The 100 most-cited articles in Zootaxa, 2018

The order Cypriniformes is the most diverse order of freshwater fishes. Recent phylogenetic studies have approached a consensus on the phylogenetic relationships of Cypriniformes and proposed a new phylogenetic classification of family-level groupings in Cypriniformes. The lack of a reference for the placement of genera amongst families has hampered the adoption of this phylogenetic classification more widely. We herein provide an updated compilation of the membership of genera to suprageneric taxa based on the latest phylogenetic classifications. We propose a new taxon: subfamily Esominae within Danionidae, for the genus Esomus.

A laboratory strain identified as "Hypsibius dujardini" is one of the best studied tardigrade strains: it is widely used as a model organism in a variety of research projects, ranging from developmental and evolutionary biology through physiology and anatomy to astrobiology. Hypsibius dujardini, originally described from the Île-de-France by Doyère in the first half of the 19th century, is now the nominal species for the superfamily Hypsibioidea. The species was traditionally considered cosmopolitan despite the fact that insufficient, old and sometimes contradictory descriptions and records prevented adequate delineations of similar Hypsibius species. As a consequence, H. dujardini appeared to occur globally, from Norway to Samoa. In this paper, we provide the first integrated taxonomic redescription of H. dujardini. In addition to classic imaging by light microscopy and a comprehensive morphometric dataset, we present scanning electron photomicrographs, and DNA sequences for three nuclear markers (18S rRNA, 28S rRNA, ITS-2) and one mitochondrial marker (COI) that are characterised…

The flat wasp family Bethylidae Haliday lacks global scale literature on their alpha taxonomy. The only world revision for the family was by Kieffer in 1914 and is fully out of date and somewhat useless; the only catalog for the family was made by Gordh Móczár in 1990 and does not include hundreds of changes made since then; and the most recent world genera keys were proposed by Terayama in 2003, but do not reflect the current knowledge we have for the family. Given this scenario, we present a global guide of Bethylidae with diagnoses, taxonomic evaluation, keys, and a checklist of all their extant genera and subfamilies. We visited the main collections around the world, analyzed about 2,000 holotypes, and examined at least 400,000 specimens. To eliminate homonymies, we add the prefix "neo" to the original specific epithet when possible. The family is now composed by 2,920 species allocated in 96 genera distributed in eight subfamilies: Bethylinae, Pristocerinae, Epyrinae, Mesitiinae, Scleroderminae, Lancepyrinae, Holopsenellinae and Protopristocerinae. The latter three are extinct.…

An annotated checklist of the marine brachyuran crabs occurring in India is compiled from published literature and augmented by collections between 2005 and 2015. A total of 910 species belonging to 361 genera and 62 families are herein listed from Indian waters. Specimens representing 130 species were obtained from Gujarat state during 2005 and 2015, of which 23 are new records to Gujarat state and two species are reported for the first time from the west coast of India. The highest number of species were recorded from the Andaman and Nicobar islands (588 species) while the smallest number were from Goa and Karnataka state (82 species). The records indicate that the east coast of India, with 803 species, is more diverse than the west coast, which has 446 species.

Study of all flies (Diptera) collected for one year from a four-hectare (150 x 266 meter) patch of cloud forest at 1,600 meters above sea level at Zurquí de Moravia, San José Province, Costa Rica (hereafter referred to as Zurquí), revealed an astounding 4,332 species. This amounts to more than half the number of named species of flies for all of Central America. Specimens were collected with two Malaise traps running continuously and with a wide array of supplementary collecting methods for three days of each month. All morphospecies from all 73 families recorded were fully curated by technicians before submission to an international team of 59 taxonomic experts for identification. Overall, a Malaise trap on the forest edge captured 1,988 species or 51% of all collected dipteran taxa (other than of Phoridae, subsampled only from this and one other Malaise trap). A Malaise trap in the forest sampled 906 species. Of other sampling methods, the combination of four other Malaise traps and an intercept trap, aerial/hand collecting, 10 emergence traps, and four CDC light traps added the…

The current checklist provides for each species of the Red Sea its records in the Gulf of Suez, Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea main basin and its general distribution.This new checklist of Red Sea fishes enumerates 1207 species, representing 164 families. Of these, 797 species were recorded from the Gulf of Aqaba and 339 from the Gulf of Suez. The number of species from the Gulf of Suez is evidently lower than the actual number not including 27 Lessepsian (Red Sea) migrants to the Mediterranean that most likely occur in the Gulf. The current list includes 73 species that were newly described for science since the last checklist of 2010. The most specious Osteichthyes families are: Gobiidae (134 species), Labridae (66), Apogonidae (59), Serranidae (including Anthiadinae) (44), Blenniidae (42), Carangidae (38), Muraenidae (36), Pomacentridae (35), Syngnathidae (34), Scorpaenidae (24) and Lutjanidae (23). Among the families of Chondrichthyes, the most specious families are the Carcharhinidae (18 species) and Dasyatidae (11). The total number of endemic species in the Red Sea is 174 species, of…

A molecular phylogeny and a review of family-group classification are presented for 137 species (ca. 125 genera) of the insect family Cicadidae, the true cicadas, plus two species of hairy cicadas (Tettigarctidae) and two outgroup species from Cercopidae. Five genes, two of them mitochondrial, comprise the 4992 base-pair molecular dataset. Maximum-likelihood and Bayesian phylogenetic results are shown, including analyses to address potential base composition bias. Tettigarcta is confirmed as the sister-clade of the Cicadidae and support is found for three subfamilies identified in an earlier morphological cladistic analysis. A set of paraphyletic deep-level clades formed by African genera are together named as Tettigomyiinae n. stat. Taxonomic reassignments of genera and tribes are made where morphological examination confirms incorrect placements suggested by the molecular tree, and 11 new tribes are defined (Arenopsaltriini n. tribe, Durangonini n. tribe, Katoini n. tribe, Lacetasini n. tribe, Macrotristriini n. tribe, Malagasiini n. tribe, Nelcyndanini n. tribe, Pagiphorini n.…

Although the Greenland fish fauna has been studied for more than 200 years, new species continue to be discovered. We here take the opportunity of the International Polar Year 2007–08 (IPY) to present an updated check-list of the fishes of Greenland and discuss whether the growing diversity can be explained by global warming. A total of 269 species from 80 families are known from the Greenland Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), based on published literature and specimens in museum collections. Since the latest publication covering all known Greenland fishes [Nielsen & Bertelsen 1992], 57 species have been added. Nineteen of these (Harriotta raleighana, Centroscymnus coelolepis, Bathytroctes microlepis, Einara edentula, Ceratoscopelus maderensis, Argyropelecus gigas, Maurolicus muelleri, Polyipnus asteroides, Nansenia oblita, Melanostomias bartonbeani, Polymetme corythaeola, Coryphaenoides mediterraneus, Merlangius merlangus, Guttigadus latifrons, Entelurus aequoreus, Helicolenus dactylopterus, Epigonus telescopus, Lophius piscatorius, Linophryne bicornis) are reported here for the first…

The phylogenetic relationships of bandicoots and bilbies have been somewhat problematic, with conflicting results between morphological work and molecular data. This conflict makes it difficult to assess the taxonomic status of species and subspecies within this order, and also prevents accurate evolutionary assessments. Here, we present a new total evidence analysis, combining the latest cranio-dental morphological matrix containing both modern and fossil taxa, with molecular data from GenBank. Several subspecies were scored in the morphological dataset to match the molecular data available. Both parsimony and Bayesian analyses were performed, giving similar topologies except for the position of four fossil taxa. Total evidence dating places the peramelemorphian crown origin close to the Oligocene/Miocene boundary, and the radiations of most modern genera beginning in the Late Miocene or Early Pliocene. Our results show that some species and subspecies require taxonomic reassessment, and are revised here. We also describe a new, extinct species from the Nullarbor region. This…

The family Echiniscidae comprises limno-terrestrial heterotardigrades with a strongly sclerotised dorsum, typically covered with plates. Among other members of the Echiniscus evolutionary line, the genus Testechiniscus Kristensen, 1987 stands out with well-developed ventral armature and polygonal sculpturing of the dorsal plates. It has alleged bipolar distribution (with satellite alpine records in the Holarctic). Thanks to fresh material from terra typica (Svalbard), we integratively redescribe (i.e. using light and electron microscopy imaging, morphometry, and molecular methods) the nominal species for the genus, Testechiniscus spitsbergensis (Scourfield, 1897). A comparison of the neotype series with a number of Holarctic records revealed morphological variability suggesting that the species may encompass several taxa, which, most likely, will be possible to delineate primarily with molecular tools. Moreover, based on material from Simien Mountains (Northern Ethiopia), we describe a new sibling subspecies, Testechiniscus spitsbergensis tropicalis ssp. nov. Extensive morphometric…

The fauna of weevils Curculionoidea of Ukraine numbers 1453 species equivalent to 25.3% of European fauna. They belong to 10 families and 364 genera. A total of 51 species are recorded from Ukraine for the first time. Assessment of inventory completeness indicates that 62% of the area of Ukraine are covered by samples. Spatial join analysis has reveals strong collecting biases and shows maximal richness in cells which fall into well-sampled provinces. A total of 22 out of 33 studied model sites are well-sampled (C>0.5). In total, we estimate ca.1470 species of Curculionoidea living in Ukraine. Curculionidae comprise the majority (82%) of the fauna, with 1202 species and 266 genera, and with remarkably high proportion of the three largest subfamilies: Entiminae (26%), Curculioninae (19%), and Ceutorhynchinae (18%). Consolidated data analysis shows highest richness (678-822 spp.) in provinces which fall into the mountain areas. Aggregated species richness for each of five ecoregions uncovers highest values in Pontic steppe (665 species) and East European forest-steppe (593 species).…

Keys to the subfamilies of Cecidomyiidae and to the 150 genera of Cecidomyiinae known to occur in North America are presented. Information is given within the key for each of the genera on distribution, number of species and habits. Patterns of general distribution for the subfamily are discussed. A glossary to anatomical terms is included.

