Discovery of the male of Lobrathium rotundiceps (Koch), and a new species of Lobrathium from Jiangxi,East China (Coleoptera,Staphylinidae, Paederinae)

The male of Lobrathium rotundiceps (Koch, 1939) from Zhejiang and L. luoxiaoense sp. n. from Jiangxi are described and illustrated.     

A survey of running crab spiders (Araneae: Philodromidae) in Iran

Nine species and four genera of Philodromidae are identified and recorded from various parts of Iran including Pulchellodromus medius (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1872) (genus and species new to Iran) and Thanatus setiger (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1872) (new to Iran). The male of Rhysodromus hierosolymitanus (Levy, 1977), which was previously known only from females, is described and diagnosed here.     

A review of oribatid mites of the family Liacaridae (Acariformes,Oribatida) from the Caucasus

The paper summarizes the data on oribatid mites of the family Liacaridae and their distribution in the Caucasus. Two new species, Liacarus subiasi from Azerbaijan (differing from the known species in the shape of cuspids and short lamellae) and Dorycranosus musaevi from Daghestan (differing from closely related D. splendens (Coggi, 1898) and D. punctulatus Miheli?i?, 1956 in the presence of the smooth notogaster, wide distal lamellar cuspids, and also in the absence of inner cuspid tooth and the presence of longer ventral setae), are described. The species status of D. punctulatus is reestablished. Liacarus lencoranicus Krivolutsky, 1967 and L. nitidulus Krivolutsky, 1967 are synonymized with L. coracinus C.L. Koch, 1898. D. zachvatkini Kuliev, 1962 (= D. ibericus Dzaparidze, 1973) is redescribed. Data on species variability of Adoristes poppei (Oudemans, 1906) and A. ovatus Koch, 1849 are given.     

On the identities of Rhinoleucophenga pallida Hendel and Rhinoleucophenga obesa (Loew) (Diptera,Drosophilidae), with description of a new sibling species from Brazil

Rhinoleucophenga pallida Hendel, 1917 (type species of the genus) is redescribed based on its female holotype and a male from a nearby locality, and Rhinoleucophenga obesa (Loew, 1872) on its two syntypes, which are designated as the male lectotype and a female paralectotype. Both are valid species. A proposal is made to establish the genus Pseudophortica Sturtevant, 1918 (type species R. obesa), a junior synonym of Rhinoleucophenga, to subgenus rank and include all species of Rhinoleucophenga described or redescribed from males except R. pallida, which is unique in having a remarkable pedunculate surstylus, among other differences. The North American R. obesa is compared to its closest sibling, the South American species Rhinoleucophenga gigantea (Thomson, 1869). The occurrence of R. obesa in Brazil is also questioned, as suggested long ago by Marshall R. Wheeler. The specimens from Brazil previously identified as such most probably belong to the new species described in the present paper as Rhinoleucophenga (Pseudophortica) cantareira sp. nov. (type locality: Parque Estadual da Cantareira, City of São Paulo, State of São Paulo, Brazil). Numerous photomicrographs of their habitus and male terminalia taken with a Smartphone's rear camera and digitally stacked to create images with greater depth of focus are provided.     

New data on the fauna,taxonomy and ecology of praying mantises (Dictyoptera,Mantodea) from Russia

Two little-known species of praying mantises, Severinia turcomaniae (Saussure, 1872) and Rivetina nana Mistshenko, 1967, are reported for the faunas of Russia and Europe for the first time based on the material collected in Astrakhan Province of Russia. New data on the morphology, ecology, and distribution of these species are given. The male genitalia of S. turcomaniae and the female of R. nana are described for the first time. The lectotype of Oxythespis turcomaniae Saussure, 1872 is designated and deposited in the collection of the Zoological Museum of the Moscow University. The synonymy of O. turcomaniae and Mantis wagneri Kittary, 1849 is shown to be insufficiently justified; M. wagneri is provisionally placed in the genus Severinia Finot, 1902. Since R. nana Lindt, 1968 is most probably not a synonym of R. nana Mistshenko, 1967 but a separate species, a substitute name R. pseudonana Shcherbakov nom. n. is proposed for the former. Some characters traditionally used for the identification of Rivetina species are shown to be significantly variable and thus unreliable. A key to 11 praying mantis species of the Russian fauna is provided. The recent discovery of S. turcomaniae and R. nana in the northern Caspian Sea region is assumed to reflect the expansion of the natural ranges of thermophilic species caused by increasing aridity of the climate.     

Description of a new species of Distenia (Coleoptera,Disteniidae, Disteniini) from Southeastern China,with?records and diagnoses of similar species

A new species, Distenia orientalis sp. n. is described from Southeastern China. It was misidentified as Distenia gracilis (Blessig, 1872) but can be separated from the latter by the color of antennae and legs, structure differences on scape, maxillary palp, pronotum, tibiae, punctures on elytra, etc. Three related species are carefully diagnosed and treated.     

