New jewel beetles (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) from the Cretaceous of Russia,Kazakhstan, and Mongolia

A new jewel beetle genus, with one species (Cretofrontolina kzyldzharica gen. et sp. nov.) from the Upper Cretaceous of Kazakhstan is described based on a body; and three new species of the formal genus Metabuprestium are described based on isolated elytra: Metabuprestium sibiricum sp. nov. and M. arkagalense sp. nov. come from the Arkagala locality (Upper Cretaceous of Russia) and M. ichbogdense sp. nov. is from the Shar Tologoi locality (Lower Cretaceous of Mongolia).     

Mesozoic leaf beetles of the tribe Mesolpinini trib. nov. (Coleoptera,Chrysomelidae) from the Lower Cretaceous

This publication is based on recent studies of Lower Cretaceous leaf beetles from the Yixian Formation (Liaoning, China), which are represented by five new species of one new genus Mesolpinus gen. nov. (M. antenattus sp. nov. [type species], M. adapertilis sp. nov., M. angusticollis sp. nov., M. basicollis sp. nov., and M. trapezicollis sp. nov.) assigned to a new tribe, Mesolpinini trib. nov. of the subfamily Chrysomelinae. This tribe, which includes only species from the Jehol biota, is the oldest known group of the family in the fossil record. A key to species of the genus Mesolpinus gen. nov. is provided and the position of the new tribe is discussed. A brief overview of the Mesozoic data on the subfamily Chrysomeloidea is given.     

New cryptostomide bryozoans from the Upper Devonian of Transcaucasia and some aspects of the evolution of the order Cryptostomida

New bryozoans of the suborder Ptilodictyina of the order Cryptostomida are described from the Upper Famennian of Transcaucasia: those of the family Worthenoporidae, i.e., a genus Geranopora gen. nov. comprising three species G. fabulosa sp. nov. (type species), G. fida sp. nov., and G. finitima sp. nov., and those of a new family Mysticellidae fam. nov., i.e., a genus Mysticella gen. nov. comprising four species M. labyrinthica sp. nov. (type species), M. laudativa sp. nov., M. sacrosancta sp. nov., and M. ortiva sp. nov. Thus, a Late Devonian part of the evolutionary line of ptilodictyines is revealed that shows their radiation at the levels of families, genera, and species.     

New species of the Inoceramus-like bivalve genus Maitaia Marwick from the Permian of northeastern Asia

Historical development of Permian Inoceramus-like bivalves of the bipolar genus Maitaia Marwick in northeastern Asia is briefly considered. Five new species (Maitaia vedernikovi sp. nov., M. kusnezovi sp. nov., M. orulganica sp. nov., M. regularicostatum sp. nov., and M. tobonnoensis sp. nov.) from the Middle and Upper Permian of the Omolon Massif, northern, western, and southern Verkhoyansk Region are described.     

A new species of Mesocoelium (Digenea: Mesocoeliidae) found in Rhinella marina (Amphibia: Bufonidae) from Brazilian Amazonia

Mesocoelium lanfrediaesp. nov. (Digenea: Mesocoeliidae) inhabits the small intestine of Rhinella marina (Amphibia: Bufonidae) and is described here, with illustrations provided by light, scanning electron microscopy and molecular approachs. M. lanfrediae sp. nov. presents the typical characteristics of the genus, but is morphometrically and morphologically different from the species described previously. The main diagnostic characteristics of M. lanfrediae sp. nov. are (i) seven pairs of regularly-distributed spherical papillae on the oral sucker, (ii) ventral sucker outlined by four pairs of papillae distributed in a uniform pattern and interspersed with numerous spines, which are larger at the posterior margin and (iii) small, rounded tegumentary papillae around the opening of the oral sucker, which are morphologically different from those of the oral sucker itself, some of which are randomly disposed in the ventrolateral tegumentary region of the anterior third of the body. Addionally, based on SSU rDNA, a phylogenetic analysis including Brachycoeliidae and Mesocoeliidae taxa available on GenBank established the close relationship between M. lanfrediae sp. nov. and Mesocoelium sp.     

