Two new and a known species of dorylaim nematodes (Dorylaimida: Nematoda) from Kaziranga National Park,Assam, India

Two new and one known species of dorylaim nematodes are described and illustrated from Kaziranga National Park, Assam, India. Prothornenema vulvatum sp. nov. is characterized by having body 1.06–1.17 mm long; lip region cap-like, slightly rounded, offset by constriction with moderate labial and post-labial sclerotization; 10–11 μm long odontostyle; vulva a transverse slit; cuticle both anterior and posterior to vulva with two or three deep invaginations; female tail long filiform, male tail short conoid with 13 or 14 contiguous ventromedian supplements. Allodorylaimus kazirangus sp. nov. is characterized by having body 1.84–2.16 mm long; truncate, slightly offset lip region; 30 μm long odontostyle; amphids duplex; cardia short conoid, an asymmetrical ring-like structure surrounds the junction between pharyngeal base and cardia; transverse vulva; uterus characteristically long, tripartite with wide proximal portion followed by a long narrow intermediate portion with moderately sclerotized inner lining joining a wider pars dilatata distalis; short conoid tail with no sexual dimorphism and males with 13 or 14 contiguous ventromedian supplements. Thornia propinqua (Paesler, 1941 Paesler, FR. 1941. Neue Freilebende Erdnematoden aus Ostdeutschland. Zool Anz, 134: 245–252.  [Google Scholar]) Andrássy, 1957 Andrássy, I. 1957. Thornia gubernaculifera n. sp., ein neuer Süsswassernematode aus Ungarn. Nematologische Notizen, 6. Opusc Zool Budap, 2: 9–14.  [Google Scholar] is redescribed.     

Three new species and one new record of the genus Doryphoribius Pilato, 1969 (Tardigrada: Eutardigrada: Hypsibiidae) from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (Tennessee,USA)

Box jellyfishes (Cnidaria: Cubozoa) have a profound impact on human activities because of their highly potent venoms that may lead to severe envenomations in humans. Cubozoa is one of the smallest classes within Cnidaria with only some 50 described species in seven families. The literature on Cubozoa is scattered and oftentimes difficult to access. In particular, comprehensive treatments of Cubozoa that present a comparative overview of the group are either non-existent or largely outdated. Here we provide a synopsis of the carybdeid Cubozoa (Carybdeida) including an illustrated key to the families and genera of this order. Of particular interest is the family Carukiidae, which contains the species that was originally attributed with causing a severe envenomation syndrome called Irukandji syndrome. One new species of Carukiidae, Malo filipina sp. nov., is described, Morbakka virulenta is redescribed and a neotype is designated, and an unidentified species of Morbakka is recorded from the Philippines.     

Heleobia maltzani (Westerlund, 1886) (Caenogastropoda: Truncatelloidea: Cochliopidae) from Crete and species-level diversity of Heleobia Stimpson, 1865 in Europe

Morphological characters and partial cytochrome oxidase (COI) DNA sequences were used to investigate intra- and interpopulation differences among three Cretan brackish-water populations of Heleobia maltzani snails. The morphology of male and female reproductive organs of H. maltzani did not differ within studied populations or in comparison with closely related species. In contrast, analysis of shell morphology revealed substantial variation not supported by the genetic data. Genetics results showed surprisingly low differentiation between all Cretan populations and also mainland populations of Heleobia. They also showed that H. maltzani is conspecific with four other European species of Heleobia, thus implying that there is only one species of brackish-water Heleobia in Europe. Such a low level of genotypic differentiation is unusual for typical island species and is most probably the consequence of recent colonization of Crete. Possible scenarios of such processes are discussed.     