By August 2017 an estimated 13,047 species and subspecies of extant reptiles have been described by a total of 6,454 papers and books which are listed in a supplementary file. For 1,052 species a total of 2,452 subspecies (excluding nominate subspecies) had been described by 2017, down from 1,295 species and 4,411 subspecies in 2009, due to the elevation of many subspecies to species. Here we summarize the history of these taxon description beginning with Linnaeus in 1758. While it took 80 years to reach the first 1,000 species in 1838, new species and subspecies descriptions since then have been added at a roughly constant rate of 1000 new taxa every 12-17 years. The only exception were the decades during World Wars I and II and the beginning of this millennium when the rate of descriptions increased to now about 7 years for the last 1,000 taxa. The top 101 most productive herpetologists (in terms of "taxon output") have described more than 8,000 species and subspecies, amounting to over 60% of all currently valid taxa. More than 90% of all species were described in either English…

Cobras are among the most widely known venomous snakes, and yet their taxonomy remains incompletely understood, particularly in Africa. Here, we use a combination of mitochondrial and nuclear gene sequences and morphological data to diagnose species limits within the African forest cobra, Naja (Boulengerina) melanoleuca. Mitochondrial DNA sequences reveal deep divergences within this taxon. Congruent patterns of variation in mtDNA, nuclear genes and morphology support the recognition of five separate species, confirming the species status of N. subfulva and N. peroescobari, and revealing two previously unnamed West African species, which are described as new: Naja (Boulengerina) guineensis sp. nov. Broadley, Trape, Chirio, Ineich Wüster, from the Upper Guinea forest of West Africa, and Naja (Boulengerina) savannula sp. nov. Broadley, Trape, Chirio Wüster, a banded form from the savanna-forest mosaic of the Guinea and Sudanian savannas of West Africa. The discovery of cryptic diversity in this iconic group highlights our limited understanding of tropical African biodiversity,…

The taxonomy of the genus Cricetulus has been controversial. The phylogenetic relationships both within the genus and among Cricetulus lineages and other genera were examined using a set of five nuclear and two mitochondrial genes. The results demonstrate that Cricetulus in its current treatment is a polyphyletic assemblage because the subgenus Urocricetus is phylogenetically unrelated to all other Cricetulus and is a distant sister group to Phodopus. The grey hamster (C. migratorius) proved to be closer to Cricetus and Allocricetulus than to Cricetulus proper, which includes C. barabensis C. sokolovi and C. longicaudatus. Based on these results Urocricetus is elevated to the rank of a full genus and a new genus Nothocricetulus gen.nov. is described for the grey hamster.

Molecular and morphological evidence has shown that the African slender-snouted, or sharp-nosed, crocodile Mecistops cataphractus (Cuvier, 1824) is comprised of two superficially cryptic species: one endemic to West Africa and the other endemic to Central Africa. Our ability to characterize the two species is compromised by the complicated taxonomic history of the lineage and overlapping ranges of variation in distinguishing morphological features. The name M. cataphractus was evidently originally based on West African material, but the holotype is now lost. Although types exist for other names based on the West African form, the name M. cataphractus is sufficiently entrenched in the literature, and other names sufficiently obscure, to justify retypification. Here, we designate a neotype for M. cataphractus and restrict it to West Africa. We resurrect M. leptorhynchus as a valid species from Central Africa and identify exemplary referred specimens that, collectively, overcome the obscurity and diagnostic limits of the extant holotype. We additionally indicate suitable neotype…

The order Diptera is remarkably diverse, not only in species but in morphological variation in every life stage, making them excellent candidates for phylogenetic analysis. Such analysis has been hampered by methods that have severely restricted character state interpretation. Morphological-based phylogenies should be based on a deep understanding of the morphology, development and function of character states, and have extensive outgroup comparisons made to determine their polarity. Character states clearly vary in their value for determining phylogenetic relationships and this needs to be studied and utilized. Characters themselves need more explicit discussion, including how some may be developmentally or functionally related to other characters (and potentially not independent indicators of genealogical relationship). The current practice by many, of filling a matrix with poorly understood character states and highly limited outgroup comparisons, is unacceptable if the results are to be a valid reflection of the actual history of the group.Parsimony analysis is not an objective…

We incorporate DNA sequences from a comprehensive sampling of taxa to provide an updated phylogeny of Osedax and discuss the remarkable diversity of this clade of siboglinids. We formally describe 14 new species of Osedax from Monterey Bay, California, USA, raising the total number of properly named Osedax species to 25. These new species had formerly been recognized by informal names in various publications, and on GenBank. The descriptions document the occurrence of dwarf males in five of the new species. The distribution for the 19 species of Osedax known to occur in Monterey Bay across depths from 385 to 2898 meters and various bone substrates is documented. The exploitation of extant bird and marine turtle bones by Osedax is reported for the first time.

The Megophrys major species group (MMSG) is composed of typically medium to large sized frogs. Within the genus, it is the most geographically widespread clade ranging from the western Himalayas to southern Indochina. In this study, we examined in detail the extent of cryptic diversity within the MMSG-Indian populations based on molecular data (up to ten genes) using multigene concatenation and coalescent-based phylogenetic techniques, species delimitation analyses and extensive morphological data.Molecular evidence suggests a high level of hidden cryptic diversity within the MMSG, particularly within the M. major species complex (MMC), highlighting overlapping distributions, a case of potential mitochondrial transfer between two species, and tree topology discordance between phylogenetic methods and mitochondrial and nuclear data sets. Most analyses indicated distinct eastern and western clades in the MMC, and that the western clade may further divide into a northern and a southern subclade.A detailed taxonomic review of Indian members of the Megophrys major species group is…

Megophrys are a group of morphologically conserved, primarily forest-dependent frogs known to harbour cryptic species diversity. In this study, we examined populations of small-sized Megophrys from mid- and high elevation locations in the Hoang Lien Range, northern Vietnam. On the basis of morphological, molecular and bioacoustic data, individuals of these populations differed from all species of Megophrys known from mainland Southeast Asia north of the Isthmus of Kra and from neighbouring provinces in China. Further, the newly collected specimens formed two distinct species-level groups. We herein describe two new species, Megophrys fansipanensis sp. nov. and Megophrys hoanglienensis sp. nov. Both new species are range restricted and likely to be highly threatened by habitat degradation. These discoveries highlight the importance of the Hoang Lien Range for Vietnam's amphibian diversity.

This catalog documents 303 species within 142 genera and 56 families distributed in the suborders Amphilochidea, Senticaudata and order Ingolfiellida that have been described or reported for the Brazilian coast and continent. Data for these species such as type material, type locality, geographic and bathymetric distribution, ecological notes and remarks, when pertinent, was given. From these, 268 species (~ 90%) are benthonic, marine and/or estuarine occurring from a diverse type of substrates as sediment, algae, sponges, cnidarians, ascideans, mangrove roots, fouling habitats, coral rubble, rodolith banks, etc. In terms of bathymetry, there are 214 species (~ 80%) reported for the Brazilian continental shelf (0-200 m) and 60 (~20%) for the deep sea zone (> 200 m, 50% from the Campos Basin area). There are 35 non-marine amphipods reported from Brazil. Hyalella is the restricted and dominant epigean group and is represented by 22 species, including some hypogean and cave species. Cave dwellers includes 15 species within 6 genera as: Hyalella (5); Megagidiella (1); Potiberaba (1);…

The diversity of Cobitis in the Middle East is reviewed, resulting in the recognition of 30 species, of which eight are described herein as new. Two species, C. amphilekta and C. kellei, seem to be extinct. Hypotheses on species-level diversity derived from distance and Poisson tree process analyses of DNA barcode data are tested against morphometric and morphological characters including colour patterns. For species pairs separated by small K2P distances in COI sequence data we follow a practitioner-oriented diagnostic species concept, in which we recognise species only if differentiated morphologically (including by colour pattern). For all 30 species we provide diagnoses and identification keys. Cobitis afifeae, new species, from the Büyük Menderes River drainage in the Aegean Sea basin, is distinguished by having two laminae circularis in the male, a row of blotches below Z4, a small, roundish or comma-shaped black spot at the upper caudal-fin base, and elevated mental lobes. Cobitis aliyeae, new species, from the lower Seyhan and Ceyhan River drainages, is distinguished by…

The synchronous firefly genus Pteroptyx Olivier is reassessed from morphological, molecular, and habitat perspectives in Malaysia, and includes some reliably associated females described from morphological features and internal female reproductive anatomy. Phylogenetic analyses using combined morphological and molecular data (where available) for 158 taxa supported all the major features of the existing taxonomic categories within the Indopacific Luciolinae. They revealed a distinct Pteroptyx clade as a morphologically variable genus with Poluninius selangoriensis Ballantyne being newly synonymised with Luciola testacea Motschulsky, the type species, which is redescribed from the type series. Pteroptyx gelasina Ballantyne was shown to be distinct and three of the four morphological subdivisions within Pteroptyx malaccae (Gorham) considered useful. A new species Pt. balingiana Jusoh sp. nov. is described from Sarawak. A second specimen of Pt. gombakia Ballantyne is described and figured. Some females were reliably associated with identified males by molecular data, but investigation…

Cynipid gallwasps comprise 1364 species worldwide, predominantly in temperate regions of the Holarctic. The vast majority of recorded species are from the Nearctic and the Western Palaearctic, both of which are long-standing centers of research on the taxonomy and biology of this group. In contrast, the Eastern Palaearctic and the Oriental Region faunas are much less studied, but potentially extremely rich. Previously recorded species richness of cynipid groups in the Eastern Palaearctic and Oriental regions probably represents a significant underestimate. This is particularly marked for gallwasps associated with oaks (tribe Cynipini), as has been shown by recent works, which describe many new species galling oaks in the subgenera Quercus and Cyclobalanopsis and plants of the other Fagaceae genera (Castanopsis, Lithocarpus and Castanea). In the present paper, we summarise the current knowledge of oak gallwasps in the regions that extend from Pakistan, through Nepal and China to Japan and south to Indonesia, and list a total of 97 species of Cynipini from the area.

The complete list of Canarian marine decapods (last update by González Quiles 2003, popular book) currently comprises 374 species/subspecies, grouped in 198 genera and 82 families; whereas the Cape Verdean marine decapods (now fully listed for the first time) are represented by 343 species/subspecies with 201 genera and 80 families. Due to changing environmental conditions, in the last decades many subtropical/tropical taxa have reached the coasts of the Canary Islands. Comparing the carcinofaunal composition and their biogeographic components between the Canary and Cape Verde archipelagos would aid in: validating the appropriateness in separating both archipelagos into different ecoregions (Spalding et al. 2007), and understanding faunal movements between areas of benthic habitat. The consistency of both ecoregions is here compared and validated by assembling their decapod crustacean checklists, analysing their taxa composition, gathering their bathymetric data, and comparing their biogeographic patterns. Four main evidences (i.e. different taxa; divergent taxa composition;…

In a mixed moss and lichen sample collected in Esmeraldas Province in north-western Ecuador, 20 tardigrades and 11 eggs, belonging to a new species of the genus Mesobiotus, were found. In addition to the traditional taxonomic description with morphometrics, light and scanning microscopy imaging, we also provide nucleotide sequences of three nuclear (18S rRNA, 28S rRNA, ITS-2) and one mitochondrial (COI) DNA fragments of the new species. Based on the egg chorion morphology, Mesobiotus romani sp. nov. is the most similar to: M. binieki, M. coronatus, M. dimentmani, M. patiens, M. perfidus, M. philippinicusi, M. pseudoblocki, M. pseudocoronatus, M. pseudopatiens, M. radiatus, M. rigidus, M. simulans and M. wuzhishanensis, but differs mainly by some specific characters of both egg and adult morphology, and morphometrics.

