The 100 most-cited articles in Zootaxa, 2016

A phylogenetic analysis of sequences from 503 species of hylid frogs and four outgroup taxa resulted in 16,128 aligned sites of 19 genes. The molecular data were subjected to a maximum likelihood analysis that resulted in a new phylogenetic tree of treefrogs. A conservative new classification based on the tree has (1) three families composing an unranked taxon, Arboranae, (2) nine subfamilies (five resurrected, one new), and (3) six resurrected generic names and five new generic names. Using the results of a maximum likelihood timetree, times of divergence were determined. For the most part these times of divergence correlated well with historical geologic events. The arboranan frogs originated in South America in the Late Mesozoic or Early Cenozoic. The family Pelodryadidae diverged from its South American relative, Phyllomedusidae, in the Eocene and invaded Australia via Antarctica. There were two dispersals from South America to North America in the Paleogene. One lineage was the ancestral stock of Acris and its relatives, whereas the other lineage, subfamily Hylinae,…

The higher-level taxonomy of the stingrays (Dasyatidae) has never been comprehensively reviewed. Recent phylogenetic studies, supported by morphological data, have provided evidence that the group is monophyletic and consists of four major subgroups, the subfamilies Dasyatinae, Neotrygoninae, Urogymninae and Hypolophinae. A morphologically based review of 89 currently recognised species, undertaken for a guide to the world's rays, indicated that most of the currently recognised dasyatid genera are not monophyletic groups. These findings were supported by molecular analyses using the NADH2 gene for about 77 of these species, and this topology is supported by preliminary analyses base on whole mitochondrial genome comparisons. These molecular analyses, based on data generated from the Chondrichthyan Tree of Life project, are the most taxon-rich data available for this family. Material from all of the presently recognised genera (Dasyatis, Pteroplatytrygon and Taeniurops [Dasyatinae]; Neotrygon and Taeniura [Neotrygoninae]; Himantura and Urogymnus [Urogymninae]; and Makararaja and…

Standardization and repeatability is at the heart of all scientific research, yet very little literature exists to standardize morphometric measurements within vertebrate groups. This is particularly true for amphibians. Our study attempts to rectify this lack of methodological standardization for the measurement of morphological characters in anurans through an extensive literature survey of 136 species descriptions representing 45 currently recognized families of frogs. The survey revealed 42 morphological measurements represented in five percent or more of the literature reviewed. All measurements are listed by most commonly used name, acronym, and most precise definition, and we provide statistics summarizing the variation in measurement use and description from the surveyed literature. Of these 42 measurements, a subset of 16 were found in the top 75% of all surveyed descriptions and identified as a focal set of recommended measurements in an effort to standardize the morphometric measurements that describe anuran species diversity. Illustrations of these 16 measurements are…

Nomenclatural clarity is vital for the collection, dissemination, and retrieval of natural history information, which itself is necessary for effective conservation and management of species. Seahorses (genus Hippocampus) are small marine fishes that in many cases are heavily exploited and suffering severe population declines worldwide, leading to conservation concern and action. Here we provide a brief history of seahorse taxonomy, and attempt to clarify seahorse nomenclature by reducing redundancy and exposing areas of disagreement in need of further study. We provide an annotated list of the 41 species we currently recognize as valid, and describe their geographical distributions to offer a solid foundation for future research and conservation efforts. We base our conclusions on available morphological, genetic and distributional data, re-examination of the relevant literature, previous examination of almost all original type specimens, familiarity with many thousands of other live and dead specimens, and photographs of seahorses. This work should lead to greater taxonomic…

The classification of the ant subfamily Formicinae is revised to reflect findings from a recent molecular phylogenetic study and complementary morphological investigations. The existing classification is maintained as far as possible, but some tribes and genera are redefined to ensure monophyly. Eleven tribes are recognized, all of which are strongly supported as monophyletic groups: Camponotini, Formicini, Gesomyrmecini, Gigantiopini, Lasiini (= Prenolepidii syn. n.), Melophorini (= Myrmecorhynchini syn. n.; = Notostigmatini syn. n.), Myrmelachistini stat. rev. (= Brachymyrmicini syn. n.), Myrmoteratini, Oecophyllini, Plagiolepidini, and Santschiellini stat. rev. Most of the tribes remain similar in content, but the generic composition of Lasiini, Melophorini, and Plagiolepidini is changed substantially. Species that have been placed in the genus Camponotus belong to three separate lineages. To ensure monophyly of this large, cosmopolitan genus we institute the following changes: Colobopsis and Dinomyrmex, both former subgenera of Camponotus, are elevated to genus level (stat.…

In many Opiliones (notably the Laniatores) the five most anterior opisthosomal tergites are fused with the carapace forming the so called dorsal scutum (DS) (Latreille 1804; Simon 1879; Hadži 1942) with a highly variable shape arising from multiple factors, such as differential development of musculature (especially of coxa IV), internal organs and influence of appendages (Loman 1903; Winkler 1957). The different degrees of fusion of the tergites were first studied by Hadži (1942), who proposed a terminology for them. This terminology was adopted and enhanced by Kratochvíl (1958) and Martens (1978). A shield formed by the fusion of the carapace with abdominal tergites I to V is called scutum magnum (Hadži 1942). The shield formed by the fusion of carapace with abdominal tergites I to VII is called scutum complexum (Kratochvíl 1958) and occurs in the males of Heteropachylinae Kury, 1994 (Kury 1994) and Paralolidae Kratochvíl, 1958 (Kratochvíl 1958). Finally, the scutum completum (Hadži 1942) is formed by the complete fusion of the carapace and abdominal scutum, formed by tergites I…

This paper is the third monograph of the series that describes the global records of limno-terrestrial water bears (Tardigrada). Here, we provide a comprehensive list of non-marine tardigrades recorded from the North America, providing an updated and revised taxonomy accompanied by geographic co-ordinates, habitat, and biogeographic comments. It is hoped this work will serve as a reference point and background for further zoogeographical and taxonomical studies.

We have compiled available records in the literature for medusozoan cnidarians and ctenophores of South America. New records of species are also included. Each entry (i.e., identified species or still as yet not determined species referred to as "sp." in the literature) includes a synonymy list for South America, taxonomical remarks, notes on habit, and information on geographical occurrence. We have listed 800 unique determined species, in 958 morphotype entries: 5 cubozoans, 905 hydrozoans, 25 scyphozoans, 3 staurozoans, and 20 ctenophores. Concerning nomenclatural and taxonomical decisions, two authors of this census (Miranda, T.P. & Marques, A.C.) propose Podocoryna quitus as a nomen novum for the junior homonym Hydractinia reticulata (Fraser, 1938a); Euphysa monotentaculata Zamponi, 1983b as a new junior synonym of Euphysa aurata Forbes, 1848; and Plumularia spiralis Milstein, 1976 as a new junior synonym of Plumularia setacea (Linnaeus, 1758). Finally, we also reassign Plumularia oligopyxis Kirchenpauer, 1876 as Kirchenpaueria oligopyxis (Kirchenpauer, 1876) and Sertularella…

The question whether taxonomic descriptions naming new animal species without type specimen(s) deposited in collections should be accepted for publication by scientific journals and allowed by the Code has already been discussed in Zootaxa (Dubois & Nemésio 2007; Donegan 2008, 2009; Nemésio 2009a-b; Dubois 2009; Gentile & Snell 2009; Minelli 2009; Cianferoni & Bartolozzi 2016; Amorim et al. 2016). This question was again raised in a letter supported by 35 signatories published in the journal Nature (Pape et al. 2016) on 15 September 2016. On 25 September 2016, the following rebuttal (strictly limited to 300 words as per the editorial rules of Nature) was submitted to Nature, which on 18 October 2016 refused to publish it. As we think this problem is a very important one for zoological taxonomy, this text is published here exactly as submitted to Nature, followed by the list of the 493 taxonomists and collection-based researchers who signed it in the short time span from 20 September to 6 October 2016.

Stigmaeidae is one of the most studied mite families in Acarology, with the number of described species increasing by 44 percent in the last twenty years. To summarize the taxonomic and biological research in this family we compiled a catalogue with annotated information to nomenclature, synonymies, type localities, type depositories, host/habitat, feeding habits (if applicable) and distribution of 577 species in 34 genera (up to 31 July 2016). We also provide an overview of the main revisions and reviews. To facilitate future taxonomic research we present a pictorial key to genera. The following nomenclature changes are made: Raphignathus siculus var. lapponica Trägårdh, 1910 and Wooderia philippica Rimando & Corpuz-Raros, 1997 transferred to Eustigmaeus Berlese, Mullederia makilingae Rimando & Corpuz-Raros, 1996 transferred to Indostigmaeus Gupta & Ghosh.

We herein analyse the history of the description of the freshwater fish fauna from three drainages in one of the most densely collected areas of Brazil, and possibly of South America, the Rio Grande do Sul State, southern Brazil. An updated inventory of the freshwater fish species from rio Uruguay (partial) in Brazil, Laguna dos Patos (complete) and rio Tramandaí basins (complete) is presented. We found the number of new species described in these drainages increased nearly 56% since 1981, reaching a total of 422 species, but even now 10% of this number still corresponds to undescribed species. This rate of species description suggests that previous estimates of the Neotropical fish fauna are low, and we predict a final number of Neotropical fishes larger than the largest prediction estimate (8,000 species), after other regions of South and Central Americas become densely sampled. We discuss and attempt to demonstrate that species diversity knowledge is historically and strictly related to collecting efforts. We also demonstrate that the ecoregions in eastern South America with the…

The species of the Astyanax bimaculatus 'caudal peduncle spot' subgroup of the drainages of the rios La Plata and São Francisco, as well as southeastern coastal systems of Brazil and Uruguay, are revised. Two nominal species are considered valid and are redescribed: Astyanax lacustris and A. abramis. Astyanax jacuhiensis, A. asuncionensis and A. altiparanae are recognized as new junior synonyms of A. lacustris. Bertoniolus paraguayensisis recognized as a new junior synonym of A. abramis. The names Astyanax orbignyanus, A. vittatus, and A. borealis are considered species inquirendae. Notes on A. maculisquamis, included in the 'caudal peduncle spot' subgroup from rio Guaporé (rio Madeira drainage), and Astyanax bahiensis from Bahia, mistakenly considered of the same subgroup, are presented.

