Termites live in a pear-shaped world: a response to Platnick

The six primarily Neotropical species groups of the genus Rachispoda are revised, comprising a total of 50 species, of which 35 are newly described. The aequipilosa group comprises nine species in the Neotropical and southeastern Nearctic regions: R. aequipilosa (Duda) comb. n., R. spuleri (Sabrosky) comb. n., and the new species R. alces, R. chisholmae, R. intonsa, R. joycei, R. laureata, R. luciana, and R. paludicola. The divergens group comprises ten Neotropical species: R. decimsetosa (Richards) comb. n., R. divergens (Duda) comb. n., R. multisetosa (Duda) comb. n., R. pluriseta (Duda) comb. n., and the new species R. condyla, R. forficula, R. luisi, R. merga, R. thaliathrix, and R. villosa. The fuscinervis group is a Neotropical and southern Nearctic group of 21 species: R. fuscinervis (Malloch) comb. n., R. schildi (Spuler) comb. n., R. striata (Duda) comb. n., R. trigonata (Spuler) comb. n., R. trochanterata (Malloch) comb n., and the new species R. aeditua, R. amarilla, R. andina, R. cesta, R. clivicola, R. colombiana, R. geneiates, R. justini, R. luminosa, R. meringoterga, R. oreadis, R. recavisterna, R. synoria, R. thermastris, R. trichopyga, and R. zygolepis. The maculinea group comprises seven Neotropical species: R. maculinea (Richards) comb. n., and the new species R. altimontana, R. baezensis, R. caesia, R. kaieteurana, R. lucaris, and R. praealta. The marginalis group contains the single Neotropical species R. marginalis (Malloch) comb. n. The m-nigrum group contains two species in the Neotropical and southeastern Nearctic regions: R. bipilosa (Duda) comb. n. and R. m-nigrum (Malloch) comb. n. Six described species are newly synonymized: Leptocera ensenada Richards (=R. divergens), L. limbinervis Duda and L. ruficornis Duda (=R. fuscinervis), L. paraguayensis Duda and L. weemsi Sabrosky (=R. m-nigrum), and L. rossi Richards (=R. multisetosa).     

Re-evaluation of the fossil Phoridae (Diptera)

I re-evaluated the known fossil phorids after re-examining much of the Baltic amber and Dominican amber fauna. Many extant genera reported from Eocene Chinese and Eocene/Oligocene Baltic amber are actually not present; instead there are representatives of relatively primitive stem-group taxa. A new genus and species of fossil phorid, Limulomyia tyche, based on a male and a limuloid female, is described from Baltic amber. Some changes in the taxonomy of amber phorids are proposed: Pseudometopina Disney is synonymized with Metopina Schmitz (new synonymy), Diplonevra meunieri Brues is transferred to the genus Godavaria Brown (new combination), Protophorites fimbriatus Brues is considered a junior subjective synonym of Protoplatyphora tertiaria Brues (new synonymy) and Phalacrotophora tertiara Statz is transferred to the genus Gymnophora (new combination). The oldest confirmed dates for extant phorid genera are given.     

Cryptic and non-cryptic diversity in New Guinea ground snakes of the genus Stegonotus Duméril,Bibron and Duméril, 1854: a description of four new species (Squamata: Colubridae)

ABSTRACT

The island of New Guinea has been identified as biologically megadiverse but many taxa are still poorly known. This is especially the case for many of the island’s snakes, which by their very nature can be difficult to collect and study. Here we examine the phylogenetic and phylogeographic structure of a poorly studied snake genus, Stegonotus, focusing on the species of New Guinea; until now, Stegonotus has never been examined using modern phylogenetic methods. Using molecular data from 49 individuals representing eight of the ten described species, and including all New Guinea taxa, we estimate a multilocus phylogeny and examine population structure to help identify undescribed taxa. We use morphological data from the corresponding museum vouchered specimens (where available) and also examine additional specimens for taxa not included in the molecular data set to determine morphological differences among putative taxa. We find molecular evidence for four new species of Stegonotus, both morphologically obvious and cryptic, and describe them herein. The recognition of these four species indicates that Stegonotus diversity has been previously underestimated and also suggests that there are likely additional undescribed taxa within the genus. These four taxa increase the number of described species by 40% and further confirm New Guinea as the centre of diversity for the genus.