The Korean Peninsula and its associated Pacific islands have a distinctive, yet poorly studied mammalian fauna. Korea was a land of invasions and wars for many centuries. The loss of large mammals per unit area that has occurred in Korea may have been greater than in any other country. The peninsula has a depauperate rodent community. The forests are mostly harvested, replaced by intensive agriculture. Unfortunately, the dissemination of information about the mammals of Korea and their taxonomy has been limited because most publications were written in Japanese or Korean. We provide an updated checklist of all the species of Korean mammals, including a review of their taxonomy, distribution, and conservation status based on information extracted from international museum collections, local survey databases (Wildlife Survey and National Nature-Environmental Survey, South Korea) and a literature review. We identify 84 species of terrestrial mammals and 43 species of marine mammals that occur, or once occurred, in Korea. Due to previous, erroneous identifications, we delisted three…

We describe a new species of Brachycephalus from municipality of São Francisco do Sul and municipality of Itapoá, in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil, southern Atlantic Forest. The new species is known from six localities from near sea level up to 250 meters and represents the first record of a "pumpkin-toadlet" occurring in the lowlands. Morphological traits and phylogenetic analysis of a fragment the 16S mtDNA gene place the new species in the Brachycephalus pernix group. The new species is supported by external morphology, osteology, advertisement call, and mtDNA divergence. It is characterized, among other traits by a dorsal body color dark green with a dark brown vertebral stripe, and an orange background; snout-vent length of 9.2-10.8 mm in males and 11.1-12.4 mm in females; and advertisement call short (0.02-0.03 seconds), composed of one high-frequency note (dominant frequency 6.6-7.3 kHz). We observed synchronized alternation in the emission of vocalizations among neighbor males, indicating that males of the new species are able to hear and use vocalizations to interact…

We establish two new monotypic genera, Robertsicus n. gen. and Archaeocroton n. gen., based on two enigmatic species of Amblyomma. Robertsicus, with the type species R. elaphensis (Price, 1959) n. comb., is proposed for Amblyomma elaphense, the tick of the Trans-Pecos rat-snake of the Chihuahuan Desert of Mexico and southeastern USA (parts of Arizona, West Texas and New Mexico). Archaeocroton, with the type species Ar. sphenodonti (Dumbleton, 1943) n. comb., is proposed for Amblyomma sphenodonti, the tuatara tick of New Zealand. This is another step in the resolution of the systematic problems concerning the genus Aponomma, a heterogeneous group of eyeless ticks with a predilection for reptiles. By removing R. elaphensis (Price, 1959) and Ar. sphenodonti (Dumbleton, 1943) from the genus Amblyomma we have resolved, for now at least, the polyphyly of the genus Amblyomma. We have also resolved a 50-year old mystery: the identity of Hoogstraal's and Kaufman's "primitive" tick from the Carpathian Mountains that had a "striking resemblance" to Ar. sphenodonti n. comb.; it was an Ar.…

The Cicadoidea comprise two families, the Cicadidae and the Tettigarctidae. This paper evaluates the status and taxonomy of all named Cicadoidea fossils belonging to the Cicadidae. Shcherbakov (2009) has previously revised the Tettigarctidae. Two new genera are described, Camuracicada gen. n. and Paleopsalta gen. n., for Camuracicada aichhorni (Heer, 1853) comb. n. and Paleopsalta ungeri (Heer, 1853) comb. n. A lectotype is designated for Cicada emathion Heer, 1853. Cicada grandiosa Scudder, 1892 is transferred to Hadoa Moulds, 2015 as Hadoa grandiosa comb. n.; Oncotympana lapidescens J. Zhang, 1989 is transferred to Hyalessa China, 1925 as Hyalessa lapidescens comb. n.; Meimuna incasa J. Zhang, Sun X. Zhang, 1994 and Meimuna miocenica J. Zhang X. Zhang, 1990 are transferred to Cryptotympana Stål, 1861 as Cryptotympana incasa comb. n. and Cryptotympana miocenica comb. n.; Tibicen sp. aff. japonicus Kato, 1925 is transferred to Auritibicen as Auritibicen sp. aff. japonicus comb. n., and Terpnosia sp. aff. vacua Olivier, 1790 is transferred to Yezoterpnosia Matsumura, 1917 as…

Male sciarids collected in Australia from inside post-entry quarantine and domestic greenhouses and from vegetable gardens and various plants, were slide mounted and identified. Specimens intercepted during on-arrival biosecurity inspections of imported nursery stock plants were also examined, and the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries collection of slide-mounted Sciaridae was reviewed. Plant and mushroom pest species that are present in Australia are Bradysia impatiens (Johannsen), B. ocellaris (Comstock), Lycoriella agraria (Felt), L. ingenua (Dufour) = Sciara womersleyi Séguy, 1940 syn. n., L. sativae (Johannsen) = Sciara auberti Séguy, 1940 syn. n., Sciara jeanneli Séguy, 1940 syn. n., Sciara solispina Hardy, 1956 syn. n., and Cosmosciara hartii (Johannsen, 1912) comb. n. = Plastosciara perniciosa Edwards, 1922 syn. n. The last species is a new record for Australia. Bradysia tilicola (Loew) and Pnyxia scabiei (Hopkins) are potential pest species, but they have not been reported yet from Australia. An identification key to enable separation of the pest species is…

Alitta virens species complex encompasses elongate nereidids appreciated commercially both in the fishing and aquaculture industries. This complex has been well studied in biological and ecological terms. Nevertheless, detailed taxonomic analyses have scarcely been addressed, to the extent that only a few species in the complex have been recognized as valid but with some difficulties: Alitta brandti Malmgren, 1865 (Sea of Okhotsk), A. grandis (Stimpson, 1853) (northeastern USA) and A. virens (Sars, 1835) (Norway). Whereas, other several species have typically been regarded as synonyms, including those originally described from the North Pacific Ocean: Nereis (Alitta) virens plenidentata Moore, 1909 (California, USA), Nereis dyamusi Izuka, 1912 (Japan) and Nereis foliata Baird, 1863 (Vancouver, Canada). In this study, an examination of the immature and epitoke type and non-type material available for the A. virens species complex from the North Pacific was carried out. Herein, the status of A. brandti as a valid species is reinforced being clearly distinct from A. virens and related…

Lizards of the genus Calotes are geographically restricted to South Asia, Indo-China and parts of Southeast Asia. The greatest diversity of the genus is from the biodiversity hotspots in South Asia: Western Ghats (Peninsular India), Sri Lanka and Indo-Burma. Here, we present a systematic revision of members of the genus Calotes from Peninsular India using a combination of molecular phylogeny, geographical distribution and morphological characters. We show that Calotes from the Western Ghats is paraphyletic and consists of three major clades, one of which is widely distributed in South and Southeast (SE) Asia, while the others are restricted to Peninsular India. The Peninsular Indian clade is composed of two sister clades: Psammophilus, with a wider distribution and a second clade, composed of two extant species, Calotes rouxii and Calotes ellioti and two new species, all restricted to the Western Ghats region. Based on morphological differences, we retain the generic status of Psammophilus and assign its sister clade to a new genus Monilesaurus gen. nov. and transfer the following…

This study is part of a series of checklists resulting from a long-term multidisciplinary project on the biodiversity of decapod crustaceans from the marine and coastal environments (including estuaries) of São Paulo State (Brazil). For that, we integrated molecular techniques (mitochondrial DNA markers) and morphological analyses of adult specimens for an accurate and detailed identification. The DNA markers were used when the morphological identification was doubtful, particularly in the recognition of cryptic species. This second manuscript presents a checklist of the Alpheidae caridean shrimps from the coast of São Paulo. We report the occurrence of Alpheus cf. paracrinitus and Synalpheus townsendi for the first time in the region. Based on our survey, 39 species of Alpheidae are known for this region: Alpheus (21 spp.), Athanas (2 spp.), Automate (2 spp.), Leptalpheus (1 spp.), Salmoneus (3 spp.), and Synalpheus (10 spp.). We collected 28 species and obtained cytochrome oxidase subunit I (barcode region) and/or 16S partial sequences of 26 of them. These sequences may be used…

New records of Gryllacrididae from South East Asia to New Guinea are reported, new taxa are described and type specimens from European collections redescribed. The wing venation of the tegmina and its variation within the family is discussed. A new key to the 50 genera and subgenera of Gryllacrididae occurring in the area from South East Asia to New Guinea is provided. Six genera and two subgenera are introduced as new: Angustogryllacris gen. nov., Minigryllacris gen. nov., Monseremus gen. nov., Siamgryllacris gen. nov., Paraneanias gen. nov., Plexigryllacris gen. nov., Pseudasarca subgen. nov. of Asarcogryllacris Karny, 1937, Xiphilarnaca subgen. nov. of Metriogryllacris Karny, 1937. Two genera Gigantogryllacris Karny, 1937 and Pardogryllacris Karny, 1937 are reduced to subgeneric status under Gryllacris Audinet-Serville, 1831 and one monotypic genus Cyanogryllacris Karny, 1937 is synonymised with Capnogryllacris Karny, 1937. 70 species and nine subspecies are described as new: Eugryllacris gandaki sp. nov., Eugryllacris guomashan sp. nov., Eugryllacris crassicauda sp. nov.,…

Elasmobranchii is a clade of chondrichthyans (cartilaginous fishes) that comprises sharks, skates and rays represented today by approximately 1,200 species. Chondrichthyans have a long evolutionary history dating back to the Late Ordovician (ca. 450 million years ago [Mya]) based on isolated dermal denticles (Janvier 1996). Other remains such as articulated skeletons and teeth are known from the Lower Devonian (ca. 410 Mya: Mader 1986; Miller et al. 2003). The fossil record of modern elasmobranchs (Neoselachii) can be traced back to the Early Permian (ca. 290 Mya) and is represented by isolated teeth (Ivanov 2005), with fossils of crown group sharks and rays appearing in Lower Jurassic (ca. 200 Mya) rocks (e.g., Cappetta 2012). Since their appearance in the geological record, elasmobranchs are mainly represented by isolated teeth, whereas articulated skeletons are very rare and restricted to a small number of fossil localities (e.g., Cappetta 2012). The scarcity of skeletal remains in their fossil record is due to their poorly mineralized cartilaginous skeleton that requires special…

Morphological, acoustic and molecular analyses result in the description of Leptolalax rowleyae sp. nov., a new species of frog in the Megophryidae, belonging to the L. applebyi Rowley Cao species group from central Vietnam. It differs from its congeners by a combination of the following morphological attributes: (1) adult SVL 23.4-25.4 mm in males and 27-27.8 mm in females; (2) presence of distinct dark/brown dorsolateral markings, including black spots on flanks; (3) pinkish milk-white to light brown chest and belly with numerous white speckles; (4) tympanum distinct; (5) absence of webbing or lateral dermal fringes on fingers and toes; (6) pectoral glands comparatively small (3.3-4.7% of SVL); (7) ventrolateral glands indistinct; and (8) iris bicolored with copper tint in upper half fading to golden in lower third of iris. The male advertisement call of the new species consists of 4-6 notes, lacking a distinct introductory note, with an average dominant frequency of 3.2-3.5 kHz. The description of the tadpole constitutes the first description of larval morphology for a member of…

Species of the subfamily Cypricercinae collected from Thailand, mainly from the Northern Provinces, are here reported and/or (re-) described. Nineteen species, belonging to seven genera were found. Six new species, Strandesia hornei sp. nov., Strandesia sanoamuangae sp. nov., Pseudostrandesia gaetani sp. nov., Pseudostrandesia ovata sp. nov., Pseudostrandesia phetchabunensis sp. nov. and Pseudostrandesia thailandensis sp. nov., are described. A species list of the Cypricercinae in Southeast Asia is given and the general distribution and ecology of the Cypricercinae from Thailand is briefly discussed.

