Taxonomic review of Cratocerus Dejean, 1829 (Coleoptera,Carabidae) with the description of six new species

A diagnosis of the South and Central American genus Cratocerus Dejean (Coleoptera: Carabidae) and a key to all species is provided. Eight species are recognized including six species that are newly described: Cratocerus sinesetosus sp. n. from French Guiana and Peru; Cratocerus multisetosus sp. n. from Costa Rica and Panama; Cratocerus tanyae sp. n. from Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Mexico; Cratocerus indupalmensis sp. n. a species widely distributed throughout Central and South America; Cratocerus kavanaughi sp. n. from French Guiana and Peru; and Cratocerus culpepperi sp. n. from Peru. A lectotype for Cratocerus sulcatus Chaudoir is designated. Habitus images are provided along with illustrations and images of male genitalia, female genitalia, and diagnostic morphological characters.     

Review of the genus Fontidessus Miller & Spangler, 2008 (Coleoptera,Dytiscidae, Hydroporinae,Bidessini) with description of four new species

The genus Fontidessus Miller & Spangler, 2008 (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae: Hydroporinae: Bidessini) is reviewed. The genus now includes seven species with three previously described, and four new species described here: F. microphthalmus Miller & Montano, sp. n.; F. bettae Miller & Montano, sp. n.; F. christineae Miller & Montano, sp. n., and F. aquarupe Miller & Montano, sp. n. Each species is diagnosed and described, including the previously known species, based on new specimens and new information. Habitus, male genitalia and other diagnostic features are illustrated for each species. A key to the seven species is provided. Fontidessus species are unique to hygropetric habitats in the Guiana Shield craton of northern South American.     

The description of a new species of the Neotropical land crab genus Gecarcinus Leach, 1814 (Crustacea,Decapoda, Brachyura,Gecarcinidae)

In this contribution a new species of the land crab genus Gecarcinus Leach, 1814, from the Neotropical Pacific coast of South America is described and illustrated. In addition to its unique body color, Gecarcinus nobilii sp. n. is distinguished from congeners by a distinctly wider carapace front and differences in the shape of the infraorbital margin. The new species is not isolated from Gecarcinus populations from the Pacific coast of Central America by an insurmountable geographic barrier. Considering the closure of the Panamanian Isthmus as a calibration point for morphological divergence between the trans-isthmian mainland populations of Gecarcinus, the virtual lack of morphological differentiation (other than color) between them and the distinctness of G. nobilii sp. n. suggests that G. nobilii sp. n. evolved from a common ancestor before the Isthmus closed.     

New World Stictocladius Edwards (Diptera: Chironomidae)

The orthocladiine Chironomidae genus Stictocladius Edwards was described originally from South America. Although recognised subsequently as present also in Australia and New Zealand, the true diversity in the Neotropics has remained unclear. After more than a decade of collections of both isolated adults and aquatic immature stages, we can recognise several new taxa and associate some immature stages. Thus, we describe Stictocladius prati n. sp. as male, female, pupa and larva; Stictocladius acutus n. sp. and Stictocladius acrilobus n. sp. as male, female and pupa; Stictocladius fimbriatus n. sp. as male and female; Stictocladius fovigus n. sp. and Stictocladius nudiventer n. sp. as male and pupa; and Stictocladius privicalcar n. sp. and Stictocladius prostatus n. sp. each as male imago alone. The male and female of Stictocladius pulchripennis Edwards is redescribed and the pupa described. The male and female of Stictocladius flavozonatus Edwards and the male of Stictocladius calonotum Edwards are described. Five pupal types are described: Stictocladius sp. A (near S. acrilobus), Stictocladius sp. B (possibly S. calonotum), Stictocladius sp. C (near S. calonotum), Stictocladius sp. D (possibly S. flavozonatus) and Stictocladius sp. E with uncertain affinity. A larva from Chile of the Stictocladius ??sofour type?? (Stictocladius sp. F) and an unreared larva from North America (Stictocladius sp. G) possibly belonging to S. acutus are described. Keys to named Neotropical male and female imagines of Stictocladius and to all pupal forms of Neotropical Stictocladius are provided. Some data concerning fourth instars of Stictocladius are presented. Means of differentiation from putative sister taxon Lopescladius are discussed.     

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.     

