Two new species of terrestrial Isopoda (Crustacea,Oniscidea) from Ascension Island

A collection of eight species of terrestrial isopods from lava and cave sites on Ascension Island is described. Two species, Niambia longiantennata (Platyarthridae) and Elumoides coecus (Eubelidae), are described as new. Atlantoscia alceui Ferrara and Taiti (Philosciidae) is considered to be a junior synonym of A. floridana (Van Name) and the genus Ocelloscia Schultz and Johnson of Atlantoscia Ferrara and Taiti. At present the oniscidean fauna known from Ascension Island consists of 13 species.     

A review of the pseudoscorpion genus Ideoblothrus (Pseudoscorpiones,Syarinidae) from western and northern Australia

Five new pseudoscorpion species belonging to the genus Ideoblothrus are named and described from Western Australia and the Northern Territory: I. pisolitus from a single pisolitic mesa near Pannawonica, I. nesotymbus from limestone karst on Barrow Island, I. westi from limestone karst near the Fortescue River, I. descartes from a vine thicket on Descartes Island in the Kimberley, and I. milikapiti from rainforest on Melville Island. New specimens of I. papillon Harvey from Papillon Cave and I. woodi Harvey from Cave C‐167, Western Australia are recorded. A further species is recognised but not named as adult specimens are not available: Ideoblothrus sp. ‘Mesa A’ occurs within a different pisolitic mesa than I. pisolitus.     

A redescription of the genus Cyrebion Fairmaire, 1891, with notes on related taxa and distribution (Coleoptera: Cantharidae)

Eight new species and one new record of Elasmopus Costa, 1853 are described from Australian waters including the extended offshore territories of Cocos (Keeling) Islands (Indian Ocean), Christmas Island (Indian Ocean), Ashmore Reef (Timor Sea), Norfolk Island (Tasman Sea) and Lord Howe Island (Tasman Sea). Range extensions are reported for seven described Australian species. Twenty-three species are now known from Australian waters. Elasmopus arafura sp. nov., E. carteri sp. nov., E. hyperopia sp. nov., E. leveque sp. nov., E. mcluerensis sp. nov., E. otus sp. nov., E. shepherdi sp. nov. and E. woodjonesi sp. nov. are described herein.     

Four new species of genus Amynthas (Oligochaeta,Megascolecidae) from Hainan Island,China

Four new earthworm species of the genus Amynthas are described from Hainan Island, China. They are Amynthas endophilus sp. nov., Amynthas fluviatilis sp. nov., Amynthas fucatus sp. nov. and Amynthas apapillatus sp. nov. Amynthas apapillatus sp. nov. has three spermathecal pores in 6/7–8/9 while the other three new species have two pairs of spermathecal pores in 5/6–6/7. Their anatomical and morphological characteristics are compared to similar species from Hainan Island, China mainland and South-East Asia. Furthermore, COI and 16S gene sequences of these new species are submitted to NCBI. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:33B61DE5-BE64-47E9-B77C-D6234D25803B     

Harpacticoid copepods (Thalestridae) infesting the cultivated Wakame (brown alga,Undaria pinnatifida) in Korea

Two species of thalestrid harpacticoid: Amenophia orientalis n. sp. and Parathalestris infestus n. sp., are described based on specimens collected from Soando Island in Korea. These copepods infest the cultivated brown alga, Wakame, Undaria pinnatifida (Harvey), producing galls with pinholes (0·5–1·1.5 mm in diameter) on the fronds, midribs, and sporophylls. A. orientalis outnumbered P. infestus in all of the observed incidences; however, the fecundity of the latter species is twice that of the former.     

The bryozoan genus Conopeum (Electridae) in New Zealand,with description of a new species and discussion of the morphological and genetic characters of Conopeum seurati (Canu, 1928)

ABSTRACT

The status of Conopeum Gray, 1848 in New Zealand is clarified, confirming the presence of three living species – one a naturalised alien, one new to science, and a third that is also known in the Pleistocene. Conopeum seurati (Canu, 1928), a Mediterranean-European species, is naturalised at three localities in New Zealand – Opua, Whangarei Harbour and Whanganui Inlet. Conopeum antipodum n. sp., previously confused with C. seurati, is an estuarine species distributed from Kaipara Harbour to Lyttelton Harbour and is also found in Te Whanga Lagoon at Chatham Island (all New Zealand localities). Conopeum oretiensis Uttley, 1951, first described from Foveaux Strait, is known as far north as Kaipara and Manukau Harbours and is known as a Pleistocene fossil from Napier, New Zealand. There is one other solely fossil New Zealand species – Plio-Pleistocene Electra ongleyi Brown, 1952 is transferred to Conopeum. Sequence data from the 18SrDNA locus confirm that Conopeum antipodum n. sp. is resolved within Conopeum and is distinct from C. seurati.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:4FED6730-1C70-4420-B1DA-F1D9046221DF http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org.pub:5C130A99-0869-44A2-885C-338005FBCE07     

