Revision and biogeographical analysis of the black-chinned tilapia Sarotherodon melanotheron (Teleostei,Cichlidae): results of morphometric,allozyme, globin chain and mtDNA studies

Morphometric, allozyme, globin chain and cytochrome b analyses were used for a revision of the subspecies complex of the black-chinned tilapia, Sarotherodon melanotheron Rüppell, 1852. Three out of four subspecies are recognized as valid: S. m. melanotheron (Ivory Coast to Benin), S. m. heudelotii (Senegal to Guinea) and S. m. leonensis (Sierra Leone to Liberia). The fourth subspecies, S. m. nigripinnis, is raised to the species level S. nigripinnis and is composed of the nominate subspecies S. n. nigripinnis known from Gabon and a newly introduced subspecies, S. n. dolloi, originally described as Tilapia dolloi and previously synonymized with S. m. nigripinnis. It is presently known from the mouth of the Congo to the Lower Kouilou. Phylogenetically, populations from the most eastern range, e.g. Gabon/Congo, are considered to represent the most ancient populations. From this area of origin, the western range of West Africa (Senegal to Benin) was colonized. Two independent colonization events are indicated by allozyme and mtDNA analyses. The initial invasion of the western range of West Africa could be dated back to about 2.5 million years ago.     

The type specimens and type localities of the orangutans,genus Pongo Lacépède, 1799 (Primates: Hominidae)

Uncertain type localities undermine orangutan nomenclature. Bequeathed to the British Museum, the holotype of Pongo pygmaeus, according to Hans Sloane’s catalogue, came from Borneo and died in China. The historical evidence makes Banjarmasin its most probable type locality. William Montgomerie, Assistant Surgeon at Singapore from 1819–1827, and Senior Surgeon from 1832, supplied the holotype of Simia morio. In 1836 an adult female orangutan reached Singapore alive from Pontianak, Borneo. The holotypes of S. morio, S. hendrikzii, S. straussii and P[ithecus] owenii probably had the same origin, as pirate attacks endangered visits to other Bornean coasts. Absent from Brunei and north Sarawak, Malaysia, throughout the Holocene, orangutans occur there only as Pleistocene subfossils at Niah. Pan vetus (the Piltdown mandible) probably came from Paku, Sarawak. We identify Pongo borneo Lacépède, 1799 as an objective senior synonym of P. wurmbii Tiedemann, 1808, correcting its type locality from Sukadana to near Pontianak. This is the earliest name for the western subspecies (previously thought nominotypical) unless Pithecus curtus, probably from the Sadong River, Sarawak, represents a separate subspecies. If so, the name Pongo borneo would transfer to the southern population west of the Kahayan River, genetically distinguished at species level from the Sumatran orangutan, P. abelii.     

Geographical variation in the golden‐striped salamander,Chioglossa lusitanica Bocage, 1864 and the description of a newly recognized subspecies

Morphological and genetic data for the Iberian golden‐striped salamander, Chioglossa lusitanica, demonstrate the existence of two groups with southern and northern ranges, connected by a zone of intergradation in central Portugal. Because reproductive isolation between them is incomplete we consider the groups to be subspecies. The type locality of C. lusitanica (Buçaco near Lousã) is situated inside the mixed zone. This necessitates identification of the nominotypical subspecies. We sequenced a fragment of mitochondrial DNA from one of the species' syntypes and we determined what position over a latitudinal transect maximizes the morphological discrimination between the groups. Both approaches indicate that C. lusitanica from Buçaco represents the southern subspecies. A new subspecies of C. lusitanica is described from a northern locality (Valongo near Porto in north‐western Portugal). A lectotype is designated for Chioglossa lusitanica.     

I.—Notes on the Natural History of East Finmark

Synopsis

A new species of Argyrophylax, parasitic on the Banana Scab-Moth Nacoleia octasema Meyrick, is described and the Oriental and Australasian species of this genus are reviewed; a key is given for their identification. Six species and a subspecies hitherto placed in other genera are here assigned to Argyrophylax, and seven new combinations are established; two specific names are newly placed in synonymy.     

