LV.—A new trilobite,Acidaspis (Pseudomonaspis) magnospina,from the Coniston limestone

Summary

The morphology of adults and young of Acanthomia tomentosicollis Stål. and A. horrida, Germ. is described. Measurements of head-width and antennal segments of nymphs and adults were made. The heads of adults and nymphs of A. tomentosicollis are wider than those of A. horrida. The comparisons of head and antennal growth showed that the two species developed at about the same rate. Some of the morphological features of these species are remarkably primitive and are probably new features known in the Pentatomamorpha.     

Synopsis of the deep-sea groups of Triphoroidea (Gastropoda)

The marine gastropod superfamily Triphoroidea is composed of three families: Triphoridae and Cerithiopsidae are usually associated with shallow waters, and Newtoniellidae is historically associated with the deep sea. We provide an extensive review of the literature and delineate the groups within the three families that are truly linked to the deep sea, with reference to their developmental mode. Two genera of Triphoridae, Strobiligera and Inella, are commonly found in deep waters, and Metaxia presents some species with apparently wide depth ranges. Some deep-sea genera currently placed in Cerithiopsidae, such as Ektonos and Krachia, are very similar to Newtoniellidae; a phylogeny of the superfamily is needed to clarify the distinction of the two families. The majority of Triphoroidea species from the deep sea undergo non-planktotrophic development, although planktotrophy is not uncommon.     

Chaetognaths from Alvin dives in the Santa Catalina Basin (California), with description of two new Heterokrohnia species

Six species of deep-water chaetognaths have been caught near the bottom (at about 1300 m) during four dives of the submersible Alvin in the Santa Catalina Basin (California). Although few samples were taken, they are very interesting. New morphological data are presented on a supposed very well-known planktonic species (Sagitta macrocephala) and two new benthoplanktonic species of the genus Heterokrohnia are described. Details on the morphology and reproduction of the family Heterokrohniidae, and also on the bathymetric and zoogeographic distributions of Heterokrohnia species of the ‘longidentata’ group are given.     

Three new species of the deep-sea genus Neotanais Beddard (Crustacea: Peracarida)

Three new species of the deep-water family Neotanaididae Lang are described. Neotanais minimus n. sp. and N. curvimanus n. sp. were collected from the Gulf of Mexico and are the first species to be described from this region. Neotanais minimus cannot be grouped with other Neotanais species, since it displays characters from all groupings. Neotanais curvimanus has strong affinities to the ‘americanus’ group but can be separated by the short pereonite 6 and by the presence of many setulose setae lateral on the pleonites. Male N. curvimanus can easily be separated from all other species of the genus by the cheliped fixed finger being only half as long as the dactylus and the dactylus being incurved from fixed finger at an angle of about 40°. Neotanais noelietaiti n. sp. was found off south-east Australia and is the first Neotanais species to be described from Australian waters. It also has strong affinities to the ‘americanus’ group but can be distinguished by the complete lack of a midventral keel and by the uropodal exopod being as long as the endopod article 1.     

Australian thrips of the Haplothrips lineage (Insecta: Thysanoptera)

