The diverse Grania fauna (Clitellata: Enchytraeidae) of the Esperance area,Western Australia,with descriptions of two new species

Seven species of the marine enchytraeid genus Grania Southern, 1913 are described from sediments sampled during the 2003 International Workshop on the Marine Flora and Fauna of Esperance Bay and the Recherche Archipelago, on the southern coast of Western Australia. Two species are new to science, the euryhaline Tasmanian G. dolichura Rota and Erséus, 2000 Rota, E. and Erséus, C. 2000. Two new and peculiar species of Grania (Annelida: Clitellata: Enchytraeidae) inhabiting Tasmanian estuaries.. New Zealand Journal of Zoology, 27: 245–254. [Taylor & Francis Online], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar] represents a new record for the state, and the remaining four species were known from other parts of Western Australia. Grania quaerens sp. n. is recognized by having a high chaetal index ( = short chaetal foot), small coelomocytes, penial apparati with long whip‐like terminal stylets, conspicuous spermathecae with ectally bulbous ducts, and ectally granulated ampullae housing sperm rings in their ental region. Grania sperantia sp. n. is readily distinguishable by the complete lack of lateral chaetae, a multiple‐banded pattern of the clitellum, extremely long sperm funnels, and the intrasegmental location of the spermathecal pores. The latter new species and four others in the collection (G. bykane Coates, 1990 Coates, K. A. 1990. “Marine Enchytraeidae (Oligochaeta, Annelida) of the Albany area, Western Australia.”. In The marine flora and fauna of Albany, Western Australia, 1, Edited by: Wells, F. E, Walker, D. I, Kirkman, H and Lethbridge, R. 13–41. Perth: Western Australian Museum.  [Google Scholar], G. crassiducta Coates, 1990 Coates, K. A. 1990. “Marine Enchytraeidae (Oligochaeta, Annelida) of the Albany area, Western Australia.”. In The marine flora and fauna of Albany, Western Australia, 1, Edited by: Wells, F. E, Walker, D. I, Kirkman, H and Lethbridge, R. 13–41. Perth: Western Australian Museum.  [Google Scholar], G. dolichura, and G. ersei Coates, 1990 Coates, K. A. 1990. “Marine Enchytraeidae (Oligochaeta, Annelida) of the Albany area, Western Australia.”. In The marine flora and fauna of Albany, Western Australia, 1, Edited by: Wells, F. E, Walker, D. I, Kirkman, H and Lethbridge, R. 13–41. Perth: Western Australian Museum.  [Google Scholar]) are remarkable in possessing the head organ, a sensory structure unique to Grania that was not noted previously in Western Australian species. When considering the whole genus, the geographic pattern of the head organ appears southern‐centred: of the 17 species of Grania reported to possess it, as many as 13 inhabit the southern latitudes. The seventh species of the Esperance collection, G. vacivasa Coates and Stacey, 1993 Coates, K. A. and Stacey, D. 1993. “The marine Enchytraeidae (Oligochaeta, Annelida) of Rottnest Island, Western Australia.”. In The marine flora and fauna of Rottnest Island, Western Australia, Edited by: Wells, F. E, Walker, D. I, Kirkman, H and Lethbridge, R. 391–414. Perth: Western Australian Museum.  [Google Scholar], is notable for the kind of items found in its gut and the unusual appearance of its pygidium.     

Redefinition of the parastenocaridid genus Proserpinicaris (Copepoda: Harpacticoida), with description of three new species from Korea

