Copepods of the family Ergasilidae (Poecilostomatoida) parasitic on coastal fishes of Kerala,India

Six species of ergasilid copepods are described, based on material found on 11 species of fishes collected from estuaries and rivers in Kerala, India. Five are new to science, they are: Dermoergasilus varicoleus n. sp. from Liza tade Forskål; Ergasilus parvitergum n. sp. from Etroplus suratensis (Bloch) and Caranx malabaricus (Bloch and Schneider); Ergasilus rostralis n. sp. from Liza tade, L. macrolepis (Smith), and Valamugil seheli (Forskål); Ergasilus uniseriatus n. sp. from Glossogobius giuris (Hamilton) and Xenentodon cancila Hamilton; and Paraergasilus dentatus n. sp. from Glossogobius giuris. Dermoergasilus amplectens (Dogiel and Akhmerov) was recovered in India from six species of hosts: Etroplus maculatus (Bloch), Gerres setifer (Hamilton), Hyporamphus xanthopterus (Cuvier and Valenciennes), Megalops cyprinoides (Broussonet), Valamugil seheli (Forskål), and Chanos chanos (Forskål).     

Occurrence of the trapdoor spider genus Moggridgea in Australia with descriptions of two new species (Araneae: Mygalomorphae: Migidae)

The occurrence of the trapdoor spider genus Moggridgea (Migidae) in Australia is reported, and two new species described: M. tingle n. sp. from southwest Western Australia and M. australis n. sp. from Kangaroo Island, South Australia. This is the first record of the subfamily Paramiginae from Australia. The historical biogeographic implications are discussed.     

Jumping plant‐lice of the family Phacopteronidae (Hemiptera: Psylloidea) from Cameroon

Nine species of the family Phacopteronidae are recorded from Cameroon. All are assigned to the large pan‐tropical genus Pseudophacopteron. Eight species are described as new, and P. electum Capener is redescribed. The species are diagnosed and illustrated, and keys for the identification of adults and fifth instar larvae are provided. Information is given on distribution, host plants, and biology. Eight species are associated with plants of the order Rutales/Sapindales (three Sapindaceae, one Burseraceae, one Burseraceae or Anacardiaceae, one Meliaceae, one Rutaceae, and one Anacardiaceae/Simaroubaceae); host plants of one species remain unknown. Four species, namely P. electum, P. fuscivenosum sp. n., P. lecaniodisci sp. n., and P. morion sp. n., induce nut or pit galls on the leaves.     

The occurrence of a new species of Isocyamus (Crustacea,Amphipoda) from Australian and Japanese Pilot Whales,with a key to species of Isocyamus

Isocyamus deltobranchium n. sp. is described from the short-finned pilot whale, Globicephala macrorhynchus Gray 1946 in Japanese waters, and the long-finned pilot whale, Globicephala melaena (Traill 1809) from Tasmania, Australia. To date only two species of Isocyamus have been described: I. delphini (Geurin-Meneville 1836) Gervais and Beneden, 1859 and I. kogiae Sedlak-Weinstein 1991. The present species differs from I. delphini and I. kogiae in having large triangular accessory gills in the males, and a bilobed maxilla 2. It is similar to I. delphini in ventral spination, and single serrated comb on dactylus of gnathopod 1. Isocyamus deltobranchium n. sp. is the second species of cyamid reported from the long-finned pilot whale and the first from the short-finned pilot whale. The occurrence of I. deltobranchium in the northern and southern hemispheres, and in two different host species, suggests that the ranges of the host species overlap.     

Heterotrophic flagellates (Protista) from marine sediments of Botany Bay,Australia

Heterotrophic flagellates (protozoa) occurring in the marine sediments at Botany Bay, Australia are reported. Among the 87 species from 43 genera encountered in this survey are 13 new taxa: Cercomonas granulatus n. sp., Clautriavia cavus n. sp., Heteronema larseni n. sp., Notosolenus adamas n. sp., Notosolenus brothernis n. sp., Notosolenus hemicircularis n. sp., Notosolenus lashue n. sp., Notosolenus pyriforme n. sp., Petalomonas intortus n. sp., Petalomonas iugosus n. sp., Petalomonas labrum n. sp., Petalomonas planus n. sp. and Petalomonas virgatus n. sp.; and seven new combinations, Carpediemonas bialata n. comb., Dinema platysomum n. comb., Petalomonas calycimonoides nom. nov., Petalomonas christeni nom. nov., Petalomonas physaloides n. comb., Petalomonas quinquecarinata n. comb. and Petalomonas spinifera n. comb. Most flagellates described here appear to be cosmopolitan. We are unable to assess if the new species are endemic because of the lack of intensive studies elsewhere.     