Keys are presented to the 11 genera and 50 species, including 21 new species, of Thysanoptera in Australia that are related to the worldwide genus Haplothrips Amyot and Serville. These taxa belong to what, in recent literature, has been called the “Haplothrips‐lineage”, that is, one of the three major radiations among the 2700 species and 350 genera of Thysanoptera Phlaeothripinae. The group is redefined, and the available tribal name Haplothripini shown to be appropriate. The character states on which the definition is based are discussed, and a list given of the 34 genera worldwide that can be included. The Australian species in these genera exhibit a diversity of biologies. Three genera involve species that invade galls induced by other thrips: Androthrips monsterae (Moulton) from New Guinea is newly recorded from Australia; Mesothrips jordani Zimmermann from South‐East Asia is newly recorded from Australia, with two new synonyms; the Asia‐Pacific genus, Euoplothrips Hood, includes two species in northern Australia. Three haplothripine genera are associated with grasses: one widespread genus, Apterygothrips Priesner, considered polyphyletic, includes only one Australian species; the only known species of Dyothrips Kudo is Oriental but extends into tropical Australia; Podothrips Hood, a circum‐tropical genus of thrips predatory on grass‐living coccoids, has 11 Australian species, six newly described. One grass‐associated genus, Bamboosiella Ananthakrishnan, is excluded from the Haplothripini. An Oriental genus of leaf‐ and flower‐living species, Dolichothrips Karny, includes one species in northern Australia, D. reuteri (Karny); Membrothrips Bhatti in which this species has been placed is considered a synonym. Karnyothrips Watson includes two species introduced to Australia, both predators of coccoids. Priesneria Bagnall includes three species from Australia, of which one fungus‐feeding species is newly described. Xylaplothrips Priesner is a widespread but ill‐defined, polyphyletic genus that currently includes three little‐known Australian species. Haplothrips is the main focus of this study, and character state variation among the Australian species is discussed. In total 24 species of Haplothrips from Australia are recognised, 14 being new species. Also included are the following, one new generic synonym, four new species synonyms, and one new combination. The 250 species worldwide in the genus are usually associated with the flowers of Asteraceae and Poaceae. In Australia, several of the species are specific to flowers, particularly of Poaceae and Cyperaceae but not Asteraceae. Almost half of these Australian species are presumed to be predatory on other small arthropods, and two have unusual host associations—with salt marsh Chenopodiaceae, and with the sori of Dicksonia tree ferns.     

Comparison of natural histories and karyotypes of two closely related ant‐eating spiders,Zodarion hamatum and Z. italicum (Araneae,Zodariidae)

Based on morphological characters, two species of the genus Zodarion, Z. hamatum and Z. italicum, were placed into the italicum group. The aim of this study was to evaluate similarity of these two species in respect of various aspects of their natural history and karyotypes. Both species had similar phenological patterns, being univoltine, but some specimens reached adulthood the same year before winter. Both representatives had nocturnal activity and were able to capture various ant species. Zodarion hamatum seems to be specialized on Myrmicinae ants, and Z. italicum on Formicinae ants. Zodarion hamatum showed more agile predatory behaviour than Z. italicum presumably due to specialization on Myrmicinae ants, which have lower population density. Both species are generalized mimics of bicoloured (orange‐dark brown) ants, such as Lasius emarginatus; they performed similar courtship and mating. The two study species exhibited contrasting reproductive strategies. Zodarion hamatum spiders had higher fecundity than Z. italicum as a result of larger body size but Z. italicum had larger eggs than Z. hamatum. This is presumably an adaptation to different availability of prey ants. Both species had the same diploid chromosome number, sex chromosome system and pattern of X chromosome heteropycnosis in testes. Results support a very close relationship between these two Zodarion species.     

A new genus and species of Syncarida (Crustacea: Malacostraca) from Borneo

A new genus and species of the family Parabathynellidae, Sabahbathynella wongi, is described. It has been discovered in the interstitial of coarse sand filling the spaces between big stones of the bank along a stream in Sabah on Borneo. The new genus of the family Parabathynellidae exhibits some unusual features which make it impossible to assess its phylogenetic position. There are some convergencies with the genus Thermobathynella.     

A phylogenetic revision of Spilodiscus Lewis (Coleoptera: Histeridae)

Spilodiscus Lewis, a Nearctic group of Histerini, is polyphyletic as presently constituted. Morphological analyses indicate that the following species should be removed from the taxon to Hister: militaris Horn, lucanus Horn, patagiatus Lewis, sarcinatus Lewis, penulatus Lewis, tunicatus Lewis, humilis Fall, bilobatus Casey, and quadratulus Casey. Based on cladistic character evidence, Spilodiscus contains eight valid species (new junior synonyms in brackets). Morphological data supports exclusive, full-species status for S. arcuatus (Say), S. sellatus (LeConte), S. flohri (Lewis), and S. floridanus Ross. The remaining four taxa are ferespecies, which are putatively reproductively isolated entities whose phylogenetic exclusivity is not well-supported: S. ‘ulkei’ (Horn) [= Hister sculpticauda Casey, H. subcruentus Casey, H. coruscans Casey, H. iowensis Casey], S. ‘gloveri’ (Horn), S. ‘biplagiatus’ (LeConte), and S. ‘instratus’ (LeConte) [= Hister semiruber Casey, H. solaris Carnochan]. Over time the lineage has shifted from largely free-living but facultatively inquilinous habits to obligate rodentophily with a more recent reversal back to facultative inquilinism.     

