Dyspessa peri (Lepidoptera: Cossidae), a new species of Cossidae from Afghanistan

Dyspessa peri sp. n. (Lepidoptera: Cossidae) is described from Sarobi in Central Afghanistan. The new species is closely related to D. tristis A. Bang-Haas, 1912, and is distinguished by peculiarities of the wing pattern and structure of the male genitalia.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:D58AAAC5-90F2-4D06-9DB2-C4D3CDE36265     

A new miniature species of geophilomorph centipede from the Ecuadorian Amazon rainforest (Chilopoda: Geophilomorpha: Ballophilidae)

A new miniature species of geophilomorph centipede, Ityphilus grismadoi sp. nov. (Chilopoda: Geophilomorpha: Ballophilidae) is fully described and illustrated on the basis of specimens collected in Yasuní Scientific Station and Jatun Sacha Biological Station, both located in the Ecuadorian Amazon. The new species is characterized by having the internal edge of the forcipular tarsungulum completely smooth, this trait being shared by six other Neotropical members of the genus Ityphilus Cook, 1899; and another species (I. cifuentesi Cupul Magaña, 2014) from the transition area between the Neotropical and Nearctic regions. Ityphilus grismadoi sp. nov. is distinguished from these seven species by the low number of leg-bearing segments (37, 39), and the very small body size (7–9 mm in length) and for a confident identification it is compared in detail with those having a roughly similar range of leg-bearing segments. This is the first record of the genus Ityphilus from Ecuador and the second report of a ballophilid centipede from the country (the other represented by Zygethmus pantenus Chamberlin, 1957). A key to the Neotropical members of Ityphilus with forcipular tarsungulum smooth (including I. cifuentesi) is also given.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:32F77890-9DC5-47AC-A794-29C4437C3B93http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:3EB64970-F159-4C6E-B9FF-AF9D09128553     

Mesozoic diversity of relict subfamily Kempyninae (Neuroptera: Osmylidae)

A new genus and two new species of Kempyninae (Osmylidae), Ponomarenkius excellens gen. et sp. nov. and Arbusella magna sp. nov., are described from the Middle-Upper Jurassic of Daohugou (China). The finding demonstrates that extant kempynins, a typical Gondwanan group, are overshadowed by their Mesozoic relatives in taxonomic diversity and variety of wing venation. Striped patterns of both newly described species are an example of cryptic and disruptive coloration, possibly pinnate leaf mimesis. Eyespot patterns of Arbusella magna sp. nov. can be explained as a result of sexual selection. The abundance and distribution of the Mesozoic kempynins are discussed.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:CF33DEB4-0A69-407D-B1B2-1EC6537E4095     

Evolution of Oligo-Miocene talpids (Mammalia,Talpidae) in Europe: focus on the genera Myxomygale and Percymygale n. gen.

Abstract

New material recovered in the Oligocene locality St-Martin-de-Castillon (Vaucluse, France; MP24) provides a better knowledge of the characteristics of the species vauclusensis in its type-locality, hitherto assigned to the genus Myxomygale (Talpinae, tribe Urotrichini). In Europe, the species assigned to Myxomygale range from Late Eocene/Early Oligocene to the end of the Middle Miocene (MN 7/8). However noticeable differences can be observed in mandibles of these taxa, sometimes even coexisting in the same localities. We propose for the plesiomorphic branch (including M. vauclusensis and M. minor) a new genus, Percymygale, closely related to Myxomygale. Percymygale is consequently also assigned to the tribe Urotrichini. Today, the tribe Urotrichini (American and Japanese shrew-moles) is composed of terrestrial, semi-fossorial species, not well adapted to digging but able to climb small bushes, and foraging in grasslands, forests and covered landscapes. As a result, their limbs protrude laterally from the body (unlike in moles) and their humeri are usually longer with very limited adaptations to digging. Humeri are poorly known for Myxomygale and only fragmentary humeri are known for Percymygale n. gen. making comparisons difficult. However the muzzle development in Percymygale and Myxomygale suggests that Myxomygale was perhaps a better burrower than Percymygale.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:E0BDC0FC-ABA2-4A84-AE76-06B3433B432E

