Description of three new species of Paractenopsyllus genus (Siphonaptera: Leptopsyllinae) from Madagascar

The males of three new and rare species of the Malagasy endemic genus Paractenopsyllus Wagner, 1938 are described. Paractenopsyllus beaucournui, P. oconnori and P. raxworthyi have been collected on endemic small mammals and the black rat. As for others species of the genus, biotopes are rain-forests of the central highlands or the northern mountains of Madagascar. Two of the described species were collected at elevations lower than typical for the genus and below the limits of the highland bioclimatic zone. Morphological affinities between these new species and those already described provide taxonomic framework for the genus. An updated identification key is provided for the diagnosis of all the 20 Malagasy species of Leptopsyllinae.     

First report of Litomosa spp. (Nematoda: Filarioidea) from Malagasy bats; review of the genus and relationships between species

The presence of the filarial genus Litomosa in Malagasy bats is demonstrated by the finding of L. goodmani n. sp. from Miniopterus gleni and Litomosa sp. (male unknown) from M. manavi, both in the Special Reserve of Ankarana. These materials are compared to the 22 Litomosa species, including two Indian species originally placed in the genus Litomosoides, L. fotedari (Gupta and Trivedi, 1989) n. comb. and L. tewarii (Gupta and Trivedi, 1989) n. comb., and the new taxon L. seurati n. sp. (= L. beaucournui Bain, 1966 pro parte), type-host Rhinolophus ferrum-equinum, Algeria, distinguished by the narrow area rugosa and the female caudal extremity with two conspicuous points, instead of several small ones. The Malagasy material belongs to a group of species close to the type, L. filaria, which have a male area rugosa composed of cuticular bosses and microfilariae folded within the sheath, and which are parasitic in Vespertilionidae, Hipposideridae and Rhinolophidae from Africa and Europe. The two Malagasy species resemble L. seurati n. sp., L. beshkovi Jancev, 1971, L. chiropterum Ortlepp, 1932, L. adami Petit, 1980 and L. ottavianii Lagrange et Bettini, 1948, with the enlarged third segment of the buccal capsule. L. goodmani n. sp. is distinct with its small size and female caudal extremity with a single point, which is suppressed in old mature worms; the females of Litomosa sp. have two conical points. Relationships among Litomosa species appear to be dependent upon both the chiropteran host groups and the geographical region.     

First record of Phlebotomine sandflies (Diptera: Psychodidae) in the Comoros Archipelago with description of Sergentomyia (Vattieromyia) pessoni n. sp. and S. (Rondanomyia) goodmani comorensis n. ssp

No Phlebotomine sandflies had ever been reported in the Comoros Archipelago, including the three islands of the Republic of the Union of Comoros (Grande Comore, Mohéli and Anjouan) and the French oversea department of Mayotte. During three field surveys carried out in 2003, 2007 and 2011, we provided the first record of Phlebotomine sandflies in this area. A total of 85 specimens belonging to three species were caught: a new species S. (Vattieromyia) pessoni n. sp. (two females from Grande Comore), a new subspecies of Sergentomyia (Rondanomyia) goodmani (80 specimens from Grande Comore and one from Anjouan) and Grassomyia sp. (two females from Mohéli). The individualisation of these taxa was inferred both from morphological criteria and sequencing of a part of the cytochrome b of the mitochondrial DNA. These taxa are closely related to Malagasy sandflies.     

Philopotaminae of Madagascar (Trichoptera: Philopotamidae)

The Malagasy fauna includes two genera of Philopotaminae: Wormaldia McLachlan 1865 and an endemic new genus, Ranarijaodes n. gen. The Malagasy and African (sensu stricto) lineages of Wormaldia are distinct. Apomorphic characters (the shape of the phallic apparatus for the African species and the splitting of the median lobe of the tenth tergite for the Malagasy species) confirm their separation. New captures are reported for two of the four previously known species of Wormaldia. Seven new species are described: Wormaldia ambahibeae n. sp., W. faharoa n. sp., W. fahatelo n. sp., W. randriamasimananai n. sp., W. fahefatra n. sp., W. legrandi n. sp. and W. fahadimy n. sp. Ranarijaodes n. gen. is close to Dolophilodes Ulmer 1909. It is described for the three new species Ranarijaodes fiana n. sp., R. angapi n. sp. and R. atsimo n. sp. The 14 Malagasy species of Philopotaminae are endemics of the island. Their geographical distributions and ecological preferences are described and discussed.     