A new species of Stenhelia (Copepoda,Harpacticoida) from a hydrothermal,active, submarine volcano in the New Ireland Fore-Arc system (Papua New Guinea) with notes on deep sea colonization within the Stenheliinae

A new species of harpacticoid copepod, Stenhelia gundulae (Stenheliinae), is described from Edison seamount, a hydrothermal active submarine volcano in the New Ireland Fore-Arc system (Papua New Guinea). Some species groups are identified within the genus Stenhelia. The new species is assigned to the ‘S. normani group’, which is characterized within a more inclusive taxon by the male P5 exp being fused to the basis and lacking two outer spines. The species most closely related to S. gundulae s.n. appear to be S. giesbrechti T. and A. Scott, 1896, S. tethysensis Monard, 1928 and S. normani T. Scott, 1905 including its former subspecies S. polluta Monard, 1928 and S. acutirostris Willey, 1935. The other known deep sea species of Stenhelia, S. noodti Schriever, 1982, S. islandico Schriever, 1982, S. lima Becker and Schriever, 1979 and S. diegensis Thistle and Coull, 1979, on the other hand belong to a different lineage, the ‘S. longicaudata group’ which is characterized by the apomorphic shape of the P1. It is hypothesized that deep sea colonization within the Stenheliinae occurred independently at least twice in two different lineages.     

In search of the true Tydeus (Acari,Tydeidae)

The early history of the genus Tydeus, the type genus of the family Tydeidae, is complex and convoluted and, subsequently, even the identity of the type species of the family remains unclear. First, the literature is thoroughly analysed and morphological characters of some species are reappraised. After studying Oudemans' types, two species inquirendae, Tydeus croceus and T. cruciatus, are redescribed and a third, T. spathulatus, removed from synonymy and reinstated as a valid species. A fourth species, confused with T. spathulatus, is described. A lectotype is designated for T. spathulatus and a neotype for T. croceus. After discussion, the genus Lorryia Oudemans, is re‐established in its pristine state. As the redescribed species were designated as type species by Oudemans, the following new generic synonymies are proposed: Raphitydeus Thor, and Lorryia Oudemans, sensu Ka?mierski (, ) are junior synonyms of Brachytydeus Thor, ; Homeotydeus André, (partim) and Pseudolorryia Ka?mierski, are junior synonyms of Calotydeus Oudemans, ; Brachytydeus Thor, (partim), Calotydeus Oudemans, (partim), Tydeus Koch, sensu Oudemans, (partim), Orthotydeus André, , and Tydeus Koch, sensu Ka?mierski, are junior synonyms of Tydeus Koch, . To stabilize the usage of the names, especially that of the genus type of the family Tydeidae, the International Commission of Zoological Nomenclature will be asked to set aside all previous type species designations for Tydeus and to designate Tydeus spathulatus as the type species, with Oudemans' specimens from Italy as primary type material.     

On the taxonomic status of the highly endangered Ponto-Caspian gastropod genus Caspia (Gastropoda: Hydrobiidae: Caspiinae)

Caspia is an endemic Ponto-Caspian Basin genus of hydrobiid gastropods. Around a dozen nominal species of Caspia have been described to inhabit the Caspian Sea while four species occupy a restricted zone in the lower part of the rivers flowing into the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. Scanning electron microscopic study of the protoconch and radula morphology of two Caspia species from the Azov–Black Sea Basin allows re-evaluation of the taxonomic rank and attribution of the genus. The adult shell geometry and characters of ornamentation do not enable clear demarcation of these species of Caspia but the protoconch parameters do allow their differentiation. Available morphological data on Caspia and the related genus Caspiohydrobia are interpreted here as confirmation of the subfamilial rank of Caspiinae in the family Hydrobiidae, in contrast to the previous affiliation of this group with Pyrgulidae.     

