A new genus and two new species of cave-dwelling Misophrioid copepods from the Balearic Islands (Mediterranean)

Speleophriopsis balearicus n. gen., n. sp., and Speleophria gymnesica, n. sp. are described from the flooded coastal karst of the Balearic Is. Two existing species of Speleophria are transferred to the new genus. Speleophriopsis scottodicarloi (Boxshall and Iliffe), new combination, occurs on Bermuda (Atlantic) and S. campaneri (Boxshall and Iliffe), new combination, in the Palau Archipelago (Indo-West Pacific). The type species of Speleophria is known only from caves on Bermuda. Both genera are noteworthy for displaying the most primitive condition known in copepods of the allobasis of maxilla (setal formula 5,3), and of the male antennule which, in Speleophriopsis n. gen., is geniculate but exhibits a 27-segmented condition. They inhabit cave waters with salinities in excess of 18‰., avoiding lower salinity inland groundwater habitats. A Tethyan relict status is proposed for both taxa.     

Three new species of misophrioid copepods from oceanic islands

Three new species of misophrioid copepods are described from anchialine habitats on oceanic islands. Expansophria galapagensis n.sp. is described from two localities on Santa Cruz, Galapagos Islands, Speleophria campaneri n.sp. from Ngamduk Cave, Angaur Island, Palau and S. scottodicarloi n.sp. from Chalk Cave on Bermuda.     

Monstrilloids (Crustacea: Copepoda) from the Mediterranean Sea (Northern Adriatic Sea), with a description of six new species

Monstrilloid copepods collected during zooplankton surveys carried out over several years (2009–2016) in the Gulf of Trieste, northern Adriatic Sea, were examined. A total of seven species were found, of which six are undescribed, five of Cymbasoma and one of Monstrilla. These new species are described, illustrated and compared herein with its known congeners. Two of them are related to the C. rigidum species complex. One of these species is described based on both the male and the female; sexes were linked by identical details of the cephalic structure and the antennulary armature. Two previous reports of females attributed to C. tumorifrons from the Mediterranean relate to specimens that in fact belong to a new species, C. mediterranea. The most abundant species was M. grandis, which had a remarkable aggregation around the Trieste harbour in 2015. Male and female specimens of this assumedly widespread species were examined and the observed intra-specific morphological variability is reported and compared with previous illustrated reports; this nominal species probably this nominal species, probably represents a species complex. The addition of the new species here described brings the number of nominal species in the Mediterranean-Black Sea region to 26.

www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:3D4B38E4-CCCD-4BD6-AC57-B59343A865F7     

New genera of Bogidiellidae (Amphipoda: Gammaridea) from SW Pacific and Mediterranean marine caves

Two new genera and species of the stygobiont gammaridean amphipod family Bogidiellidae are described from anchialine or fully marine subterranean habitats in Mediterranean and SW Pacific Islands. Fidelidiella pectinata, from a littoral cave in Lifou (Loyalty Islands), differs from any other bogidiellid known thus far by the presence on the left mandible of a modified lacinia which is hypertrophied and expanded laterally, and by the possession of a transverse row of strong rounded processes on the anterior side of the distomedial corner of the fourth segment of the maxillipedal palp. This is the most easterly record of bogidiellid amphipods in the SW Pacific. Racovella uniramea, discovered in a Mallorcan anchialine cave, is remarkable among the Bogidiellidae in exhibiting a combination of only six distal spines on the basal endite of the maxillule, and presence of coxal gills on pereopods 3–6. We place particular emphasis on the determination of segmental homologies of all limbs and on the resolution of fine‐scale integumentary details, in order to provide a sound basis for future comparison with other family members.     

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 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.     