www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:9E21390E-3FD4-40EB-9442-31BC92A76B4F     

The Mollissima subgroup of fannia Desvoidy,with the description of a new species from Burma and a revised key to species (Diptera: Muscidae)

Synopsis

A comparison of the type-species of the genus Coelomyia Haliday (C. mollissima Haliday) with that of the genus Fannia Desvoidy (F. scalaris Fabricius) shows that these two genera cannot be maintained as equivalent phylogenetie taxa. Coelomyia is synonymized with Fannia and its species placed in Fannia, four new combinations thus being established. The mollissima subgroup is defined and its affinities shown, a new species is described, and a revised key to species is given.     

Chelodesmid studies. XVIII. On some new or poorly-known taxa in the tribe Batodesmini (Polydesmida: Chelodesmidae)

Summary

Some new and poorly-known taxa of batodesmine diplopods are described from northern South America, with notes on their affinities. New genera include Igaraparana, based on I. batesi, sp. nov. from Amazonian Colombia; Curimagua, based on C. granulata, sp. nov. from Edo. Falcon, Venezuela; and Cheirogonus, based on C. pittieri, sp. nov. from Panama. The inadequately proposed species Leptodesmus interrupticolor Silvestri (southeastern Ecuador) is redescribed and figured from type material, and referred to Cordilleronomus as its third species. The enigmatic genus Tunochilus Chamberlin, 1950, is clarified and referred to the Batodesmini from its incorrect location in the Cryptodesmidae, with notes and drawings made from a paratype of the type species T. marginis; the presumptive congener T. marcuzzii is described as new from material taken at Caracas, Venezuela.     

Two new taxa from the Lesser Sundas in the genus Onthophagus (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae)

Two new Indonesian taxa are proposed in Onthophagus Latreille, 1802, illustrating the composite faunal spectrum of the Lesser Sundas (Indonesia): O. montishannoniae, a new species from Flores, and O. accedens nusatenggaricus, a new subspecies from Lombok and Flores. O. accedens Lansberge, 1883 is, with O. dux Sharp, 1875, placed in what is here defined as the dux subgroup within the subgenus Parascatonomus Paulian, 1932. The three included species‐group taxa are keyed, their status is discussed, and new records are given. The position of O. montishannoniae seems taxonomically and geographically isolated: this species has no known close relatives in the region, neither in the Lesser Sundas, nor anywhere else in Wallacea.     

Freshwater Ostracoda of the subfamily Cyprinotinae from Punjab,India, with the description of eight new species

Summary

Eleven species belonging to subfamily Cyprinotinae are described and illustrated from Punjab, India. These taxa of which eight are new to the science are: Cyprinotus indica sp. nov., Hemicypris derweshensis sp. nov., Hemicypris malerkotlaensis sp. nov., Hemicypris megalops Sars, Hemicypris pailensis sp. nov., Hemicypris pyxidata (Moniez), Heterocypris anitae sp. nov., Heterocypris arorai sp. nov., Heterocypris bhatiai sp. nov., Heterocypris gillensis sp. nov., and Heterocypris incongruens (Ramdohr).     

