New and little-known species of Didemnidae (Ascidiacea,Tunicata) from Australia (part I)

Continuing examination of colonial ascidians in museum collections is revealing further diversity in the family Didemnidae, which abounds in the tropical Indo-West Pacific and around the Australian continent (Kott, 2001). From the present work, it is apparent that much remains to be learnt about this fauna. Of the 45 species discussed in this paper, 16 are new. Larvae are described for the first time for Polysyncraton pedunculatum Kott, 2001 and P. rica Kott, 2001. Amongst the synonymy established in this paper Didemnoides tropicum Sluiter, 1909 is found to be a junior synonym of Lissoclinum patella (Gottschaldt, 1898) and Trididemnum vermiforme Kott, 2001 a junior synonym of T. nobile Kott, 2001. Didemnum nekozita Tokioka, 1967 is found to be a valid species distinct from Polysyncraton cuculliferum (Sluiter, 1909). Prolific replication rates, rapid colony growth, flexibility in growth form and a viviparous habit result in convergence tending to small zooid size, and similar large, increasingly complex colonies found in this family contribute to species diversity around the whole of the Australian continent.     

Classical Biological Control of Bemisia tabaci in the United States. By Juli Gould,Kim Hoelmer & John Goolsby

ABSTRACT

The present study describes two new genera, six new species and three new records from the Sea of Marmara. The new genus Marmara gen. nov. belonging to the family Sagartiidae is mainly characterized by having conspicuous muscular belts along the column and the absence of suckers and tenaculi on the body wall. The genus Charisactis gen. nov. belonging to the family Condylanthidae is mainly characterized by having an atypical mesentery arrangement, single siphonoglyph and homotrichs in tentacles. The other species newly described from the Sea of Marmara belong to the families Diadumenidae (one species from deep waters), Halcampoididae (one species from shallow waters), Edwardsiidae (one species from shallow waters) and Epizoanthidae (one species from deep waters). Three species, namely Epizoanthus arenaceus (family Epizoanthidae), Rolandia coralloides (family Clavulariidae) and Virgularia sp. (family Virgulariidae) are reported for the first time from the Sea of Marmara. The external and internal anatomical features as well as cnidom structures of the species are presented and discussed with the closely related species. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:51DA9869-D786-4A8A-8C1F-62DC1BB67923     

Revision of the genus Mimopodabrus Wittmer (Coleoptera,Cantharidae)

The genus Mimopodabrus Wittmer is reviewed, and the genus diagnosis is re-described. Three new species are described, M. multidentatus sp. nov. (Guangdong, China), M. variabilis sp. nov. (Yunnan, China) and M. diversefoveolatus sp. nov. (Lao Cai, Vietnam), with illustrations of habitus, antennae and aedeagus. A species is transferred from Micropodabrus to this genus, M. bicoloriceps (Wittmer, 1989 Wittmer, W. 1989. 42. Beitrag zur Kenntnis der indo-malaiischen Cantharidae und Malachiidae (Coleoptera). Entomol Basil., 13: 209–237.  [Google Scholar]) comb. nov. A species is synonymized, M. bicoloriceps (Wittmer, 1989 Wittmer, W. 1989. 42. Beitrag zur Kenntnis der indo-malaiischen Cantharidae und Malachiidae (Coleoptera). Entomol Basil., 13: 209–237.  [Google Scholar]) comb. nov.?=?M. bicoloriceps Wittmer, 1997 syn. nov. and the definition of M. yunnanus (Wittmer, 1993 Wittmer, W. 1993. Zur Kenntnis der palaearktischen und indo-malaiischen Cantharidae (Coleoptera). Entomol Basil., 16: 203–253.  [Google Scholar]) is restricted. A key to all known species of this genus is provided.     

Stegana castanea species group (Diptera,Drosophilidae) from the Oriental region

The Stegana castanea species group is established as a morphological group within the subgenus Steganina, based on two known and six new species from the Oriental region: Stegana (Steganina) bacilla Chen and Aotsuka, 2004 Chen, HW and Aotsuka, T. 2004. A survey of the genus Stegana Meigen from southern Japan (Diptera, Drosophilidae). J Nat Hist., 38: 2779–2788. [Taylor & Francis Online], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]; S. castanea Okada, 1988 Okada, T. 1988. Family Drosophilidae (Diptera) from the Lund University Ceylon Expedition in 1962 and Borneo collections in 1978–1979. Entomol Scand (suppl)., 30: 109–149.  [Google Scholar]; S. (S.) reni sp. nov.; S. (S.) tiani sp. nov.; S. (S.) tongi sp. nov.; S. (S.) wangi sp. nov., S. (S.) weiqiuzhangi sp. nov. and S. (S.) xui sp. nov. from southern China. A key to all the species of this group is provided.     

