New species of the buprestid genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Endelus</Emphasis> Deyrolle (Coleoptera,Buprestidae) from China,India, and Laos

Endelus (Kubaniellus) indicus sp. n. from India, E. (K.) lao sp. n. and E. (K.) khnzoriani sp. n. from Laos, E. (s. str.) sausai sp. n. from China, and E. (s. str.) dembickyi sp. n. from India are described, the two latter species are included in the Endelus bicarinatus Théry, 1932 species-group recently established by the author. E. collinus Obenberger, 1922 is included in this group; lectotype of this species is designated. Keys to species of the subgenus Kubaniellus and of the E. collinus group are provided. E. (K.) kareni Kalashian is for the first time recorded for Shaanxi Prov., E. pacholatkoi Kalashian, E. smaragdinus Desc. et Vill., and E collinus Obenb., for Laos (the latter species, also for Myanmar).     

The musculoskeletal system of male genitalia in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Curetis bulis</Emphasis> Westwood, 1851 (Lepidoptera,Lycaenidae: Curetinae) and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Paralaxita damajanti</Emphasis> (C. Felder et R. Felder, 1860) (Lepidoptera,Riodinidae: Nemeobiinae)

The muscles of the male genitalia were studied for the first time in two species endemic to the Oriental zoogeographical region, namely Curetis bulis from the subfamily Curetinae (Lycaenidae) and Paralaxita damajanti from the tribe Abisarini (Riodinidae). Both taxa possess a common plan of musculature reflected in the positions of muscles m1, m2(10), m5(7), m7(6), m21, and m28. Two new autapomorphies of Curetis bulis were discovered: the splitting of m4 into two muscles and a shift of the attachment site of one of these muscles onto the dorsal area of the anellus. Apomorphic differences in the position of the genital muscles were found between Paralaxita damajanti and the previously studied Polycaena tamerlana from the family Riodinidae. A new synapomorphy between the latter two species, namely splitting of the aedeagus protractors m6(5), was also found.     

Little known leaf beetles of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Chrysolina</Emphasis> (Coleoptera,Chrysomelidae) from China

Chrysolina (Semenowia) chalcea (Weise, 1889), Ch. (Pezocrosita) cyanopurpurea (Ballion, 1878), and Ch. (Chrysocrosita) fuyunica Chen, 1961 are redescribed. A male (topotype) of Ch. cyanopurpurea was examined for the first time. Ch. belousovi Lopatin, 2000 is a new junior synonym of Ch. cyanopurpurea; Ch. bienkowskii Lopatin, 2000 is a new junior synonym of Ch. chalcea. The taxonomic position of all the taxa mentioned is discussed.     

Phylogenetic relationships of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Armadolepis</Emphasis> Spassky, 1954 (Eucestoda,Hymenolepididae), with descriptions of two new species from Palaearctic dormice (Rodentia,Gliridae)

Two new species of hymenolepidid cestodes belonging to the genus Armadolepis Spassky, 1954 are described from dormice (Gliridae) from the southern East European Plain and the northwestern Caucasus, Russia. Armadolepis (Bremserilepis) longisoma n. sp., with a rudimentary, unarmed rostellar apparatus is described from the fat dormouse Glis glis (Linnaeus) from the Republic of Adygeya, Russia. Additionally, A. (Armadolepis) dryomi n. sp., characterised by a well-developed rostellar apparatus and armed rhynchus is described from the forest dormouse Dryomys nitedula Pallas from Rostov Oblast’, Russia. Armadolepis (Bremserilepis) longisoma n. sp. differs from A. (Bremserilepis) myoxi (Rudolphi, 1819) in having a substantially longer strobila and cirrus-sac, wider scolex and ovary and larger rostellar pouch and testes. Armadolepis (Armadolepis) dryomi n. sp. is distinguishable from A. (Armadolepis) spasskii Tenora & Baru?, 1958, A. (Armadolepis) jeanbaeri Makarikov, 2017 and A. (Armadolepis) tenorai Makarikov, 2017 in having a substantially longer and wider strobila, and larger rostellar pouch and cirrus-sac. Furthermore, A. dryomi n. sp. can be distinguished from its congeners by the number and size of rostellar hooks and the arrangement of the testes. Phylogenetic affinities of Armadolepis were studied for the first time using partial sequences of the nuclear ribosomal 28S DNA gene. Phylogenetic analysis strongly supported the status of Armadolepis as a separate genus belonging to the “Rodentolepis clade”.     

