Rediscovery of Disepyris semiruber (Kieffer) (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae) in Southern Africa,with first description of the male

Holepyris semiruber Kieffer is redescribed and illustrated based on freshly collected specimens. Holepyris semiruber var. striatipleura Kieffer is considered a colour variant of this species and therefore a junior synonym of H. semiruber syn. nov. This species is transferred to Disepyris, D. semiruber (Kieffer) comb. nov., based on the possession of a short 2r-rs&Rs vein in the fore wing and presence of long flat spine-shaped setae on the outer (posterior) surface of the protarsi. The male is described for the first time from new specimens collected in South Africa. This species is recorded for the first time from Namibia and Zimbabwe. All photographs are available on www.waspweb.org.     

Seven new species of the genus Pseudostegana (Diptera: Drosophilidae) from South-west China,with DNA barcoding information

Seven new species of the genus Pseudostegana are discovered from South China: P. latiapicula sp. nov., P. nannanae sp. nov., P. bingxueae sp. nov., P. husaensis sp. nov., P. linyongi sp. nov., P. montipagana sp. nov., and P. sigangli sp. nov.; the first two new species belong to the P. latiparma species group, and the rest belong to the P. zonaria species group. The DNA sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene with BOLD Process ID and GenBank accession numbers are provided for the seven new species and 10 known species from southern China: P. acutifoliolata Li, Gao and Chen, 2010; P. angustifasciata Chen and Wang, 2005, P. bifasciata Chen, Toda and Wang, 2005, P. bilobata Li, Gao and Chen, 2010; P. insularis Li, Gao and Chen, 2010; P. latifasciata Chen, Toda and Wang, 2005, P. minutipalpata; P. nitidifrons Chen and Wang, 2005, P. pallidemaculata Chen and Wang, 2005 and P. silvana. Intra- and interspecific pairwise Kimura’s two-parameter (K2P) distances among these species are summarised. www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:C01D7920-61AD-4651-8861-9D76C3CD86F6     

Cladocera and Copepoda of Shokalsky Island: new data from northwest Siberia

Information on the freshwater fauna of the remote Arctic territories is very patchy, and most of the isolated islands of the Arctic Ocean remain absolutely unexplored. The pioneer data on the species composition of microcrustaceans of Shokalsky Island (northwest Siberia, Russia) is reported here. The initial three-year research revealed a total of 31 new for the area species of Cladocera and Copepoda, including new records for the whole of northwestern Siberia. Comparing the interannual differences in faunal composition, we suggested the hypothesis of the existence of a cryptic pool of species’ resting stages, which can invade the community in the event of favourable environmental conditions in the Arctic freshwaters. We also compiled all the available data from different parts of northern Siberia and compared them with the fauna of Shokalsky Island to analyse the connection between the diversity and distributional patterns of copepods and cladoceran species and the climate conditions of different territories.     

A Time‐Simultaneous Prediction Box for a Multivariate Time Series

A sample‐based method in Kolsrud (Journal of Forecasting 2007; 26 (3): 171–188) for the construction of a time‐simultaneous prediction band for a univariate time series is extended to produce a variable‐ and time‐simultaneous prediction box for a multivariate time series. A measure of distance based on the L_∞ ‐norm is applied to a learning sample of multivariate time trajectories, which can be mean‐ and/or variance‐nonstationary. Based on the ranking of distances to the centre of the sample, a subsample of the most central multivariate trajectories is selected. A prediction box is constructed by circumscribing the subsample with a hyperrectangle. The fraction of central trajectories selected into the subsample can be calibrated by bootstrap such that the expected coverage of the box equals a prescribed nominal level. The method is related to the concept of data depth, and thence modified to increase coverage. Applications to simulated and empirical data illustrate the method, which is also compared to several other methods in the literature adapted to the multivariate setting. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Testing Interval Forecasts: A GMM‐Based Approach

This paper proposes a new evaluation framework for interval forecasts. Our model‐free test can be used to evaluate interval forecasts and high‐density regions, potentially discontinuous and/or asymmetric. Using a simple J‐statistic, based on the moments defined by the orthonormal polynomials associated with the binomial distribution, this new approach presents many advantages. First, its implementation is extremely easy. Second, it allows for a separate test for unconditional coverage, independence and conditional coverage hypotheses. Third, Monte Carlo simulations show that for realistic sample sizes our GMM test has good small‐sample properties. These results are corroborated by an empirical application on SP500 and Nikkei stock market indexes. It confirms that using this GMM test leads to major consequences for the ex post evaluation of interval forecasts produced by linear versus nonlinear models. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Co-occurrence of three Aristolochia-feeding Papilionids (Archon apollinus,Zerynthia polyxena and Zerynthia cerisy) in Greek Thrace