Description of two species of free-living nematodes (Nematoda) from fresh waterbodies of Vietnam

The new nematode species Monhystera longivaginata sp. n. and the rare species Mononchulus nodicaudatus (Daday, 1901) collected in waterbodies of Vietnam are described. M. longivaginata sp. n. is morphologically similar to M. paludicola de Man, 1881, but differs from it in a longer and slenderer tail in females, ocelli situated closer to the anterior end of the body, the presence of a postvulval gland cell, and a longer vagina. The genus Monhystera Bastian, 1865 is revised, and several species of this genus (M. lemani Juget, 1969, M. macramphus Filipjev, 1923, M. amabilis Gagarin, 1997, M. hamata Gagarin et Nguyen Vu Thanh, 2005, and M. melnikae Gagarin et Naumova, 2010) are transferred to the genus Eumonhystera Andrássy, 1981 as E. lemani (Juget, 1969) comb. nov., E. macramphus (Filipjev, 1929) comb. nov., E. amabilis (Gagarin, 1997) comb. nov., E. hamata (Gagarin et Nguyen Vu Thanh, 2005) comb. nov., and E. melnikae (Gagarin et Naumova, 2010) comb. nov.     

New bibionomorpha (Insecta: Diptera) from the Jurassic of Asia

The new species Protorhyphus rohdendorfi sp. nov. (Protorhyphidae), Mesorhyphus handlirschi sp. nov., and M. hennigi sp. nov. (Anisopodidae), Procramptonomyia ponomarenkoi sp. nov. and P. kovalevi sp. nov. (Procramptonomyiidae) are described from the Upper Jurassic deposits of Mongolia (Shar Teg); some features of Archirhyphus asiaticus Rohdendorf, 1964 are revealed. The latter two species are also known from the locality of Karatau (Kazakhstan, J_2/3). The genus Tega Blagoderov, Krzemi??ska, and Krzemi??ski, 1993 is transferred from the family Cramptonomyiidae into Anisopodidae (Teginae subfam. nov.).     

Jurassic Scaphopoda from the Russian platform: Pulsellidae and Gadilidae

The scaphopod families Pulsellidae and Gadilidae from sandy and clayey beds of the Jurassic (Callovian?Volgian) of European Russia are investigated. In Pulsellidae, the following taxa are described: Annulipulsellum with two subgenera, Annulipulsellum (species A. ambiguum sp. nov., A. rugosum sp. nov.) and Mesopulsellum subgen. nov. (A. alternoides sp. nov., A. calloviense sp. nov., A. hirtistriatum sp. nov., A. medium sp. nov.), Gracilipulsellum gen. nov. (G. iodaense sp. nov.), Gardneridentalium gen. nov. (G. primitivum sp. nov., G. reticulatum sp. nov.), and Mesoentalina gen. nov. (M. fabulosa sp. nov.). New taxa of the family Gadilidae include the genus Mesoantalis gen. nov. with the species M. clava sp. nov., M. expolitum sp. nov., and M. volgense sp. nov.     

On some megaspores from the triassic of Nidhpuri,India

The paper describes structural features of megaspores from the Middle Gondwana (Middle Triassic) beds of Nidhpuri. These include two species of Srivastavaesporites Bharadwaj et Tiwari viz. S. triassicus sp. nov. and S. major sp. nov.; Grambastisporites nidhpurensis gen. et sp. nov.; Trikonia emarginata gen. et sp. nov.; one species of Mamillaespora Pant et Srivastava, M. sidhiensis sp. nov.; Nidhitriletes spinosa gen. et sp. nov.     

Novel and known myxobolids (Cnidaria,Myxozoa) infecting Chondrostoma angorense (Cypriniformes: Leuciscidae) in Turkey

Turkey has more than 200 endemic freshwater fish species, one of which is the Ankara nase, Chondrostoma angorense Elvira, 1987 (Cypriniformes: Leuciscidae), a food fish in northern Turkey. Like most endemic fish species in Turkey, its myxosporean parasite fauna (Cnidaria: Myxosporea) are not yet described. We surveyed twenty C. angorense from Lâdik Lake in northern Turkey, and identified two myxosporean parasites from gills of these fish: Myxobolus arrabonensis Cech, Borzák, Molnár, Székely, 2015, and a co-infection of a novel species, Myxobolus polati sp. nov. We characterized both infections based on myxospore morphology, morphometry, tissue tropism, small subunit ribosomal DNA sequence and phylogenetic analysis. Plasmodia of both species were observed in gills, but had distinct tropism: M. arrabonensis is an intrafilamental vascular type, and M. polati sp. nov. is an intralamellar vascular type. We identified M. arrabonensis on the basis of myxospore characters and 100% similarity to the type DNA sequence from the closely-related host C. nasus. The small subunit ribosomal DNA sequence of M. polati sp. nov. (1946 base pairs; GenBank Accession number MH392318) had a maximum similarity of 98% with any Myxobolus sp. from other Eurasian cypriniforms. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that M. polati sp. nov. is most closely related to gill-infecting Myxobolus diversicapsularis from Rutilus rutilus (L.). The present study is the first record of myxosporean species infecting C. angorense comprising a novel species, M. polati sp. nov. and a known species M. arrabonensis.     

