Systematics and phylogeny of Eodrepanus,a new Drepanocerine genus,with comments on biogeographical data (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Oniticellini)

We describe here Eodrepanus gen. nov., currently comprising nine species, six previously assigned to the genus Drepanocerus and three described as new (namely, E. morgani sp. nov., E. paolae sp. nov. and E. coopei sp. nov.). Two of the new species have an Afrotropical distribution, while the last is an Eemian fossil species from England. Maximum parsimony was used to analyse reciprocal relationships among the species of Eodrepanus gen. nov., and four of the 24 species remaining in Drepanocerus. Support for these phylogenies was evaluated using the Bootstrap method and Bayesian inference as implemented in MrBayes. The biogeography of Eodrepanus gen. nov. was analysed using several different methods, namely, analysis of similarity (Ochiai Index), dispersal–vicariance analysis and parsimony analysis of endemicity.     

Biodiversity and biogeography of the coral boring barnacles of the genus Berndtia (Cirripedia: Acrothoracica) in the West Pacific,with description of three new species

Acrothoracican barnacles of the genus Berndtia are exclusive coral borers and the type species is Berndtia purpurea Utinomi, 1950a, reported in the corals Lepastrea purpurea and Psammocora profundacella in Wakayama, Japan. We confirmed the type is only from the coral Lepastrea purpurea and is distributed from Japan, Taiwan to Hong Kong. In contrast, B. purpurea from Psammocora belongs to a new species Berndtia haradai sp. nov., which is distributed from Japan to Okinawa. The other new species identified in the present study, Berndtia denticulata sp. nov. is common in Okinawa but also collected on the Pacific side of the Philippines. Berndtia utinomii sp. nov. is found on NE coast of Taiwan, Kochi and Wakayama in Japan and Vietnam but is absent from Okinawa. All described species are diagnostic in the coloration and morphology of the opercular bars in live specimens, morphology of posterior lobes of operculum and the number of notches in maxillules.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:8B6FE5B4-C5DD-48DE-B91A-39BBBAF87636     

Reef and coral communities of Oman,with a description of a new coral species (Order Scleractinia,genus Acanthastrea)

The coastline of Oman extends 2000 km from 16.5°N to 26.5°N in the north-west Indian Ocean. Most of it is long, exposed sandy beach or mixed sand and shallow rocky areas subject to severe scour, and there is a seasonal, cold-water upwelling whose influence increases towards the equator. Three areas of the mainland support corals, separated by long stretches of shallow sandy or muddy sublittoral. Three categories of coral or reef development are recognized: (A) coral reefs develop with characteristic profiles of reef flat and reef slope; (B) corals provide framework but there is no reef growth and no characteristic reef profile; and (C) no true reef development occurs, but mixed coral/phaeophyte communities are attached directly on to old, often non-limestone substrate. A and B are common in the north and central regions but are rare in the south. Type C is found in the centre and especially the south where the poor reef development is more typical of marginal, high-latitude coral areas. Ninety-one coral species from 47 genera were recorded (77 species from 37 genera being zooxanthellate), although diversity declines towards the equator. Regional comparisons show the Oman fauna to be fairly similar (up to 63% similariy) to that of the Arabian Gulf, but relatively dissimilar to faunas of the Gulf of Kutch (20%) and Lakshadweep (35%), the only other areas known to have significant amounts of corals in the Arabian Sea. A new species of Acanthanstrea with calices 5–8 cm wide is described.     

Diversity and biogeography of the little known deep-sea barnacles of the genus Waikalasma Buckeridge, 1983 (Balanomorpha: Chionelasmatoidea) in the Southwest Pacific,with description of a new species

Due to the extreme scarcity of specimens, little is known about the biodiversity and biogeography of the barnacles of the genus Waikalasma Buckeridge, 1983 (Thoracica: Waikalasmatidae Ross and Newman, 2001), which inhabit the deep sea of the Southwest Pacific. Previous studies reported only a single living species, W. boucheti Buckeridge, 1996, from Vanuatu. In the present study, the collections by French deep-sea expeditions off New Caledonia (NORFOLK 1 & 2, EBISCO, SMIB 2, SMIB 4, SMIB 8, BIOCAL, MUSORSTOM 6, MUSORSTOM 4, MUSORSTOM 5, BATHUS 2), the Solomon Islands (SALOMON 1), Vanuatu (BOA1) and Papua New Guinea (BIOPAPUA) yielded specimens of Waikalasma species from 500 to 800 m depth. From molecular (DNA barcode region cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and 12S gene) and morphological analysis, a new species Waikalasma dianajonesae sp. nov., and W. boucheti were identified. From molecular phylogenetic analysis, sequence divergence in the DNA barcode region between W. dianajonesae sp nov. and W. boucheti reached > 10%. Waikalasma dianajonesae sp. nov. differs from W. boucheti in the number and size of imbricating plates on the shell and the shape of the tergum. Waikalasma dianajonesae sp. nov. and W. boucheti exhibit sympatric biogeographical distributions in the Southwest Pacific. Waikalasma dianajonesae was found in the waters of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Island, whilst W. boucheti was collected from Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and New Caledonia waters.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:713013C7-677A-478F-B5DF-FD4690A7C6A9     