Description of a New Genus and Three New Species of Figitinae (Hymenoptera: Cynipoidea: Figitidae) from Colombia

A new genus and three new species of Figitinae (Hymenoptera: Figitidae) are described from Colombia: Ferpereira Pujade-Villar n. gen., Ferpereira fiorellae Pujade-Villar n. sp., Neralsia levis Pujade-Villar & Petersen-Silva n. sp., and Figites colombiensis Pujade-Villar & Paretas-Martínez n. sp., which is the first species of Figites Latreille from Colombia and the second from South America. The diagnostic characters of these new taxa are illustrated.     

Cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) from Samar and Leyte,Philippines, with a new species

This paper provides the first faunal checklist for Cicadidae (Hemiptera) from Samar and Leyte, Philippines, comprising 13 species belonging to 7 genera. A new species, Huechys funebris sp. nov., is described from Leyte. Oncotympana pallidiventris Stål, Dundubia vaginata (Fabricius), and Nelcyndana sp. are newly added to the cicada fauna of Samar. Information on geographic distributions is provided.     

Two new species of Hyalella from Lake Titicaca,and redescriptions of four others in the genus (Crustacea: Amphipoda)

The amphipod genus Hyalella has its highest diversity in the Andean Lake Titicaca. This genus is the only epigean amphipod present in South America. Eleven endemic and one non-endemic species are known from Lake Titicaca. An additional endemic species, Hyalella nefrens n. sp. and one non-endemic species Hyalella tiwanaku n. sp. are described here. Hyalella cuprea(Faxon, 1876), Hyalella latimanus (Faxon, 1876), Hyalella montforti Chevreux, 1907, and Hyalella neveulemairei Chevreux, 1904 are redescribed. The high diversity of Hyalella in the lake is not well understood, and it has been compared with the spectacular diversity of Lake Baikal.     

The geographical pattern of distribution of the genus Teuthraustes Simon (Scorpiones, Chactidae) in South America and description of a new species

A new species of scorpion, Teuthraustes braziliensis sp. n. (Scorpiones, Chactidae), is described from the State of Amazonas, Brazil. This is the second species of the genus to be collected in the lowlands of South America, and the third record of a scorpion of the genus Teuthraustes to be recorded from Brazilian Amazonia. The total number of species of Teuthraustes is now raised to 21. The patterns of distribution of the genus are commented upon, and its geographical distribution is also enlarged.     

Three new bamboo-feeding species of the genus Symplanella Fennah (Hemiptera,Fulgoromorpha, Caliscelidae) from China

Three new species of the Oriental caliscelid planthopper genus Symplanella Fennah, S. hainanensis sp. n., S. recurvata sp. n. and S. zhongtua sp. n., are described and illustrated from South China. A checklist and a key to species of genus Symplanella are provided.     

The Chinese species of the genus Ontsira Cameron (Hymenoptera,Braconidae, Doryctinae)

The Chinese species of the genus Ontsira Cameron, 1900 (Hymenoptera: Braconidae, Doryctinae) are reviewed. Eleven species are recognized, of which four new species are described from China and South Korea: O. abbreviata sp. n., O. henana sp. n., O. robusta sp. n., and O. rugivertex sp. n. Two species, O. ignea (Ratzeburg) and O. neantica Belokobylskij et Maetô, are recorded in China for the first time. A key to the Asian species of the genus Ontsira is provided.     

A new species of Amblyodus Westwood, 1878 (Coleoptera, Melolonthidae, Dynastinae) from South America

A second species of Amblyodus Westwood, 1878, Amblyodus castroi sp. n., is described from the northern South America based on 12 specimens from Brazil and Peru (Amazonian subregion). The new species is here compared with the type species of the genus, Amblyodus taurus Westwood, 1878 and both species and their male genitalia are illustrated. Diagnostic characters for the genus are discussed, especially the metatibial teeth. A distribution map including the type species and the new species is provided. The genus Amblyodus is recorded for the first time from Peru and from Brazil states of Pará and Rondônia.     