Fifty species of sea lice, members of the family Caligidae, were collected from the marine fishes of Moreton Bay, Queensland, during two workshops held in 2016. Only 21 of these species had previously been reported from Australian waters: of the remaining 29 species, 13 are new to science and another 16 are recorded from Australia for the first time. An illustrated differential diagnosis is presented for well known species; but for new or poorly known species a full description is provided. The 13 new species are: Anuretes amplus sp. nov. and A. amymichaelae sp. nov., both from Diagramma pictum (Thunberg, 1792); Caligus abigailae sp. nov. from Sphyraena obtusata Cuvier, 1829; C. elasmobranchi sp. nov. from Himantura uarnak (Gmelin, 1789), H. toshi Whitley, 1939, Dasyatis fluviorum Ogilby, 1908, Aetobatus ocellatus (Kuhl, 1823) and Pastinachus atrus (Macleay, 1883); C. hyporhamphi sp. nov. from Hyporhamphus quoyi (Valenciennes, 1847); C. nataliae sp. nov. from Herklotsichthys castelnaui (Ogilby, 1897) and Neoarius graeffei (Kner Steindachner, 1867); C. neoaricolus sp. nov. and C.…

A new species of microhylid frog Microhyla kodial sp. nov. from the west coast of India is described in this paper. It is distinct from all described species of Microhyla occurring in South and Southeast Asia as revealed by a combination of morphological, molecular and acoustic characters. The new species is characterized by absence of lateral body stripe, tuberculated dorsal skin surface, absence of webbing between fingers, presence of basal webbing between toes and absence of dorsal marginal groove on finger and toe disc. Each male advertisement call lasts for 0.11-0.42 s and is comprised of 2-7 pulses with a dominant frequency of 3.3-4.2 kHz. The breeding season is short, limited to the rainy season (June to September) and the females lay up to 300 eggs per clutch. A molecular phylogenetic tree constructed using the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene shows that M. kodial sp. nov. is closely related to the M. achatina group from Southeast Asia. The uncorrected genetic divergence between the new species and its closest congeners M. heymonsi, M. mantheyi, M. borneensis and M. orientalis…

This article presents an annotated list of nematode taxa found in mangrove forests along four Vietnamese rivers: the Mekong, Be, Red and Yen Rivers. The list includes 208 species belonging to 88 genera, 36 families and 11 orders of the phylum Nematoda. Three genera and 138 species were first described from these habitats as new taxa. Theristus orientalis Gagarin, Nguyen Vu Thanh, 2005 is transferred to the genus Daptonema Cobb, 1920 as D. orientale (Gagarin, Nguyen Vu Thanh, 2005) nov.nom.. based on the presence of three terminal caudal setae.

In 1954, McGregor described two species of phytoseiids from lemon, in California, USA: Typhlodromus californicus McGregor and T. mungeri McGregor, the former represented by one male, and the latter by two females. Since its description, T. mungeri was synonymised under T. californicus, and the name T. (now Neoseiulus) californicus has been used extensively to represent a species that is now commonly used as a biocontrol agent of crop pests worldwide. However, the true identity of the biocontrol agent is uncertain because the original descriptions of T. californicus and T. mungeri were not adequate enough to allow an irrefutable identification, with each description being based on specimens of a single sex. An examination of the types of N. californicus and N. mungeri revealed that they are morphologically identical to the male and female of N. barkeri Hughes, 1948, respectively, and that they are in fact junior synonyms of N. barkeri-and are therefore distinct from the biocontrol agent globally called N. californicus (sensu Athias-Henriot, 1977; see Griffiths, 2015). This is further…

Arma custos and A. chinensis have a very conspicuous difference in the shape of the pronotal humeral angle, but the genitalic morphological characters are ambiguous and difficult to recognize. The aim of this study was to analyze the taxonomic status of A. chinensis and A. custos based on morphological, molecular, and geographical evidence, and to determine whether DNA barcoding could be a useful additional tool for differentiating similar species. The results clearly demonstrate that A. custos and A. chinensis have not diverged into separate species. So, the following new synonym is proposed: Arma chinensis Fallou, 1881 = Arma custos (Fabricius, 1794) syn. nov.. The results also showed that DNA barcoding using the marker COI can resolve insect taxonomic problems.

In this paper we describe Macrobiotus papei, a new species of the Macrobiotus hufelandi complex from the Udzungwa Mountains National Park in Tanzania. Our research included the traditional morphology-based taxonomic analysis, supported by morphometrics, light and scanning electron microscopy imaging, as well as analysis of nucleotide sequences of three nuclear (18S rRNA, 28S rRNA, ITS-2) and one mitochondrial (COI) marker. The molecular sequences provided a more accurate description and independent verification of the taxonomic status of M. papei sp. nov. Such integrative approach requires a considerable number of individuals and eggs, which we obtained by establishing a laboratory culture of the new species. Our analyses revealed that M. papei sp. nov., by having the flexible filaments on the terminal discs of the egg processes, is most similar to Macrobiotus paulinae Stec et al., 2015 from Africa and Macrobiotus polypiformis Roszkowska et al., 2017 from South America. However, the new species can be easily distinguished from both these species by patches of cuticular granulation…

We present an updated checklist of the amphibians and reptiles for the state of Guerrero, Mexico. This list is based on bibliographic records, the revision of scientific collections and the authors' field notes. The herpetofauna of the state includes 259 species (78 amphibians, 181 reptiles), of which three are introduced. The conservation status of all native species was assessed using three independent systems (NOM-059, IUCN and EVS). Finally, the geographic distribution of amphibians and reptiles is discussed in the context of both the biogeographic provinces within the state and the influence of road location on specimen collection patterns.

The glossiphoniid freshwater leech, Helobdella stagnalis, was described by Linnaeus 1758 based on common European specimens. The presence of a brown, chitinous scute on the dorsal-anterior surface, as observed on leeches elsewhere in the world, has generally led to the classification of all scute-bearing members of the genus as H. stagnalis. Here we describe the morphology and behavior of the type species from Europe, and analyze H. stagnalis-like specimens collected worldwide. We present evidence for at least four distinct scute-bearing Helobdella species that can be morphologically resolved. Maximum Parsimony (MP) and Bayesian Inference (BI) analyses at the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) locus further supported this notion, with divergence values suggesting a mid-Miocene ancestor of this successful group of cosmopolitan hirudineans. New species, Helobdella echoensis nov. sp., Helobdella eriensis nov. sp., and Helobdella serendipitious nov. sp., are described, based on morphological, anatomical and molecular data. Current distribution patterns of Helobdella spp.…

The first checklist of the known stonefly genera of China is presented. Using relevant literature and available specimens, a diagnostic key to the ten families representing 65 genera is provided. In addition, illustrations for the key characters are provided.

Increased exploration of northeastern Pacific deep-sea habitats has revealed a diverse and often poorly-known invertebrate community, including a number of undescribed species of nudibranchs studied herein. We used morphology to distinguish several new species from their congeners, and generated data where possible for mitochondrial (COI, 16S) and nuclear markers (H3) to place them in a phylogenetic context. We described here Tritonia nigritigris sp. nov., Dendronotus claguei sp. nov., Ziminella vrijenhoeki sp. nov., Cuthona methana sp. nov., Aeolidia libitinaria sp. nov. and redescribed Zeusia herculea (Bergh, 1894). Another species of Tritonia is described but not named due to the absence of reproductive system information. Although there are difficulties in collection from deep-sea habitats, only two of our new species are known from single specimens. As with many other deep-sea regions, we expect the number of new species from this region to increase with further exploration. Because the deep regions of the northeast Pacific are particularly vulnerable to the effects of…

Pygmy grasshoppers (Tetrigidae) are a speciose group of complicated taxonomy, with many species requiring clarification on their species boundaries, and more still awaiting discovery. Two new species of Scelimena Serville, 1838 are described: (1) from S. discalis species group S. gombakensis sp. nov. and (2) from S. hexodon species group Scelimena marta sp. nov. Catalogue of Scelimenini genera (15) and species (100) is presented and taxonomy and biogeography of the tribe are discussed. New and resurrected combinations are: Falconius becvari (Buzzetti Devriese, 2008) comb. nov. (of Gavialidium becvari), Gavialidium carli Hebard, 1930 comb. resurr. (of Bidentatettix carli), Indoscelimena india (Hancock, 1907) comb. nov. (of Scelimena india), Paragavialidium nodiferum (Walker, 1871) comb. nov. (of Platygavialidium nodiferum), Platygavialidium productum (Walker, 1871) comb. nov. (of Gavialidium productum), Scelimena hexodon (Haan, 1843) comb. resurr. (of Hexocera hexodon), Scelimena rosacea (Hancock, 1915) comb. resurr. (of Amphibotettix rosaceus), Tegotettix bufocrocodil (Storozhenko…

Dryinidae (Hymenoptera: Chrysidoidea) are recorded for the first time from Rovno amber (Ukraine), following the discovery of one female of Dryinus janzeni Olmi. Holotypes of D. balticus (Olmi) and D. bruesi (Olmi) previously assigned to the Baltic amber, were actually collected on the coast of Denmark, so that they have to be recorded as specimens in Scandinavian (Danish) amber. As a result, true records of Dryinus species of group 3 (Olmi 1993) in Baltic amber are three: D. janzeni, D. bruesi, because of a second specimen found in true Baltic amber, and D. velteni Olmi. Dryinidae are the 33th hymenopteran family known from Rovno amber. Three species, D. janzeni, D. bruesi and D. balticus are known from understudied Rovno and Scandinavian amber originated from the warmer south coast of the Subparathetys. Dryinus janzeni is the 115th hymenopteran species known from Rovno amber and the first Dryinus record from Ukraine.