The Caribbean is a biodiversity hotspot for photosynthetic sea slugs, with about 27 described species in the genus Elysia Risso, 1818. However, many species are poorly known or have complex taxonomic histories, complicating assessments of regional biodiversity and impeding studies of plastid symbiosis, speciation, and larval biology. Using an integrative approach, we address the taxonomy and systematics of Caribbean elysiids by performing robust tests of existing species hypotheses, and describe six new species. Species delimitation included DNA barcoding of up to 189 nominal conspecific specimens; nuclear gene sequences were then used to confirm that divergent lineages were genetically distinct candidate species. New synonymies and species descriptions are based on external anatomy, penial and radular morphology, developmental characters, and host ecology of all species described from the region, plus a critical review of the literature. We synonymized three species (Elysia annedupontae Ortea, Espinosa & Caballer in Ortea, Caballer, Moro & Espinosa, 2005, Elysia clarki Pierce et…

This book inventories all available (and some unavailable) names in the family, genus, and species groups of extant members of orders Actiniaria and Corallimorpharia [cnidarian subclass Hexacorallia (Zoantharia) of class Anthozoa], providing a benchmark of names, their status, and taxon membership. I have attempted to make the compilation complete as of 2010; some names created after 2010 are included. The book is derived from a database I compiled that was available through a website. Most of the book is from the literature that defines taxa and documents their geographic distribution-primarily publications on nomenclature, taxonomy, and biogeography, but also some on ecology, pharmacology, reproductive biology, physiology, etc. of anemones (the common name for these groups); the reference section comprises 845 entries. As for previous anemone catalogs, this contains taxonomic as well as nomenclatural information, the former based on subjective opinion of working biologists, the latter objectively verifiable and unchanging (except by action of the International Commission on…

Until recently, mites in the families Ascidae, Blattisociidae and Melicharidae together constituted what was considered to be a single family, the Ascidae (sensu lato). We include all three families in this catalogue because of their many morphological similarities, as well as for historic and ecological reasons. Together with most Phytoseiidae and some Ameroseiidae, these are the only mesostigmatid mites commonly found on plants. In this publication we initially provide a historic overview of these groups, summarising the changes in the taxonomic concepts of the genera and other subfamilial taxa. This is followed by a thorough characterisation of each family and genus. A dichotomous key for the separation of families and genera is included. We then list the species considered to belong to these families, with details of the literature concerning the taxonomy of each species, and information about their type specimens and type localities wherever possible. The numbers of taxa considered as valid in this publication are: 372 species in 17 genera of Ascidae, 367 species in 14 genera…

Triatoma bahiensis Sherlock & Serafim, 1967, T. lenti Sherlock & Serafim, 1967, and T. pessoai Sherlock & Serafim, 1967 were described based on material collected in the Brazilian state of Bahia. These species were later included in the T. brasiliensis complex based on their geographic distribution. Triatoma bahiensis and T. pessoai were subsequently synonymized with T. lenti. However, the phylogenetic position of T. lenti within the T. brasiliensis complex has remained doubtful. This study aims to assess the taxonomic status of T. bahiensis and to infer the phylogenetic relationships between T. lenti, T. bahiensis and the other members of the T. brasiliensis species complex. The identities of the species in concern were confirmed by comparisons with high resolution photos of the respective type materials; lectotypes are designated for T. pessoai and T. bahiensis. Morphological, morphometric, molecular, and cytogenetic approaches as well as experimental crosses were used. The low viability of experimental crosses combined with morphological and morphometric data allow the…

The invasion of the pheretimoid earthworms in North America, especially the genera Amynthas and Metaphire, has raised increasing concerns among ecologists and land managers, in turn increasing the need for proper identification. However, the commonly used keys to this group are more than 30 years old with outdated taxonomic information and are based primarily on internal morphology. The requirement of significant amount of taxonomic expertise and dissection, even from the first entry of the key, has prevented broader use of these keys. As a result, many publications in the United States have used Amynthas spp. to represent the group without identifying the species. We present here a new key and diagnoses for the 16 pheretimoid earthworm species recorded in North America north of Mexico, including four genera: Amynthas (10), Metaphire (4), Pithemera (1), and Polypheretima (1). The descriptions were based on published records with modifications following inspection of specimens archived at the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Photos of…

This work includes all published records, to April 2015, of the helminths occurring in Australasian monotremes and marsupials, with due regard for synonymy and an attempt to include life history studies, pathological observations and epidemiology. It also contains all unpublished records known to us and referrable, by accession numbers, to curated collections in Australia and overseas. Information is presented by host family, genus, species, sub-species or chromosome race and includes the names of all host species from which no parasites have been recorded. Most records pertain to free-living and wild animals; where they do not, they have been annotated appropriately. Unpublished information known to the authors has been included in annotations to entries, where appropriate. Parasites are arranged as follows: Trematoda, Cestoda, Nematoda, Acanthocephala, and their systematic position is indicated by abbreviations placed before the name. The authority for each parasite record is given after the author's name, as a number in parentheses, and this refers to the numbered (1-664) list of…

Rhinella marina is a Neotropical toad that has been introduced widely worldwide. Its toxic effects to frog-eating predators threaten the native and domestic fauna of some regions where it has been introduced. Despite previous studies suggesting two genetically distinct cryptic species within R. marina, one east and one west of the Andes, its taxonomic status remained unresolved due to the absence of morphological complementary evidence. For the first time, data from two mitochondrial genes (ND3 and CR) and 23 morphometric landmarks are combined to evaluate the taxonomic status of this species. Our results support the hypothesis of two separate evolutionary lineages within R. marina and demonstrate that these lineages have significantly diverged in skull shape. We identified two distinct morphotypes, one eastern and one Andean western, with no overlapping morphospaces. The geographic pattern of genetic variation was consistent with a stable structured population with no evidence of recent demographic or geographic expansions. The concordance between the observed geographic patterns…

A new subfamily (Styracurinae, subfam. nov.) and genus (Styracura, gen. nov.) are erected for Trygon schmardae Werner, 1904 (type species) and Dasyatis pacificus Beebe & Tee-Van, 1941, species placed in Himantura Müller & Henle, 1837 since 1953 but which differ significantly from it and all dasyatid genera in many morphological features. Recent molecular phylogenetic hypotheses based on the entire protein-coding mitochondrial genome have recovered Styracura as the sister group of the Neotropical freshwater stingrays (Potamotrygonidae), agreeing with previous morphological and molecular phylogenies. The Styracurinae, subfam. nov., is therefore placed in the Potamotrygonidae to reflect the current phylogenetic view. Morphological characters of phylogenetic relevance of the dermal denticles, ventral lateral-line canals, hyoid arch, cranial musculature, and pectoral and pelvic girdles are discussed and compared to other stingrays, in particular to dasyatids and potamotrygonins (now ranked as a subfamily). Inferred derived characters of Styracura and potamotrygonins require homoplasy…

The tanagers (Thraupidae) are a major component of the Neotropical avifauna, and vary in plumage colors, behaviors, morphologies, and ecologies. Globally, they represent nearly 4% of all avian species and are the largest family of songbirds. However, many currently used tanager genera are not monophyletic, based on analyses of molecular data that have accumulated over the past 25 years. Current genus-level classifications of tanagers have not been revised according to newly documented relationships of tanagers for various reasons: 1) the lack of a comprehensive phylogeny, 2) reluctance to lump existing genera into larger groups, and 3) the lack of available names for newly defined smaller groups. Here, we present two alternative classifications based on a newly published comprehensive phylogeny of tanagers. One of these classifications uses existing generic names, but defines them broadly. The other, which we advocate and follow here, provides new generic names for more narrowly defined groups. Under the latter, we propose eleven new genera (Asemospiza, Islerothraupis,…

One hundred-four extant species of Eupelmus Dalman (Hymenoptera: Eupelmidae: Eupelminae) are recognized from the Palaearctic region, of which 76 species of E. (Eupelmus) are recognized following a revision of the Palaearctic fauna of the subgenus. The following 25 species are described as new: E. (Eupelmus) adustus Gibson & Fusu n. sp., E. (Eupelmus) angustifrons Gibson & Fusu n. sp., E. (Eupelmus) bicolor Gibson & Fusu n. sp., E. (Eupelmus) brachypterus Fusu & Gibson n. sp., E. (Eupelmus) brachystylus Gibson & Fusu n. sp., E. (Eupelmus) brachyurus Fusu & Gibson n. sp., E. (Eupelmus) fasciatus Gibson & Fusu n. sp., E. (Eupelmus) gelechiphagus Gibson & Fusu n. sp., E. (Eupelmus) hayei Gibson & Fusu n. sp., E. (Eupelmus) infimbriatus Gibson & Fusu n. sp., E. (Eupelmus) iris Fusu & Gibson n. sp., E. (Eupelmus) kamijoi Gibson & Fusu n. sp., E. (Eupelmus) lanceolatus Gibson & Fusu n. sp., E. (Eupelmus) luteipes Fusu & Gibson n. sp., E. (Eupelmus) magdalenae Fusu & Gibson n. sp., E. (Eupelmus) mehrnejadi Gibson & Fusu n. sp., E. (Eupelmus) melanostylus Gibson & Fusu n. sp., E. (Eupelmus)…

Members of the Tydeidae are cosmopolitan, soft-bodied, striated or reticulated mites that are reported to be mainly phytophages, mycophages, pollenophages, insect parasites or scavengers. This catalogue includes 328 species belonging to 30 genera, and their distributions and type habitat. Until now, Brachytydeus comprises the largest number of species with 200, followed by Tydeus, with 50 species, and Pretydeus and Pseudolorryia, with 12 species each. An updated list of the Tydeidae (Acari: Prostigmata), a world key to the species and data on the zoogeographical distribution of the species are presented.