Revision of Acroleptus Bourgeois, 1886 and descriptions of New Acroleptina taxa (Coleoptera,Lycidae, Calopterini)

ABSTRACT

The Neotropical lycid genus Acroleptus Bourgeois, 1886 is revised and illustrations of diagnostic characters, geographic distribution maps and an identification key to the species are presented. Acroleptus chevrolati Bourgeois, 1886 is redescribed and a lectotype and a paralectotype are designated; two new species are described for the genus: Acroleptus alvarengai new species and Acroleptus limai new species. Two Aporrhipis Pascoe, 1887 species are described: Aporrhipis obrieni new species and Aporrhipis milleri new species and a key and geographic distribution map to the species of the genus are provided. Acroleptus costae Ferreira, 2015 is moved to the genus Paracroleptus new genus, a new genus erected to accommodate Paracroleptus costae (Ferreira, 2015) new combination.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:5F72E2BB-48BF-491D-8D3A-E7D878222B72     

A new genus of Neotropical whitefly,secreting blue-iridescent wax (Sternorrhyncha,Aleyrodidae, Aleurodicinae), and its parasitoids (Hymenoptera,Aphelinidae)

Azuraleurodicus pentarthrus Martin gen. and sp. n. is described from three different host plant families in Central and northern South America. Adults of both sexes were reared in culture and adult characters are discussed in addition to those of puparia. The systematic position of Azuraleurodicus within the Aleurodicinae is discussed. One new combination, Aleuronudus ferrisi (Sampson and Drews) comb. n., is here proposed in the course of discussion. The secretion of blue wax by whiteflies is discussed and illustrated by colour photographs. Two species of hymenopterous parasitoids, Dirphys aphania Polaszek sp. n. and Encarsiella pithecura, Polaszek sp. n. emerged from puparia of Azuraleurodicus pentarthrus and are here described.     

Three new species of the genus Otacilia (Araneae: Corinnidae) from Hainan Island,China

Three new species of the genus Otacilia collected from Hainan Island, China, are diagnosed, described and illustrated: Otacilia jianfengling sp. nov., Otacilia bawangling sp. nov. and Otacilia limushan sp. nov.     

Insular species of Neotropical freshwater crabs (Crustacea: Brachyura)

One species of Trichodactylidae and four species of Pseudothelphusidae are present on continental islands in three areas of Central and South America. (1) Trinidad and Margarita Island have, in common with the Venezuelan mainland, the pseudothelphusid Eudaniela garmani (Rathbun, 1898); additionally, Trinidad shares with the mainland the trichodactylid Dilocarcinus dentatus (Randall, 1839). These disjunct distributions can be attributed to changes in sea level during the Quaternary, but the presence of the endemic pseudothelphusid Microthelphusa odaelkae (Bott, 1970) in Trinidad probably reflects an older connection with the continent. (2) A new species, Potamocarcinus roatensis, was found on Roatan Island, off the coast of Honduras. A cladistic analysis of the genus Potamocarcinus (H. Milne Edwards, 1853) revealed a close association of P. roatensis with P. magnus (Rathbun, 1896), a widely distributed Central American pseudothelphusid. Possibly both species originated in a pre-Quaternary vicariant event. (3) Another pseudothelphusid, Hypolobocera gorgonensis von Prahl, 1983, inhabits disjunct areas on Gorgona Island, off the Pacific coast of Colombia, and on the mainland of Ecuador, reflecting either a wider distribution before the last Holocene transgression or accidental dispersal through natural rafts.     

Some European Processidae (Crustacea,Decapoda, Caridea)

Summary

The name Processa canaliculata Leach has been applied to a species other than that to which the holotype belongs. The species P. canaliculata Nouvel & Holthuis non Leach has no valid name; it is re-named P. nouveli, with type material from Monaco.

P. nouveli and P. canaliculata have been considered to be conspecific by one recent author. New characters for their separation are described from Irish Sea material.

The northern form of P. nouveli differs from the Mediterranean form sufficiently to be placed in a separate subspecies. The name P. nouveli holthuisi is proposed for it, with type material from the Irish Sea.

The distribution of the four species and subspecies of Processa known to occur in northern Europe is reviewed.     

Some new African Ulopini (Homoptera,Cicadellidae, Ulopinae)

Summary

Two new genera and two new species of Ulopini are described from Africa; the distribution, and some aspects of the evolution, of genera in this tribe are discussed. It is suggested that Ulopa damaspina Dlabola belongs to the genus Moonia Distant and a new synonmy is suggested. In an Appendix the genera and species of the Ulopini are listed according to their geographical distribution.     

The occurrence of Podocotyle atomon (Rud., 1802)(Digenea), Bothriocephalus scorpii (Müller, 1776) (Cestoda), Contracaecum clavatum (Rud., 1809) (Nematoda) and Echinorhynchus gadi Zoega,in Müller, 1776 (Acanthocephala) in the five-bearded rockling,Onos mustelus (L.)

