A new species of the genus Megapomponia Boulard (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) from southern Vietnam,with a revised key to the species of Megapomponia

A new cicada species, Megapomponia macilenta Lee, sp. nov., is described from Thu Dau Mot, southern Vietnam. Information on geographic distributions of and a revised key to the species of the genus Megapomponia Boulard are provided.     

New species of the cicada genus Semia Matsumura (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) from China and a phylogeny of Semia spp. and their relatives based on molecular data

Two new cicada species, Semia brevidilata, sp. nov. and Semia tibetensis, sp. nov., are described from China. Semia majuscula, a newly recorded species to China, is re-described, as some new characteristics are recognised which may be useful for further taxonomic and phylogenetic analysis of this genus and its allies. Partial mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) sequences of five Semia species and relatives belonging to the genera Pomponia Stål and Psithyristria Stål are further analysed to confirm the validity of related new species and to provide a useful reference for the identification of Semia. A key to all species of Semia is provided, and the phylogenetic relationships among species of Semia and their relatives are discussed.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:64144283-8CCE-4687-9D07-2033939165E7     

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.     

Patterns of trophic relationships between planthoppers (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha) and their host plants on the Mascarene Islands

Following an up‐to‐date synopsis on the planthopper fauna and their associated host‐plants in the Mascarene Islands including numerous new data, a study of host plant and Fulgoromorpha interaction patterns illustrates some remarkable specificities. The endemic fauna remains essentially on endemic plants and exotic planthoppers have not shifted to them, remaining on exotic plants. Two fulgoromorph families are strictly associated with monocotyledons: (1) the Delphacidae represented by widespread species maintain the same host as the continental source populations, especially exotic Poaceae and (2) the Derbidae which displayed a food conservatism for woody plants are found mostly on endemic Arecaceae, Pandanaceae and Liliaceae. These relationships differ from continental Derbidae, which are recorded as much on dicotyledons as on monocotyledons. Other island specificity appears with the endemic species of Meenoplidae from La Réunion, which are recorded on endemic dicotyledons whereas the continental species are recorded on monocotyledons. In La Réunion, a positive correlation between endemic planthopper diversity recorded on different host plants and endemic plant diversity within different plant orders was observed. This result suggests a stochastic distribution of the planthoppers on the available botanical taxa at the time of colonization. In the Mascarenes, disparities appear between Cixiidae from La Réunion and Mauritius. On the latter, the Cixiidae seem to be mainly monophagous and the majority of them are recorded on Rubiaceae.     

Male size and territoriality in the cicada killer wasp Sphecius speciosus (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae)

Males of the eastern cicada killer wasp, Sphecius speciosus, occupy territories in which they may hover or where they may perch either in trees near one or more emergence holes or on the ground at these spots from which females may emerge. Large males are more likely to hold and defend these territories at a site in northern Virginia. When resident males were captured, held and weighed, the males that replaced them, which were also captured, held and weighed, had significantly lower body weights on average than the residents.     

Temporal distribution,seed damage and notes on the natural history of Acanthoscelides quadridentatus and Acanthoscelides winderi (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Bruchinae) on their host plant,Mimosa setosa var. paludosa (Fabaceae: Mimosoideae), in the Brazilian Cerrado

The seed beetles, Acanthoscelides quadridentatus and Acanthoscelides winderi are here recorded for the first time feeding on seeds of Mimosa setosa var. paludosa in the Brazilian Cerrado. Our main aims were to describe the temporal distribution, seed damage, and notes on the natural history of these two species on their host plant. We hypothesised that: (a) healthy seeds from infested fruits would have worse germination rate than healthy seeds from noninfested fruits, and (b) females of seed beetles would lay more eggs on large fruits. We made field observations and an experimental field study with the presence of seed beetles versus their exclusion on plants. Results revealed that seed beetles are synchronised with fruiting, with a temporal partitioning in occurrence. Attacked seeds did not germinate, whereas healthy seeds from infested fruits had worse germination rate than healthy seeds from noninfested fruits. Females of seed beetles laid more eggs on large fruits. These results suggest that seed beetles avoid competition through a temporal partitioning curcial for their coexistence, and select large fruits to oviposit as these fruits probably provide more food resource for their offspring. Furthermore, plants might perceive seed beetles’ damage and then reduce resource allocation on infested fruits.     

