Observations on zygopine weevil behaviour (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Zygopinae)

Observations on the behaviour and chosen environment are reported of the zygopine weevils Mecopus audinetii, M. bispinosus, M. fausti, M. pulvereus, Phylaitis v-alba and Osphilia sp. Mecopus audinetii and M. bispinosus were not distinguished in the field, but can be separated by details of the male and female genitalia and by the presence in the male of M. bispinosus of long black hairs on the pronotum. All the species studied were found on the bark of fallen or dying trees, the Mecopus species and Phylaitis v-alba being associated with whitish-silvery bark and the Osphilia species with greenish-brown substrates. The small Phylaitis species was found on branches of smaller diameter than those frequented by the larger Mecopus species. All the species are fairly cryptic in coloration, but when moving the larger species are more visible than the smaller, and the ones on pale bark are more visible than those on greenish-brown bark. Potential predators may be confused by jerky movement patterns observed in all species and the distant shadows cast by the long-legged larger Mecopus. The weevils are not believed to be involved in any mimicry, although this has been suggested for other members of the same subfamily. A single contest between males of Mecopus audinetii/bispinosus was observed, in the absence of a female. Each male attempted to dislodge its opponent from the substrate using its rostrum; the thoracic spines were not seen to be used. Contests between males of Osphilia sp. and Phylaitis v-alba were observed in the presence of females of the appropriate species. The males of Osphilia species attempted to dislodge one another from the back of the female in contention, and also engaged in a spiralling flight together. The males of Phylaitis v-alba did not come into physical contact, but responded to the threat of an approach. During copulation in Mecopus audinetii/bispinosus and Osphilia sp. the male repeatedly brushed the head and thorax of the female with his front legs. In the first species the male stood on the substrate and ‘caged’ the female with his legs and rostrum but in the second the male, ‘rode’ the female. Both species oviposit into the bark of their trees, the females using the rostrum to drill a hole for the ovipositor. The length of the rostrum probably determines the thickness of the bark through which eggs are laid, and hence the area of the region of the tree inhabited by the beetles.     

Meteorus acerbiavorus sp. nov. (Hymenoptera,Braconidae), a gregarious parasitoid of Acerbia alpina (Quensel) (Lepidoptera,Arctiidae) in North Finland

The new gregarious parasitoid Meteorus acerbiavorus sp. nov. (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) was reared from the cocoons of Acerbia alpina (Quensel) (Lepidoptera, Arctiidae) in north-western Finnish Lapland. This species belongs to Meteorus rubens (Nees) species group and differs from the most related M. rubens in the following features: the eyes densely setose; the median lobe of the mesoscutum, scutellum, mesopleuron, and the hind coxa entirely or at least partly rugulose-granulate or rugose-areolate and sometimes with granulation; the ovipositor subapically with distinct dorsal node; the ventral borders of the first metasomal tergum weakly separated by narrow space in its basal half; the colour of the body and legs mostly or entirely dark; the fore wing more or less darkened. Phylogenetic relationships among several Meteorus species close to M. rubens including new M. acerbiavorus were investigated based on DNA sequence fragments of the mitochondrial COI and the nuclear 28S rDNA genes. The discussions on the species groups of Meteorus, on distribution of Acerbia alpina in the Holarctic and on its known parasitoids are presented.     

Distal leg morphology,subgenual organs and host detection in Stephanidae (Insecta,Hymenoptera)

The morphology of the tibia and tarsus of all legs is examined in species of two genera of Stephanidae. The subgenual organ (SGO) is examined in more detail for Megischus spp. The fore leg is the most modified in Schlettererius. In Megischus, the SGO of the hind leg is displaced to the middle of the tibia, which is swollen distad of it; in the female the hind tarsi are three‐segmented, the basitarsomere being a composite of tarsomeres 1–3. Internally, the SGO of Megischus is suspended between a spine and a ridge. In the mid and hind legs, part of the tibial wall is thinner in the region of the SGO. Our observations provide circumstantial evidence that female Stephanidae detect substrate‐borne vibrations when searching for hosts. The absence of antennal modification, as well as information on host stage targeted and general behaviour on the oviposition site indicates that they rely on noise made by the host rather than generate vibrations themselves, in contrast to Orussidae, a parasitoid wasp taxon that has been inferred to employ vibrational sounding. The external receptor elements – membranous pads versus tufts of setae – are not homologous in Orussidae and Stephanidae. A spine and ridge suspensorium of the SGO found in members of both families may represent a derived groundplan feature of the orussid–apocritan clade, with secondary modification or reduction in the latter group. Characters of the distal leg elements and the SGO suggest a basal position of Schlettererius and Stephanus within Stephanidae. Modifications of the hind tibia and tarsus in more derived members of the family indicate a shift in relative importance in vibration detection from the fore leg to the hind leg within the family.     

