Phylogenetic systematics of the Empis (Coptophlebia) hyalea-group (Insecta: Diptera: Empididae)

Six clades are inferred from a phylogenetic analysis including 42 species belonging to the Empis (Coptophlebia) hyalea‐group. These clades are named as follows: E. (C.) acris, E. (C.) aspina, E. (C.) atratata, E. (C.) hyalea, E. (C.) jacobsoni and E. (C.) nahaeoensis. The presence of two dorsal more or less developed epandrial projections is considered autapomorphic for the E. (C.) hyalea‐group in addition to two characters previously found to support the monophyly of this group (presence of an unsclerotized zone in the middle of labella and epandrium unpaired). Amongst the cladistically analysed species, 24 are newly described [ E. ( C. ) acris , E. ( C. ) aspina , E. ( C. ) cameronensis , E. ( C. ) duplex , E. ( C. ) incurva , E. ( C. ) inferiseta , E. ( C. ) kuaensis , E. ( C. ) lachaisei , E. ( C. ) lamellalta , E. ( C. ) lata , E. ( C. ) loici , E. ( C. ) longiseta , E. ( C. ) mengyangensis , E. ( C. ) menglunensis , E. ( C. ) missai , E. ( C. ) nimbaensis , E. ( C. ) padangensis , E. ( C. ) parvula , E. ( C. ) projecta , E. ( C. ) pseudonahaeoensis , E. ( C. ) submetallica , E. ( C. ) urumae , E. ( C. ) vitisalutatoris and E. ( C. ) woitapensis ], five are reviewed [E. (C.) hyalea Melander, E. (C.) jacobsoni De Meijere, E. (C.) ostentator Melander, E. (C.) sinensis Melander and E. (C.) thiasotes Melander] and 13 were recently described in two previous papers. Two additional species, E. (C.) abbrevinervis De Meijere and E. (C.) multipennata Melander, are also reviewed but not included in the cladistic analysis since they are only known from the female. A lectotype is designated for E. (C.) jacobsoni. A key is provided to the six clades of the E. (C.) hyalea‐group as well as to species of each clade. A catalogue of the E. (C.) hyalea‐group, including 72 species, is given. The taxonomic status of 25 additional species mainly described by Bezzi and Brunetti, from the Oriental and Australasian regions, is discussed. The E. (C.) hyalea‐group is firstly recorded from the Palaearctic Region and Australia. Finally, the distribution and the habitats of the species compared with their phylogeny suggest a possible relationship between the diversification of the group and forest fragmentations during the Quaternary. © 2005 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2005, 145 , 339–391.     

Siteroptes (Siteroptoides) species with Pediculaster-like phoretomorphs (Acari: Tarsonemida: Pygmephoridae) from New Zealand and Polynesia

Abstract

Six species of Siteroptes subgenus Siteroptoides—kneeboni (Wicht), mesembrinae (Canestrini), microsaniae n.sp., morelliae (Rack), muscarius n.sp., and portatus n.sp.—have been found in New Zealand. S. (S.) mesembrinae occurs on Niue Island also, and a further new species, pacificus, is recorded from Tonga. The phoretomorph females of all 7 species, the normal females of 4, the males of 3, and larvae of 2 are described and compared. The similarities and differences between normal and phoretomorph females are particularly noted. Besides kneeboni, 2 species described by Wicht but not occuring in New Zealand—athiasae and flechtmanni— are redescribed from type material and transferred to Siteroptes (Siteroptoides). Keys are given for normal females and Pediculaster-like phoretomorph females of Siteroptoides. Siteroptes mesembrinae subsimilis and S. ignotus altaicus are raised to species status. Diagnostically important measurements are given to help define the variation within and between species and morphs.     

Australian Iphimediidae (Crustacea: Amphipoda)

Australian species of the iphimediid amphipod genus Iphimedia are revised. Based on new material from inshore and continental shelf habitats six new species are described: Iphimedia beesleyae; I. filmersankeyi; I. kateae; I. lisae; I. neuweileri and I. oetkeri. Four established species are redescribed: I. ambigua Haswell, 1879; I. discreta Stebbing, 1910; I. edgari (Moore, 1981) and I. warraina (Thomas and Barnard, 1991). A key to Australian species of Iphimedia is provided. Full article published online at http://www.senckenberg.de/odes/06-09.htm     

Carnoya kermarreci n.sp. (Rhigonematidae: Nematoda) from Anadenobolus politus (Porat) (Rhinocricidae: Diplopoda) from Guadeloupe

Summary Carnoya kermarreci n.sp. (Rhigonematidae; Nematoda) is described from Anadenobolus politus (Porat) (Rhinocricidae; Diplopoda) from Guadeloupe. The new species most closely resembles C. martiniquensis Adamson, 1984 from A. politus in Martinique and C. venezuelensis Adamson, 1984 from Rhinocricus flavocinctus from Venezuela in that the lips in the male are broad and the arrangement of caudal papillae is almost identical in the three species. Males of C. kermarreci are easily distinguished by the absence of spines, by the form of the cuticular projections at the base of the buccal cavity and by the fact that the most anterior pair of caudal papillae are located very close together. Females are distinguished by the presence of three pairs of somatic papillae near the level of the vulva. The nematode fauna of A. politus includes species from two distinct orders and presumably reflects the fact that diplopods are among the most ancient hosts of nematodes.     

