On a new genus and new species of xanthid crab (Crustacea,Decapoda, Brachyura,Xanthinae) from the South China Sea,with notes on the genus Liagore De Haan, 1833

A new genus and new species of xanthid crab, Ovatis simplex, is described from the South China Sea. The genus is closest to Liagore but can be distinguished by a suite of carapace and male gonopod characters. The systematic position of Liagore is also considered, and both genera, Liagore and Ovatis, are here referred to the subfamily Xanthinae. Comparisons with the allied genera, Paratergatis and Pulcratis, are also provided.     

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.     

A new genus of freshwater crab (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Potamidae) from Thailand,with a description of a new species

A new genus, Stelomon, is established for the Thai freshwater crabs Potamon kanchanaburiense Naiyanetr, 1992, and P. pruinosum Alcock, 1909. The unique structure of the male first pleopod is the key diagnostic generic character. One new species, which differs in the form of the male first pleopod, is also described. A key to the species of Stelomon is included.     

A revision of the genus Siamthelphusa Bott, 1968 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Parathelphusidae), with descriptions of five new species from Thailand

The taxonomy of the northern Peninsular Malaysian and Thai freshwater crab genus Siamthelphusa Bott, 1968 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Parathelphusidae) is revised. Nine species are recognized: S. improvisa (Lanchester, 1901), S. holthuisi Naiyanetr and Ng, 1990, S. retimanus n. sp., S. paviei (De Man, 1898), S. acutidens n. sp., S. faxoni (Rathbun, 1905), S. transversa n. sp., S. nan n. sp., and S. variegata n. sp. A neotype is designated for S. improvisa (Lanchester, 1901), the type species of the genus.     

Four new and six known species of the genus Dorylaimellus Cobb, 1913 (Nematoda: Belondiridae) from India

Four new and six known species of Dorylaimellus Cobb, 1913 Cobb, NA. 1913. New nematode genera found inhabiting freshwater and non-brackish soils. J Wash Acad Sci, 3: 432–444. [Crossref] , [Google Scholar] are described. Dorylaimellus shamimi sp. nov. has body 1.1–1.2 mm, offset lip region, odontostyle 7–8 μm, pharyngeal expansion 35–43%, longitudinal vulva, amphidelphic gonad and conoid ventrally arcuate tail. Dorylaimellus parindicus sp. nov. has body 1.2–1.5 mm, distinct ventral body pores, lip region offset, odontostyle thick walled, 5–6 μm, odontophore with poorly developed flanges, pharyngeal expansion 38–45%, longitudinal vulva, amphidelphic gonad and short conoid tail. Dorylaimellus hanifae sp. nov. has body 0.3–0.4 mm, offset lip region with peri-oral disc, odontostyle 4–5 μm, pharyngeal expansion 50–55%, transverse vulva, amphidelphic gonad and clavate tail. Dorylaimellus khasianus sp. nov. has body 1.2–1.4 mm; offset lip region; odontostyle 7 μm; odontophore with well developed flanges; pharyngeal expansion 31–35%; longitudinal vulva; amphidelphic gonad and elongate-conoid tail. Dorylaimellus occidentalis, Dorylaimellus parvulus, Dorylaimellus deviatus, Dorylaimellus paraclavatus, Dorylaimellus salvus and Dorylaimellus filamentosus are redescribed.     

A new species of freshwater crab (Decapoda: Brachyura: Potamidae) from Dongyin Island,Matsu, Taiwan,defined by morphological and molecular characters,with notes on its biogeography

A new species of freshwater crab, Nanhaipotamon dongyinense sp. nov. (Decapoda: Brachyura: Potamidae), is described from Dongyin Island, Matsu, Taiwan. Based on morphological and molecular (mitochondrial 16S rRNA) evidence, it can be distinguished from its congeners. The biogeography of the species, found on an island 50 km from mainland China, is also discussed.     

Description of two new species and a new genus of bopyrid isopod parasites (Bopyridae: Pseudioninae) of hermit crabs from China

This is the first record from China of the bopyrid isopod genus Asymmetrione, of which the new species Asymmetrione globifera, a parasite of the hermit crab Dardanus hessii (Miers) in Beibu Gulf and South China Sea, is described. The female A. globifera differs from Asymmetrione nossibensis Bourdon in the shape of its barbula and ornamentation of the first oostegite. A tabulation of the occurrence of all currently known species of Asymmetrione is included. New genus Parasymmetrione is described. The type species, Parasymmetrione tuberculineata, sp. nov., a parasite of Clibanarius corallinus (H. Milne-Edwards) Xisha, is similar in appearance to Asymmetrione spp. but differs, in the female, in not having the propodi of its pereopods produced into sockets and having uniramous uropoda; the male of P. tuberculineata sp. nov. differs from species of Asymmetrione in having the dactyli of only its first pair of pereopods markedly longer than those of the following pereopods.     

A new genus and species of pinnotherid crab from Karachi,northern Arabian Sea (Crustacea,Decapoda, Brachyura)

A new monotypic genus, Sindheres, is established to accommodate a new species, S. karachiensis, of pinnotherid crab from the northern Arabian Sea. The new genus resembles Nepinnotheres Manning, 1993 in having the dactylus of the third maxilliped inserted near the mid-length of the ventral margin of the propodus but it differs in having a sub-hexagonal carapace.     

