A new species of Phyllodistomum (Digenea: Gorgoderidae) from Australian and New Zealand freshwater fishes with notes on the taxonomy of Phyllodistomum Braun, 1899

Phyllodistomum magnificum sp. nov., is described from the urinary bladder of Australian and New Zealand freshwater fish. Australian hosts were Anguilla reinhardtii, Tandanus tandanus, Hephaestus fuliginosus and Scortum hilli. New Zealand hosts were Anguilla australis and A. dieffenbachii. A presumed part of the life-cycle is described. Typical cystocercous cercariae are produced by sporocysts in the gills of a Pisidium species and are eaten by aquatic arthropods in which they encyst. The taxonomy of the genus Phyllodistomum is discussed and it is suggested that those species with cystocercous cercariae form a phylogenetic unit with Gorgodera, Gorgoderina, Progorgodera and Gorgotrema species.     

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.     

Taxonomic observations on the genera Xenocheira Haswell and Ericthonius Milne Edwards (Crustacea: Amphipoda) from Australian coastal waters

The type-species of the genus Xenocheira Haswell, X. fasciata Haswell, is redescribed (including the true male) from Tasmanian material. Pirlot's putative male X. fasciata from Indonesia is allocated to a new species, X. pirloti nom. nov. and K. H. Barnard's ‘X. fasciata’ from the Great Barrier Reef referred to Grandidierella gilesi Chilton. Another Xenocheira species from Western Australia is identified tentatively as X.? seurati Chevreux. Two new species of Ericthonius Milne Edwards are described, one from Tasmania (E. tacitus sp. nov.) and one from Western Australia (E. coxacanthus sp. nov.). The first record of E. pugnax Dana from mainland Australia is claimed for material from Western Australia. The taxonomic relationships of these species are evaluated and discussed.     

New genera of pseudocerotid flatworms (Platyhelminthes; Polycladida) from Australian and Papua New Guinean coral reefs

Two new genera, Maiazoon nov. gen. and Phrikoceros nov. gen. are described respectively from Madang, eastern Papua New Guinea and the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. The monotypic genus Maiazoon resembles Nymphozoon Hyman, 1959 since it possesses multiple male reproductive systems and multiple female pores although the latter genus lacks a penial stylet and sucker. Phrikoceros, with five new species, morphologically resembles Pseudobiceros although it possesses only one male reproductive system as found in Pseudoceros.     

New species and records of earthworms from Jamaica with notes on the genus Eutrigaster Cognetti, 1904 (Octochaetidae: Oligochaeta)

Details are presented of earthworm collections from Jamaica. Eleven species are reported, eight being new records of which two are new species, to bring the total number of species known from the island to 16 and the number of families represented to six. The geographical affinities of each species and its faunal status are summarized. The new species are members of the genus Eutrigaster Cognetti (Octochaetidae) whose validity is reviewed; a table is provided for the identification of the 11 Central American and Caribbean species currently included in the genus.     

Nephtyidae (Polychaeta: Phyllodocida) of Australia: new species from the North West Shelf,and a key to Australian species

Five species of Nephtyidae new to Australia are described from the North West Shelf, and a key to the 18 known species of Australian nephtyids is given. Four of the species described are new: three species of Aglaophamus (A. foliocirrata sp. nov., A. hedlandensis sp. nov. and A. victoriae sp. nov.) and a new species of Inermonephtys (I. tetrophthalmos sp. nov.). Difficulties in the clear definition of Aglaophamus, Micronephthys and Nephtys indicate the need for systematic revision of the family.     

The occurrence of a new species of Isocyamus (Crustacea,Amphipoda) from Australian and Japanese Pilot Whales,with a key to species of Isocyamus

Isocyamus deltobranchium n. sp. is described from the short-finned pilot whale, Globicephala macrorhynchus Gray 1946 in Japanese waters, and the long-finned pilot whale, Globicephala melaena (Traill 1809) from Tasmania, Australia. To date only two species of Isocyamus have been described: I. delphini (Geurin-Meneville 1836) Gervais and Beneden, 1859 and I. kogiae Sedlak-Weinstein 1991. The present species differs from I. delphini and I. kogiae in having large triangular accessory gills in the males, and a bilobed maxilla 2. It is similar to I. delphini in ventral spination, and single serrated comb on dactylus of gnathopod 1. Isocyamus deltobranchium n. sp. is the second species of cyamid reported from the long-finned pilot whale and the first from the short-finned pilot whale. The occurrence of I. deltobranchium in the northern and southern hemispheres, and in two different host species, suggests that the ranges of the host species overlap.     

