Two new species of the genus Sinella Brook, 1882 (Collembola: Entomobryidae) from East China

Two new species, Sinella hexaseta sp. nov. and Sinella pauciseta sp. nov., collected from East China, Anhui and Zhejiang provinces, respectively, were described. Both are easily discriminated from each other and all known Sinella species by their unique dorsocentral chaetotaxic patterns on Abd. IV. In S. pauciseta sp. nov., postlabial setae H_1–4 are ciliate, which are smooth in all other known species of the genus.     

A taxonomic review of the genus Nippoptilia (Lepidoptera: Pterophoridae) from Korea,with description of a new species

In the present study, we review the genus Nippoptilia of Korea. In total, four species are recognized, including a new species, Nippoptilia distigmata sp. nov., and two new records, Nippoptilia cinctipedalis (Walker) and N. issikii Yano, for Korea. All the available information, such as distributional ranges and biology of each taxon, is provided. The keys to the genus Nippoptilia in Korea are provided, along with illustrations of external and genitalic characteristics.     

Three new species and one new record of the genus Doryphoribius Pilato, 1969 (Tardigrada: Eutardigrada: Hypsibiidae) from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (Tennessee,USA)

Box jellyfishes (Cnidaria: Cubozoa) have a profound impact on human activities because of their highly potent venoms that may lead to severe envenomations in humans. Cubozoa is one of the smallest classes within Cnidaria with only some 50 described species in seven families. The literature on Cubozoa is scattered and oftentimes difficult to access. In particular, comprehensive treatments of Cubozoa that present a comparative overview of the group are either non-existent or largely outdated. Here we provide a synopsis of the carybdeid Cubozoa (Carybdeida) including an illustrated key to the families and genera of this order. Of particular interest is the family Carukiidae, which contains the species that was originally attributed with causing a severe envenomation syndrome called Irukandji syndrome. One new species of Carukiidae, Malo filipina sp. nov., is described, Morbakka virulenta is redescribed and a neotype is designated, and an unidentified species of Morbakka is recorded from the Philippines.     

Two new species of the genus Paracyatholaimus Micoletzky (Nematoda: Cyatholaimidae) from the Yellow Sea

Two new free-living marine nematode species of Paracyatholaimus Micoletzky, 1923 Paracyatholaimus qingdaoensis sp. nov. and Paracyatholaimus huanghaiensis sp. nov. from the Yellow Sea, China are described. Paracyatholaimus qingdaoensis sp. nov. is characterized by cylindrical body with conical tail; spicules reverse S-shaped, distally pointed; gubernaculum plate, with two cusps at distal end, parallel to the spicules; 10 thick setose precloacal supplements in a 5 + 5 arrangement, anterior group of five supplements located at a protuberance. Paracyatholaimus huanghaiensis sp. nov. is characterized by a cylindrical body with conic-cylindrical tail; slender spicules curved, distally pointed; gubernaculum handle-shaped, expanding distally to a plate, with some sawteeth at distal end; three papillose precloacal supplements, each papilla protruding conically with cuticularized narrow ducts. A key for identification of species of Paracyatholaimus is proposed. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:0A8E40E5-AE7A-47DA-B755-61E1D088C1E9     

A new species of the genus Liopeltis Fitzinger, 1843 from Vietnam (Squamata: Colubridae)