A new guitarfish, Rhinobatos borneensis sp. nov., is described from material collected at fish markets in Malaysian Borneo (South China Sea). This ray, which is almost plain coloured with faint orange blotches in adults, has a more colourful embryo marked with small pale ocelli with dark centres. Confused with R. schlegelii (Japan to Taiwan) and its junior synonym R. formosensis, new molecular data suggests it is more closely related to a subgroup of Rhinobatos from the Indo-Malay Archipelago that includes R. jimbaranensis, R. sainsburyi and R. whitei. Based on evidence from recent phylogenetic studies, the genus Rhinobatos is non-monophyletic, nor is the Rhinobatidae a monophyletic family-level group. Former subgenera of Rhinobatos, Acroteriobatus and Glaucostegus, are valid genus-level taxa supported by both morphological and molecular evidence. Moreover, amphi-American members of Rhinobatos, assigned herein to a new genus Pseudobatos, are not monophyletic with Rhinobatos, Acroteriobatus and Glaucostegus and its position within the newly erected order Rhinopristiformes needs to be…

Members of the order Harpacticoida are primarily free-living and benthic but some lineages have adopted alternative modes of life which involve a major habitat shift or dependence on a host. Since the first discovery of a harpacticoid associated with an invertebrate host about 150 years ago, a total of 172 species, representing 84 genera and 17 families, have been shown to live in symbiotic partnership with other organisms. The steady addition of new taxa during the last 35 years testifies to the widespread and previously underestimated occurrence of symbiosis in the group. Harpacticoids have entered into associations with Cyanobacteria, Protozoa, macroalgae, grasses, fish hosts, marine tetrapods (including whales, sea turtles and manatees) and at least eleven invertebrate phyla. At present, 86 independent colonizations of marine and freshwater host organisms can be identified but this number is a minimum estimate and is expected to increase as certain host groups will be more properly sampled. In contrast to the Cyclopoida and Siphonostomatoida, which have been extremely successful…

The Order Siphonaptera comprises cosmopolitan haematophagous ectoparasites of birds and mammals. More than ten years have past since the last list of species known for Argentina. Herein we provide a review of the fleas from the country, which includes an updated list, host species and geographical distribution for each taxa, as well as some comments. We report 127 species and subspecies belonging to eleven different families; 42 of these species are endemic. Four genera (Adoratopsylla, Cleopsylla, Ctenidiosomus, and Nonnapsylla) and six species and subspecies (Adoratopsylla (Adoratopsylla) antiquorum antiquorum, Agastopsylla pearsoni, Polygenis (Polygenis) roberti beebei, Plocopsylla (Plocopsylla) silewi, Plocopsylla (Plocopsylla) wilesi and Tunga terasma) are added to the list for Argentina. Nine species new to science are included, described on the bases of specimens collected from Argentina (Ctenidiosomus austrinus, Ectinorus (Ectinorus) lareschiae, Ectinorus (Ectinorus) spiculatus, Ectinorus (Ectinorus) morenoi, Hectopsylla narium, Plocopsylla (Plocopsylla) linardii,…

The Australian ciid fauna is revised based on 75 described species (56 of them new) and three undescribed species, placed in 22 genera (nine of them new and nine newly recorded from Australia). The revision is considered preliminary, since about 50 other undescribed Australian species have been seen (usually as uniques or in short series), and it is likely that more will be found with increased intensive collecting. One additional New Caledonian species is also described, and one Cis species is considered to be based on a mislabelled Hawaiian specimen. The subfamily Ciinae, to which all species belong, is described based on adults and larvae, and keys are included to all known Australian genera and described species. Where material has been available, male and female genitalia have been described and many of those illustrated. The following new genera are described: Amphibolocis Lawrence gen. nov., Australocis Lawrence gen. nov., Ctenocis Lawrence gen. nov., Echinocis Lawrence gen. nov., Ditrichocis Lawrence gen. nov., Glyphidope Lawrence gen. nov., Malleecis Lawrence gen. nov.,…

Species of the genus Daphnia O.F. Müller, 1785 (Cladocera: Daphniidae) have become very important models in evolutionary biology research. Previous morphological and genetic evidence suggests that numerous closely related "species groups" exist within the subgenus Daphnia (Ctenodaphnia) Dybowski & Grochowski, 1895, containing both described and undescribed species. The Daphnia similis group is among these species groups. The aim of the present paper is to revise the taxonomy of the Daphnia (Ctenodaphnia) similis group in the Old World with both morphological and genetic evidence (based on mitochondrial COI and 12S rRNA genes). We found that there are at least four species in the Old World D. similis species group: D. similis Claus, 1876; D. sinensis Gu, Xu, Li, Dumont et Han, 2013; D. similoides Hudec, 1991 and D. inopinata sp. nov. These four taxa of the similis-group, confused previously with D. similis, have different distributional ranges in the Old World, from extremely wide, spanning several biogegraphic regions (as D. sinensis), to regional endemics (D. similoides) and even…

Bat flies are obligate blood-sucking ectoparasites of bats. They are divided into two families: Nycteribiidae and Streblidae. Europe has 17 species of bat flies and 45 species of bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera). This checklist is based on both published records and our own field data and provides updated information on all associations between bat flies and their hosts in Europe. The host-parasite association between Basilia italica Theodor and Plecotus auritus (Linnaeus) is reported for the first time. Moreover, our records of B. italica on Myotis alcathoe Helversen & Heller, B. nana Theodor & Moscona on Plecotus auritus, Nycteribia kolenatii Theodor & Moscona on M. bechsteinii (Kuhl) and Penicillidia dufourii (Westwood) on M. daubentonii (Kuhl) represent new host associations for Hungary.

The Leptolalax applebyi group of Asian leaf-litter frogs currently comprises four species of particularly small-bodied (<40 mm SVL) species distributed in the Central Highlands of Vietnam and northeastern Cambodia. In addition to their small size, the group is characterized by their morphological and genetic similarities, as well as their breeding habitat at headwaters of small mountain streams and seeps. A recent study suggested that at least two-thirds of the diversity of the group remained hidden within morphologically cryptic lineages. We expand upon the molecular, morphometric, and acoustic data and formally delineate and describe five of these lineages as distinct species: Leptolalax ardens sp. nov., Leptolalax kalonensis sp. nov., Leptolalax pallidus sp. nov., Leptolalax maculosus sp. nov., and Leptolalax tadungensis sp. nov. Due to habitat loss, the current ranges of these species are likely to be a fraction of their historical extent and under continued threat from deforestation.

The present study is the first major assessment of the marine decapod fauna of Ceará, northeastern Brazil, since contributions of J. Fausto-Filho in the 1960s-1970s. A fully updated checklist of all decapod crustaceans occurring in marine and estuarine habitats of Ceará is provided, based on literature records, specimens held in two carcinological collections of the Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC), and material collected mainly by the authors between 2011 and 2014. A total of 337 decapod species are listed, distributed among the following taxa: Achelata (8 species), Anomura (42 species), Astacidea (1 species), Axiidea (11 species), Brachyura (162 species), Caridea (83 species), Dendrobranchiata (20 species), Gebiidea (9 species), and Stenopodidea (1 species). Among them, 23 species represent new records for Ceará, with 14 species, viz. Alpheus peasei (Armstrong, 1940), A. thomasi Hendrix & Gore, 1973, Ambidexter symmetricus Manning & Chace, 1971, Axianassa australis Rodrigues & Shimizu, 1992, Biffarius biformis (Biffar, 1971), B. fragilis (Biffar, 1970), Leptalpheus axianassae…

Keys are provided for the identification of the nematode species known to be parasites of Canadian fishes. The nematodes are described and illustrated, with a note of the site(s) they occupy in named fish host(s) and their geographical distribution. Parasite records are given by author and date, full details of which can be found in a bibliography of over 800 references. Diagnoses and keys for 22 Families, 47 genera and 88 species of nematodes are also given, together with a glossary of terms, a host-parasite list, and indices to both nematode parasites and hosts.

Dasypus kappleri is the largest species of the genus Dasypus and is restricted to the Amazonian rainforest biome. Over the last century, related taxa have been described and synonymized without comprehensive analyses, and the current classification involving two subspecies, Dasypus k. kappleri and Dasypus k. pastasae, has never been revised. The aim of this work is to clarify the taxonomy of Dasypus kappleri through integrative morphological and morphometric analyses. We examined 70 specimens housed in scientific collections as well as photographs of the type specimens of five nominal taxa. Three methodologies (discrete characters, linear and geometric morphometrics) were employed. All results converged on the recognition of three allopatric groups, each with diagnostic qualitative and quantitative traits, that we recognize as full species: Dasypus kappleri Krauss, 1862, occurs in the Guiana shield; Dasypus pastasae (Thomas, 1901) is distributed from the eastern Andes of Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, and Venezuela south of the Orinoco River into the western Brazilian Amazon; and Dasypus…

Squalus is a genus of reportedly cosmopolitan shark species that have a high taxonomic complexity due to difficulties in their morphological differentiation; many of its species need revision. Currently, there are 26 valid species of Squalus, which have been divided into three species-groups according to overall morphological similarity, the S. acanthias, S. megalops, and S. mitsukurii groups. Loss of type specimens, propagation of erroneous identifications in the literature, and difficulties in obtaining representative series for comparison are secondary challenges that have impeded a global taxonomic revision of the genus. This problem applies clearly to species from the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean, including species that occur off Brazil. Following a current global tendency, a regional taxonomic revision of Squalus was conducted in order to investigate which species are valid in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean and provide diagnostic morphological characters that can be efficiently used for identifying species. Comparative detailed analysis of external (e.g. morphometrics,…

A new species of Potamotrygon is described from the Rio Negro drainage, Amazonas, Brazil. In spite of being cited or pictured several times in the scientific and aquarium fish literature since the 19th Century, it had been misidentified and still lacked a scientific name. Potamotrygon wallacei, n. sp., is diagnosed by the following characters: dorsal surface of disc light brown, with black irregularly-shaped vermiculate markings forming an amphora- or Ω-shaped figure on mid-disc, delimiting light brown reniform areas at disc center, and with subcircular light brown ocellate markings on disc margins; small body size (smallest known Potamotrygon species; largest examined specimen measured 310 mm DW); dorsal spines on tail usually rather low, without broad bases, in one to rarely three irregular rows, but extending posteriorly only to tail mid-length and not to caudal stings, with altogether relatively few spines; denticles on posterior mid-disc and tail base Y-shaped, with a central, anterior, bulbous cusp and usually two posterior pairs of smaller, rounded cusps; and single…

The fauna of quill mites of the subfamily Picobiinae Johnston and Kethley, 1973 (Acariformes: Cheyletoidea: Syringophilidae) is comprehensively revised. All of 78 known species, which are grouped into 11 genera, are examined and diagnosed or redescribed. Data on picobiine hosts and distribution are summarized, including new host and locality records. The following new species are described: Charadriineopicobia apricaria sp. nov. ex Pluvialis apricaria (Linnaeus) (Charadriiformes: Charadriidae) from France, Neopicobia pari sp. nov. ex Periparus venustulus Swinhoe (type host) (Passeriformes: Paridae) from China, Parus major Linnaeus (Paridae) from Macedonia and Finland, and Poecile varius Temminck and Schlegel (Paridae) from Japan, Picobia magellani sp. nov. ex Scytalopus magellanicus (Gmelin) (Passeriformes: Rhinocryptidae) from Colombia, Picobia lonchura sp. nov. ex Lonchura leucogastra (Blyth) (Passeriformes: Estrildidae) from Indonesia, Picobia makoli sp. nov. ex Xiphocolaptes promeropirhynchus (Lesson) (Passeriformes: Furnariidae) from Colombia. The species Picobia polonica…

The taxonomy of the Brazilian aeglid species Aegla paulensis Schmitt, 1942 from two disjunct hydrographic basins is revised using morphological and molecular data. Results show that six disjunctive populations of Aegla paulensis form a species complex. Aegla paulensis sensu stricto is redescribed and Aegla rosanae Campos Jr., 1998 is revalidated. The four remaining populations previously assigned to Aegla paulensis are now recognized as different species, namely Aegla vanini n. sp., Aegla japi n. sp., Aegla jaragua n. sp. and Aegla jundiai n. sp. All new species are described and illustrated and are well supported by both morphological and molecular data. Aegla lancinhas Bond-Buckup & Buckup in Santos et al., 2015, which until recently was confounded with Aegla paulensis s. str., is supported as a valid species. A key to all members of the A. paulensis species complex is provided, and their phylogenetic and biogeographic relationships to other closely related species is discussed.

