A new species of Hemibrycon (Characiformes,Characidae) from the upper San Juan River drainage,Pacific versant,Colombia

Hemibrycon sanjuanensis, new species, is described from the upper San Juan River drainage, Pacific versant, Colombia. It is distinguished from Hemibrycon boquiae, Hemibrycon brevispini, Hemibrycon cairoense, Hemibrycon colombianus, Hemibrycon mikrostiktos, Hemibrycon metae, Hemibrycon palomae, Hemibrycon rafaelense and Hemibrycon tridens by the presence of a circular or oblong humeral spot that is located two scales posterior to the opercle (vs. 3–4 scales in Hemibrycon palomae, Hemibrycon rafaelense, Hemibrycon brevispini and Hemibrycon cairoense, and 0–1 scales, in Hemibrycon metae and Hemibrycon boquiae). It further differs from Hemibrycon colombianus in having a round or oblong humeral spot (vs. rectangular). It differs from Hemibrycon beni, Hemibrycon dariensis, Hemibrycon divisorensis, Hemibrycon helleri, Hemibrycon huambonicus, Hemibrycon inambari, Hemibrycon jabonero, Hemibrycon jelskii, Hemibrycon mikrostiktos, Hemibrycon polyodon, Hemibrycon quindos, Hemibrycon raqueliae, Hemibrycon santamartae, Hemibrycon surinamensis, Hemibrycon taeniurus, Hemibrycon tridens, and Hemibrycon yacopiae in having melanophores on the posterior margins of the scales along the sides of body (vs. lacking melanophores on margins of scales along entire length of the sides of body). The new species differs from all congeners mentioned above in having, among other features, six teeth in the outer premaxillary row arranged in a straight line (vs. five or fewer teeth not arranged in straight line except Hemibrycon cairoense with two to six teeth in the outer premaxillary row).     

Two new species of the Liolaemus elongatus-kriegi complex (Iguania,Liolaemidae) from Andean highlands of southern Chile

The elongatus-kriegi complex is one of the most diverse clades of the Liolaemus (sensu stricto) subgenus of lizards. There are currently 29 species recognized in this group distributed between Chile and Argentina. Based on molecular evidence, there seem to be five main clades nested within this complex: the elongatus, leopardinus, kriegi, petrophilus and punmahuida clades. Liolaemus buergeri and Liolaemus kriegi, both of the kriegi clade, were believed to inhabit the surroundings of the Laja Lagoon, in the Biobío Region of Chile. Moreover, this Chilean population of Liolaemus kriegi was recently recognized as an undescribed taxon called “Liolaemus sp. A” based on molecular phylogenetics. In this work, we studied these two populations of the Laja Lagoon and provided the morphological diagnosis to describe them as two new species: Liolaemus scorialis sp. n. and Liolaemus zabalai sp. n., previously considered Liolaemus buergeri and “Liolaemus kriegi/Liolaemus sp. A” respectively. Additionally, we identified another population of Liolaemus scorialis in the vicinity of La Mula Lagoon in the Araucanía Region of Chile. Liolaemus scorialis differs from almost all of the species of the elongatus-kriegi complex by its considerably smaller size. Nevertheless, without molecular data we cannot assign it to any particular subclade. Liolaemus zabalai belongs to the kriegi clade based on published molecular phylogenies. Finally, we provide some natural history data on both species and we document for the first time the presence of Liolaemus neuquensis in Chile from a museum specimen from La Mula Lagoon.     

Characterization of Virulence Properties in the C. parapsilosis Sensu Lato Species