Digenetic trematodes from mullets of Visakhapatnam (India)

In the course of a survey carried out on the digenetic trematode fauna of three species of mullets Mugil cephalus, Liza macrolepis and Valamugil cunnesius collected from various brackish water localities at Visakhapatnam, 15 species of adult digenetic trematodes and 9 species of metacercariae were encountered.

The adult digeneans are distributed over 7 families as follows: Transversotrematidae (1), Haploporidae (6), Haplosplanchnidae (2), Lepocreadiidae (1), Gorgoderidae (1), Bunocotylidae (3) and Bivesiculidae (1). Five new species, Haploporus indicus, H. pseudoindicus, Lecithobotrys mugilis, Carassotrema bengalense and Saturnius valamugilis are described. Other species reported are: Transversotrema patialense, Pseudohapladena bengalense, Saccocoelioides martini, Haplosplanchnus purii, H. caudatus, Phyllodistomum lewesi, Crassicutis karwarensis, Saturnius segmentatus, Aphanurus harengulae and Paucivitellosus sp.

The nine species of metacercariae collected from mullets belonged to 5 families: Clinostomidae (1), Heterophyidae (5), Acanthostomatidae (1), Cryptogonimidae (1) and Didymozoidae (1). The various metacercariae collected are: Clinostomum sp., Haplorchis yokogawai, Centrocestus formosanus, Stellantchasmus falcatus, Stictodora sp., Galactosomum ussuriense, Atrophecaecum burminis and Exorchis sp.

The characteristic features of the trematode fauna of mullets are discussed. Support is given to Manter's ecological bridge theory that mullets act as links in the intertransfer of parasites between marine and freshwater habitats.     

Copepods of the genus Colobomatus (Poecilostomatoida: Philichthyidae) from fishes of the family Sillaginidae (Teleostei: Perciformes)

Six species of Colobomatus, five of which are new to science, were found in a survey of 26 species of sillaginid fishes in the Indo-west Pacific. Three of the species are closely related and occur in the head cavities of various species of their hosts. Colobomatus sillaginis West, 1983 is recorded in Sillaginodes punctata and 12 species of Sillago, from around the coast of Australia and in the Gulf of Thailand, representing many new host and locality records. Female C. asiaticus sp. nov. are described from southeast Asia and the Persian Gulf, in three species of Sillago. Female C. arabicus sp. nov. are described from two species of Sillago occurring only in the Persian Gulf. A second intrageneric grouping of three species of Colobomatus inhabits a different microhabitat: tubes of the lateral line scales. Each of these species infects several sillaginid fishes, and in contrast to members of the first species-group they are entirely allopatric with each other. In Australia, female C. fulloonae sp. nov. are described from three species of Sillago in northern waters, and female C. charleah sp. nov. are described from two species of Sillago and Sillaginodes punctata in southern waters. Female C. westi sp. nov. are described from three species of Sillago in the waters of eastern Asia (Japan, Korea and China). Only one male specimen of each of C. arabicus sp. nov., C. charleah sp. nov. and C. westi sp. nov. was found.     

A revision of Tachyphron Brown and description of two new genera within the Ariphron group (Hymenoptera: Tiphiidae)

The Australasian genus Tachyphron Brown is revised, and two new New Guinean genera, Deuterothynnus gen. n. and Heligmothynnus gen. n., described. Fifteen species are included in Tachyphron of which seven are described as new (T. aculeatus sp. n., T. athertonensis sp. n., T. mantonensis sp. n., T. neosubfragilis sp. n., T. nigrisetatus sp. n., T. planus sp. n. and T. townsvillensis sp. n.), and a further two, Aelurus comatus Smith and Aelurus fragilis Smith, transferred from Tachynomyia. Thynnus insularis Smith is transferred from Tachynomyia Guérin to Deuterothynnus and a further three new species, D. fulvicentratus sp. n., D. fulvisetatus sp. n. and D. parallelus sp. n. described. Aelurus atratus Cameron and Takyomyia sabronensis Kimsey are transferred from Tachynomyia and Tachyphron, respectively, to Heligmothynnus and a further two new species, H. microspinus sp. n. and H. neoaratus sp. n. described. T. megacephala (Turner) is synonymized with Tachynoides flavopicta (Ritsema) and, therefore, removed from Tachyphron. A key to the Ariphron group of genera is provided, as well as keys to the males of Tachyphron, Deuterothynnus and Heligmothynnus, although the male of D. insularis is associated tentatively with the female holotype only on the basis of collection records. Only the females of D. insularis, T. armidalensis Brown and T. subtriangularus Brown are known, the latter two being described for the first time. Evidence is presented to suggest that T. subtriangularus may be bivoltine in northern Australia.     