ABSTRACT

A new species of Liopeltis from central Vietnam is described based on morphological and molecular differences. Liopeltis pallidonuchalis sp. nov. is distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following characters: one single (or missing) loreal; one single nasal shield; dorsal scales in 15–15-15 rows, all smooth; 1 preocular, 2 postoculars and 1 + 2 temporals; 7 supralabials, of which 3^rd and 4^th in contact with the eye; 8 infralabials; nasal contacting internasal; prefrontal touching or separated from supralabials; ventral scales 126–138; subcaudal scales 67–73, paired; relative tail length about 0.274–0.301; an uniform bronze body colouration; a thin postocular stripe extending from eye to end of the neck becoming indistinct posteriorly. The new species differs from the morphologically closest species Liopeltis frenata by the lower number of ventrals and subcaudals, by characteristic colouration and significant divergence in cytochrome b mtDNA gene sequences (p = 15.3–15.6%). The new species is currently known from northen and central parts of the Annamite (Truong Son) Mountains, central Vietnam, and was recorded from montane evergreen tropical forests of Kon Tum–Gia Lai Plateau (Gia Lai and Thua Thien–Hue provinces, Da Nang City) at elevations of 950–1010 m asl to karst tropical forests in Quang Binh Province in the north at elevation 150 asl. We suggest the new species should be considered as Vulnerable (VU) following the IUCN’s Red List categories. An updated taxonomic key to the Liopeltis species is provided.     

New species and rediagnosis of Coecobrya (Collembola: Entomobryidae), with a key to the species of the genus

The history of Coecobrya is traced and the genus is redefined. Two new species are described and one known species is redescribed in this paper: Coecobrya lanna sp. nov., Coecobrya tukmeas sp. nov. and Coecobrya aokii (Yoshii, 1995 Yoshii, R. 1995. Notes on Collembola of Vanuatu. Acta Zool Asiae-Orient., 3: 43–50.  [Google Scholar]). Additional details are provided for three other species Coecobrya guanophila Deharveng, 1990 Deharveng, L. 1990. Fauna of Thai caves. II. New Entomobryioidea Collembola from Chiang Dao cave, Thailand. Occas Papers Bernice P Bishop Mus., 30: 279–287.  [Google Scholar], Coecobrya similis Deharveng, 1990 Deharveng, L. 1990. Fauna of Thai caves. II. New Entomobryioidea Collembola from Chiang Dao cave, Thailand. Occas Papers Bernice P Bishop Mus., 30: 279–287.  [Google Scholar] and Coecobrya tenebricosa (Folsom, 1902). Complete S-chaetotaxy of the dorsal tergites is illustrated for the first time in the genus. Sinella ciliata Denis, 1932 is synonymized with C. tenebricosa. A key to the world species of Coecobrya is given.     

A new species of the genus Zhangixalus (Amphibia: Rhacophoridae) from Vietnam

ABSTRACT

A new rhacophorid species is described from Vietnam on the basis of nine specimens collected in Quan Ba District, Ha Giang Province, northeastern Vietnam. The new species is morphologically similar to Zhangixalus pinglongensis, Z. dorsoviridis, and Z. nigropunctatus, however, it differs from the latter by having the flank cream with large black blotches on axilla and groin. The genetic distance between the new species and Zhangixalus pinglongensis, Z. dorsoviridis and Z. nigropunctatus is >3.57% (16S mtDNA gene fragment). Zhangixalus jodiae sp. nov. can be distinguished from all other species of Zhangixalus and other small rhacophorid species from Southeast Asia by a combination of the following characters: size small (SVL 36.1–39.8 mm in males); head as long as wide; vomerine teeth present; dorsal surface of head and body green without spots; axilla cream with large black blotches, groin and front-rear parts of the thigh, ventral surface of tibia black with orange blotches; lower jaw region greyish, chest and belly cream.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:89597718-024F-4FFC-B0AE-2005F12CF66C     

A new genus and species of terrestrial isopod from Malaysia (Crustacea,Oniscidea, Platyarthridae)

A new terrestrial isopod, Cephaloniscus sociabilis gen. nov., sp. nov., from Fraser Hill in central Malaysia, is described and illustrated. The new genus belongs to the family Platyarthridae and is distinguished from other members of the family by the characteristic structure of the cephalon. The specimens were collected from the nest of the termite Hospitalitermes sp. (near medioflavus Holmgren) together with the ant Centromyrmex hamulatus (Karavaiev).     

