British species of the parasitic cynipid-wasp genus Aegilips (Hymenoptera: Cynipoidea,Anacharitinae)

The British species of Aegilips are revised and a key to species is provided. Of the eight species previously described from Britain seven are synonymized under the name A. nitidula (Dalman). Three new species (A. atricornis, A. romseyensis and A. vena) are described. A neotype is designated for A. nitidula (Dalman) and lectotypes are designated for A. rufipes (Westwood), A fumipennis (Westwood) and A. dalmani Reinhard.     

The systematic position of the tribe Stenodemini (Heteroptera: Cimicomorpha: Miridae: Mirinae) in the light of the male internal reproductive system

The study focuses on the morphology and ultrastructure of the male reproductive system of 13 Hemiptera species representing the tribes Stenodemini and Pithanini: Acetropis carinata, Dolichomiris linearis, Leptopterna dolabrata, L. ferrugata, Megaloceroea recticornis, Notostira elongata, N. erratica, Stenodema (Brachystira) calcarata, Stenodema (Stenodema) holsata, S. (S.) laevigata, Trigonotylus caelestialium, T. pulchellus and Myrmecoris gracilis. The study also embraces three species which belong to the tribe Mirini, and play the role of an out-group in the conducted analyses. These species are: Adelphocoris seticornis, Calocoris affinis and Lygus rugulipennis. On the basis of total preparations, cross and longitudinal sections, we have studied the number of testicular follicles, their dimensions, types of connections between follicles and vas deferens, the structure of vasa deferentia, as well as the number, structure and origin of accessory glands. The above-listed features have provided complementary information, alongside morphological features, helpful in verifying the taxonomic position of the tribe Stenodemini.     

Review of the microphysid genus Loricula Curtis in Japan (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Microphysidae), with descriptions of three new species

Japanese fauna of the cimicomorphan family Microphysidae is documented. Four species of the genus Loricula Curtis are recognised, including three new species herein described from Japan, Loricula miyamotoi, L. nikko and L. yakushima, representing the first discovery of new taxa in the twenty-first century for the Asian Microphysidae. A single known species, L. pilosella Miyamoto, is rediagnosed. A key is provided to distinguish both sexes of the Japanese Loricula species.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:C01445E4-FD3E-4953-932C-7835FC8BDD16     

Revision of Indo-Pakistan Parisomias Faust (Coleoptera,Curculionidae) with some notes on Leptomias Faust

Summary

Mandibles and maxillae of Australonuphis teres (family Onuphidae) continue to grow throughout life without replacement. Mandibles are solid structures that grow by external depositions, leaving a series of growth rings. Maxillae are hollow without any growth rings. New teeth are added to a maxilla by the division of its most distal tooth. Overall growth of the maxillae is thought to occur from the inner epidermal layer of the cavity. The same mode of growth is expected in all extant Eunicoidea with exception of Dorvilleidae, where maxillae are periodically replaced.     

A behavioural inventory of adult Stenus species (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae)

According to focal animal sampling, the genus-specific behaviour of Stenus beetles (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae) can be presented in the form of a comprehensive ethogram including 73 distinct behavioural patterns. Most observed behavioural patterns can be assigned to five functional systems: ‘feeding’, ‘reproduction’, ‘grooming’, ‘resting’ and ‘protection’. In addition to grooming behaviour, searching behaviour takes a large amount of time (50–90% of the total observation time), which is indicative of the broad prey spectrum of Stenus species. The biological significance of selected behavioural aspects concerning ‘searching for prey’, ‘prey capture’, ‘mating’, ‘self-grooming’ and ‘locomotion on the water surface’ is addressed in the discussion.     

New trophobiotic symbioses of ants with South East Asian Bugs

A trophobiotic relationship between two species of phloem-feeding plataspid bugs and an ant, Meranoplus mucronatus, was discovered on tree trunks in Malaysia. Similar relationships were found between coreid bugs and Crematogaster sp. and Anoplolepis longipes, on bamboo in the same area. The ants recruit to groups of the bugs and feed on the liquid, sugar-rich faeces of the larvae, stimulating release of the honeydew by tactile signals. They protect all stages of the bugs from disturbance by biting and by the use of defensive scretions. Phloem-feeding bugs in the families Plataspidae and Coreidae need long stylets to pierce the thick bark of their host tree. The different methods of accommodating the resting stylets in these two families are described. The plataspids are described as Tropidotylus servus sp. nov. and T. minister sp. nov. A coreid previously reported in association with M. mucronatus in Malaya is described as Hygia cliens sp. nov. The coreids on bamboo were determined as Cloresmus spp. and Notobitus affinis.     

