Revision of the Madagascan genus Madecorphnus Paulian (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Orphninae)

A scarab beetle genus, Madecorphnus Paulian, endemic to Madagascar, is revised. Nine new species are described: M. brunneus sp. nov., M. dentatus sp. nov., M. montreuili sp. nov., M. niger sp. nov., M. pauliani sp. nov., M. perinetensis sp. nov., M. peyrierasi sp. nov., M. punctatus sp. nov., M. simplex sp. nov. Diagnosis of the genus is clarified. Distribution map and a diagnostic key to all species are presented.     

Target-enriched DNA sequencing from historical type material enables a partial revision of the Madagascar giant stream frogs (genus Mantidactylus)

ABSTRACT

The subgenus Mantidactylus is a group of frogs endemic to Madagascar, including the largest anuran species on the island. Although these frogs are common and widely distributed, their taxonomy remains unclear. Two species are currently recognised, M. grandidieri and M. guttulatus, with another available name, Rana pigra, considered to be a synonym of M. grandidieri. However, molecular studies have suggested the presence of several cryptic species within the group. Additionally, due to the lack of prominent morphological features, allocating the available names to evolutionary lineages has proven challenging. In the present study, we take a first step towards solving these problems by using fragments of the 16S mitochondrial gene and RAG1 nuclear gene from all over the range of the subgenus to describe its genetic diversity. We also use a newly designed target enrichment laboratory protocol to sequence three mitochondrial fragments from five name-holding museum specimens (as old as 120 years) in order to determine to which lineages the existing names should be applied. The study of the 16S mitochondrial gene revealed 7 geographically separated lineages, distinct enough to be considered candidate species. Out of the five museum specimens analysed, four successfully yielded DNA sequences and could be attributed to one of the aforementioned lineages. Therefore, the name Mantidactylus grandidieri should be applied to the populations from North-Eastern Madagascar, while M. guttulatus refers to populations from inland localities along the Eastern coast of the island. On the other hand, the holotype of Rana pigra did not yield enough genetic material to allow definitive identification. While our data were not sufficient to assess the status of the four lineages distributed along the Eastern coast, the populations from North-Western Madagascar were highly distinct on both the mitochondrial and nuclear markers. We thus describe them as a new species, M. radaka sp. nov.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:1EDDAF0D-FE37-490A-B09E-E136A0C5CB35     

Year-round activity patterns in a hyperdiverse community of rainforest amphibians in Madagascar

Madagascar hosts a high diversity of amphibians estimated at over 500 species, nearly all of them endemic. Surprisingly few data are available on the activity cycles of this fauna, despite its importance for ecological, evolutionary and conservation research. Here we report the results of a year-round survey of amphibians along a transect bordering the Analamazaotra forest near Andasibe in central eastern Madagascar. During 120 transect walks evenly spaced through the year, a total of 2530 individuals of 40 species of anurans was observed. Abundance was higher during the warm/rainy season (December to April) and peaked in February. Of the five climatic predictors measured, only mean temperature and relative humidity showed high importance values, and multi-model averages indicate that these two variables have a strong effect on amphibian abundance along the transect. Species richness showed no evident peak during the study period and was best explained by a model including average temperature and rainfall. Canonical correspondence analysis indicates that Boophis sibilans, B. tephraeomystax, B. boehmei and Plethodontohyla notosticta were more frequently encountered along the transect on cold and humid days while Plethodontohyla mihanika, Gephyromantis boulengeri and Spinomantis aglavei were distinctly more abundant on cold and dry days, and Paradoxophyla palmata on warm and dry days. The results of our study flag a number of species as suitable candidates for future monitoring initiatives and suggest that a simple combination of visual and acoustic surveys can estimate amphibian activity with high sample sizes in Madagascar’s rainforests.     

Revision of Afrotropical Chonocephalus Wandolleck (Diptera: Phoridae)

Chonocephalus justini sp. nov., C. modestus sp. nov. and C. pudicus sp. nov. are described from the Seychelles; C. cummingae sp. nov. is described from Madagascar, South Africa and Zimbabwe; and C. cautus sp. nov. and C. steineri sp. nov. from Madagascar. C. dimakae Paulian is synonymized with C. depressus Meijere. A key to males and a partial key to the females of the 14 Afrotropical species are provided.     

