, spiracles, abdominal apex and central nervous system.     

Revision of the Trogidae of South America (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea)

The South American Trogidae are revised. Three genera, Trox Fabricius, Omorgus Erichson (with two subgenera, Omorgus and Haroldomorgus Scholtz), and Polynoncus Burmeister, and 47 species are recorded from the continent and its islands. Trox is represented by the ubiquitous introduced species T. scaber (L.), Omorgus is represented by 13 species and Polynoncus by 33 species. Five new species are described and all others are re-described. A key to all taxa is provided. Adults of all species and their male genitalia are illustrated and their distributions mapped. Observations are presented on phylogeny, zoogeography and biology. The new species are O. capillaceus, O. indigenus, O. nocheles, P. erugatus and P. gibberosus. Four new synonymies are proposed (synonyms listed first): O. triestinae Pittino = P. suberosus (Fabricius); P. furcifer Pittino = P. bifurcatus (Vaurie); P. parafurcatus occidentalis Pittino and P. furcillifer Pittino = P. parafurcatus Pittino. Omorgus badeni (Harold) is reinstated as a valid species. Lectotypes are designated for O. batesi (Harold) and O. badeni (Harold).     

Description of Rathkea lizzioides sp. nov. (Hydromedusae: Rathkeidae) from Antarctica and a key to the genus

A new species of hydromedusa from the Antarctic, Rathkea lizzioides sp. nov. is described and illustrated. The species is characterized by its rounded bell-shaped form, being almost as broad as high, the presence of an apical dome and a gastric peduncle, the 4 unbranched oral arms, the number of nematocyst clusters (7 to 18 in specimens 1·5 mm or greater in height), the occasional presence of 1 or more nematocyst clusters near the mouth margin, the 5 to 7 tentacles in each perradial tentacular bulb, the 3 to 5 tentacles in each interradial tentacular bulb, and the ovoid shape of the tentacular bulb. A key to the known species of Rathkea is provided.     

A revision of the neotropical beetle genus Isanopus Sharp, 1876 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Staphylinini)

The xanthopygine staphylinid genus Isanopus Sharp, 1876 Sharp, D. 1876. Contribution to an insect fauna of the Amazon Valley (Col. Staph.).. Trans Entomol Soc Lond., 1876: 27–424.  [Google Scholar] is revised. Three species are described as new, I. ashei sp. n. from Costa Rica and Panama, I. eptaskouros sp. n. from Peru, and I. hinojosai sp. n. from Costa Rica and Panama. A lectotype is designated for I. sahlbergi Bernhauer, 1917 Bernhauer, M. 1917. Neue südamerikanische Staphyliniden.. Wiener Entomol Zei., 36: 102–116.  [Google Scholar]. Distribution maps, a key and illustrations of structural features are provided for the identification of species. Phylogenetic analysis of six ingroup and two outgroup taxa based on 19 characters produced a single most parsimonious tree (tree length = 24, CI = 1.0). The monophyly of Isanopus is supported by high bootstrap and Bremer support values.     

A new nurse frog from Southwestern Amazonian highlands,with notes on the phylogenetic affinities of Allobates alessandroi (Aromobatidae)

ABSTRACT

Few studies have focused on the diverse fauna of southwestern Brazilian Amazonia. This region, spared from large-scale human occupation until the second half of the twentieth century, has been threatened by expanding agriculture, logging, and mining. Here, we describe a new nurse frog (Allobates, Aromobatidae) from the open highland habitats of Serra dos Pacaás Novos, one of the few large remnants of relatively intact native vegetation in the Brazilian state of Rondônia. The new species is diagnosed by its metallic orange dorsal colouration, weakly expanded discs on hands, and presence of two subarticular tubercles on Finger IV. A phylogenetic analysis based on DNA sequence data recovered the new species as more closely related to nurse frogs from the Madeira and Tapajós River basins; this pattern may reflect a history of dispersal uphill from a lowland ancestor. Our results also indicate that the generic assignment of Allobates alessandroi (Grant and Rodriguez, 2001), a high-elevation species from the Andes of Peru, needs to be reassessed; we discuss the phylogenetic affinities of this species based on morphological attributes.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:79131D82-B1B6-455D-AD9A-676D7E0783BC     

A revision of Micropodarke (Psamathini,Hesionidae, Polychaeta)

Micropodarke Okuda, (Psamathini, Hesionidae, Polychaeta) is revised based on examination of all available types, other museum specimens, and a large number of newly collected specimens from Japan, Hong Kong, Papua New Guinea, Australia, New Caledonia, California, the west coast of Canada, and the Red Sea. The previous synonymy of Micropodarke amemiyai Okuda, with M. dubia (Hessle, ) is substantiated, and M. trilobata Hartmann‐Schröder, is newly synonymized with M. dubia, leaving Micropodarke monotypic. A lectotype is selected for M. dubia. Micropodarke dubia is identified by the apomorphies of a proboscis diaphragm, segmental ventral adhesive papillae, distally nobbed and slightly curved neuroaciculae, and median neurochaetae with few, basally situated prolonged teeth (“spurs”), with abrupt transition to the following, much shorter teeth. Micropodarke dubia has a main distribution in the tropical and warm temperate Indo‐Pacific region, and appears to be absent from the Atlantic Ocean.     