A new species of Schizopera (Copepoda: Harpacticoida) from Japan,its phylogeny based on the mtCOI gene and comments on the genus Schizoperopsis

The predominantly marine genus Schizopera Sars, 1905 has only two significant inland water species-flocks, one in the ancient African Lake Tanganyika and the other in subterranean waters of Western Australia. Discovery of Schizopera abei sp. nov. from several interstitial locations in the vicinity of the ancient Lake Biwa has wider implications for the study of morphological homoplasies in the genus, as well as for the study of freshwater invasions in harpacticoid copepods. The new Schizopera species belongs to a small group of congeners with a two-segmented endopod of the fourth leg, which used to be recognised as a separate genus, Schizoperopsis Apostolov, 1982. Our reconstructed phylogenies based on the mtCOI partial sequences suggest that this character probably evolved convergently in at least some Schizopera, thus rendering the genus Schizoperopsis polyphyletic. However, almost all basal nodes in our cladograms are weakly supported, which shows limitations of a single-gene approach for reconstructing phylogenetic relationships. The new species is the first member of its genus from Japanese inland waters, and it has no close relatives among extent congeners anywhere in the world. We speculate that its ancestor may have invaded Lake Biwa, and subsequently its surrounding subterranean waters, from brackish areas around central Japan, presumably during a period of high sea water level through its major outflow river. This discovery may provide further support for the hypothesis about the role of ancient lakes as biodiversity pumps for subterranean habitats.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:1F71F7AD-B7C8-4AD3-BE44-5E1BEE4E2AA8     

Biology and life cycle of Tmetonyx similis (G. O. Sars, 1891) (Amphipoda,Lysianassidae), a scavenging amphipod from the continental slope of the Mediterranean

The present study focused on the biology and life cycle of Tmetonyx similis, a scavenging amphipod inhabiting the continental slope of the north‐western Mediterranean. All the categories of individuals were observed in the samples. The emergence of offspring occurs in successive cohorts. The lifespan of the females is longer than that of the males, but the sex ratio is strongly in favour of the males. The fecundity was found to be lower than that of the other female crustaceans present in these samples. The growth pattern was modelled. A strong correlation was observed between the length and the weight of the animals collected. Several hypotheses are proposed to explain a sex ratio in favour of males. This result may be explained by a migratory process of the females of T. similis. A comparison of the reproduction strategy is given for the three main scavenger crustacean species (amphipods and isopod) collected in this area.     

Noyesaphytis (Chalcidoidea: Aphelinidae) – an unusual new genus from Madagascar,and a reassessment of Aphelininae classification based on morphology

ABSTRACT

Noyesaphytis Polaszek & Woolley gen. nov. (type species Noyesaphytis lasallei Polaszek & Woolley sp. n. ) is described from Berenty, Tuléar, Madagascar. The genus differs from its closest relatives primarily in the structure of the female antenna, which has a single, elongate flagellum preceded by four anelli, the largest of which could be interpreted as a single anelliform funicle. This type of antenna is unknown in other Aphytini, but approaches the condition found in many Signiphoridae. Noyesaphytis possesses a character state that was until now thought to be an autapomorphy of Azotidae (sole genus Ablerus), being the groove in front of the propodeal spiracle. A second putative autapomorphy shared by Azotidae and Signiphoridae, and also Noyesaphytis, is the presence of anterior projections on the metasomal sterna. However, in Azotidae and Signiphoridae these are narrow, whereas as they are broader in Noyesaphytis. The form of the wing is consistent with Aphytini, although lacking a linea calva. The presumed male of Noyesaphytis lasallei has an antennal structure completely unknown in Aphelinidae, with a 1-segmented clava preceded by an extremely elongate single funicle, and four anelli. Differences between the female and male are discussed, some of which could indicate that the male might eventually be shown to belong to a different species, although the species are undoubtedly congeneric, despite the striking difference in antennal structure which is common in Aphelinidae. The male genitalia also suggest Aphytini. Based on a phylogenetic analysis of 50 morphological characters, we provisionally place Noyesaphytis in Aphytini pending the results of a forthcoming phylogenomic analysis. The new genus is named for its collector, John Noyes (NHM, London), and the new species is named after the late John La Salle.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:6EE6F35C-32A4-4E91-AE39-5E2C173E58BF     

Four new species of Hargicotyle Mamaev, 1972 (Diclidophoridae) parasites on sciaenid fishes from Peru and Chile

Hargicotyle magna sp. nov., Hargicotyle paralonchuri sp. nov., Hargicotyle sciaenae sp. nov., from the gills of the Sciaenids Sciaena fasciata, Paralonchurus peruanus and Sciaena deliciosa, respectively, and Hargicotyle menticirrhi sp. nov. from the gill and mouth of Menticirrhus ophicephalus are described from the northern Chilean and central Peruvian coast. Distinct characteristics of the new species are the distribution of the vitelline follicles; the number and distribution of the testes, the size, shape and number of larval hooks; and the presence of one or two suckers in each clamp.     