Isolation,characterization and virulence of bacteria from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ostrinia nubilalis</Emphasis> (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

Isolation, characterization and virulence of the culturable bacteria from entire tissues of larval Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) were studied to obtain new microbes for biological control. A total of 16 bacteria were isolated from living and dead larvae collected from different maize fields in the Eastern Black Sea Region of Turkey. The bacterial microbiota of O. nubilalis were identified as Pseudomonas aeruginosa (On1), Brevundimonas aurantiaca (On2), Chryseobacterium formosense (On3), Acinetobacter sp. (On4), Microbacterium thalassium (On5), Bacillus megaterium (On6), Serratia sp. (On7), Ochrobactrum sp. (On8), Variovorax paradoxus (On9), Corynebacterium glutamicum (On10), Paenibacillus sp. (On11), Alcaligenes faecalis (On12), Microbacterium testaceum (On13), Leucobacter sp. (On14), Leucobacter sp. (On15) and Serratia marcescens (On16) based on their morphological and biochemical characteristics. A partial sequence of the 16S rRNA gene was also determined to confirm strain identification. The highest insecticidal activities were obtained from P. aeruginosa On1 (80%), Serratia sp. On7 (60%), V. paradoxus On9 (50%) and S. marcescens On16 (50%) against larvae 14 days after treatment (p < 0.05). Also, the highest activity from previously isolated Bacillus species was observed from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. tenebrionis Xd3 with 80% mortality within the same period (p < 0.05). Our results indicate that P. aeruginosa On1, Serratia sp. On7, V. paradoxus On9, S. marcescens On16 and B. thuringiensis subsp. tenebrionis Xd3 show potential for biocontrol of O. nubilalis.     

Palaearctic species of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Microchelonus retusus</Emphasis> group (Hymenoptera,Braconidae, Cheloninae)

Microchelonus species of the M. retusus group differ from the other members of the subgenus Microchelonus s. str. (characterized primarily by the 16-segmented female antennae and deepened apical abdominal opening of the male) in their elongate carapace of female abdomen more strongly narrowed apically than toward base. The first key to 45 species of this group, including 7 new species, is given: M. alexeevi Tobias, 1986 (apicalis Alexeev, 1971); M. angustiventris Tobias, 1986; M. apicalis Papp, 1971; M. arnoldii (Tobias, 1964); M. artus Tobias, 1986; M. cisapicalis Tobias, 1989; M. crassitarsus Tobias, 1989; M. dolosus Tobias, 1989; M. elenae Tobias, 1995; M. erosus Herrich-Schaeffer, 1838 (analipennis Fahringer, 1934; hungaricus Szépligeti, 1896; frivalaldszkyi Shenefelt, 1973); M. heraticus Tobias, 1985; M. hofferi Tobias et Lozan, 2006; M. jonaitisi Tobias, 2000; M. justus Tobias, 1989; M. kievorum sp. n. (Ukraine); M. kiritshenkoi (Tobias, 1976); M. klugei Tobias, 2001; M. kopetdagicus (Tobias, 1966) (caucasicus Abdinbekova, 1967, syn. n.); M. korinthiacus sp. n. (Greece); M. kozlovi (Tobias, 1961); M. longirimosus Tobias, 1995; M. madridi sp. n. (Spain); M. marshakovi Tobias, 1986; M. mediterraneus sp. n. (Greece); M. microphthalmus (Wesmael, 1838) (dilatus Papp, 1971); M. mikhaili Tobias, 1989; M. mirabilis (Tobias, 1972); M. morrocanus sp. n. (Morocco); M. nachitshevanicus (Abdinbekova, 1971); M. ononicus Tobias, 2000; M. pamiricus (Voinovskaya-Kriger, 1928); M. retrusus Tobias, 1989; M. retusus (Nees, 1813) (caudatus Thomson, 1874); M. stenogaster Tobias, 1995; M. sternaus (Tobias, 1964); M. subcaudatus (Tobias, 1971); M. subjustus sp. n. (Spain); M. sulcatus Jurine, 1908 (rimulosus Thomson, 1874; rimatus Szépligeti, 1896); M. tersakkanicus Tobias, 2001; M. tjanshanicus Tobias, 1995; M. turcius sp. n. (Turkey); M. volgensis Tobias, 1986; M. xenia Tobias, 2000; M. zorkuli Tobias, 1991.     