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:17E4DD37-24A4-4C7A-A7FEB421CF90F89C     

Diverse oxyporine rove beetles from the Early Cretaceous of China (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae)

Two new genera and species, Protoxyporus grandis gen. et sp.n. and Cretoxyporus extraneus gen. et sp.n. , are described and figured on the basis of two well‐preserved impression fossils from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation of China. The two genera display a combination of traits that are diagnostic of the extant staphylinid subfamily Oxyporinae: large and prominent mandibles, distinctly separated mesocoxae, abdominal tergites III–VII each with a pair of basolateral ridges, and abdominal intersegmental membranes with ‘brick‐wall’ pattern. Protoxyporus differs from extant Oxyporus in retaining the following plesiomorphic features: an elongate intercoxal process (or longitudinal carina) between metacoxae, relatively narrowly separated mesocoxae, less developed metaventral anterior process, and long infraorbital ridges. Cretoxyporus is morphologically very similar to Oxyporus, but retains distinct elongate infraorbital ridges. The discovery of two new oxyporine genera suggests that the early oxyporines were more diverse and their evolutionary history more complicated than previously documented. This published work has been registered in ZooBank, http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:11503976‐D577‐45D2‐ACCB‐8226782EF817 .     

A bizarre sternorrhynchan wing from the Lower Jurassic of Luxembourg (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Pincombeomorpha?)

Fossil wing of Hemiptera Sternorrhyncha with peculiar venation is described from the lower Toarcian (Lower Jurassic) of Bascharage (Grand-duchy of Luxembourg). It represents new family Xulsigiidae fam. nov., comprising a new genus and species Xulsigia karetsa gen. et sp. nov. It is placed preliminarily in extinct infraorder Pincombeomorpha for the presence of three branches of median vein. Key to families of Pincombeomorpha is given and the taxonomic position and venation features of the new fossil are discussed.

Family Xulsigiidae is registered in Zoobank under the http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:3A57B428-638A-439A-AEC4-D18B5959B5CA

Genus Xulsigia is registered in Zoobank under the http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:2B255A30-5A7C-4CF8-AE77-18ED6E8E03C2     

The Neotropical Genus Notodiaptomus Kiefer, 1936 (Calanoida: Diaptomidae): Redescription of the Type Species Notodiaptomus deitersi (Poppe, 1891) and Designation of a Neotype

Ribautia williamsi sp. nov., a new dwarf geophilomorph centipede from the Lower Urubamba Region, Peruvian Amazonia, is described and illustrated based on the holotype female. The new species is characterized by having the coxal organs grouped in clusters (three of these in each coxopleuron of the ultimate leg-bearing segment) and ventral pore-fields present along all the body; these two combined traits being shared by five other Neotropical species currently included in the genus Ribautia Brölemann, 1909, i.e. R. centralis (Silvestri, 1907) (from Colombia and Brazil), R. difficilis Pereira, Minelli &; Barbieri, 1995 (from Brazil), R. montana Kraus, 1954 (from Peru), R. peruana (Verhoeff, 1941) (from Peru), and R. titicacae (Turk, 1955) (from Peru). The new taxon is differentiated from the aforementioned species by the low number of leg-bearing segments and small body length; it is included in a key which will enable the identification of all known Neotropical members having coxal organs grouped in clusters. R. williamsi sp. nov. is the 14th species of Ribautia recorded from Peru.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:D9FA5FAF-7652-4A5B-AC09-8783F05A694D     

A fossil stemmiulid millipede (Diplopoda: Stemmiulida) from the Miocene amber of Simojovel,Chiapas, México