First record of the genus Koreanurina Najt and Weiner (Collembola: Neanuridae: Pseudachorutinae) from China,with description of two new species from Changbai mountain

The genus Koreanurina Najt and Weiner, 1992 is recorded for the first time from China. It is redefined and its similarity with the subfamily Caputanurininae is stressed. Two species are described from Changbai Mountain in North-East China: Koreanurina weinerae sp. nov. and K. alba sp. nov. The first species differs from the other species of the genus, mostly by its post-antennal organ located on the lateral edge of head (versus dorsolaterally), its central plate on head wider and the presence of only 1 + 1 chaetae on Th I (versus 2–3 + 2–3). K. alba sp. nov. differs from the other species of the genus mostly by the absence of body pigment, and the presence of only 1 + 1 chaetae posteriorly to the furcal rest (versus 2 + 2).

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:65366D33-890A-4E67-B581-5D32406C078F     

On a freshwater species of the genus Sanyuania Zhao and Han, 1980 (Crustacea,Ostracoda, Loxoconchidae) from Thailand,with a discussion on morphological evolution of the freshwater Loxoconchidae

The genus Sanyuania Zhao and Han, 1980 Zhao, G. and Han, D. 1980. “Late Quaternary brackish‐water ostracod faunas from the area to the west of Weishanhu Lake, Jiangsu and their significance.”. In Papers on Marine Micropaleontology, Edited by: Wang, P. 120–129. Beijing (China): Ocean Press.  [Google Scholar] is here transferred from the Cytherideidae to the Loxoconchidae, based on the morphology of valves and soft parts. Sanyuania segersi sp. nov., is described from a freshwater habitat, a river, in Thailand. This is the first record of this genus in Southeast Asia. The new species has a number of remarkable characters distinguishing it from other members in the genus and family: invicidont hinge, spearhead‐like protruding posterior extremity of carapace in dorsal view, subtriangular shape of carapace in lateral view, sieve plate without a central seta (sensillum) and an aberrant chaetotaxy of first and second antennae. The new taxon is compared with other recent freshwater loxoconchids [Cytheromorpha fuscata (Brady, 1869 Brady, G. S. 1869. Contributions to the study of the Entomostraca. IV. Ostracoda from the River Scheldt and the Grecian Archipelago.. Ann Mag Nat Hist ser 4., 3: 44–50.  [Google Scholar]), Elofsonia baltica (Hirschmann, 1909), Loxoconcha elliptica Brady, 1868, Loxoconcha galilea Lerner‐Seggev, 1968, Pseudolimnocythere hartmanni Danielopol, 1979 Danielopol, D. L. 1979. On the origin and the antiquity of the Pseudolimnocythere species (Ostracoda, Loxoconchidae).. Biol Gallo‐Hellen., 8: 99–107.  [Google Scholar], Pseudolimnocythere hypogaea Klie, 1938 Klie, W. 1938. Ostracoden aus unterirdischen Gewässern in Süditalien.. Zool Anz., 123: 148–154.  [Google Scholar]] using (1) phylogenetic analyses and (2) analyses of the chaetotaxy of the first antenna and second and third thoracopods, by comparison with an ontogenetic series of Loxoconcha japonica Ishizaki, 1968. The results from both types of analyses are congruent and reveal that Sanyuania segersi sp. nov., Pseudolimnocythere and Loxoconcha are in a more derived clade in the Loxoconchidae and are closely related to each other, whereas Cytheromorpha and Elofsonia are more ancestral.     

Expanding the taxonomic conundrum: Three new species of groundwater crustacean (Syncarida,Bathynellacea, Parabathynellidae) endemic to the Iberian Peninsula