The freshwater shrimps of the genera Caridina and Parisia from karst caves of Sulawesi Selatan,Indonesia, with descriptions of three new species (Crustacea: Decapoda: Caridea: Atyidae)

The present study reports on collections of hypogean freshwater atyid shrimps of the genera Caridina Milne Edwards, 1837 Milne Edwards, H. 1837. Histoire naturalle des Crustacés, Comprenant l'Anatomie, la Physiologie et la Classification de ces Animaux, Vol. 2, 1–532. Paris (France): Libraire Encyclopedique de Roret.  [Google Scholar], and Parisia Holthuis, 1956 Holthuis, L. B. 1956. The troglobic Atyidae of Madagascar (Crudtacea, Decapoda, Natantia), Mem Inst Sci Madagascar ser.. A., 11: 97–110.  [Google Scholar], obtained from the karst caves and associated epigean waters of Sulawesi, Indonesia. Six species of Caridina were present, of which two are new to science and one is new to Sulawesi, as well as one new species of Parisia. Types of Caridina pareparensis De Man, 1892 De Man, J. G. 1892. Decapoden des Indischen Archipels.. Zool Ergebn Reise Niederland Ost‐Ind., 2: 265–527. pl. 15–29 [Google Scholar], and C. pareparensis parvidentata Roux, 1904 Roux, J. 1904. Décapodes d'eau douce de Cèlébes (Genres Caridina et Potamon).. Rev Suisse Zool., 12(3): 539–572. pl. 9 [Google Scholar], were re‐examined and redescribed; lectotypes for both taxa are designated. Caridina pareparensis parvidentata is here regarded as a distinct species. The new taxa are described, figured and compared with congeners.     

New records of Bathynellacea (Syncarida,Bathynellidae) in North America: three new species of the genus Pacificabathynella from Montana,USA

Three new species of the genus Pacificabathynella Schminke and Noodt, 1988 Schminke, H K and Noodt, W. 1988. Groundwater Crustacea of the order Bathynellacea (Malacostraca) from North America. J Crustacean Biol., 8(2): 290–299.  [Google Scholar] are described from groundwater aquifers in glaciated North America (Montana, USA). This is the first time that this genus, known previously only from the state of California, has been documented in Montana. Pacificabathynella and Paradoxibathynella Serban, 2000 Serban, E. 2000. Uenobathynella n.g., Parauenobathynella n.g., Morimotobathynella n.g., Nihobathynella n.g. et Paradoxibathynella n.g., Bathynellinae du Japón (Bathynellidae, Bathynellacea, Podophallocarida). Travaux Inst Spéol “Émile Racovitza”, 36: 3–61.  [Google Scholar] are the only genera that show sexual dimorphism in thoracopod VI. Pacificabathynella kalispellensis sp. nov. has several unique features: the setal formula of the antenna (0/2+exop/3/12/6/8/5); the setal formula of the maxilla (7/4/7/6); the presence of an epipod on thoracopod II; tufts of setulae and abundant setae on the basipod and endopod of thoracopods I to V; the epipod of thoracopod VIII female three times longer than the basipod; three smooth setae on the exopod of the female thoracopod VIII; eight spines on the endopod of the uropod and the endopod longer than the sympod, whereas the opposite is typical. Pacificabathynella stanfordi sp. nov. has several unique features: only five setae on the exopod of thoracopods II to VII, while six setae are common in the genus; only six setae on the second segment of the first pleopod; five spines on the endopod and seven setae on the exopod of the uropod. Pacificabathynella ruthae sp. nov. is the largest species and has several unique features: antennule equal in size to the antenna, whereas in the rest of the species of the genus the antenna is larger; the projection of the inner lobe of the male thoracopod VIII is bidentate and there are six spines on the endopod and nine setae on the exopod of the uropod. The three new species have slight differences in the pars molaris of the mandible and in thoracopod VIII of males, and there are other minor differences between the females and the species Pacificabathynella sequoiae. The new taxa, together with the new genus Montanabathynella described separately, represent a 30% increase in North American taxa. Considering the glaciated landscape and the fragmented nature of alluvial aquifer habitat, we believe that there is a profound lack of critical knowledge of the biogeography and biodiversity of syncarids in North America.     

A new Stelis (Dolichostelis) from northern Colombia (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae): first records for South America and a synopsis of the bee fauna from the Caribbean region of Colombia

The cleptoparasitic anthidiine bee genus Stelis Panzer is primarily Holarctic in distribution, extending as far south as Costa Rica. A new species of Stelis subgenus Dolichostelis Parker and Bohart is described and illustrated based on females collected in dry forests of the Caribbean region of Colombia. Stelis (Dolichostelis) costaricensis Friese is also recorded from dry forests but in western Colombia. These are the first records of the genus, as currently recognized, for South America. An updated key to the species of Dolichostelis and a synopsis of the diversity and biogeography of the bee fauna from the Caribbean region of Colombia are provided. Based on reports from the literature and data from collections, we provide a checklist consisting of 125 species in 48 genera of five families. The complex composition of this bee fauna parallels that of the flora, with taxa having the following origins or distributions: West Indian, North or Central American, Andean, xeric or temperate South American, and Neotropical widespread. A brief account on the contribution of George Salt to the knowledge of the biology of this Colombian bee fauna is also provided.     

