Deltochilini and Phanaeini dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) in introduced and native ecosystems of Brazil

The dung beetle tribes Deltochilini and Phanaeini (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) play an important ecological role in the habitats in which they live. Despite much field work on these beetles in the Neotropical region, biological information on many taxa is still unknown. Here we provide information on species of Deltochilini and Phanaeini including temporal distribution of adults, sex ratio (Male : Female) and measurements of the individuals as well as on ecology and general biology of all species sampled in introduced (pasturelands of Brachiaria spp.) and native (patch of the Brazilian savanna) ecosystems of Brazil. Furthermore, our findings may help to understand the complexity of the effects of mixed ecosystems on the biodiversity of dung beetles.     

Cladistic,phenetic and biogeographical analysis of the flightless dung beetle genus,Gyronotus van Lansberge (Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae), in threatened eastern Afrotropical forests

By virtue of their low vagility, flightless insects are useful indicators of biogeographical history. Relationships of the flightless dung beetle genus, Gyronotus, are of particular interest due to its Gondwanaland ancestry, distinctive relict distribution along the south-eastern seaboard of Africa, and its restriction to forests which are seriously threatened by exploitation. Because of the limited number of diagnostic morphological characters, it was necessary to code morphometric data in order to conduct distance and cladistic parsimony analysis of interspecific relationships in Gyronotus. There was a good correlation between relationships indicated by the dendrograms/cladograms and those determined by an examination of aedeagus character states both of which indicate a disjunction between south and east African species and a broad separation between northern and southern South African species. Comparison of the bilaterally asymmetrical aedeagi of Gyronotus with the symmetrical aedeagi of the sister genus, Anachalcos Hope, suggests geographical polarization of character states from greater plesiomorphy in east African Gyronotus to greater apomorphy in South African species, particularly in the southernmost element in which the aedeagus shows extreme asymmetry. Furthermore, body shape follows a similar geographical gradient in that the three Gyronotus species of tropical east Africa are significantly more elongate than the three ovoid, lowland/afromontane species of South Africa. An examination of historical factors suggests that this spatially-restricted distribution is the relict of a very old tropical lowland pattern. In extant taxa, the phylogenetic polarization is towards one of five main centres of afrotropical forest biodiversity in the geologically old Eastern Arc and the adjoining lowland forest (Swahili centre of endemism). Survivors from old lineages may be one reason for such centres of high biodiversity.     

An identification guide to Eurysternine dung beetles (Coleoptera,Scarabaeidae)

An identification guide to the genus Eurysternus is presented. One new species, confusus is described from South America. The synonymies inflexus (Germar) (=planipennis Lucas), parallelus Castelnau (=femoralis Lucas), hirtellus Dalman (=cirratus Harold), calligrammus Dalman (=opacus Lucas), foedus Guérin-Méneville (=claudicans Kirsch), velutinus Bates (=hypocrita Balthasar), and caribaeus (Herbst)(=peruanus Harold) are established, and four previously established synonymies confirmed. Lectotypes are designated for the following species of Eurysternus: mexicanus Harold, plebejus Harold, angustulus Harold, velutinus Bates, hypocrita Balthasar, hamaticollis Balthasar, nebulosus Kirsch, peruanus Harold, sulcifer Balthasar, cirratus Harold, planipennis Lucas, cyanescens Balthasar, femoralis Lucas, and for Onitis deplanatus Germar.

Neotypes are designated for the following species of Eurysternus: magnus Castelnau, marmoreus Castelnau, impressicollis Castelnau, foedus Guérin-Méneville, hirtellus Dalman, opatrinus Perty, parallelus Castelnau, cayennensis Castelnau, and for Scarabaeus caribaeus Herbst.

Type-species are designated for the genera Eurysternus Dalman and Aeschrotes Saint-Fargeau & Serville.     

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.     

