Eriorhynchidae, a new family of Prostigmata (Acarina), with a cladistic analysis of eupodoid species of Australia and New Zealand

A new family of eupodine Prostigmata, Eriorhynchidae fam.n. , is established to accommodate Eriorhynchus gen.n. , and five species from Australia: E.australicus (Womersley), E.hades sp.n. , E.ramosus sp.n. , E.walteri sp.n. and E.womersleyi sp.n. The new family is unique in the possession of 15–34 setae on the gnathosomatic base, a naso-prodorsal process with 9–28 setae and a palp tibia with 6 or 7 setae. A key to the families of Eupodoidea is provided. A cladistic analysis of twenty-seven eupodoid species from Australia and New Zealand is presented. Results indicate that the genus Eriorhynchus gen.n. (thus Eriorhynchidae) is monophyletic, and the Australian and New Zealand species of Halotydeus Berlese, Penthaleus C. L. Koch, Rhagidia Thorell and Stereotydeus Berlese form separate monophyletic goups, while the Penthaleidae are not monophyletic. The new family Eriorhynchidae is a sister group to a clade consisting of Penthaleus and Chromotydaeus quartus Qin & Halliday.     

A new genus of Paramacronychiinae (Diptera: Sarcophagidae), argued from a genus-level cladistic analysis

Primorya gen.n. is described as a new genus of the flesh fly subfamily Paramacronychiinae, including the type species and sole member Primorya ussuriensis sp.n. from the Russian Far East. Arguments for erecting a new genus are obtained from a phylogenetic analysis of all paramacronychiine genera. Goniophyto suenagai (Kurahashi), comb.n. is transferred from Wohlfahrtiodes Villeneuve and included in a broadened concept of Goniophyto Townsend, and Agria cicadina (Kato) , comb.n. is transferred from Angiometopa Brauer & Bergenstamm. A key to all paramacronychiine genera is provided.     

A review of the genus Strophidon (Anguilliformes: Muraenidae), with description of a new species

Strophidon McClelland is a muraenid genus with characteristic appearance of a very elongated body, a large mouth cleft and anteriorly placed eyes. The nomenclature and taxonomic history of species within Strophidon are contentious and its members are easily misidentified. In the present study, species of the genus Strophidon are revised based on morphological and molecular data, and five species are considered valid, including S. dawydoffi Prokofiev, S. dorsalis (Seale), S. sathete (Hamilton), S. ui Tanaka and a new species, S. tetraporus. Strophidon tetraporus sp. nov. is described based on 15 specimens from Indonesia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam with the unique characteristic of the constant presence of the fourth infraorbital pore among species of Strophidon. The intraspecific variation of vertebral formula within S. dorsalis is discussed based on molecular data. Muraena macrurus Bleeker and Thyrsoidea longissima Kaup are synonyms of S. sathete that can be distinguished from the most similar congener S. ui by a longer tail, smaller eyes and more inner maxillary and inner dentary teeth. A key to identify species of Strophidon is provided. The distribution and maximum size of each species are also re-evaluated.     

A cladistic analysis of the genus Lopezia (Onagraceae)

Lopezia, a genus of 22 species largely restricted to Mexico, forms a monophyletic group defined by the possession of two stamens in tetramerous flowerS. A cladistic analysis of the genus was performed using 16 characters from morphology, anatomy and embryology. Twenty of the 22 species were considered the terminal taxa. Polarity of the characters was based on the outgroup comparison method, using three alternative outgroups: the genus Fuchsia, Onagraceae excluding Ludwigia, and Epilobieae-Onagreae. Using Fuchsia as outgroup, 29 equally parsimonious cladograms were produced, each with 24 steps and a consistency index of 0.75. A successive weighting procedure was applied, resulting in 15 cladograms with consistency index of 0.85. The strict consensus cladogram defines eight monophyletic groups and supports most of the current sectional classification of Lopezia, with the exception that no synapomorphy defines section Jehlia. The larger sections Lopezia and Pelozia, although well-defined as clades, are not fully resolved internally. All cladograms support section Riesenbachia as monophyletic. The two alternative hypotheses for outgroups produced similar results: 61 most parsimonious trees, reduced after the successive weighting procedure to 15, which are identical to those produced with Fuchsia as outgroup. These results are discussed in the context of data on cytology and pollination biology.     