A note on manna feeding by ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

The production of manna is often associated with the feeding injuries of the coreid, Amorbus obscuricornis (Westwood) (Hemiptera: Coreidae). The manna produced as a result of the injuries caused by A. obscuricornis is extremely attractive to ants and it is often taken right from underneath feeding bugs. Observations of a number of Tasmanian ant species feeding upon eucalpyt manna, suggest that this substance is an important source of carbohydrate for the ants. The possible significance of manna secretion is considered.     

A new shield-bug species Piezodorus grossi (Het.: Pentatomidae) from the Australasian region previously confused with P. hybneri (Gmelin)

Material previously identified as Piezodorus hybneri (Gmelin) from the Australasian region is here described as a new species, P. grossi sp. nov. The two species can be distinguished on the basis of the aedeagus in the male and spermathecal proximal duct in the female.     

Oviposition site preference and reproductive ecology of Teratohyla midas (Anura: Centrolenidae) in the Colombian Amazon

ABSTRACT

The family Centrolenidae (Glass frogs) includes 157 species of anurans with a Neotropical distribution. Although glass frogs have been the subject of several studies encompassing various aspects of their biology, natural history data on their reproductive ecology is still scarce. One of the important aspects of reproductive ecology is the oviposition site since it can impact the reproductive success of a species. Herein, we provide detailed information on the reproductive ecology of a population of Teratohyla midas from the Colombian Amazon foothills and test whether this species shows a preference on substrate and height of oviposition site. We monitored a population using capture-mark-recapture of individuals identified by a photograph of their unique pattern of dorsal yellow spots. Wild-ID Software was used to corroborate if the dorsal pattern was different between individuals. Additionally, we monitored the presence of egg clutches, amplexus and oviposition behaviour. We observed 110 males and 5 females of T. midas, seen at an average height of 3.1 m ± 2.9 (0–17.8 m) from the ground. Likewise, we recorded the amplexus behaviour of two pairs for approximately 150 min. Once the oviposition happened, the male retreated, and the female covered the egg clutches for approximately 60 min. We observed 25 egg clutches with 60% being deposited in leaves of Selaginella sp and found at an average height of 2.9 ± 1.7 m (1.1–7.0 m). Thus, the selection of oviposition site was not random but mostly specific to one type of substrate. Furthermore, there was an overlap of the re-sampled median height distributions of active individuals and clutches, which suggests that oviposition does not occur at a preferred height within the vertical distribution of individuals. The information presented here is the first detailed record of reproductive ecology for this species and we hope to provide a basis to improve our knowledge on the biology of this species and other glass frogs.     

Trophobiosis between ants and Eurystethus microlobatus Ruckes 1966 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) a cryptic,gregarious and subsocial stinkbug

In this study we describe trophobiosis between ants and Eurystethus microlobatus (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) at a highland quartzite rocky outcrop in southern Espinhaço Range, southeastern Brazil. We found stinkbugs exclusively on the mistletoe Psittacanthus robustus (Loranthaceae). The stinkbug species is gregarious, forming dense clusters, with females guarding eggs and young nymphs. In addition, this species presents cryptic colouration and most individuals were located on roots and shoots, camouflaged within the bark. Eurystethus microlobatus produced honeydew by day and night, and four ant species attended aggregations: Camponotus rufipes, Camponotus crassus, Camponotus melanoticus and Cephalotes pusillus. Camponotus rufipes was the most frequent and aggressive, and the only species to attend the stinkbugs by day and night. This is the first documented case of trophobiosis between true bugs and ants in the New World.     

The occurrence,mechanics and significance of burying behaviour in crabs (Crustacea: Brachyura)

Although the terms burrowing and burying are often used interchangeably in the literature, there are clear distinctions between these two types of behaviour in terms of their ecological, mechanical and physiological implications. Both types of behaviour are widely observed in the Brachyura. In comparison to the well researched area of burrowing in crabs, information on burying is relatively dispersed. This review will examine the extent of burying behaviour in brachyurans, and the physiological and ecological consequences of the behaviour within the group. At least nine of the 50 families of brachyuran crabs have either been observed to bury in soft substrata or are suspected, on morphological grounds, of burying. There appears to be no specific morphological adaptations for burying in brachyurans, apart from those features associated with respiration whilst buried in the sediment. Buried individuals must ensure constant access to oxygenated water in the face of mechanical problems resulting from direct contact with the sediment, i.e., the threat of clogging. Burying taxa deal with this challenge through accessory respiratory channels and altered respiratory rhythms. The evolutionary implication of the burying habit is equivocal. Burying taxa are amongst the most speciose and numerically dominant brachyuran groups in marine systems, all reaching their greatest diversity and abundance in soft substrata. Burying may be an ancestral condition, with many of these groups evolving in habitats characterized by soft sediment.     