A review of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Thinodromus lunatus</Emphasis> species-group (Coleoptera,Staphylinidae)

The Thinodromus lunatus species group is revised. The following new species are described: Thinodromus (s. str.) cattiensis sp. n. from Vietnam, Thinodromus (s. str.) forsteri sp. n. from southern Thailand, Thinodromus (s. str.) himalayensis sp. n. from Nepal and northern India, Thinodromus (s. str.) inconspicuus sp. n. from southern China, Thailand, and Vietnam, and Thinodromus (s. str.) spotus sp. n. from southern China. The following new synonymy is established: Thinodromus (s. str.) deceptor (Sharp, 1889) = Thinodromus (s. str.) gravelyi (Bernhauer, 1926), syn. n.; = Thinodromus (s. str.) reitterianus (Bernhauer, 1938), syn. n. Lectotypes are designated for Trogophloeus lunatus Motschulsky, 1857, Trogophloeus pustulatus Bernhauer, 1904, Trogophloeus socius Bernhauer, 1904, Trogophloeus sumatrensis Bernhauer, 1915, Trogophloeus lewisi Cameron, 1919, Trogophloeus gravelyi Bernhauer, 1926, Trogophloeus reitterianus Bernhauer, 1938, and Trogophloeus unipustulatus Cameron, 1941. A key is presented to all the species of the Thinodromus lunatus group.     

Revision of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Neolebouria</Emphasis> Gibson, 1976 (Digenea: Opecoelidae), with <Emphasis Type="Italic">Trilobovarium</Emphasis> n. g., for species infecting tropical and subtropical shallow-water fishes

A new opecoelid trematode is reported from fishes of the Lethrinidae, Lutjanidae and Nemipteridae off Lizard Island on the northern Great Barrier Reef, Australia. The new species keys to Neolebouria Gibson, 1976 and shows strong similarity to several species of that genus, but is not consistent with the type-species, N. georgiensis Gibson, 1976, or others known from temperate/polar and/or deep-sea fishes. The new species is also phylogenetically distant from N. lanceolata (Price, 1934) Reimer, 1987, the only representative of the genus for which molecular data are available. A new genus, Trilobovarium n. g., is proposed for the new species, T. parvvatis n. sp. Eight morphologically similar species, previously recognised as belonging to Neolebouria, from shallow-water, mostly tropical/subtropical fishes, are transferred to Trilobovarium: T. diacopae (Nagaty & Abdel Aal, 1962) n. comb.; T. ira (Yamaguti, 1940) n. comb.; T. khalili (Ramadan, 1983) n. comb.; T. krusadaiense (Gupta, 1956) n. comb.; T. lineatum (Aken’Ova & Cribb, 2001) n. comb.; T. moretonense (Aken’Ova & Cribb, 2001) n. comb.; T. palauense (Machida, 2014) n. comb.; and T. truncatum (Linton, 1940) n. comb. Paramanteriella Li, Qiu & Zhang, 1988 is resurrected for five species of Neolebouria with a post-bifurcal genital pore: P. cantherini Li, Qiu & Zhang, 1988; P. capoori (Jaiswal, Upadhyay, Malhotra, Dronen & Malhotra, 2014) n. comb.; P. confusa (Overstreet, 1969) n. comb.; P. leiperi (Gupta, 1956) n. comb.; and P. pallenisca (Shipley & Hornell, 1905) n. comb. Neolebouria georgenascimentoi Bray, 2002, a species with an exceptionally long cirrus-sac, is transferred to Bentholebouria Andres, Pulis & Overstreet, 2004 as B. georgenascimentoi (Bray, 2002) n. comb., and N. maorum (Allison, 1966) Gibson 1976, an unusual species known from cephalopods, is designated a species incertae sedis. Eleven species are retained in a revised concept of Neolebouria.     

