A revision of the genus Qianleptoneta (Araneae: Leptonetidae)

Southwest China is one of three famous karst areas of the world but research on cave spiders of the area is sparse. A Chinese endemic midget spider genus and species, Qianleptoneta quinquespinata (Leptonetidae) was erected by Chen and Zhu, 2008 Chen, HM and Zhu, MS. 2008. One new genus and species of troglobite spiders (Araneae, Leptonetidae) from Guizhou, China. J Dali Univ., 7(12): 11–14.  [Google Scholar]. Here, based on numerous materials collected from Guizhou Province, the mainly karst area of southwest China, Qianleptoneta is revised. Ten new species are described and illustrated: Q. triangula, Q. nuda, Q. identica, Q. lycotropa, Q. multiseta, Q. lophacantha, Q. robustispina, Q. palmata, Q. sublunata and Q. megaloda. The natural history of each species is presented.     

Redescription of Valdivianemertes valdiviae (Bürger, 1909) (Nemertea: Hoplonemertea: Cratenemertidae) and designation of neotype

A century ago Bürger described the species Drepanophorus valdiviae from a single specimen taken from 155 m off the southern tip of Africa by the research vessel Valdivia during the German Deep Sea Expedition. Stiasny-Wijnhoff in 1923 Stiasny-Wijnhoff, G. 1923. On Brinkmann's system of the Nemertea Enopla and Siboganemertes weberi n. g. n. sp. Q J Microsc Sci., 67: 627–669.  [Google Scholar] transferred this species along with Amphiporus stannii (sensu Bürger 1895 Bürger, O. 1895. Die Nemertinen des Golfes von Neapel und der angrenzenden Meeres-Abschnitte. Fauna und Flora des Golfes von Neapel, 22: 1–743.  [Google Scholar]) to a new genus Valdivianemertes but did not mention a family affiliation. In 1993 Crandall transferred this genus to the family Cratenemertidae. During the Spanish Antarctic Expedition BENTART 2003, carried out on board the RV Hespérides, we found one specimen identified with certainty as Valdivianemertes valdiviae, at 602 m depth in the Bellingshausen Sea (Antarctica). As there is no extant holotype, we here redescribe this species from this new specimen and designate it the neotype of this species; photomicrographs of the different regions of the body and the proboscis structure are provided for the first time.     

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.     

Differentiation of external morphology of Oribatella Banks, 1895 (Acari: Oribatida: Oribatellidae), in light of the ontogeny of three species

Differentiation of external morphology of Oribatella Banks, 1895 was investigated, in light of the ontogeny of O. quadricornuta (Michael, 1880 Michael, AD. 1880. A further contribution to the knowledge of British Oribatidae. J Roy Micr Soc London, 3: 225–251. [Crossref] , [Google Scholar]), O. superbula (Berlese,1904 Berlese, A. 1904. Acari nuovi. Manipulus III. Redia, 2: 10–32.  [Google Scholar]) and O. calcarata (CL Koch, 1835 Koch, CL. 1835. “Deutschlands Crustaceen, Myriapoden und Arachniden”. In Regensburg, Germany: Verlag Friedrich Pustet 1–3.  [Google Scholar]) studied here for the first time, and that of the other species from the literature. The pattern of gastronotal setae in larvae is similar, except for lack of seta h ₃ in O. nortoni Behan-Pelletier, 2011 Behan-Pelletier, VM. 2011. Oribatella (Acari, Oribatida, Oribatellidae) of eastern North America. Zootaxa, 2973: 1–56. [Crossref] , [Google Scholar], while that of nymphs and adults is differentiated. The nymphs of most species have 15 pairs of gastronotal setae, but those of O. metzi Behan-Pelletier, 2011 Behan-Pelletier, VM. 2011. Oribatella (Acari, Oribatida, Oribatellidae) of eastern North America. Zootaxa, 2973: 1–56. [Crossref] , [Google Scholar] and most nymphs of O. calcarata have 13 pairs. The nymphs of most species carry the exuvial scalps of previous instars on apical parts of gastronotal setae da, while setae dm and dp, located under these scalps, are subjected to translocation, reduction in size or loss. In O. berlesei (Michael, 1898 Michael, AD. 1898. “Oribatidae”. In Das Tierreich, Lief. 3. Vol. 8 (Acarina). Berlin: Verlag von R. Friedländer und Sohn Edited by: Schulze, FE. 1–93. [Crossref] , [Google Scholar]), O. nortoni, O. quadricornuta and O. sexdentata Berlese, 1916 pair dp takes a more lateral position, compared with the larvae, in O. superbula and O. canadensis Behan-Pelletier and Eamer, 2010 Behan-Pelletier, VM and Eamer, B. 2010. The first sexually dimorphic species of Oribatella (Acari, Oribatida, Oribatellidae) and a review of sexual dimorphism in the Brachypylina. Zootaxa, 2332: 1–20. [Crossref] , [Google Scholar] it is reduced in size (in the latter species pair dm is also reduced), while O. metzi loses setae dm and dp. In contrast, the nymphs of O. calcarata do not carry the scalps, and usually lose setae c ₁ and dm. The adults of all species lose setae c ₁, c ₃ and d-series, compared with the tritonymph, and only 10 pairs of notogastral setae remain (c ₂, l-, h- and p-series), but O. quadricornuta and O. calcarata rarely retain seta c ₃ unilaterally, which indicates the order of setal loss in Oribatella according to Shaldybina (1972 Shaldybina, ES. 1972. Some morphological characters of ceratozetid moss mites (Oribatei). Ucenyje zapiski Gor Gosud Pedagog Institut, Gorki, 130: 35–66. In Russian [Google Scholar]).     