Australian thrips of the Haplothrips lineage (Insecta: Thysanoptera)

Keys are presented to the 11 genera and 50 species, including 21 new species, of Thysanoptera in Australia that are related to the worldwide genus Haplothrips Amyot and Serville. These taxa belong to what, in recent literature, has been called the “Haplothrips‐lineage”, that is, one of the three major radiations among the 2700 species and 350 genera of Thysanoptera Phlaeothripinae. The group is redefined, and the available tribal name Haplothripini shown to be appropriate. The character states on which the definition is based are discussed, and a list given of the 34 genera worldwide that can be included. The Australian species in these genera exhibit a diversity of biologies. Three genera involve species that invade galls induced by other thrips: Androthrips monsterae (Moulton) from New Guinea is newly recorded from Australia; Mesothrips jordani Zimmermann from South‐East Asia is newly recorded from Australia, with two new synonyms; the Asia‐Pacific genus, Euoplothrips Hood, includes two species in northern Australia. Three haplothripine genera are associated with grasses: one widespread genus, Apterygothrips Priesner, considered polyphyletic, includes only one Australian species; the only known species of Dyothrips Kudo is Oriental but extends into tropical Australia; Podothrips Hood, a circum‐tropical genus of thrips predatory on grass‐living coccoids, has 11 Australian species, six newly described. One grass‐associated genus, Bamboosiella Ananthakrishnan, is excluded from the Haplothripini. An Oriental genus of leaf‐ and flower‐living species, Dolichothrips Karny, includes one species in northern Australia, D. reuteri (Karny); Membrothrips Bhatti in which this species has been placed is considered a synonym. Karnyothrips Watson includes two species introduced to Australia, both predators of coccoids. Priesneria Bagnall includes three species from Australia, of which one fungus‐feeding species is newly described. Xylaplothrips Priesner is a widespread but ill‐defined, polyphyletic genus that currently includes three little‐known Australian species. Haplothrips is the main focus of this study, and character state variation among the Australian species is discussed. In total 24 species of Haplothrips from Australia are recognised, 14 being new species. Also included are the following, one new generic synonym, four new species synonyms, and one new combination. The 250 species worldwide in the genus are usually associated with the flowers of Asteraceae and Poaceae. In Australia, several of the species are specific to flowers, particularly of Poaceae and Cyperaceae but not Asteraceae. Almost half of these Australian species are presumed to be predatory on other small arthropods, and two have unusual host associations—with salt marsh Chenopodiaceae, and with the sori of Dicksonia tree ferns.     

A new Arietellidae (Copepoda: Calanoida) from the Red Sea

A new species of the calanoid copepod genus Paramisophria T. Scott, 1897 is described from the Egyptian sublittoral zone of the Red Sea. Paramisophria aegypti sp. nov. appears to be closely related to the species Paramisophria ammophila and Paramisophria platysoma. Paramisophria aegypti differs from P. ammophila in having two unequal lateral setae plus one long terminal process and two tiny equal lateral setae plus one long terminal process on the third exopodal segment on the male right and left fifth legs (vs three terminal processes increasing in size inward on both male fifth legs). Paramisophria aegypti can be distinguished from P. platysoma in the following characters: prosome symmetrical (vs extreme asymmetry); third exopod segment of the right leg completely separated from the second segment and bears two unequal lateral setae plus one long terminal process (vs partially fused to the second segment and bears four terminal processes increasing in size inward); third exopod segment of the left leg with two lateral setules and one long terminal process (vs two lateral setules, one short outer medial process and one long terminal process); endopodal lobes of the female legs 5 bear one long plumose seta (vs setae are lacking).http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:C0A92BF9-2306-4A35-AA39-CE3B5865A396     

New species of Monstrilloida (Crustacea: Copepoda) from the Eastern Tropical Pacific

Monstrilloid copepods were collected from the oceanic island Isla del Coco in the Eastern Tropical Pacific; two undescribed species were found, one of Cymbasoma and one of Monstrillopsis. The first species, represented by females only, is distinguished by the structure of its fifth legs, the antennular armature and the position of the ovigerous spines. The new Monstrillopsis, represented by male specimens, is distinguished by its genital lappets and details of the antennule armature. The isolation of this island, 532 km from the mainland, and the limited dispersal means of monstrilloids suggest potential endemism of these species. A recent record of Cymbasoma tumorifrons from the Mexican Pacific was found to represent a new species of Cymbasoma. It can be distinguished from C. tumorifrons, probably a Mediterranean form, by its body shape and antennular armature. These findings double the number of monstrilloid species known from the Eastern Tropical Pacific.     