Leptopsyllines from Madagascar (Insecta: Siphonaptera: Ceratophyllidae): description of five new species of Paractenopsyllus Wagner, 1938

Five new species of the malagasy endemic genus Paractenopsyllus Wagner, 1938, are described. Paractenopsyllus rouxi, P. ratovonjatoi, P. duplantieri, P. juliamarinus and P. gemelli have been collected on endemic small mammals and the black rat. Biotopes are mid-elevation rain-forests of the central highlands or the northern mountains of Madagascar. Morphological affinities between these new species and those already known provide taxonomic links within the genus. Differences in the spatial and altitudinal distributions and host ranges allow discussion of the potential factors important in the species distribution of this genus.     

Rugonema labiatum n. g., n. sp. (Nematoda: Strongyloidea) from the stomach of Macropus irma (Marsupialia: Macropodidae) from Western Australia

Rugonema labiatum n. g., n. sp. is described from the stomach of Macropus irma (Jourdan) from Western Australia. The new genus possesses four branches to the dorsal ray, has a cylindrical buccal capsule and lacks a cervical groove, placing it within the subfamily Cloacininae Stossich, 1899. The presence of a prominently striated buccal capsule and labial as well as cephalic collars places the genus within the tribe Pharyngostrongylinea Popova, 1952, but it is distinguished from all existing genera within the tribe by the possession of four lips. The presence of lips is an important characteristic of the related tribe Zoniolaiminea (Popova, 1952) and the characters used in distinguishing these two tribes are discussed.     

Diagnosis and relationships of the myrmicine ant genus Ishakidris gen.n. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Abstract. The ant genus lshakidris from Sarawak is described as new. Its relationships with the Brasilian monotypic genus Phalacromyrmex Kempf and the Malagasy monotypic genus Pilotrochus Brown are discussed, and the Phalacromyrmex genus-group is established to hold the three genera. The resemblances of lshakidris to the smithistrumiform dacetine genus Glamymmyrmex Wheeler and the agroecomyrmecine genus Tatuidris Brown & Kempf are discussed and the similarities are analysed as the results of convergence in the characters concerned.     

Tasmanomysis oculata n.g. n.sp. from Tasmanian waters (Crustacea: Mysidacea: Mysini)

Tasmanomysis oculata n.g. n.sp. belonging to the Tribe Mysini is described from the coastal waters of southern Tasmania. This new genus superficially resembles the monospecific genus Arthromysis Colosi,1924 known only from the Straits of Magellan. The form of the pleopods in the male together with the segmentation of the thoracic legs and shape of the telson clearly distinguish the two genera.     

A new genus and species (Cornucollis gen. n. masoalensis sp. n.) of praying mantis from northern Madagascar (Mantodea,Iridopterygidae, Tropidomantinae)

An examination of Malagasy specimens accessed within the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, Paris, France, produced a praying mantis (Insecta: Mantodea) of an undescribed genus and species. An investigation of the internal and external morphology, in addition to its collection locality, revealed that this specimen belongs to the Iridopterygidae subfamily Tropidomantinae. Furthermore, the specimen’s unique combination of characters justified the creation of a new genus. Geographic distributional records and external morphological character evidence are presented for Cornucollis gen. n. masoalensis sp. n. We provide a dichotomous key of the Tropidomantinae and Nilomantinae genera distributed within Madagascar. High-resolution images, illustrations of morphological characters, natural history information, and measurement data are presented.     

A new genus and species of Baetidae from Sri Lanka (Ceylon): Indocloeon primum gen.n., sp.n. (Insecta,Ephemeroptera)

The nymph of a new genus and species, Indocloeon primum gen.n., sp.n. from Sri Lanka is described, distinguishing characteristics are illustrated. This new genus is most closely related to Cloeon Leach and Centroptilum Eaton. Indocloeon gen.n. possesses a unique combination of morphological characters and two derived characters.     

