Revision of the Ceratocapsine Renodaeus group: Marinonicoris,Pilophoropsis, Renodaeus,and Zanchisme,with descriptions of four new genera (Heteroptera,Miridae, Orthotylinae)

The Renodaeus group, a monophyletic assemblage of genera within the New World orthotyline tribe Ceratocapsini, comprising eight genera, including four new ones, is defined; and 48 species are treated, including 26 described as new and 12 transferred from Ceratocapsus Reuter as new combinations. Ceratocapsidea gen. n. is described to accommodate the new species Ceratocapsidea bahamaensis sp. n., from the Bahamas; Ceratocapsidea baranowskii sp. n., from Jamaica; Ceratocapsidea dominicanensis sp. n., from the Dominican Republic; Ceratocapsidea rileyi sp. n., from Texas; Ceratocapsidea taeniola sp. n., from Jamaica; Ceratocapsidea texensis sp. n., from Texas; Ceratocapsidea transversa sp. n., from Mexico (Neuvo León); and Ceratocapsidea variabilis sp. n., from Jamaica; and Ceratocapsus balli Knight, comb. n., Ceratocapsus complicatus Knight, comb. n., Ceratocapsidea consimilis Reuter, comb. n., Ceratocapsus fusiformis Van Duzee, comb. n. (as the type species of the genus), Ceratocapsus nigropiceus Reuter, comb. n., and Ceratocapsus rufistigmus Blatchley, comb. n. [and a neotype designated], Ceratocapsus clavicornis Knight, syn. n. and Ceratocapsus divaricatus Knight, syn. n. are treated as junior synonyms of Ceratocapsus fusiformis Van Duzee. The genus Marininocoris Carvalho and the only included species Marinonicoris myrmecoides Carvalho are redescribed. The genus Pilophoropsis Poppius is redescribed and revised, Renodaeus texanus Knight, comb. n. is transferred into it and the three new species Pilophoropsis bejeanae sp. n., from Sonora, Mexico; Pilophoropsis cunealis sp. n., from Oaxaca, Mexico; Pilophoropsis quercicola sp. n., from Arizona, USA, are described. Pilophoropsidea gen. n. is described to accommodate the 12 new species Pilophoropsidea brailovskyi sp. n., from Federal District, Mexico; Pilophoropsidea cuneata sp. n., from Chiapas, Mexico; Pilophoropsidea dimidiata sp. n., from Durango, Mexico; Pilophoropsidea fuscata sp. n., from Durango, Mexico and Arizona and New Mexico, USA; Pilophoropsidea keltoni sp. n., from Durango, Mexico; Pilophoropsidea maxima sp. n., from Durango, Mexico; Pilophoropsidea pueblaensis sp. n., from Puebla, Mexico; Pilophoropsidea schaffneri sp. n., from Neuvo León and San Luis Potosi, Mexico; Pilophoropsidea serrata sp. n., from Michoacan, Mexico; Pilophoropsidea touchetae sp. n., from Mexico (Puebla); Pilophoropsidea truncata sp. n., from Mexico (Guerrero); Pilophoropsidea tuberculata sp. n., from Mexico (Guerrero); and Ceratocapsus barberi Knight, comb. n., Ceratocapsus camelus Knight, comb. n. (as the type species of the genus), and Ceratocapsus fascipennis Knight, comb. n. Pilophoropsita gen. n. is described to accommodate Pilophoropsidea schaffneri sp. n. from Costa Rica and Mexico (Jalisco, Nayarit, Oaxaca). The genus Renodaeus Distant is redescribed and the new species Renodaeus mimeticus sp. n. from Ecuador is described. The genus Zanchisme Kirkaldy is reviewed and the four known species are redescribed. Zanchismeopsidea gen. n. is described to accommodate Zanchismeopsidea diegoi sp. n. from Argentina (Santiago del Estero). Provided are habitus illustrations for certain adults (Pilophoropsidea camelus, Pilophoropsis brachyptera Poppius, Renodaeus mimeticus, and Zanchisme mexicanus Carvalho & Schaffner), male and female (when available) color digital images and figures of male genitalia of all species, electron photomicrographs of diagnostic characters for selected species, and keys to the genera and their included species. The taxa treated in this paper are arranged alphabetically by genus and species.     