Small giants from Madagascan caves: autapomorphic giantism in the new cave-dwelling planthopper Tsingya clarkei gen. nov., sp. nov. (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea: Meenoplidae)

A new giant cave-dwelling species of planthopper of the family Meenoplidae (Fulgoromorpha) is described from the Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park in western Madagascar, with information on its distribution and ecology. As the new species could not be placed in any of the previously described genera, a new genus is established. This is the first record of a cavernicolous meenoplid from the Afrotropical Region, and the second cave-dwelling Fulgoromorphan species from Madagascar. It is also the second example of island gigantism in the Fulgoromorpha from Madagascar.     

The first record of a benthic polar chaetognath: a new Spadella from the Antarctic

A new benthic chaetognath, Spadella antarctica n. sp., is described from depths between 193 and 500 m in the Weddell Sea (Antarctic Ocean) and comparisons are made with related species of Spadella. Ecological remarks on this genus are provided.     

The ninth brachypterous Onthophagus Latreille (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) of the world: a new species from Mexico

A new brachypterous species of Onthophagus from Mexico, belonging to the New World chevrolati species group, is described and illustrated. Illustrations of the male and female dorsal habitus, and genitalia are provided. The relationships with other brachypterous species that occur in Guerrero (Mexico) are discussed. Placement of the new species in the chevrolati group key is provided. Additionally, new locality records for O. inflaticollis Bates are provided.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:747118CE-6A93-401A-8625-5A75479980AD     

Nine new species of the subgenus Stegana (Oxyphortica) from the Oriental region,with morphological and molecular evidence based on Chinese species (Diptera: Drosophilidae)

Nine new species of the subgenus Stegana (Oxyphortica) have been discovered from the Oriental Region: S. (O.) chuanjiangi Zhang and Chen, sp. nov., S (O.) dainuo Wang and Chen, sp. nov., S. (O.) dawa Zhang and Chen, sp. nov., S. (O.) laohlie Zhang and Chen, sp. nov., S. (O.) luchun Wang and Chen, sp. nov., S. (O.) mengwan Wang and Chen, sp. nov., S. (O.) triodonta Cheng and Chen, sp. nov. from southern China; S. (O.) dehiscens Cheng and Chen, sp. nov. and S. (O.) spinosa Cheng and Chen, sp. nov. from eastern Malaysia. One newly recorded species from China: S. (O.) maichouensis Sidorenko is re-described. The DNA sequences of the mitochondrial COI gene with BOLD Process ID and GenBank accession numbers are provided for the above seven new species and five known species from China: S. (O.) acutipenis Xu, Gao and Chen, S. (O.) adentata Toda and Peng, S. (O.) hirtipenis Xu, Gao and Chen, S. (O.) latipenis Xu, Gao and Chen, and S. (O.) maichouensis Sidorenko. Intra- and interspecific pairwise K-2P distances among these species are summarized and the phylogenetic relationships are reconstructed based on the neighbour-joining (NJ) analyses.

www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:2FA403F6-5535-40A4-9FD0-ADB9913EDE83.     

The subfamily Cladonotinae (Orthoptera: Tetrigidae) from China with description of a new monotypic genus

The genus Tetradinodula Zha gen. nov. (type species: T. bambusae Zha sp. nov.) is described from the Baiqing Nature Preserve, Tongzi County, Guizhou Province, China. Ecology and habits of the new species are discussed. Genera of Cladonotinae from China are reviewed and a revised key for identifying the genera of Chinese Cladonotinae is presented.

www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:EDEEECE8-9828-4C8E-829E-98089F58469E     

Snout mites from caves in Brazil,with description of a new species (Acari: Trombidiformes: Bdellidae)

In this paper we describe the first species of the genus Cyta from Brazil, Cyta troglodyta sp. nov., with a key to the world species of the genus. New records of mites of the family Bdellidae are reported from caves in Brazil.