A new species of the genus Vercoia from Okinawa Island,Japan (Crustacea,Decapoda, Caridea,Crangonidae), with descriptions of its zoeal stages

A new crangonid shrimp and its four zoeal stages are described and illustrated in detail from Okinawa Island, Japan. The new species of Vercoia is readily distinguished from V. gibbosa Baker, 1904 Baker W. H 1904 Notes on South Australian decapod Crustacea Transactions and Proceedings and Report of the Royal Society of South Australia, 28, 146–161, pls 27–31  [Google Scholar], V. socotrana Duris, 1992 Duris, Z. 1992. Revision of Vercoia Baker (Crustacea: Decapoda: Crangonidae). Invertebrate Taxonomy, 6: 1437–1457.  [Google Scholar] and V. japonica Komai, 1995 Komai, T. 1995. Vercoia japonica, a new species of crangonid shrimp (Crustacea: Decapoda: Caridea) from Japan. Natural History Research, 3: 123–132.  [Google Scholar], in adult morphology, by the bilobed anterior expansion of the hepatic carina of the carapace, the notched mid-dorsal carina on the fifth abdominal somite, and the presence of the distoventral tooth on the ischium of the second pereopod. The larvae of the new species which are the first larvae of a species assigned to Vercoia to be described, are very similar to those of species of Philocheras, but they differ in the setation of the endopods of the maxillule and maxilla. A key to the adult species of Vercoia is provided.     

The systematics of the dusky striped squirrel,Funambulus sublineatus (Waterhouse, 1838) (Rodentia: Sciuridae) and its relationships to Layard's squirrel,Funambulus layardi Blyth, 1849

The systematics of the dusky striped squirrel, Funambulus sublineatus (Waterhouse, 1838 Waterhouse, GR. 1838. On a new species of squirrel … Sciurus sublineatus. Proc Zool Soc Lond. (part VI), : 19–20.  [Google Scholar]) are reassessed against new evidence following a revision of its genus, Funambulus Lesson, 1835 Lesson, RP. 1835. Illustrations De Zoologie, ou Recueil De Figures D'animaux peintes d'aprés nature, Paris: Arthur Bertrand.  [Google Scholar]. Mitochondrial DNA suggests that the Sri Lankan subspecies of F. sublineatus is the sister taxon of Funambulus layardi Blyth, 1849 Blyth, E. 1849. Note on the Sciuri inhabiting Ceylon and those of the Tenasserim provinces. J Asiatic Soc (Bengal), 18(1): 600–603.  [Google Scholar], despite its phenotypic similarity to the nominate species. Morphological and mtDNA evidence is presented for these species plus additional mtDNA data from Funambulus palmarum (Linnaeus, 1766 Linnaeus, C. 1766. Systema naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis, 12th, Holmiae: Laurentii Salvii.  [Google Scholar]) and Funambulus pennantii Wroughton, 1905 Wroughton, RC. 1905. The common striped palm squirrel. J Bombay Nat Hist Soc, 16: 406–413.  [Google Scholar]. Morphometric data indicate that the two taxa conventionally considered subspecies of F. sublineatus are sufficiently distinct for them to be ranked separately, resulting in two further endemic mammal species in India and Sri Lanka and an increase in Funambulus diversity. The name of the Sri Lankan species changes to Funambulus obscurus (Pelzeln and Kohl 1886 Pelzeln, Av and Kohl, FF. 1886. Ueber eine Sendung von Saugethieren und Vogeln aus Ceylon. Verhandel zool bot Ges Wien, 35: 525–528.  [Google Scholar]). Whether the mtDNA phylogeny is a true reflection of F. obscurus and F. layardi remains unresolved pending further data.     

