Studies of the true bugs of Xinjiang,Northwestern China. III. Water bugs and semiaquatic bugs (Heteroptera: Nepomorpha,Gerromorpha)

In Xinjiang (Western China), the fauna of water bugs and semiaquatic bugs comprises 28 species of 7 families belonging to the infraorders Nepomorpha Popov, 1968 and Gerromorpha Popov, 1971. The present paper provides new data on the distribution of 19 species of 6 families (Nepidae, Corixidae, Naucoridae, Notonectidae, Hebridae, and Gerridae). Four species of the family Corixidae, Micronecta griseola Horváth, 1899, Hesperocorixa linnaei (Fieber, 1848), Paracorixa kiritshenkoi (Lundblad, 1933), and Sigara seistanensis (Distant, 1920), and one species of the family Hebridae, Hebrus pilipes Kanyukova, 1997, are recorded for the first time for China. The family Hebridae and three species of the family Corixidae, Cymatia rogenhoferi (Fieber, 1864), Corixa dentipes Thomson, 1869, and Paracorixa caspica (Horváth, 1878), are new to the fauna of Xinjiang. The record of Gerris odontogaster (Zetterstedt, 1828) whose distribution in Northwestern China had been considered doubtful was confirmed. A key to the species of the genus Micronecta from Middle Asia and Western China is given. Differences between the two closely related species Sigara seistanensis (Distant, 1920) and S. striata (Linnaeus, 1758) are discussed, and their distinctive features are listed.     

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.     

Chironomidae (Insecta: Diptera) from four protected areas in the state of Pernambuco,Brazil

New records and distributional notes of Chironomidae (Insecta, Diptera) are provided for four protected areas in the state of Pernambuco, northeastern Brazil. Additionally, we also present new records and update of distributional ranges from Brazil and the Neotropical Region. In total, 810 specimens belonging to 35 genera within the subfamilies Chironominae (22 taxa), Tanypodinae (11 taxa) and Orthocladiinae (2 taxa) were found. The subfamilies Chironominae and Tanypodinae predominated. Axarus Roback, 1980 Roback, S.S. (1980), ‘New name for Anceus Roback nec Anceus Risso’, Entomological News, 91, 32.[Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar] and the Tanytarsus ortoni-group were recorded for the first time in the state of Pernambuco, while Nanocladius Kieffer, 1913a Kieffer, J.J. (1913b), ‘Nouvelle étude sur les Chironomides de l'Indian Museum de Calcutta’, Records of the Indian Museum, 9, 119–197. [Google Scholar] was recorded for the first time in the Northeast Region of Brazil. Our results make evident how much and where current knowledge of the northeastern Brazil chironomids remains fragmentary.     

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.     

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.     

Four new species of the genus Cheimacheramus Barnard, 1934 from Madagascar (Trichoptera: Sericostomatidae)

The genus Cheimacheramus Barnard, 1934 Barnard, K.H. (1934), ‘South African Caddis-Flies (Trichoptera)’, Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa, 21, 291–394.[Taylor &; Francis Online] , [Google Scholar] included only three species, one from South Africa and two from Madagascar. Four new Malagasy species are described herein: Cheimacheramus akandi sp. n., Cheimacheramus barnardi sp. n. and Cheimacheramus anjojorobensis sp. n. from the Anjojorobe Forest, Cheimacheramus madecassus sp. n. from the Lakato Forest and the Marojejy National Park. Diagnostic characters of the genus and species are discussed and illustrated. In Madagascar, these discoveries confirm the localization of the genus within the eastern evergreen forests.

http://zoobank.org/urn:zoobank.org:pub:79472077-04E9-42FA-B55B-9EE291556E60     

Foliicole Flechten aus der Kolchis (West-Transkaukasien,UdSSR)

This paper deals with 19 species of foliicolous lichens collected in the summer months of 1977 to 1980 during several excursions to the vicinity of the spas Sochi, Gagra and Sukhumi on the east shores of the Black Sea (part of the Colchis). Some new taxa and one new combination are proposed:Raciborskiella minor Vězda (sp. n.),Porina colchica Vězda (sp. n.),Gyalectidium caucasicum (Elenk. etWoronich.)Vězda (comb. n.),G. colchicum Vězda (sp. n.),Bacidia vasakii Vězda (sp. n.). Taxonomical, ecological and plant geographical notes to all species are given.     

