Two new harvestmen species (Arachnida: Opiliones) from the Caucasus

Two new harvestmen species of the family Phalangiidae, Rilaena caucasica sp. n. and Rilaena silhavyi sp. n. are diagnosed, illustrated, and described from the Caucasus region. Comparative illustration of the related Rilaena anatolica (Roewer, 1956), R. atrolutea (Roewer, 1915) and R. kelbajarica Snegovaya &; Pkhakadze, 2014 Snegovaya, N. Y., &; Pkhakadze, V. D. (2014): New species of the genus Rilaena (Opiliones, Phalangiidae) from the mount Gyamish, Azerbaijan. Vestnik zoologii, 48, 313–318. doi: 10.2478/vzoo-2014-0037[Crossref] , [Google Scholar] are given.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:7B29FD94-45A2-4E32-A41E-3276E016410B     

Further revision of the genus Megalopsalis (Opiliones,Neopilionidae), with the description of seven new species

The Australian harvestmen genus Megalopsalis (Neopilionidae: Enantiobuninae) is recognised as a senior synonym of the genera Spinicrus and Hypomegalopsalis, and seven new species are described in Megalopsalis: Megalopsalis suffugiens, Megalopsalis walpolensis, Megalopsalis caeruleomontium, Megalopsalis atrocidiana, Megalopsalis coronata, Megalopsalis puerilis and Megalopsalis sublucens. A morphological phylogenetic analysis of the Enantiobuninae is also conducted including the new species. Monophyly of Neopilionidae and Enantiobuninae including ‘Monoscutidae’ is corroborated, with the Australasian taxa as a possible sister clade to the South American Thrasychirus.     

Further notes on New Zealand Enantiobuninae (Opiliones,Neopilionidae), with the description of?a?new genus and two new species

Mangatangi parvum gen. n. and sp. and Forsteropsalis pureroa sp. n. are described from the North Island of New Zealand. Pantopsalis listeri (White 1849) and Pantopsalis cheliferoides (Colenso 1882) are redescribed and no longer regarded as nomina dubia; Pantopsalis luna (Forster 1944) is identified as a junior synonym of Pantopsalis listeri. A key to Pantopsalis species is provided.     

Four new Laniatorean harvestmen (Arachnida: Opiliones) from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber

Four new laniatorean harvestmen specimens (Arachnida: Opiliones: Laniatores) are described from the mid-Cretaceous (upper Albian–lower Cenomanian) Burmese amber of Northern Myanmar. One is placed as Insidiatores indet., but is not formally named as it is probably immature. Burmalomanius circularis n. gen. n. sp. and Petroburma tarsomeria n. gen. n. sp. represent the first fossil records of the extant families Podoctidae and Petrobunidae respectively. Finally, Mesodibunus tourinhoae n. gen. n. sp. belongs to Epedanidae, a family previously recorded from Burmese amber. These new records bring the total number of Burmese amber laniatorean species to ten, and the total number of fossil laniatoreans to fifteen. The new finds offer additional calibration points for the Laniatores tree of life and are consistent with the hypothesis that the modern Laniatores fauna of Southeast Asia may have had Gondwanan, as opposed to a Laurasian, origins.     

Two new species of Longidoridae (Nematoda) from New Zealand forests

Xiphinema waimungui n. sp. from native forest in the North Island, New Zealand, is distinguished from many Xiphinema spp. by having two equal female genital branches, Z differentiation absent and tail short, convex-conoid. Females are 2.71–3.19 mm long, odontostyle 117–130 µm and odontophore 65–75 µm. Four juvenile stages are distinguished; tail shape does not vary markedly. Males were not found. Longidorus waikouaitii n. sp. from a native forest remnant in the South Island, New Zealand, has a rather posteriorly positioned guide-ring, large female body size (>6 mm), a bluntly conoid lip region which is continuous with the body contour and a bluntly rounded tail less than an anal body width long. No males and few juveniles were found. A dichotomous key is provided to the seven species of longidorids currently known from New Zealand.     

