The first Leptanilloides species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Leptanilloidinae) from eastern South America

We describe a species of the exclusively Neotropical dorylomorph ant genus Leptanilloides (Leptanilloidinae), Leptanilloides atlantica sp. nov., based on workers collected in the Atlantic Forest, São Paulo, south-eastern Brazil. The 11 species of Leptanilloides described are known from relatively high altitudes in western America (from the Andes foothills in Bolivia to Sierra Morena in Mexico). The discovery of a Leptanilloides species in south-eastern Brazil represents a significant range extension for the genus; this new species shares characters with Leptanilloides biconstricta (Bolivia), Leptanilloides femoralis (Venezuela) and Leptanilloides gracilis (Mexico) and may be distinguished based on a combination of traits. The hypogaeic habits of Leptanilloidinae combined with inefficient collecting techniques may explain the paucity of information and of specimens of this group in most museum collections as well as its present apparent disjunct distribution. We compare Leptanilloides distribution to that of other organisms that show similar disjunct patterns in the Andes and montane sites in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:E7E334AA-58C0-455D-A0A6-724D29226DD0     

Sexual dimorphism,reproduction and diet of the casque-headed treefrog Itapotihyla langsdorffii (Hylidae: Lophiohylini)

Itapotihyla langsdorffii is a large “casque-headed” treefrog (Hylidae: Lophiohylini) found along most of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest biome. We studied some aspects of the ecology of a population of I. langsdorffii from the Estação Biológica de Santa Lúcia, in Espírito Santo State, southeastern Brazil. Itapotihyla langsdorffii shows considerable sexual size dimorphism, with females (mean snout-vent length 103 mm) being significantly larger than males (mean snout-vent length 81 mm). This species is an explosive breeder with a generalized reproductive mode and has a mean brood size of over 6000 eggs. It feeds on few, large prey, with orthopterans being the dominant items in the diet, though even smaller frogs may occasionally be preyed upon. We discuss our data, making comparisons with other Neotropical hylids, with emphasis on other species in the Tribe Lophiohylini.     

Revision of Zaphanta Dyar, 1910 (Lepidoptera: Mimallonidae: Zaphantinae), with descriptions of nine new species

ABSTRACT

A genus of small, yellow mimallonid moths, Zaphanta Dyar, is revised. This genus has been shown to be sister to the remainder of Mimallonidae, and therefore has been placed in its own monogeneric subfamily, Zaphantinae St Laurent and Kawahara. Long considered monotypic or bitypic, Zaphanta have not been the focus of any systematic treatment. The moths belonging to this genus are found throughout Central and South America, and detailed examination of several disparate, as well as sympatric, populations of Zaphanta have revealed numerous undescribed species all of similar appearance, but with distinct male genitalia, which we describe here. We redescribe Z. infantilis Dyar and Z. fraterna Schaus, and describe the females of both for the first time. An additional nine new species are described and figured from the Amazon, Cerrado and Atlantic Forest: Z. acuta sp. nov., Z. anas sp. nov., Z. bahiana sp. nov., Z. beckeri sp. nov., Z. elephanta sp. nov., Z. elephanticula sp. nov., Z. machaera sp. nov., Z. rawlinsi sp. nov. and Z. stiletto sp. nov. One of these, Z. beckeri, may be extremely imperilled due to deforestation.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:B45DDB85-977F-42EF-9F2F-DB48827E521Ehttp://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:C6F7DBF4-4871-403D-A387-DD920BA76D8Bhttp://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:C4C8DAAF-8C60-4C16-A626-3641EA3817FBhttp://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:6A57E1CC-D3E5-4E45-8C82-7006295ADF1Fhttp://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:03241157-1925-4EF6-B426-A8E816C7E457http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:A00749E5-888C-45FB-8FAA-0302A402496Fhttp://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:89132977-91DC-4424-9C0E-98A954E467CAhttp://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:11AA3541-C7A4-4292-A5CA-10B89C5FAD2Chttp://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:A5FA3ED1-5994-46B4-B018-1FA055C76496http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:F1C63621-EF30-40B1-B437-87A79BD7E339     

Breeding in the gray-headed tody-flycatcher (Aves: Tyrannidae) with comments on geographical variation in reproductive traits within the genus Todirostrum