The bluespotted maskray, Neotrygon kuhlii (Müller & Henle, 1841), once thought to be widely distributed in the Indo-West Pacific, consists of a complex of several species and the type series consists of multiple species; its nomenclature is discussed. A lectotype and paralectotype are designated and the species rediagnosed based on the types and a fresh specimen from Honiara (Solomon Islands), near to the collection locality of the lectotype (Vanikoro, Solomon Islands). Molecular and morphological data provide confirmatory evidence that this maskray is distinct from some other regional forms. Three members of the complex from the Western Pacific identified in earlier studies are confirmed to be new species; Neotrygon australiae sp. nov. (Australia, New Guinea and eastern Indonesia), N. caeruleopunctata sp. nov. (Indian Ocean), and N. orientale sp. nov. (North-West Pacific). These species differ from each other and N. kuhlii in their adult size, anterior angle of the disc, number and distribution of blue spots on the dorsal disc, and other more subtle morphometric and meristic…

Nearly a half of known eutardigrade species lay ornamented eggs. The ornamentation is thought to provide attachment of the egg to the substrate and protection for the developing embryo, but from the taxonomic point of view chorion morphology may also provide key characters for species differentiation and identification, especially between closely related taxa. Nonetheless, despite the evolutionary and taxonomic importance of the egg shell, the determinants of its morphology are very poorly, if at all, understood. Here, we combine morphological, molecular and experimental approaches in an attempt to separate the genetic and environmental factors that shape egg chorion morphology in Ramazzottius subanomalus (Biserov, 1985). Our integrative study, based on a population of R. subanomalus isolated from a single moss sample, revealed (1) remarkable variation in egg shell morphology, but (2) relatively little variation in animal morphometric traits, and (3) genetic differentiation, expressed as two ITS-2 haplotypes, but no parallel polymorphism in COI. Although animals did not differ…

Among nearly 1270 inclusions of Coleoptera found in Upper Eocene Rovno amber, 69 were identified as ant-like stone beetles (Scydmaeninae); 34 were possible to unambiguously determine to the tribal level and were studied in detail. Rovnoleptochromus ableptonoides gen. & sp. n. (Mastigitae: Clidicini), Vertheia quadrisetosa gen. & sp. n. (Cephenniitae: Eutheiini), Cephennomicrus giganteus sp. n. (Cephenniitae: Cephenniini), Glaesoconnus unicus gen. & sp. n. (Scydmaenitae: Glandulariini), Rovnoscydmus frontalis gen. & sp. n. (Scydmaenitae: Glandulariini; type species of Rovnoscydmus), Rovnoscydmus microscopicus sp. n., Euconnus (incertae sedis, near Cladoconnus) palaeogenus sp. n. (Scydmaenitae: Glandulariini), and Stenichnus (s. str.) proavus sp. n. (Scydmaenitae: Glandulariini) are described. Additionally, specimens representing one undescribed species of Vertheia, one of Cephennodes, five of Cephennomicrus, one of Euconnus, one of Microscydmus are recorded, and nine specimens representing an unknown number of species of Rovnoscydmus (and two putative Rovnoscydmus), one Euconnus (and…

A catalogue is presented of the species of haematophagous and non-haematophagous psychodids recorded in Colombia. The list comprises 199 species distributed among five subfamilies and 16 genera, as follows: Subfamily Bruchomyiinae, genus Nemopalpus Macquart, 1838 (4 species); subfamily Phlebotominae, genera Brumptomyia França & Parrot, 1921 (8 species), Lutzomyia França, 1924 (153 species) and Warileya Hertig, 1948 (2 species); subfamily Psychodinae, genera Arisemus Satchell, 1955 (3 species), Australopericoma Vaillant, 1975 (1 species), Balbagathis Quate, 1996 (1 species), Clogmia Enderlein, 1937 (1 species), Didicrum Enderlein, 1937 (1 species), Feuerborniella Vaillant, 1971 (1 species), Lepidiella Enderlein, 1937 (1 species), Maruina Müller, 1895 (4 species), Paramormia Enderlein, 1935 (1 species), Parasetomima Duckhouse, 1968 (1 species) and Psychoda Latreille, 1796 (7 species); subfamily Sycoracinae, genus Sycorax Haliday, 1839 (5 species); and subfamily Trichomyiinae, genus Trichomyia Haliday, 1839 (5 species).

Molecular and morphological data show that the pelagic eagle rays of the genus Aetobatus form a distinct family-level grouping separate from the true eagle rays, Aetomylaeus and Myliobatis (family Myliobatidae). The family Aetobatidae is herein resurrected to include the pelagic eagle rays and definitions are provided for this family and for the Myliobatidae. The key characters separating Aetobatidae from Myliobatidae are: pectoral fins joining head at level of eyes (vs. below level of eyes), internasal flap deeply notched (vs. nearly straight), free rear tip of pectoral fins broadly rounded (vs. angular), spiracles dorsolateral on head and visible in dorsal view (spiracles lateral on head and not visible in dorsal view), dorsal fin with obvious free rear tip (vs. no free rear tip evident, posterior margin joining dorsal surface of tail).

Recently a new species of bombyliid fly, Marleyimyia xylocopae, was described by Marshall & Evenhuis (2015) based on two photographs taken during fieldwork in the Republic of South Africa. This species has no preserved holotype. The paper generated some buzz, especially among dipterists, because in most cases photographs taken in the field provide insufficient information for properly diagnosing and documenting species of Diptera.

Multilocus molecular data play a pivotal role in diagnosing cryptic species (i.e. genetically distinct but morphologically similar species). A multilocus phylogeographic survey has provided compelling evidence that Triturus ivanbureschi sensu lato comprises two distinct gene pools with restricted gene flow. We conclude that this taxon had better be treated as two distinct (albeit morphologically cryptic) species. The name T. ivanbureschi should be restricted to the western species, which is distributed in western Asiatic Turkey plus the south-eastern Balkan Peninsula. No name is as yet available for the eastern species, which is distributed in northern Asiatic Turkey. We propose the name T. anatolicus sp. nov. for the eastern species and provide a formal species description.

Sclerotia Ballantyne gen. nov. is established for seven species. Sclerotia aquatilis (Thancharoen, 2007), Scl. brahmina (Bourgeois, 1890), Scl. carinata (Gorham, 1880), Scl. flavida (Hope, 1845), Scl. seriata (Olivier, 1891), and Scl. substriata (Gorham, 1880) are transferred from Luciola Laporte. Sclerotia fui sp. nov. from China is described as new. Luciola cingulata Olivier, 1885 is synonymised with Luciola substriata Gorham. Luciola formosana Pic, 1916 is removed from synonymy with Luciola substriata and newly synonymised with Luciola flavida (Hope). Males are characterised by linear elytral punctation, a set of three sclerites surrounding the aedeagal sheath and a light organ in ventrite 7 with emarginated anterior margin. Associated females lack bursa plates. Larvae associated for three species are back swimmers, having heavily sclerotised exoskeleton and a metapneustic respiratory system. Males and associated females are keyed. Analysis of molecular evidence for Chinese populations of three species indicates monophyly of Sclerotia Ballantyne gen. nov. and distinct separation…

A new updated checklist of Georgian oribatid mites is based on the critical review of existing literature data and new findings. The list includes 534 oribatid species of which 21 species are new for the country recorded from more than 390 locations. For each species information of the global and regional distribution is presented with notes on ecological characteristics. As far as necessary we provide remarks on taxonomic issues to overcome the ambiguities and inconsistencies existing in literature.

We used molecular and morphological data to investigate the hidden diversity within the Hypsiboas semilineatus species group, and more specifically within H. geographicus, an allegedly widespread species in northern South America. As a result, the identity of H. geographicus was clarified, several candidate species were detected and one of them, from the eastern Guiana Shield, is described herein as a preliminary step to resolve the taxonomy of the group. Hypsiboas diabolicus sp. nov. is mainly distinguished from closely-related species by an acuminate snout in lateral view, well-developed webbing between fingers and toes, and unspotted carmine/crimson colouration on the concealed surfaces of legs, feet and hands in life. The tadpole of the new species is described and is characterized by a large A-2 gap, a mostly single row of large marginal papillae, and a dark brown to black colouration. We also describe the advertisement call of the new species, which is defined as a soft call consisting of short clusters of 2-3 chuckles with a dominant frequency ranging between 1.11-1.19 kHz.…

The girdled lizard genus Cordylus is represented in Angola by two species, Cordylus angolensis and C. machadoi, separated from their nearest congeners by over 700 km. Here we describe a new species, Cordylus namakuiyus sp. nov., endemic to the arid lowlands west of the southern Angolan escarpment. Phylogenetic analysis using three mitochondrial and eight nuclear genes shows that the low-elevation forms and the proximate, high-elevation species C. machadoi are genetically divergent and reciprocally monophyletic, and together form the earliest diverging lineage of the northern Cordylus clade. Morphological data, collected using computed tomography and traditional techniques (scalation and morphology), identify consistent phenotypic differences between these high- and low-elevation species and allows for a detailed description of the osteology and osteodermal arrangements of the new species. A series of 50 specimens, collected during the 1925 Vernay expedition to southwestern Angola and housed at the American Museum of Natural History, are assigned to the new species, although the…

The Miocene Conidae and Conorbidae of the central- and south-eastern European Paratethys Sea are revised. In total, 74 species are described of which 10 are new species and 5 are documented for the first time from Paratethyan localities. Species descriptions and delimitations are partly based on morphometric data. In addition, colour patterns are described for the first time for the majority of species. In respect to the ongoing discussion on the supraspecific treatment of extant Conidae, we strongly focus on generic allocations and provide a key for the genera as understood herein. Biogeographically, the larger part of the assemblage indicates affiliation with modern western African faunas as indicated by the occurrence of genera such as Lautoconus, Kalloconus, Monteiroconus and Pseudonoduloconus. The relationship with Indo-West Pacific faunas is comparatively low. The high alpha-diversities observed for localities in the Pannonian, Transylvanian and Vienna basins, with up to 44 species, is a marker of tropical conditions in the Paratethys Sea during middle Miocene times.…