During a survey for mollusc-associated nematodes in South Africa, a new Phasmarhabditis species was isolated from the invasive slug, Deroceras reticulatum, collected from a nursery near George in the Western Cape province. The nematode was identified using a combination of morphological, morphometric, molecular, and phylogenetic techniques. The new species, P. safricana n. sp., is characterised by the cupola-shaped tail of the female with a spike, small, non-protruding phasmids, a fingerprint-like pattern of the cuticle covering the female tail, toothlike cephalic structures of the infective juveniles, and the distinct molecular characteristics of the species. The molecular phylogeny of the new species, as inferred from its SSU and LSU rRNA gene, places P. safricana n. sp. in close proximity to P. papillosa. Virulence tests were conducted, which demonstrated that P. safricana n. sp. caused significant mortality to the European invasive slug, D. reticulatum. The new species brings the total complement of the genus to eleven species.

plants, are mostly unknown. All known immature stages of Merodon feed on underground storage organs (bulbs, rhizomes and corms) of geophytes of the families Asparagaceae, Iridaceae and Amaryllidaceae. Of 160 known Merodon species, to date, the pupal stages have been described for only four: M. equestris (Fabricius), M. bombiformis Hull, M. luteihumerus Marcos-García, Vujić Mengual, and M. geniculatus Strobl. During field investigations in Đerdap National Park, Serbia, Merodon puparia were found in the ground near the bulbs of Ornithogalum umbellatum L. (Asparagaceae). DNA barcoding revealed that they belonged to the species M. aureus Fabricius and M. avidus (Rossi). Analysis of museum material from the Bavarian State Collection of Zoology in Germany revealed the puparium of an additional species, M. rufus Meigen. In our study we provide for the first time descriptions of the puparia of these three Merodon species. The main diagnostic morphological characters of the pupal spiracles and posterior respiratory processes are described using scanning electron microscopy, and…

Despite representing a key-taxon in dinosauromorph phylogeny, Lagerpertidae is one of the most obscure and enigmatic branches from the stem that leads to the dinosaurs. Recent new findings have greatly increased our knowledge about lagerpetids, but no phylogenetic analysis has so far included all known members of this group. Here, we present the most inclusive phylogenetic study so far conducted for Lagerpetidae. Phylogenetic analyses were performed based on three independent data matrixes. In two of them, Lagerpeton chanarensis Romer, 1971 is the sister taxon to all other known Lagerpetidae, whereas Ixalerpeton polesinensis Cabreira et al., 2016 is in a sister group relationship with a clade that includes PVSJ 883 and Dromomeron. Conversely, the other analysis supports an alternative topology, where I. polesinensis is the sister taxon to either L. chanarensis or all other Lagerpetidae. Although coeval and geographically close, I. polesinensis and PVSJ 883 do not form a clade exclusive of other lagerpetids. As previously suggested D. gigas Martínez, Apaldetti, Correa Abelín, 2016 is…

A new black fly species of the subgenus Asiosimulium Takaoka Choochote of the genus Simulium was recognized from northeastern Thailand based on morphology, mitochondrial DNA and ecology. This black fly species has similar morphological characteristics to Simulium oblongum Takaoka and Choochote that was also described from the same geographic region in all life stages. However, this new species could be distinguished at the adult stage by coloration of the maxillary palp and in the larval stage by the presence of a pigmented subesophageal ganglion that is lacking in S. oblongum. Genetic distance and phylogenetic analyses based on mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I sequences clearly differentiated the two species with minimum genetic distance of 3.51%. These species are also ecologically isolated as S. oblongum is found only at low elevation (<650 m above sea level) but the new species occurs only at high elevation (>1,100 m above sea level).

The first annotated checklist of crickets and grasshoppers (Orthoptera) of Croatia is presented. With 184 orthopteran species, 103 Ensifera and 81 Caelifera, known to inhabit the country, Croatia is among the richest European countries in terms of Orthoptera diversity. Altogether 25 species erroneously reported from the country are omitted from the checklist, 16 Ensifera (Isophya speciosa, Poecilimon brunneri, P. jonicus, P. thoracicus, Modestana ebneri, Pachytrachis bosniacus, Rhacocleis neglecta, Tessellana carinata, T. nigrosignata, Zeuneriana marmorata, Pteronemobius lineolatus, Myrmecophilus acervorum, M. ochraceus, Dolichopoda palpata, Diestrammena asynamora, Troglophilus brevicauda) and 9 Caelifera (Tetrix kraussi, Paracaloptenus caloptenoides, Chorthippus albomarginatus, Omocestus viridulus, Pseudochorthippus montanus, Miramella alpina, Celes variabilis, Oedipoda germanica, O. miniata). First faunistic records of 10 taxa are reported for Croatia, in total four Ensifera (Leptophyes punctatissima, Metrioptera hoermanni, Zeuneriana amplipennis, Gryllotalpa sp.) and six…

The classification, annotated list and keys for the black fly species from Peninsular Malaysia are updated. The number of black fly species increased from 38 in 1995 to 62 (including a new species herein described) in 2018. The 62 species are classified in four subgenera of the genus Simulium: one species in Daviesellum, 35 species in Gomphostilbia, five species in Nevermannia and 21 species in Simulium. Species in the latter three subgenera are further placed in species-groups or subgroups. Keys are provided for females, males, pupae and mature larvae. Simulium (S.) perakense sp. nov. is described and placed in the S. striatum species-group. The males of S. (G.) decuplum, S. (G.) tahanense, S. (S.) malayense, the female of S. (G.) adleri, and the female and larva of S. (G.) varicorne are described for the first time. The female, male, pupa and larva of S. (G.) trangense, the male and pupa of S. (G.) varicorne and the pupa of S. (G.) adleri are redescribed. Simulium (G.) sp. A is identified as S. (G.) pegalanense. Brief notes for each species are given on morphological…

Examination of normal pore canals, especially sieve-type pore canals, in living and fossil representatives of ten genera of the family Limnocytheridae, subfamily Timiriaseviinae, has revealed important diversity of structure. These complex pore canals have been studied via high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (the Cartographic Method) and analysed via the application of newly devised indices to assess patterns of consistency and variation in both detailed structure of individual pores and of their distribution on the calcified valve. The timiriaseviine taxa are compared with species of the genera Limnocythere, sub-family Limnocytherinae and Cyprideis (family Cytherideidae). The relationship between the living animal and its aquatic environment is discussed in the light of previous studies and of new evidence herein. The importance of normal pore canals for systematics is highlighted by the recognition and definition of the new tribe Gomphodellini Danielopol, Cabral Lord nov. tribe, subfamily Timiriaseviinae, family Limnocytheridae.

A list of the fleas species reported from Turkey is provided, with their geographical distribution and host associations. A total of 115 flea taxa (83 species, 32 subspecies) belonging to 36 genera and seven families are listed. The most common families are Ctenophthalmidae (n= 44) and Ceratophyllidae (27), followed by Ischnopsyllidae (13), Leptopsyllidae (11), Pulicidae (11), Vermipsyllidae (5) and Hystrichopsyllidae (4).

As important representatives of Oribatida (Acari), ptyctimous mites comprise more than 1400 described species in 40 genera and subgenera, with nearly cosmopolitan distribution except for the Arctic and Antarctic Regions. They are capable of folding the aspidosoma under the opisthosoma to protect their appendages, and are primarily soil and litter inhabitants, feeding on fungi and decaying plant remains with various levels of specificity. Our purpose was to provide a detailed catalogue of all known ptyctimous mite species in the world with information of distribution, taxonomic issues and some remarks. Data of known juvenile instars of ptyctimous mites which were not included in Norton Ermilov (2014) were added. We hope that our catalogue with bibliography will be helpful in taxonomic and ecological studies. The catalogue presents taxonomic information and geographic distribution of 1431 known species of the world belonging to 42 genera and eight families (not including data of genus and species inquirenda, nomina nuda and species without author name). Among them, 261 species are…

Two new species of Echinoderes from the Eratosthenes Seamount and a deep-sea station near the Sedlo Seamount are described. Echinoderes multiporus sp. nov. from the Eratosthenes Seamount is characterized by a combination of the presence of middorsal acicular spines on segments 4, 6, and 8, ventrolateral tubes on segment 2, lateroventral tubes on segment 5, lateroventral acicular spines on segments 6-9, midlateral tubes on segment 10, and type-2 glandular cell outlets in subdorsal position on segment 2 and in laterodorsal position on segments 4-9. Echinoderes unispinosus sp. nov. from the deep-sea station differs from its congeners by the combination of middorsal acicular spine on segment 4, lateroventral acicular spines on segments 6 and 7, type-2 glandular cell outlets present in midlateral position on segment 1, in subdorsal, laterodorsal, sublateral, and ventrolateral position on segment 2, in lateral accessory position on segment 5, and in sublateral position on segment 8, and densely aligned pectinate fringe teeth of the primary pectinate fringes similar in width on segments…

Based on a recent molecular phylogenetic study, the South Asian microhylid genus Uperodon (subfamily Microhylinae) currently comprises of 12 valid species that are largely restricted to India and Sri Lanka. Considering the revised generic-level status of its various members, here we review the taxonomy of all known species in this genus and clarify their nomenclatural status and geographical distribution, by integrating evidence from genetics, adult and tadpole morphology, breeding ecology, and bioacoustics. Our molecular analyses of a mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene fragment combined with external and internal morphological studies also revealed a distinct new species in the genus. This species, formally described as Uperodon rohani sp. nov., is endemic to Sri Lanka and widely distributed at lower elevations in the island. For nomenclatural stability of various previously known members, the following actions are also undertaken: (1) redescription of the poorly-defined species Ramanella anamalaiensis Rao (= Uperodon anamalaiensis) and Hylaedactylus montanus Jerdon (= Uperodon montanus);…

A new species, Conogethes sahyadriensis sp. nov. (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), feeding on cardamom, is described from India. The species status is supported by diagnostic morphology as well as by genetic data. A phylogenetic analysis based on the publicly available Conogethes COI barcode sequences finds C. sahyadriensis as sister to C. pluto, and it further reveals a number of clades that potentially represent additional undescribed species.The new species is delineated from closely related and superficially similar species of Conogethes.

