Three new species of Gammarus from Shaanxi,China (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Gammaridae)

Three new species, Gammarus shenmuensis n. sp., G. murarius n. sp. and G. martensi n. sp. are described, based on the collections from the Shaanxi Province of China. The morphological characters that distinguish these different species are presented. Distribution data on these gammarids are also given.     

Two new species of Niphargus (Crustacea: Amphipoda) from Iran

Two Niphargus species, Niphargus khayyami sp. nov. and Niphargus khwarizmi sp. nov., are morphologically analysed and described. Both species are found in western Iran, which represents the easternmost border of the distributional area for this subterranean amphipod genus. We were unable to attribute N. khayyami sp. nov. to any of 80 Niphargus species that were analysed for 28S ribosomal DNA sequences; sequencing of N. khwarizmi sp. nov. failed. Niphargid findings from west Asia recorded in 5 years imply that almost one half of the range of this large freshwater amphipod genus is still unexplored. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:9E9E7CC9-83E2-419F-A394-57197305E1EF     

Tardigrades from the Tsinling Mountains,central China with descriptions of two new species of Echiniscidae (Tardigrada)

A checklist of 63 species of tardigrades from the Tsinling Mountains is given in this paper. Thirty‐seven species of tardigrades that had never been found in the Tsinling Mountains were reported here. Twenty of them are new records for the mountains, 15 of them are new records for China, two of them are new to science. Pseudechiniscus pilatoi sp. n. is similar to Pseudechiniscus quadrilobatus Iharos, 1969 Iharos, G. 1969. Einige Angaben zur Tardigradenfauna Vietnams.. Opuscula Zoologica, Budapest, 9(2): 273–277.  [Google Scholar]. It differs from P. quadrilobatus in different cuticular sculpture, in the joints of paired‐plates, near the dorsal median line, uplifting but not protruding backward, and in lacking notches on terminal plate. Echiniscus marleyi sp. n. differs from E. canadensis Murray in having filaments D; it differs from E. mediantus Marcus in lacking filaments C but in having filaments D; it differs from E. spinulosus (Doyère) in lacking teeth B, C, E, and in having filaments D instead of teeth D.     

Description of Ghatiana,a new genus of freshwater crab,with two new species and a new species of Gubernatoriana (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Gecarcinucidae) from the Western Ghat Mountains,India

A new genus of freshwater crab, Ghatiana, with two new species, Ghatiana aurantiaca and Ghatiana hyacintha, and a new species of Gubernatoriana Bott, 1970, are described from the Western Ghat Mountains in Maharashtra State, India. Ghatiana is most similar to Gubernatoriana by its wide, highly arched carapace and by the shape of the male abdomen. Nevertheless, the new genus can be distinguished from Gubernatoriana by the broadness of carapace, length of male abdomen, shape of sixth abdominal somite, length of telson and length of G1 terminal article. Ghatiana aurantiaca sp. nov. and G. hyacintha sp. nov. are distinguished by differences in body colour, carapace width, and G1 morphology, whereas Gubernatoriana triangulus sp. nov. is distinguished from two other known species [Gubernatoriana gubernatoris (Alcock, 1909) and Gubernatoriana pilosipes (Alcock, 1909)] by its triangular G1 subterminal segment and by its carapace morphology. Keys to the species of both the genera are provided.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:36BAA1EA-DC15-4B06-BA09-7BD26C63FF54     

Population study of the landhopper Talitroides topitotum (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Talitridae) in central Mexico

A population of Talitroides topitotum discovered in Mexico City in 1992, was studied during a one year cycle. Abundance varied significantly during the study period, high population numbers occurred from June to October with a marked decrease from November to May. Maximum total length was 12.5mm and the size at first reproduction for females was 4.0 mm total length. Talitroides topitotum reproduced all year, with a peak in June. A female biased sex ratio was obtained in every sample with a maximum of 4:1 in May. Fecundity varied from one to nine eggs per female and mean fecundity varied significantly through time. The results show that T. topitotum exhibits little variation among widely separated populations and, 4 years after introduction, a life cycle adjusted to the local weather.     

European species of Haustorius (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Haustoriidae), with description of a new Mediterranean species

The genus Haustorius is represented by six species in the world; three are described as American species, three European including a new species described from the Mediterranean. This new species, H. orientalis, is similar to H. algeriensis Mulot, from the Algerian coast but differs in rostrum slightly exceeding in length the antennal lobes, merus of pereiopod 7 with posterior margin lacking spines, and uropod 1 with two separate rows of spines.     

Polychaetes (Annelida: Polychaeta) from the Aegean and Levantine coasts of Turkey,with descriptions of two new species

In this paper, soft-bottom polychaete species collected in August and September 2011 in the Aegean and Levantine Seas (4–325 m) are presented. A total of 358 species belonging to 48 families were found. Two species, Leonnates aylaoberi sp. nov. and Levinsenia materi sp. nov., are new to science and 14 species are new records for the marine fauna of Turkey. Syllidae and Spionidae were represented by a high number of species. The highest polychaete density was estimated as 5660 ind.m^?2 in the area. The most dominant species in the area were Lumbrineris geldiayi, Owenia fusiformis and Sigambra tentaculata. A total of 21 alien polychaete species were encountered in the area, of which Streblospio gynobranchiata formed a dense population in the Aegean Sea (Izmir Bay), and Prionospio depauperata and Prionospio saccifera in the Levantine Sea. Four hot spot areas for the settlement of alien species were determined in the area.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:4ECEC9B2-1604-4768-B152-BBEAE257249F     

A new deep-sea Psammogammarus species (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Eriopisidae) from the continental slope of the SE Gulf of Mexico

