Microvelia rasilis Drake in Arizona: a species new to the United States (Heteroptera: Veliidae)

Microvelia rasilis Drake was taken in Montezuma Well, Yavapai Co., Arizona, along with Microvelia hinei Drake and Hydrometra aemula Drake (Heteroptera: Hydrometridae). These are all new to this locality; however, the latter two species are previously known from Arizona.     

New species and new records of Veliidae from Espírito Santo State and adjacent Minas Gerais State,Brazil, with notes on nomenclature (Insecta: Heteroptera: Gerromorpha)

A review of the Veliidae occurring in Espírito Santo State, Brazil, is presented. The following new taxa are described: Oiovelia brasiliensis sp. nov., Paravelia capixaba sp. nov., Rhagovelia vaniniae sp. nov., R. mangle sp. nov., R. teresa sp. nov., R. denticulata sp. nov. and R. sooretama sp. nov. Husseyella halophila, Microvelia ayacuchana, and Stridulivelia quadrispinosa are recorded for the first time from southeastern Brazil. Microvelia longipes, M. mimula, M. venustatis, R. accedens, R. bocaina, R. elegans, R. hambletoni, R. itatiaiana, R. robusta, R. tenuipes, R. triangula, R. trianguloides, R. zela and S. tersa are recorded for the first time from Espírito Santo State. The occurrence of H. diffidens in Espírito Santo is confirmed. Additional records from the Caparaó mountain range are presented for M. mimula, R. accedens, R. aiuruoca and R. triangula. A necessary nomenclatural note concerning R. ochroischion, R. sbolos, R. trianguloides and R. turmalis is presented.     

Systematics of the Protohermes parcus species group (Megaloptera: Corydalidae), with notes on its phylogeny and biogeography

A species group, the Protohermes parcus group of the dobsonfly genus Protohermes, is proposed by the unique male genitalic structures. Five species belonging to the proposed species group from China and Nepal are described and illustrated, including three species new to science. A cladistic analysis is conducted to reconstruct the interspecific phylogeny within the proposed species group based on the morphological data. The biogeography of the proposed species group is also discussed.     

Rissoidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda) from northeast Atlantic seamounts

The gastropod family Rissoidae is revised at the species level for the Lusitanian seamounts, situated between Portugal and Madeira, and the Meteor group of seamounts, situated south of the Azores in the northeast Atlantic Ocean. Based on material obtained by dredging and trawling, 48 species are reported, of which 30 are described as new. There is very little overlap between the assemblages found on both groups of seamounts, with only two shared species. On the Lusitanian seamounts, 24 species were collected. Seven species (six with planktotrophic development) are shared with the mainland shelf or slope and are represented in low numbers. Eleven species are endemic to this seamount group as a whole and of these, three account for 75% of individuals. Of the species not shared with the mainland, only one is found on the four seamounts, eight (three new) are found on two or three seamounts and/or neighbouring islands, and six (all new) are endemic to a single seamount. On the Meteor group, 26 species were found, of which five are shared with the Azores and 20 (all new) are endemic to the seamount group as a whole. Most species are found on only two or three seamounts, whereas nine species are endemic to only one of the seamounts, and of these five are concentrated on Atlantis seamount. Eight endemic species of the Meteor group included in Porosalvania n. gen. have very different shapes and occupy discrete bathymetric intervals, but are best interpreted as a local radiation originating from a relatively old colonization of this seamount group. The endemic species, and among them the successful ones, all have a paucispiral protoconch denoting non‐planktotrophic development. As in the Macaronesian archipelagos, the Rissoidae are the most species‐rich molluscan family on the northeast Atlantic seamounts.     

