Two new species of Colobopyga (Homoptera: Halimococcidae) from the Australian region

Abstract

Two new species of Colobopyga Brèthes are described and illustrated from adult and second-instar females: C. hedyscepes n.sp. from Auckland, New Zealand, on Hedyscepe canterburyana (a palm native to Lord Howe Island); and C. australiensis n.sp. from Australia, on “Kentia palm”. A key is given to the 10 known species of Colobopyga.     

Classification of New Zealand Arionacea (Mollusca: Pulmonata). XI. The new genus Chaureopa and description of a new species of Paracharopa Climo (Charopidae)

Abstract

Chaureopa n. gen. is proposed for Endodonta (Charopa) titirangiensis Suter, 1896 (= E. (C.) ochra Webster, 1904), and the following new species: Chaureopa depressa, C. hazelwoodi, C. microumbilicata, C. roscoei, and C. subdepressa. Paracharopa rimu n. sp. is described from Westland.     

Variation in colour markings of German wasps Vespula germanica (F.) and common wasps Vespula vulgaris (L.) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) in New Zealand

Abstract

German wasps (Vespula germanica F.) and common wasps (V. vulgaris L.) both show variations in colour markings in New Zealand. Overlap in the ranges of markings of the head and thorax is limited enough for ready distinction of queens and workers of the two species. Abdominal markings overlap considerably between the species. Colour markings of males were too similar to identify the species, which were completely separated by the shape of their genitalia. The frequency of occurrence of “intermediate” markings in V. germanica populations did not increase in areas where the two species overlap. This suggests there is little or no genetic exchange between the two species.     

Soft-bottom assemblages of Paterson Inlet,Stewart Island

Abstract

The soft-bottom biota of subtidal areas of Paterson Inlet, Stewart Island, is described on the basis of data collected during cruises (1977 and 1979) in search of Braichiopoda. Two associations are recognised within the areas sampled, and their structure is compared with that of soft-bottom biotas elsewhere in New Zealand. The widespread occurrence of patch-forming bryozoans (especially Cinctipora elegans) on sandy gravels on the southern New Zealand shelf IS recognised.     

Good morning Gondwana

Summary

Vicariance and dispersion both must be considered as possibilities for the fauna and flora of New Zealand and New Caledonia. Oligocene submersion, promoted by the geologists and several biologists, does not seem to have been total. Refuge stations must have existed in mountains and even in plains in some surrounding areas. From there the relicts must have radiated after the partial submersion. Certain “primitive” Chrysomelidae Eumolpinae (Bohumiljania spp.) are closely related to Patagonian genera. Their case is not unique among the terrestrial organisms of New Caledonia. How to explain the occurrence of Amborella in New Caledonia and of the tuataras in New Zealand, already very probably extinct elsewhere during the Paleogene?     

Laurencia majuscula var. elegans (Rhodophyta,Rhodomelaceae) is reinstated to specific rank as L. elegans

Laurencia majuscula has recently been determined to be conspecific with Laurencia dendroidea. To determine the correct taxonomic placement of its only non‐typical variety, L. majuscula var. elegans, mitochondrial COI‐5P and chloroplast rbcL gene sequences were analyzed and its phylogenetic position was inferred. Laurencia majuscula var. elegans consistently formed a well‐supported clade distinctly separate from the L. dendroidea clade. Molecular analyses revealed that L. majuscula var. elegans generally shows two distinct forms; a long‐branched form, and a compact form. Often the compact form has been identified as a different species based on morphology alone. Included in these analyses were topotype sequences of two species with which L. majuscula var. elegans is most often misidentified; Laurencia nidifica and Laurencia mcdermidiae. Laurencia nidifica formed a well‐supported clade separate from L. majuscula var. elegans. Laurencia mcdermidiae, however, formed a well‐defined clade sister to the L. majuscula var. elegans clade. Morphological comparisons were also made. It is concluded that L. majuscula var. elegans is morphologically distinct from L. dendroidea, L. nidifica, and L. mcdermidiae. It is proposed that L. majuscula var. elegans be reinstated to species level as L. elegans.     

Two species of adventive weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) from Europe,hitherto unrecorded from New Zealand

Two curculionid weevils, Orthochaetes setiger (Beck, 1817) and Exomias pellucidus (Boheman, 1834) are recorded in New Zealand for the first time. The former has a wide distribution through the eastern South Island, while the latter has so far only been located in a single suburban garden in Dunedin. Both species are polyphagous and flightless. Although neither is expected to cause notable economic damage, their potential to invade native ecosystems makes them worthy of further investigation.     