A new species of Philometra Costa, 1845 (Nematoda: Philometridae) from the freshwater fish (red piranha) Pygocentrus nattereri Kner (Characidae) in Amazonia, Brazil

A new nematode species, Philometra nattereri n. sp. (Philometridae), is described from female specimens found in the oculo-orbits and nasal cavity of the red piranha Pygocentrus nattereri Kner (Characiformes: Characidae) from five lakes in Central Amazonia, Brazil, collected in 2008 and 2009 (overall prevalence 12%, intensity 1?C3 nematodes per fish). Based on light and scanning electron microscopical examination, the new species differs from most other congeners parasitising freshwater fishes in that its oesophageal gland extends anteriorly far anterior to the level of the nerve-ring, in the presence of 14 small cephalic papillae arranged in two circles and in having two minute caudal projections. This is the first species of Philometra Costa, 1845 reported from fishes of the family Characidae and the second valid species of this genus parasitic in freshwater fishes of Brazil and South America.     

Stomatal Ultrastructure, Molecular Phylogeny, and Description of Parasitodiplogaster laevigata n. sp. (Nematoda: Diplogastridae), a Parasite of Fig Wasps

Parasitodiplogaster comprises a potentially large radiation of nematode species that appear to be parasitically bound to their Agaonid fig wasp hosts, which are mutualistically associated in the syconia (figs) of the diverse plant genus Ficus. Parasitodiplogaster laevigata n. sp. is described and illustrated as an associate of the fig wasp, Pegoscapus sp. from Ficus laevigata from southern Florida. It is the first species of Parasitodiplogaster reported from North America and is closest to P. trigonema from F. trigonata from Panama. Parasitodiplogaster laevigata n. sp. can be differentiated from all described species of Parasitodiplogaster based on stomatal morphology (presence of a large dorsal and a right subventral tooth) in the adults of both sexes, molecular comparisons of two expansion segments (D2,D3) of the large subunit (LSU) rRNAgene, and fig-fig wasp host affinities. The ultrastructure of P. laevigata n. sp. was elucidated using TEM and SEM for comparisons with other species of Parasitodiplogaster. The stoma of P. laevigata n. sp. possesses a nonsegmented cheilostomal ring that connects to the longitudinal body musculature per- and interradially, a claw-like dorsal tooth, a right subventral tooth, and telostegostomatal apodemes arising from the dorsal side of each subventral sector. The unification of the pro-, meso-, and metastegostom with the gymnostom in P. laevigata n. sp. and further simplification in other described species may be due to derived adaptations associated with the internal parasitism of fig wasps.     

Three new species of Melloleitaoina Gerschman & Schiapelli, 1960 (Araneae,Mygalomorphae, Theraphosidae) from northern Argentina

Three new species of the monotypic genus Melloleitaoina Gerschman & Schiapelli, 1960 are described from northern Argentina: M. mutquina sp. n., M. uru sp. n. and M. yupanqui sp. n. The female specimen originally described as M. crassifemur is not conspecific with the male holotype and thus is removed from this species and described as M. uru sp. n.; M. crassifemur is redescribed. All species are diagnosed, illustrated and a key to species is provided.     

The Genera Haplocytheridea Stephenson, 1936 and Cytheridea Bosquet, 1852 (Subphylum Crustacea, Class Ostracoda) from the Early Miocene Pirabas Formation, Brazil

The genera Haplocytheridea and Cytheridea have Tethyan origins and a wide paleobiogeographic and stratigraphic distribution, ranging from the Cretaceous to Recent. Both of them have been recorded in northern South America, but only Cytheridea has been found in the northern Cretaceous basins of Brazil. The genus Haplocytheridea is recorded, for the first time, in the Early Miocene deposits of the Pirabas Formation of northern Brazil, from a 20 m-thick succession of carbonate and argillaceous rocks deposited in lagoonal and restricted platform environments. Among the ten Haplocytheridea species identified, four are new: H. variopunctata n. sp., H. sandbergi n. sp., H. pirabasensis n. sp. and H. sinuosa n. sp. In addition, three new species of Cytheridea are also described: C. coimbrai n. sp., C. pirabasensis n. sp. and C. purperae n. sp. The highest frequencies and abundances of both genera, in the studied section, are thought to be associated with nearshore to brackish water settings.     

First record of Acaenitinae (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) from South America with description of a new species and a key to the world species of Arotes Gravenhorst

A new species of Acaenitinae, Arotes ucumari Castillo & Sääksjärvi, sp. n., is described and illustrated representing the first record of the subfamily from South America. The new species was collected from a premontane tropical rain forest in the Peruvian Andes at 1500 m. A key to the world species of Arotes Gravenhorst,1829 is provided. The subspecies Arotes albicinctus moiwanus (Matsumura, 1912)is raised to species rank, Arotes moiwanus stat. n.