Dorcadionini of Turkey (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)

The Dorcadionini fauna of Turkey is reviewed, and a complete list with type information and provincial distributions is presented. Two hundred and seventy-eight species-group taxa are catalogued in total. This represents approximately 35% of the known Palaearctic Dorcadionini fauna. The Turkish Dorcadionini fauna is characterised by 227 endemic species-group taxa. So its endemism ratio is very high (approximately 82%). Distributions of the taxa in Turkey are given based on available literature records. Taxa in the list are arranged systematically under tribe, genus, subgenus (when recognised), species and subspecies (when recognised). The species group taxa whose occurrences in Turkey need conformation are not included in the list but are given separately. Additionally, two taxa are removed from the list: Dorcadion (Cribridorcadion) investitum Breuning in Braun, 1978a as nomen nudum and Dorcadion (Cribridorcadion) rosinae K. Daniel in Bodemeyer, 1900 as nomen nudum; and two taxa are given as status nov. and comb. nov.: Dorcadion (Cribridorcadion) atritarse Pic, 1931a and Dorcadion (Cribridorcadion) equestre bernhauerorum Peks, 2010. Moreover, a checklist of Dorcadionini of Turkey is presented in an appendix.     

The marine green and brown algae of Rodrigues (Mauritius,Indian Ocean)

The marine benthic green and brown macroalgae of Rodrigues, collected during an expedition in October 2001, are documented and 18 of the 60 taxa of Chlorophyta (53 species) and 18 species of Phaeophyceae are illustrated. Fifty taxa of green and 12 taxa of brown algae are added to the existing species list of the island. Turf algae and smaller epiphytic species are not or are only sporadically included in this study. All records are listed with bibliographic, biogeographic, taxonomic and nomenclatural comments. Infrageneric identification keys are included. The new combination Caulerpa mexicana var. exposita is proposed and the discovery of a new Udotea species is mentioned. The algal flora of Rodrigues is of a typical Indian Ocean composition but appears to be relatively poor when compared to the nearby island of Mauritius.     

A revision and phylogenetic re-evaluation of the family Schizopodidae (Coleoptera,Buprestoidea)

The Schizopodidae (formerly subfamily Schizopodinae, family Buprestidae) is elevated to family status, based on a review of its morphology including wing venation, male and female genitalia, larvae, and also a cladistic analysis of in-group and out-group comparisions. Two tribes are recognized: Schizopodini LeConte with one genus, Schizopus LeConte and Dystaxiini Théry with two genera: Dystaxia LeConte and Glyptoscelimorpha Horn. The genus Schizopus contains two species: S. laetus LeConte and S. sallei Horn with one new subspecies, S. sallei nigricans Nelson. The genus Dystaxia includes two species: D. murrayi LeConte, and D. elegans Fall. The genus Glyptoscelimorpha is separated into two subgenera: G. (s. str.) with two species, G. marmorata Horn, and G. viridis Chamberlin; and G. (Dystaxiella) Knull, new status, with one species, G. (D.) juniperae (Knull), new combination, with a new subspecies, G. (D.) juniperae viridiceps Nelson. All taxa are described and information on variation, type localities, distribution, biology, and comparisons are given for each species. Keys to taxa for tribes to subspecies are provided. Illustrations for all species, including habitus, male and female genitalia and other parts, as well as cladograms of relationships are presented. Lectotypes are designated for the following: Yermoella helferi Obenberger, Dystaxia elegans Fall and Glyptoscelimorpha marmorata Horn. Tables of taxa, characters and character states used in the cladistic analysis are included.     

A revision of the genus Metallolophia Warren (Lepidoptera,Geometridae, Geometrinae)

The Geometrine genus Metallolophia is revised. In addition to the 11 species known, five new species are described as new. All the known species are redescribed and lectotypes are designated for M. opalina (Warren), M. arenaria (Leech) and M. danielaria (Oberthür) (=M. arenaria (Leech)). The male of M. ocellata (Warren) and the females of M. medullosa Inoue and M. devecisi Herbulot are described for the first time. The generic characters based on all species are summarized and a key to all taxa is given. Illustrations of moths and genitalia are presented. The new and revised taxa are: Metallolophia purpurivenata sp. nov., Metallolophia cuneataria sp. nov., Metallolophia inanularia sp. nov., Metallolophia flavomaculata sp. nov., Metallolophia stueningi sp. nov. and Metallolophia ostrumaria Xue, syn. nov. (of Metallolophia albescens Inoue).     

