Eucharitidae new to the fauna of Saudi Arabia (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea), with the description of a new species and the previously unknown male of Eucharis (Psilogastrellus) albipennis Bouček

The present study summarizes additions to the known fauna of Eucharitidae of Saudi Arabia. Cherianella arabica Gadallah &; Soliman sp. nov. and the male of previously known female Eucharis (Psilogastrellus) albipennis Bou?ek, 1956 are described and illustrated. Three new records are also added to the fauna of Saudi Arabia: Eucharis (Eucharisca) intermedia Ruschka, 1924, Eucharis (Psilogastrellus) acuminata Ruschka, 1924 and Eucharis (Psilogastrellus) punctata Förster, 1859.

http:/zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:F1B1C493-AA83-4696-AF8B-3B3F62C09B41     

Notes on the family Macrodinychidae (Acari: Uropodina) with description of two new species

The published records of the already known Macrodinychid species are summarized and a key to the known species of the family is given. New records of the different Macrodinychus species are presented from Saint Lucia, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Costa Rica, Suriname, Fiji, New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Thailand. Two new species (Macrodinychus malayicus sp. nov. and Macrodinychus extremicus sp. nov.) are described and illustrated. The species Macrodinychus paraguayensis Hirschmann, 1975 is proved to be the junior synonym of Macrodinychus parallelepipedus (Berlese, 1916 Berlese, A. 1916. Centuria seconda di Acari nuovi. Redia., 12: 125–177.  [Google Scholar]).     

The hunter-flies of Croatia (Diptera: Muscidae: genus Limnophora Robineau-Desvoidy)

An identification key is given to the eight species of hunter-flies of the genus Limnophora Robineau-Desvoidy (Muscidae) known from Croatia. Four species are new records for Croatia, and one new species, Limnophora croatica sp. nov., is described. To illustrate the relationship of the new species, a key is given to the Mediterranean members of the Limnophora riparia group of species. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:6CD4995D-1C16-4910-81F1-AC59A0E1FA34     

Eustigmaeus mites from Turkey (Acari: Stigmaeidae)

Five new species of the genus Eustigmaeus from Turkey, E. absens, E. erzincanensis, E. erzurumensis, E. fani and E. vacuus, are described and illustrated. Adult male of E. turcicus Do?an and Ayy?ld?z, and deutonymph of E. schusteri (Summers and Price, ) are described for the first time. Several new records are noted.     

On the genus Orcus Mulsant with descriptions of new species (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae: Chilocorini)

Three new species of the genus Orcus from Papua New Guinea are described and illustrated: Orcus frommi, Orcus nietzschei and Orcus popperi. New records of Orcus cinctus Weise from New Britain Island of Papua New Guinea and Orcus lafertei Mulsant from New Guinea (Papua New Guinea) are given. An updated key to Orcus species is presented.     

Revision of the subfamily Cardiochilinae Ashmead, 1900 (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in Egypt,with new records and a new species

In the present study, the subfamily Cardiochilinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is revised. This study is based on specimens deposited in Egyptian repositories. Many of them were collected during Priesner’s trips to Gebel Elba (extreme south-west of Egypt). The subfamily Cardiochilinae is represented in Egypt by 11 species in three genera, Bohayella Belokobylskij, 1987 (one species), Cardiochiles Nees, 1819 (three species) and Schoenlandella Cameron, 1905 (seven species). The cardiochiline species C. pseudofallax Telenga, 1955 and S. deserta (Telenga, 1955) are recorded here as new records in the fauna of Egypt. The females of previously known male C. weidholzi Fischer, 1958, S. acrenulata (Fischer, 1958) and S. obscuriceps (Fischer, 1958) as well as the male of the previously known female S. glabra (Fischer, 1958) are described. Schoenlandella pseudoglabra sp. nov. is also described and illustrated.

www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:C134A1AA-81F6-4661-9C7B-12A7CAE08F67     

Some Pycnogonida from the Eastern (Hasa) District of Saudi Arabia

Seven pycnogonid species are described from the Arabian (Persian) Gulf coast of Saudi Arabia in its Eastern (Hasa) District. Two new species, Ascorhynchus dietheus and Nymphon enteonum, are fully described, illustrated and compared with similar congeners. Distributions and remarks are given for all seven species. A key is given for the 22 species in one of four discrete groups of the genus Ascorhynchus, including the new species. This group has longitarsal distal leg segments and scapes of one segment only. A parasitic juvenile Ascorhynchus species is described and illustrated, but left unnamed for lack of a presumed adult specimen. It is compared with the few other known parasitic specimens in this genus.     