Revision of the genus Erythracarus Berlese (Acarina: Anystidae: Erythracarinae)

The mite genus Erythracarus is revised and redefined and the new pyrrholeucus species group is described. The type species of Erythracarus is established as E. ruricola and the previous designation of Trombidium parietinum as the type is thus declared invalid. Bechsteinia and Chabrieria are newly synonymized with Erythracarus. Nine new species are described: Erythracarus amnicolus n. sp., E. avius n. sp., E. barbarus n. sp., E. ciliatus n. sp., E. decoris n. sp., E. elegans n. sp., E. flavipes n. sp., E. katherinae n. sp. and E. nasutus n. sp. The species E. parietinus, E. pyrrholeucus, E. festinus and E. grahami are redescribed and identification keys to known species and instars of Erythracarus are presented. E. cluozzai is made a junior synonym of Tarsolarkus articulosus, Bechsteinia solarii and Erythraeus spinatus are made junior synonyms of Erythracarus parietinus, while Bechsteinia californica, B. schneideri and Tarsotomus terminalis are all made junior synonyms of E. pyrrholeucus. E. simku is found to be a nomen nudum. E. pyrrholeucus is recorded for the first time from Australia, Iran and the Ukraine and E. parietinus for the first time from the western United States. The only record of E. parietinus from Australia is shown to be based on a misidentification. Observations on reproductive behaviour are made for five Erythracarus species. All of these reproduce sexually by means of stalked spermatophores, the shape of which is species specific. Spermatophores are often deposited on top of one another, possibly indicating sperm competition. Males of one species, E. pyrrholeucus, are unknown and this species is thus likely to be thelytokous. Some Erythracarus species are oviparous. E. ciliatus and E. parietinus are ovoviviparous or viviparous. Prelarvae that were studied were immotile except for those of E. ciliatus, which were able to move their legs. Immotility is a derived character state in Erythracarus and possibly an adaptation to more protected habitats.     

The Agromyzid genus Paraphytomyza Enderlein: new to the Oriental Region (Diptera)

Paraphytomyza jasmini sp. n. from India and P. loniceroides sp. n. from N.W. Pakistan are described, representing the first reared species in this genus known in the Oriental Region. P. kraussi (Sasakawa, 1963) from Papua New Guinea is formally transferred to Paraphytomyza as a new combination. The nomenclature, distribution and host range of Paraphytomyza are discussed.     

Six new feather mite species (Acari: Astigmata) from the carolina parakeet Conuropsis carolinensis (Psittaciformes: Psittacidae), an extinct parrot of North America

We describe six new feather mite species collected from museum skins of the carolina parakeet Conuropsis carolinensis Linnaeus, 1758, which lived in North America and became extinct at the beginning of the 20th century: Genoprotolichus simplex sp. n., Lopharalichus beckeri sp. n., Neorhytidelasma conuropsis sp. n. (Pterolichidae: Pterolichinae), Chiasmalges carolinensis sp. n. (Psoroptoididae: Pandalurinae), Fainalges gracilitarsus sp. n., and Protonyssus proctorae sp. n. (Xolalgidae: Ingrassiinae). Brief comments on the current systematic state and host associations of these feather mite genera are provided.     

Weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea) seed-predators of Syzygium and Eugenia spp. (Myrtaceae), with description of the Alcidodes expansitarsis species group (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Molytinae: Mecysolobini)

The weevils known to develop in Syzygium and Eugenia (Myrtaceae) fruit are reviewed. These weevils belong to the genera Curculio, Alcidodes, Acythopeus, Apotomorhinus (Curculionidae: Curculioninae, Molytinae and (the last two) Baridinae respectively) and Sitophilus (Dryophthoridae) in the Old World, and Atractomerus (Curculionidae: Anthonominae) in the Neotropics; two undescribed baridine species (one in Australia and the other in the USA) are also known to feed on the fruits, and the Omophorine Teleuropus (Curculionidae: Molytinae) has been found associated with them. Particular attention is paid to species of Alcidodes from aseasonal dipterocarp-dominated forests in South-East Asia. Two Bornean species (Alcidodes janetae sp. n. and A. eugeniophilus sp. n.) are the first of their genus to be reared from the fruit of Syzygium or Eugenia. These species, plus two other (A. expansitarsis sp. n. from Assam, Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos, and A. gymnasticus sp. n. from Malaysia) belong to a previously undescribed species group of Alcidodes; all four species are described and keyed.     