Species in the genus Rhytidelasma Gaud (Acarina: Pterolichidae) from the Green Conure,Aratinga holochlora (Sclater) (Aves: Psittacidae)

Three species in the genus Rhytidelasma Gaud (Pterolichoidea: Pterolichidae) are known from the Green Conure, Aratinga holochlora (Sclater): R. cornigera n. sp., R. urophila n. sp. and R. mesomexicana Atyeo et al. The new species are described, and the microhabitat(s) for each species discussed.     

Three new mermithids (Nematoda) from Guatemalan blackflies (Diptera: Simuliidae)

Summary The following new species of Mermithidae (Nematoda) are described from Guatemalan blackflies: (a) Gastromermis cloacachilus from Gigantodax wrighti; (b) Isomernis vulvachila from Cnephia pacheco-lunai and (c) Mesomermis guatemalae from Simulium metallicum. All parasites were collected at Encuentros (Department of Totonicapan) in Guatemala. These are the first representatives of Gastromermis and Mesomermis from Central America and M. guatemalae represents the second mermithid species to be described from an American vector of Onchocerca volvulus, causal agent of river blindness. ac]19800728     

Nanocladius (Plecopteracoluthus) asiaticus sp. n. (Diptera: Chironomidae) Phoretic on Dobsonfly and Fishfly Larvae (Megaloptera: Corydalidae)

The adult male, adult female, pupa, and larva of Nanocladius (Plecopteracoluthus) asiaticus sp. n. (Diptera: Chironomidae) are described and illustrated. Larvae live in coarse silken nets which usually are attached to the ventral side of the mesothorax of larval dobsonflies and fishflies (Megaloptera: Corydalidae) dwelling in stream riffles. The host species are Protohermes grandis and Parachauliodes continentalis in Japan, Protohermes costalis and Neochauliodes sinensis in Taiwan, and Neurhermes maculipennis in the Malay Peninsula. Larvae are not parasitic but may have a commensal relationship with their hosts; they feed on algae and detrital material caught on their silken nets, or on the body surface of their hosts. Pupation occurs in the fine silken net fixed to the lateral side of host thoracic regions, or occasionally to the undersides of hind legs.     

Beschreibung einer neuen Carabus (Lamprostus)-Art aus Persien (Coleoptera: Carabidae)

Abstract

A new species of Carabus (Lamprostus) from the province of Gilan, Iran, is described and illustrated: Carabus (Lamprostus) staveni sp. nov., Carabus (Pachystus) rechingerae Mandl, 1972, is considered a junior synonym of Carabus (Lamprostus) calleyi nigrinus Motschulsky, 1865. The specific status of Carabus (Sphodristocarabus) korgei Heinz, 1970, is restored (stat. rev.) and Carabus separatus delirensis Deuve, 2000, is considered to be a junior synonym of it. Carabus (Megodontus) stroganowi javahardensis Deuve, 2000, is considered to be a synonym of Carabus (Megodontus) heinrichi Mandl, 1966; both taxa are from the same type locality.     

Prey preference of predatory mite Amblyseius swirskii (Acari: Phytoseiidae) on Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae) and Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae)

Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae) and Bemisia tabaci Gennadius (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) are major pests in greenhouse crops. Recently, Amblyseius swirskii Athias-Henriot (Acari: Phytoseiidae) was shown to be an effective biological control agent of both pests. Therefore, the prey preference of A. swirskii was determined using immature stages of T. urticae and B. tabaci in three various treatments based on Manly's β preference index (β). These treatments consisted of immature stages of two prey species (egg, first and second instar nymphs) with densities 12:12, 6:6 and 3:3, respectively, and with 13 replicates. After 24?h starvation, same-aged females of A. swirskii were added to the leaf discs. All experiments were done on bean leaf discs in Petri dishes (8?cm in diameter) in laboratory conditions with 25?±?2°C, 70?±?5% relative humidity and the photoperiod of 16L:8D hours. Comparing the preference indices using t-tests indicates a significant preference of the predator on eggs (t?=?10.80, df?=?24, P?t?=?8.17, df?=?24, P?T. urticae than B. tabaci. Our findings suggest that developmental stages of prey have effect on the prey selection by A. swirskii.     