Revision and cladistic analysis of Isoctenus and description of a new neotropical genus (Araneae,Ctenidae, Cteninae)

A cladistic analysis was applied to test the monophyly of the genus Isoctenus. The data matrix comprised 28 taxa scored for 53 morphological and two behavioural characters. The analysis resulted in two equally parsimonious trees of 89 steps. The strict consensus was used to discuss the relationships of Isoctenus and related Cteninae genera. Ctenopsis Schmidt is synonymized with Isoctenus. Isoctenus foliifer Bertkau, I. strandi Mello‐Leitão, I. eupalaestrus Mello‐Leitão, I. janeirus (Walckenaer), I. coxalis (Pickard‐Cambridge), I. corymbus Polotow, Brescovit & Pellegatti‐Franco and I. malabaris Polotow, Brescovit & Ott are maintained in Isoctenus. Four species currently included in Ctenus are transferred to Isoctenus: I. griseolus (Mello‐Leitão) comb. nov., I. taperae (Mello‐Leitão) comb. nov., I. herteli (Mello‐Leitão) comb. nov. and I. minusculus (Keyserling) comb. nov. The following specific names are synonymized: Ctenus sanguineus Walckenaer, C. semiornatus Mello‐Leitão and Ctenopsis stellata Schmidt with Isoctenus janeirus (Walckenaer), Ctenus mourei Mello‐Leitão with Isoctenus herteli (Mello‐Leitão) and Ctenus pauper Mello‐Leitão with Isoctenus strandi Mello‐Leitão. Isoctenus sigma Schenkel, described from French Guiana, is transferred to Ctenus. Four species are newly described: Isoctenus areia sp. nov. from Paraíba, Brazil, I. charada sp. nov. and I. segredo sp. nov. from Paraná, Brazil, and I. ordinario sp. nov. from south and south‐eastern Brazil and north‐eastern Argentina. Isoctenus latevittatus Caporiacco is considered species inquirenda. Parabatinga gen. nov. is proposed to include Ctenus brevipes Keyserling. The following synonymies are established: Ctenus taeniatus Keyserling, C. tatarandensis Tullgren, C. anisitsi Strand, C. atrivulvus Strand, C. mentor Strand, C. brevipes brevilabris Strand, Isoctenus masculus Mello‐Leitão and Ctenus birabeni Mello‐Leitão with Parabatinga brevipes (Keyserling) comb. nov. © 2009 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2009, 155 , 583–614.     

Review of the oriental leafhopper genus Lampridius (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae), with description of a related new genus

The leafhopper genus Lampridius Distant, 1918 (type species: L. spectabilis Distant, 1918 ) is redescribed, and a second species, L. cuspidatus sp. nov. (Thailand: Loei), is described. A related new genus Paralampridius gen. nov. and four new species are described: P. mimicus sp. nov. (China: Guangdong, Hainan), P. rotundatus sp. nov. (Thailand: Loei), P. sinuatus sp. nov. (Thailand: Loei, Suphanburi, Petchaburi), and P. truncatus sp. nov. (Thailand: Chaiyaphum, Ubon Ratchathani). Both genera are tentatively included in the tribe Opsiini, although only Lampridius has paired aedeagal shafts with separate gonopores. All six species are illustrated, and a key is provided for their identification. Problems with the current tribal classification are discussed in light of the present discovery of closely related species that show variation in characters previously assumed to be stable at the tribal level in the subfamily Deltocephalinae.     