Taxonomic and morphological survey of the Lygephila lusoria (Linnaeus, 1758) species-group with description of a new species (Lepidoptera,Erebidae, Toxocampinae)

The taxa of the Lygephila lusoria (Linnaeus, 1758) species-group are revised. The genital features of all known taxa are described and illustrated with special reference to the structure of vesica. The male genitalia of L. pallida pallida (Bang-Haas, 1907) are described and illustrated for the first time. L. pallida subpicata (Wiltshire, 1971) is treated here as a species, L. pallida subpicata (Wiltshire, 1971), stat. n., distinct from L. pallida. A new species, L. minima, sp. n.,from South Russia is described. Illustrations of the holotype and its genitalia are provided; a diagnostic comparison with L. pallida is given. L. alaica Remm, 1983 is included in the L. lusoria species-group for the first time.     

A new species ofPalaeospinax (Chondrichthyes,Neoselachii) from the Lower JurassicPosidonia Shale of Southern Germany

The diagnosis of the fossil neoselachian genusPalaeospinax Egerton 1872 is revised. A new species from the Lower ToarcianPosidonia Shale of Southern Germany is described asPalaeospinax politus n. sp. It differs from all other known members of the genus in having smooth anterior and lateral teeth.     

皿蛛科光面双舟蛛雄性新发现(蜘蛛目,皿蛛科)

首次报道了雄性光面双舟蛛Dicymbium facetum(L. 自俄罗斯马加丹.Koch,1879),并对其形态结构进行了详细描述.研究标本采     

Revision of the Neotropical bark mantis genus Liturgusa Saussure, 1869 (Insecta,Mantodea, Liturgusini)

The praying mantis genus Liturgusa Saussure, 1869 occurs only in Central and South America and represents the most diverse genus of Neotropical Liturgusini (Ehrmann 2002). The genus includes bark dwelling species, which live entirely on the trunks and branches of trees and run extremely fast. All species included within the genus Liturgusa are comprehensively revised with a distribution stretching from central Mexico, the island of Dominica to the southeastern regions of Brazil and southern Bolivia. All known species are redescribed to meet the standards of the new treatment of the genus (11 species). Three new genera are described including Fuga gen. n., Velox gen. n., and Corticomantis gen. n. for species previously included in Liturgusa as well as Hagiomantis. Liturgusa mesopoda Westwood, 1889 is moved to within the previously described genus Hagiomantis Audinet Serville, 1838. A total of 19 species are newly described within Liturgusa, Fuga, and Velox including L. algorei sp. n., L. bororum sp. n., L. cameroni sp. n., L. cura sp. n., L. dominica sp. n., L. fossetti sp. n., L. kirtlandi sp. n., L. krattorum sp. n., L. manausensis sp. n., L. maroni sp. n., L. milleri sp. n., L. neblina sp. n., L. purus sp. n., L. stiewei sp. n., L. tessae sp. n., L. trinidadensis sp. n., L. zoae sp. n., F. grimaldii sp. n., and V. wielandi sp. n. Four species names are synonymized: Liturgusa peruviana Giglio-Tos, 1914, syn. n. = Liturgusa nubeculosa Gerstaecker, 1889 and Hagiomantis parva Piza, 1966, syn. n., Liturgusa sinvalnetoi Piza, 1982, syn. n., and Liturgusa parva Giglio-Tos, 1914, syn. n. = Mantis annulipes Audinet Serville, 1838. Lectotypes are designated for the following two species: Liturgusa maya Saussure & Zehntner, 1894 and Fuga annulipes (Audinet Serville, 1838). A male neotype is designated for Liturgusa guyanensis La Greca, 1939. Males for eight species are described for the first time including Liturgusa cayennensis Saussure, 1869, Liturgusa lichenalis Gerstaecker, 1889, Liturgusa guyanensis La Greca, 1939, Liturgusa maya Saussure & Zehntner, 1894, Liturgusa nubeculosa Gerstaecker, 1889, Fuga annulipes (Audinet Serville, 1838), Corticomantis atricoxata (Beier, 1931), and Hagiomantis mesopoda (Westwood, 1889). The female of Fuga fluminensis (Piza, 1965) is described for the first time. Complete bibliographic histories are provided for previously described species. The spelling confusion surrounding Liturgusa/Liturgousa is resolved. Full habitus images for males and females are provided for nearly all species. Habitus and label images of type specimens are provided when possible. Diagnostic illustrations of the head and pronotum for males and females are provided for all species when possible. Illustrations of male genital structures are provided for all species for which males are known. Measurement data, including ranges and averages, are provided for males and females of all species. Combined male and female genus and species level dichotomous keys are provided with a Spanish translation. A complete table of all examined specimens lists label data, museum codes, repositories, and other specimen specific information. A KML file with all georeferenced locality records is downloadable from mantodearesearch.com for viewing in Google Earth. Natural history information is provided for species observed by the author.     