Revision of the genus Philonome Chambers and its proposed reassignment to the family Tineidae (Lepidoptera,Tineoidea)

The New World genus Philonome Chambers, 1874 is revised. This genus comprises twelve species, seven of which are described as new: two species, Philonome nigrescens sp. n. and Philonome wielgusi sp. n., from the United States; four species, Philonome albivittata sp. n., Philonome curvilineata sp. n., Philonome kawakitai sp. n., and Philonome lambdagrapha sp. n., from French Guiana; and one species, Philonome penerivifera sp. n., from Brazil. Lectotypes are designated for Philonome clemensella Chambers, 1874 and Philonome rivifera Meyrick, 1915. Partially on evidence of their head morphology and particularly from molecular evidence, the genus Philonome, previously associated with Bucculatricidae or Lyonetiidae, is reassigned to Tineidae. A possible systematic position of Philonome within Tineidae is discussed. Eurynome Chambers, 1875, is synonymized with Argyresthia Hübner, 1825 (Argyresthiidae). Photographs of adults and illustrations of genitalia, when available, are provided for all described species of Philonome and two species previously misplaced in Philonome, Argyresthia luteella (Chambers, 1875) and Elachista albella (Chambers, 1877). In addition, DNA barcodes were used for the delimitation of most species.     

New genera,species and records of Phaneropterinae (Orthoptera,Phaneropteridae) from sub-Saharan Africa

The results of the study of many specimens preserved in different European museums are reported. The tribe Terpnistrini Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1878 is resurrected. The distribution of the following species is enhanced: Pardalota asymmetrica Karsch, 1896, Diogena denticulata Chopard, 1954, Diogena fausta (Burmeister, 1838), Plangiopsis adeps Karsch, 1896, Poreuomena sanghensis Massa, 2013 and Tylopsis continua (Walker, 1869). Further, for their peculiar characteristics, two African representatives of the American genus Symmetropleura Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1878 are included in two new genera: Symmetrokarschia africana (Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1878), comb. n. and Symmetroraggea dirempta (Karsch, 1889), comb. n. A new genus and species from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Angustithorax spiniger gen. n., sp. n., and a new genus and species from Tanzania, Arostratum oblitum gen. n., sp. n. are described. Finally Melidia claudiae sp. n. and Atlasacris brevipennis sp. n. are described and compared with related species.     

The genus Gymnetron from China with description of pre-imaginal stages of G. miyoshii,G. auliense and G. vittipenne (Coleoptera,Curculionidae)

There are four species of Gymnetron in China recorded to date including Gymnetron miyoshii Miyoshi, 1922, Gymnetron villosipenne Roelofs, 1875, Gymnetron auliense Reitter, 1907 and Gymnetron vittipenne Marseul, 1876, of which the last two are new country records. The pre-imaginal stages including eggs, mature larvae and pupae of Gymnetron miyoshii, Gymnetron auliense and Gymnetron vittipenne are described and illustrated. In addition, their diagnostic characters (larvae and pupae) are discussed and differentiated, and notes on some of their biological parameters are provided. Potential ecological impacts between Gymnetron weevils and their host Veronica spp. also are provided.     

A review of the omicrine genera Omicrogiton,Mircogioton and Peratogonus of China (Coleoptera,Hydrophilidae, Sphaeridiinae)

The Chinese species of the genera Omicrogiton Orchymont, 1919, Peratogonus Sharp, 1884 and Mircogioton Orchymont, 1937 are reviewed, diagnosed and keyed. Mircogioton and Omicrogiton are reported for the first time from China, Peratogonus for the first time for mainland China. Five species are recognized: Omicrogiton coomani Balfour-Browne, 1939 (Guangdong, Hongkong), Omicrogiton hainanensis sp. n. (Hainan), Omicrogiton roberti sp. n. (Hainan), Mircogioton coomani Orchymont, 1937 (Yunnan), and Peratogonus reversus Sharp, 1884 (Guangdong, Jiangxi, Taiwan). Lectotype of Omicrogiton coomani is designated. Mircogioton cognitus (Malcolm, 1981), syn. n. is considered a junior subjective synonym of Mircogioton coomani Orchymont, 1939. Species of Mircogioton and Omicrogiton inhabit decaying banana trunks, whereas Peratogonus reversus was always collected from moist forest leaf litter.     