Two new species of Steccherinum (Basidiomycota, Polyporales) from Taiwan

Steccherinum cremicolor and S. elongatum are described and illustrated as new species from Taiwan. Steccherinum cremicolor is characterized by strictly resupinate basidiocarps, a fimbriate margin, short spines, generative hyphae dominating in the trama and subiculum, encrusted skeletocystidia, and ellipsoid basidiospores. Steccherinum elongatum has strictly resupinate and membranaceous basidiocarps, bearing fairly long spines, generative hyphae-dominated subiculum, elongated skeletocystidia, and ellipsoid to subglobose basidiospores.     

Two new species of Mediomastus (Annelida,Capitellidae) from Tokyo Bay,Japan

Two undescribed species of polychaetes in Mediomastus (Annelida: Capitellidae) were collected from intertidal to shallow habitats in Tokyo Bay, Japan. These are M. duobalteus sp. n. and M. hanedaensis sp. n. Mediomastus duobalteus sp. n. is distinguishable from all congeners by the following characters: 1) segments 3, 4, 8–11 stainable with methyl green, 2) thoracic capillary chaetae unilimbate, 3) abdominal capillary chaetae absent, 4) paddle-like chaetae in the thorax absent, and 5) abdominal hooded hooks not flared. Mediomastus hanedaensis sp. n. is similar to M. warrenae Green, 2002, but differs from the latter in the shapes of the thoracic capillary chaetae and the abdominal hooded hooks, and the staining pattern with methyl green. In addition, a key to all Mediomastus species is provided.     

Two new species of the tribe Hymenaphorurini Pomorski, 1996 (Collembola: Onychiuridae) from Korea

Two new species, Heteraphorura koreana sp. nov. and Psyllaphorura jirisana sp. nov., of the tribe Hymenaphorurini are described and illustrated based on materials from South Korea. Heteraphorura koreana sp. nov. belongs to the oriental species-group of the genus Heteraphorura, because of compound vesicles in the postantennal organ. This new species shares the same number of PAO with Heteraphorura pseudoseolagensis (Martynova, 1981) from Russia, but differs in pso dorsal formula and lateral teeth of claw. Psyllaphorura jirisana sp. nov. is similar to Psyllaphorura sensillifera.(Martynova, 1981) from the Russian Far East, but can be distinguished by shape of vesicles in PAO, dorsal s-chaetae on head and ratio AS/unguis. www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:F854CBFD-06D0-4396-B8D9-62468B427111.     

New Species of Lagenophrys (Ciliophora,Peritrichia) from New Zealand and Australia1

Lagenophrys novazealandae n. sp. occurs on the gills of Paranephrops zealandicus, a parastacid crayfish from New Zealand. The new species has the hemispheroidal lorica most common among members of its genus and is distinguished by its possession of large tubercles on the thickened edge of the anterior lip of the lorica aperture, a deep cleft in the left side of the lip's edge, and a ovoid to reniform macronucleus located in the right-hand part of the body. It is probable that an as yet unnamed species of Lagenophrys known to occur on another species of Paranephrops in New Zealand is distinct from L. novazealandae but phylogenetically related to it. Lagenophrys petila n. sp. occurs on setae of Parastacoides tasmanicus, a parastacid from Tasmania. The new species has an ovoid lorica tapering to a slender pseudostalk at the posterior end, a type of lorica possessed by only two other members of its genus that also attach to their host's setae. It is distinguished from the other ovoid species by the proportions of the lorica, the extreme shortness of the lips of the lorica aperture, and an ovoid macronucleus located in the right, anterior part of the body. Clefts in the lips of L. novazealandae and other members of Lagenophrys may function as points of flexure to allow the lips to bend in ways that accommodate interspecific differences in the size of the epistomial disk and its operation during suspension feeding.     

Fissiphalliidae, a new family of South American laniatorean harvestmen (Arachnida: Opiliones)

Fissiphalliidae, a new family of the Opiliones suborder Laniatores, is described in the superfamily Gonyleptoidea, based on a new genus (Fissiphallius n. gen.) und 3 new species (F. sturmi n. sp., F. spinulatus n. sp., F. sympatricus n. sp.) from Colombia. Most emphasized are the male genitalic characters, unique in Opiliones: A honzontally split truncus which results in a long movable (glans) and an immovable finger (distal part of the truncus). Both hide the extremely long stylus with the seminal opening at its end. In an expanded state, the movable finger is bent dorsally by an erectile vesicle. It is shown that male genitalic characters in Opiliones display clear functional and constructional traits on the family level. Those characters, if used appropriately, will demonstrate that several families in gonyleptoid Laniatores are polyphyletic and should be divided into several taxa of the family level.     