The biogeography of New Zealand’s terrestrial vertebrates

Abstract

New Zealand’s peculiar biota has fueled more than a century of biogeographic interest. During this time a number of workers have offered classifications synthesising biotic and geographical relationships. More recently, Fleming (1963, 1979) has recognised that these systems have much in common and tried to reconcile them into a more general scheme. He distinguished seven elements emphasising relationships with Australia and the southern ocean with less important “Holarctic” and tropical “Malayo-Pacific” components and a “New Zealand Element” in the Pacific. The remainder are “Endemic” with no close relatives to indicate their “place of origin” and “Cosmopolitan” for those “embarrassing organisms” too widely distributed to be included elsewhere. Only the ratites, tuatara, and frog were considered old enough to have used terrestrial links, the remainder having crossed over water from the terminals of dispersal pathways recognised in the classification. The colonisation of New Zealand by Australian birds in historic times were regarded as examples of this mechanism in action (Falla 1953; Fleming 1962). This view of biogeographic relationship necessarily plays down the wider perspectives used by such workers as Hutton (1872, 1904) and Croizat (1958).     

Materials for the fungus flora of Japan (56)Mariannaea camptospora andM. elegans var.punicea from Japan

One additional species and a variety ofMariannaea, M. camptospora andM. elegans var.punicea, were recorded for the first time in Japan.Mariannaea camptospora formed two types of conidiophores. One type was characterized by simple verticillate phialides sometimes with punctuate walls at the base, producing long oblique conidial chains, and symmetrical spindle-shaped conidia. The other type was characterized by more crowded and shorter phialides with small conidial droplets and hemispherical to concave smaller conidia.Mariannaea elegans var.punicea was characterized by distinct red purple pigmentation in agar media. (55): Udagawa, S. and Uchiyama, S., Mycoscience41: 263–267, 2000.     

Silent assassins: predation of native New Zealand trichopteran eggs by non-native freshwater gastropods

Aquatic insects that oviposit on rocks may evolve strategies to mitigate loss of eggs to opportunistic predation by common native grazers, but such strategies may be ineffective against non-native grazers. We tested whether the eggs of common New Zealand caddisfly families (Hydrobiosidae and Hydropsychidae) that oviposit on rocks were more susceptible to predation by native or non-native snails. The native snail Potamopyrgus antipodarum (Grey, 1843) and non-native snails Physa acuta Draparnaud, 1805 and Pseudosuccinea columella (Say, 1817) were presented with caddisfly egg masses and the number of individual eggs consumed was recorded after 24 and 48 hours. The larger Pseudosuccinea readily consumed the eggs, especially spumaline-encapsulated Hydrobiosidae eggs. Physa consumed very few Hydrobiosidae eggs and no Hydropsychidae eggs, whereas Potamopyrgus did not consume eggs of either family. The trichopteran egg masses tested did not succumb to predation by the native Potamopyrgus but are highly vulnerable to predation by a larger non-native snail.     

Revisione Delle Briofite Dell'Italia Meridionale

Summarium

Hepaticas, quae in Herbario A. G. GASPARRINI Horti Botanici Ticinesis servantur, A. revisit. Species et varietates nonullas in Italia Meridionali hucusque non cognitas (et potissimum: Scapania subalpina, Riccia bifurca, R. ligula, R. ciliata var. intumescens, Pleuroschisma tricrenatum var. microphyllum) invenit.

De duabus Ricciae speciebus, quibus GASPARRINI “trichophyllae” et “aeruginosae” nomina tribuerat, commentatus est.     

The apparent establishment and subsequent eradication of the Australian giant bulldog ant Myrmecia brevinoda Forel (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in New Zealand

Abstract

The Australian giant bulldog ant Myrmecia brevinoda Forel was first observed in New Zealand in 1940 (Keall 1981). Further observations of this species were made at a location in Devonport in 1948 and 1965, and a nest destroyed at this site in 1981. Since this time no further observations have been made, yet the status of this species is commonly listed as “uncertain establishment” on New Zealand faunal lists. We describe the control procedure used in 1981. In addition, to determine its current status we resurveyed ants in the area of earlier infestation using visual searches, pitfall trapping, and a reward for discovery posted to local residents. No evidence of M. brevinoda was found, though several other invasive species were found, including the Argentine ant Linepithema humile (Mayr), Pheidole rugosula Forel, and a recently established Australian cryptic Solenopsis species. Given the results of our survey and the absence of other reports of M. brevinoda over the last 24 years, we consider this species to be extinct or eradicated from New Zealand.     