Revision of the genus Pseudodiphascon (Tardigrada,Macrobiotidae), with the erection of three new genera

A flexible but non-annulated buccal tube was used to erect the subgenus Pseudodiphascon, later raised to genus level (type species Macrobiotus inflexus). However, the presence of a flexible (but non-annulated) buccal tube in the holotype and paratype is due to the moulting simplex stage of both animals. Therefore Macrobiotus inflexus must be considered species dubia. The other species to date attributed to Pseudodiphascon differ from the type species of the genus in the presence of a pharyngeal tube that appears annulated. Because of this and other characters, they do not conform to the definition of Pseudodiphascon and cannot be attributed to this genus, which must be considered genus dubium. The characters of the claws and of the buccal—pharyngeal apparatuses led us to describe three new genera: Biserovus gen. n.: claws without a differentiated basal portion, annulated pharyngeal tube, peribuccal lamellae present; Minilentus gen. n.: claws of ‘hufelandi type’, annulated pharyngeal tube, peribuccal lamellae absent; Insuetifurca gen. n.: claws of modified' hufelandi type, annulated pharyngeal tube, peribuccal lamellae present, stylet furcae of a peculiar shape. Pseudodiphascon diphasconides lacks annulation in the buccal tube and is transferred to the genus Minibiotus.     

Revision of the genus Delopleurus Boheman (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) with description of new species from Africa

The genus Delopleurus Erichson, 1847, is revised. Five new species are described from Africa: Delopleurus naviauxi sp. nov., Delopleurus krikkeni sp. nov., Delopleurus darrenmanni sp. nov., Delopleurus fossatus sp. nov. and Delopleurus pubescens sp. nov. One new synonymy is established (Delopleurus parvus (Sharp, 1875) = Delopleurus cardoni Paulian, 1934, syn. nov.). Lectotype of Delopleurus pullus Boheman, 1857, is designated. Delopleurus janssensi Frey, 1963, is transferred to the genus Metacatharsius Paulian, 1939. A key to the Delopleurus species and locality maps are given.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:67AE5CC5-9C9C-4872-A2B6-68C3BA82C44A     

Revision of the southern African genus Frankenbergerius Balthasar with description of new taxa (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae)

The southern African genus Frankenbergerius Balthasar is revised. Two new species, F. opacus sp. n. and F. nitidus sp. n. (South Africa, Western Cape), and one new subspecies, F. armatus tuberculatus ssp. n. (South Africa, Mpumalanga), are described. F. imitativus (Péringuey) is considered a junior synonym of F. forcipatus (Harold). A key to the species and notes on biology are given.     

A new genus and species of bythitid fish (Teleostei: Ophidiiformes) from New Zealand

Brosmodorsalis persicinus n. gen., n. sp. is described from specimens collected from shallow coastal rocky reefs of northern New Zealand. Brosmodorsalis is placed in the bythitid fish subfamily Brosmophycinae because it has the caudal fin separate from the dorsal and anal fins. The genus differs from all others within the subfamily by the origin of the dorsal fin being well in advance of the posterior margin of the operculum and the anterior dorsal fin rays being free of membrane.     

A new genus and five new species of Phoxocephalidae (Crustacea: Amphipoda) from the south-east Brazilian deep sea

Rearing data from higher plants, carrion and bird and mammal nests and burrows are provided for eight species of Heleomyzidae (Diptera): Heleomyzinae: Heleomyza borealis Boheman, Scoliocentra brachypterna (Loew) and Eccoptomera microps (Meigen); Heteromyzinae: Tephrochlamys flavipes (Zetterstedt), Tephrochlamys tarsalis (Zetterstedt) and Heteromyza rotundicornis (Zetterstedt); and Suillinae: Suillia ustulata (Meigen) and Suillia variegata (Loew). The puparia of these species are described. Unique characters and characters in combination distinguish each species and their subfamilies, suggesting that early stages are a valuable source of taxonomic data. Head skeleton and other features suggest contrasting food gathering mechanisms, with heleomyzines suited to feeding on food of low viscosity, suillines on high-viscosity or firm food and heteromyzines on food of intermediate viscosity.     