The taxonomy of the three native taxa assigned to the genus Labeo (L. dussumieri, L. fisheri and L. porcellus lankae) in Sri Lanka is reviewed. The population hitherto identified as L. dussumieri in Sri Lanka is shown to be a distinct species, here named L. heladiva. Labeo heladiva, new species, has a wide distribution in the low and mid-elevations of the island and is distinguished from its Indian congeners by the combination of having two pairs of barbels; 12-13 branched dorsal-fin rays; lateral line with 44-51 scales; ½8-½9+1+6-7 scales in transverse series; and 19-22 circumpeduncular scales. It differs from its closest relative, L. dussumieri, principally by having 44-51 vs. 50-60 lateral-line scales, 19-22 vs. 22-27 circumpeduncular scales, and by uncorrected pairwise genetic distances of 1.27-2.22% and 1.88-2.91% for the two mitochondrial genes COI and cytb, respectively. Labeo fisheri, which is endemic to the upper reaches of the Mahaweli River basin in the Knuckles mountain range and the central hills in the vicinity of Kandy, is distinguished from Indian congeners by having…

We present rearing records of Agromyzidae (Diptera) from five years of collecting throughout the United States. We review host and distribution data, and describe leaf mines, for 93 species, plus 28 others that could not be confidently identified in the absence of male specimens. We report 147 new host species records, including the first rearing records for Agromyza bispinata Spencer, A. diversa Johnson, A. parca Spencer, A. pudica Spencer, A. vockerothi Spencer, Calycomyza michiganensis Steyskal, Ophiomyia congregata (Malloch), and Phytomyza aldrichi Spencer. Phytomyza anemones Hering and (tentatively identified) Cerodontha (Dizygomyza) iraeos (Robineau-Desvoidy) are new to North America; Agromyza albitarsis Meigen, Amauromyza shepherdiae Sehgal, Aulagromyza populicola (Walker), Liriomyza orilliensis Spencer, Phytomyza linnaeae (Griffiths), P. solidaginivora Spencer, and P. solidaginophaga Sehgal are new to the USA. We also present confirmed USA records for Calycomyza menthae Spencer (previous records were based only on leaf mines), Ophiomyia maura (Meigen) (reported from the USA…

New faunistic and distributional data on aquatic Hemiptera from the Oriental Region of Morocco and the Moulouya River basin, covering an area of 119,268 km2, are presented. An annotated list of 45 species, 21 genera and 11 families is provided. Nine species are new records for the entire studied area, and two for the Moulouya River basin. We rediscovered Velia noualhieri iberica and Notonecta viridis after eight decades. We also provide novel records for Aphelocheirus pemae and Hebrus atlas, which were recently described from Morocco, and for the invasive corixid Trichocorixa verticalis verticalis. The dominance of species with broad distributions points to the high dispersal dynamics of the Hemiptera community in the study area, similar to that of other areas where a semiarid climate prevails.

Mastigias, the 'golden' or 'spotted' jellyfish, is distributed throughout the Indo-Pacific. Specimens are identified routinely as Mastigias papua, although eight species were described historically, and molecular analyses evince at least three phylogenetic species. Understanding species diversity in Mastigias has become a priority because of its growing relevance in studies of boom-bust dynamics related to environmental change, cryptic species, local adaptation, parallel evolution, and peripatric speciation. However, species delimitation and identification are inhibited by a dearth of type specimens for most species, including M. papua. We address these issues by resampling Mastigias from the type locality in Waigeo, West Papua, as well as in the Philippines, and by comparing cytochrome c oxidase subunit I and up to 34 morphological characters of 268 Mastigias specimens from surrounding regions in the Indo-Pacific. We also gathered data from the historical descriptions of the eight species of Mastigias to estimate the identity of the two other currently revealed clades. Using this…

Past taxonomic studies of Western Indian Ocean and Red Sea Calcarea have been few and sporadic (e.g. Schuffner 1877, Jenkin 1908, Row 1909, Dendy 1913, 1916, Voigt et al. 2017, 2018). Nevertheless, approximately 70 species are known from these studies for the considered region, but the descriptions of the older records often lack sufficient details for reliable identification. We studied the Western Indian Ocean Calcarea collection kept in the Naturalis Biodiversity Center. Available specimens numbered 145, collected in the Red Sea, Seychelles, Maldives, Mayotte and Rodrigues, in addition to incidental samples from Oman, the Lakshadweep Islands, the Mozambique Channel, and Eastern South Africa. Using a combination of techniques (in situ and 'on deck' photography, detailed field notes, light microscopic studies and measurements, SEM microscopy, and selected DNA sequencing) we identified 45 species, divided over the two main classes Calcinea (24 spp.) and Calcaronea (21 spp.). Not all species could be definitely assigned to an already described or a new species, as seven remained…

A new species, Amolops wenshanensis sp. nov., is described from Guangxi and Yunnan Provinces, China. The new species is a member of the A. monticola group, and is distinguished from its congeners using morphological and molecular data. The new species is diagnosed by having glandular dorsolateral folds; smooth skin; side of head dark with a light-colored upper lip stripe extending to axilla; green dorsal coloration in life; immaculate venter; indistinct transverse bands on dorsal surfaces of limbs; tympanum distinct; pineal body absent; all fingertips expanded with circummarginal grooves; two oblique vomerine teeth; vocal sac and white nuptial pad present in males; supratympanic fold absent; outer metatarsal tubercle absent; glandular gold-white flank spot absent; and skin on venter not translucent. A molecular phylogenetic analysis is performed using the mitochondrial (mt) NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 (ND2) gene and parts of flanking tRNA genes for nine of the 15 members of the A. monticola group with available homologous sequences. The new species is sister to a clade containing…

We found a Holarctic microcrustacean Daphnia galeata Sars, 1863 (Cladocera: Daphniidae) in the Lower Lakes of South Australia. This taxon was never detected in continental Australia before. Its identity was confirmed by the sequences of mitochondrial COI, 12S and 16S and nuclear 18S and 28S genes. A maximum likelihood tree from a dataset from combining 12S + 16S mitochondrial sequence and a split network of the COI haplotypes are provided, but resolution of both genes is not sufficient to reveal the exact region of the Holarctic from where D. galeata was introduced to Australia; the vector of its invasion also is unknown. We hypothesize that appearance of D. galeata in the Lower Lakes of the Murray River is related to a recent anthropogenic eutrophication of water bodies in this region, keeping in mind that examples of successful invasion of some European lakes by D. galeata after their eutrophication are well-known. We also hypothesize that establishment of this non-indigenous taxon populations in Australia might have a strong negative impact on native lake biota.

The Asian monotypic genus Pararhabdophis Bourret, 1934 has long been known from a single holotype of the type species Pararhabdophis chapaensis Bourret, 1934 only. The limited available information hampered the identification of the natricine species. On the basis of eight newly collected specimens of P. chapaensis from the type locality in Sa Pa, Lao Cai Province, Vietnam and from Pingbian, Yunnan Province in southwestern China, the taxonomic position of the genus Pararhabdophis was re-evaluated using both morphological and molecular datasets for the first time. Pararhabdophis chapaensis is nested within the genus Hebius Thompson, 1913 with strong support, and morphologically indistinguishable from the latter genus. As a consequence, we herein synonymize the genus Pararhabdophis with Hebius and discuss about the existing paraphyly of some Hebius species. In addition we report Hebius chapaensis for the first time from China and provide redescription and natural history data of this poorly known species. To facilitate future taxonomic work, an identification key to all known…

Pseudonereis gallapagensis Kinberg, 1865 and P. variegata (Grube Kröyer in Grube, 1858) are the only two species of this genus commonly recorded along Atlantic American coasts, but their type localities are in the Eastern Pacific, and their morphology differs. Two new Pseudonereis species are described from Eastern Mexico: P. brunnea sp. n. from the Gulf of Mexico, and P. citrina sp. n. from the Caribbean Sea, previously confused with P. gallapagensis. In order to facilitate comparisons, descriptions based on specimens from near the type locality for P. gallapagensis (Peru and Ecuador), and topotypes for P. variegata (Valparaiso, Chile), are included. Based on these comparisons and current descriptions, the synonymies of Nereis ferox Hansen, 1882 described from Brazil with P. variegata, and of Pseudonereis formosa Kinberg, 1865 described from Hawaii with P. gallapagensis, are rejected. Consequently, both are regarded as distinct species and revised diagnoses are provided for them. The record of P. ferox from the Gulf of Guinea proved to be an undescribed species, and is herein…

The Sinanodonta woodiana species complex includes several cryptic species-level phylogenetic lineages, the taxonomic placement of which is unclear. Here, we present the results of molecular analyses of a Sinanodonta sample from Middle Asia (Uzbekistan). The COI haplotype of the Uzbekistan lineage is similar to those of invasive Sinanodonta populations from Europe, Russia and Myanmar. We show that the non-native Sinanodonta flocks in Europe and Middle Asia originated from a single source population in China. Our results reveal that the Sinanodonta woodiana species complex comprises at least six distinct biological species: S. cf. gibba (=temperate invasive lineage), S. cf. woodiana (=tropical invasive lineage), S. schrenkii (=S. amurensis), S. ovata, S. jourdyi, and S. lucida, and two phylogenetic lineages with uncertain taxonomic names.

A new species, Leptolalax mangshanensis sp. nov., is described from the Mangshan National Nature Reserve, in Hunan Province, China. The new species is genetically similar to Leptolalax liui, and morphologically similar to Leptolalax maoershanensis. Morphological characteristics that distinguish the new species from its congeners are a small body size (snout-vent length, SVL, 22.2 mm-27.8 mm in 27 adult males, and 30.2 mm in one adult female); nearly smooth dorsal skin with some small, orange, tubercles and irregular, dark brown stripes, throat and belly scattered with white speckles, weak lateral fringes on toes and rudimentary toe webbing; indistinct longitudinal ridges under toes, and not interrupted at the articulations, iris bicolored with bright orange in the upper half and greyish cream in the lower half. The new species is widely distributed in montane evergreen secondary forests and small bamboo forests in Mangshan Nature Reserve, at altitudes between 500-1600 m a.s.l.