Generic classification of the family Pipunculidae (Diptera): a cladistic analysis

Classification of the higher taxa of the Pipunculidae is analysed by cladistic techniques. Twenty-five taxa are studied, and 117 character states are examined for these taxa. Based on the cladistic analysis a classification is proposed, recognizing three subfamilies: Chalarinae, Nephrocerinae, and Pipunculinae. The subfamily Pipunculinae is separated into five tribes: Pipunculini, Cephalopsini trib. nov; Microcephalopsini trib. nov., Eudorylini trib. nov., and Tomosvaryellini. Monophyletic genus groups within these tribes are recognized. The position of Claraeosphaera is unclear. Twenty-three taxa of generic status are recognized, and Wittella is considered synonymous with Cephalops. The genus Collinias is revalidated. Claraeomorpha is retained as a subgenus of Dorylomorpha. A presumed phylogenetic history of the taxa and evolutionary transformation series for certain characters are extrapolated from the analysis.     

A new species of Allorhogas (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Doryctinae) inducing ovule galls on Miconia chamissois Naudin,a potentially invasive shrub in the Brazilian cerrado

ABSTRACT

Allorhogas Gahan (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is a mainly Neotropical doryctine wasp genus whose species have been associated with 11 vascular plant families. All species of Allorhogas whose feeding habits are known are confirmed or presumed to be phytophagous, either by being gall inducers on seeds, seeds predators or by inquilinism of other gall former taxa. Here we describe a new species of Allorhogas from Brazil and assess its phylogenetic affinities using one mitochondrial (COI) and one nuclear (28S) marker. Different from other described species of Allorhogas that induce galls on fruits/seeds of Melastomataceae, the new species attacks floral bud ovules of Miconia chamissois Naudin (Melastomataceae), forming ‘fruit-like’ galls. We recovered a clade exclusively composed of species of Allorhogas that attack Melastomataceae species. The new species could potentially be used as a biological control of M. chamissois populations to prevent the imbalance of the plant diversity of cerrado, which is one of the most endangered biomes in Brazil.

http://www.zoobnk.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:27ADE2CD-6C55-4712-92EC-B0F209FEFD10     

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     

Bombus burmensis replaces B. malaisei (Skorikov)

ABSTRACT

The name malaisei (Skorikov, 1937) is a secondary junior homonym in the genus Bombus of the name malaisei Bischoff, 1930. The name burmensis nom. nov. is proposed as a replacement name for malaisei (Skorikov, 1937), of which it is an objective junior synonym, to avoid confusion of these taxa.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:9F5F0037-44C5-41BC-816F-2D3BB836B6ED     

Contributions to the knowledge of the genera Haemerophygus Baudi, 1876 and Ceratanisus Gemminger, 1870 (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae: Ceratanisini) in the Anatolian region

Previously known species of the genus Ceratanisus Gemminger, 1870 are studied, based on a comparison of specimens. This study is a first attempt to scrutinize the composition of this poorly known genus, as a preliminary approach to the tribe Ceratanisini Gebien, 1937. As a result of this study three previously described taxa are recognized as valid species and three new species from Turkey, Ceratanisus selimi sp. nov., Ceratanisus labriquei sp. nov. and Ceratanisus andiberti sp. nov., are described. A key for the separation of the genera of Ceratanisini is presented, including the new species described herein.     

Taxonomic review of a new genus,Diathera gen. n., from Southeast Asia (Lepidoptera,Geometridae: Larentiinae)

Diathera gen. n., a new larentiine genus from central and southwestern China, is described. Three new species are named and described: fluctuata sp. n., metacolorata sp. n. and brunneata sp. n. All species and their genitalia are described and illustrated. A key is provided and the monophyly of the genus and its relationships to the allied taxa are briefly discussed.