Spring and winter records of the eastern pipistrelle ( Perimyotis subflavus ) in southeastern New Mexico

Eastern pipistrelles ( Perimyotis subflavus ) were first documented from South Dakota, western Texas, and New Mexico during recent years, suggesting that the distribution of this species is expanding westward across central parts of North America. In New Mexico, only 2 records of P. subflavus previously were known—one from summer and one from autumn. Here we report on 3 new records of P. subflavus from southeastern New Mexico, including the first 2 records from winter and the first record from spring. One individual in winter was observed hibernating in a cave in Chaves County. Our records and previous ones from autumn and summer suggest that this species is resident throughout the year in New Mexico.     

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.     

The northward extension of reptiles in the Palearctic,with the Jordan Valley (Israel) as a model: snakes outrace lizards (Reptilia: Squamata)

The geographical distribution of reptiles is known to be climate dependent. Our analysis of literature data from the Palearctic confirmed that snakes, as a group (186 species), tend to extend further to the north, into cooler climate, than lizards (460 species). This has also been reported for the Nearctic. On a smaller scale, as a model, we investigated the expansion of reptiles from the warm southern desert of Israel northwards along the Jordan valley into cooler climate, based on 587 locality records of 17 species. It transpired that the snakes significantly extend further to the north than the lizards, paralleling and exemplifying the global scale. The ability of snakes to inhabit relatively cooler climates appears to accord with three physiological traits of snakes: lower optimal body temperatures, absence of temperature-dependent sex determination, and ability to thrive on infrequent meals.     

Water mites (Acari: Hydrachnidia) from South-East Asia,Thailand and Sulawesi Tenggara (Indonesia): descriptions of new species and new records

New species of water mites collected from Sulawesi Tenggara and Thailand are described, four from Buton island: Hygrobates colesi, Mideopsis gillespiei, Koenikea oliveri, Oxus sennettopsis; one from Thailand: Hygrobates henni; and the first recorded male of Harpagopalpus indicus Cook, 1967 Cook, C. D. R, 1967. Water mites from India, Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute 9 (1967), pp. 1–411. [Google Scholar]. Hygrobates projectus Wiles, 1990 Wiles, P. R, 1990. "The water mites (Acari, Hydrachnidia) of North Sulawesi". 1990, in W. J. Knight and J. D. Holloway (eds) Insects and the Rainforests of South East Asia (Wallacea) (London: Chameleon Press), pp.?279–295. [Google Scholar] is described for the first time. Koenikea oliveri is the first recorded Koenikea species found on the Asian side of Wallacea. New records of Mamersa rouxi Walter, 1911 and Africasia cataphracta (Halik, 1930) are given.     

A biogeographical analysis of the tenebrionid beetles (Coleoptera,Tenebrionidae) of the island of Thasos in the context of the Aegean Islands (Greece)

This research aimed to study the origin and the biogeographical relationships of the tenebrionid beetle (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae) fauna of the island of Thasos, with reference to the other Aegean Islands. A total of 32 Aegean Islands and 170 taxa (species and subspecies), 23 of which occur on Thasos, were included in this study. Nine tenebrionid species are here reported for the first time from Thasos, including the first records of Platydema europaeum and Nalassus plebejus from the Aegean Islands. Several models (linear, exponential, power, logistic, Gompertz, Weibull and Lomolino functions) were used to test the species–area relationship. The power function appeared to be the most appropriate model and the parameters of the curve suggest a possible relict character for this fauna. The proportion of Balkan taxa on the islands sharply decreases from west to east, whereas the Anatolian taxa follow an opposite trend. Multi‐dimensional scaling, Parsimony Analysis of Endemicity and discriminant function analysis revealed a clear faunal discontinuity between the western and central Aegean Islands on one side, and the islands close to the Anatolian coast on the other. This discontinuity, consistent with the persistence (from Messinian to Pleistocene) of a sea barrier between these two groups of islands, strongly supports the importance of Pleistocene island configurations in determining present distributional patterns. The comparative richness of the tenebrionid fauna on Thasos is enhanced by the proximity of the island to the mainland and the diversity of its surviving habitats.     