A fossil millipede representative of the order Stemmiulida is described on the basis of a well-preserved adult female trapped in amber from the Miocene of Simojovel, Chiapas, south-eastern México. The fossil specimen is named as Parastemmiulus elektron, a new genus and species. As observed in extant stemmiulids, this fossil shows a reduced number of ocelli, the distal larger than the proximal, as well as a total of 46 trunk segments including 2 apodous segments in front of the telson. The head of this ancient stemmiulid has three ocelli and a Tömösváry organ, characteristics not reported before in Stemmiulida, requiring the diagnosis of the order to be emended.http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:361400A8-37D4-421F-B4FD-A0AE63BE538C     

The oldest known mastotermitids (Blattodea: Termitoidae) and phylogeny of basal termites

Five finely preserved termites from the mid‐Cretaceous (Cenomanian) amber of Myanmar provide new information allowing a reanalysis of the phylogeny of basal termites. The Mastotermitidae family is recovered as monophyletic, and a redefined Hodotermitidae sensu lato is also monophyletic to include Archotermopsidae, Hodotermitidae and Stolotermitidae. Such a phylogenetic relationship agrees with the results from previous molecular phylogeny. Alongside these findings, there are many taxa that can only be shown to be termites with no other phylogenetically informative data. These form a comb of ‘grade groups’ emerging in the Late Jurassic. The new amber specimens are described as two new species. Anisotermes xiai gen. et sp.n. is described from multiple castes and has symplesiomorphic characteristics: large body size, a broad pronotum, well‐developed reticulated veins, and a large anal lobe of the hindwings. It shares wing features with the other new species, Mastotermes monostichus sp.n. Both new taxa are assigned to the Mastotermitidae, as they are shown to have synapomorphies that unite the family. This published work has been registered on ZooBank, http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:1AD5CECA‐27B7‐48D5‐88DC‐CEC5150962D7 .     

A new piscivorous ornithuromorph from the Jehol Biota

We report on a new species of basal ornithuromorph bird, Piscivoravis liigen. et sp. nov., based on a well-preserved and nearly complete specimen from the Lower Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation in western Liaoning Province, northeastern China. The new specimen preserves several unique anatomical features previously unreported in Early Cretaceous ornithuromorphs, such as a robust furcula with strongly tapered omal tips, a broad sternum without craniocaudal elongation and large and strongly curved manual unguals. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that Piscivoravis is more derived than Archaeorynchus, but in a basal polytomy with Jianchangornis, Patagopteryx, and the clade including all more derived ornithuromorphs. The preserved wing and tail feathers provide new information on feather diversity and evolution in Early Cretaceous ornithuromorphs. The preservation of fish bones ventral to the dentary and in the stomach provides direct evidence that the new species was piscivorous – previously only reported in Yanornis, and as in some living birds, was capable of moving food bidirectionally through the alimentary canal.http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:92F23126-9E89-4E51-9700-C6608E0D66EB     

Expanded molecular phylogeny of the genus Bicyclus (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) shows the importance of increased sampling for detecting semi-cryptic species and highlights potentials for future studies

The genus Bicyclus is one of the largest groups of African butterflies, but due to the generally cryptic nature and seasonal variation of adult wing patterns, there has been a lot of systematic confusion. With a large research community working with the model species Bicyclus anynana there has been increasing interest in the evolutionary history of the genus. A previous phylogeny started to unravel interesting patterns, but only included 61% of the then known species. With a range of new species having been described in the last decade there has been a need for an updated phylogeny for the genus. We present the most complete phylogeny of Bicyclus yet, including 93% of the currently 103 recognized species and make a range of taxonomic revisions. We revise the status of four previous subspecies and synonymized taxa that in the light of the new genetic data are raised to species level. We also subsume two subspecies and describe a new species, Bicyclus collinsi sp. nov., based on both genetic and morphological evidence. A further new taxon is identified, but not described at this point due to lack of morphological data. Our phylogeny lays a solid foundation for better understanding the evolution of Bicyclus and highlights key species-groups and complexes with intriguing ecological patterns making them prime candidates for future studies.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:2F775351-097E-4CD7-8F8F-A90B26D52DE8     

Two new species of Parapentaneura (Diptera: Chironomidae: Tanypodinae) from Brazil,with keys to the males and immature stages