Numeric analysis of the lizard genus Sceloporus with special reference to cranial osteology

Phylogenetic relationships among Sceloporine genera are briefly discussed. Species relationships within the genus Sceloporus are analyzed, and evolutionary lines of descent are proposed. The genus Sceloporus is composed of three monophyletic groups: Group I, the most primitive, probably developed from Sator - like ancestral stock in Miocene times. This group speciated from stock similar to Sceloporus gadoviae in southern Mexico to S. merriami in the North and contains 7 species in 3 species groups. We propose that these species be included in the genus Lysoptychus Cope. Group II arose from Group I and evolved from centrally located Sceloporus pictus in all directions throughout Mexico. This intermediate group contains approximately 19 species in 5 species groups. Group III also arose from the primitive stock of Group I and radiated from several desert refugia created by Pleistocene glaciation. Evolution of this group in Mexico was generally from north to south with Sceloporus malachiticus extending as far south as Panama. This group contains approximately 33 species in 5 species groups.     

Evolution of the sceloporine lizards (Iguanidae)

Phylogenetic relationships among Sceloporine genera are briefly discussed. Species relationships within the genus Sceloporus are analyzed, and evolutionary lines of descent are proposed. The genus Sceloporus is composed of three monophyletic groups: Group I, the most primitive, probably developed from Sator - like ancestral stock in Miocene times. This group speciated from stock similar to Sceloporus gadoviae in southern Mexico to S. merriami in the North and contains 7 species in 3 species groups. We propose that these species be included in the genus Lysoptychus Cope. Group II arose from Group I and evolved from centrally located Sceloporus pictus in all directions throughout Mexico. This intermediate group contains approximately 19 species in 5 species groups. Group III also arose from the primitive stock of Group I and radiated from several desert refugia created by Pleistocene glaciation. Evolution of this group in Mexico was generally from north to south with Sceloporus malachiticus extending as far south as Panama. This group contains approximately 33 species in 5 species groups.     

Taxonomy and phylogeny of the Old World jumping plant-louse genus Paurocephala (Insecta,Hemiptera, Psylloidea)

Fifty-one species are recognized in the genus Paurocephala, with an additional 14 species which remain unnamed. Thirty-five species are described as new, and five species are synonymized: P. pumilae and P. zhejiangensis with P. chonchaiensis, P. debregeasiae with P. sauteri, and P. guangxiensis and P. tremae with P. trematos. Two varieties, P. psylloptera maculipennis and P. psylloptera setifera, are raised to species level. P. bifasciata is reinstated from former synonymy with P. chonchaiensis, and Anomoterga kleinhofiae is transferred back to Paurocephala. Lectotypes are designated for P. brevicephala, P. chonchaiensis, P. psylloptera, P. sauteri, P. setifera and P. wilderi. The four New World species of Paurocephala are not considered to be congeneric with the Old World species and will be transferred to Diclidophlebia. Two South African species, P. bicarinata and P. hottentotti, are removed from Paurocephala and have to be accommodated in a new genus in the Diaphorininae. Thus Paurocephala is an Old World genus with nine Afrotropical and 42 Indo-Australian described species. Keys for the identification of adults and fifth instar larvae are provided. All 51 named species are diagnosed and illustrated, and information is given on distribution and host plants. Based on two cladistic analyses, one using adult characters only, and one using both adult and larval characters, four monophyletic species groups are recognized. In both analyses a basal group of 10 species, the brevicephala -group, forms the sister group to all other Paurocephala spp. The Afrotropical species are monophyletic and, together with one Oriental species constitute the gossypii group. In the analysis with adult characters only, the gossypii -group is the sister taxon of the kleinhofiae -group and, both together, are the sister group of the psylloptera -group, the largest species group with 27 species. In the analysis of adult and larval characters, the relationships between the last three species groups are not resolved. The result of the phylogenetic analysis confirms the synonymy of the subgenus Thoracocorna with Paurocephala. Known host plants of Paurocephala spp. belong to the Malviflorae with the exception of the Afrotropical P. insolita which develops on Theiflorae (Theales, Clusiaceae). The brevicephala -, kleinhofiae - and gossypii -groups are associated with hosts of the order Malvales (Malvaceae and Sterculiaceae), whereas the psylloptera -group is with Urticales (Urticaceae, Moraceae and Ulmaceae).     