The macrosetae of the ventral plate of Laniatores penis have been occasionally described and used for systematic purposes in the literature, to the point of having a whole system created for them in the recent study Of Kury & Villarreal (2015), in a paper where a phylogenetic analysis of the subfamily Gonyleptoidea was performed. Contrastingly, the microsetae of ventral plate of Gonyleptoidea are left undescribed in descriptive works, where the penis is often illustrated without a ventral view of the ventral plate. In some works with SEM images microsetae do appear, although they remain undescribed and/or unacknowledged (e.g., Townsend et al., 2010 figs 8-10; Coronato-Ribeiro & Pinto-da-Rocha 2015, where microsetae are visible in photos, but only barely mentioned). In the case of line drawings, exceptionally a few microsetae are shown mainly in the lateral view of the penis ventral plate (Acosta 2001, figs 17-21; Weber 1988, fig 6b). Exceptions to this treatment are Kury (2012: 41, figs 14-15) in which besides microsetae are illustrated their distribution pattern is described and…

A molecular phylogeny of the Afrotropical anuran genus Amietia based on 323 16S sequences indicates that there are 19 species, including four not yet described. No genetic material was available for the nominal A. inyangae. We consider them to represent full species, and define them based on 16S genetic distances, as well as differences in morphology, tadpoles and advertisement call where known. An analysis based on two mitochondrial and two nuclear genes (12S, 16S, 28S and tyrosinase exon 1), from 122 samples, confirmed the phylogenetic relationships suggested by the 16S tree. We recognise and (re-) describe the following species: Amietia angolensis (Bocage, 1866), A. chapini (Noble, 1924), A. delalandii (Duméril & Bibron, 1841), A. desaegeri (Laurent, 1972), A. fuscigula (Duméril & Bibron, 1841), A. hymenopus (Boulenger, 1920), A. inyangae (Poynton, 1966), A. johnstoni (Günther, 1893), A. moyerorum sp. nov., A. nutti (Boulenger, 1896), A. poyntoni Channing & Baptista, 2013, A. ruwenzorica (Laurent, 1972), A. tenuoplicata (Pickersgill, 2007), A. vandijki (Visser & Channing, 1997),…

A new species of limestone cave-adapted gecko of the Cyrtodactylus pulchellus complex, C. hidupselamanya sp. nov., is described from an isolated karst formation at Felda Chiku 7, Kelantan, Peninsular Malaysia. This formation is scheduled to be completely quarried for its mineral content. From what we know about the life history of C. hidupselamanya sp. nov., this will result in its extinction. A new limestone forest-adapted species, C. lenggongensis sp. nov., from the Lenggong Valley, Perak was previously considered to be conspecific with C. bintangrendah but a re-evaluation of morphological, color pattern, molecular, and habitat preference indicates that it too is a unique lineage worthy of specific recognition. Fortunately C. lenggongensis sp. nov. is not facing extinction because its habitat is protected by the UNESCO Archaeological Heritage of the Lenggong Valley due to the archaeological significance of that region. Both new species can be distinguished from all other species of Cyrtodactylus based on molecular evidence from the mitochondrial gene ND2 and its flanking tRNAs as…

Bdellidae (Trombidiformes: Prostigmata) are moderate to large sized predatory mites that inhabit soil, leaves, leaf litter, and intertidal rocks. They are readily recognized by an elongated, snout-like gnathosoma and by elbowed pedipalps bearing two (one in Monotrichobdella Baker & Balock) long terminal setae. Despite being among the first mites ever described, with species described by Carl Linnaeus, the knowledge about bdellids has never been compiled into a taxonomic catalogue. Here we present a catalogue listing 278 valid species; for each species we include distribution information, taxonomic literature, and type depository institutions. The genus Rigibdella Tseng, 1978 is considered a junior synonym of Cyta von Heyden, 1826, and Bdellodes Oudemans, 1937 is considered a junior synonym of Odontoscirus Tohr, 1913. Illustrated keys to subfamilies and genera are presented, as well as keys to species of each genus.

The comprehensive checklist of earthworms in Vietnam is presented here listing 24 genera and 212 species arranged in eight families. For each species, bibliographic citations are given, including the original descriptions as well as notable citations affecting taxonomic status or distributional reports of a species. Distributions of each species are also provided. The bibliography contains all relevant papers for Vietnamese earthworms. Of 212 species, 114 have been recorded only in Vietnam, and 25 are cosmopolitan. New combinations are made for Amynthas acalifornicus (Do & Huynh, 1991) comb. nov., A. binhgiaensis (Le, 1994) comb. nov., Metaphire catbaensis (Thai & Le, 1993) comb. nov., M. khoii (Do & Tran, 1994) comb. nov., M. phaluongana (Do & Huynh, 1992) comb. nov., and M. mangophila (Nguyen, 2011) comb. nov., M. tripidoporophoratus (Thai & Nguyen, 1993) comb. nov. Additionally, Pheretima paraalexandri Nguyen, 2011 is treated as a junior synonym of Amynthas polychaetiferus (Thai, 1984).

This catalog presents 73 species distributed among 19 genera and three subfamilies of streblid bat flies recorded in Colombia. For each genus we present synonymies and type species, and for each species account we present synonymies, type host, disposition of type material, and specific localities and departments for records known from Colombia.

Genetic analysis divides Panulirus argus into two different species, physically separated by the Amazon-Orinoco plume since the Last Glacial Maximum. Panulirus argus sensu stricto is distributed north of this biogeographic barrier and the second species to the south, occurring in Brazil. The Panulirus species in the Atlantic Ocean are being overfished and the standing stocks are unknown and still not considered endangered or threatened due to a deficiency of precise abundance data. The lack of data makes it impossible to undertake an effective conservation and management policy. In order to assist in the future management and conservation of the Spiny Lobster in the Atlantic Ocean and particularly for the indigenous species from Brazilian waters, this study formally recognizes and describes a new species, Panulirus meripurpuratus sp. nov., for what was previously known as P. argus in Brazilian waters, and differentiates it from Panulirus argus from North American waters and the Caribbean Sea. The work also presents an overview of the biogeographic distribution of the species and…

A new species of Bent-toed Gecko, Cyrtodactylus gunungsenyumensis sp. nov. of the sworderi complex, is described from Hutan Lipur Gunung Senyum, Pahang, Peninsular Malaysia and is differentiated from all other species in the sworderi complex by having a unique combination of characters including a maximum SVL of 74.7 mm; low, rounded, weakly keeled, body tubercles; 34-40 paravertebral tubercles; weak ventrolateral body fold lacking tubercles; 38-41 ventral scales; an abrupt transition between the posterior and ventral femoral scales; 20-23 subdigital lamellae on the fourth toe; enlarged femoral scales; no femoral or precloacal pores; no precloacal groove; wide caudal bands; and an evenly banded dorsal pattern. Cyrtodactylus gunungsenyumensis sp. nov. is a scansorial, karst forest-adapted specialist endemic to the karst ecosystem surrounding Gunung Senyum and occurs on the vertical walls of the limestone towers as well as the branches, trunks, and leaves of the vegetation in the associated karst forest. Cyrtodactylus gunungsenyumensis sp. nov. is the seventh species of karst…

In summer 2014, the bark beetle Hypocryphalus scabricollis (Eichhoff) and the ambrosia beetle Xyleborus bispinatus Eichhoff, species new to Italy and Europe, respectively, were found for the first time in south-eastern Sicily (Italy). Large infestations of the two species were recorded in many plantations of common fig (Ficus carica L.) both in 2014 and 2015. Data concerning insect characteristics, taxonomy, and distribution are briefly reported.

The bumblebees of the subgenus Mendacibombus of the genus Bombus are the sister group to all other extant bumblebees and are unusual among bees for specialising in some of the highest elevation habitats with entomophilous plants on Earth. Most named taxa in this group (24 available names, from a total of 49 published names) were described originally from small differences in the colour pattern of the hair, many as parts (e.g. subspecies) of just one species. Subsequent taxonomic treatments recognised multiple species, but have described very few morphological characters, most of which are in the male genitalia. We examined 4413 specimens representing all of the named taxa from throughout the group's global range to describe variation in DNA, in skeletal morphology, and in the colour patterns of the hair. Using Bayesian inference of the phylogeny from an evolutionary model for the fast-evolving COI gene, and fitting either general mixed Yule/coalescent models or Poisson tree process models, we identify COI gene coalescents, which are expected to characterise species as evolutionarily…

A list of Cicadellidae (leafhoppers) of Iran is provided based primarily on literature records from 1902 to the present. In total 390 species are recorded from 13 subfamilies. Ninety three of the recorded species are considered to be endemic to Iran. The current accepted name is given for each species together with synonyms and literature citations relating to Iran. Selenocephalus darei is recognized as a published misspelling for Selenocephalus dareicus Dlabola, 1981. There is no evidence that the Nearctic species Empoasca fabae (Harris, 1841) and Erythroneura comes (Say, 1825) have been found in Iran; previous records appear to have been based on misidentifications. A brief distribution of species within Iran is provided.

Stabilising microstructures and small organisms for microphotography can be frustrating. If it is desired to take photographs in water from structures just cleared in potassium hydroxide, some sort of stabilisation is necessary otherwise the structures drift. Similarly, specimens taken from glycerol or alcohol, or those placed in alcohol, drift even more as the alcohol evaporates. Bits of crushed coverslip, glass beads, micro pins and dobs of Vaseline® have all been used to help keep the structures in place. In an attempt to solve the problem of "drifting genitalia" a simple solution was inadvertently discovered. A method used for whole insects by Sam Droege and his colleagues of the United States Geological Survey (Droege 2016; USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab 2016) was adapted for use with insect genitalia.