New species of the superfamily Euphthiracaroidea (Acari: Oribatida) from Madagascar and Tanzania

Five new species of the family Euphthiracaridae are described, identified and figured from the Afrotropical region: Oribotritia breviseta sp. nov. from Andasibe National Park of Madagascar; Acrotritia paraardua sp. nov. from Vohimana Experimental Reserve, Ambohitanely Special Reserve and Andasibe National Park of Madagascar; Acrotritia paradikra sp. nov. from Ranomafana National Park and Ankarafantsika National Park of Masagascar; Microtritia diaphoros sp. nov. from the Nguru Mountains of Tanzania; and Microtritia parahauseri sp. nov from the Uluguru Mountains of Tanzania. A comparison with the most closely related species of the genera Oribotritia, Acrotritia and Microtritia is also presented.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:7965FE4C-0AF8-49C4-B894-75D4EFD049BB     

The genus Monacha in the Western Caucasus (Gastropoda: Hygromiidae)

Seven Monacha species have been found in the Western Caucasus region. Six of these species are endemic there. They all belong to the subgenera Paratheba and Metatheba. Three species are new to science. M. (Paratheba) claussi, sp. n. and M. (Metatheba) subcarthusiana (Lindholm) are the only Monacha species, in which the right ommatophoral retractor sometimes crosses with the penis. This might be due to an ancestral polymorphism, atavism or a basal position of the two species within Monacha, which would mean that Paratheba is paraphyletic and Metatheba is polyphyletic. Monacha (Monacha) cartusiana (O. F. Muller), the only Monacha sensu stricto species in the Caucasus region, has probably been introduced by man. The shell and the genitalia of every species are described and illustrated. The synonyms and all Caucasian locality records are listed. The distributions of the species are illustrated on UTM-grid maps.     

Copepoda associated with the thorny coral Antipathes (Antipatharia) in the Indo-Pacific

Six new copepods are associated with five species of the antipatharian coral Antipathes in the Indo-Pacific. Three asterocherid siphonostomatoids are described. Asteropontius latus sp. nov., from Antipathes sp. at Bohol Island, Philippines, has an unusually broad prosome. Asteropontius bandicola sp. nov., from Antipathes abies (L.) in the Moluccas and Antipathes cf. spinescens Gray in northwestern Madagascar, has rounded lateral margins on the female genital somite and the free segment of leg 5 is elongate with the ratio 2·69:1. Orecturus grandisetiger gen. nov., sp. nov., from Antipathes ericoides Pallas and Antipathes longibrachiata (van Pesch) in northwestern Madagascar, Antipathes reticulata Esper in the Moluccas, and Antipathes sp. at Bohol, Phillipines, has an unusually large seta on the third segment of the first antenna. Three lichomolgid poecilostomatoids are described from Antipathes sp. at Bohol in the Philippines. Visayasia lobura gen. nov., sp. nov., and Visayasia subterna gen. nov., sp. nov., are characterized by having the third segment of the endopod of leg 1 in both sexes armed with I, I, 4. Paramolgus delicatulus sp. nov., has a short caudal ramus and the female genital double somite is indented. The range of Paramolgus insectus (Humes, 1969) is extended from Madagascar and the Moluccas to the Philippines.     

A synopsis of Martarega White, 1879 (Insecta: Heteroptera: Notonectidae) occurring in the Brazilian Amazonia,with descriptions of three new species

The genus Martarega comprises 15 species and nine of these have been recorded in northern Brazil. Martarega pydanieli sp. nov. from Rondônia, while Martarega nieseri sp. nov. and M. barcelos sp. nov. from Amazonas are described here. Six known species are recorded in the Brazilian Amazonian Region (Amazonas, Pará, Rondônia and Roraima): M. brasiliensis, M. chinai, M. gonostyla, M. membranacea, M. oriximinaensis, and M. uruguayensis. At the outset of this survey the genus Martarega of the Brazilian Amazonian Region held 12 species, but no specimens of M. mcateei, M. hungerfordi, and M. williamsi were collected in the regions sampled. Martarega brasiliensis is newly recorded from Roraima, which comprises the first record of members of this genus in this State. Martarega uruguayensis is newly recorded from Pará and Rondônia, while M. gonostyla from Rondônia. Distinct keys to males and females of Martarega occurring in this region, including these new species, are provided.     

