Colonial ascidians from the Foveaux Strait region of New Zealand

Colonial ascidians collected from wharf piles and natural substrata from Bluff Harbour and Stewart Island in the South Island of New Zealand are described in this paper. Two species, Lissoclinum violaceum sp. nov. and Didemnum marineae sp. nov. are new to science and described for the first time. The ascidian fauna in this region is a mixed assemblage of southern species, species with a New Zealand-wide distribution, and two species with trans-Tasman affinities.

www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:37DC0D4B-8FB9-4F1D-A5A0-E9CAB3203447     

Description of the aberrant Leptopilina lasallei n. sp., with an updated phylogeny of Leptopilina Förster (Hymenoptera: Figitidae: Eucoilinae)

ABSTRACT

In the search for native Asian parasitoids of Drosophila suzukii, the notorious spotted-wing Drosophila (SWD), an odd new species of Eucoilinae was discovered. Leptopilina lasallei sp. nov. is herein described and diagnosed relative to other eucoilines associated with drosophilid hosts. Morphologically, L. lasallei is somewhat aberrant within Leptopilina; phylogenetically, L. lasallei is sister group to the core Leptopilina. In the process of investigating L. lasallei, a de novo molecular phylogeny of Leptopilina was generated and is included here. The integrated approach used for the characterisation of L. lasallei, and the resulting phylogeny of Leptopilina, produced data useful to select parasitoid species for SWD biological control.http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:402D504A-4616-4524-85D7-1C13A6276F06 http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:402D504A-4616-4524-85D7-1C13A6276F06     

First record of the genus Tanaostigma (Hymenoptera,Chalcidoidea, Tanaostigmatidae) from the Afrotropical region with description of three new species

ABSTRACT

The genus Tanaostigma is newly recorded from the Afrotropical region and three new species are described: Tanaostigma lasallei van Noort sp. nov. (South Africa), Tanaostigma mulu van Noort sp. nov. (Kenya) and Tanaostigma ukumbusho van Noort sp. nov. (Kenya). We provide comprehensive images of the holotypes and an illustrated identification key to the African species. New country distribution records are provided for Tanaostigmodes tambotis Prinsloo & LaSalle, 1995. All images presented here as well as supplementary images and online keys are available on www.waspweb.org

www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:61D1A59D-3702-480A-B146-73067C29CD82     

A new species of mycophagous Rentonium (Coleoptera: Cleroidea: Trogossitidae) based on larvae and adults,and a catalogue of Rentoniinae

Adults and associated larvae of Rentonium bicolor sp. nov. are described from New Zealand (North Island) and represent the first associated larvae of the Rentoniinae. Larvae and adults were found among the fruiting bodies of Hypocrea rufa (Pers.) Fr. (Ascomycota: Hypocreaceae). The larvae are morphologically similar to a previously described and undetermined larva but differ from it by the unpaired, hook-like urogomphus, four stemmata, and the apical antennal seta subequal in length to the antenna. Potential implications for phylogeny of Cleroidea are discussed. A catalogue of the genera and species of Rentoniinae is provided, along with comments about the status of Rentonellum loebli Kolibá?.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:936541AB-1802-4C09-9032-7EF1FAAC912E     

Pygmy grasshoppers of the genus Formosatettix Tinkham, 1937 (Orthoptera: Tetrigidae: Tetriginae)

Formosatettix serrifemora Deng sp. nov., Formosatettix zhejiangensis Deng sp. nov. and Formosatettix guposhanensis Deng sp. nov. are described with detailed illustrations of external morphology. New synonymy is proposed: Formosatettix tianmushanensis Zheng and Li = Formosatettix xiai Zheng, Shi and Yin, syn. nov. An updated key to species of the genus is given.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:D64FA763-EBA7-453C-9D76-7209F5659478     

Revalidation of Obidosus Roewer, 1913 and description of two new cave-dwelling species of Protimesius Roewer, 1913 from Brazil (Opiliones: Stygnidae)

The penial and tarsal morphology of Protimesius is studied and morphological data support the revalidation of Obidosus with the subsequent new combinations (20 species) and restored combinations (two species). Emended diagnoses are proposed for both genera, and two cave-dwelling new species of Protimesius are described and illustrated: P. lucifer sp. nov. (Pará state) and P. orcus sp. nov. (Ceará state). An identification key to the species of Protimesius and distributional maps of Obidosus and Protimesius are provided.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:C4E9C04D-A646-41E4-AE59-B6D0C951DEAB     

Two new Pontocyprididae (Ostracoda) species from Korea

ABSTRACT

Pontocyprididae is a diverse ostracod family with over 300 species described so far. It has a worldwide distribution in various marine ecosystems. I describe two new species belonging to Ekpontocypris Maddocks, 1969 and Schedopontocypris Maddocks, 1969. They have been collected from shallow littoral and interstitial waters from the east coast of Korea. This is the first record of the family from this country. Two new species differ from their closest congeners mostly by male sexual characters, including morphology of the hemipenis and prehensile palps. Taxonomic keys to living representatives of Ekpontocypris and genera of Pontocyprididae are provided.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:1B3664EA-4999-4625-81A3-9BE31D11F517http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:A18697AE-F331-4E10-B1E6-866752F83ADA     

