Aphyllon castilloi sp. nov. (Orobanchaceae) from Veracruz,Mexico

Aphyllon castilloi Franc.‐Gut., Cházaro & Espejo (Orobanchaceae), a new species discovered in central Veracruz, Mexico is herein described, illustrated and compared with other Aphyllon species recorded from Mexico. The new species inhabits tropical semideciduous forest, a novel ecosystem for Aphyllon species native to North America, in contrast to most collections from Mexico, which are from warm sandy deserts. In addition, it parasitizes Simsia foetida (Asteraceae: Heliantheae). As far as known, the distribution of the new species is very restricted.     

Development of microsatellite markers for the white mangrove (Laguncularia racemosa C.F. Gaertn., Combretaceae)

We developed nine new microsatellite markers for the white mangrove (Laguncularia racemosa C.F. Gaertn.), a mangrove species widely distributed in the Western Hemisphere. The loci were developed from a sample collected in Baja California Sur, Mexico, and were screened for polymorphism in 108 individuals from the Pacific Coast of Mexico and Costa Rica. The level of polymorphism was relatively low, from two to four alleles. These are the first set of polymorphic markers described for L. racemosa and should be of value in studying regional genetic differentiation among natural populations of this species.     

Taxonomic review and key to European Ichneumon flies (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae), parasitoids of gall-forming sawflies of the genera Pontania Costa, Phyllocolpa Benson, and Euura Newman (Hymenoptera, Tenthredinidae) on willows: Part I

Extensive material on parasitoids of the family Ichneumonidae reared from gall-making sawflies on Salix is identified. The general host—parasite list includes 75 species of hosts—Pontania (40 spp.), Phyllocolpa (21 spp.), Euura (14 spp.), their food plants (33 species of Salix), and their parasitoids of the family Ichneumonidae; many data on hosts and parasitoids are recorded for the first time. The complex of ichneumonids on gallforming sawflies is composed of about 45 species belonging to 15 genera of 6 subfamilies. The annotated list of about 30 species of ichneumonids (except for species of Saotis) reared from gall-making sawflies is given with data on the literature, studied material, distribution, and hosts. Two new species Anoncus gallicola sp. n. and Rhinotorus brachycerus sp. n. are described. A key to the species of the Ichneumonidae of this complex is given.     

Pseudochakura (Hymenoptera: Eucharitidae), a New World genus of chalcidoids parasitic on ants

Abstract. The genus Pseudochakura Ashmead (Eucharitidae: Eucharitinae) is revised to include thirteen species which all share the complete fusion of the genae behind the mandibles and a loss of functional mouthparts. Eight Neotropical and one Nearctic species of Pseudochakura are described as new: atra (Mexico), condylus (lesser Antilles), excruciata (Brazil), frustrata (Argentina), liburna (Florida, U.S.A.), pauca (Argentina), prolata (Argentina), sculpturata (Brazil; Florida, U.S.A.), septuosa (Mexico). P. chilensis Kieffer is redescribed. The known distribution of P.nigrocyanea Ashmead is extended to Uruguay and Venezuela. The known distribution of P. americana (Howard) [comb.n.] is extended to Panama, Columbia, Ecuador, Argentina and northward into the southern tip of Florida. All three previously described Nearctic species are synonomized under the name P.gibbosa (Provancher) with P.arizonensis (Crawford) and P.californica (Ashmead) as junior synonyms. Biological information is summarized providing new information on both plant and ant hosts. A phylogenetic hypothesis for the genus is nresenteri.     

THE GENUS PLATOMA (GIGARTINALES,RHODOPHYTA) WITH A DESCRIPTION OF P. ABBOTTIANA SP. NOV.1

Platoma abbottiana (Gymnophlaeaceae; Gigartinales), a new species of benthic red algae, is described from Isla Mejía and is the second member of this genus reported from the Gulf of California, Mexico. Vegetative anatomy and reproductive details of the carpogonial and auxiliary cell branches of the new species are described and illustrated. Geographical distributions of the seven previously described Platoma species are given. Their distinguishing morphological characteristics are compared to those of the new species. The correct time and place of valid publication of the generic name, Platoma, and some of its binomials are discussed.     