Ultrastructural study of spermiogenesis in far-eastern redfins of the genus Tribolodon (Pisces: Cyprinidae)

The spermiogenesis and sperm morphology of the Far-eastern redfins Tribolodon hakonensis (Gunther, 1880), T. brandtii (Dybowskii, 1872), and T. sachalinensis (Okada, Ikeda, 1937) were studied using scanning and transmission electron microscopy. At the spermatid stage, ultrastructural analysis of male germ cells showed no obvious differences between these species. The spermatozoa are primitive acrosome-lacking cells, which are typically found in many representatives of Teleostei with external insemination. Unlike other cyprinids, the angle of inclination of centrioles relative to each other differs slightly in the species under study. The mitochondrial apparatus contains one to five (usually one to three) mitochondria in T. hakonensis, two in T. sachalinensis, and one mitochondrion in T. brandtii.     

Addition to the study of the genus Dusona (Hymenoptera,Ichneumonidae, Campopleginae) in Korea with description of a new species and key to the Korean species

Korean species of the genus Dusona Cameron (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Campopleginae) are reviewed. Twenty seven species of Dusona are reported from South Korea, including 12 previously unrecorded species, D. bellipes (Holmgren, 1872), D. bicoloripes (Ashmead, 1906), D. chabarowski Hinz & Horstmann, 2004, D. cultrator (Gravenhorst, 1829), D. japonica (Cameron, 1906), D. mactatoides Hinz, 1994, D. scalprata Horstmann, 2004, D. sasayamae Hinz & Horstmann, 2004, D. oblitera (Holmgren, 1872), D. obtutor Hinz, 1994, D. auriculator Aubert, 1964, D. longicauda (Uchida, 1928), and a new species, D. koreana sp. n. An illustrated key to Korean species of Dusona provided.     

A new species of Gadirtha Walker (Nolidae,Eligminae): a proposed biological control agent of Chinese tallow (Triadica sebifera (L.) Small) (Euphorbiaceae) in the United States

Gadirtha fusca sp. n., is described from Guangxi Province, China. Gadirtha fusca differs in forewing color and pattern, male and female genitalia, and in larval pattern from all other species of Gadirtha. Gadirtha fusca has been evaluated as a potential biological control agent for Chinese tallow (Triadica sebifera (L.) Small, Euphorbiaceae) in the southeastern United States. Adult, male and female genitalia, larva, and pupa are described, illustrated, and compared with Gadirtha impingens Walker.     

On the Spiders Collected during the Swedish Expeditions to Novaya Zemlya and Yenisey in 1875 and 1876

The material collected in 1875 and determined by L. Koch has been revised. The material from 1876 has been determined and a list of 197 species from Russia, Novaya Zemlya and Siberia represented in the two collections is given and in addition 14 species collected by the 1875 expedition in Northern Norway. Hybauchenidium gen.n. of the fam. Erigonidae is established with Erigone aquilonaris L. Koch, 1879, as type species. Eboria sibirica sp.n. (Erigonidae), and Diplocephalus cristatus angustieeps subsp.n. (Erigonidae) are described. A list of the species described and recorded by L. Koch in 1879 with the actual names is given.     

Characteristics of zonal distribution of the gamasid mites connected with small mammals and their nests in Western Siberia

Analysis of long-term data on the fauna, landscape distribution, and structure of communities of the gamasid mites (Acari:Parasitiformes:Mesostigmata) connected with small mammals and their nests in the plain part of Western Siberia is carried out. By now, presence of 249 gamasid mite species is established in the territory under study, including 193 free-living and 56 parasitic species. Gamasid mites are represented by the maximal number of species on small mammals and in thers nests in northern forest-steppe (102 and 105 species respectively). Nine parasitic species from two ecological groups (epizoic and nidicolous) were found in all landscape zones of the West Siberian Plain, namely: 1) epizoic species Laelaps clethrionomydis Lange, 1955, Laelaps hilaris C. L. Koch, 1836, and Hyperlaelaps arvalis Zachvatkin, 1948 (obligatory non-exclusive hematophagous); 2) nidicolous species Androlaelaps casalis Berlese, 1887 (obligatory non-exclusive hematophagous), Eulaelaps stabularis C. L. Koch, 1836, Haemogamasus nidiformnes Bregetova, 1955 (facultative hematophagous), Haemnogamnasus ambulans Thorell, 1872 (obligatory non-exclusive hematophagous), Hirstionyssus isabellinus Oudemans, 1913, and Hirstionyssus eusoricis Bregetova, 1956 (obligatory exclusive hematophagous). Last three species demonstrate the mixed type of parasitism. The population of gamasid mites on small mammals is most specific in tundra, southern forest-steppe and steppe; the fauna of gamasid mites in nests is most specific in southern forest-steppe and steppe.     