Discovery of the freshwater genus Sicyopus (Teleostei: Gobioidei: Sicydiinae) in Madagascar,with a description of a new species and comments on regional dispersal

In the Indo-Pacific area, insular rivers are mainly colonized by gobiids of the Sicydiinae subfamily. These species spawn in freshwater, where the free embryos drift downstream to the sea before returning to rivers to reproduce; they are amphidromous. These gobies are the greatest contributors to the fish diversity and have the highest levels of endemism. Among the nine known genera of Sicydiinae, only two have been found in the West Indian Ocean, and only one (Sicyopterus) is known from Madagascar. Recently, two surveys discovered a new species in the genus Sicyopus. Sicyopus lord sp. nov. differs from other species by a combination of characters that includes a particular colour pattern, similar in both sexes; more scales than its congeners in lateral series (35–43), transverse back series (12–18) and a shorter caudal fin length in male fish. This paper describes the new species and discusses the presence of this genus in Madagascar.     

A new species of Mantidactylus (subgenus Guibemantis) from Madagascar,with a comparative survey of internal femoral gland structure in the genus (Amphibia: Ranidae: Mantellinae)

A new species of Mantidactylus (subgenus Guibemantis) from the rainforests of eastern Madagascar is described. The new species is sympatric with the closely related M. depressiceps (Boulenger, 1882) and M. tornieri (Ahl, 1929) but differs by larger size, a more strongly developed prepollex, and by advertisement calls. Mantidactylus acuticeps Ahl, 1929 and Rhacophorus mocquardii Boulenger, 1896 are confirmed to be junior synonyms of M. depressiceps. The presence of distinct femoral glands in the new species was noted; a feature so far not reliably recognized in other members of the subgenus Guibemantis. Femoral gland structure was investigated in representatives of each of the subgenera included in Mantidactylus by dissecting and reflecting the femoral skin. Four femoral gland types were identified. Type 1: many small, single granules in an ill-delimited patch, grouped in rosettes at the patch edges; type 2: a group of moderately sized granules in a well-delimited patch; type 3: comprising two different structures: distal granules enclosing externally a distinct central depression, and smaller proximal granules or groups of granules; type 4: as type 3, but lacking the proximal granules. Mantidactylus rivicola Vences, Glaw and Andreone, 1997, M. cf. malagasius (Methuen and Hewitt, 1913) and M. ventrimaculatus (Angel, 1935) differed from all other species examined; their femoral glands comprise a reduced number of large granules with an indistinct central depression in external view. The presence of a distal granule group with external central depression (types 3 and 4 above) provides a probable synapomorphy for the subgenera Brygoomantis, Ochthomantis, Hylobatrachus, Chonomantis and Mantidactylus. In females of these subgenera rudimentary femoral glands are present, but they lack completely in females of the other groups.     

Two new Mastigodiaptomus (Copepoda,Diaptomidae) from southeastern Mexico,with a key for the identification of the known species of the genus

Two new species of the freshwater planktonic copepod genusMastigodiaptomus—M. maya and M. reidae—are described from material collected in southeastern Mexico. This neotropical genus is known to be distributed mainly in the southern part of the United States, Mexico and Central America, and now embraces eight species. Of these, six occur in Mexico. Both new species seem to be closely related to M. texensis and M. albuquerquensis. It is probable that this group of Mexican species represents a northwards radiation from the Proto-Antilles-Central America region into the continent, eventually reaching North America. A key for the identification of the known species of the genus is provided.     

Halvorsenius exilis gen. et sp. nov., a new didymozoid trematode from the mackerel Scomber scombrus L.

Summary

A new genus and species of nematobothriine didymozoid, Halvorsenius exilis, is described. These worms occur unpaired and unencysted in the connective tissue of the mackerel Scomber scombrus, especially in the pericardium, the ‘throat’ region, the orbits and the region of the kidneys. Halvorsenius belongs to a group of genera which possess three uterine loops and two testes, but can be distinguished by the atrophy of the gut and other features. Live worms occur only in young mackerel, although aggregations of eggs are found in older fish. It appears that the eggs are retained in utero until the death of the worm and that there is no obvious mechanism for voiding the eggs from the fish other than through the death of this host.     

Description of a new species of Indomolgus (Copepoda: Lichomolgidae) associated with corals in the Bay of Bengal,South India

Indomolgus humesi (Poecilostomatoida: Lichomolgidae) is the fifth member of the genus Indomolgus Humes and Ho, 1966. I. humesi was collected from corals while the other four members are associated with sea anemones. It is perhaps significant that all the known species of Indomolgus were collected from the tropical parts of the Indian Ocean, namely Madagascar and India.

I. humesi is closest to I. diversus Humes and Ho but can be easily distinguished by the relatively broad caudal rami of the male. The armature of the second segment of the endopod of leg 4 is I-2, which is different from that of all the other known species.     