New Zealand tectonostratigraphic terranes and panbiogeography

Abstract

Tectonostratigraphic terranes of New Zealand, grouped for purposes of the present discussion into six groups, are briefly reviewed as to their role in the biogeographic evolution of the present day biota of New Zealand. Of all the terranes so far recognised, only the Torlesse (Rakaia) terrane is thought to have originated outside the New Zealand region; of the various models proposed to explain its origin and emplacement, only that by McKinnon (1983) would allow it to have acted as a “raft” that could have transported a biota en masse. The former existence of a “lost continent” (Pacifica), suggested as apossible source for Torlesse sediments, is regarded as improbable. The long time (at least 140 Ma, and probably 190 Ma) since terrane accretion, and the extreme degree of geological (and geographical) complexity and change that New Zealand has undergone since accretion, make it most improbable that the present day distribution of plants and animals among the terranes reflects the original distribution of their ancestors.     

The Legal Status of Cats in New Zealand: A Perspective on the Welfare of Companion,Stray, and Feral Domestic Cats (Felis catus)

Pinpointing and safeguarding the welfare status of domestic cats is problematic, especially in New Zealand where cats are introduced predators with significant impact on indigenous fauna. Usually the identification of welfare status depends on conservational, legal, and public attitudes that are often contrasting. Cats may rapidly transgress definitions placed on them, confounding attempts to categorize them. In 1 generation, cats can move from a human-dependent state (“stray” or “companion”) to wild (“feral”). Often this categorization uses arbitrary behavioral and or situational parameters; consequent treatment and welfare protection for these cats are similarly affected. Terminology used to describe cats is not equitable across research. However, the New Zealand Animal Welfare (Companion Cats) Code of Welfare 2007 seeks to create a new definition of the terms companion, stray, and feral. It distinguishes between cats who live within and without human social constructs. This legislation mandates that cats in human environments or indirectly dependent on humans cannot be classified as feral. Such definitions may prove vital when safeguarding the welfare of free-living domestic cats and cat colonies.     

Eulimid gastropods parasitic on echinoderms in the New Zealand region

Abstract

Eulimindae (Prosobranchia) of the New Zealand region that parasitise echinoderms are recorded and discussed. Fuscapex ophioacanthicola n.gen. & sp. is parasitic on Ophioacantha sp., Ophieulima fuscoapicata n.sp. is a parasite of Ophioactis profundi Lütken & Mortensen, Punctifera ophiomoefrae n.gen. & sp. lives partly buried among the radial shields of Ophiomoeris projecta Matsumato, and Stilapex sp. is recorded, but not described, from Ophiothrix oliveri Benham (all hosts ophiuroids). Stilifer sp. lives in galls in an undescribed oreasterid (Asteroidea). Annulobalcis marshalli n.sp. is described from Crotalometra rustica (A. H. Clark) (Crinoidea). Eulima infrapatula Murdoch & Suter is transferred to Sabinella Monterosato and recorded from Ogmocidaris benhami Mortensen; Fusceulima goodingi n.sp. is described from Centrostephanus rodgersi (A. Agassiz) (both hosts echinoids). Two earlier records of sea urchin parasites from New Zealand are discussed, and the species are referred to Pelseneeria.     

Sequence Structure of Hidden 10.4-base Repeat in the Nucleosomes of C. elegans

Abstract

By measuring prevailing distances between YY, YR, RR, and RY dinucleotides in the large database of the nucleosome DNA fragments from C. elegans, the consensus sequence structure of the nucleosome DNA repeat of C. elegans was reconstructed: (YYYYYRRRRR)_n. An actual period was estimated to be 10.4 bases. The pattern is fully consistent with the nucleosome DNA patterns of other eukaryotes, as established earlier, and, thus, the YYYYYRRRRR repeat can be considered as consensus nucleosome DNA sequence repeat across eukaryotic species. Similar distance analysis for [A, T] dinucleotides suggested the related pattern (TTTYTARAAA)_n where the TT and AA dinucleotides display rather out of phase behavior, contrary to the “AA or TT” in-phase periodicity, considered in some publications. A weak 5-base periodicity in the distribution of TA dinucleotides was detected.     

Paradasyhelea harrisoni n.sp. from the Auckland Islands,and additional records of subantarctic Ceratopogonidae

Abstract

A new species of Paradasyhelea Macfie is described from females found on the Auckland Islands, New Zealand, and a key is presented to separate it from its five known congeners. New distribution and habitat records are presented for the three ceratopogonid species previously reported from the subantarctic islands of New Zealand—Forcipomyia kuscheli Sublette & Wirth, F. tapleyi Ingram & Macfie, and Dasyhelea aucklandensis Sublette & Wirth.     

New species of Halacaridae (Acari) from New Zealand

Abstract

Seven new taxa of marine mites (Halacaridae) are described from the marine littoral zone of northern and southern New Zealand: Agauopsis novaezelandiae, A. luxtoni, Halacarellus lubricus, Copidognathus lubricus, Simognathus glaber, S. glareus, and Rhombognathus novaezelandicus. A list of halacarid species known from New Zealand waters is added.