The first record of the genus Vejdovskybathynella Serban and Leclerc, 1984 (Syncarida,Bathynellacea, Bathynellidae) in the Iberian Peninsula: three new species

Three new species of the genus Vejdovskybathynella are described from caves in northern Spain. It is the first time that this genus has been documented in the Iberian Peninsula. Vejdovskybathynella edelweiss n. sp. has several unique features: the setal formula of the antenna (0/2+exp/2+0/1+0/0+0/2+2/4); the form of the segments and claws of the mandibular palp of the mandible of the male; exopod of the female thoracopod VIII similar in size to the endopod (exopod is always longer than the endopod); small frontal projection of the basipod of the male thoracopod VIII, large or very large is common; the form and size of the lobes of the male thoracopod VIII is unique; the second spine of the furcal rami 2.5 times longer than the first spine. Vejdovskybathynella caroloi n. sp. has a unique male thoracopod VIII with a spur in the exopod that is a feature unknown in the genus, and additionally, this species has the smallest endopod of the thoracopod VIII male of the entire genus; the presence of three aesthetascs in segments VI and VII of the antennule had not been observed in this genus until now; the form of the segments of the mandibular palp of the mandible of the male are unique; the distal spine of the sympod of the uropod is larger than in other species, whereas in the rest of the species of the genus they are equal in size. Vejdovskybathynella pascalis n. sp. is the smallest species of the genus and has two and three aesthetascs in segments VI and VII of the antennule, respectively; it is the only species of the genus that has one seta on segment I and two setae on segment IV of the antenna; it has a unique male thoracopod VIII with a small spur on the frontal projection of the basipod and with the endopod larger than all other species in spite of its small size; the basal spine of the sympod of the uropod is smaller than the other three.     

Genus Pseudolepturges Gilmour (1957) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae): a new species from Bolivia,key to the species of the genus and first reports of a possible Pseudomyrmex ant mimic in longhorn beetles

A new species of Pseudolepturges from Bolivia is described and illustrated; a key to the species is also provided. Based on the similar body size, orange-yellowish colour, behaviour, and close co-occurrence on a Triplaris americana tree, we suggest that Pseudolepturges triplarinus sp. nov. is a mimic of the ant Pseudomyrmex triplarinus.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:6DF38C64-6986-4A79-8D9A-645DA89149F2     

Vestimentiferans (Pogonophora) in the Pacific and Indian Oceans: a new genus from Lihir Island (Papua New Guinea) and the Java Trench,with the first report of Arcovestia ivanovi from the North Fiji Basin

Explorations by the German Research Vessel Sonne in the fore-arc and back-arc basins of the western Pacific Ocean have collected vestimentiferan tube worms from both warm vent and cold seep sites. Edison Seamount is a small volcanic cone on the southern flank of Lihir Island, in the Tabar-Feni island chain. Beds of vesicomyid clams on the summit (1450 m depth) are associated with hydrothermal effluent, whereas an uplifted scarp (1600 m depth) nearby is covered by low temperature gas-rich sediments. A methane anomaly has been detected in the water column above the scarp. The benthic fauna includes vestimentiferan tubeworms and bathymodiolid mussels. Bottom photographs show that the vestimentiferans occur singly or in small groups. Four specimens were collected by TV-guided grab. They are described as a new species of a new genus, related to the cold-seep genus Escarpia, of the family Escarpiidae. A single specimen obtained from the landward slope of the Java Trench (1500m) is identified as the same species, extending its area of distribution by some 6000 km westward. Arcovestia ivanovi, already known from hydrothermal vents in the Manus Basin, has now been obtained from a hydrothermal site in the North Fiji Basin.