Brachiopods from the family Ambocoeliidae George (Order Spiriferida) from the Emsian (Lower Devonian) of northeastern Russia

Brachiopods from the family Ambocoeliidae George from the Emsian (Lower Devonian) of northeastern Russia are described: Bisinocoelia despecta sp. nov.; Yakutospirifer gen. nov. with the type species Y. krivensis sp. nov.; Micospirifer gen. nov. with the type species M. simplex sp. nov.; Kolymospirifer gen. nov. with the type species K. optatus sp. nov. (subfamily Ambocoeliinae); Datnospirifer gen. nov. with the type species D. alius sp. nov.; Khalimospirifer gen. nov. with the type species Kh. microscopicus sp. nov.; Gerospirifer gen. nov. with the type species G. normalis sp. nov., and G. gerensis sp. nov.; Dogdospirifer gen. nov. with the type species D. yolkini sp. nov. (subfamily Rhynchospiriferinae).     

Gymnocranius superciliosus and Gymnocranius satoi, two new large-eye breams (Sparoidea: Lethrinidae) from the Coral Sea and adjacent regions

Two related perciform fish species of the subfamily Monotaxinae (Sparoidea: Lethrinidae) Gymnocranius superciliosus sp. nov. and Gymnocranius satoi sp. nov. are described from specimens and tissue samples from the Coral Sea and adjacent regions. G. superciliosus sp. nov. is distinct from all other known Gymnocranius spp. by the following combination of characters: body elongated (depth 2.7–3.1 in standard length), caudal fin moderately forked with a subtle middle notch, its lobes slightly convex inside, distinctive blackish eyebrow, snout and cheek with blue speckles, and dorsal, pectoral, anal and caudal fins reddish. G. satoi sp. nov. is the red-finned ‘Gymnocranius sp.’ depicted in previous taxonomic revisions. While colour patterns are similar between the two species, G. satoi sp. nov. is distinct from G. superciliosus sp. nov. by the ratio of standard length to body depth (2.4–2.5 vs. 2.7–3.1) and by the shape of the caudal fin, which is more shallowly forked, its lobes convex inside and their extremities rounded. The two species are genetically distinct from each other and they are genetically distinct from G. elongatus, G. euanus, G. grandoculis, and G. oblongus sampled from the Coral Sea and adjacent regions.     

New species of Metepsilonema (Nemata,Epsilonematidae) from the Channel and the Mediterranean Sea with a polytomous key for the identification of species of the genus

Four new species of Metepsilonema are described from sublittoral stations from the Channel and are mainly characterized: M. volutum sp.nov. by the large body size for the genus up to 460 m, 118–121 well overlapping annuli and wide multispiral amphids; M. amphidoxum sp.nov. by 127–133 shortly overlapping annuli and sexual dimorphism in amphid size; M. comptum sp.nov. by 133–140 non-overlapping annuli, anteriormost annuli provided with a wide lumen and borders ornamented with ridges and M. corrugatum sp.nov. by 108–111 overlapping annuli provided with ridges). Additional information is provided for M. callosum together with a discussion on intraspecific variability. A new species of Metepsilonema spec. based on females only, is described but remain unnamed. M. comptum sp.nov. and M. corrugatum sp.nov. are also occurring in the Mediterranean Sea. A polytomous key to species level is presented.     

Four new Asian species in the lichen genus Pannaria

Abstract:Three new species which have previously been confused with Pannaria rubiginosa are described. The first, Pannaria complanata sp. nov., from southern India, has a possibly subtropical Afro-Asian distribution, the second, Pannaria emodii sp. nov., may be restricted to the eastern Himalayas from Bhutan to Sichuan (China), and the third, Pannaria ramulosa sp. nov. is known only from Java. The last two species are both related toPannaria asahinae P. M. Jørg. from Japan. A fourth new species from southern Taiwan, the isidiate Pannaria formosana, is closely related to Pannaria ramosa Vain., a little known species from the Philippines.     

Molecular-assisted alpha taxonomy of the genus Rhodymenia (Rhodymeniaceae,Rhodymeniales) from Australia reveals overlooked species diversity

A previously published DNA barcode survey of red macroalgae in Australia revealed significant cryptic and overlooked diversity for the genus Rhodymenia with recognition of R. novahollandica, R. prolificans, R. stenoglossa, R. wilsonis and an additional four uncharacterized genetic species groups. Since that study, increased sampling effort in Australia has warranted reassessment and reinvestigation of the number of genetic species groups attributed to Rhodymenia and their respective taxonomic affiliations. Using molecular-assisted alpha taxonomy employing the DNA barcode (COI-5P), the present study resolved 188 Australian specimens in 12 genetic species groups assignable to the genus Rhodymenia. Four of these groups were attributed to the previously recognized species (above), whereas some collections from Lord Howe Island were attributed to the New Zealand species R. novazelandica, expanding its biogeographic range. The following seven genetic groups were inconsistent with existing species of Rhodymenia and established as novel taxa: R. compressa sp. nov., R. contortuplicata sp. nov., R. gladiata sp. nov., R. insularis sp. nov., R. lociperonica sp. nov., R. norfolkensis sp. nov. and R. womersleyi sp. nov. Although morphological and biogeographic features were adequate for distinguishing some species of Rhodymenia from Australia, DNA sequencing in combination with morphology and biogeography provided the most reliable means of identification.     