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     

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     

A new species of Ahaetulla Link, 1807 (Serpentes: Colubridae: Ahaetullinae) from India

A new species of vine snake of the genus Ahaetulla is described from peninsular India. The new taxon is a medium-sized arboreal snake, readily distinguished from all other congeners by morphological and genetic differences. The new species appears to be widely distributed in Eastern Ghats and Central India with the western-most distribution extending into eastern Rajasthan. However, it is relatively rare, with only three specimens being acquired over the past nine years.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:B610BF55-3CEF-4160-9A2C-25A069A82223

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:AD84ABAE-F4F5-452C-8EFD-969D191E738B     

Description of two new Quadrastichus (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) reared from Litchiomyia chinensis (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) on commercial lychee (Litchi chinensis; Sapindaceae) in Taiwan

ABSTRACT

The lychee gall midge, Litchiomyia chinensis Yang and Luo (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), invaded Taiwan in 2008. This fly induces blister-galls on the leaves of lychee, Litchi chinensis Sonn (Sapindaceae), and causes significant yield losses. At present, its natural enemy complex is largely undocumented; thus, the overall aim of ongoing research is to investigate the natural enemies on L. chinensis in different areas and seasons in Taiwan. We describe two species that parasitise this gall midge: Quadrastichus lasallei, sp. n. and Quadrastichus johnlasallei, sp. n. that demonstrate biocontrol potential of this pest.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:A5E93071-D935-4F60-BCF9-225C50389ABF http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:261FC598-03CC-44A1-9379-F665B2DF0AA0     

First record of the genus Setelacher Bouček (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae: Eulophinae) from the Afrotropical region,with description of a new species

ABSTRACT

A new species of the genus Setelacher Bou?ek, S. lasallei sp. nov. Gumovsky and van Noort, is described from the Afrotropical region (Central African Republic, Gabon and Uganda). It confirms the presence of the genus in the region. The only described species of the genus, S. fasciatus Bou?ek, is of Australasian and Indo-Malayan distribution, and one undescribed species was previously recorded from South Africa. All images presented here are available on www.waspweb.org

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:D6AA0B15-6EA7-4C93-827C-1807E69BD6D2     

Ampithoid amphipods from the South Pacific: Papua New Guinea,French Polynesia and New Caledonia

This paper documents 13 known and seven new species of Ampithoidae from three South Pacific locations: Papua New Guinea; the Austral Isles, French Polynesia; and the Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia. The new species Ampithoe ricaudyana, Ampithoe takeuchii, Cymadusa lituus, Cymadusa paradisaea, Plumithoe boulari, Sunamphitoe kanaka and Sunamphitoe tjiboui are described. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:590B4276-1DFA-40C1-B562-A7B5FC1E6A5C     

Taxonomy of Palaearctic scythridids: description of Falkovitshella hindukushi sp. nov. and Scythris wadiqeltella sp. nov. (Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea: Scythrididae)

Two new species are here described and illustrated: Falkovitshella hindukushi sp. nov. from north-eastern Afghanistan, and Scythris wadiqeltella sp. nov. from Palestine. Scythris inconspicuella Sinev is newly recorded from China, markedly extending its known range. http://www.zoobank,org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:2BC5092F-D004-4CB3-85C7-1CAA54AAE536     

A new unique species of Mucroseius Lindquist, 1962 (Acari: Mesostigmata: Melicharidae) mites associated with sawyer beetles (Cerambycidae: Monochamus Dejean, 1821) from the Palaearctic Region

Adult females of a new species, Mucroseius insolitus sp. nov., are described from the metathoracic spiracular atria of the Black pine sawyer beetle Monochamus galloprovincialis (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) from Asian Russia (Altai Republic and Tyumen Province). The new species differs from all congeners by the absence of the otherwise autapomorphic distal flangelike process (mucro) of the fixed chela. The genus Mucroseius is recorded for the first time in Russia, and its generic concept is reviewed.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:AB3BDB6A-63C3-4970-A192-A3C539C48BA1     

Three new species of Euragallia Oman, 1938 from Brazil (Insecta: Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Agalliinae)

Four new species of Clinotanypus Kieffer, 1913 (Diptera: Chironomidae: Tanypodinae) from Brazil are described and figured as male and immatures: Clinotanypus caritus, Clinotanypus gymnos, Clinotanypus setosus and Clinotanypus striatus. Keys to the Neotropical males, pupae and larvae of known species of Clinotanypus are provided. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:DAE70C2F-15CA-4B72-9AE5-F601EAD76A7C     

A new species of Phrynobatrachus (Amphibia: Anura: Phrynobatrachidae) from the Northern Mountains of Tanzania

ABSTRACT

Using integrative approaches, a new large-bodied species of Phrynobatrachus is described from a series of 48 specimens from the montane forests of the West Usambara and North Pare Mountains of Tanzania. The most distinguishing morphological feature separating Phrynobatrachus ambanguluensis sp. nov from similar species is the markedly overhanging and pointed upper jaw and snout. Mitochondrial 16S rRNA indicates that the new species differs from all other species with published sequence data by a minimum distance of 4.75% and is sister to P. krefftii, with which it has been confused in the past. The new species is known from two forest reserves and is of high conservation concern given these areas are highly impacted by anthropogenic change.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:E0C82A87-47A5-426B-978D-96D27FA7A3B7