Description of four new species of the genus Ampelisca (Amphipoda,Ampeliscidae) from the northeastern and southeastern coasts of Brazil and designation of a neotype for Ampelisca soleata Oliveira, 1954

The present study raises the number of Ampelisca species recorded from the Brazilian coast from 18 to 21. The amphipod fauna of the Brazilian northeast coast is hardly known compared to that of the southeast coast. In this study, we describe three new species from the northeast coast: Ampelisca pseudobicarinata sp. nov., Ampelisca rocasensis sp. nov. and Ampelisca cristianae sp. nov, recorded previously as Ampelisca aff. lobata (Serejo et al. 2000 Serejo, CS, Wakabara, Y and Valério-Berardo, MT. 2000. Taxonomy and geographic distribution of Ampelisca (Amphipoda: Gammaridea) from the Brazilian coast. Polsk Archiw Hydrobiol., 47(3–4): 495–510.  [Google Scholar]). We also report a new record of Ampelisca burkei Barnard and Thomas, 1989 Barnard, JL and Thomas, JD. 1989. A new species, Ampelisca burkei, (Crustacea, Amphipoda) from Florida. Proc Biol Soc Washington., 102(2): 375–384.  [Google Scholar]. From the southeast coast a new species Ampelisca angraensis sp. nov. is described. An obscure species, Ampelisca soleata, which is very similar to Ampelisca brevisimulata, is herein redescribed and a neotype is designated. An updated key with all species of Ampelisca recorded from the Brazilian coast and comments on geographic distribution are given.     

Designation of a neotype for Synodontis schall (Bloch and Schneider, 1801) and description of two new species of Synodontis (Siluriformes: Mochokidae)

A morphometric study of 105 specimens of Synodontis schall, including most type specimens of all nominal species considered junior synonyms of S. schall has been undertaken. Two new species S. ouemeensis and S. kogonensis are described from the Ogun (Nigeria), Oueme (Benin) and Mono (Togo) basins, and the Kogon and Fatala (Guinea) basins, respectively. A neotype is designated for S. schall. The two new species differ from S. schall mainly by the width of the premaxillary toothplate (12.9–24.3% HL for S. schall vs. 21.6–32.7% HL), and can be distinguished one from the other by differences in orbit diameter (20.5–26.8% HL for S. ouemeensis vs. 19.4–21.0% HL for S. kogonensis) and prepectoral length (23.4–28.2% SL for S. ouemeensis vs. 21.6–23.3% SL for S. kogonensis).     

In search of the true Tydeus (Acari,Tydeidae)

The early history of the genus Tydeus, the type genus of the family Tydeidae, is complex and convoluted and, subsequently, even the identity of the type species of the family remains unclear. First, the literature is thoroughly analysed and morphological characters of some species are reappraised. After studying Oudemans' types, two species inquirendae, Tydeus croceus and T. cruciatus, are redescribed and a third, T. spathulatus, removed from synonymy and reinstated as a valid species. A fourth species, confused with T. spathulatus, is described. A lectotype is designated for T. spathulatus and a neotype for T. croceus. After discussion, the genus Lorryia Oudemans, is re‐established in its pristine state. As the redescribed species were designated as type species by Oudemans, the following new generic synonymies are proposed: Raphitydeus Thor, and Lorryia Oudemans, sensu Ka?mierski (, ) are junior synonyms of Brachytydeus Thor, ; Homeotydeus André, (partim) and Pseudolorryia Ka?mierski, are junior synonyms of Calotydeus Oudemans, ; Brachytydeus Thor, (partim), Calotydeus Oudemans, (partim), Tydeus Koch, sensu Oudemans, (partim), Orthotydeus André, , and Tydeus Koch, sensu Ka?mierski, are junior synonyms of Tydeus Koch, . To stabilize the usage of the names, especially that of the genus type of the family Tydeidae, the International Commission of Zoological Nomenclature will be asked to set aside all previous type species designations for Tydeus and to designate Tydeus spathulatus as the type species, with Oudemans' specimens from Italy as primary type material.