Distribution of the Pacific coconut mealybug,Dysmicoccus cocotis (Maskell) and of a new related species on coconut in southern Asia (Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Pseudococcidae)

A new species of mealybug from southern Asia, Dysmicoccus finitimus sp. nov., is described. It has often been confused with D. cocotis (Maskell), to which it is closely related. Both species are common on coconut and often occur in sufficient numbers to cause growers concern. D. cocotis is known from a wide area of Micronesia, Polynesia and Melanesia, but it is not known to occur west of the Federated States of Micronesia in the north and Fiji in the south. There are no records of D. cocotis from the Solomon Islands or Papua New Guinea, despite extensive collecting on coconut in these territories. D. finitimus is confined to southern India, Sri Lanka, Cocos (Keeling) Islands and peninsular Malaysia. There are no records yet of the new species from Indonesia.     

A synopsis of the subterranean mealybug genus Neochavesia Williams and Granara de Willink (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae: Rhizoecinae)

The neotropical mealybug genus Neochavesia, associated with the ant genus Acropyga Roger, is discussed and placed in the tribe Xenococcini on the bases that it lacks dorsal ostioles, the distal end of the circulus is depressed and cup-shaped, and the third-instar female is a pupa. These are characters shared by Xenococcus Silvestri and Eumyrmococcus Silvestri, also in the tribe Xenococcini, and differ from those in the tribe Rhizoecini, the other tribe in the subfamily Rhizoecinae. Two new species, Neochavesia iwokramae sp. nov. and N. lapollai sp. nov., are described from Guyana, and the female pupal instar and adult male of N. lapollai and the adult male of N. caldasiae (Balachowsky) are described and illustrated. A key to adult females is provided.     

A new genus and two new species of Philotarsidae. (Insecta: Psocoptera) from East Africa

Summary

Genus Tarsophilus and its species lineatus and aequabilis (Insecta: Psocoptera: Philotarsidae) are described as new. The specimens, all males, were collected in highland areas of East Africa. The new genus is placed in Philotarsidae rather than Pseudocaeciliidae on characters of hypandrium, phallosome, and lacinial tip. Its position in the subfamily Philotarsinae is justified and it is compared to the other genera of this group on both male and on trans-sexual characters.     

A remarkable new genus and species of Cynipoidea (Hymenoptera) from Papua New Guinea

During the course of a recent investigation into the phylogeny of the Cynipoidea (Fergusson, 1990) a new species was discovered which is unusually elongate and has a remarkably deep incision between the metanotum and propodeum. This species constitutes a new genus, Eileenella, which is described below.     

A new genus and species of Conchaspididae (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) from Florida,remarkable in lacking legs

A new genus of Conchaspididae, Asceloconchaspis gen. nov., is described for Asceloconchaspis milleri sp. nov., a new species from Florida, USA. Unlike other conchaspidids, the adult female and second instar of the genus lack legs. The presence of legs is one of the important, distinguishing characters at present separating the Conchaspididae from the Diaspididae. However, the new genus also possesses well-developed antennae and has multilocular disc pores on the abdomen in the adult female; these distinctly conchaspidid characters are never found in the Diaspididae. Asceloconchaspis is closely related to Fagisuga Lindinger, a monotypic genus with primitive characters described from South America on Nothofagus. A key to the four known genera of Conchaspididae is provided, and the morphology and distribution of the Conchaspididae are discussed.     

A new genus and species of Neotropical Anacolini and new distributional records (Insecta,Coleoptera, Cerambycidae)

A new genus is described: Acanthocornis gen. nov., type species, Acanthocornis flavus sp. nov. from Brazil, Pará. A new species is described: Atrocolus guarani sp. nov. from Paraguay, Cordillera, which differs from Atrocolus mariahelenae Monné and Monné, 2008 Monné, MA and Monné, ML. 2008. Atrocolus mariahelenae, novo gênero e espécie de Anacolini (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae). Iheringia Sér Zool, 98(2): 215–217. [Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar] principally by the sparse punctures in the occiput and pronotum and by the dull interspaces between elytral carinae. We present new distributional data for Myzomorphus gounellei Lameere, 1912 from Brazil, São Paulo, and Biribellus martinsi Galileo, 1987 Galileo, MHM. 1987. Sistemática das tribos Meroscelisini e Anacolini (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Prioninae) nas Américas. II, Anacolini. Rev Bras Entomol, 31(4): 481–705.  [Google Scholar] from Brazil, Rondônia, and new country data for Myzomorphus scutellatus Sallé, 1849 Sallé, A. 1849. Coléoptères nouveaux de l'Amérique. 2e partie. Ann Soc Entomol Fr, 2(7): 429–435.  [Google Scholar] and Nicias alurnoides (Thomson, 1857), both from Trinidad and Tobago, and Xanthonicias prostrata Galileo, 1987 Galileo, MHM. 1987. Sistemática das tribos Meroscelisini e Anacolini (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Prioninae) nas Américas. II, Anacolini. Rev Bras Entomol, 31(4): 481–705.  [Google Scholar] from Peru, Junin. All the species are illustrated.     