Two new species of Parapentaneura Stur, Fittkau et Serrano, 2006 (Diptera: Chironomidae: Tanypodinae) from southeastern Brazil are described and figured as male, pupa and larva: P. brunnescens and P. flavescens. Keys to the males, pupae and larvae of known species of Parapentaneura are provided.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:E6860EBE-B781-4DDA-9650-6E6EA3A0309E     

New species of Echinoderes (Kinorhyncha: Cyclorhagida) from Spitsbergen,with additional information about known Arctic species

The kinorhynch fauna in two Arctic fjords at Spitsbergen was explored and eight species of Echinoderes were recorded, of which three are new to science and described herein. Echinoderes daenerysae sp. nov. is recognized by middorsal spines on segments 6 and 8 only, lateroventral spines on segments 6–9, laterodorsal and ventrolateral tubes on segment 2, lateroventral tubes on segment 5, lateral accessory tubes on segment 8, laterodorsal tubes on segment 9 and small laterodorsal tubes on segment 10. Echinoderes rhaegali sp. nov. has middorsal spines on segments 4, 6 and 8, lateroventral spines on segments 6–9, sublateral and ventrolateral tubes on segment 2, lateroventral tubes on segment 5, lateral accessory tubes on segment 8 and laterodorsal tubes on segment 10 in males. Echinoderes drogoni sp. nov. has middorsal spines on segments 4–8, lateroventral spines on segments 6–9, lateral accessory tubes on segment 5, glandular cell outlets type 2 in subdorsal, laterodorsal, sublateral and ventromedial positions on segments 2, in midlateral positions on segment 5, in sublateral positions on segment 8 and in subdorsal positions on segment 10; segment 11 has divided tergal plates. Moreover, types of other Arctic Echinoderes, including E. angustus, E. aquilonius, E. eximus, E. peterseni, E. svetlanae and E. tubilak, were re-examined and new information on glandular cell outlets type 2 is provided. Our results suggest that Arctic Echinoderes species have a circum-Artic distribution. Morphological analysis indicates that the occurrence of tubes may show intraspecific variation.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:CBE29FE8-9233-4E3C-9757-FF9576B06C74     

A new species of Hercostomus Loew, 1857 (Diptera: Dolichopodidae) from Turkey

A new species of Hercostomus is described from Turkey: Hercostomus anatoliensis sp. n. The new species is close to Hercostomus parvilamellatus (Macquart, 1827), but is distinguished by its genitalia.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:38B210E3-610D-4BAB-91AC-A212A8054474     

Quantitative assessments and taxonomic revision of the genus Archirhagio with a new species from Daohugou,China (Diptera: Archisargidae)

A new species, Archirhagio gracilentus sp.n. , is described from the Middle Jurassic Jiulongshan Formation of Daohugou, Inner Mongolia in China. The ground plan of genital structures of Archirhagio is described according to the well‐preserved male and female genitalia in this new species. Based on venational patterns of five species of the Archirhagio, we conducted the geometric morphometric analysis to quantitatively review and revise the taxonomy of Archirhagio. The results indicate that most species of the genus, with one exception, have distinctive interspecific variances to support their taxonomy. Therefore, we propose Archirhagio mostovskii as a new synonym for Archirhagio zhangi according to both morphological characters and quantitative analyses. Furthermore, a traditional key character, the position of m‐cu, is too unstable to be used as a specific diagnosis. A key to all species of the Archirhagio is also provided. This published work has been registered in ZooBank, http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:112F5E51-42AB-4438-9512-32E19E1CF5E3 .     