Sillago suezensis,a new whiting from the northern Red Sea,and status of Sillago erythraea Cuvier (Teleostei: Sillaginidae)

The status of Sillago erythraea Cuvier in Cuvier and Valenciennes 1829 is re-examined. A lectotype designation by McKay in 1985 fixes it as a junior synonym of Sillago sihama (Forsskål in Niebuhr, 1775), which is restricted to the southern Red Sea. Northern Red Sea populations previously assigned to S. sihama or S. erythraea, are here described as Sillago suezensis sp. nov. Sillago suezensis is also distributed in the eastern Mediterranean Sea due to Lessepsian immigration through the Suez Canal. The new species is characterized within the Sillago sihama group, which has the swimbladder divided posteriorly into two tapering extensions projecting below the vertebral column extending into the tail musculature, by the absence of scales on the preopercle and on most of the opercle, a total number of 34 vertebrae, the swimbladder with lateral extensions each spreading a blind tubule anterolaterally, and a low position of the nostril.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:B289CDF4-AE82-44D3-9AE1-4A2B514AD348     

Taxonomic review of Coccobius species (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) from China,with notes on their use in biological control of scale insect pests (Hemiptera: Diaspididae), and description of a new species

The Chinese species of the genus Coccobius Ratzeburg (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) are reviewed. Sixteen species, C. abdominis Huang, C. annulicornis Ratzeburg, C. azumai Tachikawa, C. chaoi Huang, C. curtifuniculatus Huang, C. flaviceps (Girault & Dodd), C. flavicornis Compere & Annecke, C. fulvus (Compere & Annecke), C. furviflagellatus Huang, C. furvus Huang, C. languidus Huang, C. longialatus Huang, C. longifuniculatus Huang, C. maculatus Huang, C. wuyiensis Huang, and one new species, Coccobius albiscutellum Wang and Huang sp.nov., are treated. A key is provided for the recognition of the females of all Chinese species of Coccobius, and notes are given on their use in biological control of scale insect pests. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:F510059B-F176-46BA-B7B5-8252B06BE91F     

On the genus Racekiela in Mexico: molecular and morphological description of Racekiela cresciscrystae n. sp.

ABSTRACT

In Mexico, there are currently two known species of Racekiela: R. ryderii and R. montemflumina. Here we describe a new species from high-altitude streams in central and southern Mexico. Racekiela cresciscrystae sp. nov. presents two morphotypes: thick encrusting with raised ridges or lobose outgrowths at the surface and dark green in colour, or lime-green encrustations. The new species as megascleres presents microspined oxeas from 200 to 300 µm long, some centrotylote, or with malformations. Gemmules are spherical with a tri-layered theca, constituted by radially embedded birotules and pseudobirotules. The birotules have longer shaft than the rotule diameter, which is flat, and some slightly umbonate. Pseudobirotules of typical morphology have strongly or somewhat spined shaft. Spines can be straight or hooked. The species also presents other type of pseudobirotules, which are umbonate and with only small warts, instead of spines. DNA sequences from the nuclear ITS1-5.8-ITS2 region were sequenced from the holotype and a paratype of the new species to determine their phylogenetic relationships with other members of the family Spongillidae. Tree topologies (Bayesian Inference and Maximum Likelihood) were consistent in showing Racekiela creciscrystae sp. nov. as a sister clade of R. montemflumina confirming its allocation in a monophyletic genus Racekiela. A comparison with all the Racekiela species described so far is also included. This paper increases the number of species of freshwater sponges in Mexico, and confirmed that Racekiela is a monophyletic genus with morphological characters very well defined.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:3769C54F-23C4-409A-AF02-81F3AA084F7A

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:A512359D-E428-4D04-B08A-E189E3F6F962     

The tetrigid genus Eucriotettix Hebard (Orthoptera: Scelimeninae) from China with description of two new species

Two new species of the tetrigid genus Eucriotettix Hebard from China, namely Eucriotettix tridentatus sp. nov. and Eucriotettix torulisinotus sp. nov. are described. The distribution and an updated key to the species of the genus from China is given.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:E7E5EA3B-92ED-450F-9D1C-74569148D4F8