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.     

Phlebotomine sandflies from Madagascar (Diptera: Psychodidae). VI--A new subgenus (Vattieromyia) including three new species: Sergentomyia (V.) sclerosiphon, S. (V.) namo and S. (V.) anka

Three new species of Phlebotomine sandflies belonging to the genus Sergentomyia Fran?a & Parrot are described from Madagascar: Sergentomyia sclerosiphon n. sp. S. namo n. sp. and S. anka n. sp. The taxa are created on the basis of the morphology of females. The males of S. sclerosiphon n. sp. and of S. anka n. sp. have been associated to the females according to the homologies of a fragment of the mtDNA cytochrome b sequences. The original morphology of the spermathecae and the sclerification of a part of the individual spermathecal ducts allow the creation of a new subgenus, Vattieromyia subg. nov., which includes these three new species.     

中国白蛉亚科数值分类研究（双翅目: 毛蠓科）

【目的】 对中国白蛉亚科（Phlebotominae）昆虫进行数值分类研究, 探索其在系统发育过程中的亲缘关系。【方法】 选取中国白蛉40个蛉种作为分类单元以及白蛉的68项形态特征为分类指标, 进行系统聚类分析。【结果】 聚类分析结果与传统属级及白蛉属Phlebotomus的亚属级分类一致。司蛉属Sergentomyia的亚属分类与传统分类有一些区别, 聚类分析将司蛉属分为8类, 其中尼克组nicnic group与司蛉亚属subgenus Sergentomyia和传统分类一致; 泉州司蛉S. quanzhouensis和唐氏司蛉S. tangi聚入帕蛉亚属subgenus Parrotomyia; 尹氏司蛉S. yini聚入新蛉亚属subgenus Neophlebotomus, 应氏司蛉S. iyengari、马来司蛉S. malayensis、吐鲁番司蛉S. turfanensis、兰州司蛉S. lanzhouensis和南京司蛉S. nankingensis聚为一类; 歌乐山司蛉S. koloshanensis、方亮司蛉S. fanglianensis和云南司蛉S. yunnanensis与尼克组nicnic group聚成一类, 此类群和此属中其他蛉种系统发育关系距离远。【结论】 中国白蛉亚科昆虫的聚类分析结果与传统分类基本一致, 验证了传统分类系统的可靠性, 并揭示了传统分类中一些蛉种不确定分类问题。司蛉属聚类分析结果与传统分类有差别, 提示有个别蛉种需重新考虑其分类地位。     

Phlebotomine sandflies from Madagascar (Diptera: Psychodidae). V--description of Sergentomyia majungaensis n. sp

Sergentomyia majungaensis, a new species of Phlebotomine sandfly, is described from Madagascar. The female is characterised by an unusual antennal formula (1/IV-V to VII; 2/VI to VIII-XV) and smooth and narrow spermathecae, with a common duct, whose shape is intermediate between Sergentomyia and Parrotomyia subgenera. The male has the same antennal formula than Grassomyia (1/IV-XV) but no hairs on the mesanepistern and a longer third antennal segment.     

Hematozoa of the avian family Brachypteraciidae (the ground-rollers)

The Brachypteraciidae is an avian family endemic to Madagascar. Members of this family were mist-netted in Madagascar, and blood smears were made to screen for the presence of hematozoa. Smears were stained with Giemsa and examined at x100, x160, and x1000 for hematozoa. Three new species of avian hematozoa from wild-caught ground-rollers in Madagascar are described. Haemoproteus goodmani n. sp. is found in the pitta-like ground-roller (Atelornis pittoides), whereas Haemoproteus forresteri n. sp. and Leucocytozoon frascai n. sp. are from the rufous-headed ground-roller (Atelornis crossleyi). These represent the first hematozoa described from this family.     

A STUDY OF PHLEBOTOMINE SANDFLIES IN YUNAN PROVINCE lV. SERGENTOMYIA (NEOPHLEBOTOMVS) WEEH. M SP. NOV. (DIPTERA: PSYCHODIDAE)

Abstract In August 5–14, 1989 the authors collected many phlebotomine sandflies in natural lime-stone caves from Yiwu and Mengyuan, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province. Among them 10 species of phle-botomines were found, i.e., Idiophlebotomus longiforceps, Phlebotomus yunshpis, P. trunmcsis, P. kiangsuensis, P. stantoni, Serptomyia rudnicki, S. barraudi, S. iyngari, S. koloshanensis , and S. bailyi (He and Leng 1991). Additionally a new species of the subgenus Neophlebotomus is described as Sergentomyia (Neophlebotomus) kueichenae in honour of Professor Kueichen Li.     