New species and records of North American Pityophthorus (Coleoptera: Scolytidae), Part IV: the Scriptor group

Six new species of Pityophthorus from Mexico are described. The new species, all in the Scriptor group, are: atkinsoni, diminutivus, equihuai, thamnus, trunculus and zexmenivora . An additional locality record for P. coronarius Blackman is included. A new key to the 22 species included in the Scriptor group is presented.         

New species and new records of North American Pityophthorus (Coleoptera: Scolytidae), Part V: the Juglandis group

Six new species of Pityophthorus from Mexico are described. The new species, all in the Scriptor group, are: atkinsoni, diminutivus, equihuai, thamnus, trunculus and zexmenivora . An additional locality record for P. coronarius Blackman is included. A new key to the 22 species included in the Scriptor group is presented.         

A revision of the Nearctic species of Clinohelea Kieffer (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)

The seven species of Clinohelea known to inhabit North America are described and illustrated, and a key is provided for identification. Two species groups are recognized: the unimaculata group and the bimaculata group. Clinohelea longitheca and C. pseudonubifera are new. Clino - helea nebulosa (Malloch) is a synonym of C. curriei (Coquillett) NEW SYNONOMY.     

Effect of temperature on the flight activity of culicids in Buenos Aires City,Argentina

Daily temperature could determine mosquito activity and competence for transmitting arboviruses. This work aims to determine the seasonal occurrence of mosquito species and to characterize their flight activity in relation to the mean daily temperature in Buenos Aires, Argentina (March 1998 to April 2001). The proportion of capture events for each culicid species throughout all seasons and thermal ranges, obtained by classifying daily mean temperatures corresponding to every capture event, was compared using a test for multiple independent proportions. Twenty-three species from six genera were captured and two groups could be identified: group 1, species captured in all thermal ranges and group 2, species not captured below 11°C. Flight activity of the different species would be affected by daily and seasonal mean temperature. Species of group 1, which are present throughout the year, seem to be triggered above a certain threshold of temperature, regardless of the season. Group 2 species would display a seasonal activity pattern.     

Recent species of the Family Candonidae (Ostracoda,Crustacea) from the ancient Lake Biwa,Central Japan

Sampling of Lake Biwa between November 1997 and February 2007 has revealed a diverse Candonidae fauna consisting of 18 species. Eleven are previously undescribed species, belonging to the genera Fabaeformiscandona (nine species), Pseudocandona (one species) and Cypria (one species), and 10 of these are potentially endemic to the lake. In total there are 12 Fabaeformiscandona species in the lake belonging to two sub‐groups based on the number of setae on the mandible palp, the fabaeformis‐group (10 species) and the acuminata‐group (two species). Including the new Fabaeformiscandona species described herein, Lake Biwa is home to 19% of the approximately 62 described living species of this genus known globally. Although, the new Fabaeformiscandona species are potentially endemic, they do not show a microevolutionary pattern similar to that suggested for the Tanganyikan Cyprideis species flock.     

Re‐description of the lycosiformis species group of Anyphops Benoit and description of two new species (Araneae,Selenopidae)

Anyphops Benoit is a heterogeneous genus with 62 known species restricted to the Afrotropical region. It is split into four species groups using the number of ventral spine pairs on tibiae I–II. The lycosiformis species group (?=?B‐B1 species group of Lawrence) is characterized by four ventral pairs of spines and includes Anyphops lycosiformis (Lawrence), A. natalensis (Lawrence) and A. parvulus (Pocock). In this paper, I revise this species group and include here A. mumai Corronca, A. lawrencei (Roewer) and two new species: Anyphops ngome n. sp. and A. lucia n. sp. from South Africa. Drawings of the female and male genitalia and some somatic characters are given, in some cases for the first time. A key for the lycosiformis species group and a map showing the distribution of each species are provided.     

