The cheliceral flagellum of pseudoscorpions

Summary

Detailed examination of the flagella of all the available stages of four British species (C. ischnocheles, C. orthodactylus, C. tenuis and C. kewi) shows that the number of blades is constant for each stage, being 5, 7, 9 and 11 for the proto-, deuto-, trito-mynph and adult, respectively. The form of the blades is described and the taxonomic implications of the presence of bipinnate blades are discussed.     

A new species of Nemedina Chandler from mid-Asia (Diptera: Empidoidea) resolves the phylogenetic position of this enigmatic genus

Nemedina zaitsevi sp. nov. is described from Kazakhstan and includes the first extant male specimens of this genus. The combination of male genitalic features (e.g. long and narrow gonocoxal apodemes, shortened hypandrium), absence of female tergite 10, and absence of epipharyngeal blades strongly support the hypothesis that Nemedina Chandler and the Atelestinae are sister groups.     

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.     

Morphological and molecular separation between Macrocamptoptera grangeri Soyka and M. metotarsa (Girault) (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae)

ABSTRACT

Based on morphological and molecular evidence, the European fairyfly Herulia sundholmi Hedqvist syn. n. (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) is removed from previous synonymy with the Nearctic Macrocamptoptera metotarsa (Girault), and synonymised with the Palaearctic M. grangeri Soyka, which is newly recorded from Georgia, Slovakia and Spain. Macrocamptoptera bulagarica (Donev) syn. n., known from Bulgaria and Italy, is also synonymised with M. grangeri. An updated key to females of the three currently recognised species of the rarely collected genus Macrocamptoptera Girault is given.     

New species of Orasema (Hymenoptera: Eucharitidae) from Central and South America

ABSTRACT

Six new species of Orasema are described. Four species are placed into a newly recognised lasallei species group: Orasema lasallei sp. nov. (Costa Rica, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua), O. janzeni sp. nov. (Costa Rica), O. peckorum sp. nov. (Brazil) and O. vasquezi sp. nov. (Colombia). One species is placed in the wayqecha group, Orasema masneri sp. nov. (Ecuador). One other species is currently unplaced to species group, O. longinoi sp. nov. (Costa Rica). Orasema lasallei was taken from a nest of Pheidole vorax (Fabr.) and an undescribed species near O. longinoi from a nest of Pheidole dossena Wilson (Myrmicinae). The morphology of the digitate labrum is discussed with respect to other Eucharitidae.     

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.     

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     

New species of cave-dwelling beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Trechinae) from the Azores

The cave-dwelling beetles, Trechus pereirai, new species, and Trechus oromii, new species, and the epigean Trechus terrabravensis, new species, from the Azores islands are described. The male of the cave-dwelling beetle Trechus jorgensis Oromí and Borges is described for the first time. Affinities between Trechus species from the Azores and from other Macaronesian archipelagoes are discussed based on the morphology of the aedeagus. Ecological data are also included.

Nesta contribuição são descritos para os Açores os escaravelhos cavernícolas, Trechus pereirai, nova espécie, e Trechus oromii, nova espécie, e ainda o escaravelho epígeo Trechus terrabravensis, nova espécie. É feita pela primeira vez a descrição do macho da espécie cavernícola Trechus jorgensis Oromí & Borges. Com base na morfologia da genitália masculina são discutidas as afinidades com as outras espécies de Trechus dos Açores e outros arquipélagos Macaronésicos. Incluem-se ainda dados ecológicos.     

Acerophagus artelles sp. nov. (Hymenoptera Chalcidoidea Encyrtidae), a biocontrol agent of Dysmicoccus grassii (Leonardi) (Hemiptera Coccoidea Pseudococcidae) on banana in the Canary Islands (Spain)

Acerophagus artelles sp. nov., an effective parasitoid of Dysmicoccus grassii on banana in the Canary Islands, is described, illustrated and compared with related species. A concise diagnosis and relevant taxonomic notes on the genus Acerophagus are also reported.     

Rediscovering Dichotomius foveicollis (Kirsch, 1871) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae), new combination,revalidation and other taxonomic notes

ABSTRACT

We found that Pinotus foveicollis synonym of D. agenor, does not belong to this group of species, neither is synonym of D. agenor. Here the species is revalidated to Dichotomius (Luederwaldtinia) foveicollis, the female is re-described, and the male is described for the first time. Based on male diagnostic characters the species is moved from D. agenor to D. inachus species-group.     

II.—Bermudian species of Donatia (Tethya)

Summary

Acanthochondrites inflatus (Bainbridge, 1909), parasitic on the branchial cavity wall of Raja radiata is redescribed and a comparison of its morphological features is made with the only other species of the genus, A. annulatus (Olsson, 1869.)     

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     

First record of a freshwater Pisionidae (Polychaeta): description of a new species from Panama with a key to the species of Pisione

A new species of Pisione Grube, 1857, Pisione garciavaldecasasi n. sp. (Polychaeta: Pisionidae) is described from several small rivers in Cobia Is., Pacific, off Panama. This is the first report of a freshwater Pisionidae and it is one of very few known species of true freshwater polychaetes. The species is characterized by large size, by dorsal cirri of setiger 2 and ventral cirri of setiger 1 only slightly elongated, by non-successive male copulatory organs, and by parapodia each with one compound seta with long blade and three others with short blades.     

Mating in Wiedemannia (Diptera: Empididae)

Summary

The copulation of Wiedemannia bistigma (Curtis) and W. lepida (Melander) are compared and a detailed account of the action pattern of W. lepida is given. Swarming in Wiedemannia (Clinoceratinae) is compared to members of the subfamily Empidinae. Mate selection and aspects of possible intrasexual competition are discussed. The wing and genitalia of the heretofore unknown male of W. lepida are illustrated.     

Figs (Ficus spp.) and fig-wasps (Chalcidoidea)

Summary

The host plant, trichobothria, male and female genitalia of Lestonia haustorifera China are discussed. The family Lestoniidae is closely related morphologically to the Plataspidae, more distantly related to the Scutelleridae, and unrelated to the Aphylidae.     

Organisms using Phragmites australis are diverse and similar on three continents

ABSTRACT

Common reed (Phragmites australis) is one of the most widely distributed, most abundant, and best-studied vascular plants worldwide but there has been no broad comparison of reed-associated biota on different continents. A survey of observational data on (mostly terrestrial) organisms using P. australis reedbeds revealed diverse biotas and some strong relationships to Phragmites in North America, Europe, and sub-Saharan Africa. I present examples for a selected group of 29 habitat functions (i.e., features of the reed plant or reedbed used in particular ways by groups of organisms). These functions include animals eating certain parts of reed, birds roosting in reedbeds, and insects mining within reed leaf blades. The diversity of reed users (associated species) and the similarities in habitat functions in biogeographically distinct world regions suggest a fundamental character of reed ecological relationships related to the large size, extensive stands, high productivity, deep litter layers, and other traits of reed. The data also underline the general importance of reed for biodiversity support, although on all three continents reed is considered desirable or undesirable depending on the site character and management goals. Managers can consider reed habitat functions and user guilds to prioritise and design management approaches and predict outcomes of conservation, management, or other environmental changes affecting reedbeds and their users, whether native or introduced, over-abundant or under-abundant.