The C. parapsilosis sensu lato group involves three closely related species, C. parapsilosis sensu stricto, C . orthopsilosis and C . metapsilosis . Although their overall clinical importance is dramatically increasing, there are few studies regarding the virulence properties of the species of the psilosis complex. In this study, we tested 63 C. parapsilosis sensu stricto, 12 C . metapsilosis and 18 C . orthopsilosis isolates for the ability to produce extracellular proteases, secrete lipases and form pseudohyphae. Significant differences were noted between species, with the C . metapsilosis strains failing to secrete lipase or to produce pseudohyphae. Nine different clinical isolates each of C. parapsilosis sensu stricto, C . orthopsilosis and C . metapsilosis were co-cultured with immortalized murine or primary human macrophages. C. parapsilosis sensu stricto isolates showed a significantly higher resistance to killing by primary human macrophages compared to C . orthopsilosis and C . metapsilosis isolates. In contrast, the killing of isolates by J774.2 mouse macrophages did not differ significantly between species. However, C. parapsilosis sensu stricto isolates induced the most damage to murine and human macrophages, and C . metapsilosis strains were the least toxic. Furthermore, strains that produced lipase or pseudohyphae were most resistant to macrophage-mediated killing and produced the most cellular damage. Finally, we used 9 isolates of each of the C. parapsilosis sensus lato species to examine their impact on the survival of Galleria mellonella larvae. The mortality rate of G . mellonella larvae infected with C . metapsilosis isolates was significantly lower than those infected with C. parapsilosis sensu stricto or C . orthopsilosis strains. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that C . metapsilosis is indeed the least virulent member of the psilosis group, and also highlight the importance of pseudohyphae and secreted lipases during fungal-host interactions.     

Salt lakes of La Mancha (Central Spain): A hot spot for tiger beetle (Carabidae,Cicindelinae) species diversity

The tiger beetle assemblage of the wetlands of La Mancha (central Spain) comprises nine species: Calomera littoralis littoralis, Cephalota maura maura, Cephalota circumdata imperialis, Cephalota dulcinea, Cicindela campestris campestris, Cicindela maroccana, Cylindera paludosa, Lophyra flexuosa flexuosa, and Myriochila melancholica melancholica. This assemblage represents the largest concentration of tiger beetles in a single 1º latitude / longitude square in Europe. General patterns of spatial and temporal segregation among species are discussed based on observations of 1462 specimens registered during an observation period of one year, from April to August. The different species of Cicindelini appear to be distributed over space and time, with little overlapping among them. Three sets of species replace each other phenologically as the season goes on. Most of the species occupy drying or dried salt lakes and salt marshes, with sparse vegetation cover. Spatial segregation is marked in terms of substrate and vegetation use. Calomera littoralis and Myriochila melancholica have been observed mainly on wet soils; Cephalota circumdata on dry open saline flats; Cephalota dulcinea and Cylindera paludosa in granulated substrates with typical halophytic vegetation; Cephalota maura is often present in man-modified areas. Cephalota circumdata and Cephalota dulcinea are included as species of special interest in the list of protected species in Castilla–La Mancha. Conservation problems for the Cicindelini assemblage arise from agricultural activities and inadequate use of sport vehicles. Attempts at restoring the original habitat, supressing old semi-industrial structures, may affect the spatial heterogeneity of the lakes, and have an effect on Cicindelinae diversity.     

Notes on the genus Xenocerogria (Coleoptera,Tenebrionidae, Lagriini) from China

Three species of the genus Xenocerogria Merkl, 2007 have been recorded in China, Xenocerogria feai (Borchmann, 1911), Xenocerogria ignota (Borchmann, 1941) and Xenocerogria ruficollis (Borchmann, 1912). Xenocera xanthisma Chen, 2002 is proposed as a junior synonym of Xenocerogria ruficollis. Lectotype of Xenocerogria ignota is designated, and the species is transferred to the genus Lagria Fabricius, 1775. New Chinese province records of Xenocerogria ruficollis are provided.     

Description of third instar larvae of Ceratitis fasciventris,C. anonae,C. rosa (FAR complex) and C. capitata (Diptera,Tephritidae)

Third instar larvae of members of the Ceratitis FAR complex, including Ceratitis fasciventris (Bezzi), Ceratitis anonae Graham, and Ceratitis rosa Karsch are described and compared with those of Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann). Diagnostic characters, such as presence vs. absence of a secondary tooth on the mandibles, previously used to separate Ceratitis capitata from Ceratitis rosa, are shown to vary in each species. Significant variation in diagnostic morphological characters among populations of Ceratitis rosa from east and south Africa is documented; however, the differences are not simply congruent with the R1 and R2 designations based on other studies. Quantitative measures of numerous morphological characters are consistently smaller in the larvae of Ceratitis fasciventris and distinguish them from other species of the FAR complex. Larvae of Ceratitis capitata can be distinguished from those of the FAR complex by characters such as absence of accessory plates of the oral ridges, the shape of the anterior spiracle, and the pattern of dorsal spinules. Previous studies indicated that absence of accessory lobes separate the genus Ceratitis from Bactrocera, but this is shown to be incorrect, as accessory lobes are in fact present in several species of Ceratitis.     

