The expression of aggression in the dobsonflies Corydalus magnus Contreras-Ramos, 1998 and Platyneuromus soror (Hagen, 1861) (Megaloptera: Corydalidae)

The expression of aggression in Megaloptera has received little attention, specifically for the adults of the subfamily Corydalinae. Among the New World species of Corydalinae, it is not known if aggression is triggered and expressed in the same way. Since two genera, Corydalus Latreille, 1802 Latreille, P.A. (1802), Histoire naturelle, générale et particulière des Crustacés et des Insectes. Ouvrage faisant suite aux ouvres de Leclerc Buffon et partie du cours complete d’Histoire naturelle rédigé par C.S. Sonnini, membre de plusieurs sociétés savantes. Vol. 3, Paris: F. Dufart. [Google Scholar] and Platyneuromus Weele, 1909 Weele, H.W. van der. (1909), ‘New Genera and Species of Megaloptera Latr.’, Notes from the Leyden Museum, 30, 249–253. [Google Scholar] have different courtship strategies, the effect of the social environment in the expression of aggression in two species of those genera, Corydalus magnus Contreras-Ramos, 1998 Contreras-Ramos, A. (1998), Systematics of the Dobsonfly genus Corydalus Latreille (Megaloptera: Corydalidae), Lanham, MD: Thomas Say Monographs, Entomological Society of America. [Google Scholar] and Platyneuromus soror (Hagen, 1861 Hagen, H.A. (1861), Synopsis of the Neuroptera of North America, with a List of the South American Species. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution.[Crossref] , [Google Scholar]), is examined here and compared with the known data in Corydalus bidenticulatus Contreras-Ramos, 1998 Contreras-Ramos, A. (1998), Systematics of the Dobsonfly genus Corydalus Latreille (Megaloptera: Corydalidae), Lanham, MD: Thomas Say Monographs, Entomological Society of America. [Google Scholar]. Our results suggest that the triggering of aggressive behaviours in the three species is similar. The decision of whether or not to fight is affected by their social environment: a male is aggressive against other males only when a female is present. Furthermore, the intensity of aggression does not differ among the three species. The behavioural observations support the idea that the mandibles of Corydalus males are used as weapons in male-male competition and during the courtship, but the post-ocular flanges of P. soror males are not involved in male-male competition (they use their short mandibles to bite). Conversely, data show that such a feature might act as a signal trait for female choice.     

Review of the genus Catomus Allard, 1876 (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) in Iran

Five species of the genus Catomus Allard, 1876 Allard, E. (1876): Révision des Helopines vrais de Lacordaire. L'Abeille. Journal d'Entomologie, 14, 1–80. [Google Scholar] are known from Iran. Catomus fragilis (Ménétriés, 1848) is recorded from Iran for the first time. Lectotypes of C. persicus Allard, 1876 Allard, E. (1876): Révision des Helopines vrais de Lacordaire. L'Abeille. Journal d'Entomologie, 14, 1–80. [Google Scholar] (type species of the genus) and C. semiruber Allard, 1876 Allard, E. (1876): Révision des Helopines vrais de Lacordaire. L'Abeille. Journal d'Entomologie, 14, 1–80. [Google Scholar] are designated. These species are also redescribed and figured. A key to the species of Catomus in the Iranian fauna is given.     

Revision of the Clytra subfasciata species group (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cryptocephalinae: Clytrini)

The Clytra subfasciata species group is proposed, to comprise Clytra subfasciata Lacordaire, 1848 Lacordaire, J. T. (1848): Monographie des coléoptères subpentamères de la famille des phytophages. Tome second. Mémoires de la Société Royale des Sciences de Liége, 5, 1–890 pp. [Google Scholar], C. hajeki Medvedev &; Kantner, 2002 Medvedev, L. N., &; Kantner, F. (2002): Some new and poorly know Clytrinae (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae) of the Old World. Entomologica Basiliensia, 24, 259–269. [Google Scholar] and C. kadleci sp. n. (Yemen). The species of the group are characterised by the peculiar shape of the aedeagus, with a dorsal plate separated from the rest of aedeagus by a deep narrow slit. Colour photographs of habitus and drawings of genitalia are provided for all three species.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:F6706A76-CD49-4A5A-A109-A6E6C23514A5     