Comparative studies of co-occurring species using overlapping resources may help in understanding the mechanisms supporting biotic diversity in species-rich regions, such as the Mediterranean region of Europe. Three Papilionidae butterflies, Archon apollinus, Zerynthia cerisy and Zerynthia polyxena, develop on Aristolochia plants and co-occur in Greek Thrace. We used mark–recapture to describe adult demography and dispersal, and searched for eggs and larvae to assess host plants and microhabitat preferences. Adult flight timing followed a sequence from earliest A. apollinus, through Z. polyxena to late Z. cerisy; this was more prominent in 2010 (warm early spring) than in 2011 (cold delayed spring). Population densities were highest for A. apollinus and lowest for Z. cerisy, whereas dispersal ability followed a reverse pattern. Adults of all three species crossed distances > 3 km and used all habitat types present. Four Aristolochia host plants were used at the study locality: small Aristolochia pallida, intermediate Aristolochia rotunda and Aristolochia hirta, and bulky, late-sprouting Aristolochia clematitis. Both A. apollinus and Z. polyxena used all four Aristolochia species, the former preferring Aristolochia rotunda and Aristolochia hirta, the latter Aristolochia rotunda and Aristolochia pallida. Zerynthia cerisy did not use the early-growing Aristolochia pallida while frequently using the late-growing Aristolochia clematitis. Further parameters affecting oviposition were biotope and canopy closure: early A. apollinus tolerated shady sites but late Z. cerisy avoided them. The simultaneous use of several host plants differing in phenology and habitat requirements, combined with rather high dispersal ability, arguably buffers the butterflies’ population dynamics against yearly variation in weather, while allowing efficient occupation of the diverse Mediterranean landscapes. The regional habitat diversity, created during millennia of human activity, is currently threatened by land abandonment, which may diminish the resource base for the studied butterflies.     

Halacarid mites (Acari: Halacaridae) associated with a North Atlantic subtidal population of the kelp Laminaria ochroleuca

We characterised the mite fauna associated with a subtidal population of Laminaria ochroleuca in the Cantabrian Sea during a 4-year study. We found 2780 individuals belonging to 35 species. The mite assemblage comprised both north Atlantic and Mediterranean species, as usually reported from the Lusitanian region. The most abundant and diverse subfamily was Copidognathinae, followed by Halacarinae and Lohmannellinae. The greatest abundance of mites was detected on kelp holdfasts, not only strictly phytal mites were found but also interstitial mites or those associated with other macrofauna. Such a distribution could be explained by the high diversity and heterogeneity of microhabitats provided by holdfasts. Mite abundance fluctuated during the 4 years of the study. However, the lowest abundance was detected during the last year of sampling. During that year, the studied algal population suffered a severe decay leaving only degenerating holdfasts attached to the substrate, which could explain the decrease in mite numbers.     

Species of the genera Bakera and Mangganeura (Homoptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Typhlocybinae) occurring on mango and other crop plants in the Oriental region

The genera Bakera (Bakera), Bakera (Guinobata) and Mangganeura (Homoptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Typhlocybinae) are re-described and compared. Sandalla is considered a synonym of Bakera (Guinobata) (syn. nov.).

Bakera (Bakera) nigrobilineata (Melichar) (=vittata Mahmood) is redescribed and illustrated from mango in the Philippines, on which it is frequently abundant, and found in association with Bakera (Bakera) luzonica sp. nov. which is described. Bakera (Bakera) abaca sp. nov. is described from the Philippines having been collected on abaca (Manila hemp). Bakera (Guinobata) nigroscuta Mahmood is redescribed from the Philippines and its association with coconut confirmed. Mangganeura reticulata Ghauri, described from Malaysia on mango, has been found in Thailand and the hitherto unknown female is described.     

基于共形阵的角度和极化信息联合估计算法

针对复杂载体上共形阵列存在多极化接收和遮挡效应的问题,本文提出一种基于方向图矩阵重构导向矢量的改进极化多重信号分类(multiple signal classification, MUSIC)算法。首先对共形天线阵列进行建模,在获取各个阵元的方位和俯仰分量方向图数据后,将方向图数据分解并重构阵列的导向矢量矩阵,最后结合极化MUSIC算法进行波达方向(direction of arrival, DOA)和极化参数联合估计。相对于理论导向矢量的极化MUSIC算法,本文所提改进算法在解决了遮挡效应的同时具有更高的估计精度,并可有效降低运算量。仿真实验结果验证了这一结论。