Proserpinicaris young sp. nov., Proserpinicaris wangpi sp. nov. and Proserpinicaris imjin sp. nov. are described from subterranean waters of South Korea. They are short-range endemics, allopatric in distribution and closely related to each other, and to two other Far Eastern congeners. Distinguishing features are limited to the general habitus shape, proportions of the caudal rami and degree of sexual dimorphism. The genus Proserpinicaris Jakobi, 1972 Jakobi, H. 1972. Trends (Enp.P4 Mänchen) innerhalb der Parastenocarididen (Copepoda Harpacticoidea). Crustaceana, 22: 127–146. [Crossref] , [Google Scholar], as redefined here, is Palaearctic in distribution, with the centre of diversity in southern Europe, and 20 valid members, all of which share a large hyaline spiniform structure on the male fourth leg basis as a synapomorphy. A key to species is provided. Genera Niponnicaris Jakobi, 1972 Jakobi, H. 1972. Trends (Enp.P4 Mänchen) innerhalb der Parastenocarididen (Copepoda Harpacticoidea). Crustaceana, 22: 127–146. [Crossref] , [Google Scholar] and Pannonicaris Jakobi, 1972 Jakobi, H. 1972. Trends (Enp.P4 Mänchen) innerhalb der Parastenocarididen (Copepoda Harpacticoidea). Crustaceana, 22: 127–146. [Crossref] , [Google Scholar] are established as its junior subjective synonyms, Lacustricaris Jakobi, 1972 Jakobi, H. 1972. Trends (Enp.P4 Mänchen) innerhalb der Parastenocarididen (Copepoda Harpacticoidea). Crustaceana, 22: 127–146. [Crossref] , [Google Scholar] is formally synonymized with Parastenocaris Kessler, 1913, and Parastenocaris lacustris Chappuis, 1958 Chappuis, PA. 1958. Le genre Parastenocaris Kessler. Vie Milieu, 8: 423–432.  [Google Scholar] is designated as incertae sedis in Fontinalicaridinae Schminke, 2010 Schminke, HK. 2010. High-level phylogenetic relationships within Parastenocarididae (Copepoda, Harpacticoida). Crustaceana, 83: 343–367. [Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar].     

Revalidation of Hepsetus cuvieri (Castelnau, 1861) (Characiformes: Hepsetidae) from the Quanza,Zambezi and southern part of the Congo ichthyofaunal provinces

Hepsetus cuvieri (Castelnau, 1861 Castelnau, FL. 1861. Mémoire sur les poissons de l'Afrique australe, Paris: Mem Poiss Afr Australe. [Crossref] , [Google Scholar]), originally described from “lac N'gami” (Botswana) and synonymized with H. odoe (Bloch, 1794 Bloch, ME. 1794. Naturgeschichte der ausländischen Fische. Berlin., 8: 1–174.  [Google Scholar]) by Roberts (1984 Roberts, TR. 1984. “Hepsetidae”. In Check-list of the freshwater fishes of Africa (CLOFFA), Edited by: Daget, J, Gosse, JP and Thys van den Audenaerde, DFE. 138–139. Tervuren and Paris: ORSTOM. p.  [Google Scholar]), is revalidated. Hepsetus cuvieri can be readily distinguished from H. odoe based on a lower total number of gill rakers (8–13 versus 14–21); a generally higher number of scales between the dorsal fin and the lateral line (10½–11½ versus 7½–10½) and a higher number of scales between the adipose fin and the lateral line (6½–7½ versus 4½–6½) and other characters. A neotype is designated, as the holotype of this nominal species is apparently lost. Hepsetus cuvieri is restricted to the Quanza, Zambezi ichthyofaunal provinces and the southern part of the Congo Basin, i.e. the Congo ichthyofaunal province.     

A preliminary account of the shallow-water echinoderms of Rodrigues,Mauritius, western Indian Ocean