We present distribution data of all Anguidae, Scincidae, and Teiidae lizards known from the Brazilian Amazonia, totaling 29 species-level taxa, belonging to 14 genera. This represents 11 more species-level taxa than previously reported for these families in this area. Data were based on literature and 46,806 specimens deposited in three North American and eight Brazilian museums, including the main collections harboring Amazonian material. Most species (~55%) are endemic to Amazonia. Except for Ameiva ameiva, that is present in several environments and domains, non-endemic species are either associated with open dry (semideciduous) forest or open vegetation (savanna) enclaves in Amazonia, occupying similar environments outside Amazonia, gallery forests within the Cerrado, or present disjunct populations in the Atlantic Forest. As a whole, six taxa are widespread in Amazonia, four are restricted to eastern Amazonia, four to western Amazonia, three to southwestern Amazonia, one to northern Amazonia, and seven to the southern peripheral portion of Amazonia. Besides, two species present…

The present study deals with shrimps of the family Alpheidae collected in the shallow waters around the remote Trindade & Martin Vaz Archipelago, situated 1200 km off the coast of Espírito Santo, Brazil. A few additional samples came from dredges on top of the seamounts of the Vitória-Trindade Seamount Chain. A total of 23 species in eight genera are reported, the vast majority representing new records for the area. One species is described as new, Synalpheus trinitatis sp. nov., based on the type material from Trindade Island. The new species clearly belongs to the Synalpheus brooksi Coutière, 1909 species complex, differing from all its other members by at least two morphological features. Four species represent new records for Brazil and the southwestern Atlantic: Alpheopsis aequalis Coutière, 1897 sensu lato, Alpheopsis chalciope de Man, 1910 sensu lato, Alpheus crockeri (Armstrong, 1941) and Prionalpheus gomezi Martínez-Iglesias & Carvacho, 1991; the two species of Alpheopsis are recorded from the Atlantic Ocean for the first time. The colour pattern of the recently described…

This article represents the third (and last) part of the catalogue of ectoparasitic gamasid mites associated with small mammals in Asiatic Russia (Siberia and the Russian Far East). A total of 19 species of the genus Hirstionyssus Fonseca, 1948 are indexed, with data on their taxonomic position, nomenclature, host range, and distribution within the region. As a conclusion, a brief overview of fauna of ectoparasitic gamasid mites parasitising Micromammalia (except bats) of Asiatic Russia is given. In total, 71 mite species belonging to nine genera of three families (Haemogamasidae, Hirstionyssidae, Laelapidae) are recorded and divided among taxonomic and ecological groupings.

Species designated as 'cryptic' share a similar morphotype, and are often only clearly separable by molecular data. Cyrtodactylus, the most diverse gecko genus of the family Gekkonidae, is a prime example, because many morphologically similar taxa have only recently been identified as new species as a result of available genetic evidence. However, while cryptic diversity of Cyrtodactylus is already well documented on the Vietnamese side of the Truong Son range, only scarce data is available from central Laos. In this study, we address this issue by means of an integrative approach, which employs morphological, molecular, and ecological data to distinguish cryptic species of the Cyrtodacylus phongnhakebangensis species group primarily distributed along the northern Truong Son Range. Our analyses based on 12 selected morphological characters, a partial mitochondrial gene (COI), and five ecological parameters revealed three undescribed cryptic Cyrtodactylus species from Hin Nam No National Protected Area, which are described as Cyrtodactylus calamei sp. nov., Cyrtodactylus…

A new species of the genus Leptolalax is described from the Tengchong Section of Gaoligongshan National Nature Reserve, Tengchong County, Yunnan Province, China. The new species, Leptolalax tengchongensis sp. nov., can be distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following characters: (1) small size (SVL 23.9-26.0 mm in males, 28.8-28.9 mm in females); (2) dorsal skin shagreened and scattered with fine, round reddish tubercles; (3) toes with rudimentary webbing and narrow lateral fringes; (4) tympanum distinctly discernible, almost entirely black; (5) ventrolateral glands indistinct; (6) flanks with several distinct and large dark blotches; (7) ventral surfaces white, scattered with distinct irregular dark speckling; (8) iris not bicolored, uniformly dark brown and scattered with minute, coppery reticulations throughout. To date, the new species has only been found at its type locality in evergreen broadleaf forests at elevations between 2000-2100 m.

The pink shrimp, Farfantepenaeus subtilis, actually comprises two cryptic species confused under a single name. Despite morphological and molecular evidences accumulated since 1967, the new species confused with F. subtilis has never been formally described. In this paper, Farfantepenaeus isabelae sp. nov., is described and compared to its close relatives, F. brasiliensis, F. notialis, F. paulensis and F. subtilis s. str..

In this study, we tested the utility of the mitochondrial gene cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (CO1) as the barcode region to deal with taxonomical problems of Polypedilum (Tripodura) non-biting midges (Diptera: Chironomidae). The 114 DNA barcodes representing 27 morphospecies are divided into 33 well separated clusters based on both Neighbor Joining and Maximum Likelihood methods. DNA barcodes revealed an 82% success rate in matching with morphospecies. The selected DNA barcode data support 37-64 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) based on the methods of Automatic Barcode Gap Discovery (ABGD) and Poisson Tree Process (PTP). Furthermore, a priori species based on consistent phenotypic variations were attested by molecular analysis, and a taxonomical misidentification of barcode sequences from GenBank was found. We could not observe a distinct barcode gap but an overlap ranged from 9-12%. Our results supported DNA barcoding as an ideal method to detect cryptic species, delimit sibling species, and associate different life stages in non-biting midges.

The Triozidae is a diverse, cosmopolitan family of jumping plant-lice (Hemiptera: Psylloidea) from an exceptionally diverse range of plant families, but with few described Australian species. As a direct outcome of the Australian Biological Resources Study Bush Blitz species discovery program, many new Psylloidea from novel host plants in remote localities have been revealed. In this study a new genus Myotrioza Taylor gen. nov. and 20 new species are described from southern and central Australia which also establishes the first host plant records from Eremophila and Myoporum (Scrophulariaceae: Myoporeae). New species, delineated using a combination of morphological and mitochondrial COI sequence data, are: Myotrioza clementsiana sp. nov., M. darwinensis sp. nov., M. desertorum sp. nov., M. eremi sp. nov., M. eremophili sp. nov., M. flindersiana sp.nov., M. gawlerensis sp. nov., M. insularis sp. nov., M. interioris sp. nov., M. interstantis sp. nov., M. longifoliae sp. nov., M. markmitchelli sp. nov., M. myopori sp. nov., M. oppositifoliae sp. nov., M. pantonii sp. nov., M.…

A preliminary assessment of the deep-sea Decapoda is proposed for Guadeloupe Island based solely on high definition macro photographs taken during the KARUBENTHOS 2015 Expedition to the Island (R/V Antea, 7-29 June 2015). Overall, 190 species are recognized, several of which are depicted with their fresh color for the first time. Previous records in the Lesser Antilles are documented and the geographic distribution of the species in these Islands is given. The historical contribution of the steamer Blake (1878-1879) in the Lesser Antilles is emphasized. All species inventoried during KARUBENTHOS 2015 were already reported in the western Atlantic but 34 of them are new records for the Lesser Antilles and 116 are reported for the first time from Guadeloupe Island. This preliminary inventory is estimated to include about 38% of the deep-sea Decapoda potentially occurring around Guadeloupe Island.

The limnoterrestrial tardigrade fauna of the Philippines is completely unknown. In this paper, we describe the first ever limnoterrestrial water bear species from this southeast Asian country, Mesobiotus philippinicus sp. nov., found in a moss sample collected in Quezon City. Apart from morphometrics and imaging in light microscopy, we also analysed the new species under scanning electron microscope and sequenced four DNA markers differing in mutation rates, three nuclear (18S rRNA, 28S rRNA, and ITS-2) and one mitochondrial (COI). This allowed not only a detailed description but also provided barcodes to aid future species identification. The new species belongs to the harmsworthi group and is most similar to M. diffusus (Binda & Pilato, 1987), M. pseudocoronatus (Pilato et al., 2006), M. montanus (Murray, 1910) and M. mottai (Binda & Pilato, 1994), but differs from these species by whorled egg processes and dimensions of some morphometric traits. The 28S rRNA, ITS-2 and COI sequences presented in this paper are the first published DNA sequences for the genus Mesobiotus.

Calliphoridae and Mesembrinellidae (Diptera, Oestroidea) are very common groups of flies, the Calliphoridae with worldwide distribution and over 1,000 described species, while the Mesembrinellidae are restricted to the Neotropical Region and founded mainly in areas with undisturbed native vegetation. This catalogue presents two families: Calliphoridae, with 4 subfamilies, 31 species distributed in 12 genera, and Mesembrinellidae, with 7 genera and 21 species.

The diversity of feeding apparatuses in insects far exceeds that observed in any other animal group. Consequently, tracking mouthpart innovation in insects is one of the keys toward understanding their diversification. In hemipteroid insects (clade Paraneoptera or Acercaria: lice, thrips, aphids, cicadas, bugs, etc.), the transition from chewing to piercing-and-sucking mouthparts is widely regarded as the turning point that enabled hyperdiversification of the Hemiptera, the fifth largest insect order. However, the transitional process from chewing to piercing-and-sucking in the Paraneoptera was hitherto completely unknown. In this paper, we report a well preserved mid Cretaceous amber fossil of the paraneopteran insect family Archipsyllidae and describe it as Mydiognathus eviohlhoffae gen. et sp. n. This species has elongate mandibles and styliform laciniae similar to Hemiptera but retains functional chewing mouthparts. A number of morphological characters place the Archipsyllidae as the sister group of the thrips plus hemipterans, which strongly suggests that the mouthparts of M.…

A checklist of earthworm species hitherto known from Kerala, a constituent of the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot in India, is presented. In total, 88 species and subspecies are recorded, of which 55 are Kerala endemics, 9 near endemics, 14 exotics and 10 native peregrines. These belong to 26 genera and 9 families. The checklist includes the literature citation to the original description, type locality, any significant subsequent generic placements, and the district distributional pattern for each species/ subspecies.

Two new species of ground-dwelling geckos of the genus Cyrtodactylus (Geckoella) are described from the Mysore Plateau, in southern India. The new species are members of the C. collegalensis species complex, with 8.7 % uncorrected ND2 sequence divergence from each other and greater than 10 % divergence from described members of the C. collegalensis complex, from which they differ in subtle aspects of colour pattern and morphometric ratios. The type localities of the new species are ~ 130 km apart, and 100 km and 225 km from the type locality of C. collegalensis in the Biligiriranga Hills. The discovery of these new species in isolated mountains within a small area suggests other high elevation areas in the region may have undescribed species, and a redefinition of biodiversity patterns in peninsular India.

A new genus of Panorpidae (Mecoptera), Cerapanorpa gen. nov., is erected with Panorpa obtusa Cheng, 1949 as its type species. The new genus can be readily recognized by having a single digitate anal horn on the posterior edge of tergum VI in males, and a broad main plate bearing two pairs of basal plates at the genital plate and a well-developed elongate axis in females. Nineteen described species are transferred from Panorpa Linnaeus, 1758 to the new genus. In addition, three new species, Cerapanorpa liupanshana sp. nov., Cerapanorpa protrudens sp. nov. and Cerapanorpa sinuata sp. nov. are described and illustrated. Panorpa alticola Zhou, 2000 syn. nov. is regarded as a junior synonym of P. obtusa Cheng, 1949. A key to genera of Panorpidae is updated to include the new genus. A key to species of Cerapanorpa is also presented.