Four new species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Paradiscogaster</Emphasis> Yamaguti, 1934 (Digenea: Faustulidae) from batfishes (Perciformes: Ephippidae) on the Great Barrier Reef,Australia

Examination of three species of batfishes (Teleostei: Epphippidae) from off Lizard and Heron Islands on the Great Barrier Reef led to the discovery of specimens of the trematode genus Paradiscogaster Yamaguti, 1934 (Digenea: Faustulidae). Morphological analysis demonstrated that the new specimens represented four morphotypes which we interpret to be new species: Paradiscogaster martini n. sp., P. vichovae n. sp. and P. brayi n. sp. from Platax orbicularis (Forsskål) and P. pinnatus (Linnaeus) off Lizard Island, and P. nitschkei n. sp. from P. teira (Forsskål) off Heron Island. Published material was re-examined and the specimens identified as P. chaetodontis okinawensis Yamaguti, 1971 from P. pinnatus from Okinawa, Japan, actually represent the new species P. brayi n. sp., demonstrating that some species of Paradiscogaster have wide geographical distributions. ITS2 rDNA data for the four morphotypes differ by 4–39 base pairs confirming the delineation of the four species proposed. A feature of this study is the recognition of Platax spp. as an important host group for Paradiscogaster, with the new species placing them as the second richest host group for these parasites after the Chaetodontidae.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Paulogramma hydarnis</Emphasis> (n. comb.) (Nymphalidae: Biblidinae): Distribution,Systematic Position,and Conservation Status of a Rare and Endangered Butterfly

The nymphalid Paulogramma hydarnis (Godart) (n. comb., previously in the genus Callicore) is an endangered butterfly present in a few montane sites in the Atlantic Forest in the Southeastern Brazil. The precise systematic position of P. hydarnis was previously unknown. Based on molecular data, we find that it is sister to Paulogramma pygas (Godart) (n. comb., also previously in Callicore), a common and widespread species in the Neotropics. In addition, we find that Callicore is not monophyletic and that “Callicore” hydarnis (along with other species) is more related to the genus Paulogramma, and should thus be placed in that genus. The genus Paulogramma is now composed by the following species: Paulogramma pyracmon (Godart), Paulogramma eunomia (Hewitson) n. comb., Paulogramma hydarnis (Godart) n. comb., Paulogramma hystaspes (Fabricius) n. comb., Paulogramma pygas (Godart) n. comb., and Paulogramma tolima (Hewitson, 1852) n. comb. Museum specimens and field data report P. hydarnis in four sites in Southeastern Brazil. Recently, P. hydarnis was recorded for the first time at Parque Nacional do Caparaó, states of Espírito Santo and Minas Gerais, expanding its distribution about 200 km northward of the previously known limit. Although regularly recorded in some sites, most records are historic, before the 1960s, and the current conservation situation of this species is delicate, deserving attention.     

New palaearctic species of the subgenus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Telenomus</Emphasis> (Hymenoptera,Scelionidae, Telenominae), having the mesoscutum with parapsidal furrows

Five new species of the genus Telenomus, subgenus Telenomus [Telenomus (T.) decoratus Kononova, sp. n., T. (T.) erectus Kononova, sp. n., T. (T.) notus Kononova, sp. n., T. (T.) clarus Kononova, sp. n., and T. (T.) gratus Kononova, sp. n.], collected from the Ukraine, Bulgaria, and Russia (Kunashir Island), are described for the first time. T. (T.) decoratus differs from the species with the mesoscutum bearing parapsidal furrows in the oblong tergite II with alveolate sculpture. T. (T.) erectus is closely related to T. (T.) lachesis Kozlov et Kononova and can be distinguished by the longer thorax and abdominal tergite I with longitudinal rugae. T. (T.) notus differs from the similar T. (T.) erectus in the sculpture and shape of the abdomen and coloration of the legs. T. (T.) clarus differs from T. (T.) lineolatus Kozlov in the sculpture of the frontal depression: granulate in T. (T.) clarus and smooth and lustrous in T. (T.) lineolatus. T. (T.) gratus is similar to T. (T.) atropos; its specific features are the head much wider than long and the smooth and lustrous tergite I.     