The pygmaeus-group of Euops Schoenherr (Coleoptera,Curculionoidea, Attelabidae), weevils associated with Nothofagus in New Guinea

A new species group of Euops Schoenherr from the highlands of New Guinea is described and referred to as the ‘pygmaeus-group’. It is comprised of 14 species which, except for E. singularis VOSS, are described as new: E. anggiensis sp. n., E. bicolor sp. n., E. convexus sp. n., E. fraterculus sp. n., E. ibelensis sp. n., E. kurulu sp. n., E. nothofagi sp. n., E. parvus sp. n., E. paraconvexus sp. n., E. platyrostris sp. n., E. porulosus sp. n., E. pygmaeus sp. n., and E. sedlaceki sp. n.. Most of the species are of relatively small body size. They form a monophyletic group characterized by the synapomorphic loss of the ventral suture between the galea and palpifer of the maxilla. Two other groups are recognized, the eucalypti-group and the quadrifasciculatus-group. They are believed to be closely related to the pygmaeus-group and all three species groups together are referred to as the ‘pygmaeus-complex’. A cladistic analysis of the pygmaeus-group is performed. All species with host records are reported to feed on the fresh leaf flush of Nothofagus. This is the first record of a group of leaf-chewing arthropods restricted to the subgenus Brassospora of Nothofagus.     

Three new species of Cecidophyinae (Acari: Eriophyidae) from China

Three new eriophyoid mite species (Acari: Eriophyoidea: Eriophyidae) from China are described and illustrated. They are Cecidophyes truncatis sp. nov. on Acer truncatum Bunge (Aceraceae), Cecidophyes hirsutes sp. nov. on Cardamine hirsute L. (Cruciferae) and Paracolomerus fopingacer sp. nov. on Acer sp. L. (Aceraceae). All the new species described herein are vagrants on the host plant.     

Taxonomic observations on the genera Xenocheira Haswell and Ericthonius Milne Edwards (Crustacea: Amphipoda) from Australian coastal waters

The type-species of the genus Xenocheira Haswell, X. fasciata Haswell, is redescribed (including the true male) from Tasmanian material. Pirlot's putative male X. fasciata from Indonesia is allocated to a new species, X. pirloti nom. nov. and K. H. Barnard's ‘X. fasciata’ from the Great Barrier Reef referred to Grandidierella gilesi Chilton. Another Xenocheira species from Western Australia is identified tentatively as X.? seurati Chevreux. Two new species of Ericthonius Milne Edwards are described, one from Tasmania (E. tacitus sp. nov.) and one from Western Australia (E. coxacanthus sp. nov.). The first record of E. pugnax Dana from mainland Australia is claimed for material from Western Australia. The taxonomic relationships of these species are evaluated and discussed.     

A new diagnosis for Dinaphorura (Collembola: Onychiuridae: Tullbergiinae) and description of new species from Australia

Dinaphorura tooheyensis n. sp., the fourth species of Dinaphorura recorded from Australia, is described from Toohey Forest, a eucalypt woodland, in southeast Queensland. The new species differs from existing species in the genus in that it possesses only a single spiniform process on abdomen VI instead of the usual five or seven and the generic diagnosis has been modified accordingly. Ecological notes on D. tooheyensis are provided as well as a check list and key to species in Dinaphorura.     

Nephtyidae (Polychaeta: Phyllodocida) of Australia: new species from the North West Shelf,and a key to Australian species

Five species of Nephtyidae new to Australia are described from the North West Shelf, and a key to the 18 known species of Australian nephtyids is given. Four of the species described are new: three species of Aglaophamus (A. foliocirrata sp. nov., A. hedlandensis sp. nov. and A. victoriae sp. nov.) and a new species of Inermonephtys (I. tetrophthalmos sp. nov.). Difficulties in the clear definition of Aglaophamus, Micronephthys and Nephtys indicate the need for systematic revision of the family.     

Three new species of the deep-sea genus Neotanais Beddard (Crustacea: Peracarida)

Three new species of the deep-water family Neotanaididae Lang are described. Neotanais minimus n. sp. and N. curvimanus n. sp. were collected from the Gulf of Mexico and are the first species to be described from this region. Neotanais minimus cannot be grouped with other Neotanais species, since it displays characters from all groupings. Neotanais curvimanus has strong affinities to the ‘americanus’ group but can be separated by the short pereonite 6 and by the presence of many setulose setae lateral on the pleonites. Male N. curvimanus can easily be separated from all other species of the genus by the cheliped fixed finger being only half as long as the dactylus and the dactylus being incurved from fixed finger at an angle of about 40°. Neotanais noelietaiti n. sp. was found off south-east Australia and is the first Neotanais species to be described from Australian waters. It also has strong affinities to the ‘americanus’ group but can be distinguished by the complete lack of a midventral keel and by the uropodal exopod being as long as the endopod article 1.