Description of Thalamita crosnieri,a new species from Somalia with notes on T. cooperi Borradaile from Somalia and T. demani Nobili from Aldabra (Decapoda,Brachyura)

Summary

A new species, Thalamita crosnieri, is described from Somalia. It belongs to the T. woodmasoni group and is distinguished by the shape of the front and of the gonopod. T. woodmasoni Alcock is restricted to Andamans, southern India and Ceylon while T. crosnieri is known from the eastern coast of Africa and Madagascar. T. cooperi Borradaile (from Somalia) and T. demani Nobili (from Aldabra), belonging to the same group of species, have also been illustrated.     

A new genus and three new species of Phoridae (Diptera) parasitizing ants (Hymenoptera) in Sulawesi

Iridophora clarki gen. nov., sp. nov., Megaselia sembeli sp. nov. and M. kodongi sp. nov. are described. The females of I. clarki attack the workers of the ant Iridomyrmex cordatus (Smith). The same ant species is also attacked by M. sembeli, and the morphology of this species indicates that it is close to P. beirne Brues, the typespecies of the genus Plastophora. The loss of the type-material of the latter species prevented synonomy of the genus when it was re-evaluated (Disney, 1978). The detailed examination of M. sembeli now indicates that the genus Plastophora is a synonym of Megaselia (syn. nov.). A consequence is that P. dubitata Brues, 1935 becomes a homonym of M. dubitata (Malloch, 1912) and the replacement name M. bruesi nom. nov. is proposed. The females of M. kodongi attack workers of a species of Pheidologeton which forages on the forest floor. The habit of Iridomyrmex cordatus in using covered ways up trees appears to be related to its extreme vulnerability to attack by these two phorides.     

A herpetological survey of the Kathmandu Valley,Nepal, and phylogenetic identification of Megophrys (Xenophrys) zhangi

ABSTRACT

The herpetofauna of Nepal have been historically understudied, and although previous studies have reported on bioinventory surveys of the Kathmandu Valley, few have surveyed widely during the peak monsoon season. In addition, past studies largely neglected to survey intact forest habitats. Here we conduct a comprehensive field survey of the herpetofauna of the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal, with an emphasis on the surrounding foothills containing intact forest habitat. We record natural history and distribution data for seven species of amphibians and four species of reptiles. We also use mitochondrial sequence data to confirm the phylogenetic placement of two frog species, Megophrys (Xenophrys) parva and Duttaphrynus melanostictus. Using phylogenetic and morphological data we assign Megophrys parva from the Kathmandu Valley to Megophrys zhangi. We find that while this species shares a haplotype with its sister species, Megophrys monticola, morphological data align the individuals from the Kathmandu Valley with M. zhangi from Tibet. We find that M. zhangi exhibits no phylogenetic structure within the Kathmandu Valley, and wider sampling is needed throughout the Himalayas to determine its full range. These findings support the hypothesis that molecular sequence data will lead to the discovery of cryptic species in Nepal and facilitate the revision of species taxonomy.     

VI.—Revision of the species of Hyrax,founded on the specimens in the British Museum

Summary

Spirocamallanus olseni, previously known only from Madagascar in lutjanids and a remora, also infects the lutjanid, Lutjanus fulviflamma, in the Gulf of Elat; it becomes the second member of the genus reported from the Red Sea. Procamallanus elatensis sp. nov. from two siganid fishes becomes the second known Red Sea species in that genus, but appears most related to two other species from signaids. It can be characterized by having a distinct ledge in the buccal capsule anterior to the basal ring and an excretory pore anterior to the nerve ring. In the male, a gubernaculum and three pre-cloacal plus five post-cloacal papillae are present and the spicules have blunt tips with a crook and a ratio of 1:2·4 to 3·3. In the female, the vulva occurs 33 to 45% of the body length from the anterior end.     

Nesting behaviour and prey of Pseudoplisus Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae)

Nesting behaviour and prey of two species of Pseudoplisus, a gorytine wasp genus in the sphecid subfamily Nyssoninae, are described. P. natalensis is a solitary nester in southern Africa nesting often in the soil in flower-pots. P. ranosahae in Madagascar nests in the ground in large aggregations. Both species show a high degree of prey specificity. Nests are provisioned only with large adult froghoppers (Aphrophoridae), P. natalensis preying on Ptyelus grossus and P. ranosahae on Ptyelus goudoti.