A study of phlebotomine sandflies (Diptera: Psychodidae) in Yunnan Province, China. Sergentomyia (Sergentomyia) wangi n. sp

Among the phlebotomine sandflies collected in a lime-stone cave of 21 degrees 42' N, 10 degrees 23' E and 700 m above sea level on 14th August, Mengyuan, Mengla County, Xishuangbanna District, Yunnan Province, two males of the group fallax of subgenus Sergentomyia are quite different in morphology with those hitherto recorded in the literature. In the present paper its morphology is described with seven figures and the name Sergentomyia wangi is proposed in honor of professor Chao-Tsun Wang for his contribution in study and control of leishmaniasis in China.     

云南白蛉亚科昆虫的研究——四、贵真司蛉Sergentomyia(Neophlebotomus)kueichenae sp.nov.的描述(双翅目:毛蛉科)(英文)

1989年8月5—14日,作者等在云南省西双版纳勐腊县易武(5—9日)和勐远(12—14日)的自然石灰岩洞中捕获了大批白蛉。已定种名的有:长铗异蛉Idiophlebotomus longiforeps,云胜白蛉Plebotomus yunshengensis,上门白蛉P. tumenensis,江苏白蛉P. kiangsuensis,施氏白蛉P. stantoni,卢氏司蛉S. rud nicki,鲍氏司蛉S. barraudi,应氏司蛉S. iyengari,歌乐山司蛉S. koloshanensis和贝氏司蛉S. bailyi。此外有新蛉亚属一新蛉种,为对我国医学昆虫学专家李贵真教授的学术贡献表示敬意而名之为贵真司蛉Sergentomyia(Neophlebotomus)kueichenae。 文中对贵真司蛉做了详细描述,并与相近蛉种:应氏司蛉和坦博司蛉S. tambori进行了对比鉴别。正模(雌蛉):勐远岩洞,北纬21°24′,东经101°30′,海拔约1000m;副模:勐远岩洞及易武岩洞(海拔约1400m),皆存于暨南大学医学院寄生虫学教研室。     

Lutzomyia derelicta (Diptera: Psychodidae) a singular new phlebotomine sand fly from an Inselberg in Northeastern Amazonia.

Lutzomyia derelicta n. sp. is described from specimens collected in an isolated xeric habitat in the rainforest in the north of the State of Pará, Brazil. The new species lacks the posterior bulge in the dorsal wall of the cibarium characteristic of the New World genus Lutzomyia, and the armature of the male genitalia is of the pattern found elsewhere only in the Old World species of Sergentomyia. L. derelicta is phenetically intermediate between the known species of Lutzomyia and Sergentomyia, and cannot readily be placed in any existing subgenus or species group of either genus.     

Systematic revision of the genus Aglyptodactylus Boulenger, 1919 (Amphibia: Ranidae), and analysis of its phylogenetic relationships to other Madagascan ranid genera (Tomopterna, Boophis, Mantidactylus, and Mantella)

Recent field studies revealed two new species of the genus Aglyptodactylus (Amphibia: Anura: Ranidae), which was hitherto considered as monotypic and confined to humid eastern Madagascar. Both new species, Aglyptodactylus laticeps sp. n. and Aglyptodactylus securifer sp. n. , occur syntopically in the deciduous dry forest of Kirindy in western Madagascar. In comparison to Aglyptodactylus madagascariensis from eastern rainforests, the new species A. laticeps shows a remarkable morphological divergence, which may be partly due to adaptations to burrowing habits in dry environments. Despite of the morphological differentiation, advertisement calls and osteology indicate that all three species of Aglyptodactylus are closely related. A phylogenetic analysis of the Madagascan ranid genera Aglyptodactylus, Mantella, Mantidactylus, Boophis , and Tomopterna (the latter including species from Madagascar, Africa, and Asia) strongly supports a sister group relationship of Aglyptodactylus with the ranine genus Tomopterna . We therefore transfer Aglyptodactylus from the Rhacophorinae to the Raninae and discuss implications of this rearrangement for ranoid systematics. The existence of the endemic genus Aglyptodactylus in Madagascar as well as its close phylogenetic relationships to Tomopterna confirm that the Raninae were already present on the Madagascan plate before its separation from Africa. The Madagascan Tomopterna labrosa shows several important differences both to Asian and to African species of the genus, and is therefore transferred from the subgenus Sphaerotheca (now restricted to Asia) to a new subgenus Laliostoma subgen. n .     