The freshwater shrimps of the genera Caridina and Parisia from karst caves of Sulawesi Selatan,Indonesia, with descriptions of three new species (Crustacea: Decapoda: Caridea: Atyidae)

The present study reports on collections of hypogean freshwater atyid shrimps of the genera Caridina Milne Edwards, 1837 Milne Edwards, H. 1837. Histoire naturalle des Crustacés, Comprenant l'Anatomie, la Physiologie et la Classification de ces Animaux, Vol. 2, 1–532. Paris (France): Libraire Encyclopedique de Roret.  [Google Scholar], and Parisia Holthuis, 1956 Holthuis, L. B. 1956. The troglobic Atyidae of Madagascar (Crudtacea, Decapoda, Natantia), Mem Inst Sci Madagascar ser.. A., 11: 97–110.  [Google Scholar], obtained from the karst caves and associated epigean waters of Sulawesi, Indonesia. Six species of Caridina were present, of which two are new to science and one is new to Sulawesi, as well as one new species of Parisia. Types of Caridina pareparensis De Man, 1892 De Man, J. G. 1892. Decapoden des Indischen Archipels.. Zool Ergebn Reise Niederland Ost‐Ind., 2: 265–527. pl. 15–29 [Google Scholar], and C. pareparensis parvidentata Roux, 1904 Roux, J. 1904. Décapodes d'eau douce de Cèlébes (Genres Caridina et Potamon).. Rev Suisse Zool., 12(3): 539–572. pl. 9 [Google Scholar], were re‐examined and redescribed; lectotypes for both taxa are designated. Caridina pareparensis parvidentata is here regarded as a distinct species. The new taxa are described, figured and compared with congeners.     

First record of the genus Brachyzapus Gauld and Dubois (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Pimplinae) from Vietnam,with descriptions of six new species

Based on a recent collection of ichneumonids from Lao Cai Province, at an elevation above 1500 m above sea level, the genus Brachyzapus Gauld and Dubois, 2006 Gauld, ID and Dubois, J. 2006. Phylogeny of the Polysphincta group of genera (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae; Pimplinae: a taxonomic revision of spider ectoparasitoids. Syst Entomol., 31: 529–564. [Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar] is reported from Vietnam for the first time and six new species are described: B. carinatus sp. nov., B. convexus sp. nov., B. duboisi sp. nov., B. fansipanensis sp. nov., B. hoanglienensis sp. nov. and B. politus sp. nov. Notes on distinguishing characters are provided and the new species are included in a tentative key to 12 species of Brachyzapus. Three species are formally transferred from Zabrachypus to Brachyzapus: B. atripedalis (Sheng, 2001), B. nitidus (Hao and Sheng, 2002 Hao, D and Sheng, ML. 2002. A new species of genus Zabrachypus Cushman (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae). J Northeast Forestry Univ., 30: 95–96.  [Google Scholar]) and B. nonareaeidos (Wang, 1997) are new combinations.     

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.     

Zerconid mites (Acari: Mesostigamata: Zerconidae) from Croatia with description of four new species