Strong indirect interactions of Tarsonemus mites (Acarina: Tarsonemidae) and Dendroctonus frontalis (Coleoptera: Scolytidae)

Phoretic mites of bark beetles are classic examples of commensal ectosymbionts. However, many such mites appear to have mutualisms with fungi that could themselves interact with beetles. We tested for indirect effects of phoretic mites on Dendroctonus frontalis, which attacks and kills pine trees in North America. Tarsonemus mites are known to carry ascospores of Ophiostoma minus, which tends to outcompete the mutualistic fungi carried by D. frontalis. Experimental additions and removals of mites from beetles demonstrated that Tarsonemus propagate O. minus in beetle oviposition galleries. Furthermore, the abundance of Tarsonemus and O. minus tended to covary in nature. These results verified a strong mutualism between Tarsonemus and O. minus. Results also indicated that O. minus is an antagonist of D. frontalis: beetle larvae seldom survived in the presence of O. minus (compared to 83% survival elsewhere). Apparently, this is an indirect result of O. minus outcompeting the two species of mycangial fungi that are critical to beetle nutrition. Thus, Tarsonemus mites close a loop of species interactions that includes a commensalism (mites and beetles), a mutualism (mites and O. minus), asymmetric competition (O. minus and mycangial fungi), and another mutualism (mycangial fungi and beetles). This interaction system produces negative feedback that could contribute to the endogenous population dynamics of D. frontalis. Reproductive rate of Tarsonemus was more temperature‐sensitive than beetle generation time (which constrains the time for mite reproduction within a tree). This differential temperature sensitivity produces a narrow range of temperatures (centred at 27°C) in which mite reproduction per D. frontalis generation can attain its maximum of 100 mites/beetle. Consequently, seasonal oscillations in temperature are predicted to produce oscillations in the D. frontalis community, and climatic differences between regions could influence the community to dampen or exacerbate the cyclical outbreak dynamics of D. frontalis.     

Predation of Thereva nobilitata (Fabricius) (Diptera: Therevidae) on Agriotes obscurus L. (Coleoptera: Elateridae)

Little is known about the natural enemies of wireworms (Coleoptera: Elateridae), but there are frequent anecdotal reports of (usually unnamed) stiletto fly larvae (Diptera: Therevidae) preying on various species. We observed larvae of Thereva nobilitata (Fabricius) feeding on larvae of the dusky wireworm, Agriotes obscurus L., during the summer of 2011, in Agassiz, British Columbia. This finding is of interest as: both the predator and the wireworm are introduced species to this area from Europe; T. nobilitata is uncommon in North America; and this predator has not been associated with any wireworm species previously. We observed that larvae of male and female T. nobilitata will feed on various sizes of A. obscurus larvae, most feeding being carried out by the smallest T. nobilitata larvae. These findings suggest future work should assess the potential for therevid larvae as top‐down regulators of Agriotes larvae under field conditions.     

Life history stages and taxonomy of Austrosimulium (Austrosimulium) tillyardianum (Diptera: Simuliidae)

The male, female, pupa, 9th‐instar larva, and egg of Austrosimulium (Austrosimulium) tillyardianum Dumbleton, 1973, are redescribed, and larval instars one to eight are described and morphologically differentiated for the first time. The relationship of A. (A.) tillyardianum to other New Zealand species is briefly reviewed.     

Chromosomal Analysis of Neohydrocoptus jaechi (Wewalka) and Canthydrus diophthalmus (Reiche & Saulcy) (Coleoptera: Noteridae)

Neohydrocoptus jaechi (Wewalka) is recorded for the first time in Egypt. It is very similar to N. angolensis (Peschet), but there are aedeagal differences. The karyotype consists of 6 pairs of autosomes and sex chromosomes which are neo-XY (♂) and neo-XX (♀). C-banding shows that the sex chromosomes of Canthydrus diophthalmus (Reiche & Saulcy) are not the small pair suggested by Bilton (1992), but are one of the largest pairs, with the Y-chromosome totally heterochromatic. The implications of these findings are considered in the light of Belkaceme's (1991) work on the phylogeny of Noteridae. Neohydrocoptus is placed among the group of more primitive genera, outside the closely-knit group of higher Noteridae, while Canthydrus is placed right at the top of the higher Noteridae. The neo-XY sex chromosomes of Neohydrocoptus could be a primitive condition for the family, while the system found in Canthydrus is derivable from that of Synchortus Sharp (Saleh Ahmed et al., 1997) (one of Belkaceme's basal genera of the higher Noteridae) by loss of the mainly heterochromatic X₂-chromosome, leaving the more normal X₁-chromosome and the Y, which is almost entirely heterochromatic in Synchortus and completely so in Canthydrus.     

