Taxonomic remarks about Semiclivina (Kult, 1947) new status, with description of Uroclivina subgen. n., and of two new species from South America (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Scaritinae, Clivinini)

The subgenus Semiclivina Kult, 1947 of Clivina Latreille, 1802 (sensu lato) has been re-ranked as a genus, with the most readily observed feature being the stridulation organ of the proepisterna and front femora. A group of species within Semiclivina is characterized by a peculiar acute tubercle at the posterior margin of the eye, which corresponds to an equally noticeable incision of the anterior margin of the pronotum. This group is considered as monophyletic and placed as such in the subgen. n.Uroclivina. The species Semiclivina (Uroclivina) bergerisp. n. from Argentina and southern Brazil and Semiclivina (Uroclivina) schmidisp. n. from French Guyana are described. The following additional species are included in Uroclivina: Clivina urophthalmoides (Kult, 1947) new combination, Clivina urophthalma (Putzeys, 1863) new combination, and Clivina oxyomma (Putzeys, 1868) new combination. The two subgenera of Semiclivina Kult, and the current five species of Uroclivina are differentiated in a key.     

Epiphytic lichen diversity and its dependence on bark chemistry in the northern Mongolian dark taiga

Epiphytic lichen diversity was studied in a dark taiga forest of Pinus sibirica, Abies sibirica and Picea obovata in the western Khentey Mountains, northern Mongolia. Though most lichen species occurred on all three tree species, lichen diversity was higher on Abies and Picea than on Pinus. On branches, lichen vegetation differed less between tree species than on the trunk. The occurrence of many Parmeliaceae species with a hydrophilic surface and of many species producing the dibenzofuran usnic acid gives evidence of the low deposition of acidic pollutants in the study area. The Mn content of bark, which is known to limit at high values the abundance of epiphytic lichens in coniferous forests of Europe and North America, is apparently not controlling the spatial distribution of epiphytic lichens in the dark taiga of Mongolia. This is attributed to the dry and cold winters in Mongolia, as high Mn is especially leached from the surface of trees under moist conditions at temperatures around the freezing point, when the contact between water droplets and the tree surface is particularly intensive. Such moist and cold weather conditions are frequent in most parts of the northern coniferous forests of Europe and North America, but are rare events in the most continental parts of Asia, i.e. in Mongolia and eastern Siberia.     

Description of two new species of Clivina Latreille (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Clivinini) from southeastern United States

Two new species of the genus Clivina Latreille are described. One, Clivina choatei Bousquet & Skelley, belongs to the nominotypical subgenus and is known from six specimens collected in northern Florida. The species is structurally similar to Clivina myops Bousquet, known only from the holotype found in North Carolina, but differs among others by its smaller size and wider elytral striae. The second species, Clivina alabama Bousquet, belongs to the subgenus Antroforceps Barr and is known from two specimens collected in north-central Alabama. The species is structurally most similar to Clivina sasajii Ball, known only from Latimer County in Oklahoma, but differs among others in the absence of eyes and in having the pronotum and elytra proportionally wider.     

Review of the genus Tylopus Jeekel, 1968, with descriptions of five new species from Thailand (Diplopoda, Polydesmida, Paradoxosomatidae)

The genus Tylopus currently contains 41 species, all keyed and mapped, including five new from northern Thailand: Tylopus bispinosussp. n., Tylopus grandissp. n., Tylopus extremussp. n., Tylopus veligersp. n. and Tylopus parajeekelisp. n. Species of Tylopus are predominantly forest-dwellers, especially in montane habitats where up to 9-10 species can coexist per faunule. We expect many more congeners to be discovered in future, in particular from poorly or relatively poorly prospected regions such as Laos (only two species recorded), Cambodia (no species yet), Vietnam (a few species), Myanmar (a few species) and southern China (one species only). Because the genus is so species-rich and as yet so poorly sampled, a phylogenetic analysis of Tylopus would be premature.     

A new species of Megoura (Hemiptera,Aphididae) from Japan

A new species of the genus Megoura, M. lathyricola sp. n., was collected from Lathyrus japonicus subsp. japonicus (Leguminosae) in seashore areas of northern and southern Japan. This species is described and illustrated, and a revised key to the identification of the world species of Megoura is presented.     