New and little known species of the dance-fly subgenus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Xanthempis</Emphasis> Bezzi,genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Empis</Emphasis> L. (Diptera,Empididae), from the Caucasus

Five new species of the subgenus Xanthempis Bezzi are described from the Caucasus: Empis (Xanthempis) annae sp. n. (Russia: Krasnodar Territory), E. (X.) grichanovi sp. n. (Russia: Krasnodar Territory; Georgia), E. (X.) pseudoconcolor sp. n. (Russia: Krasnodar and Stavropol territories; Georgia: Abkhazia), E. (X.) teberdaensis sp. n. (Russia: Karachay-Cherkessia), and E. (X.) zamotajlovi sp. n. (Russia: Krasnodar Territory and Adygea). The females of E. (X.) alanica Shamshev and E. (X.) kovalevi Shamshev are described for the first time. New data on the distribution of some previously described species are reported. The geographical distribution of Xanthempis is discussed. A key to Xanthempis species from the Caucasus is compiled.     

Revision of the carabid genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Meroctenus</Emphasis> Gemminger et Harold,with a new status of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Xenodochus</Emphasis> Andrewes (Coleoptera,Carabidae: Harpalini)

Originally described as a monotypical genus with unclear taxonomic position from Sudan, Meroctenus Gemminger et Harold, 1868 is treated as a polytypical genus of the Selenophori genus group with two subgenera: Meroctenus s. str. and Xenodochus Andrewes, 1941, stat. n. (the latter was previously considered a distinct genus). Within Meroctenus, two species are recognized: M. (Meroctenus) crenulatus Chaudoir, 1843 (type species) and M. (M.) mediocris (Andrewes, 1936), comb, n., transferred to Meroctenus s. str. from Xenodochus. A new subspecies M. (M.) crenulatus orientalis subsp. n. is described from Pakistan. Diagnoses of the genus Meroctenus in new interpretation as well as of its two subgenera are discussed, and a taxonomic review of the subgenus Meroctenus s. str. with a key to the species and subspecies is provided. The following synonymy is proposed: Meroctenus Gemminger et Harold, 1868 = Paregaploa Müller, 1947, syn. n.; Meroctenus crenulatus (Chaudoir, 1843) = Egaploa (Paregaploa) conviva Müller, 1947, syn. n. Lectotypes are designated for Ctenomerus crenulatus Chaudoir, 1843 and Xenodus mediocris Andrewes, 1936.     

Revision of the shield-bug genera <Emphasis Type="Italic">Holcostethus</Emphasis> Fieber and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Peribalus</Emphasis> Mulsant et Rey (Heteroptera,Pentatomidae) of the Palaearctic Region

A complex of the heteropteran genera centering around Peribalus Mulsant et Rey and Holcostethus Fieber is considered. The genus Dryadocoris Kirkaldy reveals no relationship with the above genera and is believed to represent a separate clade of the family Pentatomidae. The genera Peribalus and Holcostethus are revised. The former includes three subgenera: Peribalus s. str. with two species, Asioperibalus subgen. n. (type species Cimex inclusus Dohrn) with six species, and Tianocoris subgen. n. (type species Holcostethus manifestus Kiritshenko) with two species. Holcostethus embraces two subgenera: Holcostethus s. str. and the monotypic Enigmocoris subgen. n. (type species H. fissiceps Horváth). Two new species are described: Peribalus tianshanicus sp. n. from the Tien Shan Mts. and P. przewalskii sp. n. from the northern part of China (Huan He River). P. capitatus Jakovlev and P. vernalis (Wolff) are downgraded to subspecies of P. strictus (F.). P. ovatus Jakovlev is synonymized with P. inclusus (Dohrn). Two new monotypic genera related to the revised complex of genera are established, Paraholcostethus gen. n. (type species Peribalus breviceps Horváth) and Himalayastethus gen. n. (type species H. pilosus sp. n. from Kashmir). A key to, and morphometric characters for all the taxa considered are provided. The key characters, including both male and female genitalia, are illustrated, and distributional maps are given.     