The Stegana (sensu stricto) species from China,with morphological and molecular evidence (Diptera: Drosophilidae)

Four new species of the subgenus Stegana (sensu stricto) were found and described from China: S. (S.) antha sp. nov., S. (S.) latiorificia sp. nov., S. (S.) huangjiai sp. nov. and S. (S.) nigrifoliacea sp. nov. Three known Stegana (s. str.) species from China: S. (S.) antlia Okada, 1991, S. (S.) cheni Sidorenko, 1997 Sidorenko, V. S. (1997). New Asian species and new records of the genus Stegana Meigen (Diptera, Drosophilidae). I. Subgenera Oxyphortica Duda and Stegana s. str. Annales d la Société Entomologique de France (N. S.), 33, 65–79.[Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar] and S. (S.) emeiensis Sidorenko, 1997 Sidorenko, V. S. (1997). New Asian species and new records of the genus Stegana Meigen (Diptera, Drosophilidae). I. Subgenera Oxyphortica Duda and Stegana s. str. Annales d la Société Entomologique de France (N. S.), 33, 65–79.[Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar] are redescribed as supplementary information. A key to the species, based on morphological characters, is provided. The phylogenetic relationships among 14 species of the subgenus Stegana are reconstructed with the combined sequences of the mitochondrial genes, ND2 (NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2) and COI (cytochrome c oxidase, subunit I). Moreover, the intra- and interspecific pairwise K-2P (Kimura's two-parameter) distances among these species are summarized, and the availability of mitochondrial markers in the species identification of the subgenus Stegana are further discussed.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:368C55C3-B101-457C-BD61-BDD8F1B780E5     

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     

Two new harvestmen species (Arachnida: Opiliones) from the Caucasus

Two new harvestmen species of the family Phalangiidae, Rilaena caucasica sp. n. and Rilaena silhavyi sp. n. are diagnosed, illustrated, and described from the Caucasus region. Comparative illustration of the related Rilaena anatolica (Roewer, 1956), R. atrolutea (Roewer, 1915) and R. kelbajarica Snegovaya &; Pkhakadze, 2014 Snegovaya, N. Y., &; Pkhakadze, V. D. (2014): New species of the genus Rilaena (Opiliones, Phalangiidae) from the mount Gyamish, Azerbaijan. Vestnik zoologii, 48, 313–318. doi: 10.2478/vzoo-2014-0037[Crossref] , [Google Scholar] are given.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:7B29FD94-45A2-4E32-A41E-3276E016410B     

A revision of fossil eagle owls (Aves: Strigiformes: Bubo) from Europe and the description of a new species,Bubo ibericus,from Cal Guardiola (NE Iberian Peninsula)

