Two new species of polychaetes from the sublittoral bottoms off Antofagasta, Northern Chile: Clymenella fauchaldi n. sp. (Maldanidae) and Mooreonuphis colosensis n. sp. (Onuphidae)

Individuals belonging to two new species, from two genera Clymenella Verril (Maldanidae) and Mooreonuphis Fauchald (Onuphidae), have been collected and described from a sublittoral bottom area close to Antofagasta, northern Chile. The environment consists of medium to fine sands and the samples have been collected at ca. 60 m depth. Clymenella fauchaldi sp. n. is closely related to Clymenella minorArwidsson, 1911, but clearly differs from other species of the genus in the type of notochaetae, winged capillaries, and neurochaetae, thick acicular spines, that are borne on the first chaetigers. Mooreonuphis colosensissp. n.is related to Mooreonuphis nebulosa (Moore, 1911) and Mooreonuphis peruana (Hartman, 1944), but differs mainly in the form of the mandibles, in the maxillary formula, location of the subacicular hooks on chaetigers, number of the ceratophore rings and the length of the medium and lateral antennae styles.     

Review of Chinese Oligaphorurini (Collembola, Onychiuridae) with descriptions of two new Palaearctic species

A checklist of Chinese Oligaphorurini is given. Two new Chinese species, Micraphorura changbaiensissp. n. and Oligaphorura pseudomontanasp. n., are described from Changbai Mountain Range. Micraphorura changbaiensis sp. n. has the same dorsal pseudocelli formula and number of papillae in Ant. III sensory organ as Micraphorura uralica, but they can be easily distinguished by number of chaetae in Ant. III sensory organ, ventral pseudocelli formula, ventral parapseudocelli formula, number of pseudocelli on subcoxa 1 of legs I-III, dorsal axial chaeta on Abd. V and number of chaetae on tibiotarsi. Oligaphorura pseudomontana sp. n. is very similar to the species Oligaphorura montana having an increased number of pseudocelli on body dorsally, well marked base of antenna with 1 pseudocellus and 3 pseudocelli outside, subcoxa 1 of legs I-III with 1 pseudocellus each, dorsally S-chaetae formula as 11/011/22211 from head to Abd. V, S-microchaeta present on Th. II-III, claw without inner teeth and with 1+1 lateral teeth, and unguiculus with basal lamella; but they can be separated easily by the number of pseudocelli on Abd. V and VI terga, parapseudocelli on the body, number of chaetae on Th. I tergum, and number of chaetae on tibiotarsi. A key to Chinese species of Oligaphorurini is provided in the present paper.     

A new species of Dicranocentrus (Collembola,Entomobryidae) from China with comments on the systematic position of the genus

Dicranocentrus liuae sp. n. is described from the northern subtropical region of China. The new species is most similar to D. wangi Ma & Chen, 2007, but differs from it in the relatively shorter Ant. V, the 1+1 central macrochaetae on Abd. III, the number of chaetae on tenaculum, and the absence of dental spines. The systematic position of Dicranocentrus is also discussed. Present evidence, particularly S-chaetotaxy, indicates that the genus is closer to Heteromurus than to the unscaled species of Orchesella and Orchesellides.     

Two new species of Coecobrya (Collembola,Entomobryidae) from China,with an updated key to the Chinese species of the genus

Two new Coecobrya species, which were newly collected in 2014, are described from China. Coecobrya sanmingensis sp. n. from southeast China (Fujian) is the fourth 1+1 eyed species in the genus; it can be distinguished from other three species by the ciliate chaetae X and X_2-4 on the ventral side of head, the abundant chaetae on the trochanteral organ, a large outer tooth on the unguiculus, the absence of smooth manubrial chaetae, and the dorsal chaetotaxy. Coecobrya qinae sp. n. from southwest China (Yunnan) is characterized by paddle-like S-chaetae of Ant. III organ, ciliate chaetae X, X₂ and X₄ posterior to labium, medial macrochaetae on the mesothorax, and 5+5 central and 2+2 lateral macrochaetae on the fourth abdominal segment. An updated key to the Chinese species of Coecobrya is given.     