New data on the taxonomy,distribution, and ecology of the weevil genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Otiorhynchus</Emphasis> germar (Coleoptera,Curculionidae)

The subgenus Pocusogetus Rtt. of the genus Otiorhynchus Germ. is revised. The subgenus includes O. rosti Strl., O. shapovalovi Davidian et Yunakov, O. obsulcatus Strl., O. fischtensis Rtt., and O. gusakovi sp. n. closely related to O. fischtensis (both from Mt. Fisht, the Western Caucasus). O. fischtensis is transferred from the subgenus Vicoranius Rtt., its lectotype is designated. A key to species of Pocusogetus is given. The systematic position of the subgenera Pocusogetus and Vicoranius in the genus Otiorhynchus is discussed. New data on the geographical distribution and ecology of the little-known species of the subgenera Obvoderus Rtt., Pseudoprovadilus Magnano, and Clypeorhynchus Yunakov et Arzanov are given. Some features of ecological differentiation between Otiorhynchus species in the alpine and subalpine zones of the Caucasus are discussed.     

Toxin Gene Contents and Activity of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus thuringiensis</Emphasis> Strains Against Two Sugarcane Borer Species, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Diatraea saccharalis</Emphasis> (F.) and <Emphasis Type="Italic">D. flavipennella</Emphasis> (Box)

Bacillus thuringiensis (Berliner) bears essential characteristics in the control of insect pests, such as its unique mode of action, which confers specificity and selectivity. This study assessed cry gene contents from Bt strains and their entomotoxicity against Diatraea saccharalis (F.) and Diatraea flavipennella (Box) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae). Bioassays with Bt strains were performed against neonates to evaluate their lethal and sublethal activities and were further analyzed by PCR, using primers to identify toxin genes. For D. saccharalis and D. flavipennella, 16 and 18 strains showed over 30% larval mortality in the 7th day, respectively. The LC₅₀ values of strains for D. saccharalis varied from 0.08 × 10⁵ (LIIT-0105) to 4104 × 10⁵ (LIIT-2707) spores + crystals mL^?1. For D. flavipennella, the LC₅₀ values of strains varied from 0.40 × 10⁵ (LIIT-2707) to 542 × 10⁵ (LIIT-2109) spores + crystals mL^?1. For the LIIT-0105 strain, which was the most toxic to D. saccharalis, the genes cry1Aa, cry1Ab, cry1Ac, cry1B, cry1C, cry1D, cry1F, cry1I, cry2Aa, cry2Ab, cry8, and cry9C were detected, whereas for the strain LIIT-2707, which was the most toxic to D. flavipennella, detected genes were cry1Aa, cry1Ab, cry1Ac, cry1B, cry1D, cry1F, cry1I, cry2Aa, cry2Ab, and cry9. The toxicity data and toxin gene content in these strains of Bt suggest a great variability of activity with potential to be used in the development of novel biopesticides or as source of resistance genes that can be expressed in plants to control pests.     

Morphology and molecules reveal the alien <Emphasis Type="Italic">Posthodiplostomum centrarchi</Emphasis> Hoffman, 1958 as the third species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Posthodiplostomum</Emphasis> Dubois, 1936 (Digenea: Diplostomidae) in Europe

