First record and redescription of the terrestrial isopod Hemilepistoides messerianus Borutzky, 1945 (Isopoda,Oniscidea) from Iran

In the present study, Hemilepistoides messerianus Borutzky, 1945 is reported from Iran for the first time. This species is redescribed and diagnostic characters of both males and females are illustrated. This species is characterized by the tuberculation of all parts of the dorsal surface of the body and the male pleopod endopodite I with a triangular lobe at apex. A map with the distribution of species is presented.     

Eriophyoid mites (Acari,Eriophyoidea) associated with tea plants,with descriptions of a new genus and two new species

A new genus and two new species of mites in the family Eriophyidae, Theaphyes rapaneae gen. n. and sp. n. which is found on the type host Rapanea neriifolia (Sieb. et Zucc.) Mez (Myrsinaceae) and Paracaphyllisa theacea sp. n., are described and illustrated. They are vagrants on the tea plant Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze and no apparent symptoms were detected. A key to the eriophyoid mites including thirteen species associated with tea plants all over the world is provided.     

A review of the omicrine genera Omicrogiton,Mircogioton and Peratogonus of China (Coleoptera,Hydrophilidae, Sphaeridiinae)

The Chinese species of the genera Omicrogiton Orchymont, 1919, Peratogonus Sharp, 1884 and Mircogioton Orchymont, 1937 are reviewed, diagnosed and keyed. Mircogioton and Omicrogiton are reported for the first time from China, Peratogonus for the first time for mainland China. Five species are recognized: Omicrogiton coomani Balfour-Browne, 1939 (Guangdong, Hongkong), Omicrogiton hainanensis sp. n. (Hainan), Omicrogiton roberti sp. n. (Hainan), Mircogioton coomani Orchymont, 1937 (Yunnan), and Peratogonus reversus Sharp, 1884 (Guangdong, Jiangxi, Taiwan). Lectotype of Omicrogiton coomani is designated. Mircogioton cognitus (Malcolm, 1981), syn. n. is considered a junior subjective synonym of Mircogioton coomani Orchymont, 1939. Species of Mircogioton and Omicrogiton inhabit decaying banana trunks, whereas Peratogonus reversus was always collected from moist forest leaf litter.     

Description of a new species of Potamonautes MacLeay, 1838, from the iSimangaliso Wetland Park,South Africa

A new species of freshwater crab, Potamonautes isimangaliso sp. n., is described from the western shores of False Bay, Hluhluwe, within the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, South Africa. While bearing a superficial resemblance to Potamonautes lividus, the new species has been found to be genetically distinct, diverging from the former by 7.4–7.8% in mtDNA. Potamonautes isimangaliso most closely resembles Potamonautes lividus, but is distinguished by a unique suite of carapace characters, colouration, and size. The new species also lives in close association with oxygen-poor, fresh ephemeral pans, while the habitat of Potamonautes lividus is well above the surface water line of the closest water body. An updated identification key for the Potamonautes species of South Africa is provided.     

Revision of the genus Heteranassa Smith, 1899 (Lepidoptera,Erebidae, Omopterini)

Heteranassa Smith (Erebidae, Omopterini), native to the southwestern United States and Mexico, includes two recognized species, namely Heteranassa mima (Harvey) and Heteranassa fraterna Smith. These are separated mainly by subtle differences in wing color and pattern, leading to speculation about the validity of the described species. This study examines variation in external and internal morphology across the geographic range of the genus, aiming to clarify species limits, describe morphology, and provide a comprehensive assessment of variation within the genus. Results indicate that Heteranassa fraterna syn. n., is a junior synonym of Heteranassa mima.     

Biometry and phenology of two sibling Phylloscopus warblers on their circum-Mediterranean migrations

The Mediterranean Sea is known as an ecological barrier for numerous migratory birds flying from European breeding grounds to African wintering sites. Birds generally avoid migration over open sea and fly over land. In the Mediterranean Basin, few land bridges or bottlenecks for migratory birds exist. The narrowest are at the western and eastern extremes: the Strait of Gibraltar and Israel. Comparative studies between these locations are extremely rare to date. Therefore, in order to elucidate the differences between the two flyways, we compared data collected simultaneously for two sister leaf warbler species, the Bonelli’s Warbler complex, Phylloscopus bonelli and Phylloscopus orientalis, at ringing stations in the western Mediterranean Basin Gibraltar, and the eastern Eilat, Israel. Data on biometrics and passage dates of individuals trapped at Gibraltar and Eilat were used, and it was found that mean arrival date of Western Bonelli’s Warblers at Gibraltar was 15 days later than Eastern Bonelli’s Warblers at Eilat. Furthermore, Western Bonelli’s Warblers had shorter wings than Eastern Bonelli’s Warblers. On the other hand, birds in Eilat were in poorer body condition than individuals in Gibraltar. The comparison between geographically distant stop-over sites contributes to furthering our understanding of the development of migration strategies across ecological barriers in sibling species. Our study showed that populations that breed in southwestern Europe migrate through Gibraltar and winter in West Africa are able to accomplish migration in comparatively good body condition. This is in contrast to those that winter in East Africa, migrate through Israel and have to endure the combined challenge of crossing the Sahel, Sahara and Sinai deserts before reaching their breeding grounds across southeast Europe and southwest Asia. Hence, the discrepancies described between the western and the eastern flyway suggest that individuals in the west, in general, migrate shorter distances, have a physiologically less demanding crossing of the North African deserts and appear to stage before their crossing the Strait of Gibraltar, a privilege unavailable to the migrants of the eastern flyway.     

Wing morphometrics as a possible tool for the diagnosis of the Ceratitis fasciventris,C. anonae,C. rosa complex (Diptera,Tephritidae)

Previous attempts to resolve the Ceratitis FAR complex (Ceratitis fasciventris, Ceratitis anonae, Ceratitis rosa, Diptera, Tephritidae) showed contrasting results and revealed the occurrence of five microsatellite genotypic clusters (A, F1, F2, R1, R2). In this paper we explore the potential of wing morphometrics for the diagnosis of FAR morphospecies and genotypic clusters. We considered a set of 227 specimens previously morphologically identified and genotyped at 16 microsatellite loci. Seventeen wing landmarks and 6 wing band areas were used for morphometric analyses. Permutational multivariate analysis of variance detected significant differences both across morphospecies and genotypic clusters (for both males and females). Unconstrained and constrained ordinations did not properly resolve groups corresponding to morphospecies or genotypic clusters. However, posterior group membership probabilities (PGMPs) of the Discriminant Analysis of Principal Components (DAPC) allowed the consistent identification of a relevant proportion of specimens (but with performances differing across morphospecies and genotypic clusters). This study suggests that wing morphometrics and PGMPs might represent a possible tool for the diagnosis of species within the FAR complex. Here, we propose a tentative diagnostic method and provide a first reference library of morphometric measures that might be used for the identification of additional and unidentified FAR specimens.