The European fossil record of eagle owls, genus Bubo Duméril 1806 Duméril AMC. 1806. Zoologie Analytique, ou Méthode Naturelle de Classification des Animaux, rendue plus Facile à l’Aide de Tableaux Synoptiques. Paris: H. L. Perronneau. [Google Scholar], is thought to extend back into the Miocene, but records of Bubo before the Middle Pleistocene are scarce and mainly constituted by non-diagnostic or fragmentary specimens. Apart from a number of fossil species of Bubo of uncertain validity, i.e. Bubo? florianae Kretzoi 1957 Kretzoi M. 1957. Bird remains from the Hipparion-fauna of Csákvár. Aquila. 63:239–248. [Google Scholar], Bubo lignitum Giebel 1860 Giebel CG. 1860. Zur Fauna der Braunkohlen Formation von Rippersroda in Thüringen. Zeitschrift für die Gesammten Naturwissenschaften. 16:147–153. [Google Scholar], and Bubo perpastus (Ballman 1976 Ballmann P. 1976. Fossile Vögel aus dem Neogen der Halbinsel Gargano (Italien). Zweiter Teil Scripta Geol. 38:1–59. [Google Scholar]), most fossil Bubo material is unassigned to species or assigned to the extant Bubo bubo (Linnaeus 1758) on the basis of size, especially for Early Pleistocene records. Given the ambiguity about the validity of the earliest records, here we revise the pre-Middle Pleistocene fossil record of Bubo in Europe. Our results indicate that, in Europe, Bubo is first recorded in the Late Pliocene/Early Pleistocene of Italy. By the Early Pleistocene, three taxa can be distinguished: Bubo ibericus sp. nov. from Cal Guardiola (Spain), Bubo sp. nov. indet. from Soave Cava Sud (Italy) and Bubo sp. from various sites across Europe. By the Middle Pleistocene, Eurasian environments experienced a substantial increase in severity and duration of glacial periods which might have led to the replacement of extinct species of Bubo by the recent B. bubo and Bubo scandiacus.     

Redefinition of the hypotrichous ciliate Uncinata,with descriptions of the morphology and phylogeny of three urostylids (Protista,Ciliophora)

We investigated the morphology, morphogenesis and small subunit rRNA gene-based phylogeny of three marine urostylids, Uncinata gigantea Bullington, 1940 Bullington, W. E. (1940). Some ciliates from Tortugas. Papers from the Tortugas Laboratory, 32, 179–221. [Google Scholar], Holosticha heterofoissneri Hu & Song, 2001 Hu, X., & Song, W. (2001). Morphology and morphogenesis of Holosticha heterofoissneri n. sp. from the Yellow Sea, China (Ciliophora, Hypotrichida). Hydrobiologia, 448, 171–179. doi:10.1023/A:1017553406031.[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar], and Holosticha cf. heterofoissneri. The dorsal morphogenesis of Uncinata gigantea shows de novo formation of two groups of anlagen near the marginal rows. Holosticha cf. heterofoissneri demonstrates fragmentation of the first dorsal kinety anlage as in Holosticha heterofoissneri. Our population of H. heterofoissneri corresponds well with previously described populations in terms of its general morphology and ciliary pattern. Uncinata gigantea can be recognized by its large and highly contractile body, yellowish to brownish cell colour, two types of cortical granules, and 20–30 transversely oriented and densely arranged cirri in the left marginal row, which often overlie the buccal vertex. Based on the new data, especially infraciliature, the genus Uncinata is here redefined. Both the morphology and phylogenetic analyses suggest that the genus Uncinata should be classified within the family Urostylidae. In addition, both morphological and morphogenetic data suggest that Holosticha bradburyae Gong et al., 2001 Gong, J., Song, W., Hu, X., Ma, H., & Zhu, M. (2001). Morphology and infraciliature of Holosticha bradburyae n. sp. (Ciliophora, Hypotrichida) from the Yellow Sea, China. Hydrobiologia, 464, 63–69. doi:10.1023/A:1013901621439.[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar] should be transferred to Uncinata as U. bradburyae (Gong et al., 2001 Gong, J., Song, W., Hu, X., Ma, H., & Zhu, M. (2001). Morphology and infraciliature of Holosticha bradburyae n. sp. (Ciliophora, Hypotrichida) from the Yellow Sea, China. Hydrobiologia, 464, 63–69. doi:10.1023/A:1013901621439.[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) comb. nov., due to its possession of a characteristically prominent beak-like, leftwards curved projection and the developmental mode of the dorsal kineties. This assignment is supported by the phylogenetic analyses, which placed Uncinata gigantea in a clade with U. bradburyae (Gong et al., 2001 Gong, J., Song, W., Hu, X., Ma, H., & Zhu, M. (2001). Morphology and infraciliature of Holosticha bradburyae n. sp. (Ciliophora, Hypotrichida) from the Yellow Sea, China. Hydrobiologia, 464, 63–69. doi:10.1023/A:1013901621439.[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) comb. nov., and revealed only 1.13% (19 bp) difference in their SSU-rDNA gene sequence.     