Metacercariae of two species of Posthodiplostomum Dubois, 1936 (Digenea: Diplostomidae) were subjected to morphological and molecular studies: P. brevicaudatum (von Nordmann, 1832) from Gasterosteus aculeatus (L.) (Gasterosteiformes: Gasterosteidae), Bulgaria (morphology, cox1 and ITS1-5.8S-ITS2) and Perca fluviatilis L. (Perciformes: Percidae), Czech Republic (morphology, cox1, ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 and 28S); and P. centrarchi Hoffman, 1958 from Lepomis gibbosus (L.) (Perciformes: Centrarchidae), Bulgaria (morphology, cox1 and ITS1-5.8S-ITS2) and Slovakia (cox1 and ITS1-5.8S-ITS2). In addition, cercariae of P. cuticola (von Nordmann, 1832) from Planorbis planorbis (L.) (Mollusca: Planorbidae), Lithuania (morphology and cox1) and metacercariae of Ornithodiplostomum scardinii (Schulman in Dubinin, 1952) from Scardinius erythrophthalmus (L.) (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae), Czech Republic, were examined (morphology, cox1, ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 and 28S). These represent the first molecular data for species of Posthodiplostomum and Ornithodiplostomum Dubois, 1936 from the Palaearctic. Phylogenetic analyses based on cox1 and ITS1-5.8S-ITS2, using O. scardinii as the outgroup and including the three newly-sequenced Posthodiplostomum spp. from Europe and eight published unidentified (presumably species-level) lineages of Posthodiplostomum from Canada confirmed the distinct status of the three European species (contrary to the generally accepted opinion that only P. brevicaudatum and P. cuticola occur in the Palaearctic). The subspecies Posthodiplostomum minimum centrarchi Hoffmann, 1958, originally described from North America, is elevated to the species level as Posthodiplostomum centrarchi Hoffman, 1958. The undescribed “Posthodiplostomum sp. 3” of Locke et al. (2010) from centrarchid fishes in Canada has identical sequences with the European isolates of P. centrarchi and is recognised as belonging to the same species. The latter parasite, occurring in the alien pumpkinseed sunfish Lepomis gibbosus in Europe, is also supposed to be alien for this continent. It is speculated that it colonised Europe long ago and is currently widespread (recorded in Bulgaria, Slovakia and Spain); based on the cox1 sequence of an adult digenean isolate from the Ebro Delta, Spain, only the grey heron (Ardea cinerea L.) (Ciconiiformes: Ardeidae) is known to be its definitive host in Europe.     

Revision of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Podocotyloides</Emphasis> Yamaguti, 1934 (Digenea: Opecoelidae), resurrection of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pedunculacetabulum</Emphasis> Yamaguti, 1934 and the naming of a cryptic opecoelid species

Despite morphological and ecological inconsistencies among species, all plagioporine opecoelids with a pedunculate ventral sucker are currently considered to belong in the genus Podocotyloides Yamaguti, 1934. We revise the genus based on combined morphological and phylogenetic analyses of novel material collected from haemulid fishes in Queensland waters that we interpret to represent species congeneric with the type-species, Pod. petalophallus Yamaguti, 1934, also known from a haemulid, off Japan. Our phylogenetic analysis demonstrates polyphyly of Podocotyloides; prompts us to resurrect Pedunculacetabulum Yamaguti, 1934; and suggests that Pod. brevis Andres & Overstreet, 2013, from a deep-sea congrid in the Caribbean, and Pod. parupenei (Manter, 1963) Pritchard, 1966 and Pod. stenometra Pritchard, 1966, from mullids and chaetodontids, respectively, on the Great Barrier Reef, may each represent a distinct genus awaiting recognition. Our revised concept of Podocotyloides requires a pedunculate ventral sucker, but also a uterine sphincter prior to the genital atrium, a petalloid cirrus appendage, restriction of the vitelline follicles to the hindbody, and for the excretory vesicle to reach to the level of the ventral sucker. Of about 20 nominal species, we recognise just three in Podocotyloides (sensu stricto): Pod. petalophallus, Pod. gracilis (Yamaguti, 1952) Pritchard, 1966 and Pod. magnatestes Aleshkina & Gaevskaya, 1985. We provide new records for Pod. gracilis, and propose two new species of Podocotyloides, Pod. australis n. sp. and Pod. brevivesiculatus n. sp., and one new Pedunculacetabulum species, Ped. inopinipugnus n. sp., all from haemulids. Podocotyloides australis is morphologically indistinguishable from Pod. gracilis, and exploits the same definitive host, but is genetically and biogeographically distinct. It is thus a cryptic species, the first such opecoelid to be formally named.