In 31 samples of mosses and lichens collected in the Argentinean province of Río Negro, 657 tardigrades, 53 exuviae and 219 free-laid eggs were found. In total, 20 species were identified: Diphascon chilenense, Dip. mitrense, Echiniscus bigranulatus, Ech. corrugicaudatus, Ech. merokensis merokensis, Ech. testudo, Hebesuncus mollispinus, Hypsibius convergens, Macrobiotus cf. anderssoni, Mac. andinus, Mac. kazmierskii, Mac. patagonicus, Mesobiotus szeptyckii, Mes. pseudoblocki sp. nov., Milnesium argentinum, Mil. beatae, Mil. brachyungue, Mil. granulatum, Mopsechiniscus granulosus, Minibiotus pseudostellarus sp. nov. Of the two new species, Mesobiotus pseudoblocki sp. nov. is most similar to Mes. blocki, but it differs mainly by the lack of dentate lunules, smaller eggs and presence of reticular design on egg processes. Minibiotus pseudostellarus sp. nov. is most similar to Min. constellatus, Min. eichhorni, Min. sidereus or Min. vinciguerrae, but it differs from them by the presence of 'pseudo-star'-shaped pores in the dorsal cuticle instead of fully developed 'stars' and by other…

An identification key for Cladocera of subfamily Aloninae (Anomopoda: Chydoridae) of South-East Asia is provided. The key includes 42 species known from the region to date, and encompass all recent changes in taxonomy of the subfamily Aloninae. Drawings and descriptions of diagnostic characters for each species are provided. This is the first identification key for Aloninae of the region published in the last forty years.

Phasmarhabditis bonaquaense n. sp. is described and illustrated from the body of Malacolimax tenellus, from the locality of České Švýcary near the village of Dobrá Voda, the Czech Republic. Females are characterized by a body length of 2349 (1878-2626) µm and a cupola shaped tail with a long hyaline hair-like tail tip. Extremely prominent papilla-like phasmids present. Males 1829 (1414-2121) µm long. Peloderan bursa with nine pairs of rays (papillae), 1/1/1/2/1/3. One non-paired apparent papilla-like structure located near the ventral appendage anterior to the cloaca. Prominent papilla-like phasmids located close to the tail tip. Small subunit (18S), ITS, and D2-D3 expansion segments of the large subunit of ribosomal DNA were used to analyze the phylogenetic relationships of sequenced species in the genus Phasmarhabditis and other closely related species. Phasmarhabditis bonaquaense n. sp. varied from other related nematodes both in morphological characterizations and phylogenetic analysis. The life cycle of the newly described species is not well known but it is probably a…

At present, the millipede fauna of India comprises over 270 nominate species or subspecies in at least 90 genera, 25 families and 11 orders. As complete a catalogue as possible is compiled of all species or subspecies of Diplopoda formally reported from India, some of which remain dubious. Additionally, a checklist is also compiled of millipedes that have erroneously been recorded in India. Given also several literature lacunae, as well as numerous taxonomic problems, the number of species and even genera cannot be claimed precise. The following new transfers are proposed: Delarthrum pumilum (Attems, 1944), comb. n. ex Dasypharkis Attems, 1936; Stemmiulus crassipes (Carl, 1941), S. insolitus (Carl, 1941), S. mulierosus (Carl, 1937), S. plumipes (Carl, 1941) and S. vagans (Carl, 1941), all comb. n. ex Diopsiulus Silvestri, 1897; Cryptocorypha riparia (Carl, 1932), comb. n. ex Archandrodesmus Carl, 1932. A new record of Stenobolus insularis Carl, 1918 is given from India.

The genus Cymothoa Fabricius, 1793 is revised for Australian waters. Cymothoa hermani Hadfield, Bruce & Smit, 2011, previously known from Tanzania on the host Selar crumenophthalmus (Bloch, 1793) is new to Australian waters. Cymothoa carangi Avdeev, 1979; Cymothoa epimerica Avdeev, 1979; Cymothoa parupenei Avdeev, 1979; Cymothoa propria Avdeev, 1979; Cymothoa rotunda Avdeev, 1979 and Cymothoa pulchrum Lanchester, 1902 are redescribed. Cymothoa curta Schioedte & Meinert, 1884, first described from the host Anableps anableps (Linnaeus, 1758); and Cymothoa plebeia Schioedte & Meinert, 1884, first described from Cape Verde; are redescribed and excluded from the Australian fauna. Cymothoa limbata Schioedte & Meinert, 1884 is placed into junior synonymy with Cymothoa eremita (Brünnich, 1783). A key to the Australian species of Cymothoa is presented.

A commented checklist containing 139 species of marine fishes recorded at the Galician Bank seamount is presented. The list is based on nine prospecting and research surveys carried out from 1980 to 2011 with different fishing gears. The ichthyofauna list is diversified in 2 superclasses, 3 classes, 20 orders, 62 families and 113 genera. The largest family is Macrouridae, with 9 species, followed by Moridae, Stomiidae and Sternoptychidae with 7 species each. The trachichthyd Hoplostethus mediterraneus and the morid Lepidion lepidion were the most abundant species. Biogeographically, the Atlantic group, with 113 species (81.3%) is the best represented, followed by the Lusitanian one with 17 species (12.2%). Data on species abundance, as number of individuals caught, size and depth are reported. Habitat, distribution and vulnerability status are commented. Moreover, biometric data and meristic counts are also reported for several species. The results obtained showing a high fish biodiversity and a sensible number of threatened species, strongly support the future declaration of the…

Fifteen new genera and 36 new species of the diplopod family Anthroleucosomatidae Verhoeff, 1899 are described from the Caucasus, one of the world's biodiversity hotspots: Golovatchosoma bacillichaetum gen. et sp. nov., G. trichochaetum sp. nov., Alpinella waltheri gen. et sp. nov., Brachychaetosoma turbanovi gen. et sp. nov., Caucaseuma elephantum sp. nov., C. fanagoriyskaya sp. nov., C. glabroscutum sp. nov., C. kelasuri sp. nov., C. minellii sp. nov., C. variabile sp. nov., Caucasominorus billi gen. et sp. nov., C. polylobatus sp. nov., Georgiosoma bicornutum gen. et sp. nov., Heterocaucaseuma feminaepectorum gen. et sp. nov., H. longicorne sp. nov., Paranotosoma attemsi gen. et sp. nov., P. cordatum sp. nov., P. subrotundatum sp. nov., Dentatosoma denticulatum gen. et sp. nov., D. magnum sp. nov., D. zeraboseli sp. nov., Enghoffiella insolita gen. et sp. nov., Metamastigophorophyllon hamatum sp. nov., M. lamellohirsutum sp. nov., M. torsivum sp. nov., Acanthophorella barjadzei gen. et sp. nov., A. chegemi sp. nov., A. irystoni sp. nov., Cryptacanthophorella manubriata gen. et…

This paper describes 97 molluskan species (45 Bivalvia, 3 Scaphopoda, 49 Gastropoda) recovered from bathyal bottoms off Santa Maria di Leuca (Puglia, Italy), in the northern Ionian Sea, and provides data about their taxonomy, geographical distribution, habitat, ecological requirements and fossil record. Only 6 species remain unidentified, and all are illustrated. The bivalve-dominated assemblages belong to the so-called "cold-water coral ecosystem". They appear to depend mainly on substrate characteristics, with faunas related to hard substrate around coral-colonized mound tops, and mud-related ones in inter-mound areas, respectively. Nuculanoida and Pectinoidea among bivalves, and Conoidea and Pyramidelloidea among gastropods are the most diverse suprafamilial groups. The present paper is the first comprehensive taxonomic overview of Mediterranean bathyal mollusks including larval shell characters.

We used three molecular markers to investigate populations of Triops granarius from a study area in western Morocco that had a north-south span of approx. 434 km, the most distant populations situated at more than 470 km distance from each other. Previous studies had already investigated two Triops granarius populations from this region and revealed their affiliation to the major phylogenetic lineage that includes Triops cancriformis. By contrast, based on the geographic position of the type locality and the morphology of the type, Triops granarius s.s. likely belongs to a clade that forms the sister group to American and Australian Triops, i.e. including Triops longicaudatus and Triops australiensis. In the present study a second, hitherto unknown phylogenetic lineage was discovered among Moroccan populations of Triops granarius s.l. Our phylogenetic analyses show that both Moroccan lineages of Triops granarius s.l. represent a pair of genetically and morphologically well differentiated sister species that should be separated from Triops granarius. We therefore formally describe…

Freshwater crabs of the genus Sinopotamon Bott, 1967 (family Potamidae) are widely distributed along the Yangtze River (= Chang Jiang) drainage and are endemic to China. Two distinct clades can be distinguished within Sinopotamon s. lato. on the basis of morphological and molecular data. One clade corresponds to Sinopotamon s. str., with the type species Potamon (Potamon) davidi Rathbun, 1904, and 11 other species, all which occur in the Sichuan Basin (including Sichuan Province and Chongqing City) and reach the border areas of adjacent Shaanxi, Hubei, and Guizhou provinces. A new genus, Longpotamon gen. nov., is proposed for the second clade, with Sinopotamon exiguum Dai, 1997, designated as the type species. Sinopotamon s. str. can be distinguished from Longpotamon gen. nov. by the shape of the male telson and by characters of the male first gonopod and the female vulvae. These differences are supported by the mitochondrial 16S rDNA and cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) genetic data. Longpotamon gen. nov. is the largest clade, with 73 known species and a wide distribution along…

A new insular species of the genus Bothrops is described from Ilha dos Franceses, a small island off the coast of Espírito Santo State, in southeastern Brazil. The new species differs from mainland populations of B. jararaca mainly by its small size, relative longer tail, relative smaller head length, and relative larger eyes. The new species is distinguished from B. alcatraz, B. insularis and B. otavioi by the higher number of ventral and subcaudal scales, relative longer tail and smaller head. The new species is highly abundant on the island, being nocturnal, semiarboreal, and feeding on small lizards and centipeds. Due its unique and restricted area of occurrence, declining quality of habitat, and constant use of the island for tourism, the new species may be considered as critically endangered.

The formicine ant genus Prenolepis is here revised for the first time. Thirteen extant species are recognized of which four are described as new. A key for the worker caste is provided, and the worker of each species is imaged, with males and queens imaged in species where they are known. Worker-based characters were used to construct a species-level phylogeny of Prenolepis. Both maximum parsimony and Bayesian inference methods were used for the phylogenetic analyses. A morphological diagnosis for the genus is provided, with a discussion of useful morphological characters for separating Prenolepis from other genera in the Prenolepis genus-group. Major taxonomic changes are proposed. The new species are: P. darlena, P. fustinoda, P. mediops, and P. shanialena. Prenolepis jerdoni subopaca is elevated to full species. Three species are excluded from Prenolepis and transferred to Nylanderia and Paratrechina as new combinations: N. emmae, N. flaviabdominis, and P. umbra. Two species are excluded from Paratrechina and transferred to Nylanderia and Paraparatrechina as new combinations: N.…

Two new species of white-toothed shrews, Crocidura afeworkbekelei and Crocidura yaldeni, are described from southern Ethiopia. Comparisons are made with other species of Crocidura known to occur in Ethiopia. A list of 28 species of shrews known from Ethiopia is provided, 10 of which (including both newly described species) are currently considered to be endemic to Ethiopia. The endemic shrew fauna consists of forest and montane species known to occur within the altitudinal range of 1200-4050 m a.s.l. The remarkable number of endemic species of Crocidura shows that the Ethiopian Plateau is an important centre of diversity and adaptive radiation of the genus. Current cytogenetic and molecular data support the monophyly of most species of Crocidura endemic to Ethiopia.