A review of the Holarctic genus Tmeticus Menge, 1868 (Araneae, Linyphiidae), with a description of a new genus

Eight species attributed to Tmeticus are reviewed; five are redescribed and illustrated: Tmeticus affinis (Blackwall, 1885), Tmeticus bipunctis (Bösenberg & Strand, 1906), Tmeticus nigriceps Kulczyński, 1916, Tmeticus ornatus (Emerton, 1914) and Tmeticus tolli Kulczyński, 1908. The new genus, Paratmeticus gen. n. is erected for Tmeticus bipunctis, and a new combination is established: Paratmeticus bipunctis (Bösenberg & Strand, 1906), comb. n. Three species names: Gongylidium vile Kulczyński, 1885, syn. n., Tmeticus difficilis Kulczyński, 1926, syn. n. and Tmeticus dubius Kulczyński, 1926, syn. n., are synonymized with Tmeticus tolli Kulczyński, 1908. Although Gongylidium vile has date priority over Tmeticus tolli it is synonymized because of the lack of usage. Three species from Japan attributed to Tmeticus: Tmeticus neserigonoides Saito & Ono, 2001, Tmeticus nigerrimus Saito & Ono, 2001 and Tmeticus vulcanicus Saito & Ono, 2001 are not related to Tmeticus affinis, the type species of the genus, and their affinities remain unclear. The male of Tmeticus nigriceps is described for the first time.     

无前恙螨属--新种记述(蜱螨目:恙螨科)

本描述了采自江苏马铁菊头蝠(Rhinolophus ferrum-eguinum)翅上的无前恙螨属一新种,即宜兴无前恙螨[Walchia(Walchia)neeshini Wang et Xia,sp．nov]。模式标本保存于复旦大学上海医学院寄生虫学教研室。     

The ant-parasitic genus Rhipipalloidea Girault (Hymenoptera: Eucharitidae), with a description of a new species

The genus Rhipipalloidea Girault (1934 ), from the Australian region is revised. Rhipipalloidea gruberi Girault (1940 ) is synonymised with R. mira Girault 1934 . A new species, R. madangensis , is described from Papua New Guinea. This species is separated from R. mira from Australia by the distinct striation on the head, and ramose, 12-segmented antennae of the females. Males and a host for the genus are described for the first time.     

A taxonomic review of the genus Astrocharis Koehler (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea: Asteroschematidae), with a description of a new species

A revision of the genus Astrocharis Koehler (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea: Asteroschematidae) is based on 41 specimens, including three syntypes of Astrocharis virgo Koehler, one syntype of Astrocharis ijimai Matsumoto and the holotype of Astrocharis gracilis Mortensen. Astrocharis gracilis is a junior subjective synonym of A. ijimai. A. virgo and A. ijimai are redescribed. A new species, Astrocharis monospinosa is described from southwestern Japan. A tabular key to the three species of the genus Astrocharis is provided.     

Revision of Acanthocyrtus (Collembola: Entomobryidae), with description of a new genus from eastern Asia

In this paper, we reassess the status of the two genera of scaled Entomobryinae with dental spines (Acanthocyrtus and Acanthurella) and we erect a new genus ( Sinhomidia ) on the basis of scale morphology and scale distribution. Scales are partially pointed in Acanthocyrtus and all rounded in Acanthurella. The new genus, Sinhomidia , has pointed scales, but lacks dental scales contrary to Acanthurella and Acanthocyrtus; in addition, it exhibits a unique dorsal macrochaetotaxy. Three new species of Acanthocyrtus are described ( Acanthocyrtus yolngui sp. nov. , Acanthocyrtus loftyensis sp. nov. , Acanthocyrtus barrowensis sp. nov. ) and two are redescribed [Acanthocyrtus spinosus (Schött, 1917), Acanthocyrtus lineatus Womersley, 1934]. One species (Acanthocyrtus bicolor Yosii, 1965 ) of the genus is redescribed and transferred to the new genus Sinhomidia . A key to the scaled Entomobryinae genera with dental spines and a key to the eight known Acanthocyrtus species are provided. © 2009 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2009, 157 , 495–514.     

