Fossils from the Middle Jurassic of China shed light on morphology of Choristopsychidae (Insecta,Mecoptera)

Choristopsychidae, established by Martynov in 1937 with a single isolated forewing, is a little known extinct family in Mecoptera. Since then, no new members of this enigmatic family have been described. Based on 23 well-preserved specimens with complete body and wings from the Middle Jurassic of northeastern China, we report one new genus and three new species of Choristopsychidae, two new species of the genus Choristopsyche Martynov, 1937: Choristopsyche perfecta sp. n. and Choristopsyche asticta sp. n.; one new species of Paristopsyche gen. n.: Paristopsyche angelineae sp. n.; and re-describe Choristopsyche tenuinervis Martynov, 1937. In addition, we emend the diagnoses of Choristopsychidae and Choristopsyche. Analyzing the forewing length/width ratios of representative species in Mecoptera, we confirm that choristopsychids have the lowest ratio of forewing length/width, meaning broadest forewings. These findings, the first fossil choristopsychids with well-preserved body structure and the first record of Choristopsychidae in China, shed light on the morphology of these taxa and broaden their distribution from Tajikistan to China, while increasing the diversity of Mesozoic Mecoptera in China.     

Revision of the subfamily Opiinae (Hymenoptera,Braconidae) from Hunan (China), including thirty-six new species and two new genera