A revision of the Nearctic species of Liancalus Loew (Diptera,Dolichopodidae)

The genus Liancalus Loew is revised for the Nearctic Region. Seven species are documented from this region including two new species: Liancalus genualis Loew, Liancalus hydrophilus Aldrich, Liancalus limbatus Van Duzee, Liancalus pterodactyl sp. n., Liancalus querulus Osten Sacken, Liancalus similis Aldrich, and Liancalus sonorus sp. n. Lectotypes are designated for the following species: Liancalus genualis, Liancalus hydrophilus, Liancalus querulus, and Liancalus similis. The species are illustrated, a key to males and females is provided, and their distributions mapped. Adults of Liancalus are some of the largest species of Dolichopodidae and commonly occur on waterfalls and vertical seeps.     

A taxonomic study of the genus Panesthia (Blattodea,Blaberidae, Panesthiinae) from China with descriptions of one new species,one new subspecies and the male of Panesthia antennata

One new species Panesthia guizhouensis sp. n. and one new subspecies Panesthia stellata concava ssp. n. are described and illustrated. The male of Panesthia antennata Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1893 and its brachypterous form are described and illustrated for the first time. Panesthia strelkovi Bey-Bienko, 1969 is redescribed and illustrated. Three known species, Panesthia birmanica Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1893, Panesthia sinuata Saussure, 1839 and Panesthia angustipennis cognata Bey-Bienko, 1969 are illustrated. In addition, a key to all species of the genus Panesthia from China is presented.     

Systematics of the parasitic wasp genus Oxyscelio Kieffer (Hymenoptera,Platygastridae s.l.), part III: African fauna

African species of Oxyscelio (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae s.l.) are revised. A total of 14 species are recognized, 13 of which are described as new: Oxyscelio absentiae Burks, sp. n., Oxyscelio galeri Burks, sp. n., Oxyscelio gyri Burks, sp. n., Oxyscelio idoli Burks, sp. n., Oxyscelio intensionis Burks, sp. n., Oxyscelio io Burks, sp. n., Oxyscelio kylix Burks, sp. n., Oxyscelio lunae Burks, sp. n., Oxyscelio nemesis Burks, sp. n., Oxyscelio pulveris Burks, sp. n., Oxyscelio quassus Burks, sp. n., Oxyscelio teli Burks, sp. n. and Oxyscelio xenii Burks, sp. n. The genus Freniger Szabó, syn. n. is recognized as part of an endemic African species group of Oxyscelio with incomplete hind wing venation, and Oxyscelio bicolor (Szabó), comb. n. is therefore recognized as the only previously described species of Oxyscelio from Africa. The Oxyscelio crateris and Oxyscelio cuculli species groups, previously known from southeast Asia, are represented in Africa by seven and one species respectively.     

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.     

Differences in life-history and ecological traits between co-occurring Panulirus spiny lobsters (Decapoda,Palinuridae)