The genera Cneocnemis Gebien and Cenoscelis Wollaston in Saudi Arabia (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae: Ulomini)

Cneocnemis arabica sp. n. is described from western Saudi Arabia. The type locality lies disjunct from the large conjunct area of the Asian congeners, probably due to the lack of suitable habitats (?trees) in central and eastern Arabia. C. angustula (Fairmaire, 1893 Fairmaire, L. (1893): Contributions à la faune Indo-Chinoise. Coléoptères Hétéromères. Annales de la Société entomologique de France, 62, 19–38. [Google Scholar]) comb. n. from Indochina is transferred from Uloma to Cneocnemis. Additionally, the first records of Cenoscelis pulla (Erichson, 1843) from Saudi Arabia are listed. The species of Cenoscelis seem at least not to be restricted to arboreal habitats.     

Early Oligocene Mammal Tracks from Southeastern France

Two new sites with mammalian footprints in the early Oligocene of southeastern France are described here. They represent one of the best preserved and more numerous record of tracks and trackways in the world with more than 320 ichnites. Many of those are arranged in trackways and sometimes show pes-manus impressions, a quite rare feature in mammalian ichnology. The ichnotaxonomic study indicates the presence of perissodactyls tracks referred to as Rhinoceripeda voconcense (Demathieu et al., 1984 Demathieu, G., Ginsburg, L., Guérin, C. and Truc, G. 1984. Etude paléontologique, ichnologique et paléoécologique du gisement oligocène de Saignon (bassin d’Apt, Vaucluse). Bulletin du Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, 6: 153–183.  [Google Scholar]), artiodactyls footprints referred to as Megapecoripeda velox (Demathieu et al., 1984 Demathieu, G., Ginsburg, L., Guérin, C. and Truc, G. 1984. Etude paléontologique, ichnologique et paléoécologique du gisement oligocène de Saignon (bassin d’Apt, Vaucluse). Bulletin du Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, 6: 153–183.  [Google Scholar]) and a carnivore footprint referred to as Bestiopeda sp. Vialov (1966) Vialov, O. S. 1966. Sledy zhiznedeyatelnosti organizmow i ikh paleontologicheskoe znachenie. Naukova Dumka, : 219 (in Russian) [Google Scholar]. They can be attributed to early Rhinocerotids, Lophiomerycids and/or Entelodonts and Mustelid-like carnivore, respectively. This study also aims at homogenizing the ichnotaxonomy used for mammal tracks where several genera were erected without a full review of the literature. All this taken together reveals a rich mammalian ichnofauna at a time period when no other fossils of mammals are known in the area and represents a good opportunity to provide state-of-the-art concerning the worldwide known sites that yielded mammalian footprints.     

New records of Hydrochus Leach, 1817 (Coleoptera: Hydrochidae) from Iran

Abstract

Hydrochus ignicollis Motschulsky, 1860 Motschulsky, V. de (1860), ‘Coléoptères rapportés de la Sibérie orientale et notamment des pays situés sur les bords du fleuve Amour par MM. Schrenck, Maack, Ditmar, Voznessenski etc.’, in Reisen und Forschungen im Amur - Lande in den Jahren 1854–1856 im Auftrage der Kaiserl. Akademie der Wissenschaften zu St. Petersburg ausgeführt und in Verbindung mit mehreren Gelehrten herausgegeben. Band II. ed. L. Schrenck , Zweite Lieferung . Coleopteren, St. Petersburg: Eggers und Comp., pp. 80–257, pls. VI–XI. [Google Scholar] is recorded from Iran (Gilan Province) for the first time. In addition, new Iranian provincial records are provided for two species: H. nodulifer Reitter, 1897 Reitter, E . (1897), ‘Dreißig neue Coleopteren aus russisch Asien und der Mongolei’, Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift , 1897(2), 209–228. [Google Scholar] (Zanjan Province) and H. farsicus Hidalgo-Galiana, Jäch, and Ribera, 2010 Hidalgo-Galiana, A. , Jäch, M.A. , and Ribera, I . (2010), ‘ Hydrochus farsicus sp. n. from Iran and Notes on other Palearctic Species of the Genus (Coleoptera: Hydrophiloidea: Hydrochidae)’, Zootaxa , 2344, 61–64.[Crossref] , [Google Scholar] (Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province). Photographs of the habitus, the male genitalia and the habitat of H. ignicollis are provided.     