Sensory biology of Phalangida harvestmen (Arachnida,Opiliones): a review,with new morphological data on 18 species

Phalangida includes three of the four suborders of Opiliones (Arachnida): Eupnoi, Dyspnoi and Laniatores. We review the literature on the sensory structures and capabilities of Phalangida, provide new morphological data for 18 species and discuss the 11 sensory structures that have been described in the group. Based on the published data encompassing both behaviour and morphology, three conclusions are apparent: (1) species of Phalangida appear to have limited abilities to detect stimuli at a distance; (2) close range olfaction probably helps to find foods with strong odours, but (3) they appear to be highly dependent on contact chemoreception to detect live prey, predators and mates. We also highlight the fact that legs I in the three suborders and pedipalps in Dyspnoi and Eupnoi are very important sensory appendages, thus legs II should not be called the ‘sensory appendages’ of harvestmen. In conclusion, we highlight the fact that the sensory capabilities, diet, prey capturing and handling ability, and foraging behaviour of species of Phalangida seem to be different from those of most other arachnids. Finally, we suggest future directions for studies in the field of the sensory system of the group.     

Two new species of Megacanthaspis Takagi (Hemiptera, Sternorrhyncha, Coccoidea, Diaspididae) from China

Two new species of armored scale, Megacanthaspis hangzhouensis Wei & Feng, sp. n. and Megacanthaspis hainanensis Wei & Feng, sp. n. are described and illustrated from specimens collected from China. A key to adult female of Megacanthaspis species is provided.     

Two new species of the genus Endelus Deyrolle, 1864 from China (Coleoptera: Buprestidae)

The genus Endelus Deyrolle, 1864 belongs to the subfamily Agrilinae, tribe Aphanisticini. Two new species, E. (E.) violaceithorax sp. n. from Hainan Island and E. (E.) wangi sp. n. from Guangxi and Yunnan, are herein described and illustrated. A key to separate species of the subgenus Endelus Deyrolle, 1864 from China is provided.www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:CF144204-86FB-401D-AF75-B740CCD020DC.     

Morphological changes during postembryonic development in two species of neotropical harvestmen (Opiliones,Laniatores, Cranaidae)

Morphological changes during postembryonic development in the Cranaidae are described on the basis of the examination of an incomplete series of larvae, nymphs, and adults of Phareicranaus calcariferus and Santinezia serratotibialis. The life histories of these species are hypothesized to consist of six nymphal stages, featuring the appearance of secondary male sexual characteristics in the antepenultimate nymph (N5). Color and body shape change dramatically during development. Growth rates for nymphs based upon leg measurements were similar for both species. In S. serratotibialis, the greatest increase in leg size occurred from larva to 1st nymph. The tarsomeres of legs I–IV varied by 1–2 segments per leg for each nymph stage, with the number of tarsal segments increased by 1–2 segments at each stage. Adults had nearly twice as many tarsomeres on leg II than other legs. Ontogenetic changes were observed in the armature of the proximal cheliceral segment, ocularium, pedipalp, opisthosoma, distitarsus III and IV, and leg IV. Morphological changes in postembryonic development in cranaid harvestmen are similar to those reported for other Laniatores. J. Morphol., 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Two new species of Neosartorya isolated from soil in Xinjiang, China

Two new species, Neosartorya shendaweii and N. tsunodae, isolated from soil in Xinjing, China and in Pernambuco, Brazil, are described and illustrated. The first species is characterized by its ascospores with two widely separated equatorial crests and tuberculate to verrucose convex surfaces. This species has affinities with several known species of the genus, bearing ascospores with a similar ornamentation, but can be distinguished from these species by other morphological characteristics such as smaller cleistothecia and conidiophores, spathulate vesicles and rather ellipsoidal conidia. The second species is characterized by its unique ascospores with two low equatorial crests, an evident furrow as a deep depression, and finely reticulate convex surfaces. The validation of these new species is supported further by analyses of the β-tubulin, calmodulin and actin gene sequences.