Two new species of the genus Iberobathynella and one new species of the cosmopolitan genus Hexabathynella are described from the Iberian Peninsula. The three new species were found in the groundwater of caves and the gravelly bank of a river, two species in the north of Spain (Cantabria and Burgos) and one in the south (Sevilla). The two new species of the genus Iberobathynella present a unique combination of characters. These character combinations for the species from Cantabria are: thoracopod 8 female with wrinkled cuticle and two teeth; seven spines on the furca; nine spines on the sympod, three barbed and one plumose seta on the exopod and two barbed setae on the endopod of the uropod; maxilla with 0, 0 and 15 setae on the three segments, respectively; five teeth on the pars incisiva and six teeth on the pars molaris of the mandible and seven segments on the antennule. The combinations of characters for the species from Burgos are: antennule with seven segments; segment 5 of the antennule with one aesthetasc; mandible with four and five teeth on the pars incisiva and pars molaris respectively; maxillule with one seta on segment 1 and 14 setae on segment 3; segment 1 of the endopod of the thoracopod 1 with two setae; uropod with six spines on the sympod, four barbed setae and one plumose seta on the exopod and no setae on the endopod; furca with five spines and the thoracopod 8 female with wrinkled cuticle and two teeth. This last species has an exclusive character for the genus: the absence of setae on the endopod of the uropod. The new species of the genus Hexabathynella has six spines of similar length on the sympod of the uropod (in all other species within the genus the distal spine is longer than the others); the form of the antennal organ in the males is shown to be a new unique character for the genus; the maxilla has three and 13 setae on segments 2 and 3, respectively; the uropod has six spines on the sympod, three barbed setae on the exopod and two smooth setae on the endopod, the endopod is twice as long as the exopod and the shape of the female thoracopod 8 is unique.     

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.     

Report on Crassispirinae Morrison, 1966 (Mollusca: Neogastropoda: Turridae) from the China Seas

The present paper reports 32 turrid species from the China Seas, belonging to eight genera of the subfamily Crassispirinae of the family Turridae. Four new species are described: Funa cretea sp. nov., Inquisitor plurivaricis sp. nov., Inquisitor vividus sp. nov. and Ptychobela resticula sp. nov. Eight species are recorded for the first time from the China Seas.     

A new and enigmatic representative of Leucocythere Kaufmann, 1892 from the Eastern Cape Province (South Africa) (Crustacea,Ostracoda)

Leucocythere helenae sp. nov. is described from a small, semi-permanent dam near Grahamstown (RSA). It belongs to Leucocythere s.s., but is at the same time characterized by a number of aberrant features, especially the shape and size of the large copulatory process on the hemipenis and the relatively short setae on the P(3) of the male. A cladistic analysis is conducted and it appears that within Leucocythere, the African species have the most plesiomorphic character states. The discovery of L. helenae sp. nov. in South Africa furthermore falsifies previous hypotheses on the age and origin of the Leucocytherini in general and Leucocythere s.s. in particular. It should now be accepted that the latter genus is not of Pleistocene age, but much older, although the lack of fossil material prevents more exact dating. Also, when the cladogram is studied in conjunction with the present day distribution map of Leucocythere, the concept of a Palaearctic origin of this genus must be rejected. The most plausible hypothesis to date on the origin of this group appears to be a generalized distribution of a leucocytherid ancestor over Europe, Asia and Africa (at least), with subsequent speciation through vicariance.     

A new pontoniine shrimp (Crustacea: Decapoda: Palaemonidae) from the Ryukyu Islands,Japan

An unusual new genus and species of pontoniine shrimp, Nippontonia minirostris gen. nov., sp. nov., from a sponge host from the Ryukyu Is., Japan, is described and illustrated. The new genus appears not to be closely related to any of the previously described genera. The genus is particularly remarkable for the morphology of the fixed finger of the minor second pereiopod, which is without parallel in the Palaemonidae.     

The taxonomy and biology of a new species Pontonema (Nematoda,Oncholaimidae) dominant in organically polluted sublittoral sediments around Scotland,with a review of the genus

A new species of free living marine nematode, Pontonema alaeospicula sp. nov., is a dominant member of the fauna in three organically polluted sublittoral habitats off the Scottish coast. The species is described and the genus reviewed. A schematic pictorial key to the genus is provided. Some notes on the biology of P. alaeospicula sp. nov. are given, based on initial studies of the population in situ and in laboratory culture.