Aspects of mangal ecology along the Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia

Surveys of the mangal along the Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia form the basis of this study. Both soft-bottomed mangals and the less well known hard-bottomed mangals are represented. The distribution of Avicennia marina, the dominant mangrove species, is discontinuous in the northern part of the Red Sea. Its development increases southwards, and mean height is inversely correlated both with latitude (P<0·05) and salinity (P<0·05). Another species, Rhizophora mucronata, was recorded in only five areas. Molluscs and crabs represent the principal faunal elements within the mangal. The density of Cerithidea cingulata, the dominant mollusc species, shows significant correlation (P<0·01) with the abundance of blue-green algae. Four species of fiddler crab (Uca) are included among the crab fauna of the mangal, one of which (U. urvillei) is here newly recorded for the Red Sea. Evidence is given for suggesting that the mangal biota in the region sampled may not be distinctive. Rather, it consists of many species found not only within the mangal but also in other habitats such as seagrass beds and even rock beaches. It is suggested that the mangal of the Red Sea represents a composite habitat, containing both hard and soft substrates and inhabited by species typical of each. This contrasts with the situation in most other mangals studied.     

Alien polychaete species (Annelida: Polychaeta) on the southern coast of Turkey (Levantine Sea,eastern Mediterranean), with 13 new records for the Mediterranean Sea

The examination of benthic material collected from different depths and habitats along the southern coast of Turkey (Levantine Sea, eastern Mediterranean) in September and October 2005 revealed 30 alien polychaete species belonging to 15 families. Thirteen species (Pisione guanche, Linopherus canariensis, Onuphis eremita oculata, Lumbrineris perkinsi, Dorvillea similis, Timarete caribous, Pherusa parmata, Pherusa saldanha, Streblosoma comatus, Polycirrus twisti, Laonome triangularis, Branchiomma bairdi and Janua steueri) are new to the Mediterranean fauna, 24 species are new to the Turkish fauna and 27 species are new to the Levantine coast of Turkey. The specimens collected from the Levantine coast of Turkey and northern Cyprus that were previously identified as Linopherus acarunculata and Branchiomma boholense are reidentified as L. canariensis and B. bairdi, respectively. In the light of present knowledge, the previous reports of Lumbrineris inflata and Streblosoma hesslei from the Mediterranean (Italian coast) could refer to the species L. perkinsi and S. comatus, respectively. The species new to the Mediterranean Sea are redescribed and discussed.     

Composition of meiobenthonic Platyhelminthes from brackish environments of the Galician and Cantabrian coasts of Spain with the description of a new species of Djeziraia (Polycystididae,Kalyptorhynchia)

From 1997 to 1999, the fauna of free‐living Platyhelminthes of the rias ecosystem was studied along the Galician and Cantabrian coast in northern Spain. In total, 72 platyhelminth species are listed in this study. Forty‐two species represent new records for the Iberian Peninsula, three of which represent new genera records. A new species belonging to the genus Djeziraia (Polycystididae, Kalyptorhynchia), Djeziraia longistyla sp. nov., is described in this paper. In this broad‐scale study, a large data set (27 localities) of the estuaries of northern Spain allowed an analysis of the turbellarian species assemblages and the relation of species distributions to salinity, conductivity, oxygen, temperature, and sediment characteristics. Species assemblages (species diversity) of each habitat of the brackish water ecotone are shown. The present study contributes to knowledge on the ability of adaptation of free‐living Platyhelminthes to regimes of brackish water ecotones.     

The bark and ambrosia beetles of the Cook Island and Niue (Coleoptera: Scolytidae and Platypodidae)

Twenty-two species of Scolytidae (including one new species), and one species of Platypodidae are recorded from the Cook Islands and Niue in the South Pacific, and a key is given to all species. Corrections are made to earlier records from the islands. Xyleborinus perexiguus (Schedl) comb. n. is transferred from Xyleborus. The faunal composition, breeding habits and geographical distribution of the species are discussed and related to those of other islands in the Pacific. Many species have probably been introduced by man. In the absence of a major timber industry, the species are likely to be of minor economic importance.     

A new species of a misophrioid copepod from the near-bottom waters off Brazil

The order Misophrioida is recorded for the first time in Brazilian waters and the new species Archimisophria squamosa, with some important plesiomorphic features, is described.