A revision of Hesiospina (Psamathini,Hesionidae, Polychaeta)

Hesiospina Imajima and Hartman, 1964 Imajima, M and Hartman, O. 1964. The polychaetous annelids of Japan. Part 1. Allan Hancock Foundation Publications, Occasional Paper, 26: 1–166.  [Google Scholar] (Psamathini, Hesionidae, Polychaeta) is revised based on examination of all available types, other museum specimens and a large number of newly collected specimens from world-wide areas. Two species are recognized and redescribed, Hesiospina aurantiaca (Sars, 1862 Sars, M. 1862. Uddrag af en af detaillerade Afbildningar ledsaget udførlig Beskrivelse over følgende Norske Annelider. Forhandlinger i Videnskabsselskabet i Kristiania, 1862: 87–95.  [Google Scholar]), new combination, and H. vestimentifera Blake, 1985 Blake, J. A. 1985. Polychaeta from the vicinity of deep-sea geothermal vents in the eastern Pacific. I. Euphrosinidae, Phyllodocidae, Hesionidae, Nereididae, Glyceridae, Dorvilleidae, Orbiniidae, and Maldanidae. Bulletin of the Biological Society of Washington, 6: 67–101.  [Google Scholar]. The currently used name Hesiospina similis (Hessle, 1925 Hessle, C. 1925. Einiges über die Hesioniden und die Stellung der Gattung Ancistrosyllis. Arkiv för Zoologi, 17: 1–36.  [Google Scholar]) is treated as a junior synonym of both Hesiospina aurantiaca and Castalia longicornis Sars, 1862 Sars, M. 1862. Uddrag af en af detaillerade Afbildningar ledsaget udførlig Beskrivelse over følgende Norske Annelider. Forhandlinger i Videnskabsselskabet i Kristiania, 1862: 87–95.  [Google Scholar]. A lectotype is designated for H. aurantiaca, and the same specimen is used as neotype for C. longicornis, making the two objective synonyms. Hesiospina aurantiaca is widely distributed and recorded from the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, European Atlantic and Mediterranean waters, Japan, Papua New Guinea, the Great Barrier Reef, and New Caledonia, mainly from shallow waters, but down to over 500?m depth. Whereas there are some differences between populations from different regions, including distribution of uni- and bidentate chaetae, the different populations are not characterized by any obvious apomorphies and are treated as a single species. Hesiospina vestimentifera is associated with hydrothermal vents and is widely distributed in the east Pacific.     

A revision of the family Forskaliidae (Siphonophora,Physonectae)

The family Forskaliidae (Siphonophora, Physonectae) contains a single genus, Forskalia, whose species are, in general, poorly known. However, in recent years many Forskalia specimens have been collected by scuba divers or by using submersibles. These specimens have allowed a comprehensive review of the species within the genus to be carried out. In addition two new species are described.     

A review of the genus Gynaecoserica Brenske, 1896 (Coleoptera,Scarabaeidae, Sericini)

The present paper gives a review of the species so far assigned to the genus Gynaecoserica Brenske, 1896 Brenske, E. 1896. Insectes du Bengale. Melolonthidae. Ann Soc Entomol Belg., 40: 150–164.  [Google Scholar]. Thirty-two new species are described: Gynaecoserica alma sp. nov., G. amara sp. nov., G. arunachalensis sp. nov., G. barclayi sp. nov., G. bicolorata sp. nov., G. bocaki sp. nov., G. bomdilana sp. nov., G. compacta sp. nov., G. densipunctata sp. nov., G. digna sp. nov., G. dirangensis sp. nov., G. exilis sp. nov., G. gisionensis sp. nov., G. hirsuta sp. nov., G. ignobilis sp. nov., G. jelineki sp. nov., G. keithi sp. nov., G. lobiceps sp. nov., G. lohitensis sp. nov., G. lomsakensis sp. nov., G. lubosi sp. nov., G. luteata sp. nov., G. maekasana sp. nov., G. maymyoensis sp. nov., G. nahangensis sp. nov., G. namtamaiensis sp. nov., G. obliqua sp. nov., G. rostrata sp. nov., G. schima sp. nov., G. seinghkuensis sp. nov., G. vogleri sp. nov. and G. ziyardamensis sp. nov. The genitalia of the new species are figured and the distribution of the species is illustrated. Two new combinations are established: G. marginipes (Brenske, 1896 Brenske, E. 1896. Insectes du Bengale. Melolonthidae. Ann Soc Entomol Belg., 40: 150–164.  [Google Scholar]) comb. nov. and G. felina (Arrow, 1946 Arrow, GJ. 1946. Entomological results from the Swedish expedition 1934 to Burma and British India. Coleoptera, Melolonthidae. Ark Zool., 38A(9): 1–33.  [Google Scholar]) comb. nov.; the lectotype of the latter is designated. In addition to the species diagnoses a key to all so far known Gynaecoserica species is provided.     