Coexistence of closely related species may be promoted by niche differentiation or result from interspecific trade-offs in life history and ecological traits that influence relative fitness differences and contribute to competitive inequalities. Although insufficient to prove coexistence, trait comparisons provide a first step to identify functional differences between co-occurring congeneric species in relation to mechanisms of coexistence. Here, a comparative review on life history and ecological traits is presented for two pairs of co-occurring species of spiny lobsters in the genus Panulirus: Panulirus gracilis and Panulirus inflatus from the Eastern Central Pacific region, and Panulirus argus and Panulirus guttatus from the Caribbean region. Panulirus gracilis and Panulirus inflatus have similar larval, postlarval, and adult sizes and a similar diet, but differ in degree of habitat specialization, fecundity, and growth rate. However, little is known on behavioral traits of these two species that may influence their competitive abilities and susceptibility to predators. The more abundant information on Panulirus argus and Panulirus guttatus shows that these two species differ more broadly in degree of habitat specialization, larval, postlarval and adult sizes, diet, fecundity, growth rate, degree of sociality, defense mechanisms, susceptibility to predators, and chemical ecology, suggesting a greater degree of niche differentiation between Panulirus argus and Panulirus guttatus than between Panulirus gracilis and Panulirus inflatus. Whether the substantial niche differentiation and apparent interspecific trade-offs between Panulirus argus and Panulirus guttatus relative to Panulirus gracilis and Panulirus inflatus reflect an earlier divergence of the former pair of species in the evolution of the genus constitutes an intriguing hypothesis. However, whether or not post-divergence evolution of each species pair occurred in sympatry remains uncertain.     

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.     

Two new species and five newly recorded species of the genus Udea Guenée from China (Lepidoptera,Crambidae)

A checklist of the 31 Chinese species of Udea is given, including the new species and new records. Udea curvata sp. n. and Udea albostriata sp. n. are described and illustrated. Udea exigualis (Wileman, 1911), Udea stationalis Yamanaka, 1988, Udea prunalis (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775), Udea elutalis (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775) and Udea cyanalis (La Harpe, 1855) are newly recorded for China.     

Species delimitation using morphology,morphometrics, and molecules: definition of the Ophion scutellaris Thomson species group,with descriptions of six new species (Hymenoptera,Ichneumonidae)

The diverse genus Ophion is almost entirely undescribed in the Nearctic region. In this paper we define the Ophion scutellaris species group. This species group is well-supported by analysis of DNA (ITS2, COI, and 28S D2-D3) and morphology. It includes the Palearctic species Ophion scutellaris and the Nearctic species Ophion idoneus. An integrative analysis of DNA, geometric wing morphometrics, classical morphometrics and qualitative morphology indicates that this species group contains a minimum of seven species in North America, although the full diversity of the group has likely not been sampled. Ophion clave Schwarzfeld, sp. n., Ophion aureus Schwarzfeld, sp. n., Ophion brevipunctatus Schwarzfeld, sp. n., Ophion dombroskii Schwarzfeld, sp. n., Ophion keala Schwarzfeld, sp. n. and Ophion importunus Schwarzfeld, sp. n. are described, and a key to the known Nearctic species of the Ophion scutellaris group is provided.     

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.     

Taxonomy of Fissocantharis Pic (Coleoptera,Cantharidae) from Guangxi,China, with descriptions of six new species

A total of 17 species of Fissocantharis Pic is recorded from Guangxi, China. Six species are described new to science, Fissocantharis sinensomima sp. n., Fissocantharis sexcostata sp. n., Fissocantharis basilaris sp. n., Fissocantharis eschara sp. n., Fissocantharis latipalpa sp. n. and Fissocantharis biprojicientis sp. n., and two previously known species are redescribed, Fissocantharis gracilipes (Pic, 1927) and Fissocantharis sinensis (Wittmer, 1988). These species are presented with habitus of males, abdominal sternites VIII of females and genitalia of both sexes. Fissocantharis flavofacialis (Pic, 1926) is synonymized with Fissocantharis angusta (Fairmaire, 1900); both were originally described in the genus Podabrus Westwood. Additionally, a key and a checklist of all the species of Fissocantharis from Guangxi are provided.     

A review of myrmecophilous mites of the family Microdispidae (Acari,Heterostigmatina) of Western Siberia

Five species of myrmecophilous microdispid mites (Acari: Microdispidae) are recorded from Western Siberia, Russia. Unguidispus lasii Kurosa, 1979, Unguidispus japonicus Kurosa, 1979, Caesarodispus minutus (Sevastianov, 1981), and Caesarodispus samsinaki (Mahunka, 1967), comb. n. are reported from Russia for the first time. Unguidispus polyctenus (Sevastianov, 1969) and Caesarodispus samsinaki are redescribed. The keys to species of the genera Unguidispus Mahunka, 1970 and Caesarodispus Mahunka, 1977 are provided.