The life cycle of Diploproctodaeum arothroni Bray and Nahhas, 1998 (Digenea: Lepocreadiidae), with a comment on the parasitic castration of its molluscan intermediate host

Diploproctodaeum arothroni Bray and Nahhas, 1998 Bray, R. A. and Nahhas, F. M. 1998. Diploproctodaeum arothroni n. sp. (Digenea: Lepocreadiidae) from the pufferfish Arthron hispidus (Tetraodontidae) from Suva, Fiji, with a revised key to the species of the genus.. Systematic Parasitology, 40: 55–59. [Crossref] , [Google Scholar] (Digenea: Lepocreadiidae) was found in the intestine of its type‐host, Arothron hispidus, a tetraodontid fish permanently resident in a lagoon within the mangrove swamps on the Egyptian coast of the Gulf of Aqaba. Larval forms of this trematode (sporocysts, rediae, and cercariae) were found in the gonads and digestive gland of Crassostrea cuccullata (Ostreidae), a common oyster in the same lagoon. So, the life cycle of D. arothroni is elucidated under natural conditions; eggs are directly ingested by the oyster; mother sporocysts and rediae reach their maturity 3–5 and 9–11 weeks after infection; rediae contain 18–25 developing cercariae; fully mature cercariae are trichocercous, without penetration glands, emerge from the oyster during the night 14–15 weeks after infection, their existence in seawater being very brief and transitory, and rapidly encyst on aquatic vegetation or other surfaces (there is no second intermediate host); encysted metacercaria are not progenetic; 4‐day‐old metacercariae encysted on filamentous algae fed to A. hispidus developed into fully mature worms 8–9 weeks after infection. This cycle is completed in about 24 weeks and has its own characteristics, which differentiate it from the other known lepocreadiid life cycles. All of the developmental stages are figured and described. Parasitic castration in the females of C. cuccullata caused by the parasite was studied histologically and is described and discussed.     

Description of Kashmirobroscus gen. nov. with two new species from the Northwest Himalaya,and remarks on the East Asian genus Eobroscus Kryzhanovskij, 1951 (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Broscini)

The ground beetle taxon Kashmirobroscus gen. nov. and two species Kashmirobroscus mirabilis sp. nov. and Kashmirobroscus ortrudae sp. nov. are described from the Northwest Himalaya of Pakistan. Diagnostic characters of both new species are figured and their distributional areas are mapped. Several features of the new genus are discussed to work out its systematic position within Broscini. As a result, Kashmirobroscus is proposed as a sister taxon of the East Asian genus Eobroscus Kryzhanovskij, 1951, of the subtribe Broscina. In addition, new data relating to systematics and distribution of all the known species of the genus Eobroscus are provided. The taxon Orobroscus Morita, 1990 is proposed as a junior synonym of Eobroscus Kryzhanovskij, 1951, and Eobroscus uenoi Morita, 1995 is proposed as a junior synonym of Eobroscus bhutanensis Morvan, 1982, a macropterous species with a wide distribution in the eastern parts of High Asia. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:1775013D-FE87-41CA-87AF-D730E809331B     

Biology and life cycle of Scopelocheirus hopei (A. Costa, 1851), a scavenging amphipod from the continental slope of the Mediterranean

The biology of Scopelocheirus hopei, a deep-sea (500 m) scavenging amphipod that lives on the continental slope of Mediterranean canyons, was studied. Animals were collected using a baited trap. A new method was developed for reproducibly measuring the exact length of the animals. All the categories of individuals were always present in the samples. The emergence of offspring occurs in successive cohorts. Individuals of the two sexes do not grow at the same rate: the males grow more quickly than the females, but their lifespans are shorter. The males are always less numerous than the females. Two production cycles occur. The females produce offspring all year round. The mean fecundity was found to be 218 eggs per female. The growth pattern was modelled. A strong correlation was observed between the length and the weight of the animals collected. Several hypotheses are proposed to explain the results obtained.     