Rediscovery of Disepyris semiruber (Kieffer) (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae) in Southern Africa,with first description of the male

Holepyris semiruber Kieffer is redescribed and illustrated based on freshly collected specimens. Holepyris semiruber var. striatipleura Kieffer is considered a colour variant of this species and therefore a junior synonym of H. semiruber syn. nov. This species is transferred to Disepyris, D. semiruber (Kieffer) comb. nov., based on the possession of a short 2r-rs&Rs vein in the fore wing and presence of long flat spine-shaped setae on the outer (posterior) surface of the protarsi. The male is described for the first time from new specimens collected in South Africa. This species is recorded for the first time from Namibia and Zimbabwe. All photographs are available on www.waspweb.org.     

Two new genera of the family Pilumnidae (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura) from Queensland,Australia

Two new genera of Pilumnidae each with a single new species are described from southeastern Queensland waters. Priapipilumnus is defined by the greatly swollen base and simple blunt apex of the male first pleopod and the concomitant posteriorly protruding, bilobed, third abdominal segment. Takedana is separable by the very short spinous anterolateral margins, the swollen branchial regions, the moderately short walking legs, and the strongly spined chelae. Actumnus pugilator is reassigned to Bathypilumnus Ng and Tan, 1984.     

Mating behaviour of Staminodeus vectoris (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), and the value of systematics in behavioural studies

The mating behaviour of Staminodeus vectoris Franz (Curculionidae: Curculioninae: Derelomini) is described and discussed in light of a phylogeny of Staminodeus Franz. At La Selva, Costa Rica, S. vectoris is associated with the staminodes of the inflorescences of Asplundia uncinata Harling and several other species of Cyclanthaceae. The males have a row of 6–10 teeth along the margin of the protibia, whereas the females have a small, curved spine on the frons. The adults arrive in numbers at the inflorescences during the pistillate phase of the anthesis of A. uncinata, feeding on the staminodes. Eventually, a female detaches a staminode with her mandibles, falls to the ground, and transports it to the site of oviposition in the leaf litter. First, she crawls underneath the staminode, then moves it posteriorly with her legs, and finally returns to its distal end before repeating the process. The female turns on her back and maintains her original position during the movement of the staminode, using her frontal spine as a point of resistance against the substrate. Meanwhile, a male associates with the staminode. The males fight with their prothoracic legs, executing fast blows until their protibial teeth cling and dislodge competitors from the staminode. The positive and negative allometries of the lengths of the male protibia and female spine, are consistent with their functions in the contexts of sexual and natural selection, respectively. The phylogeny of all seven species of Staminodeus hypothesises that female transporting behaviour evolved before male fighting behaviour.     

Paranannopidae (Copepoda: Harpacticoida) from sublittoral soft sediments in Spitsbergen

Based on specimens of Paranannopidae collected from 30 to 123 m depth in Sassenfjord, Spitsbergen, two species of Paradanielssenia Soyer, 1970 (P. christineae sp. nov. and P. kathleenae sp. nov.) are described. These can be distinguished from known species by differences in the number of claviform aesthetascs on the mouthparts and in the arrangement or form of setae on the legs. A key to species of Paradanielssenia is provided. Mucrosenia gen. nov. (type species M. kendalli sp. nov.) is established on the basis of a single female and can be distinguished from all known paranannopid genera by the structure of the caudal ramus and the P2 endopod-2 which has no inner seta and a large mucroniform process at the outer distal corner. Psammis kliei Smirnov, 1946 is assigned to this genus as species incertae sedis. Danielssenia quadriseta Gee, 1988 is recorded for the first time outside its type locality in Oslofjord. Danielssenia spitsbergensis sp. nov. is described from a single male specimen and can easily be distinguished from other known species by the presence of only two outer spines on exopod-3 of P3-4. However, because of differences in the structure of the P2 endopod and P5, the species is placed incertae sedis within Danielssenia pending the discovery of the female.     

New World legume-feeding psyllids of the genus Aphalaroida Crawford (Insecta: Homoptera: Psylloidea)

Aphalaroida comprises a compact group of nine species feeding on mimosoid legume host plants in the southern USA and Central America. The species, acaciae Crawford, californica Tuthill, inermis Crawford, lysilomae sp. n., masonici (Caldwell), pithecolobia Crawford, prosopis Crawford, rauca sp. n. and spinifera Crawford, are keyed out and data are given on host plants and distributions. Characters previously used to separate species are unreliable, and there is strong evidence to suggest that some species are polymorphic with respect to fore wing pattern. This had led to much confusion, with type series often containing mixtures of species. Fore wing shape, the form of male and female terminalia, the shape of the genae and the presence/distribution of glandular hairs are the most reliable diagnostic characters.     