A peculiar cave species of Tomocerus (Collembola,Tomoceridae, Tomocerinae) from Vietnam,with a discussion of the postantennal organ and prelabral chaetae in Tomocerinae

The first Tomocerus species with a postantennal organ (PAO) in the adult stage is described from Vietnam. Tomocerus postantennalis sp. n. differs from the other PAO-possessing tomocerid, Tomolonus reductus Mills, 1948, mainly in the morphology of PAO, the number of ocelli, the number of chaetae in trochantero-femoral organ and several features of the furca. The new species is placed in Tomocerus because of the presence of a toothlet on the outer basal mucronal tooth and the absence of the diagnostic character states of Plutomurus Yosii, 1956 and Aphaenomurus Yosii, 1956. Besides the presence of PAO, the new species is peculiar in having six prelabral chaetae, instead of four as in other Tomocerus species. The new species is similar to Tomocerus folsomi Denis, 1929 and Tomocerus ocreatus Denis, 1948 in the type of dental spines but different from them in the body colour, the relative length of antennae to body, the number of unguis inner teeth and the number of mucronal intermediate teeth.     

Revision of ilyphagus chamberlin, 1919 (polychaeta, flabelligeridae)

Ilyphagus Chamberlin, 1919 includes abyssal, fragile benthic species. Most species have large cephalic cages but chaetae are brittle and easily lost which may explain why the original definition included species with a cephalic cage or without it. The type species, Ilyphagus bythincola Chamberlin, 1919, together with another species (Ilyphagus pluto Chamberlin, 1919) were described as lacking a cephalic cage whereas a third species (Ilyphagus ascendens Chamberlin, 1919) was described with one. To clarify this situation, all available type and non-type materials were studied. Ilyphagus is redefined to include species with digitiform bodies, abundant filiform papillae and a thin body wall; their neurochaetae are thick, anchylosed aristate spines, and all species have a cephalic cage (in the type species the presence of a cage is inferred from the remaining chaetal scars). Ilyphagus pluto, which also lacks a a cephalic cage is determined here to be a holothurian. The redefined genus contains Ilyphagus bythincola (incl. Ilyphagus ascendens), Ilyphagus coronatus Monro, 1939, Ilyphagus hirsutus Monro, 1937, and Ilyphagus wyvillei (McIntosh, 1885).     

A new species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Laonice</Emphasis> (Spionidae,Polychaeta, Annelida) from Bellingshausen Sea (West Antarctica)

During the Antarctic summers of 2002–2003 and of 2005–2006, the Spanish BENTART cruises were conducted to the Bellingshausen Sea (Western Antarctica), aiming to study its benthic communities, from depths ranging from 100 to 2,000 m. To achieve it, 30 stations were selected; each one was surveyed in such a way that the infaunal, epifaunal and suprabenthic components of the communities were sufficiently characterized. As a part of the study, some spionid individuals were identified as belonging to a new species of the genus Laonice Malmgren, 1867. The new species belongs to a group within the genus that is characterized by the presence of more than two rows of very numerous capillary chaetae in both noto- and neuropodial fascicles of anterior part of the body. However, it can be readily distinguished from the rest of species within the group by the posterior position in which neuropodial pouches appear (chaetiger 16 or 17) and by the caruncle reaching posteriorly chaetiger 19. In addition, other remarkable features of the new species are the short and triangular occipital tentacle, the rudimentary eyes, the hooded neuropodial hooks first appearing in chaetigers 34–37 and the sabre neurochaetae first occurring in chaetigers 20–27.     