Cave Diplopoda of southern China with reference to millipede diversity in Southeast Asia

The diversity of Diplopoda in caves of southern China is remarkably high, often 5–6 species per cave, consisting mostly of local endemics and presumed troglobionts. These are evidently biased to just a few lineages, mainly members of the orders Chordeumatida and Callipodida, the families Cambalopsidae (Spirostreptida) and Haplodesmidae (Polydesmida) or the genera Pacidesmus, Epanerchodus and Glenniea (all Polydesmida, Polydesmidae), Trichopeltis (Polydesmida, Cryptodesmidae), Dexmoxytes (Polydesmida, Paradoxosomatidae) and Hyleoglomeris (Glomerida, Glomeridae). All these taxa, especially the Paradoxosomatidae and Cambalopsidae (usually amounting to about 60% and 10% of the total species diversity in the Oriental fauna, respectively), are moderately to highly speciose across Southeast Asia, being largely epigean. However, the epigean Diplopoda of southern China are yet badly understudied, since much of the collecting and taxonomic exploration efforts still focus on cavernicoles. The Oriental Region is the only biogeographic realm globally that harbours all 16 orders of Diplopoda, of which 14 have already been encountered in China and/or the immediately adjacent parts of Indochina. Thus, China may actually prove to support no less than 1,000 millipede species of various origins, mainly Oriental and Palaearctic.     

Taxonomic hypotheses regarding the genus Gerbillus (Rodentia,Muridae, Gerbillinae) based on molecular analyses of museum specimens

Methodological improvements now allow routine analyses of highly degraded DNA samples as found in museum specimens. Using these methods could be useful in studying such groups as rodents of the genus Gerbillus for which i) the taxonomy is still highly debated, ii) collection of fresh specimens may prove difficult. Here we address precise taxonomic questions using a small portion of the cytochrome b gene obtained from 45 dry skin/skull museum samples (from 1913 to 1974) originating from two African and three Asian countries. The specimens were labelled Gerbillus gerbillus, Gerbillus andersoni, Gerbillus nanus, Gerbillus amoenus, Gerbillus perpallidus and Gerbillus pyramidum, and molecular results mostly confirmed these assignations. The close relationship between Gerbillus nanus (Asian origin) and Gerbillus amoenus (African origin) confirmed that they represent vicariant sibling species which differentiated in allopatry on either side of the Red Sea. In the closely related Gerbillus perpallidus and Gerbillus pyramidum, specimens considered as belonging to one Gerbillus pyramidum subspecies (Gerbillus pyramidum floweri) appeared closer to Gerbillus perpallidus suggesting that they (Gerbillus pyramidum floweri and Gerbillus perpallidus) may represent a unique species, distributed on both sides of the Nile River, for which the correct name should be Gerbillus floweri. Furthermore, the three other Gerbillus pyramidum subspecies grouped together with no apparent genetic structure suggesting that they may not yet represent genetically differentiated lineages. This study confirms the importance of using these methods on museum samples, which can open new perspectives in this particular group as well as in other groups of interest.     

Revision of the Australian species of the weevil genus Trigonopterus Fauvel

The Australian species of the genus Trigonopterus Fauvel are revised. Eight previously recognized species are redescribed and 24 additional new species are described: Trigonopterus allaetus Riedel, sp. n., Trigonopterus athertonensis Riedel, sp. n., Trigonopterus australinasutus Riedel, sp. n., Trigonopterus australis Riedel, sp. n., Trigonopterus bisignatus Riedel, sp. n., Trigonopterus bisinuatus Riedel, sp. n., Trigonopterus boolbunensis Riedel, sp. n., Trigonopterus cooktownensis Riedel, sp. n., Trigonopterus daintreensis Riedel, sp. n., Trigonopterus deplanatus Riedel, sp. n., Trigonopterus finniganensis Riedel, sp. n., Trigonopterus fraterculus Riedel, sp. n., Trigonopterus garradungensis Riedel, sp. n., Trigonopterus hasenpuschi Riedel, sp. n., Trigonopterus hartleyensis Riedel, sp. n., Trigonopterus kurandensis Riedel, sp. n., Trigonopterus lewisensis Riedel, sp. n., Trigonopterus montanus Riedel, sp. n., Trigonopterus monteithi Riedel, sp. n., Trigonopterus mossmanensis Riedel, sp. n., Trigonopterus oberprieleri Riedel, sp. n., Trigonopterus robertsi Riedel, sp. n., Trigonopterus terraereginae Riedel, sp. n., Trigonopterus yorkensis Riedel, sp. n.. All new species are authored by the taxonomist-in-charge, Alexander Riedel. Lectotypes are designated for the following names: Idotasia aequalis Pascoe, Idotasia albidosparsa Lea, Idotasia evanida Pascoe, Idotasia laeta Lea, Idotasia rostralis Lea, Idotasia sculptirostris Lea, Idotasia squamosa Lea. A new combination of the name Idotasia striatipennis Lea is proposed: Trigonopterus striatipennis (Lea), comb. n.. A key to the species is provided. Australian Trigonopterus occur in coastal Queensland, narrowly crossing into New South Wales. The southern parts of the range are inhabited by species found on foliage. A rich fauna of 19 edaphic species inhabiting the leaf litter of tropical forests is reported for the first time from the Australian Wet Tropics.     