Seed-finches are small-sized Neotropical granivorous birds characterized by extremely strong and thick beaks. Among these birds, the Great-billed Seed-Finch Sporophila maximiliani has been selectively and intensively trapped to the extent that has become one of the most endangered bird species in South America, yet its taxonomy remains complex and controversial. Two subspecies have been recognized: S. m. maximiliani (Cabanis, 1851), mainly from the Cerrado of central South America, and S. m. parkesi Olson (= Oryzoborus m. magnirostris), from northeastern South America. Originally, S. m. parkesi was diagnosed as being larger than the Large-billed Seed-Finch, S. c. crassirostris (Gmelin, 1789), but proper comparisons with S. m. maximiliani, which is larger than S. c. crassirostris, were never performed. Here we provide a review of the taxonomic and nomenclatural history of S. maximiliani, reevaluate the validity and taxonomic status of the subspecies based on morphological characters, and significantly revise its geographic distribution. Analyses based on plumage patterns and a…

Baird et al. (2015) split Lasiurus into three distinct genera (Aeorestes, Dasypterus and Lasiurus) based on tree topology and divergence times for the tribe Lasiurini. This arrangement has not been widely adopted by the scientific community and was criticized by Ziegler et al. (2016). More recently, Baird et al. (2017) reinforced the taxonomic arrangement of Lasiurini comprised by three genera. Baird et al. (2015, 2017) provided the most comprehensive phylogenetic analyses of Lasiurus and offer important insights on the phylogeny and alpha-taxonomy of the group. However, we disagree with the taxonomic arrangement proposed at the genus level and explain our point below.

We use mitochondrial sequence data to identify divergent lineages within the gekkonid genus Cyrtodactylus in northeast India and use morphological data to describe six new species from within the Indo-Burma clade of Cyrtodactylus. The new species share an irregular colour pattern but differ from described species from the region in morphology and mitochondrial sequence data (>11 % uncorrected pairwise sequence divergence). Three new species are from along the Brahmaputra River and three are from mountains south of the Brahmaputra, including the largest Cyrtodactylus from India and the fifth gecko to be described from a major Indian city, Guwahati.

The status of the enigmatic family Eurychoromyiidae is revised to a subfamily of Lauxaniidae, and the entire subfamily is revised with a key to genera and species, and maps for all species. Previously monotypic with only the species Eurychoromyia mallea Hendel, one closely related genus, Tauridion Papp & Silva, is moved into this subfamily, and five new genera are described: Choryeuromyia, Euryhendelimyia, Eurystratiomyia, Physegeniopsis, and Roryeuchomyia. Besides the type species for Eurychoromyia and Tauridion, all species herein are new, including Choryeuromyia xenisma (type species of genus), Euryhendelimyia schlingeri (type species of genus), Eurystratiomyia epacrovitta, Eurystratiomyia erwini (type species of genus), Physegeniopsis albeto, Physegeniopsis ankhoidea (type species of genus), Physegeniopsis hadrocara, and Roryeuchomyia tigrina (type species of genus). Eggs are described for Tauridion shewelli and Physegeniopsis albeto.

Megophrys lancip sp. nov., from the Bukit Barisan mountain range of southwestern Sumatra, Indonesia, is described on the basis of molecular and morphological evidence. The new species is distinguished from its congeners in Sumatra, Java, Borneo, and the Philippines by having a medium-sized body, snout with an extremely pointed rostral appendage, a medium-sized triangular eyelid appendage, a dorsolateral fold extending from just behind the eye to the groin, vomerine teeth, vocal slits, nuptial pads on the dorsomedial surface of the first and second fingers in males, and in lacking a Y, X, or H-shaped fold on the dorsum. Morphologically, the new species is most similar to M. montana, but it has a longer rostral appendage, shorter eyelid appendages, and less developed toe webbing. We also evaluate the taxonomic status of M. parallela and comment on the occurrence of M. aceras in Sumatra.

The detailed study of arm ossicles, particularly the lateral arm plates, is providing valuable information in the elucidation of ophiuroid taxonomy. The present study describes in detail 16 species of brittle stars from Araçá Bay, Brazil. This information is used to construct the first interactive electronic key, providing a valuable resource for a broad range of researchers. Brittle stars families were divided into three groups based on their spatial distribution: i) infaunal species of intertidal and shallow subtidal belonging to Amphiuridae and Ophiactidae, ii) epizoic species belonging to Amphiuridae, Ophiactidae, and Ophiotrichidae and, iii) epifaunal species of the subtidal belonging to Ophiodermatidae and Hemieuryalidae. In the global context of recent revisions of ophiuroid taxonomy, the present work provides additional characters for use in future phylogenetic studies.

Based on genetic, morphological and chromatical comparisons we evaluate the taxonomic status of two southern Vietnamese forest-dwelling populations of the Cyrtodactylus irregularis species complex. We confirm the allocation of the population from Binh Chau-Phuoc Buu Nature Reserve (Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province) to C. cattienensis and we describe the population of Nui Chua National Park (Ninh Thuan Province) as Cyrtodactylus sangi sp. nov. This brings to 18 the number of species within the C. irregularis complex and to 41 the number of described Cyrtodactylus species recorded from Vietnam.

In this work, it is explained why previous authors who considered that Canthidium lentum Erichson, 1947 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) was fixed as the type species of Canthidium Erichson, 1847 in Robert Lucas' 1920 catalogue of Coleoptera genera were mistaken. Instead, the first authors to designate a type species for Canthidium were Martínez et al. in 1964, who designated C. thalassinum Erichson, 1847. Since both species are currently placed in different subgenera, the subgeneric classication must change: Eucanthidium Halffter Martínez, 1986 is a new junior synonym of Canthidium, while the subgenus previously considered to be Canthidium (Canthidium) is changed to Canthidium (Neocanthidium) Martínez et al., 1964 based on the revalidation of the latter name. A checklist containing information on the type locality, type material, synonymy, and distribution of all the 172 valid species included in the genus (72 in the nominotypical subgenus, 69 in Neocanthidium, and 31 as incertae sedis) is presented, as well as a review of the taxonomic history of Canthidium and the new…

Two new species of Marphysa Quatrefages, 1865 (Polychaeta: Eunicida: Eunicidae), M. bulla n. sp. and M. maxidenticulata n. sp., are described from the northern coast of China with comments on the usefulness of pectinate chaetae to separate species. A redescription of Marphysa orientalis Treadwell, 1936 originally described from China is given. The genus Marphysa is widely collected for bait for recreational fishermen and anglers in China and is also exported to Australia and Japan, yet the number of species involved or their native distribution are currently unknown. It is critical that aquaculture programs know which species they are attempting to breed and their native distributional ranges. A key to all described species of Marphysa from China, including two new species described in this paper is given.

Bokermannohyla (tribe Cophomantini) is an endemic genus of Brazilian treefrogs containing 32 species arranged into four phenetic groups. The B. pseudopseudis group includes nine species, which are typically found in rupestrian ecosystems of disjunct Brazilian mountain ranges. Tadpoles have been shown to be important sources of information for the taxonomy of this genus, although careful analyses of character variation and descriptions of internal anatomy remain scarce. Since the first description of B. pseudopseudis tadpoles was based on a mixed series containing specimens of B. pseudopseudis and B. sapiranga, we describe the larvae of these two species from their type localities, including their external morphology, oral cavity, and skeletal system. Tadpoles of B. pseudopseudis are easily distinguished from those of B. sapiranga by aspects of their coloration and characters of their oral disc (more labial tooth rows, more numerous submarginal papillae and flaps with labial teeth). These morphological differences may be diagnostic for these two similar species, whereas their…

We have compiled a complete list of new marine molluscan taxa introduced by Tommaso Allery Di Maria, Marquis of Monterosato (1841-1927). The dates of publication of every single work have been checked against available evidence, and an updated bibliography is also presented. Finally, the type material of all marine taxa expected to be in the collection Monterosato (presently preserved in the Museo Civico di Zoologia in Rome) has been searched in the main collection, and all retrieved specimens have been catalogued. A large majority of the material has been found, representative specimens of each taxon have been illustrated, and remarks on nomenclature and taxonomy have been provided yielding 42 new synonymies, 46 nominal taxa rediscovered, and 6 new combinations.

Mediterranean sponges represent about 10 % of the world sponge biodiversity, with these sessile organisms dominating in terms of diversity and biomass in most of the rocky bottoms shaded from light. After 60 years of intensive study of the sponge diversity along the French coast, we present the first comprehensive reference-list for this biogeographic area. A total of 389 sponge species was recorded, of which 222 known in the Marseille region. In this area, special attention was paid to species from underwater caves. Although this particular habitat appeared as one of the richest, a wealth of hidden diversity still requires description. About 37 % of the sponge diversity can be found in underwater caves, most of these species being also distributed in other habitats. However, 23 % of this sponge diversity is cave-exclusive. An easy and rapid assessment method was developed with a selection of 65 representative sponge species, for the monitoring of semi-dark cave communities. This method, based on data acquisition with photoquadrats and their processing using a DataBase built with…

Here we present a survey of Seira fauna from Iberian Peninsula and Canary Islands, including the description of three new species from Spain: Seira barrai sp. nov., Seira betica sp. nov. and Seira burgersi sp. nov., the latter with unprece-dented antennal morphology for Seira. Five species from Western Europe are redescribed and their dorsal detailed chaetotaxy is revealed for the first time: S. domestica (Nicolet), S. dinizi Gama, S. ferrarii Parona, S. mantis Zeppelini Bellini and S. pini Jordana Arbea, the first two from type locality, and the latter two based on analysis of the type material. A note on chaetal interpretation of the first abdominal segment for Seira is presented. An identification key to 31 species with known dorsal chaetotaxy from Western Palearctic region is also provided, including a discussion on dense macrochaetotaxy present in Palearctic and Oriental species and its reduction in species from others biogeographic regions.