A new neobisiid pseudoscorpion species from Crete (Greece), with notes on its morphology,distribution, evolution,and phylogeny

This study, based on an analysis of some palaeo‐Mediterranean pseudoscorpions (Ernstmayria venizelosi n. sp. and E. apostolostrichasi ?ur?i? and Dimitrijevi? from the family Neobisiidae) represents an outstanding improvement of our knowledge of the diversity of relict and distributionally limited false scorpions from the ancient (or proto‐) Aegean area. Both E. venizelosi n. sp. and E. apostolostrichasi originated in the proto‐Balkan region; their ancestors are to be sought among extinct forms. Since Ernstmayria species presently inhabit the ‘peripheral’ location of the ancient Aegeis, it is evident that their remote ancestor gave rise to a number of recent genera which presently constitute two generic groups inhabiting the Mediterranean region: Neobisium Chamberlin, Occitanobisium Heurtault, Roncobisium Vachon, Protoneobisium ?ur?i?, and Pennobisium ?ur?i?, on the one hand, and Acanthocreagris Mahnert, Balkanoroncus ?ur?i?, Insulocreagris ?ur?i?, and Roncocreagris Mahnert, on the other.     

Biological characterization of the obligate symbiosis between Acropyga sauteri Forel (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and Eumyrmococcus smithii Silvestri (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae: Rhizoecinae) on Okinawa Island,southern Japan

The ant Acropyga sauteri Forel has an obligate, mutualistic symbiosis with a mealybug, Eumyrmococcus smithii Silvestri, on Okinawa Island, southern Japan. The mealybugs live inside ant nests nearly all their lives, and the ants depend on them for food. Alate foundress queens carry mealybugs during their nuptial flights, using them to establish new colonies at new sites. However, important aspects of the symbiosis have not yet been elucidated. The present study characterizes the basic biology of the symbiosis and describes for the first time the morphologies of all growth stages of E. smithii. Our study suggests that E. smithii has only one nymphal stage, followed by a female pupal stage or male prepupal stage. Intensive sampling of ant nests across seasons showed that A. sauteri prefers nest sites 5–20 cm underground. Acropyga sauteri produced reproductive stages mainly in mid‐March or early April, and numbers of both ant workers and mealybugs increased from spring to summer. Experimental determination of colony identity with a method using nestmate recognition by ants suggested that each ant colony rarely has a perimeter greater than 30 cm, that the ants are monogynous, and that different ant colonies are densely aggregated along the root system of a plant, adjacent to each other but not interflowing. Both symbiotic partners were vulnerable to attacks by several common subaerial ant species following physical disturbance to their nests.     

A new species of bethylid wasp (Hymenoptera) from New Zealand,with comments on its life history and host

A new species of parasitoid wasp Chilepyris platythelys (Chrysidoidea: Bethylidae), from New Zealand, is described and illustrated. Its life history is described and its host, an anobiid (Coleoptera) larva, Hadrobregmus (Megabregmus) magnus is mentioned as the first host record for the genus Chilepyris.     

Some copepods parasitic on elasmobranch fishes from the Peruvian coast,with the description of two new species of Eudactylina van Beneden, 1853 (Eudactylinidae) and four new records

Six species of copepods parasitic on elasmobranch fishes from the Peruvian coast has been recorded. Two of them, Eudactylina peruensis and E. myliobatidos parasitic on Rhinobatos planiceps (Rhinobatidae) and Myliobatis chilensis (Myliobatidae), are considered new species. New geographical and host records for Pseudocharopinus narcinae Pillai, Pseudocharopinoides myliobatidos Castro and Baeza, Perissopus oblongus (Wilson) and Trebius latifurcatus (Wilson) are included, as also is a checklist of copepod species parasitic on elasmobranch fishes from the coast of the South American Pacific.     

Studies on the provenzanoi and other pagurid groups: VI. Larval and early juvenile stages of Pagurus ochotensis Brandt (Decapoda; Anomura; Paguridae) from a northeastern Pacific population,reared under laboratory conditions

Zoeal, megalopal, and early juvenile stages of Pagurus ochotensis (Brandt, 1851) from a northeastern Pacific population are described from laboratory-reared individuals. Zoeal and megalopal development in this population is compared with that described for a population of this species from Hokkaido, Japan. First and second juvenile crab stages of this species are described for the first time. The nearly identical developmental morphology of the two populations supports the earlier synonymy of the northeastern Pacific species, Pagurus alaskensis (Benedict) with P. ochotensis.