A new genus and two new species of Pudeoniscidae Lemos de Castro 1973 (Crustacea: Isopoda: Oniscidea) from Brazil

To date, the family Pudeoniscidae includes six species and three genera, Pudeoniscus, Brasiloniscus and Iansaoniscus, with distributions restricted to Brazil. Here, we redefine the family Pudeoniscidae based on the discovery of a new genus and two new species, Oxossioniscus pataxo sp. nov. and Oxossioniscus akoko sp. nov., from the Brazilian Atlantic forest in the state of Bahia, and on the examination of Pudeoniscus birabeni and Pudeoniscus obscurus. Moreover, P. obscurus is re-described and new records are provided for P. birabeni.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:A0123730-C623-49CE-8665-AE17FDDF994A.     

Minute but constant morphological differences within members of Stenothoidae: the Stenothoe gallensis group with four new members,keys to Stenothoe worldwide,a new species of Parametopa and Sudanea n. gen. (Crustacea: Amphipoda)

The hitherto-known species of Stenothoe are grouped by their distribution. A key for Mediterranean–Atlantic species is given. To the so-called Stenothoe gallensis group (until now, four species), four others are added: S. andamanensis, S. clavetta, S. himyara and S. senegalensis, all new to science. Knowledge of Stenothoe aucklandica, frecanda, macrophthalma, valida and verrucosa is amended. The studied material also yields both a new species of Parametopa (P. gorea n. sp.) and a new genus (Sudanea n. gen.) with S. inopinata n. sp.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:23C8BB82-5CC1-40B2-BED9-431AA55901B9     

A new genus and two new species of Parastenocarididae (Copepoda: Harpacticoida) from southeastern India

Indocaris gen. nov. with two new species, Indocaris imbricata sp. nov. and Indocaris inopinata sp. nov., and also for the already known Indocaris tirupatiensis (Ranga Reddy 2011a) comb. nov. – all from the groundwaters in peninsular India. The highly diagnostic synapomorphy of the new genus is a composite character associated with the male leg 4 basis: five or six prominent, imbricate, enlarged, petal-like spinules, arranged as a semi-whorl at the insertion of the endopod and increasing in size from internal to external. Another distinctive feature of the same appendage is that its one-segmented endopod is dilated or bulbous in the proximal half, produced distally into an incurved spiniform or horn-like structure about as long as the corresponding first exopodal segment, and ornamented with three or four fine spinules on the subproximal outer margin. The three species also share a unique constellation of other salient morphologic features, which along with the phylogenetic position of Indocaris gen. nov. within the family Parastenocarididae are discussed. Indocaris gen. nov. has closest phylogenetic affinity with the Neotropical Remaneicari Jakobi, 1972. A short note on the ecology and biogeography of the parastenocaridid species of the Indian subcontinent is provided besides a key for their identification.     

The ninth brachypterous Onthophagus Latreille (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) of the world: a new species from Mexico

A new brachypterous species of Onthophagus from Mexico, belonging to the New World chevrolati species group, is described and illustrated. Illustrations of the male and female dorsal habitus, and genitalia are provided. The relationships with other brachypterous species that occur in Guerrero (Mexico) are discussed. Placement of the new species in the chevrolati group key is provided. Additionally, new locality records for O. inflaticollis Bates are provided.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:747118CE-6A93-401A-8625-5A75479980AD     

A new genus of Atlantic octocorals (Octocorallia: Gorgoniidae): systematics of gorgoniids with asymmetric sclerites