A checklist comprising information on taxonomy, distribution and host plants is provided for 161 species of jumping plant-lice from the Indian subcontinent (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka) based on published records and museum material. In addition there are 15 species recorded in the literature which are identified to genus only. Museum material provides eight new country and two new state (within India) records. The taxonomy is updated and following nomenclatorial acts are proposed: new genus (1), new generic synonymies (2), designation of type species (1), new species synonymies (5), replacement names for primary homonyms at species level (3), new status of subspecies (3), new combinations (23). Toonapsylla Burckhardt, gen. nov. is described for Psylla cedrelae (Kieffer, 1905). The new genus belongs to Mastigimatinae (Calophyidae) and is probably closest related to Bharatiana and Mastigimas, both associated with Cedrela and Toona (Meliaceae). The new genus is diagnosed and a key is provided for the world genera of Mastigimatinae. The Neoptropical genus Allophorina…

The Haplodrassus species of the the Maghreb are revised. Six new species are described: H. dentifer Bosmans Abrous, sp. n. (♂♀, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Spain), H. longivulva Bosmans Hervé, sp. n. (♂♀, Algeria, Morocco), H. lyndae Abrous Bosmans, sp. n. (♂♀, Algeria, Morocco, Spain), H. ovatus Bosmans Hervé, sp. n. (Tunisia, Algeria), H. securifer Bosmans Abrous, sp. n. (♂♀, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Belgium) and H. triangularis Bosmans, sp. n. (♂♀, Morocco, Tunisia). The following new synonyms are proposed. Drassus corticalis Lucas, 1846, syn. n. and Drassus similis C.L. Koch, 1866, syn. n. were found to be junior synonyms of Drassus rufipes Lucas, 1846. Drassus parvulus L. Koch 1882, Drassodes acrotirius Roewer, 1928, Drassodes seditiosus Caporiacco, 1928, Drassodes parvicorpus Roewer, 1951 and Haplodrassus maroccanus Denis, 1956 are junior synonyms of Drassus omissus O.P.-Cambridge, 1872 syn. n. and this species is transferred to Haplodrassus comb. n. (taken out of the synonymy with H. morosus (O.P.-Cambridge, 1872, contra Levy, 2004). Drassodes…

A phylogenetic taxonomic analysis indicates that a newly discovered population of Cyrtodactylus from the vicinity of Ywangan Town in the Shan Hills, Shan State, Myanmar is a new species (C. ywanganensis sp. nov.) and the earliest diverging member of the linnwayensis group within the previously defined Indochinese clade. The DIVALIKE+J model of a BioGeoBEARS biogeographic analysis indicates that the Indochinese clade evolved in the Shan Hills and Salween Basin of eastern Myanmar and dispersed into Indochina on at least three separate occasions from 18.6-13.4 mya. Once there, uplift of the Tenasserim Mountains and Thai Highlands created the intermedius group, the oldhami group, and C. tigroides of western and southern Thailand which form sister lineages to the linnwayensis group, yathepyanensis group, and the sinyineensis group, respectively, of eastern Myanmar. Diverging lineages within the Indochinese clade highlight the importance of the Thai Highlands and Tenasserim Mountains in that group's evolution and speciation. The discovery of C. ywanganensis sp. nov. in karstic habitats in…

Previously, only one species of torrent frog (Amolops larutensis) was thought to occur throughout Peninsular Malaysia. However, genomic work has demonstrated that populations from eastern Peninsular Malaysia form two separate lineages that are genetically distinct from A. larutensis that is now restricted to the western half of Peninsular Malaysia. This study demonstrates that all three lineages can be morphologically distinguished from each other, thereby providing additional support for the recognition of the eastern lineages as two distinct species. These lineages are described herein as Amolops gerutu sp. nov. from the eastern states of Kelantan, Terengganu, and Pahang, and A. australis sp. nov. from the southern-most state of Johor. In general, these two new species form a clade that is sister to A. larutensis and can be readily distinguished from it by having: (1) considerably denser and more pronounced dorsal tubercles, and (2) the posterodorsal surface of thighs having dense, dark stippling as opposed to broad vermiculations. Although differences in other morphometric…

Immature stages of I. pulverulenta (Olivier, 1789) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Cetoniinae: Incini) are described for the first time, and those of I. bonpalandi (Gyllenhal, 1827) and I. clathrata sommeri Westwood, 1845 are redescribed. A key to the third instar of Incini is presented, notes on Inca larval characters in the phylogenetic context of Cetoniinae and on scarab pupal morphology are also given.

This is the second exploration, comparison, and analysis of the chorion of species (45 sspp.) of the subfamily Dismorphiinae (Pieridae). This study includes nearly 50% of the species of the subfamily, including six of the seven genera in its two subtribes: Leptidea (Leptideini), Enantia, Pseudopieris, Lieinix, Moschoneura, and Dismorphia (Dismorphiini). The material studied originates from more than three dozen localities in six different countries on three continents (America, Asia, and Europe) and two biogeographical regions, the Palearctic and Neotropical, over the last 20 years. We have corrected and added information regarding several morphological aspects of the chorion. The precision of the citriform configuration and the elimination of the meloniform shape in the egg of Dismorphiini were determined with detailed observations on the maturation of the chorion in the ovarioles where each stage appears in a linear sequence. We discerned that the meloniform states correspond to incompletely differentiated or immature eggs. This was confirmed by the study of new samples of…

The last checklist of the water mites of the Balkan countries published in 2010 by Pešić et al. is updated to November 2017. This supplement includes new records of water mite species from the Balkan countries (Croatia, Bosnia Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, Macedonia, Serbia, Bulgaria and Greece) published after 2010, as well as unpublished records based on material collected from Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, Macedonia, and Greece. Numerous new records for the national faunas, including one species new for the Mediterranean region (Arrenurus stjordalensis Thor, 1899), are reported and one species new to science (Trichothyas jadrankae Pešić sp. nov.) is described. With these additions, a total number of 390 water mite species and subspecies from 34 families and 77 genera is now recorded from the Balkan peninsula (including the Greek Islands).

The Walter Soyka species of Anaphes Haliday are reviewed and placed in context among the remaining world species. An analysis of his descriptions and identification keys is presented, and discussed in light of a broader interpretation of intraspecific variation in Anaphes species than Soyka accepted. An illustrated diagnosis of Anaphes is given and the species in Europe considered to be valid are keyed-14 species in Anaphes (Anaphes) and 15 species in Anaphes (Patasson). The 244 names of world Anaphes are tabulated in various ways and their type localities, if known, are mapped. All available valid names and their synonyms, mostly from among the 155 nominal species described by Soyka, are catalogued, with details of type material and collecting information. A total of 167 synonyms are listed, 17 of which are synonyms proposed by earlier authors and 149 of which are proposed as new synonyms. Lectotypes are designated for Mymar ferreirei Soyka and Yungaburra acutiventris Soyka. Nine nomina dubia, 2 names of fossil species that most likely do not belong to Anaphes, 3 unavailable names…

Solifuges are an enigmatic and poorly studied group of arachnids. Commonly referred to as camel spiders or sun spiders, these animals are voracious predators of small animals and found in arid biomes of the Old World and the Americas. In this paper, we provide a catalogue for the solifuges (Arachnida: Solifugae) that are held at the Center of Natural History in Hamburg. The collections in Hamburg are predominantly historical and were accumulated by Karl Kraepelin between 1889 and 1914 with the help of other famous arachnologists such as Ferdinant Karsch and Eugène Simon. The re-study of these collections indicates that there are 38 type species and 65 type specimens from 10 families. We provide a detailed account of this material, including collection data, taxonomic updates, measurements and high-resolution images for species that are either poorly or not at all illustrated. Most specimens (70%) were collected in Africa as part of colonial expeditions or field surveys but there are also types from Western Asia (11%), and North and South America (19%). We provide an overview of the…

The family Moitessieriidae includes minute dioecious gastropods exclusively inhabiting subterranean waters, including thermal ones. Only empty shells were collected in most species, the vast majority of them are described from their gross shell morphology alone. Several visits to a site are usually required to obtain at least some living individuals. High variability in shell morphology and the lack of diagnostic features, coupled with anticipated high levels of endemism, has resulted in a long list of nominal moitessierid species. Type specimens stored as empty shells omit unambiguous identification and delimitation of species boundaries. Due to inaccessibility of cave animals and consequent lack of material suitable for molecular analysis, the phylogenetic relationships, as well as the taxonomy of the family at genus/species level, are far from being understood. The anatomy of the family is also poorly known and provided only for a few taxa. The distinctness of the Moitessieriidae has sometimes been questioned, and their monophyly not proved. Twelve species of the Balkan…

This work describes Bryozoa of the orders Cyclostomata and Ctenostomata found associated with polymetallic nodules collected by box-coring in the eastern part of the Russian exploration area of the Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone (CCFZ) under contract to Yuzhmorgeologiya. Scanning electron microscopic study of 358 cyclostome colonies and 14 ctenostome colonies from 4510-5280 m depth has resulted in the recognition of two new species of Ctenostomata, and 14 new species, nine new genera and two new families of Cyclostomata; three additional species of Cyclostomata are left in open nomenclature pending the discovery of missing reproductive characters. The taxonomic novelty is thus notable. One of the new Ctenostomata represents the first living example of the previously monotypic Late Cretaceous genus Pierrella. Twelve of the new cyclostome taxa have well-developed gonozooids, indicating that embryonic cloning (polyembryony) is normal in this deep-sea environment. On the other hand, one indeterminate tubuliporine and two rectangulates have dimorphic peristomes. In the latter two…

Although ladybirds of European Russia and the Caucasus have been the subject of numerous ecological and faunistic investigations, there is an evident lack of appropriate identification keys. New, original keys to subfamilies, tribes, genera, and species of ladybirds (Coccinellidae) of European Russia and the Russian Caucasus are presented here. The keys include all native species recorded in the region and all introduced alien species. Some species from adjacent regions are added. In total, 113 species are treated and illustrated with line drawings. Photographs of rare and endemic species are provided. Information on the distribution of species within the region under consideration is provided. Chilocorus kuwanae Silvestri, 1909 is recognized as a subjective junior synonym (syn. nov.) of Ch. renipustulatus (Scriba, 1791).

Phylogenetic relationships of the agamid lizard genus Phrynocephalus are described in the context of plate tectonics. A near comprehensive taxon sampling reports three data sets: (1) mitochondrial DNA from ND1 to COI (3' end of ND1, tRNAGln, tRNAIle, tRNAMet, ND2, tRNATrp, tRNAAla, tRNAAsn, tRNACys, tRNATyr, and the 5' end of COI) with 1761 aligned positional sites (1595 included, 839 informative), (2) nuclear RAG-1 DNA with 2760 aligned positional sites (342 informative), and (3) 25 informative allozyme loci with 213 alleles (107 informative when coded as presence/absence). It is hypothesized that Phrynocephalus phyletic patterns and speciation reflect fault lines of ancient plates now in Asia rejuvenated by the more recent Indian and Arabian plate collisions. Molecular estimates of lineage splits are highly congruent with geologic dates from the literature. A southern origin for the genus in Southwest Asia is resolved in phylogenetic estimates and a northern origin is statistically rejected. On the basis of monophyly and molecular evidence several taxa previously recognized as…

We describe Lepidotrigona satun Attasopa and Bänziger new species from southern Thailand based upon associated males and females (workers). The new species is a member of the L. ventralis species group, which is otherwise represented in Thailand only by L. flavibasis and L. doipaensis. We also describe the males of the latter two species, associated with nests from close to their type localities in northern Thailand. Lepidotrigona doipaensis Schwarz and L. flavibasis (Cockerell) had previously often been misidentified as L. ventralis (Smith), a species confirmed only from Borneo. Based upon differences in male morphology, especially of the metasomal sterna, we conclude that the male described from Vietnam by Sakagami (1975) as belonging to L. flavibasis represents an undescribed species. Our findings support previous taxonomic studies that highlight the importance of including males in the differentiation of closely related species of meliponines and their association with workers. The three species whose males we describe have asymmetric penis valves with the asymmetry…