New distributional records of the red squirrel ( Tamiasciurus hudsonicus ) in western New Mexico and evidence for its extirpation from the Zuni Mountains

In the American Southwest, the red squirrel ( Tamiasciurus hudsonicus ) occurs as disjunct populations in coniferous forests on mountaintops. There is a paucity of information concerning the species’ distribution and habitat in western New Mexico. I report new records that document and verify the occurrence of red squirrels in additional montane areas in west central New Mexico, including the Mangas Mountains, Canovas Rim, Turner Mountain, Tularosa Mountains, Elk Mountains, Bearwallow Mountain, and Pinos Altos Mountains. I also report observations of red squirrels from an atypical habitat—low-elevation riparian forests. These new records suggest that the geographic distribution of the species in west central New Mexico is broader than indicated by existing records. However, I also document the apparent extirpation of red squirrels from the Zuni Mountains in northwestern New Mexico. The red squirrel is one of several avian and mammalian species associated with mixed coniferous forests that have become extirpated in this mountain range.     

Alien polychaete species (Annelida: Polychaeta) on the southern coast of Turkey (Levantine Sea,eastern Mediterranean), with 13 new records for the Mediterranean Sea

The examination of benthic material collected from different depths and habitats along the southern coast of Turkey (Levantine Sea, eastern Mediterranean) in September and October 2005 revealed 30 alien polychaete species belonging to 15 families. Thirteen species (Pisione guanche, Linopherus canariensis, Onuphis eremita oculata, Lumbrineris perkinsi, Dorvillea similis, Timarete caribous, Pherusa parmata, Pherusa saldanha, Streblosoma comatus, Polycirrus twisti, Laonome triangularis, Branchiomma bairdi and Janua steueri) are new to the Mediterranean fauna, 24 species are new to the Turkish fauna and 27 species are new to the Levantine coast of Turkey. The specimens collected from the Levantine coast of Turkey and northern Cyprus that were previously identified as Linopherus acarunculata and Branchiomma boholense are reidentified as L. canariensis and B. bairdi, respectively. In the light of present knowledge, the previous reports of Lumbrineris inflata and Streblosoma hesslei from the Mediterranean (Italian coast) could refer to the species L. perkinsi and S. comatus, respectively. The species new to the Mediterranean Sea are redescribed and discussed.     

Colour and size reveal hidden diversity of Necturus (Caudata: Proteidae) from the Gulf Coastal Plain of the United States

ABSTRACT

Recent data from the mitochondrial genome reveal six lineages of Gulf Coast Waterdogs traditionally classified as Necturus beyeri. Here, we use patterns of colour and body size, along with previously published data, to reveal a large, heavily spotted phenotype with an unstriped larva possessing numerous white spots; we re-describe N. beyeri to correspond to this phenotype. We also reveal a small, weakly spotted phenotype possessing an unstriped larva lacking numerous white spots. This phenotype characterises the Apalachicola and Escambia lineages, which current evidence suggests are paraphyletic. We reject taxonomies that place these two lineages in N. lodingi because the type specimen of this species appears to be a melanistic member of N. beyeri. Therefore, we describe the Apalachicola and Escambia lineages as independent new species.

http://ww.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:C8508CCB-F54F-4DC8-B61D-56966A3F1CC8

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:F044B2CC-55F0-4FFA-A312-9CAD9E73CD69     

A preliminary account of the fly fauna in Garf Raydah Nature Reserve,Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,with new records and biogeographical remarks (Diptera: Insecta)