Larval morphology and chaetotaxy of Macrogyrus oblongus (Boisduval, 1835) (Coleoptera: Gyrinidae)

The larvae of the grooved whirligig beetle Macrogyrus oblongus (Boisduval, 1835) are described and illustrated including detailed morphometric and chaetotaxic analyses of selected structures. Larvae of Macrogyrus Régimbart, 1882 Régimbart, M. (1882), ‘Essai Monographique de la Famille des Gyrinidae. 1re partie’, Annales de la Société entomologique de France, 51, 379–458. [Google Scholar] exhibit the characters traditionally recognised as autapomorphies of the Gyrinidae. The first instars bear egg bursters on the parietal, a potential additional autapomorphy. Putative larval autapomorphies of the tribe Dineutini are the presence of additional setae on the mandible, the absence of the seta TR2, and the presence of pore-like additional structures on the ultimate palpomeres. Macrogyrus larvae differ from those of the other known dineutine genera (Andogyrus Ochs, 1924 and Dineutus MacLeay, 1825) in the absence of a neck constriction and in the distal position of the pore LAc. Other useful characters to distinguish genera within Dineutini are the presence or absence of additional setae on the cardo and coxa, and the posterior margin of the lacinia dentate or smooth.     

Redescription of the eubriine genus,Falsodrupeus Pic, 1949 with a description of a new species (Coleoptera: Psephenidae: Eubriinae)

The genus Falsodrupeus Pic, 1949 Pic, M. 1949. ‘Nouveaux Coléoptères de Madagascar’. Mémoires de I'Institut Scientifique de Madagascar, Tananarive (A), 3: 341–345.  [Google Scholar] is redescribed and a new species, F. barclayi sp. nov., is added. The antennae, maxillary and labial palps, and aedeagus are illustrated, and an updated key to the genera of Eubriinae is provided.     

Integrative taxonomy of the cave-dwelling mysids of the genus Hemimysis

The genus Hemimysis (Malacostraca: Mysida: Mysidae) encompasses near-bottom, demersal and cave-dwelling mysids living in the marine, brackish and freshwater habitats around the European coast, from the Caspian Sea to the Scandinavian Peninsula. We conducted cladistic analysis of 52 morphological characters of all nine species and three subspecies of the genus Hemimysis. We also completed a molecular analysis based on three molecular markers of Hemimysis lamornae (Couch, 1856) found in the English Channel, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Black Sea. Both analyses did not support monophyly of Hemimysis lamornae. We thus consider the former subspecies H. lamornae pontica (Czerniavsky, 1882 Chevaldonné, P., &; Lejeusne, C. (2003). Regional warming‐induced species shift in north‐west Mediterranean marine caves. Ecology Letters, 6, 371–379. doi:10.1046/j.1461-0248.2003.00439.x.[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) and H. lamornae mediterranea Bacescu, 1936 Bacescu, M. (1936). Hemimysis lamornae sbsp. reducta, nov. sbsp. et Hemimysis anomala dans les eaux roumaines de la Mer Noire (avec une etude comparative des forms de Hem. lamornae des autres mers: H. l. typica et H.l. mediterranea, nov. sbsp.). Annales Scientifiques de L’Universite de Jassy, 23, 331–338. [Google Scholar] as valid species. Analysis of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) sequences of H. pontica shows no significant divergence between mysids living in the marine caves of Crimea and Bulgaria. Morphological trends in Hemimysis are discussed, H. pontica Czerniavsky, 1882 Chevaldonné, P., &; Lejeusne, C. (2003). Regional warming‐induced species shift in north‐west Mediterranean marine caves. Ecology Letters, 6, 371–379. doi:10.1046/j.1461-0248.2003.00439.x.[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar] is redescribed, and a new key to all 11 species of the genus is given.     