DNA barcoding cannot reliably identify species of the blowfly genus Protocalliphora (Diptera: Calliphoridae)

In DNA barcoding, a short standardized DNA sequence is used to assign unknown individuals to species and aid in the discovery of new species. A fragment of the mitochondrial gene cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 is emerging as the standard barcode region for animals. However, patterns of mitochondrial variability can be confounded by the spread of maternally transmitted bacteria that cosegregate with mitochondria. Here, we investigated the performance of barcoding in a sample comprising 12 species of the blow fly genus Protocalliphora, known to be infected with the endosymbiotic bacteria Wolbachia. We found that the barcoding approach showed very limited success: assignment of unknown individuals to species is impossible for 60% of the species, while using the technique to identify new species would underestimate the species number in the genus by 75%. This very low success of the barcoding approach is due to the non-monophyly of many of the species at the mitochondrial level. We even observed individuals from four different species with identical barcodes, which is, to our knowledge, the most extensive case of mtDNA haplotype sharing yet described. The pattern of Wolbachia infection strongly suggests that the lack of within-species monophyly results from introgressive hybridization associated with Wolbachia infection. Given that Wolbachia is known to infect between 15 and 75% of insect species, we conclude that identification at the species level based on mitochondrial sequence might not be possible for many insects. However, given that Wolbachia-associated mtDNA introgression is probably limited to very closely related species, identification at the genus level should remain possible.     

Phylogenetic reconsideration of Myrmekiaphila systematics with a description of the new trapdoor spider species Myrmekiaphila tigris (Araneae, Mygalomorphae, Cyrtaucheniidae, Euctenizinae) from Auburn, Alabama

The trapdoor spider genus Myrmekiaphila currently comprises 11 nominal species. A recent molecular phylogenetic evaluation of the group identified a number of problems with respect to how species and species groups were delineated by Bond and Platnick in their 2007 taxonomic revision of the genus. We report herein the discovery of a new species, Myrmekiaphila tigrissp. n. The phylogenetic position of the species is evaluated using a molecular phylogenetic approach based on a set of mtDNA markers. Our preferred phylogenetic hypothesis supports the recognition of a new species and further highlights the need to more carefully investigate species boundaries within the genus. These results further indicate that palpal bulb morphology is rapidly evolving and has likely been a contributing factor in rendering a number of species paraphyletic with respect to the molecular data.     

Two new species in the Echinoderes coulli group (Echinoderidae,Cyclorhagida, Kinorhyncha) from the Ryukyu Islands,Japan

Two new species belonging to the Echinoderes coulli group are described with their external morphologies and sequences of nuclear 18S rRNA and 28S rRNA genes, and mitochondrial COI gene. The first species, Echinoderes komatsui sp. n., is characterized by absence of acicular spines, and presence of lateroventral tubules on segments 5 and 8, laterodorsal tubules on segment 10, inverted triangle or wide oval shaped large sieve plates, lateral terminal accessory spines in female, and short tips of ventral pectinate fringe on segment 10. The second species, Echinoderes hwiizaa sp. n., is characterized by absence of acicular spines, and presence of lateroventral tubules on segments 5 and 7–9, midlateral tubules on segment 8, laterodorsal tubules on segment 10, large narrow oval shaped sieve plates on segment 9, and thick, short and blunt lateral terminal spines about 10–15% of trunk length. The diagnostic characters and key to species of E. coulli group are provided as well.     

Two new Megalothorax species of the minimus group (Collembola,Neelidae)

Two new Megalothorax species, Megalothorax potapovi sp. n. from the Russian Far East and Megalothorax sanguineus sp. n. from the French Pyrénées are described. The two new species have a set of morphological characters (including a smooth mucro) that places them among the minimus group sensu Schneider and D’Haese (2013). Megalothorax potapovi characteristics include dorsal protuberance on forehead, peculiar chaetotaxy of antenna III and strong lanceolate chaetae on body. Megalothorax sanguineus characteristics include strong red pigmentation, large network of integumentary channels on head and elongated apex of the two postero-distal spines of dens. The DNA barcodes ( cytochrome oxidase subunit I–COI) of the two species are also provided and analyzed among a broader sampling of the genus in order to support further their specific status. A special focus is given to the labral morphological characteristics. Pseudopores-like elements are reported for the first time in the genus. Positions of the τ-chaetae near the dorsal sensory field of thorax II are compared for several species of the genus.     