The organs of prey capture and digestion in the miniature predatory bivalve Spheniopsis brasiliensis (Anomalodesmata: Cuspidarioidea: Spheniopsidae) expose a novel life-history trait

Spheniopsis brasiliensis, from depths of 17–148 m off the southern Atlantic coast of Brazil, is a predator of epipsammic micro-crustaceans which it sucks into the infra-septal chamber using a raptorial inhalant siphon and internally generated hydrostatic suction forces. Prey items, which include ostracods, are thought to be pushed into the funnel-shaped mouth using the foot. The stomach is capacious with a short style sac conjoined briefly with the mid gut and possessing a stubby crystalline style. Internal stomach architecture is simplified, with no identifiable sorting areas (unlike other cuspidarioids) and lined virtually completely by a gastric shield. The exoskeletal remains of digested prey are held in the posterior end of the stomach and not in a specialised waste storage pouch as in the con-familial Grippina coronata. The mid gut, hind gut and rectum are all extremely narrow and, thus, only the smallest of faeces can be accommodated and transmitted for anal discharge. Spheniopsis brasiliensis, like G. coronata is a self-fertilising simultaneous hermaphrodite with encapsulated lecithotrophic eggs brooded internally. Both taxa are thus ovovivaporous. It is also believed that both taxa are univoltine so that larvae and the exoskeletal prey remains are all released post mortem. Cuspidariids are generally regarded as dioecious but, recently, Cardiomya costellata has been shown to be a non-brooding simultaneous hermaphrodite. The distinguishing characters between cuspidariids and spheniopsids thus appear to be their differing reproductive strategies and life history traits.     

Two new species of the genus Pseudolaelaps Berlese, 1916 (Acari: Mesostigmata: Pseudolaelapidae) from Europe,with an updated key to known species

Pseudolaelaps calvescens sp. nov. and Pseudolaelaps schweizeri sp. nov. (Acari: Pseudolaelapidae) are described based on female specimens from leaf litter and soil of forest habitats in Italy (surroundings of Bergamo) and Switzerland (surroundings of Basel), respectively. The British specimens referred to Pseudolaelaps doderoi are revised, and considered to be a misidentification of P. schweizeri sp. nov. An identification key to known species of the genus Pseudolaelaps is provided.

www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:92F3907A-9C0A-4309-8D1E-BC5F3E7D937B     

The Simuliidae (Diptera) of the River Oder and its tributaries,with special reference to the re-appearance of Simulium (Schoenbaueria) nigrum (Meigen) in larger rivers in Central Europe

An investigation was carried out over a five-year period into the blackfly fauna of one of the most important rivers of the North-Central European lowlands, the Oder, together with its major tributaries (Nysa, Stobrawa, O?awa, Barycz, Bobr, Kroisa, Lausitzer Neisse, Warta, Notec), from its source in the Oder Hills to its mouth in the Baltic Sea. Thirteen species were found. The two dominant indicator species, Simulium (Simulium) reptans (Linnaeus) and Simulium (Schoenbaueria) nigrum (Meigen), develop populations of plague proportions within this catchment area. Blackflies of the subgenus Schoenbaueria Enderlein have not been found in Germany or Poland for more than 70 years. However, since 1997, the species S. (Sch.) nigrum was found in the River Oder in enormous numbers together with S. (S.) reptans, and in the vicinity of their breeding sites in Poland and eastern Germany both species are serious pests of man and grazing animals. Notes are given on the biology, distribution and habitat preferences of S. (Sch.) nigrum. The paper concludes with a comparison of the River Oder with some other Central European rivers in respect of its blackfly fauna, together with data on the phenology of the two indicator species.     

Four related species of root mealybugs of the genus Rhizoecus from east and southeast Asia of importance at quarantine inspection (Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Pseudococcidae)

New data on four related species of root mealybugs of the genus Rhizoecus, from east and southeast Asia, are presented in order to aid identification. One of these, R. carolinensis Beardsley, described from the Caroline Is., is now known to occur in Papua New Guinea and Sabah, East Malaysia. R. saintpauliae Williams, described from Thailand, also occurs in Hawaii and the Philippine Is. R. hibisci Kawai and Takagi, described from Japan, is now known from Hawaii. It has been intercepted in recent years at quarantine inspection in the USA and also in the Netherlands on plants from various localities in east Asia. A new species, R. bacorum sp. nov., is described from Sri Lanka. These species are probably polyphagous and are potential pests to horticulture, causing damage to potted plants if they become established in greenhouses. A key to all four species is presented.     