A revision and phylogenetic re-evaluation of the family Schizopodidae (Coleoptera,Buprestoidea)

The Schizopodidae (formerly subfamily Schizopodinae, family Buprestidae) is elevated to family status, based on a review of its morphology including wing venation, male and female genitalia, larvae, and also a cladistic analysis of in-group and out-group comparisions. Two tribes are recognized: Schizopodini LeConte with one genus, Schizopus LeConte and Dystaxiini Théry with two genera: Dystaxia LeConte and Glyptoscelimorpha Horn. The genus Schizopus contains two species: S. laetus LeConte and S. sallei Horn with one new subspecies, S. sallei nigricans Nelson. The genus Dystaxia includes two species: D. murrayi LeConte, and D. elegans Fall. The genus Glyptoscelimorpha is separated into two subgenera: G. (s. str.) with two species, G. marmorata Horn, and G. viridis Chamberlin; and G. (Dystaxiella) Knull, new status, with one species, G. (D.) juniperae (Knull), new combination, with a new subspecies, G. (D.) juniperae viridiceps Nelson. All taxa are described and information on variation, type localities, distribution, biology, and comparisons are given for each species. Keys to taxa for tribes to subspecies are provided. Illustrations for all species, including habitus, male and female genitalia and other parts, as well as cladograms of relationships are presented. Lectotypes are designated for the following: Yermoella helferi Obenberger, Dystaxia elegans Fall and Glyptoscelimorpha marmorata Horn. Tables of taxa, characters and character states used in the cladistic analysis are included.     

Schistosoma curassoni Brumpt, 1931 in sheep and goats in Senegal

A survey of 5722 sheep and 1752 goats at the abatoir in Dakar, Senegal showed that the overall prevalence of schistosomiasis was 2·1%. Of the 112 animals where identification of the schistosome species was possible, all were infected with Schistosoma curassoni, and 2·7% had mixed infections with S. bovis. The adult worms of S. curassoni are described, and on the basis of egg morphology this species is shown to be distinct from S. bovis and S. mattheei. Eggs of S. curassoni measured 146 μm ± 16·8 × 63·3 μm ± 4·5 from sheep and 149·4 μm ± 13·2 × 62·8 μm ± 4·9 from mouse liver, and appear to be indistinguishable from the eggs of S. haematobium Guede Chantier, Senegal which measure 153·1 μm ± 11·1 × 62·4 μm ± 12·1 from mouse liver. However, S. curassoni differs from S. haematobium in that it develops more quickly than S. haematobium in hamsters, uterine eggs becoming visible at least 20 days earlier; the adult worms of S. curassoni are nearly double the size of S. haematobium in hamsters at 70 days post infection.

Also, S. curassoni develops well in sheep and cattle unlike S. haematobium, but will not develop to maturity in baboons like S. haematobium.     

Phylogeography of the Eurasian red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris orientis) on the boreal island of Hokkaido,Japan

To test postglacial population expansion in small arboreal mammals dependent on boreal and subboreal forests, we used complete mitochondrial cytochrome b gene sequences (1140 bases) to investigate the phylogeography of the Eurasian red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris orientis) on the Hokkaido Island of Japan. This subspecies is common in the boreal and subboreal forests of Hokkaido. We examined 61 specimens from 27 localities in Hokkaido. Phylogenetic relationships among 29 haplotypes found in the Hokkaido populations were not associated with geographic distribution of sampling localities. There were four mitochondrial DNA phylogroups. Phylogeographic analyses support sudden expansion of S. vulgaris orientis from restricted refugium in the southern part of Hokkaido during the last glacial period. The phylogeographic structure of this subspecies directly reflects the boreal and subboreal forest dynamics occurring in Hokkaido.     

A new species of Stenhelia (Copepoda,Harpacticoida) from a hydrothermal,active, submarine volcano in the New Ireland Fore-Arc system (Papua New Guinea) with notes on deep sea colonization within the Stenheliinae

A new species of harpacticoid copepod, Stenhelia gundulae (Stenheliinae), is described from Edison seamount, a hydrothermal active submarine volcano in the New Ireland Fore-Arc system (Papua New Guinea). Some species groups are identified within the genus Stenhelia. The new species is assigned to the ‘S. normani group’, which is characterized within a more inclusive taxon by the male P5 exp being fused to the basis and lacking two outer spines. The species most closely related to S. gundulae s.n. appear to be S. giesbrechti T. and A. Scott, 1896, S. tethysensis Monard, 1928 and S. normani T. Scott, 1905 including its former subspecies S. polluta Monard, 1928 and S. acutirostris Willey, 1935. The other known deep sea species of Stenhelia, S. noodti Schriever, 1982, S. islandico Schriever, 1982, S. lima Becker and Schriever, 1979 and S. diegensis Thistle and Coull, 1979, on the other hand belong to a different lineage, the ‘S. longicaudata group’ which is characterized by the apomorphic shape of the P1. It is hypothesized that deep sea colonization within the Stenheliinae occurred independently at least twice in two different lineages.     

Two new taxa from the Lesser Sundas in the genus Onthophagus (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae)

Two new Indonesian taxa are proposed in Onthophagus Latreille, 1802, illustrating the composite faunal spectrum of the Lesser Sundas (Indonesia): O. montishannoniae, a new species from Flores, and O. accedens nusatenggaricus, a new subspecies from Lombok and Flores. O. accedens Lansberge, 1883 is, with O. dux Sharp, 1875, placed in what is here defined as the dux subgroup within the subgenus Parascatonomus Paulian, 1932. The three included species‐group taxa are keyed, their status is discussed, and new records are given. The position of O. montishannoniae seems taxonomically and geographically isolated: this species has no known close relatives in the region, neither in the Lesser Sundas, nor anywhere else in Wallacea.     