Soft scale insects (Homoptera: Coccidae) on Tillandsia in Central America*

A new genus of soft scale insect (Homoptera: Coccoidea: Coccidae), Tillancoccus, and two new species T. mexicanus and T. tillandsiae are described and illustrated from the adult females. The new species are recorded from Tillandsia plants in Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico.     

Paracapillaria epinepheli n. sp. (Nematoda: Capillariidae) from the red grouper Epinephelus morio (Pisces) from Mexico

A new nematode species, Paracapillaria epinepheli, is described from the stomach of the marine fish Epinephelus morio (Valenciennes), the red grouper, (Serranidae, Perciformes) from coastal waters of the Gulf of Mexico in Yucatan, southeastern Mexico. It is characterised mainly by its small body (body length of male and female 2.73–3.22 mm and 5.94–6.35 mm, respectively), number (31–36) and structure of the stichocytes, length of the spicule (0.180–0.195 mm), structure of the male caudal bursa (considerably reduced), structure and size of the eggs (size 0.057–0.063 × 0.027–0.030 mm), and by their site within the host. It is the second Paracapillaria species known to occur in the marine and estuarine fishes of the Gulf of Mexico.     

A review of encyrtid wasps of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Anicetus</Emphasis> Howard, 1896 (Hymenoptera,Chalcidoidea, Encyrtidae) of the new world,Hawaiian Islands,and Australia with description of new species from Mexico

The review contains a characteristic (with diagnosis) of the genus Anicetus Howard, 1896, a key to the females of the 12 species known from the New World, the Hawaiian Islands, and Australia, and a synopsis of the species with data on their distribution, hosts, biology, ecesis, and use in biological control of injurious coccids. Two new species are described from Mexico: Anicetus myartsevae sp. n. and A. villarreali sp. n. Anicetus carolinensis J. Meyer, 2001 from the USA is excluded from the genus and transferred to Homosemion Annecke, 1967. A new combination is established: Anicetus argentinus (Fidalgo, 1979), comb. n. from Paraceraptrocerus Girault, 1920, which is a synonym of Anicetus. The paper is based on the author’s work in the insect depositories of the USA (Washington, San Francisco, and Riverside), Mexico (Ciudad Victoria), and Russia (St. Petersburg). Anicetus myartsevae sp. n. is compared with the Mexican A. primus (Howard, 1898), from which it differs in the antennal scape half as long dorsally as at base (as long as that in A. primus), the legs more or less extensively dark (mainly yellow in A. primus), and the face with a dark transverse stripe (without stripe in A. primus). Anicetus villarrieli sp. n. is a short-winged species.     

Species of terrestrial bugs (Heteroptera) new to the fauna of Tuva

Seven species of terrestrial bugs are recorded for the first time for Tuva: Coranus woodroffei P.V. Putshkov, Coranus subapterus (De G.), Spathocera dalmani (Sch.), Phimodera fumosa Fjeb., Eurydema fieberi Fieb., Eu. ventralis Kol., and Sternodontus binodulus Jak. Including these, 323 of Heteroptera species are known from Tuva.     

Immature stages of three species of Blissidae from Mexico (Heteroptera: Lygaeoideae)

Chinch bugs are associated with several species of monocots, and species of Gramineae are the principal plants utilized. In Mexico, 24 species of Blissidae have been recorded. The immature stages of Ischnodemus sallei (Signoret), Toonglasa munda (Slater & Wilcox), and T. tumorosis (Slater & Wilcox) are described and illustrated. These species have been recorded from several species of bamboo. Distributional records in Mexico and the host plants of these chinch bugs are also included.     

A new species of Leptodiaptomus (Copepoda, Diaptomidae) from Northwestern Mexico with comments on the distribution of the genus

A new species of the freshwater planktonic copepod genus Leptodiaptomus is described for a small pond in Northwestern Mexico. Leptodiaptomus dodsoni n. sp. can be easily distinguished mainly by the presence of an unusually large sinusoid spine on male antennular segment 13, and by the features of the fifth legs of both sexes. This genus is known to be distributed mainly in North America with 19 recognized species. Of these, six ocur in Mexico, and the new species seems to be closely related to most of them. It is probable that this group of species (including the new one) represents the southwards radiation of the genus from North America. Compared to the Caribbean and South American, the North American influence seems to be the most relevant for diaptomid copepods in Mexico. At least two Mexican species of Leptodiaptomus, including L.dodsoni, are restricted in distributional range to high-altitude temporal ponds, and both could be considered endemics.      