Collections of echinoderms were made from the intertidal, lagoon and reef slopes of Rodrigues over a period of 3 weeks in September to October, 2001. A total of 74 species are reported here, including three species of Crinoidea, 10 species of Asteroidea, 17 species of Ophiuroidea, 15 species of Echinoidea and 29 species of Holothurioidea. These findings include 10 new records for the Mascarene Islands (Réunion, Mauritius and Rodrigues), four species (two in the asteroid genus ‘Asterina’, one in the ophiuroid genus Amphioplus and one species in the holothurioid genus Actinopyga) that remain unnamed due to the need to clarify unresolved taxonomic issues, and one species of crinoid which could not be identified because only the distal parts of four arms were collected. In the dendrochirotid holothurioid family Psolidae, the little-known species Psolus appendiculatus (de Blainville) 1821 Blainville, H. M. de. 1821. Holothuries. Dictionaire des Sciences Naturelles, 21: 310–319.  [Google Scholar], P. boholensis Semper, 1868 and P. complanatus Semper, 1868 are referred to the genus Psolidium Ludwig, 1887. Despite its seniority, P. appendiculatus is treated as a (senior) synonym of the better known and described species Psolidium ornatum (Perrier, 1893). In the dendrochirotid holothurioid family Phyllophoridae, Thyonidiella cherbonnieri nom. nov. is proposed for misidentified specimens of Semperiella tenera (Ludwig, 1875) in the western Indian Ocean, and Semperiella Heding and Panning, 1954 Heding, S. G and Panning, A. 1954. Phyllophoridae. Eine bearbeitung der polytentaculaten dendrochiroten Holothurien des zoologischen Museums in Kopenhagen. Spolia Zoologica Musei Hauniensis, 13: 7–209, 102 figures [Google Scholar] is reduced to the synonymy of Thyonidiella Heding and Panning, 1954 Heding, S. G and Panning, A. 1954. Phyllophoridae. Eine bearbeitung der polytentaculaten dendrochiroten Holothurien des zoologischen Museums in Kopenhagen. Spolia Zoologica Musei Hauniensis, 13: 7–209, 102 figures [Google Scholar]. In the apodid holothurioid family Chiridotidae the species Chiridota eximia Haacke, 1880 Haacke W 1880 Holothurien in K. A. Möbius and F. Richter (eds) Beitrage zur Meeresfauna der Insel Mauritius und des Seychelles (Berlin: Gustav Fischer), pp.?46–48  [Google Scholar] is reduced to the synonymy of C. rigida Semper, 1868.

Given the small size of the area of shallow water around Rodrigues that has been sampled, the relatively small range of marine habitats present and the geographic isolation, this is an impressive diversity. The biogeography of the 69 identified species of Rodrigues is discussed.     

Taxonomy of the genus Thoracostrongylus Bernhauer (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) with descriptions of five new species from China

The Chinese species of the genus Thoracostrongylus Bernhauer, 1915 Bernhauer, M. 1915. Neue Staphyliniden aus Java und Sumatra. Tijdschr Entomol., 58: 213–243.  [Google Scholar] are reviewed. Five new species are described: Thoracostrongylus acerosus sp. nov. from Sichuan and Hubei, Th. aduncatus sp. nov. from Yunnan, Th. baoxingensis sp. nov. from Sichuan, Th. diaoluoensis sp. nov. from Hainan and Th. fujianensis sp. nov. from Fujian. Thoracostrongylus birmanus (Fauvel, 1895 Fauvel, A. 1895. Staphylinides nouveaux de l'Inde et de la Malaisie. Rev Entomol., 14: 180–286.  [Google Scholar]) is recorded from China for the first time. Male genitalia and other critical characters are illustrated not only for the new species but also for the remaining Chinese species, namely Th. formosanus Shibata, 1982 Shibata, Y. 1982. A new species of the genus Thoracostrongylus Bernhauer from Taiwan (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae). T Shikoku entomol Soc., 16: 71–76.  [Google Scholar], Th. malaisei Scheerpeltz, 1965 Scheerpeltz, O. 1965. Wissenschaftliche Ergebnisse der Schwedischen Expedition 1934 nach Indien und Burma. Coleoptera Staphylinidae (except Megalopsidiinae et Steninae). Ark Zool. (2), 17(2): 93–371.  [Google Scholar], Th. miyakei Bernhauer, 1943 Bernhauer, M. 1943. Neuheiten der palaearktischen Staphylinidenfauna. Mitt münch entomol Ges., 33: 169–188.  [Google Scholar] and Th. velutinus Scheerpeltz, 1965 Scheerpeltz, O. 1965. Wissenschaftliche Ergebnisse der Schwedischen Expedition 1934 nach Indien und Burma. Coleoptera Staphylinidae (except Megalopsidiinae et Steninae). Ark Zool. (2), 17(2): 93–371.  [Google Scholar].     