The gray-headed tody-flycatcher Todirostrum poliocephalum is a passerine endemic to the Atlantic Forest of Brazil. We describe the nest and nesting behaviour of this species and investigate geographical variation in breeding traits in the genus using data from the literature, museum collections, and citizen science projects. We located 21 nests of the gray-headed tody-flycatcher, 13 of which we monitored. Nest height above the ground averaged 3.3 ± 3.4 m (n = 21). Nests were built over a 16.8 ± 5.6-day period (n = 6) by both adults. Clutch sizes ranged from two to three eggs, with a mean of 2.9 ± 0.3 eggs (n = 10). Eggs measured 16.6 ± 0.5 × 12.0 ± 0.5 mm (n = 23) and weighed 1.1 ± 0.1 g (n = 19). Mean incubation period was 17 days (n = 3) and mean nestling period was 15.5 days (n = 2). Apparent reproductive success was 30.8%, with predation being the primary cause of nest failure (46.1%). Mayfield’s reproductive success was 25.9%, and daily survival rates for eggs and nestlings were 0.957 and 0.971, respectively. Clutch sizes increased with latitude, but temperature and precipitation seasonality had very low importance in explaining clutch size variation.     

Two new Geoplaninae species (Platyhelminthes: Continenticola) from Southern Brazil based on an integrative taxonomic approach

The genera Cratera Carbayo et al., 2013 and Obama Carbayo et al., 2013, belonging to the subfamily Geoplaninae, were recently proposed to encompass some of the species that belonged to the genus Geoplana Stimpson, 1857. Herein we describe two new species of Geoplaninae, occurring in areas of ombrophilous forest which belong to the southern portion of the Brazilian Atlantic Rain Forest. The species are sympatric in their type-locality. In general, both new species herein described match the diagnostic characteristics of their genera. However, some of these features are noteworthy when characters of the new species are taken into consideration, especially the pattern of the sensory pits and the morphology of the prostatic vesicle. Both species are differentiated from their congeners by a combination of morphological characteristics, corroborated by phylogenetic analyses of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene, using maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference, as well as the Automatic Barcode Gap tool.     

Larval development of the circular crab,Atelecyclus rotundatus (Olivi) (Crustacea: Brachyura: Atelecyclidae) reared in the laboratory

The complete larval development is described of laboratory-reared Atelecyclus rotundatus and the stages are compared with larvae of other cancrideans (= corystoideans). The results suggest that the subfamily Atelecyclinae requires reappraising and that present larval evidence does not support the currently accepted grouping of families in the Cancridea.     

First record of the genus Atlantistylis Reyss, 1975 (Crustacea: Cumacea) from the North Atlantic,with the description of a new species

A new species of the genus Atlantistylis Reyss, (Diastylidae) is described from the Atlantic Frontier Margin (North‐East Atlantic). This is the first record of the genus Atlantistylis from the North Atlantic. The new species Atlantistylis borealis can be recognized by the presence of spines on the frontal and lateral lobes of the carapace combined with their absence on the pereon and pleon; the first pereopods are very long. The small telson with two small apical acuminate setae and the absence of pleopods in the male are characteristic of the genus.     

Vocalizations of the Brazilian torrent frog Hylodes heyeri (Anura: Hylodidae): Repertoire and influence of air temperature on advertisement call variation

In this study we analysed the acoustic activity of Hylodes heyeri in areas of Atlantic Forest, in southern Brazil. Observations were made in November 2001 and from January to April 2002, at Estação II Instituto Agronômico do Paraná, municipality of Morretes, State of Paraná. Males displayed three different vocalizations: advertisement calls, territorial calls, and courtship calls. Temporal and spectral parameters of advertisement and territorial calls were analysed, along with call intensity. The duration of the advertisement call showed a negative correlation with air temperature, with males decreasing the duration of advertisement calls at higher temperatures. Male body size was not correlated with any of the acoustic parameters. Details on habitat use, distances to nearest vocalizing neighbour, and daily calling activity are also included.     

The most important lacewing species in Indian agricultural crops,Chrysoperla sillemi (Esben-Petersen), is a subspecies of Chrysoperla zastrowi (Esben-Petersen) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae)

The existence is reported of rhizoids in specimens of Bowerbankia pustulosa and Bowerbankia citrina collected from different Iberian locations. The structure of these rhizoids differs from that of other fixation structures previously reported in Bowerbankia and redescribed here. Rhizoids in both species are probably homologous with those of Amathia, supporting the close relationship between these two genera.     