Habitat utilization by juvenile hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata,Linnaeus, 1766) around a shallow water coral reef

Contemporary studies of sea turtle diving behaviour are generally based upon sophisticated techniques such as the attachment of time depth recorders. However, if the risks of misinterpretation are to be minimized, it is essential that electronic data are analysed in the light of first-hand observations. To this aim, we set out to make observations of juvenile hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata, Linnaeus, 1766) foraging and resting in a shallow water coral reef habitat around the granitic Seychelles (4°'S, 55°'E). Data were collected from six study sites characterized by a shallow reef plateau (<5 m) and a flat sandy area at the base of the reef face (<10 m). Observation data were categorized into the following behaviours: (1) stationary foraging; (2) active foraging; (3) resting; and (4) assisted resting. Central to this investigation was the development of a technique for accurately estimating the size of sea turtles in situ based upon previously tested techniques for reef fishes. This revealed that through calibration, the curved carapace length (CCL) of marine turtles can be consistently estimated to within 10 cm of their actual size. Although rudimentary, this has advantages for assessing the residency or absence of specific life history stages from particular environments. Indeed, our data supported previous claims that following the reproductive season, adult hawksbills in the region may move away from the nesting beaches to alternative foraging grounds whilst immature turtles (following the pelagic juvenile stage) may opt to reside in areas close to their natal beaches. With regards to habitat utilization, juvenile hawksbills displayed an alternating pattern of short, shallow foraging dives followed by deeper, longer resting dives. These findings are consistent with previous electronic studies of free-range diving in this species and suggest that the maximization of resting duration may be an important factor driving this behaviour.     

Post‐mounting courtship and the neutralizing of male competitors through “homosexual” mountings in the fly Hydromyza livens F. (Diptera: Scatophagidae)

Post‐mounting courtship behaviour of a 6–8 mm long scatophagid fly Hydromyza livens which lays its eggs in yellow water lily (Nuphar lutea) is described and analysed. Enigmatic male–male encounters are described, along with lengthy “homosexual” mounting behaviour. A possible interpretation of both types of behaviour is given, with reference to their adaptive significance and the special problems encountered by males in locating females.     

Is the Caprellidea a monophyletic group?

Cladistic analysis of caprellidean genera has revealed major divergence near the outgroup producing two major lines of evolution: Pseudoprotomima-Perotripus, and Caprogammarus-Caprella. The most plesiomorphic genus of each line, Pseudoprotomima and Caprogammarus, respectively, shows different plesiomorphic characters to each other. Pseudoprotomima has pereopods III and IV with 6 articles, antenna II flagellum with > 2 articles and three pairs of gills, while Caprogammarus has an abdomen 5-segmented with three pairs of pleopods. Pseudoprotomima and related genera are distributed from the temperate regions of the northern hemisphere to the South Indian Ocean, while Caprogammarus and related genera are recorded primarily from the boreal region of the northern hemisphere. That pereopods III and IV in Pseudoprotomima and its relatives have 6 articles indicates the functional gap from the Podoceridae (Gammaridea)-Caprogammaridae-Caprellidae gradation, since in the Podoceridae to the Caprellidae these pereopods are not used for clinging to substrata and, even in the Podoceridae, are reduced in size. This shows the possibility that the Caprellidea is not a monophyletic group. A new phylogeny derived from the present study is proposed for future study.     

Non-monogamous mating system and evidence of lekking behaviour in the Helmeted Manakin (Aves: Pipridae)

ABSTRACT

Manakins (Pipridae) are a group of Neotropical birds well known for their spectacular lekking displays and non-monogamous mating system. Nevertheless, the two species of Antilophia have been traditionally considered monogamous and, therefore, an exception to this rule. In this paper, we studied the home range and the mating system of a colour-ringed population of the Helmeted Manakin Antilophia galeata in southeastern Brazil. We propose that it is a non-monogamous species that ranges widely during the breeding season, presenting a lekking behaviour in the form of unspectacular but aggressive chasing courtship displays.