Revision of the genus Mimopodabrus Wittmer (Coleoptera,Cantharidae)

The genus Mimopodabrus Wittmer is reviewed, and the genus diagnosis is re-described. Three new species are described, M. multidentatus sp. nov. (Guangdong, China), M. variabilis sp. nov. (Yunnan, China) and M. diversefoveolatus sp. nov. (Lao Cai, Vietnam), with illustrations of habitus, antennae and aedeagus. A species is transferred from Micropodabrus to this genus, M. bicoloriceps (Wittmer, 1989 Wittmer, W. 1989. 42. Beitrag zur Kenntnis der indo-malaiischen Cantharidae und Malachiidae (Coleoptera). Entomol Basil., 13: 209–237.  [Google Scholar]) comb. nov. A species is synonymized, M. bicoloriceps (Wittmer, 1989 Wittmer, W. 1989. 42. Beitrag zur Kenntnis der indo-malaiischen Cantharidae und Malachiidae (Coleoptera). Entomol Basil., 13: 209–237.  [Google Scholar]) comb. nov.?=?M. bicoloriceps Wittmer, 1997 syn. nov. and the definition of M. yunnanus (Wittmer, 1993 Wittmer, W. 1993. Zur Kenntnis der palaearktischen und indo-malaiischen Cantharidae (Coleoptera). Entomol Basil., 16: 203–253.  [Google Scholar]) is restricted. A key to all known species of this genus 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.     

A redescription of the genus Cyrebion Fairmaire, 1891, with notes on related taxa and distribution (Coleoptera: Cantharidae)

Eight new species and one new record of Elasmopus Costa, 1853 are described from Australian waters including the extended offshore territories of Cocos (Keeling) Islands (Indian Ocean), Christmas Island (Indian Ocean), Ashmore Reef (Timor Sea), Norfolk Island (Tasman Sea) and Lord Howe Island (Tasman Sea). Range extensions are reported for seven described Australian species. Twenty-three species are now known from Australian waters. Elasmopus arafura sp. nov., E. carteri sp. nov., E. hyperopia sp. nov., E. leveque sp. nov., E. mcluerensis sp. nov., E. otus sp. nov., E. shepherdi sp. nov. and E. woodjonesi sp. nov. are described herein.     

Dorcadionini of Turkey (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)

The Dorcadionini fauna of Turkey is reviewed, and a complete list with type information and provincial distributions is presented. Two hundred and seventy-eight species-group taxa are catalogued in total. This represents approximately 35% of the known Palaearctic Dorcadionini fauna. The Turkish Dorcadionini fauna is characterised by 227 endemic species-group taxa. So its endemism ratio is very high (approximately 82%). Distributions of the taxa in Turkey are given based on available literature records. Taxa in the list are arranged systematically under tribe, genus, subgenus (when recognised), species and subspecies (when recognised). The species group taxa whose occurrences in Turkey need conformation are not included in the list but are given separately. Additionally, two taxa are removed from the list: Dorcadion (Cribridorcadion) investitum Breuning in Braun, 1978a as nomen nudum and Dorcadion (Cribridorcadion) rosinae K. Daniel in Bodemeyer, 1900 as nomen nudum; and two taxa are given as status nov. and comb. nov.: Dorcadion (Cribridorcadion) atritarse Pic, 1931a and Dorcadion (Cribridorcadion) equestre bernhauerorum Peks, 2010. Moreover, a checklist of Dorcadionini of Turkey is presented in an appendix.     

Checklist of Gyrinidae,Haliplidae, Noteridae and Dytiscidae of Turkey (Coleoptera: Adephaga)

An updated species list of four beetle families is given for Turkey. A total of 35 genera and 167 species and subspecies are known to occur in Turkey. Ten species and two subspecies are from the family Gyrinidae, 16 species are from the family Haliplidae, three species are from the family Noteridae and 129 species and seven subspecies are from the family Dytiscidae.     

Retromalisus damzeni,gen. et sp. nov., a second Baltic amber taxon of the extinct family Berendtimiridae (Insecta: Coleoptera)

ABSTRACT

A second Baltic amber taxon, Retromalisus damzeni, gen. et sp. nov., is discovered in the previously monotypic extinct family Berendtimiridae. The morphological portrait of Berendtimiridae is complemented with the data on the structure of prosternum and abdomen.