New records of Lophoproctus coecus Pocock, 1894 (Diplopoda,Polyxenida, Lophoproctidae) extend the range of the genus Lophoproctus

The geographic distribution of the genus Lophoproctus Pocock, 1894 has greatly expanded with new records of the species Lophoproctus coecus Pocock, 1894, together with the reassignment of a number of millipedes formerly identified as Lophoproctus lucidus (Chalande, 1888). Lophoproctus coecus was found to be the sole representative of the family Lophoproctidae in collections examined from Crimea and the Caucasian region. The species was also identified from Iran and Kyrgyzstan. Lophoproctus specimens collected in Italy by Verhoeff were reassigned as Lophoproctus coecus with the exception of one specimen of Lophoproctus jeanneli (Brölemann, 1910) from Capri. These data were combined with all available information from the literature to look at the pattern of distribution of the four species in the genus. The range of the genus Lophoproctus extends from Portugal to Central Asia. Lophoproctus coecus is widespread from Italy eastward, while the morphologically very similar species Lophoproctus lucidus is confined to France and northern Africa. The two species have a narrow overlap in the Alpes Maritimes region of France. Lophoproctus jeanneli has a scattered coastal distribution around the Mediterranean Sea. The troglobitic species Lophoproctus pagesi (Condé, 1982) has only been recorded from a cave on Majorca, Spain.     

A new species of the genus Orthotemnus Wollaston, 1873 (Coleoptera,Curculionidae, Cossoninae) from China

A new species, Orthotemnus longitarsus sp. n., is described from China, representing the first record of the genus Orthotemnus Wollaston, 1873 from China. Illustrations of diagnostic features of the new species and a key to all six species of the genus Orthotemnus (including Orthotemnus reflexus Wollaston, Orthotemnus disparilis Pascoe, Orthotemnus filiformis Champion, Orthotemnus expansus Hustache and Orthotemnus ulmi Zherichin) are provided. All type specimens of the new species are deposited in the National Zoological Museum in the Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.     

The Complete Plastid Genome Sequence of Madagascar Periwinkle Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don: Plastid Genome Evolution,Molecular Marker Identification,and Phylogenetic Implications in Asterids

The Madagascar periwinkle ( Catharanthus roseus in the family Apocynaceae) is an important medicinal plant and is the source of several widely marketed chemotherapeutic drugs. It is also commonly grown for its ornamental values and, due to ease of infection and distinctiveness of symptoms, is often used as the host for studies on phytoplasmas, an important group of uncultivated plant pathogens. To gain insights into the characteristics of apocynaceous plastid genomes (plastomes), we used a reference-assisted approach to assemble the complete plastome of C . roseus , which could be applied to other C . roseus -related studies. The C . roseus plastome is the second completely sequenced plastome in the asterid order Gentianales. We performed comparative analyses with two other representative sequences in the same order, including the complete plastome of Coffea arabica (from the basal Gentianales family Rubiaceae) and the nearly complete plastome of Asclepias syriaca (Apocynaceae). The results demonstrated considerable variations in gene content and plastome organization within Apocynaceae, including the presence/absence of three essential genes (i.e., accD, clpP, and ycf1) and large size changes in non-coding regions (e.g., rps2-rpoC2 and IRb-ndhF). To find plastome markers of potential utility for Catharanthus breeding and phylogenetic analyses, we identified 41 C . roseus -specific simple sequence repeats. Furthermore, five intergenic regions with high divergence between C . roseus and three other euasterids I taxa were identified as candidate markers. To resolve the euasterids I interordinal relationships, 82 plastome genes were used for phylogenetic inference. With the addition of representatives from Apocynaceae and sampling of most other asterid orders, a sister relationship between Gentianales and Solanales is supported.     