Two new species of protandric pheretimoid earthworms belonging to the genus Metaphire (Megascolecidae: Oligochaeta) from Taiwan

This paper describes two new species, each consisting of two subspecies, of protandric, octothecal pheretimoid earthworms from Taiwan. They are Metaphire paiwanna sp. nov. typica, Metaphire paiwanna var. liliumfordiI subsp. nov., Metaphire bununa sp. nov. typica and Metaphire bununa var. glareosus subsp. nov. The var. typica of both new species occurred on the west side of the Central Mountain Range, whereas the subspecies, liliumfordi and glareosus, occurred on the east side of the range. Apparently, the Central Mountain Range constitutes a geographical barrier for isolation and subspeciation. Metaphire paiwanna has a male disc medial to male pore (opening of copulatory pouch) with a horizontal ridge, the character shared by holandric and sexthecal Amynthas swanus (Tsai) of Taiwan and Metaphire aggera (Kobayashi) of Korea and Manchuria, whereas M. bununa resembles more closely holandric, octothecal Metaphire riukiuensis (Ohfuchi) of the Riukiu Islands than protandric, octothecal Metaphire stephensoni (Michaelsen) of Indochina.     

A taxonomic revision of the genus Stempellinella (Diptera: Chironomidae)

The species of the chironomid genus Stempellinella are revised, described, and figured, and keys to known larvae, pupae, and male and female adults are presented. Five species new to science are diagnosed and described. An emended generic diagnosis of Stempellinella is given and morphological differences from its putative sister genus Zavrelia are discussed. The partial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene sequences (DNA barcodes) of 10 Stempellinella species are presented and the variation in genetic distances within and between species is compared. The results indicate that DNA barcodes are suitable molecular markers for identification of Stempellinella species. The following life stages and species are diagnosed and described: the larva, pupa, male, and female of S. brevis, S. chambiensis, S. ciliaris, S. edwardsi, S. fimbriata sp. n., S. flavidula, S. leptocelloides, S. saltuum, and S. truncata; the pupa, male, and female of S. reissi and S. tamaseptima; the larva, pupa, and male of Stempellinella boltoni sp. n.; the pupa and male of S. lamellata sp. n.; the male and female of S. coronata; and the male of S. apicula, S. brevilamellae, S. distincta sp. n., and S. sublettorum sp. n. Two pupal types are described but not formally named. The following changes of combination are made: Stempellina chambiensis and Stempellina truncata are transferred to the genus Stempellinella. Zavrelia inopinata is listed as a new junior synonym of Stempellinella ciliaris.     

Subspeciation or none? The hardun in the Aegean (Reptilia: Sauria: Agamidae: Laudakia stellio)

A study aimed at testing the contested validity of the subspecies Laudakia stellio daani yielded novel insights into the essence of subspecies. We examined morphologically museum specimens from Greece, Aegean islands, and Anatolia (n?=?118; not all could be used in all analyses). Beyond the conventional mensural, meristic and qualitative characters we quantified 14 coloration characters, thus totalling 34 characters (including sex). Biometry was statistically analysed within and between the two geographically defined presumed subspecies, L. s. daani and L. s. stellio. Excluding or including broken‐tailed specimens changed the outcome of tests. Significant minor directional asymmetry occurred in one of four character‐taxon combinations. Phenetic cluster analysis poorly separated the two presumed subspecies when all characters, including those with discordant variation, were included; after selection of characters, the separation improved. Some biometric characters distinguish the two presumed subspecies, confirming their validity. The associations of significant inter‐character correlations differed between the two subspecies. Additionally, the two differed in parameters reflecting selection pressures and social structure: L. s. stellio is more colourful than L. s. daani; its sexual dimorphism is mainly chromatic, versus mensural in L. s. daani; and its population seems to include many males with underdeveloped callous scales, presumably socially subordinate, versus very few in L. s. daani.     

Some European Processidae (Crustacea,Decapoda, Caridea)

Summary

The name Processa canaliculata Leach has been applied to a species other than that to which the holotype belongs. The species P. canaliculata Nouvel & Holthuis non Leach has no valid name; it is re-named P. nouveli, with type material from Monaco.

P. nouveli and P. canaliculata have been considered to be conspecific by one recent author. New characters for their separation are described from Irish Sea material.

The northern form of P. nouveli differs from the Mediterranean form sufficiently to be placed in a separate subspecies. The name P. nouveli holthuisi is proposed for it, with type material from the Irish Sea.