A preliminary list of Diptera (Insecta) in Garf Raydah Nature Reserve (GRNR), Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) with remarks on their zoogeographic affinities is presented. This is the first in a series of planned faunal studies on different insect orders as an output of a project proposed to study the entire entomofauna of GRNR. A total number of 177 Diptera species belonging to 130 genera, representing 38 families has been listed. Some species have been identified only to genus and listed herein as genera that were not previously recorded from KSA or of a taxonomic or faunal importance. The list records five families, 11 genera and 31 species for the first time in KSA, namely: the families Acroceridae, Asteiidae, Chamaemyiidae, Heleomyzidae and Pipunculidae; the genera Acrocera (Acroceridae), Eremisca (Asilidae), Asteia (Asteiidae), Chamaemyia sp. (Chamaemyiidae), Ochthera (Ephydridae), Physoconops (Conopidae), Pseudoleria (Heleo-myzidae), Salentia (Therevidae), Sapromyza (Lauxaniidae), Sternobrithes (Stratiomyidae), Tomosvaryella (Pipunculidae); and the species Apoclea algira (Linnaeus), Apoclea femoralis (Wiedemann), Promachus rectangularis Loew, Eremisca sp. and Oligopogon nitidus Efflatoun [Asilidae]; Phycus sp., Salentia sp. and Thereva nobilitata (Fabricius) [Therevidae]; Drapetis flavipes Macquartand Platypalpus flavicornis (Meigen) [Hybotidae]; Acrocera sp.1 and Acrocera sp.2 [Acroceridae]; Aspida-cantha atra Kertesz and Sternobrithes sp. [Stratiomyidae]; Tomos-varyella sp.1 and Tomosvaryella sp.2 [Pipunculidae]; Eristalinus taeniops (Wiedemann) and Eumerus amoenus Loew [Syrphidae]; Asteia sp. [Asteiidae]; Chamaemyia sp. [Chamaemyiidae]; Physoconops sp., and Thecophora fulvipes Rubineau-Desvoidy [Conopidae]; Ochthera sp. [Ephydridae]; Pseudoleria pectinata (Loew) [Heleomyzidae]; Cestrotus megacephalus Loew and Sapromyza sp. [Lauxaniidae]; Campylocera oculata Hendel [Pyrgotidae]; Australosepsis niveipennis (Becker) [Sepsidae]; Metasphenisca transilis Munro [Tephritidae]; Anthomyia xanthopus (Hennig) [Anthomyiidae]; and Sarcophaga inaequalis Austen [Sarcophagidae]. More than 50% of the recorded fly species are of an Afrotropical affinity, whereas the Palaearctic elements did not exceed 20%. Only 7% of the species were of both Afrotropical and Palaearctic affinities, and Oriental elements were close to nil. This emphasizes the fact that the southwestern part of KSA, including the study area, belonging to Asir Province, ought to be part of the Afrotropical Region rather than the the Palaearctic Region.     

A contribution to the knowledge of fly fauna in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: new country records and an account of flies identified from Rawdhats,Riyadh Region,with biogeographical remarks (Insecta: Diptera)

A total of 80 fly species (Insecta: Diptera) belonging to 66 genera, and representing 26 families was identified from three natural areas or ‘Rawdhats’ in the Riyadh Region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The Rawdhats surveyed are Al-Harmaliyah (Al Quwayiyah Province), Al-Sabalah (Azulfi Province) and Farshet Sheaal (Al Aflaj Province). One family, one subfamily, 11 genera and 18 species were recorded for the first time from KSA, namely: the family Trixoscelididae; the subfamily Suilliinae (Heleomyzidae); the genera Oligodranes (Bombyliidae), Pseudomphrale (Scenopinidae), Actorthia (Therevidae), Crossopalpus (Hybotidae), Scatella (Ephydridae), Suillia (Heleomyzidae), Trixoscelis (Trixoscelididae), Renocera [Sciomyzidae], Melanophora and Stevenia [Rhinophoridae], Miltogramma [Sarcophagidae]; and the species Eremisca heleni (Efflatoun) and Ommatius tenellus van der Wulp [Asilidae], Oligodranes sp. [Bombyliidae], Pseudomphrale flavoscutellata Kröber [Scenopinidae], Actorthia lacteipennis (Becker), Actorthia sp. and Efflatouniella sinatica Mohammad and Badrawy [Therevidae], Crossopalpus hirsutipes Collin [Hybotidae], Eumerus mucidus Bezzi [Syrphidae], Ephydra riparia Fallén and Scatella sp. [Ephydridae], Suillia apicalis (Loew) [Heleomyzidae], Trixoscelis sp. (Trixoscelididae) and Renocera pallida (Fallén) [Sciomyzidae], Goniurellia longicauda Freidberg [Tephritidae], Melanophora sp. and Stevenia sp. [Rhinophoridae], and Miltogramma sp. [Sarcophagidae]. The zoogeographic affinities of the identified species showed a closer affiliation with the Palaearctic Region (26%) than to the Afrotropical Region (12.5%), while about 16% of the species were of both Afrotropical and Palaearctic affinities. Elements from other regions were apparently absent. The result support the idea that the central Arabian Desert which includes our study area is a transitional zone between the Palaearctic and Afrotropical regions.