Systematics of rove beetles (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae) associated with Hodotermopsis sjostedti (Isoptera: Termopsidae)

Members of the termitophilous subtribe Termitozyrina (Aleocharinae: Lomechusini) associated with Hodotermopsis sjostedti are taxonomically treated. The genera Hodotermophilus Naomi & Terayama and Termophidoholus Naomi & Hirono, and each type species (monotypic) are redescribed. Termophidoholus formosanus, originally described from Taiwan, and its host termite H. sjostedti are newly recorded from Laos. Yakuus iwatai Kanao & Maruyama gen. & sp. nov. and H. gloriosus were collected sympatrically in the same nests in Yaku‐shima, Japan. All of the above species, belonging to the three genera, share the presence of a batch of spurs at the tibial apex of fore and mid legs. Habitus photographs and illustrations of diagnostic features are provided for these species, and their phylogenetic relationships are discussed based on morphological similarities and the extant distribution of the host termite species.     

Scymnodon plunketi (Waite, 1910): a junior synonym of Scymnodon macracanthus (Regan, 1906) (Somniosidae: Elasmobranchii)

The taxonomic status and validity of Scymnodon macracanthus (Regan, 1906) and Scymnodon plunketi (Waite, 1910) are revised in light of new material from the Southern Pacific and Indian Oceans. Despite being historically accepted as distinct taxa, recent studies suggested the possibility that these species could represent a single taxon. Morphometrics, meristics and morphology of dermal denticles show that S. plunketi is indeed a junior synonym of S. macracanthus. Previous distinctive characters proved to be the result of intraspecific variation. S. macracanthus is therefore redescribed including an updated comparative diagnosis for the genus Scymnodon in the family Somniosidae.     

Trioza hopeae sp. nov. (Hemiptera: Triozidae): A pest on Hopea odorata (Malvales: Dipterocarpaceae) in Vietnam

Trioza hopeae sp. nov. is described and illustrated from Vietnam. Trioza hopeae develops on Hopea odorata, a valuable timber tree on which it causes serious damage by inducing leaf galls. The new species is closely related to Trioza minuta (Mathur) comb. nov. (from Ceropsylla Riley), an Indian species associated with Shorea robusta. Differences between the two species are discussed. Another five Indian species are transferred here from Ceropsylla to Trioza Foerster as T. ferruginea ( Mathur, 1975 ) comb. nov., T. fulvida ( Mathur, 1975 ) comb. nov., T. indica ( Kandasamy, 1986 ) comb. nov., T. longivenata ( Kandasamy, 1986 ) comb. nov., and T. parvus ( Kandasamy, 1986 ) comb. nov.     

Notes on the genus Agnetina (= Phasganophora) (Plecoptera: Perlidae)

Genus Agnetina Klapálek, 1907 is removed from synonymy with Dinocras Klapálek, 1907 and synonymy between Agnetina and Phasganophora Klapálek, 1914 is established. A list of presently recognised nominal species of Agnetina is provided. For all west palaearctic species, i.e., A. elegantula (Klapálek), A. senilis Klapálek, A. werneri (Kempny), comb, n., lectotypes are designated. Distinctive characters of these three species are described, external male genitalia and eggs are illustrated. Asian A. brevipennis (Navás), comb, n., is briefly compared. A. dubia nom. n. is proposed to replace A. brevipennis Klapálek, 1921 (not Navás, 1912), a doubtful Asian species. A. pedata (Koponen, 1949) and A. undaata (Klapálek, 1921) are considered possible synonyms of A. senilis. which is for the first time recorded from Central Asia (Baikal area).     

Descriptions of oriental Perlini (Plecoptera: Perlidae)

Three new species of Oriental Perlini are described and Agnetina aequalis (Banks) and A. quadrituberculata (Wu) are redescribed. Agnetina jarai sp. n. (Vietnam), Togoperla shan sp. n. (Thailand), and Tyloperla schmidi sp. n. (Assam), are described, compared with related congeners, and male holotypes are designated for each species.     

Population characteristics of Macrocheles glaber (Acari: Macrochelidae) and Stratiolaelaps scimitus (Acari: Laelapidae) reared on a mushroom fly Coboldia fuscipes (Diptera: Scatopsidae)

Subterranean predatory mites are important biological control agents of pests in soil. In order to understand the population characteristics of two predatory mites, Macrocheles glaber Miiller and Stratiolaelaps scimitus Womersley, we studied their development, survival and fecundity data under laboratory conditions using Coboldia fuscipes Meigen as a food source and analyzed them with the age-stage, two-sex life table. Macrocheles glaber had a significantly shorter developmental time, oviposition period, longevity and lower fecundity than those of S. scimitus. The intrinsic rate of increase (λ), finite rate of increase (r), net reproductive rate (C0),net predation rate (C0), and finite predation rate (ω) of M. glaber were significantly lower than those of S. scimitus. Both population parameters and computer simulation implied that S. scimitus is a potential powerful biocontrol agent compared to M. glaber.