The subtribes and genera of the tribe Listroderini (Coleoptera,Curculionidae, Cyclominae): Phylogenetic analysis with systematic and biogeographical accounts

The phylogenetic relationships of the genera of Listroderini LeConte, 1876 are analyzed based on 58 morphological characters. The genera are grouped in four clades, which are given subtribal status: Macrostyphlina new subtribe (Adioristidius, Amathynetoides, Andesianellus, Macrostyphlus, Nacodius and Puranius), Palaechthina Brinck, 1948 (Anorthorhinus, Gunodes, Haversiella, Inaccodes, Listronotus, Neopachytychius, Palaechthus, Palaechtodes, Steriphus and Tristanodes), Falklandiina new subtribe (Falklandiellus, Falklandiopsis, Falklandius, Gromilus, Lanteriella, Liparogetus, Nestrius and Telurus), and Listroderina (Acroriellus, Acrorius, Acrostomus, Antarctobius, Germainiellus, Hyperoides, Lamiarhinus, Listroderes, Methypora, Philippius, Rupanius and Trachodema). The subtribes are characterized and keys to identify them and their genera are provided. Listroderini have four main biogeographical patterns: Andean (Macrostyphlina), Andean-New Zealand (Falklandiina), Andean-Neotropical-Australian (Listroderina) and Andean-Neotropical-Australian-New Zealand-Nearctic-Tristan da Cunha-Gough islands (Palaechthina). Geographical paralogy, particularly evident in the Subantarctic subregion of the Andean region, suggests that Listroderini are an ancient Gondwanic group, in which several extinction events might have obscured relationships among the areas.     

Additions to the checklist of Scoliidae,Sphecidae, Pompilidae and Vespidae of Peru,with notes on the endemic status of some species (Hymenoptera,Aculeata)

The first checklist of the Peruvian Hymenoptera listed 1169 species and subspecies of aculeate wasps, including 173 species of Pompilidae, seven of Scoliidae, 39 of Sphecidae and 403 of Vespidae. Herein are reported 32 species as new for Peru based mainly on the collection of the Natural History Museum, London. The loss of the endemic status of two species is also reported: Entypus peruvianus (Rohwer) (Pompilidae: Pepsinae) and Omicron ruficolle schunkei Giordani Soika (Vespidae: Eumeninae).     

A new genus and nine new species of Eugnomini (Coleoptera,Curculionidae) from New Caledonia

The genus Rasilinus gen. n. is described (type species Rasilinus tchambicus sp. n.). Nine new species: Rasilinus bicolor sp. n., Rasilinus bifurcatus sp. n., Rasilinus bimaculatus sp. n., Rasilinus grandidens sp. n., Rasilinus longulus sp. n., Rasilinus subgemellus sp. n., Rasilinus subnodulus sp. n., Rasilinus tchambicus sp. n., Rasilinus virgatus sp. n. are described from New Caledonia. Illustrations of the external morphology, male and female terminalia, dorsal habitus colour photographs of the adults, key to species and distribution map of the new genus Rasilinus are provided.     

A new species of bromeliad-feeding Cephaloleia Chevrolat (Coleoptera,Chrysomelidae, Cassidinae) from Costa Rica: evidence from DNA barcodes,larval and adult morphology and insect diets

The Neotropical genus Cephaloleia Chevrolat (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cassidinae) includes 214 species distributed from the south of Mexico to Argentina. Cephaloleia beetles feed mostly on plants from the order Zingiberales. The interactions between Cephaloleia beetles and their Zingiberales host plants is proposed as one of the oldest and most conservative associations. Here we describe a new species of Cephaloleia (Cephaloleia kuprewiczae sp. n.) that feeds on two species of bromeliads (Pitcairnia arcuata and Pitcairnia brittoniana, Bromeliaceae: Pitcairnioideae). Cephaloleia kuprewiczae was previously described as Cephaloleia histrionica. This study includes evidence from DNA barcodes (COI), larval and adult morphology and insect diets that separates Cephaloleia kuprewiczae from Cephaloleia histrionica as a new species.