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.     

Aberrations in the larval chaetotaxy of mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) of Iran and a taxonomic note on the seta 1-C (preclypeal seta) of Culex in southwestern Asia

Morphological aberrations of setae 1-C (preclypeal seta), 2-C (inner clypeal seta) and 3-C (outer clypeal seta) observed in third- and fourth-instar larvae of Anopheles dthali, Anopheles maculipennis, Anopheles marteri, Culex hortensis, Culex theileri and Culex tritaeniorhynchus collected in Iran are discussed and illustrated. Variations in the shape, relative thickness, length and pigmentation of seta 1-C of Culex species that occur in southwestern Asia are reviewed.     

A review of three species of Hesperonoe (Annelida: Polynoidae) in Asia,with descriptions of two new species and a new record of Hesperonoe hwanghaiensis from Korea

A taxonomic review of three Asian species of Hesperonoe (Annelida: Polynoidae) is presented. Hesperonoe hwanghaiensis Uschakov and Wu, 1959 Uschakov PV, Wu B. 1959. [The polychaete worms of the families Phyllodocidae and Aphroditidae (Polychaeta, errantia) from the Yellow Sea]. Arch Inst Oceanol Sinica. 1:1–40, pls. I–X. (In Chinese and Russian). [Google Scholar] (type locality: Qingdao, China) is redescribed based on five specimens collected from an intertidal site in the Korean coast of the Yellow Sea, as a new record of this species from Korea, which is the only known habitat outside the type locality. Hesperonoe coreensis sp. nov. is described based on nine specimens collected from two intertidal sites in the Korean coast of the Yellow Sea, including the same site as the habitat of H. hwanghaiensis. Hesperonoe japonensis sp. nov. is described by re-examination of many specimens collected from eight intertidal sites and a subtidal one in Japan, which was previously misidentified as H. hwanghaiensis. The three species are clearly distinguishable from one another by the species-specific morphology of the macrotubercles (or marked ridges) on the surface of elytra. All of the three species seemed to be commensal with the burrowing mud shrimp Upogebia major in intertidal flats, except for an additional probable host of another upogebid shrimp Austinogebia narutensis for H. japonensis sp. nov. in a subtidal habitat. The morphological characteristics and host species of the three Asian species are compared with all of the other five congeners known from the North American Pacific and Arctic Sea.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:51CB5C5B-0838-48AC-A0BA-8E63AA7628CB     

A contribution to the knowledge of fly fauna in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: new country records and an account of flies identified from Rawdhats,Riyadh Region,with biogeographical remarks (Insecta: Diptera)

A total of 80 fly species (Insecta: Diptera) belonging to 66 genera, and representing 26 families was identified from three natural areas or ‘Rawdhats’ in the Riyadh Region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The Rawdhats surveyed are Al-Harmaliyah (Al Quwayiyah Province), Al-Sabalah (Azulfi Province) and Farshet Sheaal (Al Aflaj Province). One family, one subfamily, 11 genera and 18 species were recorded for the first time from KSA, namely: the family Trixoscelididae; the subfamily Suilliinae (Heleomyzidae); the genera Oligodranes (Bombyliidae), Pseudomphrale (Scenopinidae), Actorthia (Therevidae), Crossopalpus (Hybotidae), Scatella (Ephydridae), Suillia (Heleomyzidae), Trixoscelis (Trixoscelididae), Renocera [Sciomyzidae], Melanophora and Stevenia [Rhinophoridae], Miltogramma [Sarcophagidae]; and the species Eremisca heleni (Efflatoun) and Ommatius tenellus van der Wulp [Asilidae], Oligodranes sp. [Bombyliidae], Pseudomphrale flavoscutellata Kröber [Scenopinidae], Actorthia lacteipennis (Becker), Actorthia sp. and Efflatouniella sinatica Mohammad and Badrawy [Therevidae], Crossopalpus hirsutipes Collin [Hybotidae], Eumerus mucidus Bezzi [Syrphidae], Ephydra riparia Fallén and Scatella sp. [Ephydridae], Suillia apicalis (Loew) [Heleomyzidae], Trixoscelis sp. (Trixoscelididae) and Renocera pallida (Fallén) [Sciomyzidae], Goniurellia longicauda Freidberg [Tephritidae], Melanophora sp. and Stevenia sp. [Rhinophoridae], and Miltogramma sp. [Sarcophagidae]. The zoogeographic affinities of the identified species showed a closer affiliation with the Palaearctic Region (26%) than to the Afrotropical Region (12.5%), while about 16% of the species were of both Afrotropical and Palaearctic affinities. Elements from other regions were apparently absent. The result support the idea that the central Arabian Desert which includes our study area is a transitional zone between the Palaearctic and Afrotropical regions.     

