A taxonomic review of the Rhinotermitidae (Isoptera) of Thailand

Ninety series of rhinotermitid termites were collected from 19 localities distributed across much of Thailand, and compared with specimens deposited in the NHML. Eleven species belonging to five genera of Rhinotermitidae are recorded from Thailand. Three species of two genera, Reticulitermes (Reticulitermes assamensis) and Parrhinotermes (Parrhinotermes microdentiformisoides and Parrhinotermes buttelreepeni), are new records from Thailand. Keys to the genera and species based on the soldier caste are given. Soldiers of all species are illustrated and morphological measurements are given.     

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.     

A taxonomic revision of the Oriental spittlebug genus Paphnutius Distant (Homoptera: Cercopidae)

The spittlebug genus Paphnutius is transferred from the Tomaspidini to the Considiini. The genus is revised and redescribed to contain nine species. A key to species is given and all species are redescribed and illustrated with their distributional data provided. One new species is described and one new generic synonymy, six new specific synonymies and four new combinations are established. Five lectotypes are newly designated. Paphnutius costimaculus Metcalf and Horton is considered as a species incertae sedis.     

A taxonomic and zoogeographical census of the extant ant taxa (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

The numbers of extant ant taxa in the world are analysed taxonomically and zoogeographically. A table detailing numbers of subfamilies, tribes and genera, and the numbers of species they contain, and one analysing the number of species per genus per zoogeographical region, are presented. Subfamilies are analysed by number and percentage of genera and species; the most speciose genera are isolated and listed in terms of absolute size and speciosity per subfamily. Tables detailing total numbers of genera and species per subfamily per region, and endemic genera per subfamily per region are given, and the endemicity and speciosity of genera are tabulated on a regional basis.     

Paspalum distichum L. var. indutum Shinners (Poaceae)

Glabrous Paspalum distichum, pubescent var. indutum, and pubescent plants of P. distichum from the western United States were compared. No morphological differences other than pubescence exist between the three forms. Plants from the eastern United States are generally more glabrous than those from western regions. The var. indutum represents an extreme pubescent form and is reduced to synonymy under P. distichum.     

A taxonomic revision of the genus Ocyale Audouin, 1826 in Africa (Araneae: Lycosidae)

The taxonomy of the African representatives of the wolf spider genus Ocyale is revised. Fundamental taxonomic problems were encountered which resulted in confusion in the literature between Ocyale and Pisaura and thus potential instability of the type genus of the family Pisauridae. For reasons of taxonomic stability, a new type species for Ocyale is proposed here: O. neatalanta. Besides the type species, O. dewinterae n.sp., O. discrepans Roewer, 1960, O. grandis n.sp. and Ocyale guttata Karsch, 1878, are described and an identification key is provided. Ocyale spissa (Lenz, 1895) proved to be a junior synonym of O. guttata. Ocyale maculata (L. Koch, 1875), O. spissides Strand, 1907, O. fera Strand, 1908, O. ingenua (Karsch, 1879) and O. conspersa Karsch, 1879, were found to be either nomina dubia or incertae sedis.     

A taxonomic review of the genus Gibbotettix with description of one new species (Orthoptera: Tetrigidae)

During an investigation of species diversity in the Lengshuihe Nature Preserve, Jinsha County, Guizhou Province, China, in August of 2015, a new species of the rare genus Gibbotettix was discovered. Gibbotettix vallis Zha and Wen sp. nov. is introduced, described and photographed, and compared with other species. A taxonomic review of the genus Gibbotettix is provided and a key to all known species of the genus is given.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:74D8DCB9-A31E-4E4D-A2E8-692A54A81317     

The taxonomic status of the rosy boa Lichanura roseofusca (Serpentes: Boidae)

Evidence is presented indicating that Lichanura roseofusca and Lichanura trivirgata are conspecific. Data include the report of an intermediate specimen from El Arco, Baja California Norte, a site midway between the previously known peninsular ranges of the two species; captive hybridization provides additional support for the conclusion.     

A taxonomic review of avian piroplasms of the genus Babesia Starcovici, 1893 (Apicomplexa: Piroplasmorida: Babesiidae)

The validity of avian species of Babesia is reviewed and 13 species recognized. Slides from records of Babesia in the literature have been re-examined and their status determined. Erroneous published records have been addressed. Previously regarded piroplasms of the genera Babesiosoma and Haemohormidium are reappraised and their relationship to Babesia and the Aegyptianella-Rickettsia group of organisms discussed. Host-specificity, pathogenicity and vectors are also discussed.     