Taxonomy of the bryozoan genera Oncousoecia,Microeciella and Eurystrotos (Cyclostomata: Oncousoeciidae)

The selection of Tubulipora lobulata Hincks, 1880 Hincks, T. 1880. A history of the British marine Polyzoa, London, , (UK): Van Voorst. [Crossref] , [Google Scholar] as type species when establishing Oncousoecia is interpreted as a deliberate misapplication of a name, the nominal species T. lobulata having been originally described by Hassall in 1841 Hassall, A. H. 1841. Supplement to a catalogue of Irish zoophytes.. Ann Mag Nat Hist., 7: 363–373. [Taylor & Francis Online] , [Google Scholar]. Canu is deemed to have created a new nominal species, Oncousoecia lobulata Canu, 1918 Canu, F. 1918. Les ovicelles des bryozoaires cyclostomes. Études sur quelques familles nouvelles et anciennes.. Bull Soc Géol France, Série 4, 16[for 1916]: 324–335.  [Google Scholar], which is the valid type species of Oncousoecia. Microeciella Taylor and Sequeiros, 1982 Taylor, P. D. and Sequeiros, L. 1982. Toarcian bryozoans from Belchite in north‐east Spain.. Bull Br Mus (Nat Hist), Geol Ser., 37: 117–129.  [Google Scholar] and Eurystrotos Hayward and Ryland, 1985 have each been used to accommodate similar oncousoeciid species with subcircular colonies. The type species of Eurystrotos, Alecto compacta Norman, 1867 Norman, A. M. Report of the committee appointed for the purpose of exploring the coasts of the Hebrides by means of the dredge. – Part II. On the Crustacea, Echinodermata, Polyzoa, and Hydrozoa. Report of the 36^th Meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, Vol. 1866, pp.193–206.  [Google Scholar], has a branching colony‐form and does not differ appreciably from Oncousoecia with which it is here synonymized. Another species, Diastopora suborbicularis Hincks, 1880 Hincks, T. 1880. A history of the British marine Polyzoa, London, , (UK): Van Voorst. [Crossref] , [Google Scholar], previously regarded as being a junior synonym of A. compacta Norman, 1867 Norman, A. M. Report of the committee appointed for the purpose of exploring the coasts of the Hebrides by means of the dredge. – Part II. On the Crustacea, Echinodermata, Polyzoa, and Hydrozoa. Report of the 36^th Meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, Vol. 1866, pp.193–206.  [Google Scholar] (itself a subjective junior synonym of Alecto dilatans Johnston, 1847 Johnston, G. 1847. A history of British zoophytes, London, , (UK): Van Voorst. 2nd edition [Google Scholar]), has a different ancestrular morphology and an unbranched colony‐form. It is here transferred to Microeciella.     

Taxonomy of the Goliath beetle Goliathus orientalis Moser, 1909 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Cetoniinae)

The 16 names proposed for the central and eastern African Goliath beetle Goliathus orientalis Moser, 1909 Moser, J. 1909. Eine neue Lokalform von Goliathus giganteus Lam. Deut Entomol Z, 1909: 238 [Google Scholar], are reviewed and a complete synonymy is presented for the species. The earliest published name is Goliathus giganteus orientalis Moser, 1909 Moser, J. 1909. Eine neue Lokalform von Goliathus giganteus Lam. Deut Entomol Z, 1909: 238 [Google Scholar], type locality Lindi, Deutsch-Ostafrika, and so the correct name for the species is Goliathus orientalis Moser, 1909 Moser, J. 1909. Eine neue Lokalform von Goliathus giganteus Lam. Deut Entomol Z, 1909: 238 [Google Scholar]. Goliathus meleagris Sjöstedt, 1927a Sjöstedt, Y. 1927a. Goliathus meleagris n. sp. (Vorläufige Mitteilung). Entomol Tidskr, 48: 123 [Google Scholar], type locality Katanga, Congo Belge, is a synonym of G. orientalis. Populations of G. orientalis in the Usambara Mountains, Tanzania, may represent a distinct subspecies. The correct subspecific name for this form would be G. orientalis usambarensis Preiss, 1933 Preiss, P. 1933. Neue und bekannte afrikanische Cetoniinen mit besonderer Berucksichtigung der Fauna von Mongoumba. Verh Naturhist Ver Preuss Rheinl Westfalens, 90: 1–3. 70–92 + pls [Google Scholar]; the widely used name G. orientalis preissi Endrödi, 1951 Endrödi, S. 1951. Die arten und aberrationen der gattung Goliathus Lam. i. Folia Entomol Hung (n. s), 4: 29–56.  [Google Scholar], is a junior subjective synonym of G. o. usambarensis Preiss. Goliathus orientalis is re-described and characters are presented for separation of adults of G. orientalis from adults of the partially sympatric species Goliathus goliatus (L.), 1771 and Goliathus albosignatus Boheman, 1857.