Gorgonian corals from the families Gorgoniidae and Plexauridae are among the most abundant and diverse shallow‐water cnidarians found along tropical and temperate Atlantic coasts and reefs. Some morphological traits in the Gorgoniidae comprise a taxonomic challenge due to their morphological plasticity as well as a lack of discrete character states among most genera. Some gorgoniids have asymmetrical sclerites in the surface coenenchyme, a character trait that consists of a continuum among several genera and can cause confusion with members of the family Plexauridae. The collection of a unique gorgoniid in Tobago (Trinidad and Tobago), which contains this trait but also maintains affinities to many different genera, stimulated a wider morphological comparison of gorgoniids using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Using the morphology of asymmetrical sclerites, gorgoniids could be grouped in four monophyletic clades that were compatible with recent molecular phylogenies and provide a provisional subfamilial classification: (1) a derived clade including gorgoniids with scaphoid sclerites, comprising the reef fauna from the western Atlantic (e.g. Gorgonia, Pseudopterogorgia [ = Antillogorgia], Pterogorgia, and Phyllogorgia); (2) a related group with taxa containing capstan sclerites including genera with short capstans and/or disk‐spindles sclerites such as Pacifogorgia and Leptogorgia ( = Lophogorgia); (3) a clade of gorgoniids with asymmetrical spiny sclerites including the Atlantic genus Muriceopsis and the Indopacific Pinnigorgia together with the distant single species from the new genus and species Tobagogorgia hardyi (it is worth noting that Muriceopsis was previously classified in the Plexauridae, but there is overwhelming molecular support that groups it with the Gorgoniidae and morphological evidence that suggests affinity with Pinnigorgia); and finally (4) a basal clade with long and spiny spindles, which includes some African species such as Filigorgia angolana and F. schoutedeni as well as other new combinations (all species previously classified as Leptogorgia but not phylogenetically related). The combined set of sclerites of Tobagogorgia (e.g. both asymmetrical and irregularly bent spindles) separates it from the diagnostic characters of related genera such as Muriceopsis and Pinnigorgia. The latter two genera are also profusely branched, including pinnate patterns, whereas T. hardyi has only one or two branches. Externally, T. hardyi looks like some Leptogorgia colonies that branch minimally but it is clear that the sclerites are very different and thus also their phylogenetic divergence.     

Chilarboreus gen. nov., a new genus of Chilean Scirtidae (Coleoptera: Scirtoidea), with descriptions of three new species

The genus Chilarboreus gen. nov. is described from Nothofagus forests of Chile to accommodate three new species: Chilarboreus fossulatus sp. nov., Chilarboreus acuticollis sp. nov. and Chilarboreus darwini sp. nov. The genus is subdivided into two subgenera: Chilarboreus subgen. nov. (type species: C. fossulatus) and Pictarboreus subgen. nov. (type species: C. darwini). Identification keys to the genera of Chilean Scirtidae and the species in the genus Chilarboreus are provided. The state of knowledge of Chilean Scirtidae is summarized. The position of Chilarboreus within Scirtidae and the phenomenon of wing reduction in Scirtidae are discussed.     

Revision of the Madagascan genus Madecorphnus Paulian (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Orphninae)

A scarab beetle genus, Madecorphnus Paulian, endemic to Madagascar, is revised. Nine new species are described: M. brunneus sp. nov., M. dentatus sp. nov., M. montreuili sp. nov., M. niger sp. nov., M. pauliani sp. nov., M. perinetensis sp. nov., M. peyrierasi sp. nov., M. punctatus sp. nov., M. simplex sp. nov. Diagnosis of the genus is clarified. Distribution map and a diagnostic key to all species are presented.     

Faunistic analysis of Cerambycidae (Insecta: Coleoptera) in an area of Atlantic Forest

The Atlantic Forest is considered a hotspot biome, one of the most diverse in the world. Currently, due to deforestation, only 22% of the original cover remains, and only 7.5% well preserved. Despite the global importance of this biome, it still lacks basic studies, e.g. primary inventories. Cerambycidae is one of the most diverse groups of beetles, with high ecological and economic importance. The aim of this work was to survey the longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae) in three fragments (Pacangê, Vila 5 and Pancada Grande) of Atlantic Forest within Reserva Ecológica da Michelin (southern Bahia State, Brazil). A total of 166 individuals belonging to 53 species were recorded, 15 of them new geographical records for the state, and one for Brazil. The Shannon index (H) shows Pacangê (H = 2.665) as the most diverse fragment, followed by Pancada Grande (H = 2.658) and Vila 5 (H = 2.565). The most abundant species were Nyssodrysina lignaria (38 specimens collected), followed by Compsibidion vanum (31 specimens). One hundred and ten specimens were captured in Malaise traps, while in light traps only 56 specimens were caught; however, the richness and consequently the diversity in light traps was higher. This is one of the few studies carried out in Atlantic Forest surveying longhorn beetles, and provides primary data on these taxa, to help develop conservation policies for this threatened biome.