A new species of Micragasma J. Sahlberg, 1900 (Coleoptera: Hydraenidae) from Crete

We describe a new species of Micragasma J. Sahlberg, 1900 (Coleoptera, Hydraenidae), which is here treated as a subgenus of Ochthebius Leach, 1815 Leach, W.E. (1815), ‘Entomology’, in The Edinburgh Encyclopaedia (Vol. 9), ed. D. Brewster, Balfour: Edinburgh, pp. 57–172. [Google Scholar]. The new species, O. (Micragasma) minoicus sp. n., was found at the margins of a coastal rockpool in the island of Crete. The species differs from the other two known species of Micragasma in both external and genital characters, but shares with them the presence of small setiferous tubercles on the surface of the head, pronotum and elytra, and a strong medial gibbosity on the head. In some characters, such as the structure and shape of the aedeagus, O. (M.) minoicus sp. n. is similar to other species of the genus Ochthebius, in particular of the subgenus Cobalius Rey, 1886 Rey, C. (1886), ‘Histoire naturelle des coléoptères de France (suite)’, Annales de la Société Linnéenne de Lyon, 32, 1–187, pl. 1–2.[Crossref] , [Google Scholar], typical of coastal rockpools.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:BCEAE1EE-7C5E-4017-A753-559738221502     

Neotropical Osmylidae larvae (Insecta,Neuroptera): description of habitats and morphology

ABSTRACT

The larval stages of the genus Kempynus Navás, 1912 Navás, L. (1912), ‘Insectos neurópteros nuevos o poco conocidos’, Memorias de la Real Academia de Ciencias y Artes de Barcelona, 10, 135–202. [Google Scholar] (probably K. falcatus Navás, 1912 Navás, L. (1912), ‘Insectos neurópteros nuevos o poco conocidos’, Memorias de la Real Academia de Ciencias y Artes de Barcelona, 10, 135–202. [Google Scholar] based on the presence of synchronic and sympatric adults) are described for the Neotropical Region for the first time, and the larval stages of Isostenosmylus pulverulentus (Gerstaecker, 1893 Gerstaecker, C.E.A. (1893), ‘Ueber neue und weniger gekannte Neuropteren aus der familie Megaloptera Burm’, Mitt[h]eilungen aus dem Naturwissenschaftlichen Verein für Neu-Vorpommern und Rugen, 25, 93–173. [Google Scholar]) are redescribed. The external morphology of third-instar larvae of both species and their habitats are described and compared. Kempynus sp. is a water-dependent species and can be considered semi-aquatic, whereas I. pulverulentus larvae are terrestrial and live in undergrowth vegetation. The first key to identification of Neotropical Osmylidae larvae is provided, based on third-instar larvae of both species.     

Cryptic diversity among the achaetous Marionina (Annelida,Clitellata, Enchytraeidae)