Monophyly and taxonomy of the Neotropical seasonal killifish genus Leptolebias (Teleostei: Aplocheiloidei: Rivulidae), with the description of a new genus

A phylogenetic analysis based on morphological characters indicates that Leptolebias Myers, 1952, a genus of small killifishes highly threatened with extinction, from Brazil, is paraphyletic. As a consequence, Leptolebias is restricted in this study to a well‐supported clade that includes Leptolebias marmoratus (Ladiges, 1934), Leptolebias splendens (Myers, 1942), Leptolebias opalescens (Myers, 1942), and Leptolebias citrinipinnis ( Costa, Lacerda & Tanizaki, 1988 ), from the coastal plains of Rio de Janeiro, and Leptolebias aureoguttatus ( Cruz, 1974 ) (herein redescribed, and for which a lectotype is designated) and Leptolebias itanhaensis sp. nov. , from the coastal plains of São Paulo and Paraná, in southern Brazil.Leptolebias is diagnosed by three synapomorphies: a caudal fin that is longer than deep, a single anterior supraorbital neuromast, and dark pigmentation that does not extend to the distal portion of the dorsal fin in males. A key is provided for the identification of species of Leptolebias. Three species formerly placed in Leptolebias, Leptolebias minimus (Myers, 1942), Leptolebias fractifasciatus ( Costa, 1988 ), and Leptolebias cruzi ( Costa, 1988 ), are transferred to Notholebias gen. nov. , which is hypothesized to be the sister group to the clade comprising Leptolebias, Campellolebias Vaz‐Ferreira & Sierra, 1974, and Cynopoecilus Regan, 1912. Notholebias gen nov. is diagnosed by two synapomorphies: a narrow basihyal and the presence of iridescent bars on the caudal fin in males; and three features interpreted as plesiomorphic, but not occurring in Leptolebias, Campellolebias, or Cynopoecilus, the presence of dermosphenotic, well‐developed contact organs on the pectoral fin in males, and an opercular region with red bars in males. ‘Leptolebias’leitaoi, a species from Bahia, in north‐eastern Brazil, is considered as having an uncertain phylogenetic position, as all known preserved material is presently lost, and the species may be extinct. © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2008, 153 , 147–160.     

A review of the genus Distoechodon (Teleostei: Cyprinidae), and description of a new species

Distoechodon species are widely distributed in rivers of southern China. Previous studies recognized only two species in the genus, viz., D. tumirostris and D. hupeinensis. A morphological analysis of 164 specimens from different localities permits recognition of four species. Distoechodon tumirostris is mainly restricted to small coastal rivers in the Zhejiang Province. Distoechodon multispinnis is widely distributed in the Chang Jiang and Zhu Jiang basins. Distoechodon compressus is known only from the Fujian and Jiangxi Provinces, and Taiwan. Distoechodon macrophthalmus, the new species, is known only from the Chenghai Lake, Chang Jiang basin in Yunnan Province.     

Review of the genus Nuntiella Kuznetzov (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), with description of a new species from China

The genus Nuntiella Kuznetzov is reviewed. Nuntiella bidigitata sp. nov. is described as new with illustrations of adult male and female genitalia provided. The three previously described species are summarized with detailed references, distribution information, and diagnostic characters. A key to all the species of Nuntiella is given based on the characters of male genitalia.     

Taxonomic study of the genus Leptopulvinaria Kanda (Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Coccidae), with a description of a new species

The genus Leptopulvinaria Kanda is revised and placed in the tribe Pulvinariini as understood by Hodgson. The species L. kawaii sp. nov., which has been misidentified as Pulvinaria camelicola or P. floccifera by several researchers, is recognized as a second species of the genus, in addition to the type species L. elaeocarpi Kanda. Adult females of L. elaeocarpi and L. kawaii are redescribed and a key to the species is presented.     

Revision of the Antarctic genus Notaeolidia (Gastropoda, Nudibranchia), with a description of a new species

New material from the Atlantic sector of the Antarctic Ocean allows a revision of the Antarctic genus Notaeolidia Eliot, 1905. One new species (Notaeolidia schmekelae sp.n.) is described. N. depressa Eliot, 1905 and N. gigas Eliot, 1905, which arc poorly known, arc redescribed. N. rufopicta Thiele, 1912, N. robsoni Odhner, 1934, N. subgigas Odhner, 1944, N. alutacea Minichev, 1972 and N. flava Minichev, 1972 are synonymized with N. depressa. N. purpurea Eliot, 1905 is synonymized with N. gigas. The monogeneric family Notaeolidiidae Odhner, 1926. is characterized by the following autapomorphy: "nephroproct in front of the genital apertures". Too little is known to elaborate the phylogenetic position of the family Notaeolidiidae within the cladobranch Nudibranchia.