Naupactus xanthographus (Germar) species group (Curculionidae: Entiminae: Naupactini): a comprehensive taxonomic treatment

We undertake a taxonomic revision of Naupactus xanthographus (Germar 1824) (grape-fruit weevil) and the putative related species N. navicularis Boheman 1840, N. dissimilis Hustache 1947, N. mimicus Hustache 1938, N. dissimulator Boheman 1840 and N. marvaldiae new species. This species group mainly differs from other Naupactus by the presence of a pair of tubercles at the apex of the elytra. It ranges in Argentina, southern Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay, in areas that belong to the biogeographic provinces of Atlantic, Araucaria and Paraná forests, Yungas, Chaco and Pampa. Naupactus xanthographus is broadly distributed in Argentina, mainly in the Pampean province, and it was introduced in central Chile, where it is considered a serious pest of grapes and several fruit trees. The remaining species are partially sympatric in the subtropical forests of southern Brazil, and N. dissimulator ranges along the gallery forests of Paraná and Uruguay rivers, down to La Plata River. It has been reported damaging citrus and ‘yerba mate’, like N. navicularis and N. dissimilis. The new species N. marvaldiae ranges in southern Brazil and north-eastern Argentina (Misiones), and differs from N. dissimulator, mainly by the very short elytra, the apical tubercles welldeveloped in males and females, the broader front femora, and the different shape of the apex of the penis. The other four species are probably more closely related and they separate from the pair N. dissimulator–N. marvaldiae because of the slightly widened front femora, well-developed corbels of the hind tibiae, and short to indistinct nodulus of the spermatheca.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:051587DD-37C2-4216-AA61-0E563BB44D64     

Herbivorous and parasitic insect guilds associated with Great Basin wildrye ( Elymus cinereus ) in southern Idaho

Insects inhabiting Great Basin wildrye ( Elymus cinereus Scribn. & Merr.) were surveyed at two sites on the Snake River Plain in southern Idaho during 1982 and 1983. Forty-six species of phytophagous insects were observed. In addition, eight parasitoid species were reared from insect hosts in the plant culms and identified. Lifestage, abundance, plant part utilized, and study site were recorded for each insect species collected. Insect guilds at the two sites were compared based on species presence utilizing Sorensen's similarity index. Overall, 26 insect species were common to both sites, yielding a moderate similarity index of 0.62. The majority of the species that constitute the wildrye herbivore guilds were oligophagous (restricted to grasses). Many of these insects feed on grain crops as well as other native and introduced grasses. The relatively high diversity of phytophages on wildrye may be due to its tall, bunchgrass growth form, its abundance within its habitat, its broad geographic range, and the large number of related species of grasses in the region.     

North American stoneflies (Plecoptera): systematics, distribution, and taxonomic references

A list of 537 Nearctic stonefly species is provided and distributions of all species are given by U.S. state and Canadian province. The list includes a bibliography of systematic and biogeographic papers published since the Zwick (1973) catalogue.     

A taxonomic review of the genus Nippoptilia (Lepidoptera: Pterophoridae) from Korea,with description of a new species

In the present study, we review the genus Nippoptilia of Korea. In total, four species are recognized, including a new species, Nippoptilia distigmata sp. nov., and two new records, Nippoptilia cinctipedalis (Walker) and N. issikii Yano, for Korea. All the available information, such as distributional ranges and biology of each taxon, is provided. The keys to the genus Nippoptilia in Korea are provided, along with illustrations of external and genitalic characteristics.     

The radular cusp formulae of Neotricula aperta (Gastropoda: Pomatiopsidae): taxonomic questions

The polytypic snail Neotricula aperta (Temcharoen, 1971) is found in the Mekong River of Northeast Thailand and southern Laos (α- and γ- strains) and in the Mul River of Northeast Thailand (β-strain). The γ -strain is known to be the intermediate host for human schistosomiasis in southern Laos and Cambodia. Populations were sampled in Northeast Thailand and cusp formulae recorded for all four types of taenioglossate teeth of the radula. Unlike earlier studies, which considered only the α- and γ-strains, the present work involved all three strains. Observations of tooth cusping patterns agree well with those of earlier studies of the α- and γ-strains but disagree with those of Temcharoen (1971) when describing the holotype of Lithoglyphopsis aperta (N. aperta). The implications of these findings for the taxonomy of N. aperta are discussed. Radular formulae do not appear to be useful additional characters in the distinction of the three strains of N. aperta. Radular data call for resampling of the type population in southern Laos and a comparative study of the related sympatric snail Manningiella conica Temcharoen, 1971.     

A description of the song of Chorthippus cazurroi (Orthoptera: Acrididae) with notes on its taxonomic position and distribution

The highly characteristic calling and courtship songs of Chorthippus cazurroi are described for the first time and are used, together with a number of morphological characters, as a basis for discussing the differences between this species and C. pullus, C. pulloides, C. nevadensis and Omocestus llorenteae, with which it has been or might be confused. Despite the superficial resemblance between cazurroi and these species, clear and reliable characters are described for distinguishing it from all of them. The distribution of cazurroi is also discussed and it is suggested that its inclusion in the Libro Rojo de los Ortópteros Ibéricos as extinct or in danger is, as the authors of that work suspected, unduly pessimistic. A lectotype is designed from the type material of C. cazurroi.