A new Brazilian species of Heterothrips (Insecta: Thysanoptera) co-existing with ants in the flowers of Peixotoa tomentosa (Malpighiaceae)

Heterothrips peixotoa Del-Claro, Marullo and Mound is described as new. It has remarkably pale forewings, and lives in the flowers of a malpighiaceous shrub in Brazilian cerrado. The sepals of each flower are S-shaped and enclose a central cavity within which the thrips live and breed. Although some large ants are unable to penetrate this cavity, other ants are small enough to enter the space between the petals and sepals, and this leads to a reduction in thrips numbers. Several other members of this genus of thrips are known from the flowers of other species of Malpighiaceae.     

A remarkable new species of scuttle fly (Diptera: Phoridae) whose larvae infest chickpea root nodules in India

Metopina ciceri sp. nov. is described on the basis of males with reduced wings, fully winged females, blind females with reduced wings, pupae and larvae. The larvae infest the root nodules of the chickpea, Cicer arietinum L. The blind-morph females are considered to be congeneric with the type species of the genus Typhlophorina Silvestri and this genus is synonymized with Metopina. The males, if procured in isolation, would have been assigned to a separate genus. The evolution of sexual dimorphism and dimorphic females in M. ciceri is discussed in relation to a speculative scenario involving juvenile hormone and heterochrony. It is also speculated that dispersal is undertaken by the sighted fully-winged female morph only. These speculations and the question of whether the infestation of C. arietinum by M. ciceri affects yield remains to be investigated.     

A checklist and key to species of the genus Sophonia (Insecta: Auchenorrhyncha: Cicadellidae: Nirvaninae) in China with descriptions of two new species

This paper provides a checklist and a key to the 22 Chinese species of the nirvanine leafhopper genus Sophonia Walker. Two new species, Sophonia transvittata sp. nov. and S. yunnanensis sp. nov., are described and illustrated. The type specimens of the new species are deposited in the Institute of Entomology, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China (IEGUC).     

A new species of Syncoptozus Enderlein from Mexico with a redefinition of the subfamily Togepsyllinae Bekker-Migdisova (Insecta: Homoptera: Psylloidea)

Syncoptozus mexicanus sp.n. is described from larvae and adults collected off Magnolia in Mexico. The subfamily Togepsyllinae comprises two genera, the Old World Togepsylla Kuwayama and its probable sister group the New World Syncoptozus Enderlein. These taxa are formally diagnosed and the genus Hemipteripsylla Yang and Li is synonymised with Togepsylla. The host-plant of Syncoptozus belongs to the same plant order (Magnoliales) as the hosts of Togepsylla. Also, the morphology and biology of the larva further confirm the close relationship of Syncoptozus to Togepsylla and suggest a relationship between the Togepsyllinae and the Paurocephalinae.     

A remarkable new species of the genus Lepisiota Santschi (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Oman and the United Arab Emirates with a key to the Arabian species

Lepisiota omanensis sp. nov. is described and illustrated based on the worker caste collected in Jebel Qahwan Oman, and Ain Al Waal, United Arab Emirates. The new species belongs to the L. gracilicornis group and is separated easily from all Arabian Lepisiota species, and other species in the gracilicornis group, by the exceptionally long, acute and strongly curved propodeal spines. Lepisiota elegantissima Collingwood & van Harten is recorded for the first time from Oman. Lepisiota simplex (Forel) stat rev. is recognised at species rank. Ecological and biological observations are provided. A revised key to the Arabian species of Lepisiota is given. A checklist of the Arabian Lepisiota species is presented.     

An extraordinary new genus and species of spider wasps (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Pompilidae) from Southeast Asia

The new genus Aberropompilus Shimizu & Wahis, family Pompilidae, is described from Southeast Asia (Malaysia, Thailand) based on the new species A. dayi Shimizu & Wahis. Its peculiar morphological characteristics and taxonomic position within the family are discussed and the genus is tentatively placed in the subfamily Pepsinae.     