The distribution of the four species and subspecies of Processa known to occur in northern Europe is reviewed.     

Water mites of the family Hygrobatidae Koch from southern Africa (Acari: Hydrachnidia)

New records are given of the water mite family Hygrobatidae (without the genus Atractides) from southern Africa (South Africa, Botswana, Namibia). In addition to one new subgenus of the genus Hygrobates, namely Inflatibates, four new species are described, namely Hygrobates draconicus, H. laceratoides, H. okavangoensis, and H. inflatipes as well as one new subspecies, namely Hygrobates spathuliferus cederberg. The following synonyms are established: the subgenus Capobates Thor with Hygrobates Koch, Hygrobates sanguineus transvaalensis K. O. Viets with Hygrobates spathuliferus (Lundblad), and Ambiguobates permixtus agnewi K. O. Viets with Ambiguobates permixtus K. Viets. The male of Australiobates pilosus (K. Viets) is described for the first time. The synonymization of Diversibates with Australiobates can now be confirmed. Finally, keys are given for the known genera of southern Africa, as well as for all known species of the genus Hygrobates from southern Africa.     

Stephonyx californiensis sp. nov. (Amphipoda: Lysianassoidea: Uristidae), a new bathyal scavenger species from the Central Gulf of California,Mexico, and comments on the bathymetric and geographic distribution of the Stephonyx species group

A new species of scavenger amphipod of the genus Stephonyx is described and illustrated. The specimen was caught at 1150 m depth with a modified rectangular lobster trap positioned on the sea bottom in the central Gulf of California, Mexico. The new species is characterised by the absence of eyes; the lateral cephalic lobes medially developed and acute; antennae subequal in length; gnathopod 1 chelate, dactylus simple with three distal stout setae, inner margin sinuous with minute setae; gnathopod 2 subchelate, carpus with ventral margin crenulate, propodus subovate, palm deeply excavate, and dactylus slightly shorter than palm; maxilliped inner plate laceolate, with seven marginal nodular robust setae, distally; telson, each lobe with two dorsal robust setae, distal margin truncated, with one penicillate and two simple setae, in addition to two short spines. Stephonyx californiensis sp. nov. is morphologically similar to S. arabiensis, S talismani, S. laqueus and S. perexcavatus. The new species increases the number of Stephonyx species around the world to 14, with one species inhabiting from the continental shelf to abyssal depths (to 3000 m), 11 species occurring in bathyal depths (201–2000 m), and two other species restricted to abyssal depths (2001–4000 m).

www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:346C3B15-E56A-4E17-9C5F-C9FDBB2AED92     

New damselfly hosts and species identification of an aquatic parasitoid Hydrophylita emporos (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) in Taiwan

ABSTRACT

The host–parasitoid relationship and species identity of aquatic parasitoids of two damselflies Coeliccia cyanomelas (Platycnemididae) and Psolodesmus mandarinus dorothea (Calopterygidae) from Fushan and Lienhuachih in Taiwan were studied using morphological characters and DNA barcoding sequences. The parasitoids reared from the damselflies’ eggs, and the field-collected parasitoids, were morphologically identified as Hydrophylita emporos (Trichogrammatidae), a recently described parasitoid of the damselfly P. m. mandarinus from Northern Taiwan. The CO1 (cytochrome c oxidase I) gene tree supported the identification as H. emporos, as well as all parasitoid samples from C. cyanomelas, P. m. dorothea and P. m. mandarinus. The sampled H. emporos populations did not differ genetically despite their different host associations. However, some genetic differences were found between H. emporos populations from Northern and Central Taiwan, indicating that the dispersal of H. emporos may be limited by geographical distances. Our results suggest that H. emporos can parasitise not only closely related sister subspecies, P. m. mandarinus and P. m. dorothea, but also phylogenetically distant species of another damselfly family, C. cyanomelas. This is the first record of multiple damselfly hosts for the aquatic parasitoid genus Hydrophylita. This finding implies that the host range of H. emporos and congeneric species may be broader than previously thought.     

New data on bats from Dire Dawa region,eastern Ethiopia,with the first record of Rhinopoma microphyllum in the country

ABSTRACT

A small collection of bats composed of six species from Dire Dawa area, eastern Ethiopia, is presented. Besides three species previously known in the region, Rousettus aegyptiacus, Epomophorus minimus and Chaerephon pumilus, three bats were newly documented from the area, Rhinopoma microphyllum, R. cystops and Scotophilus leucogaster. R. microphyllum is here reported for the first time in Ethiopia. From molecular genetic comparisons Ethiopian R. cystops belongs to the Arabian subspecies lineage R. c. arabium, previously unknown from the African continent, raising interesting biogeographic questions.