Aquatic Coleoptera from Pakistan: faunistic and zoogeographical contribution (Coleoptera: Gyrinidae: Dytiscidae: Hydrophilidae)

Records of 19 species and one subspecies of water beetles of four families: Gyrinidae (two species), Dytiscidae (seven species), Hydrophilidae (10 species), and Spercheidae (one subspecies) from Pakistan are listed, based on collected material. Four genera and 10 species are recorded from Pakistan for the first time. The newly recorded genera are: Patrus, Helochares, Sternolophus and Coelostoma. The newly recorded species are: Dineutus spinosus (Fabricius, 1781), Patrus haemorrhous (Régimbart, 1891), Copelatus freudei Guignot, 1955, Copelatus sp1, Copelatus sp2, Enochrus ater (Kuwert, 1888), Helochares anchoralis Sharp, 1890, Sternolophus rufipes (Fabricius, 1792), Paracymus aeneus (Germar, 1824) and Coelostoma stultum (Walker, 1858). Zoogeographic affinities of the recorded species are discussed. According to their current distribution, the 18 species known from Pakistan can be classified into five zoogeographical categories.     

Revision of the southern African genus Frankenbergerius Balthasar with description of new taxa (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae)

The southern African genus Frankenbergerius Balthasar is revised. Two new species, F. opacus sp. n. and F. nitidus sp. n. (South Africa, Western Cape), and one new subspecies, F. armatus tuberculatus ssp. n. (South Africa, Mpumalanga), are described. F. imitativus (Péringuey) is considered a junior synonym of F. forcipatus (Harold). A key to the species and notes on biology are given.     

The genus Cotylopus (Teleostei: Gobioidei) endemic to the rivers of islands of the Indian Ocean with description of a new species from Mayotte (Comoros)

Cotylopus rubripinnis, new species, is described on the basis of nine specimens collected from the Island of Mayotte (Comoros), Indian Ocean. Cotylopus rubripinnis differs from the only other known species in the genus (C. acutipinnis Guichenot, 1863) in usually having fewer scales in lateral (LS), transverse back (TRB), transverse forward (TRF), and zigzag series (ZZ), and in having pectoral, dorsal and caudal fins reddish. The genus was previously only known from the Mascarene Islands (Réunion and Mauritius). The discovery of a second species for that rare and endemic genus 1400?km farther to the north‐west in the Indian Ocean is discussed.     

A new species of stoloniferous octocoral (Cnidaria: Alcyonacea) from the south-western Indian Ocean

A new species of stolonate octocoral referable to the genus Scleranthelia Studer, 1878 (family Clavulariidae), is described from the East London and Durban regions of South Africa. The species is frequently encountered by dredge at depths ranging from 85 to 340 m. Scleranthelia thomsoni sp. nov. has been confused with the northern Atlantic species S. rugosa (Pourtalés, 1867) (= S. musiva Studer, 1878) by previous authors, but a comparison of material representing both species has shown them to be distinctly differentiated.     

A new genus of viviparous gyrodactylid (Monogenea) from the Great Barrier Reef,Australia with descriptions of seven new species

Acanthoplacatus gen. nov., a new genus of viviparous gyrodactylid, is described from the fins and skin of siganid fishes from the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. The genus is characterized by a muscular, tube-like haptor with 16 marginal hooks on the posterior margin. The ventral lobe of the haptor is located anteriorly relative to the dorsal lobe and contains a pair of hamuli and a ventral bar with posteriorly-projecting ventral bar membrane. A dorsal bar is absent. Five pairs of posterior gland cells surround the posterior terminations of the gut. The male copulatory organ is a muscular, non-eversible bulb with several spines around the distal opening. Species of Acanthoplacatus have a bilateral excretory system consisting of six pairs of flame cells and a pair of excretory bladders. Seven new species are described: Acanthoplacatus adlardi sp. nov. and A. amplihamus sp. nov. from Siganus punctatus (Forster, 1801), A. brauni sp. nov. from S. corallinus (Valenciennes, 1835), A. parvihamus sp. nov. from S. vulpinus (Schlegel and Mueller, 1845), A. puelli sp. nov. from S. puellus Schlegel, 1852, A. shieldsi sp. nov. from S. lineatus (Valenciennes, 1835) and A. sigani sp. nov. from S. fuscescens (Houttuyn, 1782). Species can be discriminated by shape and size of the hamuli, marginal hooks and ventral bar and by male copulatory organ sclerite morphology. Three species (A. brauni sp. nov., A. shieldsi sp. nov. and A. sigani sp. nov.) were assessed for seasonal variation of sclerite size. Ten of thirteen morphological characters showed seasonal variation in size for at least one of the species. The characters were longer in winter except dorsal root tissue cap width. Only one character, marginal hook length, showed significant seasonal variation for all three species. Species of Acanthoplacatus were observed to attach using only the marginal hooks and the role of hamuli in attachment is unclear. The dorsal fin of the host is the preferred site for most species but the anal fin, caudal fin and body surfaces are preferred by some species. Prevalences for species range from 57 to 100%.     