Summary

The variation in the incidence and intensity of infestation of the five-bearded rockling, Onos mustelus (L.) with Podocotyle atomon, Bothriocephalus scorpii, Contracaecum clavatum and Echinorhynchus gadi has been studied for a period of one year, on a shore at Mumbles Head, Swansea.

There is a general increase in the incidence and intensity of infestation by P. atomon and C. clavatum with increase in the length (age) of the host. With E. gadi and B. scorpii, however, infestation decreases in the larger fish.

The seasonal variations in the incidence and intensity of infestation with these parasites are influenced by tidal fluctuations, temperature and by the feeding habits and breeding cycle of the fish.

The frequency distribution of parasite specimens is also described and discussed.     

A new species of Nebalia (Crustacea,Leptostraca) from Unguja Island (Zanzibar), Tanzania,East Africa,with a phylogenetic analysis of leptostracan genera

Nebalia brucei sp. nov. is described from specimens taken in traps from Unguja Island (Zanzibar), Tanzania, East Africa. The species is characterized by the following unique combination of characters: a short and broad rostrum; a carapace that is large compared to overall body size and that covers pleonite 4; a basally narrow compound eye; and acutely pointed denticles at the dorsal margin of pleon segments 6 and 7. Cladistic analyses of the relationships of the seven recognized leptostracan genera resulted in two hypotheses. One tree has Nebaliopsis as sister group to the remaining leptostracans and supports the monophyly of Nebaliidae. The other tree has Paranebalia as sister group to the remaining leptostracans and Nebaliidae as paraphyletic with respect to Nebaliopsis. Both trees contain a Nebalia/Dahlella/Sarsinebalia clade.     

The West African Shad,Ethmalosa fimbriata (Bowdich, 1825): synonymy,neotype

Summary

Type specimens of Aegocrioceras quadratum (Crick), A. koeneni Spath and A. subseeleyi Spath are described and figured. A. subseeleyi is probably a junior subjective synonym of A. bicarinatum (Young &; Bird). The interpretation of the other English species of Aegocrioceras listed by Spath (1924) is discussed and a new species, A. densiradiatum, is erected.     

Colanthura,Califanthura, Cruranthura and Cruregens,related genera of the paranthuridae (Crustacea: Isopoda)

Summary

The relationships between the genera Colanthura Richardson, Califanthura Schultz, Cruranthura Thomson and Cruregens Chilton are discussed and presented from a cladistic point of view. Of the 17 species known three are described as new, Colanthura bruscai, Colanthura kensleyi and Califanthura lowryi.     

The systematics of Microtus (Terricola) savii group: an odonthometrical perspective (Mammalia,Rodentia, Cricetidae)

ABSTRACT

The morphology of the first lower molar of Microtus savii group (M. brachycercus, M. nebrodensis, M. savii) is complex and highly variable. A morphometrical analysis done by grouping the samples into large geographical sets reveals the differentiation between northern, central and southern populations. The specific status of M. nebrodensis is confirmed while it is not possible to separate M. brachycercus. The subspecies M. savii tolfetanus and M. brachycercus niethammericus are, respectively, not well and moderate distinguished from the other populations. Finally, the distinction of M. savii group from other species of European voles is also confirmed.     

Food spectrum analysis of the Asian toad,Duttaphrynus melanostictus (Schneider, 1799) (Anura: Bufonidae), from Timor Island,Wallacea

The Asian toad, Duttaphrynus melanostictus (Schneider, 1799), is widespread throughout tropical Asia and very abundant where it occurs. It was relatively recently introduced to Timor, the second largest island in the biogeographic region called Wallacea. Timor Island shows an exceptionally high level of endemism in a wide range of faunal groups and there are concerns that D. melanostictus may have a negative impact on this diversity, including vertebrates, through direct predation. To evaluate the impact the diet of D. melanostictus might have on the local fauna, gut contents of 83 preserved toad specimens from five habitat types in Timor-Leste, a country occupying the eastern half of Timor Island, were examined. We identified 5581 prey items, comprising the following animal groups: annelids; snails and slugs; spiders and harvestmen; woodlice; millipedes and centipedes; grasshoppers, crickets and earwigs; termites; thrips and true bugs; beetles; ants; hymenopterans other than ants; true flies; butterflies; unidentified insects; and insect larvae. Small eusocial insects (ants and termites) constituted the major part of the diet (61.6% and 23.4%, respectively). No vertebrate prey was recorded. Prey item composition did not differ between habitats. The wide prey spectrum well indicates that D. melanostictus is a generalist invertebrate feeder, as other studies, from regions where this species occurs naturally, have already shown. Although the Asian toad seems to not generally prey on vertebrates, vertebrate species that are morphologically similar to invertebrates in their overall appearance may be consumed. Hence, a negative effect on some taxa (e.g. blindsnakes) may be possible. We also present some limited data on intestinal parasites occurring in D. melanostictus.