The species of the subfamily Opiinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) from Hunan (Oriental China) are revised and illustrated. Thirty-six new species are described: Apodesmia bruniclypealis Li & van Achterberg, sp. n., Apodesmia melliclypealis Li & van Achterberg, sp. n., Areotetes albiferus Li & van Achterberg, sp. n., Areotetes carinuliferus Li & van Achterberg, sp. n., Areotetes striatiferus Li & van Achterberg, sp. n., Coleopioides diversinotum Li & van Achterberg, sp. n., Coleopioides postpectalis Li & van Achterberg, sp. n., Fopius dorsopiferus Li, van Achterberg & Tan, sp. n., Indiopius chenae Li & van Achterberg, sp. n., Opiognathus aulaciferus Li & van Achterberg, sp. n., Opiognathus brevibasalis Li & van Achterberg, sp. n., Opius crenuliferus Li & van Achterberg, sp. n., Opius malarator Li, van Achterberg & Tan, sp. n., Opius monilipalpis Li & van Achterberg, sp. n., Opius pachymerus Li & van Achterberg, sp. n., Opius songi Li & van Achterberg, sp. n., Opius youi Li & van Achterberg, sp. n., Opius zengi Li & van Achterberg, sp. n., Phaedrotoma acuticlypeata Li & van Achterberg, sp. n., Phaedrotoma angiclypeata Li & van Achterberg, sp. n., Phaedrotoma antenervalis Li & van Achterberg, sp. n., Phaedrotoma depressiclypealis Li & van Achterberg, sp. n., Phaedrotoma flavisoma Li & van Achterberg, sp. n., Phaedrotoma nigrisoma Li & van Achterberg, sp. n., Phaedrotoma protuberator Li & van Achterberg, sp. n., Phaedrotoma rugulifera Li & van Achterberg, sp. n., Li & van Achterberg,Phaedrotoma striatinota Li & van Achterberg, sp. n., Phaedrotoma vermiculifera Li & van Achterberg, sp. n., Rhogadopsis latipennis Li & van Achterberg, sp. n., Rhogadopsis longicaudifera Li & van Achterberg, sp. n., Rhogadopsis maculosa Li, van Achterberg & Tan, sp. n., Rhogadopsis obliqua Li & van Achterberg, sp. n., Rhogadopsis sculpturator Li & van Achterberg, sp. n., Utetes longicarinatus Li & van Achterberg, sp. n. and Xynobius notauliferus Li & van Achterberg, sp. n. Areotetes van Achterberg & Li, gen. n. (type species: Areotetes carinuliferus sp. n.) and Coleopioides van Achterberg & Li, gen. n. (type species: Coleopioides postpectalis sp. n. are described. All species are illustrated and keyed. In total 30 species of Opiinae are sequenced and the cladograms are presented. Neopius Gahan, 1917, Opiognathus Fischer, 1972, Opiostomus Fischer, 1972, and Rhogadopsis Brèthes, 1913, are treated as a valid genera based on molecular and morphological differences. Opius vittata Chen & Weng, 2005 (not Opius vittatus Ruschka, 1915), Opius ambiguus Weng & Chen, 2005 (not Wesmael, 1835) and Opius mitis Chen & Weng, 2005 (not Fischer, 1963) are primary homonymsandarerenamed into Phaedrotoma depressa Li & van Achterberg, nom. n., Opius cheni Li & van Achterberg, nom. n. andOpius wengi Li & van Achterberg, nom. n., respectively. Phaedrotoma terga (Chen & Weng, 2005) comb. n.,Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Ashmead, 1905) and Biosteres pavitita Chen & Weng, 2005, are reported new for Hunan, Opiostomus aureliae (Fischer, 1957) comb. n. is new for China and Hunan; Xynobius maculipennis(Enderlein, 1912) comb. n. is new for Hunan and continental China and Rhogadopsis longuria (Chen & Weng, 2005) comb. n. is new for Hunan. The following new combinations are given: Apodesmia puncta (Weng & Chen, 2005) comb. n., Apodesmia tracta (Weng & Chen, 2005) comb. n., Areotetes laevigatus (Weng & Chen, 2005) comb. n., Phaedrotoma dimidia (Chen & Weng, 2005) comb. n., Phaedrotoma improcera (Weng & Chen, 2005) comb. n., Phaedrotoma amputata (Weng & Chen, 2005) comb. n., Phaedrotoma larga (Weng & Chen, 2005) comb. n., Phaedrotoma osculas (Weng & Chen, 2005) comb. n., Phaedrotoma postuma (Chen & Weng, 2005) comb. n., Phaedrotoma rugulosa (Chen & Weng, 2005) comb. n., Phaedrotoma tabularis (Weng & Chen, 2005) comb. n., Rhogadopsis apii (Chen & Weng, 2005) comb. n., Rhogadopsis dimidia (Chen & Weng, 2005) comb. n., Rhogadopsis diutia (Chen & Weng, 2005) comb. n., Rhogadopsis longuria (Chen & Weng, 2005) comb. n., Rhogadopsis pratellae(Weng & Chen, 2005) comb. n., Rhogadopsis pratensis (Weng & Chen, 2005) comb. n., Rhogadopsis sculpta (Chen & Weng, 2005) comb. n., Rhogadopsis sulcifer (Fischer, 1975) comb. n., Rhogadopsis tabidula(Weng & Chen, 2005) comb. n., Xynobius complexus (Weng & Chen, 2005) comb. n., Xynobius indagatrix (Weng & Chen, 2005) comb. n., Xynobius multiarculatus (Chen & Weng, 2005) comb. n.The following (sub)genera are synonymised: Snoflakopius Fischer, 1972, Jucundopius Fischer, 1984, Opiotenes Fischer, 1998, and Oetztalotenes Fischer, 1998, with Opiostomus Fischer, 1971; Xynobiotenes Fischer, 1998, with Xynobius Foerster, 1862; Allotypus Foerster, 1862, Lemnaphilopius Fischer, 1972, Agnopius Fischer, 1982, and Cryptognathopius Fischer, 1984, with Apodesmia Foerster, 1862; Nosopoea Foerster, 1862, Tolbia Cameron, 1907, Brachycentrus Szépligeti, 1907, Baeocentrum Schulz, 1911, Hexaulax Cameron, 1910, Coeloreuteus Roman, 1910, Neodiospilus Szépligeti, 1911, Euopius Fischer, 1967, Gerius Fischer, 1972, Grimnirus Fischer, 1972, Hoenirus Fischer, 1972, Mimirus Fischer, 1972, Gastrosema Fischer, 1972, Merotrachys Fischer, 1972, Phlebosema Fischer, 1972, Neoephedrus Samanta, Tamili, Saha & Raychaudhuri, 1983, Adontopius Fischer, 1984, Kainopaeopius Fischer, 1986, Millenniopius Fischer, 1996, and Neotropopius Fischer, 1999, with Phaedrotoma Foerster, 1862.     

Serological detection of yam viruses in farmers' fields in Ogun State,Nigeria

A field survey was conducted in eight local government areas (LGA) of Ogun state, Nigeria to assess the incidence of viral diseases of yams in the areas. Leaf samples were collected from 90 yam plants which were either symptomatic or asymptomatic. These were bulked into 45 during serological tests and the viruses indexed include yam mosaic virus (YMV); Dioscorea alata bacilliform virus (DaBV) and cucumber mosaic virus (CMV). DaBV was the most prevalent virus on the field with incidence of 48.9% (22/45) followed by YMV which occurred in 42.2% (19/45). CMV had the lowest percentage of incidence; 2.2% (1/45). Of all the LGAs visited, Abeokuta north and Abeokuta south had the highest incidence of YMV and DaBV, respectively. Mixed virus infections were also detected.     

Haematological observations on a hibernating tuatara,Sphenodon punctatus

Abstract

Quantitative and biochemical observations were made on the peripheral blood of a hibernating female tuatara. The packed red cell volume (haematocrit) was 30%. There were about 260 000 erythrocytes and 5000 leucocytes per mm³ blood. Lymphocytes and neutrophils were the predominant leucocytes, followed by monocytes, eosinophils, and basophils. Haemoglobin, plasma protein, glucose, sodium, potassium, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels were determined. These haematological data are compared with data from the same animal obtained during the active summer period.     