Lanceimermis palustris n. sp. and Telomermis palustris n. sp. (Nematoda: Mermithidae) parasites of chironomid (Insecta: Diptera) adults from Lake Alice Bog in northern Minnesota

In the summer of 2003, chironomid imagoes eclosing from Lake Alice Bog in Minnesota yielded mermithid nematodes of 2 new species. Lanceimermis palustris n. sp. is distinguished from the other 14 species of the genus by the subventral mouth position, thinness of the hook-shaped spicule, body index, and structure of the male tail muscles. Telomermis palustris n. sp. is distinguished from the only other species of the genus by the structure of the amphids, body length, maximum body width, length of the esophagus, and the presence of a minute larval terminal horn. Lanceimermis palustris n. sp. hosts were Chironomus maturus Johannsen and T. palustris n. sp. hosts were Tanytarsus mendax Kieffer, Paratanytarsus nr. dissimilis n. sp., and Micropsectra polita (Malloch). In both mermithid species, the percent of mermithid males per host increased with the intensity of the infection.     

Description of Buckarootrema goodmani n. g., n. sp. (Digenea: Pronocephalidae), a parasite of the freshwater turtle Emydura macquarii (Gray, 1830) (Pleurodira: Chelidae) from Queensland, Australia, and a phylogenetic analysis of the genera of the Pronocephalidae Looss, 1902.

Buckarootrema goodmani n. g., n. sp. is described from the small intestine of the Murray turtle, Emydura macquarii (Gray, 1830), from the vicinity of Warwick, Queensland, Australia. The distinctive taxonomic features include the vitellarium, which consists of 2 compact masses directly anterior to and occasionally overlapping the testes; the uterus with extensive pre- and postovarian coils; intestinal ceca with small, medial diverticula that terminate anterior to or at the anterior margin of the testes; a comma-shaped cirrus sac with both internal and external seminal vesicles. Phylogenetic systematic analysis of the genera of the Pronocephalidae including Buckarootrema and Notopronocephalus, the only other genus of pronocephalids reported from Australian freshwater turtles, indicates that Buckarootrema is the sister taxon of Neopronocephalus and Notopronocephalus is the sister group of the rest of the Pronocephalinae.     

Charipinae (Hymenoptera: Figitidae) from Australia: revision of the genus Thoreauana Girault, 1930 and description of Dilapothor n. gen.

Abstract  The Australian genus Thoreauana Girault is revised: the three known species are redescribed and Thoreauana giraulti sp. n. is described. A new genus of Charipinae from Australia, Dilapothor n. gen., is described. The diagnostic characters for the tribe Charipini are discussed and a key to the Charipini genera is provided.     

Mariauxiella pimelodi n. g., n. sp. (Cestoda: Monticelliidae): a parasite of pimelodid siluroid fishes from South America

Mariauxiella pimelodi n. g., n. sp. (Cestoda, Monticelliidae, Othinoscolecinae) is described from the South American siluriform fishes Pimelodus ornatus and Pimelodus sp. caught in Brazil and Paraguay. When compared with other genera of South American monticelliids, the new genus exhibits the following morpho-anatomical characters: the particular development of the distal circular musculature of the suckers acting as a sphincter; the medullar ovary projecting numerous lobules into the dorsal cortex; and the uterus situated in the ventral cortex but with numerous outgrowths penetrating the medulla and reaching the dorsal cortex in pregravid proglottids. The new species is the fourth monticelliid cestode recorded from Pimelodus.     

Microphallidae Travassos, 1920 (Trematoda). L. Testiculoporus cedarkeyensis n. g., n. sp. et Endocotyle bushi n. sp., parasites d'un Catoptrophorus (Aves) des Etats-Unis

The authors describe and illustrate three different species of microphallid trematodes parasitic in the intestine of an American willet Catoptrophorus semipalmatus (Aves). Testiculoporus cedarkeyensis n. g., n. sp. has morphological characters related to Odhneria and Pseudospelotrema, along with a genital pore drawn back to the level of the sinistral testis. Two species of Odhneria (minuta Ke, 1979 and papilloprocera Ke, 1980), which appear aberrant because of the atypical posterior position of their genital pore, are transferred to the new genus. Endocotyle bushi n. sp. differs from the two other species in the genus by the disposition of the posterior uterine loops, the extension of the vitellarium, egg size and geographical distribution. The evaginated cirrus of Odhneria odhneri is described.