The evolutionary history of two species of Orthocladiinae (Diptera: Chironomidae) from Lake Baikal (Eastern Siberia)

The evolutionary history of two species belonging to the genus Orthocladius van der Wulp, 1874 van der Wulp, F.M. (1874), ‘Dipterologische Aanteekneningen’, Tijdschrift voor Entomologie, 17, 109–148. [Google Scholar] (Diptera: Chironomidae) from Lake Baikal was investigated using the mitochondrial gene coding the first subunit of the cytochrome c oxidase (CO1 mtDNA). The phylogenetic analysis indicated that the Baikal Orthocladius species were divided into two well-defined clades where O. (Orthocladius) gregarius Linevitsh, 1970 was a sister species to Palaearctic O. (Orthocladius) nitidoscutellatus Lundstrom, 1915 and the O. (Eudactylocladius) sp. was a sister species to Nearctic O. (Eudactylocladius) subletteorum Cranston, 1998 Сranston, P.S. (1998), ‘Nearctic Orthocladius Subgenus Eudactylocladius Revised (Diptera: Chironomidae)’, Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society, 71(3), 272–295.[Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]. Divergence time estimates indicated that these species had been evolving independently for about 18 Ma (Neogene, Early Miocene), while emergence of the most recent common ancestors of the modern O. (Orthocladius) gregarius and O. (Eudactylocladius) sp. was dated to about 3.5 Ma (Neogene, Pliocene). The evolution of Baikal orthoclads occurred from the rheophilic fauna under conditions of global climate change during the geological history of the Baikal Depression in the Tertiary Period.     

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.     

A new clionaid sponge infests live corals on the west coast of India (Porifera,Demospongiae, Clionaida)

Coral reef ecosystems depend on the balanced interplay of constructive and destructive processes and are increasingly threatened by environmental change. In this context bioeroding sponges play a significant role in carbonate cycling and sediment production. They occasionally aggravate erosional processes on disturbed reefs. Like other coral ecosystems, Indian reefs have suffered from local and global effects. However, the systematic affiliation and diversity of many Indian bioeroding sponges and their infestation rates are largely confused or unknown. The present study describes a new bioeroding sponge species, Cliona thomasi sp. nov. from the central west coast of India. It belongs to the Cliona viridis species complex, displaying the key characters of tylostyles and spirasters, as well as harbouring photosymbiotic dinoflagellates. Specific morphological characteristics and molecular data from nrITS1 DNA and 28S rDNA distinguished C. thomasi sp. nov. from other known C. viridis complex and a number of Spheciospongia species. The historic sample of ‘Suberites coronarius’ from Mergui Archipelago (sensu Carter, 1887 Carter, H. J. (1887). Report on the marine sponges, chiefly from King Island, in the Mergui Archipelago, collected for the trustees of the Indian museum, Calcutta, by Dr. John Anderson, F. R. S., superintendent of the museum. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 21, 61–84. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1096-3642.1887.tb00381.x[Crossref] , [Google Scholar]), but not from the Caribbean (sensu Carter, 1882 Carter, H. J. (1882). Some sponges from the West Indies and Acapulco, in the Liverpool Free Museum, described with general and classificatory remarks. Annals and Magazine of Natural History, 9, 266–301, 346–368, pls. XI-XII. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222938209459039[Taylor &; Francis Online] , [Google Scholar]), is conspecific with C. thomasi sp. nov. Cliona thomasi sp. nov. is locally very abundant, appears to be a key bioeroder, and thus regular monitoring of its abundance, distribution and infestation patterns is recommended.