The fiddler crabs, genus Uca Leach, 1814 (Decapoda, Ocypodidae) of Taiwan, including the offshore islands of Penghu (Pescadores), Kinmen (Quemoy), Matsu (Matzu), and Dongsha (Pratas), are revised, with the recognition of five subgenera and 15 species, viz. Uca (Austruca) Bott, 1973: U. lactea (De Haan, 1835), U. perplexa (H. Milne Edwards, 1837), U. triangularis (A. Milne-Edwards, 1873); U. (Gelasimus) Latreille, 1817: U. borealis Crane, 1975, U. jocelynae Shih, Naruse & Ng, 2010, U. tetragonon (Herbst, 1790), U. vocans (Linnaeus, 1758); U. (Paraleptuca) Bott, 1973: U. crassipes (White, 1847), U. splendida (Stimpson, 1858); U. (Tubuca) Bott, 1973: U. acuta (Stimpson 1858), U. arcuata (De Haan, 1835), U. coarctata (H. Milne Edwards, 1852), U. dussumieri (H. Milne Edwards, 1852), U. paradussumieri (Bott, 1973); and U. (Xeruca) Shih, 2015: U. formosensis Rathbun, 1921. Among them, U. acuta, U. paradussumieri, and U. vocans are confirmed to be distributed in Taiwan. Uca formosensis is endemic to Taiwan. The Uca species of the main islands of Japan are also listed. Four species (U.…

A new species of Characidium Reinhardt, 1867 endemic to tributaries of the upper rio Paraguaçu in the Chapada Diamantina, Bahia, Brazil, is described. The new species can be distinguished from its congeners except C. bahiense, C. bimaculatum, C. laterale, C. nana, C. nupelia, and C. xavante, by having a conspicuous peduncular blotch in addition to the basicaudal spot on the base of the middle caudal-fin rays. Among other features, the new species differs from C. bahiense, C. laterale, C. nana, C. nupelia, and C. xavante by having a complete lateral line with 32-36 perforated scales (vs. lateral line short, with 9-11 perforated scales), and from C. bimaculatum by the body pigmentation pattern, with secondary bars present (vs. absent), total bars 11-16 (vs. 10-12), peduncular blotch rounded (vs. horizontally elongated), and mature males not having a darker dorsal fin (vs. proximal third of dorsal fin darker in mature males). Characidium bimaculatum, a poorly known species from Northeastern Brazil, is redescribed.

The fauna of Iranian Elateridae (Coleoptera: Elateroidea) is summarized in this paper. In total 245 species from 58 genera and 7 subfamilies Agrypninae Candèze (13 genera, 36 species), Cardiophorinae Candèze (4 genera, 55 species), Cebrioninae Latreille (2 genera, 6 species), Dendrometrinae Gistel (13 genera, 28 species), Elaterinae Leach (23 genera, 104 species), Lissominae Laporte (1 genus, 1 species) and Negastriinae Nakane & Kishii (2 genera, 15 species) are listed in literature as the fauna of Iran. Totally 74 species are endemic to Iran.

The anareolate New World subfamily Cladomorphinae Bradley & Galil, 1977 is reviewed and keys to the six tribes currently included are presented; these are: Cladomorphini Bradley & Galil, 1977, Cladoxerini Karny, 1923, Cranidiini Günther, 1953, Pterinoxylini n. trib., Hesperophasmatini Bradley & Galil, 1977 and Haplopodini Günther, 1953 rev. stat.. New diagnoses are presented for all these tribes and possible relationships within Cladomorphinae are discusssed. Morphology of the genitalia and egg-structures indicate Cladomorphinae as presently treated to be polyphyletic. Two subordinate groups are recognized within present Cladomorphinae, which differ considerably in numerous morphological characters of the insects and eggs. The first group and here regarded as Cladomorphinae sensu stricto is formed by the mostly South American Cladomorphini + Cranidiini + Cladoxerini, while the second group is formed by the predominantly Caribbean Hesperophasmatini + Pterinoxylini n. trib. + Haplopodini. Members of the first group (= Cladomorphini sensu stricto) share the dorsally carinate basitarsus…

Polypedilum nubifer (Skuse, 1889), originally described from Australia, is an apparently widespread species of Chironomidae (Diptera) that can attain nuisance densities in some eutrophic water bodies. Appropriate management depends upon the identity and ability to distinguish from potential cryptic taxa. A morphological study of larvae, pupae and adults of both sexes confirmed P. nubifer as widely distributed and frequently abundant, but also revealed two previously cryptic species of limited distribution in northern Australia. These species are described as new and illustrated in all stages here. Polypedilum quasinubifer Cranston sp. n. is described from north-west Queensland, Australia and also from Thailand and Singapore. Polypedilum paranubifer Cranston sp. n. is known only from retention ponds of a uranium mine in Northern Territory, Australia. Unusual morphological features of P. nubifer including alternate Lauterborn organs on the larval antenna, cephalic tubules on the pupa and frontal tubercles on the adult head are present in both new species as well. Newly slide-mounted…

Members of the genus Pirenella are abundant inhabitants of intertidal sedimentary shores, often found in association with mangroves, on the continental margins of the western Pacific and Indian Oceans, and eastern Mediterranean Sea. Until recently, four morphological species were recognised in the tropical Indo-West Pacific region and classified in the genus Cerithideopsilla, while another species occupying the Mediterranean and Indian Ocean was classified as Pirenella conica. Molecular phylogenetic analysis has demonstrated that all these species are congeneric and here it is shown that the valid name for the genus is Pirenella. A recently published molecular study recognised a total of 16 species and the present work is a systematic account of these species. Of the 16, nine are described as new. Other significant nomenclatural acts are: fixation of type species of Pirenella as Pirenella mammillata J.E. Gray, 1847; designation of neotypes for Cerithium alatum Philippi, 1849, Cerithium microptera Kiener, 1841, Cerithium conicum Blainville, 1829, Pirenella mammillata J.E. Gray, 1847…

Rhagovelia brunae Magalhães & Moreira sp. nov., collected in the State of Pará, Brazil, is described, illustrated, and compared with congeners. The new species belongs to the robusta group and can be differentiated from others by the general color black, abdominal sternum VII with black denticles laterally, male hind trochanter with 1-4 subequal spines plus a longer spine, and male hind femur lacking a medium spine between the proximal and distal rows of spines. Additionally, an updated identification key to species of the robusta group occurring in Brazil is presented.

The family Vespidae is represented in India by four subfamilies: Vespinae, Polistinae, Stenogastrinae, and Eumeninae. The subfamily Eumeninae is the most species rich among the Vespidae. The potter wasps of south India are reviewed for the first time to comprise 31 valid genera. The genera Discoelius Latreille, 1809, Coeleumenes van der Vecht, 1963, Euodynerus Dalla torre, 1904, and Pseudonortonia Giordani Soika, 1936 are newly reported from south India. Diagnoses and a key to south Indian eumenine genera are given. A total of 72 species and subspecies are listed, 15 of them are newly reported from Karnataka and two species from Kerala.

A new name, Kirkegaardia, is proposed to replace Monticellina Laubier, 1961, a bitentaculate cirratulid polychaete genus, that is a junior homonym of the turbellarian Monticellina Westblad, 1953 (Platyhelminthes, Rhabdocoela). In addition, the opportunity is taken to complete a major revision of the genus including the redescription, revalidation, and separation of three species previously referred to synonymy with K. dorsobranchialis (Kirkegaard, 1959) and five other previously described species. In addition, 16 new species are described from the western North Atlantic, eastern and central Pacific, off western South America, and seas around Antarctica, bringing the total number of species in the genus to 38. Included are two new species of the unusual mud ball worms, first reported as Tharyx luticastellus Jumars, 1975, from southern California deep basins. A review of all 38 species reveals that three distinct species groups may be identified within the genus in addition to 5-6 species that may eventually be referred elsewhere. This review includes a discussion of the taxonomic…

The taxonomy and systematics of the Neotropical genus Dendropaemon Perty is revised. The current study recognize 41 species organized into 12 subgenera. The establishment of the subgenera is reflecting the presented phylogenetic analysis. Six subgenera are established from previously available genus group names: Coprophanaeoides Edmonds, 1972; Dendropaemon Perty, 1830; Enicotarsus Laporte, 1831; Eurypodea Klages, 1906; Onthoecus Lacordaire, 1856; Paradendropaemon Edmonds, 1972 and Tetramereia Klages, 1907. Six additional subgenera are described as new: Glaphyropaemon n. subg.; Nigropaemon n. subg.; Rutilopaemon n. subg.; Streblopaemon n. subg.; Sulcopaemon n. subg. and Titthopaemon n. subg. The following 18 species are described as new: Dendropaemon (Coprophanaeoides) bluti n. sp.; Dendropaemon (Coprophanaeoides) carinifer n. sp.; Dendropaemon (Coprophanaeoides) compressipennis n. sp.; Dendropaemon (Coprophanaeoides) cribrosus n. sp.; Dendropaemon (Coprophanaeoides) furtadoi n. sp.; Dendropaemon (Coprophanaeoides) inflatus n. sp.; Dendropaemon (Coprophanaeoides) pilosissimus n. sp.;…

Lizards restricted to rocky habitats often comprise numerous deeply divergent lineages, reflecting the disjunct nature of their preferred habitat and the capacity of rocky habitats to function as evolutionary refugia. Here we review the systematics and diversity of the predominantly saxicoline Australian marbled velvet geckos (genus Oedura) in the Australian arid and semi-arid zones using newly-gathered morphological data and previously published genetic data. Earlier work showed that four largely allopatric and genetically divergent lineages are present: Western (Pilbara and Gascoyne regions), Gulf (west and south of the Gulf of Carpentaria), Central (central ranges) and Eastern (Cooper and Darling Basins). None of these four populations are conspecific with true O. marmorata, a seperate species complex that is restricted to the Top End region of the Northern Territory. Top End forms share a short, bulbous tail whereas the other four lineages treated here possess a long, tapering tail. Morphological differences among the arid and semi-arid lineages include smaller body size,…