Apodidymochelia,a new genus of gammaridean amphipod from the tropical Atlantic Ocean (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Didymochellidae)

Apodidymochelia castellata, new genus, new species is the second genus and fourth species in the rare and poorly known family Didymocheliidae. Apodidymochelia is separated from Didymochelia primarily on mandible structure. This record extends the known range of the family into the Atlantic Ocean.     

Co-existence of myxomycetes and beetles in an Atlantic Rainforest remnant of Pernambuco,Brazil, with emphasis on staphylinids (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae)

The relationship between myxomycetes and insects was investigated in a fragment of the Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest located in the city of Recife, Pernambuco, north-eastern Brazil. Sixteen excursions into the Dois Irmãos State Ecological Reserve (7°55′43′′ to 8°09′17′′ S, 34°52′05′′ to 35°00′59′′ W, 387.4 ha) were carried out during different seasons between August 2005 and August 2007 for observations and collections of myxomycetes and insects on decomposing trunks and leaf litter. A total of 196 specimens of myxomycetes was obtained, representing 31 species, 16 genera and six families. Baeocera sp. (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae) individuals predominated (86%) in the sample, found on the sporocarps of four species of Trichiales (Arcyria cinerea, Arcyria denudata, Hemitrichia calyculata, Hemitrichia serpula) and two species of Liceales (Lycogala epidendrum, Tubulifera microsperma). No preference was observed for type of sporocarp. No seasonal influence was found for the establishment of these associations, recorded for the first time in this forest environment.     

Deep-sea asellote isopods (Crustacea,Eumalacostraca) of the north-west Atlantic: the family Haploniscidae

The deep-sea asellote isopod species belonging to the family Haploniscidae were studied from three study sites off the North Carolina coast and one off Bermuda. The following five new species, belonging to the new genus Chandraniscus, are described: C. kussakini from Alpha-A off Bermuda (1300 m), C. eastwardae, C. costlowi and C. chardyi from the Carolina lower slope site Beta and C. negoescuae at site Sigma on the Carolina continental rise (4910 m). Three new species of Haploniscus are described: H. kensleyi from the Carolina upper continental slope at Alpha-B, H. gnanamuthi from site Alpha-A off Bermuda, H. harrietae from site Beta. A new species Chauliodoniscus wilsoni from site Sigma is also described. Three new species of the genus Hydroniscus, found in this alpha-taxonomic study, include H. buzwilsoni and H. malyutinae from site Beta and H. watlingi from both Beta and Sigma. Two new species of the genus Antennuloniscus, A. menziesi and A. lincolni, are described from site Beta over the Carolina lower continental slope.     

Reproductive behaviour and development dynamics of Odontophrynus cordobae (Anura,Cycloramphidae)

We provide detailed information on breeding sites, release call, satellite behaviour, courtship, and embryonic and larval development of Odontophrynus cordobae. Field observations were carried out during two breeding seasons (2004–2005 and 2008–2009). Clutches were raised in captivity (artificial ponds) to analyse the development of embryos and tadpoles. Breeding sites were represented by streams and their backwaters, as well as temporary and permanent ponds of varying sizes. Operational sex ratio was male-biased varying between 0.154 and 0.25. Acoustic activity started about 8–10 pm and ended between 2 and 4 am the next day. Distance among calling males was approximately three metres. Male satellite behaviour was observed. Amplexus attempts among males were common. Release calls were structurally similar although shorter than advertisement calls. Courtship and formation of amplexus were documented.     

Deep-sea Tanaidacea (Crustacea) of the North-east Atlantic: the tribe Agathotanaini

The tanaidacean tribe Agathotanaini, which was formerly the family Agathotanaidae, is well-represented in the Rockall Trough and Bay of Biscay areas of the North-east Atlantic. Five species have been recorded from depths of 1160–4829 m. Agathotanais ingolfi is the most numerous and one of the most widely distributed tanaidacean species in the region, and is often predominant in epibenthic sled samples from 1500–2500 m. Less numerous and frequent are three new species of Paragathotanais: P. nanus, P. robustus and P. gracilis. The first two are bathyal in distribution, and the last is abyssal. A new monospecific genus is established for Metagathotanais insulcatus, which has been recorded from the deepest part of the study region (4600–4800 m). Males of this tribe are characterized by their rigid pleopods bearing short terminal setae, and are otherwise very similar to the females. A key is provided for the identification of agathotanaids from the North-east Atlantic, including Agathotanais hanseni, and the genera Allodaposia and Paranarthrura, which should also be classified in the Agathotanaini.