Description of a new species of Demania Laurie, 1906 (Crustacea,Decapoda, Brachyura,Xanthidae) from the Bay of Bengal,Indian Ocean

A new species of xanthid crab, Demania bangladeshensis sp. nov., is described from the Bay of Bengal, Indian Ocean. Demania bangladeshensis appears to be most closely related to Demania toxica Garth, 1971, a poisonous species from the Philippines, but can easily be separated by the differently sculptured carapace, legs and chelipeds.     

Two new genera of the family Pilumnidae (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura) from Queensland,Australia

Two new genera of Pilumnidae each with a single new species are described from southeastern Queensland waters. Priapipilumnus is defined by the greatly swollen base and simple blunt apex of the male first pleopod and the concomitant posteriorly protruding, bilobed, third abdominal segment. Takedana is separable by the very short spinous anterolateral margins, the swollen branchial regions, the moderately short walking legs, and the strongly spined chelae. Actumnus pugilator is reassigned to Bathypilumnus Ng and Tan, 1984.     

The genus Coralaxius redefined,with the description of two new species (Crustacea: Decapoda: Axiidae)

The genus Coralaxius is rediagnosed, and the type species C. nodulosus (Meinert, 1877), the holotype of which was found to be identical with C. abelei Kensley and Gore, 1982, is redescribed. The two new species of Coralaxius are described, viz. C. galapagensis from the Galapagos Islands, and C. indopacificus from Fiji and the Comoro Islands. On the basis of carapace, gill and appendage characters, it is concluded that C. indopacificus is more primitive than the other two species. The genus is thought to have had a tethyan distribution, with the eastern Pacific representative being cut off from the western Atlantic form with the raising of the Isthmus of Panama.     

A revision of the family Deckeniidae Ortmann, 1897 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Potamoidea), with description of a new genus (Gecarcinucidae: Gecarcinucoidea) from the Seychelles,Indian Ocean

The family Deckeniidae Ortmann, 1897, is revised and only 2 East African species are recognised, D. imitatrix Hilgendorf, 1869, and D. mitis Hilgendorf, 1898. The identity of the poorly known species from Seychelles, Indian Ocean, Deckenia alluaudi A. Milne Edwards and Bouvier, 1893, is clarified. This species is redescribed, assigned to a new genus (Seychellum gen. nov.), removed from the Deckeniidae sensu stricto and transferred to the family Gecarcinucidae Rathbun, 1904.     

Taxonomy and ecology of two endemic freshwater crabs from western Jamaica with the description of a new Sesarma species (Brachyura: Grapsidae: Sesarminae)

The type series of the Jamaican grapsid crab Sesarma windsor Türkay and Diesel, 1994, was re-examined and found to consist of two distinct forms. The holotype represented a form so far only recorded from a freshwater cave in western Jamaica. The other form inhabits burrows in the banks of mountain creeks in western Jamaica and is assigned to a new species, Sesarma fossarum sp. n. Both species are fully described and morphological differences partly interpreted as adaptations to the habitats where they occur. The new species and S. bidentatum Benedict, 1892, both from mountain creeks, closely resemble the cavernicolous S. windsor which suggests a fairly recent invasion of the cave habitat by the latter.     

Partial revision of the genus Fabia Dana, 1851 (Crustacea: Brachyura: Pinnotheridae)

Eight species are now assigned to Fabia Dana, 1851. The present partial revision accepts five, F. byssomiae (Say, 1818), F. concharum (Rathbun, 1893), F. emiliai (de Melo, 1971), F. subquadrata Dana, 1851 (type species) and F. tellinae Cobb, 1973, and recommends a future study to determine whether the Brazilian species F. emiliai, is a junior synonym of F. byssomiae. In addition, a new species, F. carvachoi, from the Gulf of California, México is described. The six species are diagnosed and/or described and figured.     

A new genus and new species (Orthoptera: Acrididae: Gomphocerinae) from south-east Xizang,China

In 2007, a 3-year survey was started in northeastern Italy to assess the influence of agricultural management on parasitoid composition and parasitism rates of parasitoids attacking larvae and pupae of Syrphidae (Diptera). Two types of management were considered – intensive (including wheat and maize monoculture with very low or null vegetation diversity) and extensive (with different types of habitats, characterized by a higher vegetation complexity). In habitats simplified by intensive agriculture, and particularly in maize fields, parasitism rates of syrphid larvae were higher than recorded in more diversified habitats. A substantial difference in the composition of the parasitoid complex was also found. In extensive and wheat sites, Diplazontinae (Braconidae), highly specialized to Syrphidae, were the dominant parasitoids, whereas in maize fields Pachyneuron (Pteromalidae) species, known as generalists, accounted for more than 80% of total parasitoids. In the habitats where Pachyneuron spp. were dominant, parasitism rates were very high. Conversely, in habitats where Diplazontinae were more abundant, the parasitism rates were very low. The higher rate of parasitism of syrphid larvae and pupae recorded in intensive monocultures could have a large impact on the development and control of aphid populations in such crops.