A new weevil genus of the tribe Metrioxenini (Coleoptera: Belidae) in Eocene Baltic amber

A new genus, Succinometrioxena n. gen., and a new species, S. poinari n. sp. (Metrioxenini: Oxycoryninae), are described from Baltic amber. This new genus resembles the recent genus Wallacexena Legalov, 2009 but differs from it by the frons with horn-like tubercles on either side, the absence of a middle pronotal carina, teeth on the side of the pronotum, the anterior margin of the pronotum lacking teeth and two long carinae on the elytra. From the fossil genus Paltorhynchus Scudder, 1893 the present fossil differs by possessing a frons with horn-like tubercles on either side, the absence of a middle pronotal carina, teeth on the sides of the pronotum, two long carinae on the elytra and short temples. From the fossil genus Archimetrioxena Voss, 1953, the new genus differs by the frons with horn-like tubercles on either side, the absence of the two truncated elytral carinae, the sides of the pronotum with teeth, short temples and a larger body size.     

Generation of RNA pseudoknot structures with topological genus filtration

In this paper we present a sampling framework for RNA structures of fixed topological genus. We introduce a novel, linear time, uniform sampling algorithm for RNA structures of fixed topological genus g  , for arbitrary g>0$g>0$. Furthermore we develop a linear time sampling algorithm for RNA structures of fixed topological genus g   that are weighted by a simplified, loop-based energy functional. For this process the partition function of the energy functional has to be computed once, which has O(n²)$O(n^2)$ time complexity.     

Phylogeny and taxonomy of European funnel‐web spiders of the Tegenaria−Malthonica complex (Araneae: Agelenidae) based upon morphological and molecular data

The taxonomy and systematics of European house spiders, currently constituting the ill‐defined Tegenaria?Malthonica complex (including Aterigena) in the family Agelenidae, are revised. In Europe four monophyletic genera and 81 species are defined. One genus, Eratigena gen. nov. , and seven species are described as new; at species level 17 new synonyms and 20 new combinations are proposed, and the original combination of 14 species is reinstated. Five species could not be placed (incertae sedis) because of insufficient material and one taxon is regarded as ‘nomen dubium’. On the basis of a detailed morphological assessment, 88 characters were chosen for a cladistic analysis. Phylogenetically informative characters include mostly spination patterns as well as spinneret and genital structures. In addition to morphology, three gene sections [cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (CO1), nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide dehydrogenase subunit 1 (NADH1) 28S] were analysed. Morphological and molecular analyses were performed individually and in combination applying maximum parsimony and Bayesian tree search methods. In all resulting trees Malthonica and Tegenaria in their present composition are either polyphyletic or paraphyletic. Consequently, we redefined the two genera and erected a new genus, Eratigena gen. nov. Identification keys are provided for the European agelenid genera as well as for the European species of Tegenaria and Eratigena gen. nov. The genera and most of the constituent species are described and illustrated. The new classification has also been applied to some extra European members of the Tegenaria‐Malthonica complex resulting in additional three new synonyms, seven reversals to the original combination, and four new combinations. © 2013 The Linnean Society of London     

Hispanothrips from Early Cretaceous Spanish amber,a new genus of the resurrected family Stenurothripidae (Insecta: Thysanoptera)

During a palaeontological excavation of amber at the site named San Just, in the Utrillas-Escucha area of Teruel Province, northeastern Spain, a rich fauna from the Albian (Early Cretaceous) was discovered. Among it, three specimens of Thysanoptera were found that are here attributed to the new genus Hispanothrips n. gen. in the family Stenurothripidae Bagnall 1923. Phylogenetic analyses were conducted that support the resurrection of the family Stenurothripidae and its replacement for Adiheterothripidae Shumsher 1946.     

The first Praesiricidae (Hymenoptera) from Northeast China

A new subfamily Rudisiricinae Gao, Rasnitsyn, Ren & Shih, n. subfam. and a new genus Rudisiricius Gao, Rasnitsyn, Ren & Shih, n. gen. with three new species R. belli Gao, Rasnitsyn, Ren & Shih n. sp., R. crassinodus Gao, Rasnitsyn, Ren & Shih, n. sp., and R. celsus Gao, Rasnitsyn, Ren & Shih, n. sp. are described and illustrated from the family Praesiricidae. The type specimens were collected from the Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous Yixian Formation, northeastern China. The new subfamily also includes Aulidontes Rasnitsyn from the Upper Jurassic of Karatau in Kazakhstan. This is the first record of Praesiricidae in China. These well-preserved nearly-complete new fossils reported here provide additional material and structure characters about this family, which helps filling some gap in the evolution of Lower Hymenoptera.