This study investigates the diversity and taxonomy of a mainly marine group of species lacking chaetae currently assigned to the genus Marionina. This achaetous group includes four nominal species: M. achaeta (Hagen, 1954 Hagen, G. 1954. Michaelsena achaeta nov. sp., ein neuer mariner Oligochaet aus der Kieler Bucht. Faunistische Mitteilungen aus Norddeutschland, 1: 12–13.  [Google Scholar]), M. achaeta sensu Lasserre, 1964 Lasserre, P. 1964. Notes sur quelques oligochètes Enchytraeidae présents dans les plages du Bassin d’Arcachon. Procés-Verbaux des Séances de la Société Linnéenne de Bordeaux, 101: 87–91.  [Google Scholar], M. nevisensis Righi & Kanner, 1979 Righi, G. and Kanner, E. 1979. Marine Oligochaeta (Tubificidae and Enchytraeidae) from the Caribbean Sea. Studies of the Fauna of Curaçao and other Caribbean Islands, 58: 44–68.  [Google Scholar] and M. arenaria Healy, 1979 Healy, B. 1979a. Marine fauna of County Wexford. 1 – Littoral and brackishwater Oligochaeta. The Irish Naturalists' Journal, 19: 418–422.  [Google Scholar]. As Lasserre's (1964 Lasserre, P. 1964. Notes sur quelques oligochètes Enchytraeidae présents dans les plages du Bassin d’Arcachon. Procés-Verbaux des Séances de la Société Linnéenne de Bordeaux, 101: 87–91.  [Google Scholar]) M. achaeta appears to be morphologically different from its (then) senior homonym M. achaeta (Hagen, 1954 Hagen, G. 1954. Michaelsena achaeta nov. sp., ein neuer mariner Oligochaet aus der Kieler Bucht. Faunistische Mitteilungen aus Norddeutschland, 1: 12–13.  [Google Scholar]), the replacement name M. nothachaeta nom. nov. is proposed for it. We studied the genetic and morphological diversity of achaetous specimens of Marionina collected in Florida, the Great Barrier Reef, New Caledonia, Sweden, England and the Bahamas. The collection localities are almost all supralittoral and often brackish-water habitats. Parts of the mitochondrial genes 12S, 16S, COI and the nuclear genes 18S, 28S and ITS were analysed to assess the genetic variation and phylogeny of the achaetous Marionina species. The molecular data reveal one monophyletic group of 11 separately evolving lineages, and between these lineages, K2P distances in the barcoding gene COI vary between 5.4 and 25.0%. On a morphological basis, the lineages could be assigned to seven different groups (morphotypes), of which only two could be identified as described nominal taxa: M. nevisensis s. lat. (several lineages) and M. nothachaeta. Since the former taxon appears to be a complex of cryptic species around the world and the original type material no longer exists, a neotype from the Caribbean was designated for M. nevisensis s. str. The remaining achaetous lineages represent five morphologically distinct species that are left unnamed, awaiting finer morphological scrutiny and detailed comparisons with new collections of M. achaeta and M. arenaria. Summing up, the group of achaetous Marionina now seems to contain up to 13 different species, seven of which are yet to be formally described and named.     

Discovery of the subfamily Microtypinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in Egypt,with the description of a new species

The subfamily Microtypinae Szépligeti, 1908 Szépligeti, G. (1908): Braconiden aus der Sammlung des ungarischen National-Museums. 2. Annales Historico-Naturales Musei Nationalis Hungarici, 6, 397–427. [Google Scholar] (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is recorded for the first time for Egypt. The present study is based on specimens collected from Gebel Elba, Wadi Allaqi, St. Catherine, and Fayoum, as well as specimens deposited in various entomological collections in Egypt. Four species belonging to the genus Microtypus Ratzeburg, 1848 (M. algiricus Szépligeti, 1908 Szépligeti, G. (1908): Braconiden aus der Sammlung des ungarischen National-Museums. 2. Annales Historico-Naturales Musei Nationalis Hungarici, 6, 397–427. [Google Scholar]; M. desertorum Shestakov, 1932 Shestakov, A. (1932): Zur Kenntnis der asiatischen Braconiden. Zoologische Annalen (Würzburg), 99, 255–263. [Google Scholar]; M. vanharteni van Achterberg, 2010 Achterberg, C. van (2010): Order Hymenoptera, family Braconidae. Genus Microtypus Ratzeburg (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Microtypinae). Arthropod Fauna of the United Arab Emirates, 3, 381–387. [Google Scholar] and M. aegypticus sp. n.) are reported for the first time from Egypt.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:022282A1-183F-4E0C-9F88-A53C42735532     