The genus Platypalpus Macquart (Diptera: Hybotidae) from Northeast Thailand with comments on the species groups in the Oriental region

The first records on the genus Platypalpus Macquart from Thailand are presented including 10 species new to science: P. fai sp. nov., P. gaemluang sp. nov., P. hualuang sp. nov., P. isaanensis sp. nov., P. nuadkhao sp. nov., P. phomyaaw sp. nov., P. seedam sp. nov., P. seeluang sp. nov., P. siamensis sp. nov., and P. thaicus sp. nov.. A key to these species is provided. All species of Platypalpus known from the Oriental Region (totally 54) are arranged into the species groups currently established for the genus. Eight species groups are recognized from the Oriental Realm and the distribution of each group is briefly discussed. The P. albiseta‐group is most diverse in the Orient with 16 species recorded. Two species of this group possess a modified structure and vestiture of certain abdominal segments that is the first record of this phenomenon in Platypalpus. Also, within the P. albiseta‐group a complex of closely related species sharing an apomorphous condition of the hypoproct has been recognized. In these species the structure of the hypoproct is likely to deal with clasping during copulation instead of the cerci and epandrial lamellae.     

A revision of the Caridina serrata species group,with descriptions of five new species (Crustacea: Decapoda: Caridea: Atyidae)

The taxonomy of the Caridina serrata species group (Caridea: Atyidae) is revised. Neotypes of C. serrata Stimpson, 1860, and C. cantonensis Yu, 1938, are designated. Additional information on Caridina sphyrapoda Liang and Zhou, 1993 is provided. Five new species of the Caridina serrata species group are described, namely Caridina nanaoensis from Guangdong Province, C. apodosis from Hong Kong, and C. yulinica, C. wumingensis and C. mutata from Guangxi Province, all in southern China. A key to all members of the species group is included.     

Altitudinal patterns of abundances and parasitism in frugivorous drosophilids in west Java,Indonesia

Abundances and parasitism rates of frugivorous drosophilid flies were studied in three localities at altitudes of 250–1350 m in and near Bogor, Indonesia. The drosophilid and parasitoid species were classified into four groups: low-altitude species, high-altitude species, species abundant at a mid-altitude location and species occurring rather evenly from low to high locations. The ananassae and immigrans species groups were major drosophilids collected. All species of the ananassae species group were more abundant at lower altitudes, and the parasitism rate in this species group decreased with increasing altitude. Thus, the host abundance seems to affect the parasitism rate. On the other hand, the rate of parasitism in the immigrans species group showed no apparent relation with altitude or density, possibly due to the fact that species of this species group varied in altitudinal distribution. It is also suggested that the diversity of drosophilid species affects the composition of parasitoid species.     

The Harpacticoida (Crustacea: Copepoda) of two beaches in south-east India

Summary

Ten species of harpacticoid copepods were collected from two estuarine beaches near Porto Novo, south-east India. Three are described as new species. Two other species add to our knowledge of intra-specific variation in this group of animals.     

Contribution to the systematic revision of the African cyprinid fish genus Labeo: species from the Lower Zaire river system

The species of the genus Labeo from the Lower Zaire river system have been revised on the basis of 284 preserved fishes, including type material of 18 nominal species cited or described from this region. Morphometrics, meristic counts, morphological observations and radiographs have been used for this study. All results obtained are supported by statistical analyses. From the 18 nominal species reported, only 12 species are recognized as valid. Two major groups were identified: one group has rows of conical papillae on the inner surface of lips; and the other group presents rows of transverse plicae on the inner surface of lips. The first group has two species: L. lineatus and L. weeksii. One synonymy is proposed: L. lineatus (partim) = L. weeksii. In the second group, 10 species have been identified: L. longipinnis, L. degeni, L. barbatus, L. macrostoma, L. falcipinnis, L. cyclorhynchus, L. parvus, L. greenii, L. nasus and L. sorex. One unidentified taxon apparently represents a species new to science, but this must be confirmed by a wider revision of the genus which is the subject of further research. Some synonymies in this group are proposed: L. brichardi (partim) = L. barbatus; L. lineatus (partim) = L. degeni. Other synonymies already established by Reid (1985), have been confirmed: L. lividus = L. barbatus; L. brichardi (partim) = L. macrostoma; L. variegatus = L. cyclorhynchus. One synonymy has been restored: L. velifer = L. longipinnis. Finally, one synonymy remains in question: L. chariensis = L. parvus. A key to species is provided.