Phylogeny of Evanioidea (Hymenoptera,Apocrita), with descriptions of new Mesozoic species from China and Myanmar

The phylogeny of the superfamily Evanioidea is presented using morphology and DNA sequence data of selected extant and fossil genera by employing two phylogenetic methods, maximum parsimony and Bayesian inference. Based on our new results, the monophyly of Evanioidea is corroborated. Evanioidea, Anomopterellidae, Othniodellithidae, Andreneliidae and Evaniidae are monophyletic families, while Praeaulacidae, Aulacidae, Baissidae and Gasteruptiidae are paraphyletic families. In addition, four new genera (Sinuevania gen.n. , Curtevania gen.n. , Exilaulacus gen.n. , Heterobaissa gen.n. ) with five new species (Sinuevania mira sp.n. , Curtevania enervia sp.n. , Exilaulacus loculatus sp.n. , Exilaulacus latus sp.n. , Heterobaissa apetiola sp.n. ), and five additionally new species (Newjersevania longa sp.n. , Newjersevania brevis sp.n. , Cretevania tenuis sp.n. , Cretevania venae sp.n. , Praeaulacus rectus sp.n. ) and one new combination [Cretevania mitis (Li, Shih & Ren, 2014a) comb.n. ] are described based on well‐preserved fossils from the Middle Jurassic Jiulongshan Formation in Inner Mongolia, China, the Early Cretaceous Yixian Formation in Liaoning, and mid‐Cretaceous amber from Myanmar. This study documents the diversification of one major lineage of the mid‐Mesozoic parasitoid revolution that dramatically changed food‐web relationships in terrestrial ecosystems. This published work has been registered in ZooBank, http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:CBC04ADA‐0176‐402D‐9B43‐E1B3CDA080E1 .     

Satsuma jinlunensis— a new species from Taiwan (Stylommatophora: Camaenidae)

A new species of camaenid land snail, Satsuma jinlunensis n. sp., from southeastern Taiwan is established. This species inhabits the lowland forests with a narrow geographical distribution insofar as we know. The species is characterised by having a sinistral shell, a rounded periphery, an oblique columellar lip joining the basal lip smoothly, an open umbilicus, a coiled flagellum, an absent or weakly developed penial caecum, a hemispherical verge internally, and a pedunculus of the bursa copulatrix expanded medially. The new species is distinguishable from congeners by a combination of its sinistral and conical shell, and coiling of the flagellum and part of the epiphallus. The characteristics of male genitalia and species biodiversity of terrestrial snails in southern Taiwan are discussed.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:96F3118C-09B9-4ED4-AAB7-2DBEE978459F     

Insects in the Red Middle Permian of Southern France: first Protanisoptera (Odonatoptera) and new Caloneurodea (Panorthoptera), with biostratigraphical implications

The Permian odonatopteran Protanisoptera are discovered for the first time in the playa palaeoenvironments of Gonfaron and Lodève (Southern France). The new genus and species Bansheepteron gonfaronensis is erected and described on the basis of a distal half of a wing from the Guadalupian of Gonfaron. It is compared with all the previously described protanisopterans. Another specimen consisting of a basal half of a wing from the Guadalupian of Lodève, attributed to cf. Bansheepteron gonfaronensis, is also described. Furthermore, three new panorthopteran Caloneurodea are described from the Early to Middle Permian (Cisuralian and Guadalupian) of Southern France, viz. Gallogramma galadrieli gen. et sp. nov. from the le Luc Basin (Gonfaron, Var), and Paleuthygramma cf. acuta Carpenter, 1943 from the Lodève Basin (Hérault). These new fossils increase the palaeodiversity of the Caloneurodea, an interesting clade which now gathers six species in the red Permian of the Southern France, making it one of the most diverse clade in these palaeoenvironments after the Odonatoptera. The present discoveries better support a Guadalupian age for the Gonfaron Formation, even if a Late Cisuralian affinities remains possible.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:1955790C-EA66-4137-9300-3E1B76C1585F

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:0E77F461-6096-4567-8477-AA3D0D1037D3

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:1D6DE829-BB0D-4EDA-9707-BFF442581601     

A new species of weevil of the genus Rhytideres (Coleoptera: Entiminae: Alophini) from Inner Anatolia (Turkey)

A new species, Rhytideres evrani Erbey sp. n., is described from Inner Anatolia (Turkey), which is closely related to R. plicatus Olivier, 1790.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub: AF936EEE-D6F2-4830-9D42-35CEF250E066