A cladistically based reinterpretation of the taxonomy of two Afrotropical tenebrionid genera Ectateus Koch, 1956 and Selinus Mulsant & Rey, 1853 (Coleoptera,Tenebrionidae, Platynotina)

On the basis of a newly performed cladistic analysis a new classification of the representatives of two Afrotropical tenebrionid genera, Ectateus Koch, 1956 and Selinus Mulsant & Rey, 1853 sensu Iwan 2002a, is provided. Eleoselinus is described as a new genus. The genus Monodius, previously synonymized with Selinus by Iwan (2002), is redescribed and considered as a separate genus. Following new combinations are proposed: Ectateus calcaripes (Gebien, 1904), Monodius laevistriatus (Fairmaire, 1897), Monodius lamottei (Gridelli, 1954), Monodius plicicollis (Fairmaire, 1897), Eleoselinus villiersi (Ardoin, 1965) and Eleoselinus ursynowiensis (Kamiński, 2011). Neotype for Ectateus calcaripes and lectotypes for E. crenatus (Fairmaire, 1897), E. ghesquierei Koch, 1956 and Monodius malaisei malaisei Koch, 1956 are designated to fix the taxonomic status of these taxa. The following synonymies are proposed: Selinus monardi Kaszab, 1951 and Ectateus latipennis Koch, 1956 with E. crenatus (Fairmaire, 1897). Identification keys are provided to all known species of Ectateus sensu novum, Eleoselinus, Monodius and Selinus sensu novum.     

Description of the larva of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Curteria</Emphasis> Southcott, 1961 (Acari,Parasitengona, Erythraeidae) with notes on biology and life cycle

The larvae of Curteria episcopalis (C.L. Koch, 1837) and Curteria southcotti Gabryś, 1992, are described based on specimens reared in the laboratory. Pedroerythraeus Haitlinger, 2004 is considered a junior synonym of Curteria. Data on habitat specificity and phenology of the species as well as on development of eggs into larvae are given.     

Centipede (Chilopoda) richness and diversity in the Bug River valley (Eastern Poland)

The main aim of the survey was to describe the diversity and richness of Chilopoda in the selected area of the Bug River valley. The study sites were located in two regions differing in the shape of the valley, the presence of thermophilous habitats and the size of riparian forests. Pitfall traps were used as a sampling method. As a result, 444 specimens belonging to 12 centipede species of two orders – Geophilomorpha (four species) and Lithobiomorpha (eight species) were caught. Lithobius (Monotarsobius) curtipes C.L.Koch, 1847, Pachymerium ferrugineum (C.L.Koch, 1835), Lamyctes (Lamyctes) emarginatus (Newport, 1844) and Lithobius (Monotarsobius) dudichi Loksa, 1947 were the most common and the most numerous species. Of particular note is Lithobius dudichi found in Poland for the first time and previously known based on a single specimen. Two to 10 Chilopoda species were found in each habitat under investigation. The greatest species richness was found in thermophilous thickets (10 species), sandy grasslands (eight), xerothermic grasslands (eight) and mesic meadows (six). The fewest number of species (two) was found in rushes at oxbows and in wet meadows. We found differences in the species composition and the number of Chilopoda between the lower (102 specimens, six species) and the middle (324 specimens, 11 species) section of the river valley. Our results confirm the need to protect xerothermic habitats, unique almost throughout entire Central Europe, which due to their distribution and their small area covered are fairly easily subject to the process of destruction.     

Morphogenesis,origin, and paleoecology of the bryozoans of the family Medvedkellidae fam. nov. (Upper Carboniferous,East European Platform)

A new family of the order Rhabdomesida, Medvedkellidae fam. nov., is described. This family consists of a new genus, Medvedkella gen. nov., comprising three species transferred from the genus Rhombopora Meek, 1872: the type species M. riasanensis (Schulga-Nesterenko, 1955), M. diaphragmata (Schulga-Nesterenko, 1955), and M. mariae (Dunaeva, 1961). The morphogenesis of the first two species is studied. For the first time axial zooecia are revealed in the suborder Golgdfussitrypina, which existed in parallel with the suborder Rhabdomesina of the order Rhabdomesida. A hypothesis that the new family evolved from the subfamily Nicklesoporinae Gorjunova, 1985 of the family Goldfussitrypidae, 1985 is proposed. Some questions of the ecological adaptation of these bryozoans in the Late Carboniferous marine basin of the East European Platform are discussed.