Borneodessus zetteli,new genus and new species,notes on biogeography and a checklist of Dytiscidae from Borneo (Insecta: Coleoptera: Dytiscidae)

A new genus of Dytiscidae, Borneodessus gen. n., is described for Borneodessus zetteli zetteli sp. n. (Sabah, East Malaysia) and Borneodessus zetteli kalimantanensis ssp. n. (East Kalimantan, Indonesia). The new genus belongs to the tribe Bidessini because of the presence of two-segmented parameres of the aedeagus. A modified male clypeus is an apomorphy for Borneodessus zetteli. The species habitually resembles some species of Africodytes Biström, 1988 (Africa), Amarodytes Régimbart, 1900 (South America), and some Clypeodytes Régimbart, 1894 (Old World tropics). However, a sister group relation or closer affinities to any of the genera of Bidessini could not be established. Borneodessus is so far the first genus of Dytiscidae which is endemic to Borneo, but we suggest a certain probability of its occurrence in other Sundaic areas. The species is a rheobiont, being collected from forest streams. We briefly address biogeographical aspects and provide a checklist of Bornean Dytiscidae, indicating the currently known degree of endemism.     

Biological characterization of the obligate symbiosis between Acropyga sauteri Forel (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and Eumyrmococcus smithii Silvestri (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae: Rhizoecinae) on Okinawa Island,southern Japan

The ant Acropyga sauteri Forel has an obligate, mutualistic symbiosis with a mealybug, Eumyrmococcus smithii Silvestri, on Okinawa Island, southern Japan. The mealybugs live inside ant nests nearly all their lives, and the ants depend on them for food. Alate foundress queens carry mealybugs during their nuptial flights, using them to establish new colonies at new sites. However, important aspects of the symbiosis have not yet been elucidated. The present study characterizes the basic biology of the symbiosis and describes for the first time the morphologies of all growth stages of E. smithii. Our study suggests that E. smithii has only one nymphal stage, followed by a female pupal stage or male prepupal stage. Intensive sampling of ant nests across seasons showed that A. sauteri prefers nest sites 5–20 cm underground. Acropyga sauteri produced reproductive stages mainly in mid‐March or early April, and numbers of both ant workers and mealybugs increased from spring to summer. Experimental determination of colony identity with a method using nestmate recognition by ants suggested that each ant colony rarely has a perimeter greater than 30 cm, that the ants are monogynous, and that different ant colonies are densely aggregated along the root system of a plant, adjacent to each other but not interflowing. Both symbiotic partners were vulnerable to attacks by several common subaerial ant species following physical disturbance to their nests.     

Earthworms from Argentinean Patagonia with description of two remarkable new species (Oligochaeta: Acanthodrilidae,Lumbricidae and Megascolecidae)

Endemic species of the Southern South American earthworm genera Chilota Michaelsen, 1899 Michaelsen, W. 1899. Terricolen (Nachtrag). Erg Hamb Magalhaen Sammelreise., 1: 1–28.  [Google Scholar] and Yagansia Michaelsen, 1899 Michaelsen, W. 1899. Terricolen (Nachtrag). Erg Hamb Magalhaen Sammelreise., 1: 1–28.  [Google Scholar] were thought to be missing from Argentinean Patagonia. A recent collecting trip to the Andean-Patagonian forest region of Argentina resulted in the discovery of the very first endemic Chilota and Yagansia species in Argentina: Chilota intercisetus sp. nov. and Yagansia traful sp. nov.     

Two remarkable new species of the genus Crassolabium Yeates, 1967 from Vietnam (Nematoda: Dorylaimida: Qudsianematidae)

Two new species of the genus Crassolabium are described from natural areas in Vietnam. Crassolabium aenigmaticum sp. nov. is characterized by its body 1.23–1.58 mm long, lip region continuous, odontostyle 17.0–19.0 μm long, neck 320.0–397.0 μm long, uterus tripartite, pars refringens vaginae with two triangular pieces separated by an intermediate sclerotized area, V?=?54–59, vulva longitudinal, tail short and rounded in both sexes, spicules 43.0–48.0 μm long, and seven to eight spaced ventromedian supplements. C. vietnamense sp. nov. can be distinguished in having body 1.55–1.88 mm long, lip region offset by constriction, odontostyle 19.5–22.0 μm long, neck 370.0–448.0 μm long, uterus very long and tripartite, pars refringens vaginae with two close together pieces, V?= 55–59, vulva transverse and usually covered with a plug, tail short and rounded in both sexes, spicules 53.0–55.0 μm long, and eight to nine spaced ventromedian supplements, two of them within the range of spicules.     

Depressorotunda gen. nov., a new remarkable Uropodina mite genus from South-East Asia with description of four new species (Acari: Mesostigmata)

A new genus Depressorotunda gen. nov. and four new species are described from South-East Asia, namely Depressorotunda malayana sp. nov. and Depressorotunda seticaudata sp. nov. from Malaysia, Depressorotunda thailandica sp. nov. from Thailand and Depressorotunda mirifica sp. nov. from Vietnam. A key to the species of the genus Depressorotunda is provided with 28 original drawings and scanning micrographs.