Phlebotomines of the Isle of Cyprus. III. Species inventory

Three surveys on canine leishmaniasis were carried out in Cyprus (1993, 1998 and 1999) emphasise the presence of eleven species of phlebotomine sandflies: Phlebotomus (Phlebotomus) papatasi, P. (Paraphlebotomus) alexandri, P. (Pa.) jacusieli (first mention in Cyprus), P. (Pa.) sergenti, P. (Larroussius) galilaeus, P. (L.) tobbi, P. (Transphlebotomus) economidesi, P. (T.) mascittii, Sergentomyia (Sergentomyia) azizi (its specific statute is validated by the authors), S. (S.) fallax et S. (S.) minuta. P. (Adlerius) kyreniae was not caught during the surveys. The authors propose hypothesis of settlement of the island by phlebotomine sandflies according this species inventory. A first migration period took probably place during the Miocene time and a second one during the Pleistocene time.     

A new Gephyromantis (Phylacomantis) frog species from the pinnacle karst of Bemaraha, western Madagascar

We describe a new mantellid frog of the subfamily Mantellinae from the karstic Bemaraha Plateau, western Madagascar. The new species belongs to the genus Gephyromantis, subgenus Phylacomantis, which previously included Gephyromantis azzurrae, Gephyromantis corvus and Gephyromantis pseudoasper. Gephyromantis atsingysp. n. has a snout-vent length of 35-43 mm and is a scansorial frog living among the Tsingy de Bemaraha pinnacles and inside the caves present in the area. A morphological analysis and biomolecular comparison revealed the degree of differentiation between these four species of the Phylacomantis subgenus.The new species seems to be endemic to Tsingy de Bemaraha.     

梾木属四照花亚属的系统和总览

不同作者对四照花亚属的性状估价不同,因而对其下分类群的分类很不一致。本文据其不同的过冬习性和芽结构与地理分布相关联,建立了两个组、两个系的新系统。并根据"形态地理"学的方法,认为"种"是一组居群,与另一种在形态上需有间断区别,"亚种"是种的组成成分,有一定分布区(若是同域则占居不同生境),形态上有区别,但在分布区交接处有中间类型存在,"变种"是种内限于较狭分布区域成分散分布的变异类形;将该亚属由原来19个种处理成4个种,12个亚种及3个变种。     

Sporangial Distribution Patterns in the Strobili of African and Madagascan Selaginella

The sporangial distribution patterns occurring in the strobiliof 30 species of Selaginella subgenus Stachygynandrum from Africaand Madagascar are described. The patterns of sporangial distributioncan be put into eight major Types and five Variations of threeTypes. Even though some species exhibit more than one Type and/orVariation, the distribution pattern is consistent for each speciesand can be regarded as one of the characters useful in the taxonomyof the subgenus. Sporangial distribution patterns, types, variations, strobili, Selaginella, subgenus, Stachygynandrum     

Adaptive radiation in Coffea subgenus Coffea L. (Rubiaceae) in Africa and Madagascar

Phylogeographic analysis of the Coffea subgenus Coffea was performed using data on plastid DNA sequences and interpreted in relation to biogeographic data on African rain forest flora. Parsimony and Bayesian analyses of trnL-F, trnT-L and atpB-rbcL intergenic spacers from 24 African species revealed two main clades in the Coffea subgenus Coffea whose distribution overlaps in west equatorial Africa. Comparison of trnL-F sequences obtained from GenBank for 45 Coffea species from Cameroon, Madagascar, Grande Comore and the Mascarenes revealed low divergence between African and Madagascan species, suggesting a rapid and radial mode of speciation. A chronological history of the dispersal of the Coffea subgenus Coffea from its centre of origin in Lower Guinea is proposed. No relation was found between phylogenetic topology and the age of emergence of the volcanic islands that Coffea species have colonised in the Indian Ocean, suggesting dispersal from mainland Africa after the emergence of the youngest island, Grande Comore, 500,000 years ago. Additional sequences were obtained from GenBank for 24 species of other Rubiaceae genera, including the Rubia genus whose origin has been dated from the Upper Miocene. Estimates of substitution rates suggested that diversification in Coffea subgenus Coffea occurred about 460,000 years ago or as recently as the last 100,000 years, depending on the cpDNA region considered and calibration. The phylogenetic relationships based on plastid sequences confirmed biogeographic differentiation of coffee species, but they were not congruent with morphological and biochemical classifications, or with the capacity to grow in specific environments. Examples of convergent evolution in the main clades are given using characters of leaf size, caffeine content and reproductive mode.