New gomphaeschnids and progobiaeshnids from the Yixian Formation in Liaoning Province (China) illustrate the tremendous Upper Mesozoic diversity of the aeshnopteran dragonflies

One new genus and five new species of dragonflies (Odonata) are described and figured from the Yixian Formation of northeastern China, viz. two gomphaeschnids Sinojoria magna nov. sp. and S. cancellosa nov. sp., plus three progobiaeshnids Mongoliaeshna hadrens nov. sp., M. exiguusens nov. sp., and Decoraeshna preciosus nov. gen., nov. sp. These new discoveries confirm the apparently sudden great diversification in China of the clade Aeshnoptera during the Middle-Upper Jurassic, together with the Upper Mesozoic to modern lineages of dragonflies. At the same time, some ‘ancient’ groups of Odonata became extinct.     

A distinct large vole lineage from the Late Pliocene - Early Pleistocene of China

A distinct large vole lineage involving three species from the Late Pliocene - Early Pleistocene of China is morphologically and quantitatively delineated. A special sinuous line (linea sinuosa) pattern, not previously recognized, diagnoses the new lineage, and distinguishes the species in the lineage from all other vole genera known either from China or elsewhere. At present, only two morphologically discrete evolutionary stages can be recognized in the lineage. The primitive stage is represented by rooted Mimomys peii and M. banchiaonicus, and the advanced stage is represented by the newly described rootless Heteromimomys zhengi nov. gen., nov. sp. from the Paleolithic site of Renzidong Cave in Anhui Province. The schmelzmuster of M. peii and Heteromimomys zhengi nov. gen., nov. sp. is also examined to provide more details about the lineage. This lineage diverged from Mimomys by the Late Pliocene within North China. The comparison between the arvicoline species co-existing with Heteromimomys zhengi nov. gen., nov. sp. and those from Haiyan Formation in the Yushe Basin, Shanxi Province, suggests the age of Heteromimomys zhengi nov. gen., nov. sp. can be correlated to or predate the Haiyan Formation, which is in reversely magnetized sediment identified as Chron 2r. The loss of roots in the lineage corresponds with a cooling event at the beginning of the Pleistocene, and seems to characterize the Nihewanian age of the Chinese Land Mammal ages from the perspective of arvicoline biochronology.     

Four new species of Chimarra Stephens (Trichoptera: Philopotamoidea: Philopotamidae) from Indian Himalaya

Four new species are added to the philopotamid fauna of India. The newly described species under Chimarra Stephens are Chimarra barnardi sp. nov. and C. padami sp. nov. (both from Arunachal Pradesh), C. bidenta sp. nov. from Uttarakhand and C. quadrata sp. nov. from Sikkim. These species are distinguishable from each other as well as from previously known allied species by consistent variation in the structure of inferior appendages, tergite X and the phallic apparatus of males.     

New radiolarian genera and species from the Lower Permian of the Southern Urals and Northern Mugodzhary

Two new genera and five new species of Lower Permian radiolarians, Arcoclathrata alekseevi gen. et sp. nov., Entactinia pinrasensis sp. nov., Microporosa rozhnovi gen. et sp. nov., M. aktastensis sp. nov., and Somphoentactinia saecularis sp. nov., from the Southern Urals and Northern Mugodzhary are described. The new spherical radiolarian taxa belong to three orders: Entactiniata, Cancelliata, and Spongiata of two classes, Sphaerellaria and Spumellaria.     

Three new species of genus Myrmica (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Himalaya

Three new species of the genus Myrmica are described from the Himalayas. Myrmica curvispinosa sp. nov., Myrmica kothiensis sp. nov. and Myrmica religiosa sp. nov. belong to the Myrmica inezae species group, which is earlier represented by 4 species. Myrmica curvispinosa sp. nov. is described based on worker and gyne, with a report of ergatoid as well. Myrmica kothiensis sp. nov. and Myrmica religiosa sp. nov. are described based on worker caste only. A key to the species of the Myrmica inezae species group has been provided in the following.