The karyotype of three Brazilian Terrarana frogs (Amphibia, Anura) with evidence of a new Barycholos species

A recent substantial rearrangement of the 882 described eleutherodactyline frog species has considerably improved the understanding of their systematics. Nevertheless, many taxonomic aspects of the South American eleutherodactyline species remain unknown and require further investigation using morphological, cytogenetic and molecular approaches. In this work, the karyotypes of the Brazilian species Ischnocnema juipoca (Atibaia and Campos do Jordão, SP), Barycholos cf. ternetzi (Uberlândia, MG, and Porto Nacional, TO), and Pristimantis crepitans (Chapada dos Guimarães and São Vicente, MT) were analyzed using Giemsa staining, Ag-NOR labeling, and C-banding techniques. All individuals had a diploid number of 22 chromosomes, but the Fundamental Numbers were different among species. The herein described low chromosome number of Pristimantis crepitans is unique within this genus, suggesting that cytogenetically this species is not closely related either to its congeneric species or to Ischnocnema. In addition, karyotype differences, mainly in the NOR position, clearly distinguished the two Barycholos populations, besides indicating the existence of a so far undescribed species in this genus. A taxonomic review could clarify the systematic position of P. crepitans and verify the hypothetic new Barycholos species.     

Out of Hawaii: the origin and biogeography of the genus Scaptomyza (Diptera: Drosophilidae)

The Hawaiian Archipelago is the most isolated island system on the planet and has been the subject of evolutionary research for over a century. The largest radiation of species in Hawaii is the Hawaiian Drosophilidae, a group of approximately 1000 species. Dispersal to isolated island systems like Hawaii is rare and the resultant flora and fauna shows high disharmony with mainland communities. The possibility that some lineages may have originated in Hawaii and subsequently 'escaped' to diversify on continental landmasses is expected to be rarer still. We present phylogenetic analysis of 134 partially sequenced mitochondrial genomes of Drosophilidae (approx. 1.3 Mb of sequence total) to address major aspects of adaptive radiation and dispersal in Hawaii. We show that the genus Scaptomyza, a group that accounts for approximately one-third of the species-level diversity of Drosophilidae in the Hawaiian Islands, originated in Hawaii, diversified there, and subsequently colonized a number of island and continental landmasses elsewhere on the globe. We propose that a combination of small body size, rapid generation time and unique ecological and physiological adaptations have allowed this genus to effectively disperse and diversify.     

Systematics of the Monodelphic Species of Trichodoridae (Nematoda: Diphtherophorina) With Descriptions of a New Genus and Four New Species

To show the relationship of the monodelphic species of Trichodoridae with the nominal taxa, the genus Monotrichodorus is redefined, with the addition of one new species. The new genus Allotrichodorus is proposed on the basis of new species found in Brazil; and one new species is described in the genus Paratrichodorus.     

The apid cuckoo bees of the Cape Verde Islands (Hymenoptera, Apidae)

The apid cuckoo bees of the Cape Verde Islands (Republic of Cape Verde) are reviewed and five species recognized, representing two genera. The ammobatine genus Chiasmognathus Engel (Nomadinae: Ammobatini), a specialized lineage of cleptoparasites of nomioidine bees is recorded for the first time. Chiasmognathus batelkaisp. n. is distinguished from mainland African and Asian species. The genus Thyreus Panzer (Apinae: Melectini) is represented by four species - Thyreus denoliisp. n., Thyreus batelkaisp. n., Thyreus schwarzisp. n., and Thyreus aistleitnerisp. n. Previous records of Thyreus scutellaris (Fabricius) from the islands were based on misidentifications.