First record of the genus Atlantistylis Reyss, 1975 (Crustacea: Cumacea) from the North Atlantic,with the description of a new species

A new species of the genus Atlantistylis Reyss, (Diastylidae) is described from the Atlantic Frontier Margin (North‐East Atlantic). This is the first record of the genus Atlantistylis from the North Atlantic. The new species Atlantistylis borealis can be recognized by the presence of spines on the frontal and lateral lobes of the carapace combined with their absence on the pereon and pleon; the first pereopods are very long. The small telson with two small apical acuminate setae and the absence of pleopods in the male are characteristic of the genus.     

Two new phoxocephalids (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Phoxocephalidae) from the south-west Atlantic

A new genus and species, Parafoxiphalus longicarpus, and a new species, Metharpinia protuberantis belonging to the family Phoxocephalidae, are described from the Argentine Sea. Both taxa were collected from sandy substrata in the intertidal and subtidal regions. Parafoxiphalus longicarpus is related to Foxiphalus Barnard, 1979 and they share many characters, most of them in plesiomorphic condition. Metharpinia protuberantis is an intermediate species between Metharpinia Schellenberg, 1931 and Microphoxus Barnard, 1960, and its assignation to the first genus is discussed.     

The genus Lindaspio (Annelida: Polychaeta: Spionidae), and a new species from an oil field off Congo,western Africa

A new species of the genus Lindaspio (Polychaeta: Spionidae) is described from an oil field off Congo (tropical eastern Atlantic). Lindaspio sebastiena n. sp. is easily distinguished from the two other known species of Lindaspio, L. dibranchiata Blake and Maciolek (1992) and L. southwardorum Blake and Maciolek (1992), by the presence of a conical palp, the first noto-hooks beginning on setiger 55, the number of dorsal spines on setigers 2–4 and the absence of a caruncle. A new diagnosis of the genus is put forward, and the two spionid genera, Lindaspio and Scolecolepides, are discussed.     

A review of the encyrtid wasp tribe Aenasiini,with descriptions of new Afrotropical taxa (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea)

The tetracnemine tribe Aenasiini is discussed and a key is provided for the separation of the nine genera that can be attributed to this tribe. Neodiscodes is synonymized with Aenasius and the following seven species, which were originally assigned to the former genus, are transferred to Aenasius as new combinations: abengouroui (Risbec), comperei (Kerrich), lepelleyi (Kerrich), martinii (Compere), indicus (Narayanan & Subba Rao), parvus (Kerrich) and subbaraoi (Kerrich). A key is given for the separation of the four Afrotropical species of Aenasius and the male of A. comperei is described for the first time. Incisencyrtus gen. n. is described for the following three new Afrotropical species: secus (the type-species), sirus and afer. Cladiscodes incisius sp. n. is described from South Africa and it represents the first species of this genus from Africa. New distribution records are given for three Alfrotropical species of Metaphaenodiscus.     

Phorbas posidoni n.sp. (Porifera: Poecilosclerida) from the Aegean Sea,with a discussion of the family Anchinoidae

A new species of the genus Phorbas Duchassaing and Michelotti, 1864 (junior synonym Anchinoe Gray, 1867) is described from the Aegean Sea (Eastern Mediterranean). Phorbas posidoni n.sp. is distinguished from the known Mediterranean species of Phorbas primarily by its elaborate repent-ramose habit combined with an extensive, spongin-enforced, plumoreticulate skeleton of oxea-like tornotes and the usual echinating acanthostyles and arcuate chelae. As in most Phorbas the surface bears characteristic areolae. The only other elaborate Mediterranean species, P. mercator (Schmidt) differs clearly in spiculation, since it lacks microscleres and has strongyles as the main skeletal elements. Phorbas fictitius (Bowerbank), P. tenacior (Topsent) and P. paupertas sensu Topsent are all incrusting and differ in spicule form and sizes as well. Likewise, Phorbas species from the neighbouring East Atlantic each show clear differences with P. posidoni n.sp. The genus Phorbas is discussed and compared with Pronax Gray (1867) sensu Lévi (1973). It is proposed to unite the two genera because the alleged sharp difference between the two (only oxea-like tornotes in the skeletal tracts in Phorbas, only acanthostyles in the skeletal tracts in Pronax) is compromised by a range of intermediate conditions in various species.     