The rediscovery of Danielssenia intermedia Wells 1965 (Copepoda,Harpacticoida): a missing link between the ‘danielsseniid’ genera and Paranannopus Lang 1936 (Paranannopidae)

Danielssenia intermedia Wells 1965, originally described from a single male specimen from the Fladen ground in the North Sea, is redescribed on the basis of new material of both sexes from off Cullercoats, also in the North Sea. Although D, intermedia has many similarities to the genera Danielssenia Boeck and Psammis Sars, it must be placed in a new genus Fladenia based on distinctive features of the female antennule, the mandible, maxilliped, first and fifth legs and the sexual dimorphism of both rami of legs 2–4. The characteristics of Fladenia are such that it serves to link the other genera of the danielsseniid complex with Paranannopus Lang. The proposal that all these genera should be placed in the family Paranannopidae Por is reinforced by close similarities in the structure of the female genital field.     

Description of a new species of Demania Laurie, 1906 (Crustacea,Decapoda, Brachyura,Xanthidae) from the Bay of Bengal,Indian Ocean

A new species of xanthid crab, Demania bangladeshensis sp. nov., is described from the Bay of Bengal, Indian Ocean. Demania bangladeshensis appears to be most closely related to Demania toxica Garth, 1971, a poisonous species from the Philippines, but can easily be separated by the differently sculptured carapace, legs and chelipeds.     

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     

Four new species of the Diphascon nobilei group (Eutardigrada,Hypsibiidae)

The existence of a group of species similar to Diphascon (Diphascon) nobilei is shown. These species have some common characteristics: a well‐evident drop‐shaped thickening between the buccal tube and the pharyngeal tube, pharyngeal bulb, more or less elongate, with three rod‐shaped macroplacoids and microplacoid, claws of the hind legs different from those of the first three pairs of legs in having a very wide basal portion and indented basal margin, basal spurs also present on the external claws and, in some cases, also on the internal claws of the first three pairs of legs. Four new species of this group are described: Diphascon (D.) serratum, D. (D.) nelsonae, D. (D.) platyungue, and D. (D.) hydrophilum. They differ from one another in the dimensions and shape of the claws; in some cases the difference also affects the value of the ptd index relative to the insertion point of the stylet supports, the buccal and the pharyngeal tube length or the macroplacoid length.     

XXVIII.—Les Trechus [Coleoptera,Carabidæ] de l'Everest Expedition, 1924, et Remarques sur quelques espèces de l'Himalaya

Summary

Chorthippus m. montanus and C. p. parallelus are often difficult and sometimes impossible to separate using existing keys. Eleven potentially useful characters are re-evaluated in the male and six in the female. In males the best characters are found to be the number of stridulatory pegs on the hind femur, the length of the stridulatory file, cercus and anterior medial area, and the distance of the stigma from the fore wing tip; these characters are closely correlated with each other. In females the shape and length of the ventral valves of the ovipositor are found to be the most useful characters. The acoustic behaviour, cytology, serology, ecology and distribution of the two species are discussed.

A lectotype is designated for C. caffer Ramme, which is newly synonymised with C. p. parallelus. C. erythropus Faber is reduced in status to a subspecies of C. parallelus. The status of the following is also discussed: C. montanus tatrae Harz, C. parallelus aemulus Mishchenko, C. p. geminus Mishchenko, C. p. tenuis (Brullé), C. turanicus Tarbinskii and C. curtipennis (Harris).

A key is given to the Western European species and subspecies of this group.     

Ectoparasitism and phoresy in Thysanoptera: the case of Aulacothrips dictyotus (Heterothripidae) in the Neotropical savanna

Thrips are cosmopolitan and abundant insects with great diversity in the Neotropics, but taxonomic and crop pest aspects comprise almost all of our knowledge of these insects. Here we describe a unique case of an ectoparasite species, Aulacothrips dictyotus Hood (Heterothripidae), which infests and also uses as dispersal vector (phoresy behaviour) the hemipteran Enchenopa brasiliensis (Membracidae). Thrips fix themselves on the ventral region of their hosts, at the junction of thorax and abdomen. Phoresy takes place when the attached thrips are transported to other plants and/or host aggregations. Phoresy is a useful long range dispersal mechanism for this weakly flying thrip species. Out of the 6000 species of thrips described, most are phytophagous and fungivorous, and only A. dictyotus performs ectoparasitism and phoretic behaviour.