Free-living dinoflagellates in the southern Gulf of Mexico: Report of data (1979–2002)

The present study is a report of data of planktonic dinoflagellates which includes a list of 252 species, with 10 985 entries in the southern Gulf of Mexico along with information concerning their occurrence. Material for the present study consists of water and net samples obtained during 11 cruises collected at 608 sites between June 1979 and December 2002. Ceratium (47 spp.), Protoperidinium (28 spp.), Dinophysis (26 spp.), Oxytoxum (19 spp.) and Prorocentrum (15 spp.) were the most diverse genera. The most common species found are Ceratium breve, Ceratium contortum, Ceratium furca, Ceratium furca var. eugranum, Ceratium fusus. Ceratium fusus var. seta, Ceratium kofoidii, Ceratium macroceros, Ceratium massiliense, Ceratium pentagonum, Ceratium teres, Ceratium trichoceros, Ceratium tripos, Dinophysis caudata, Ornithocercus magnificus, Podolampas palmipes, Prorocentrum com‐pressum, Prorocentrum gracile, Prorocentrum micans, Protoperidinium divergens and Pyrophacus steinii. Thirteen species are potential toxin producers, among which Karenia brevis was responsible for fish mass mortalities. Other toxic species such as Amphidinium carterae, Dinophysis acuta, Dinophysis caudata, Dinophysis fortii, Dinophysis mitra, Dinophysis rotundata, Dinophysis tripos, Prorocentrum mexicanum, Prorocentrum micans and Prorocentrum minimum were present mostly in net samples. The non‐toxic species Ceratium furca, Pyrodinium bahamense var. bahamense, Scripp‐siella trochoidea and Gonyaulax polygram ma were found in blooms during the summer. Qualitative data show that dinoflagellates occurred mostly during July and August, associated with hydrographic conditions. A checklist of the species and their occurrence are given.     

A review of the species of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Elasmus</Emphasis> Westwood (Hymenoptera,Eulophidae) from Russia and neighboring countries

Five species of Elasmus are described from Russia as new to science (E. altaicus sp. n., E. ekaterinae sp. n. and E. maritimus sp. n.), Turkmenistan (E. turkmenicus sp. n.), and Mongolia (E. emeljanovi sp. n.). E. nikolskayae Myartseva et Dzhanokmen, 1989 is redescribed. Elasmus obesoceratus Trjapitzin, 1979 is downgraded to a synonym to Elasmus rufiventris Ferrière, 1947. Sixteen species are recorded for the first time for the fauna of Russia, six for Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, five for Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, four for Ukraine and Mongolia, two for Moldova, Georgia, Armenia, Uzbekistan, China, and South Korea, and also new single records are given for Poland, Slovakia, Abkhazia, Afghanistan, and Iran. New hosts are recorded for seven species: E. flabellatus Fonsocolombe, E. longiclava Graham, E. nudus (Nees), E. platyedrae Ferrière, E. schmitti Ruschka, E. steffani Viggiani, and E. westwoodi Giraud. A key to twenty-six species of Elasmus is compiled.     

Salsuginus neotropicalis n. sp. (Monogenea: Ancyrocephalinae) from the pike killifish Belonesox belizanus (Atheriniformes: Poeciliidae) from southeastern Mexico

Salsuginus neotropicalis n. sp. is described from the gills of Belonesox belizanus (Kner), the pike killifish (Poeciliidae), from the southeastern Mexico. S. neotropicalis is distinguished from all other congeners by the morphology of the haptoral sclerites, especially by the presence of a ventral bar with notably enlarged ends, and by possessing overlapping gonads. The diagnosis of Salsuginus is amended based on the position of gonads in this species. This is the first known Salsuginus species occurring in a freshwater fish from the Neotropical Region.