A phylogenetic and biogeographic study of Euniphysa (Eunicidae,Polychaeta)

Fourteen species have either been described in, or referred to, the genus Euniphysa. Seven of these are here re-described based on type material and two new species, E. quadridentata and E. filibranchia, are described. Euniphysa oculata is found to be a subjective synonym of E. spinea, and E. unicusa is a subjective synonym of E. aculeata. Euniphysa taiwanensis and E. megalodus are correctly assigned to the genus, but cannot be described due to lack of material. Euniphysa misakiensis, E. tubicola and E. tubifex are transferred to Eunice. A key is given to the nine identifiable species retained in Euniphysa. Coding strategies for polymorphic and inapplicable characters, as well as problems associated with shared absences, are discussed. A phylogenetic analysis of Euniphysa based on 24 morphological characters yielded two most parsimonious trees (CI = 0.902, RI = 0.905). The tree topology separates Euniphysa into two distinct groups. Group I includes E. filibranchia n. sp., E. italica, E. jeffreysii, E. quadridentata n. sp. and E. spinea, it is supported by five equivocal similarities. Group II is supported by five unequivocal synapomorphies and two equivocal similarities, it includes E. aculeata, E. auriculata, E. falciseta and E. tridontesa. Based on the phylogenetic topology, Paraeuniphysa and Heterophysa are considered as junior synonyms of Euniphysa. The recognition of a separate family for Euniphysa is not warranted. All species of Euniphysa are fragile, shallow, warm water species. They have been collected mainly from sandy sediments of the Northern Hemisphere. The greatest diversity is from the South China Sea area; other species are found throughout the Indian Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea and the East Atlantic Ocean coasts suggesting the genus may have originated in the Tethys Sea. A few species have also been found in the Gulf of Mexico and the West Atlantic Ocean coast again suggesting a Tethyan origin associated with the westward drift of the North American continent.     

A survey of the genus Geometra Linnaeus (Lepidoptera,Geometridae, Geometrinae)

The type genus of the family Geometridae, Geometra Linnaeus, is reviewed. In addition to the 16 species known worldwide, two new species are described: Geometra neovalida sp. nov. from China, and Geometra burmensis sp. nov. from Burma (Myanmar). All the known species are redescribed. Genitalia of all species are described and illustrated, most for the first time. Generic characters based on all species are summarized. The monophyly of the genus and its relationship with allied genera are reviewed and discussed in detail. Most species fall into two species groups, named the papilionaria and smaragdus groups, on the basis of the morphology of the male genitalia. Biological information is provided where available. Illustrations of moths and genitalia are presented.     

New deep-sea Nannastacidae (Crustacea,Cumacea) from the Eastern Pacific collected by R.V. 'Vema'

Five new species of Procampylaspis Bonnier, 1896 (P. cornuta, P. jonesi, P. ledoyeri, P. muradianae and P. spinosa) and a new genus and species, Vemacumella heardi, are described from material collected by R.V. ‘Vema’ from the eastern Pacific coast of South America from 1958 to 1962. The new species of Procampylaspis are compared to congeners from the Atlantic. Vemacumella n. gen. is closely related to Styloptocuma Bacescu and Muradian, 1974, but also possesses a few characters in common with Cumella Sars, 1865; Bate, 1856.     

A new species of the genus Saussurella Bolivar 1887 from China,with a key to the species of the genus (Orthoptera: Tetrigidae)

Taxonomy of a tetrigid genus Saussurella Bolivar is reviewed. One new species, Saussurella brachycornis sp. nov. is described from China and an updated identification key to all known species of the genus is given, as well as brief comments on phylogenetic relationships and distributions of the genus.     

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.