New species of Australopericoma Vaillant (Diptera: Psychodidae) from the Brazilian semiarid region and key to males of the genus

A new species of moth fly, Australopericoma paraibana sp. n., is described from areas of the Brazilian semiarid region, in the states of Paraíba and Bahia, north-eastern Brazil. A key to males of Australopericoma and morphological remarks on Australopericoma caudata (Satchell) are also provided.     

Nephtyidae (Polychaeta: Phyllodocida) of Australia: new species from the North West Shelf,and a key to Australian species

Five species of Nephtyidae new to Australia are described from the North West Shelf, and a key to the 18 known species of Australian nephtyids is given. Four of the species described are new: three species of Aglaophamus (A. foliocirrata sp. nov., A. hedlandensis sp. nov. and A. victoriae sp. nov.) and a new species of Inermonephtys (I. tetrophthalmos sp. nov.). Difficulties in the clear definition of Aglaophamus, Micronephthys and Nephtys indicate the need for systematic revision of the family.     

Genus Pseudolepturges Gilmour (1957) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae): a new species from Bolivia,key to the species of the genus and first reports of a possible Pseudomyrmex ant mimic in longhorn beetles

A new species of Pseudolepturges from Bolivia is described and illustrated; a key to the species is also provided. Based on the similar body size, orange-yellowish colour, behaviour, and close co-occurrence on a Triplaris americana tree, we suggest that Pseudolepturges triplarinus sp. nov. is a mimic of the ant Pseudomyrmex triplarinus.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:6DF38C64-6986-4A79-8D9A-645DA89149F2     

Three new species of earthworms belonging to the genera Amynthas and Metaphire (Oligochaeta: Megascolecidae) from Yunnan,China

ABSTRACT

Herein, three new species are described, all from Yunnan Province, China: Amynthas hiatus sp. nov., Amynthas recavus sp. nov. and Metaphire daliensis sp. nov. Amynthas hiatus sp. nov. belongs to the Amynthas aeruginosus-group, A. recavus sp. nov. belongs to the Amynthas corticis-group and M. daliensis sp. nov. belongs to Metaphire insulana-group. Amynthas hiatus sp. nov. and M. daliensis sp. nov. have two pairs of spermathecal pores in 7/8-8/9, A. recavus sp. nov. has four pairs of spermathecal pores in 5/6-8/9. The male pores of A. hiatus sp. nov. are 1/3 circumference apart ventrally and each on top of a large, raised pulvinate pad; the male pores of A. recavus sp. nov. are 2/5 circumference apart ventrally and each on top of a raised, elliptic, collapse-topped porophore; the male pores of M. daliensis sp. nov. are 2/5 circumference apart ventrally and in the oval copulatory chambers. In this paper, the anatomical and morphological characters of these three species are described. We also sequenced COI and 12S gene fragments in order to provide an analysis of K2P distances and a neighbour-joining tree.