First record of the bee genus Melitta from the Arabian Peninsula (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Melittidae)

The oligolectic bee genus Melitta Kirby, 1802 (Melittidae: Melittinae) is recorded from the Arabian Peninsula for the first time, and from Saudi Arabia in particular. A series of females of Melitta schmiedeknechti Friese, 1898 Friese, H. (1898): Beiträge zur Bienenfauna von Aegypten. Természetrajzi Füzetek, 21, 303–313. [Google Scholar] were captured near Jabal al Mashār, Ha’il, Saudi Arabia, representing the first occurrence of this species, previously known across northern Africa and the southern Levant. Brief remarks and a key are provided for the two subspecific forms of M. schmiedeknechti.     

Canid Paleoichnology: Taxonomic Review and Producers of Canipeda from the Late Pleistocene of Argentina

This contribution reviews the worldwide record of canid and canid-like (creodont and hyaenid) fossil footprints, the taxonomy of this type of footprints, and reports a new record of canid footprints from the late Pleistocene Pehuen Co site of southern Buenos Aires province, Argentina. On the basis of the comparison of proposed ichnogenera and features of modern canid and felid footprints, a set of ichnogeneric and ichnospecific taxobases are proposed. The ichnotaxonomic review includes Bestiopeda Vialov, 1965; Canipeda Panin and Avram, 1962; Felipeda Panin and Avram, 1962; Pehuencoichnum Aramayo and Manera de Bianco, 1987b Aramayo, S. A., and T. Manera de Bianco. 1987b. Hallazgo de una icnofauna continental (Pleistoceno tardío) en la localidad de Pehuén Co, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina. Parte II: Carnivora, Artiodactyla y Aves. IV Congreso Latinoamericano de Paleontología Actas 1:532–47. [Google Scholar]; Creodontipus Santamaría et al. 1989–1990; Tetrastoibopus Sarjeant and Langston, 1994; and Quiritipes Sarjeant et al. 2002. A key to discriminate these ichnotaxa is also proposed and the diagnosis of Canipeda emended. The new findings of canid footprints from Pehuen Co are indistinguishable from Pehuencoichnum gracilis Aramayo and Manera de Bianco, 1987b, and this ichnospecies is synonymized under Canipeda gracilis (Vialov, 1965). An emended diagnosis for C. gracilis is proposed. The most likely producer of C. gracilis from Pehuen Co is a medium-sized fox similar to the extant representatives of Lycalopex.     

Diving beetles of the genus Liodessus Guignot, 1953 in Colombia,with description of three new species (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae)

The Colombian species of the diving beetle genus Liodessus Guignot, 1939 Guignot, F. (1939), ‘Contribution à l’étude des Bidessus’, Bulletin de la Société d’Étude des Sciences Naturelles de Vaucluse, 10(4), 51–61. [Google Scholar] are revised. Liodessus bogotensis Guignot, 1953 Guignot, F. (1953), ‘Trente-neuvième note sur les hydrocanthares’, Revue Française d’Entomologie, 20, 109–117. [Google Scholar] is re-described. Three higher altitude species are new to science: Liodessus azufralis sp. n., L. quillacinga sp. n. and L. quimbaya sp. n. We also introduce two new subspecies, L. quillacinga cochaensis ssp. n. and L. quillacinga cumbalis ssp. n. We delineate the species using morphological structures such as male genital structure and beetle size, shape and colour pattern. Mitochondrial cox1 sequence data provided an additional character source. All the new species occur on higher altitudes above 2700 m and were collected in shallow, exposed peatland pools and puddles, mostly in Páramo. Liodessus obscurellus (LeConte, 1852), not yet recorded from Colombia, is included into the key due to its presence in nearby Costa Rica and Ecuador. The known distribution and habitat preferences of each species are outlined briefly.