A revisional study of the Chinese species of Amphiops Erichson (Coleoptera,Hydrophilidae, Chaetarthriini)

A review of the genus Amphiops occurring in China is provided. A new species, Amphiops coelopunctatus sp. nov., is described from Hainan, China. Based on a study of the type material, Amphiops yunnanensis Pu, 1963, is proposed as a junior synonym of Amphiops mirabilis Sharp, 1890. Amphiops pedestris Sharp, 1890 and Amphiops annamita Régimbart, 1903 are confirmed as synonyms of Amphiops mater Sharp, 1873. Amphiops coomani d’Orchymont, 1926 is reported from China for the first time. Amphiops globus Erichson, 1843, previously reported from Macau, is found to be a misidentification. An identification key to Chinese species of the genus is provided.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:47C95EED-8B09-4BE0-A335-7E8B7CB23FE7     

Revision of the genus Niwaella in China (Pisces,Cobitidae), with description of two new species

Loaches of the genus Niwaella, family Cobitidae, are distributed only in East Asia. At present only in Japan and South Korea have fishes of the genus Niwaella been found. Herein we revise the genus Niwaella in China. Son and He () transferred the species Cobitis laterimaculata to the genus Niwaella, but their specimens were not N. laterimaculata, but a new species, N. longibarba sp. n., collected from Cao'ejiang River, Huangzezhen, Chengxian County, Zhejiang Province. The new species is distinguished from N. laterimaculata by its colour pattern of a row of slightly large, and long, scattered dark brown vertical bars on the dorsolateral surface, two or three striations on the caudal fin, and long barbels and undeveloped mental lobes. In this paper we also describe another new species, N. xinjiangensis sp. n., collected from Xinjiang River, Guangfeng County, Jiangxi Province, May 1990, with diagnostic colour pattern of 17–20 large and long, dark brown vertical bars on the dorsolateral surface, a dark stripe or rounded black spots along the lateral midline and some blotches below the lateral midline; it is a large‐sized species, with shorter barbels, and longer caudal peduncle. Thus five species of the genus Niwaella are known, three are endemic to eastern China and two are endemic to either Japan or South Korea.     

New species of the genus Troglocheles (Acari: Prostigmata: Rhagidiidae) from Oetztal Alps,Tyrol, with a key to adult species of the genus

Two new species of rhagidiid mites are described from Oetztal Alps, Tyrol, Troglocheles archetypica n. sp. and T. aggerata n. sp. Their interspecific relationships are discussed and two new species-groups, T. strasseri and T. vornatscheri, are defined. A key to the known adult species of the genus Troglocheles Zacharda is given. Phylogenetic and evolutionary relationships among the known talus- and cave-dwelling species of this genus are briefly outlined, including the possibilities of sympatric versus allopatric speciation.     

On a new genus and new species of xanthid crab (Crustacea,Decapoda, Brachyura,Xanthinae) from the South China Sea,with notes on the genus Liagore De Haan, 1833

A new genus and new species of xanthid crab, Ovatis simplex, is described from the South China Sea. The genus is closest to Liagore but can be distinguished by a suite of carapace and male gonopod characters. The systematic position of Liagore is also considered, and both genera, Liagore and Ovatis, are here referred to the subfamily Xanthinae. Comparisons with the allied genera, Paratergatis and Pulcratis, are also provided.     

A new genus and species of Haplozetidae (Arachnida: Acari) from Great Britain with a key to the European genera

A new genus of mite, Pseudoprotoribates of the family Haplozetidae (Oribatida), is described and its systematic position discussed. The type species P. luxtoni was found in Great Britain, new to science and described herein. A key to the European genera of Haplozetidae is provided.     

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.     

Taxonomic review of a new genus,Diathera gen. n., from Southeast Asia (Lepidoptera,Geometridae: Larentiinae)

Diathera gen. n., a new larentiine genus from central and southwestern China, is described. Three new species are named and described: fluctuata sp. n., metacolorata sp. n. and brunneata sp. n. All species and their genitalia are described and illustrated. A key is provided and the monophyly of the genus and its relationships to the allied taxa are briefly discussed.     

Two new genera of Bryozoa (Calloporidae) from New Zealand

Two new genera of the bryozoan family Calloporidae are described from New Zealand. The first, Leptinatella, is introduced for L. gordoni n. sp., specimens of which have been referred in the past to Watersia militaris (Waters) but are distinct from this species, which is a phase of the cribrimorph Corbulipora tubulifera (Hincks). The second genus, Bryocalyx, is introduced for B. cinnameus n. sp., which has small, conical colonies anchored by rhizoids. Another species of Bryocalyx is known from a few fragments only: and has also been referred in the past to Watersia sp. It is briefly discussed, but left unnamed here.