A new deep-sea species of amphipod collected at a depth of 1317 m from the soft bottom of the Bay of Campeche, SW Gulf of Mexico, is herein described. The sediment included a high proportion of silt and organic carbon. The specimen examined in this study was collected during the Oceanographic Expedition Xcambó-4, along the Bay of Campeche, aboard the RV Justo Sierra. The new species represents the sixteenth known species of the genus Psammogammarus worldwide. This new species is the second Psammogammarus recorded from the deep sea, and the first record of the genus for the Gulf of Mexico. Identification keys to males and females of Psammogammarus species are provided. Psammogammarus barrerai sp. nov. is characterised by head with anteroventral notch present; gnathopods 1 and 2 palmar margins oblique, and basis of pereopod 7 forming a wide serrated posterior lobe.

www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:C843777B-FF15-4AEC-B046-6513A96A9BFF     

Antheluridae,a new family of Crustacea (Isopoda: Anthuridea) with new species from Australia

The Antheluridae is erected for the genera Anthelura Norman and Stebbing, Ananthura Barnard and Anthomuda Schultz. The family is characterized by mouthparts of biting form; maxillipedal endite broad; maxillipedal palp broad, of 4–5 free articles; several posterior carpal and propodal spines on pereopods 2–7; pereopod 7 with transverse anterodistal propodal setal row on mesial face; and single telsonic statocyst. Its relationships to other anthurideans, especially the Paranthuridae, is discussed. Three new Australian species are described, Ananthura billarderia from off New South Wales, Anthomuda chorizema from the southeastern coast, and Anthomuda hovea, from the Great Barrier Reef, Coral Sea islands and Western Australia.

Bathura Schultz, Austranthura Kussakin and Valoranthura Kensley are junior synonyms of Ananthura, and Diaphoranthura is a junior synonym of Anthomuda.     

Two new species of Metharpinia Schellenberg (Amphipoda: Phoxocephalidae) from the south-west Atlantic

Two new species, Metharpinia dentiurosoma and Metharpinia grandirama, belonging to the family Phoxocephalidae are described and illustrated from the Argentine Sea. Both taxa were collected dredging at different depths and the grain size of the sediment was determined for each sampling station. The new species share character states with Metharpinia Schellenberg, 1931 and Microphoxus Barnard, 1960, and their assignation to the first genus is discussed. Metharpinia dentiurosoma and Metharpinia grandirama are distinguished from the other known species of the genus by the dorsal hook on urosomite 3; in addition, the first species is characterized by its epimeron 3 and the second species by its uropod 2.     

New and little known oribatids from Kenya,with descriptions of two new genera (Acari: Oribatida)

A list of newly collected and identified oribatids from Kenya is presented, two of them represent new genera; Sceletoppia gen. nov. (Oppiidae) and Mahnertozetes gen. nov. (Haplozetidae). Twelve species, belonging to the families Steganacaridae, Lohmanniidae, Tetracondylidae, Microzetidae, Zetomotrichidae and Galumnidae are new to science. Taxonomical notes on two other species are given.     

Earthworms (Annelida: Oligochaeta) from islands of Kien Hai District,Kien Giang Province,Vietnam, with descriptions of two new species and one subspecies

An earthworm inventory was conducted on three islands (Hon Tre, Lai Son and An Son) in the southernmost part of Vietnam. A total of 13 species and subspecies belonging to four genera and two families were collected from 49 sampling sites. The genus Metaphire Sims & Easton, 1972 is dominant with six species and subspecies, Metaphire anomala (Michaelsen, 1907), Metaphire bahli (Gates, 1945), Metaphire houlleti (Perrier, 1872), Metaphire mangophila (Nguyen, 2011), Metaphire kiengiangensis Nguyen & Trinh, 2015, Metaphire peguana laisonensis subsp. nov. Two new species, Polypheretima dorsotheca sp. anov. and Polypheretima insularis sp. nov., and a new subspecies Metaphire peguana laisonensis subsp. nov. are described. Additionally, Amynthas alteradamae (Michaelsen, 1934) and Amynthas tertiadamae (Michaelsen, 1934) are re-described based on fresh material. An identification key to species is also provided.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:4EA4C2C0-BEC2-45BF-8B72-388302A53F51     

The taxonomic utility of the male upper lip morphology in the ostracod genus Parapolycope (Crustacea), with descriptions of two new species

The male copulatory organ is recognized as a significant character for species taxonomy in the sexually reproducing Ostracoda. However, the genus Parapolycope has a simply shaped male copulatory organ consisting almost entirely of just the copulatory duct. In this study, two new species, Parapolycope psittacina sp. nov. and Parapolycope uncata sp. nov., are described, and the characters that have taxonomic value were examined based on a morphological comparison of these new species. Carapace size, shape and surface ornamentation, and the male upper lip are valuable characteristics for species identification. The morphology of the male upper lip, especially, exhibited a remarkable sexual dimorphism, which might have a function associated with reproductive isolation. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:D2F2F902-C496-4861-8872-813BC310AD9F     

A revision of the genus Siamthelphusa Bott, 1968 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Parathelphusidae), with descriptions of five new species from Thailand

The taxonomy of the northern Peninsular Malaysian and Thai freshwater crab genus Siamthelphusa Bott, 1968 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Parathelphusidae) is revised. Nine species are recognized: S. improvisa (Lanchester, 1901), S. holthuisi Naiyanetr and Ng, 1990, S. retimanus n. sp., S. paviei (De Man, 1898), S. acutidens n. sp., S. faxoni (Rathbun, 1905), S. transversa n. sp., S. nan n. sp., and S. variegata n. sp. A neotype is designated for S. improvisa (Lanchester, 1901), the type species of the genus.