This paper contributes to the knowledge of the family Zerconidae, describing material collected from several locations in Croatia. Seventeen species are listed, four of them (Prozercon martae sp. nov., Zercon danyii sp. nov., Zercon laczii sp. nov. and Zercon lanceolatus sp. nov.) proved to be new to science, a further eight species (Zercon arcuatus Trägårdh, 1931 Trägårdh, I. 1931. Terrestrial Acarina. Zool Faeroes., 2(49): 1–69.  [Google Scholar], Zercon athiasi Vincze, 1965 Vincze, S. 1965. Einige Beiträge zur Zerconiden-Fauna Ungarns. Opusc Zool Inst Zoosyst Univ Budapest., 5(2): 241–246.  [Google Scholar], Zercon berlesei Sellnick, 1958 Sellnick, M. 1958. Die Familie Zerconidae Berlese. Acta Zool Hung., 3: 313–368.  [Google Scholar], Zercon latissimus Sellnick, 1944 Sellnick, M. 1944. Zercon C. L. Koch. Acari, Blätter Milbenk., 5: 30–41.  [Google Scholar], Zercon romagniolus Sellnick, 1944 Sellnick, M. 1944. Zercon C. L. Koch. Acari, Blätter Milbenk., 5: 30–41.  [Google Scholar], Zercon storkani Hala?ková, 1969 Hala?ková, V. 1969. Zerconidae of Czechoslovakia (Acari: Mesostigmata). Acta Univ Carol-Biol., 3–4: 175–352.  [Google Scholar], Zercon tematinensis Ma?án & Fend'a, 2004 Ma?án, P and Fend'a, P. 2004. Zerconid mites of Slovakia (Acari, Mesostigmata, Zerconidae). Bratislava: Institute of Zoology, Slovak Academy of Sciences., : 238 [Google Scholar], Zercon (Zerconella) leitnerae Willmann, 1953 Willmann, C. 1953. Neue Milben aus den östlichen Alpen. Aus den Sitzungsberichten der Österr. Akad Wissensch Math.-naturw. Kl., Abt. I. 162. Bd., 6. Heft. Wien. p., : 449–519.  [Google Scholar]) are recorded for the first time from Croatia.     

Barrels and pagodas: clarifying the identity and variability of two nominal taxa of carinated land snails in the genus Plagiodontes (Gastropoda: Orthalicidae: Odontostominae)

Plagiodontes weyenberghii (Doering, 1877 Doering, A. 1877. [“1875”]. Apuntes sobre la fauna de moluscos de la República Argentina (continuación). Periód Zool, 2: 219–259.  [Google Scholar]) has a shell with a strong suprasutural keel; the species inhabits a restricted area in Central Argentina. Plagiodontes weyenberghii minor (Parodiz, 1939 Parodiz, JJ. 1939. Revisión de Plagiodontes y Scalarinella (Odontostominae). Physis, 17: 711–734.  [Google Scholar]) was described as a subspecies with obese shells and broader geographic distribution; some populations were sympatric with Plagiodontes daedaleus (Deshayes, 1851). A discriminant analysis on 244 adult shells combined with original information on the internal anatomy confirmed the distinctiveness of P. weyenberghii weyenberghii, whereas P. weyenberghii minor showed a broad overlap with P. daedaleus and no evidence of anatomical differences. As a consequence, P. weyenberghii minor is considered a junior subjective synonym of P. daedaleus daedaleus (Deshayes, 1851). Plagiodontes weyenberghii (Doering, 1877 Doering, A. 1877. [“1875”]. Apuntes sobre la fauna de moluscos de la República Argentina (continuación). Periód Zool, 2: 219–259.  [Google Scholar]) has unique characteristics such as the weak vascularization of the pallial system, the relative size of the penial papilla and its accessory lobe, the markedly swollen distal portion of the bursa copulatrix duct, the spermoviduct with two whorls, and the vagina with a medial depression.     

Pentatrichosiphum (Sternorrhyncha: Aphididae), a generic account with the description of a new species from Hainan,China

The aphid genus Pentatrichosiphum Basu, 1969 Basu, A. N. 1969. Four new genera and nine new species of aphids (Homoptera) from West Bengal, India.. Oriental Insects, 3: 169–186. [Taylor & Francis Online] , [Google Scholar] is reviewed. Pentatrichosiphum longirostrum n. sp. from Lauraceae in Hainan, China is described. Pentatrichosiphum luteum Basu, 1969 Basu, A. N. 1969. Four new genera and nine new species of aphids (Homoptera) from West Bengal, India.. Oriental Insects, 3: 169–186. [Taylor & Francis Online] , [Google Scholar] is recorded for the first time from China, the first record of this genus. Some hitherto unknown morphs of P. luteum are described. The genus is redefined and keys to the four known species worldwide are also provided. The taxonomic status of Pentatrichosiphum is discussed based on morphological characters. Type specimens are deposited in the Zoological Museum, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China (ZMCAS).