Redefinition of the genus Allonychiurus Yoshii, 1995 (Collembola, Onychiuridae) with description of a new species from China

In this paper, we describe a new species of the genus Allonychiurus Yoshii, 1995, characterized by the presence of an apical swelling on the fourth antennal segment as well as a combination of chaetotaxic and pseudocellar characters. The genus Allonychiurus is redefined. Four of its species are considered as incertae sedis: Allonychiurus michelbacheri (Bagnall, 1948), Allonychiurus spinosus (Bagnall, 1949), Allonychiurus caprariae (Dallai, 1969) and Allonychiurus sensitivus (Handschin, 1928). The three species Allonychiurus borensis (Beruete, Arbea & Jordana, 1994), Allonychiurus sensilatus (Thibaud & Massoud, 1979) and Allonychiurus vandeli (Cassagnau, 1960) are removed from Allonychiurus and placed in Micronychiurus Bagnall, 1949, Thalassaphorura Bagnall, 1949 and Spinonychiurus Weiner, 1996 respectively. The synonymy of Thibaudichiurus Weiner, 1996 with Allonychiurus is rejected and Allonychiurus foliatus (Rusek, 1967) and Allonychiurus mariangeae (Thibaud & Lee, 1994) are re-allocated to Thibaudichiurus. List and identification key to the world species of the genus are given.     

Taxonomic revision of the East Asian genus Scleropteroides Colonnelli, 1979 (Coleoptera,Curculionidae, Ceutorhynchinae)

The genus Scleropteroides Colonnelli, 1979 (Ceutorhynchinae: Scleropterini) was revised on the basis of detailed morphological observations. The genus was redefined to include three species from East Asia: S. hypocrita (Hustache, 1916) is redescribed and recorded from northeastern China and northern Korea for the first time; S. horridulus (Voss, 1958) is redescribed with new records from southern Korea; S. insularis Voss, 1971 was moved from synonymy with S. hypocrita to that with S. horridulus (syn. n.), and S. longiprocessus Huang & Yoshitake, sp. n. is described as new, sympatric with S. hypocrita in Japan. All the species are associated with woody Rubus species (Rosaceae). A key to species, habitus photographs, illustrations of important characters, and distribution maps are provided for each species.     

A revision of the genus Mecistostethus Marseul (Histeridae, Histerinae, Exosternini)

We revise the genus Mecistostethus Marseul, sinking the monotypic genus Tarsilister Bruch as a junior synonym. Mecistostethus contains six valid species: Mecistostethus pilifer Marseul, Mecistostethus loretoensis (Bruch), comb. n., Mecistostethus seagorumsp. n., Mecistostethus carltonisp. n., Mecistostethus marseulisp. n., and Mecistostethus flechtmannisp. n. The few existing records show the genus to be widespread in tropical and subtropical South America, from northern Argentina to western Amazonian Ecuador and French Guiana. Only a single host record associates one species with the ant Pachycondyla striata Smith (Formicidae: Ponerinae), but it is possible that related ants host all the species.     

New species, new records and new morphological characters of the genus Tillicera Spinola from China (Coleoptera, Cleridae, Clerinae)

Two new species of the genus Tillicera Spinola, 1841 from China are described and illustrated: Tillicera sensibilissp. n. from Yunnan (also from Myanmar, Thailand and Laos) and Tillicera weniisp. n. from Taiwan. Tillicera bibalteata Gorham, 1892, Tillicera hirsuta (Pic, 1926) and Tillicera michaeli Gerstmeier & Bernhard, 2010 are newly recorded from China. Tillicera auratofasciata (Pic, 1927) is newly recorded in some provinces of China. A key to species of the genus from China is provided. Relationships between species are discussed with emphasis on characters of male phallus, female internal reproductive organs and pit-like sensilla in male terminal antennomere, which is discovered in Tillicera for the first time. The present generic definition of Tillicera is discussed as well. Photos of terminalia of the previously known species are also provided for comparison.     

Taxonomy of the Nacerdes (Xanthochroa) carniolica species-group from China (Coleoptera,Oedemeridae, Nacerdini)

This paper deals with a species-group carniolica of the genus Nacerdes from China. This species-group has seven known species/subspecies in the world and two of them are known from China. Nacerdes (Xanthochroa) arcuata sp. n. is a new species belonging to carniolica group. The species were collected from Anhui (Eastern China, 30°02''17.37"N, 118°50''1.72"E). A key to the species of the species-group from China is given along with a distribution map.     

Taxonomic study of the genus Prorophora Ragonot, 1887 (Lepidoptera, Pyralidae, Phycitinae) in China, with description of a new species

The genus Prorophora Ragonot, 1887 is newly recorded for China. Of the three species treated here, Prorophora (Reisserempista) binacanthasp. n. is described as new; Prorophora (Prorophora) albidogilvella Roesler, 1970 and Prorophora (Reisserempista) mongolica Roesler, 1970 are diagnosed and newly recorded for China. Images of adults and illustrations of genital structures are provided, along with a key to the known species.     

Fertile organs and in situ spores of a new dipteridaceous fern Hausmannia sinensis from the Jurassic of northern China

As a representative fossil member of the dipteridaceous fern, genus Hausmannia was reported worldwide from the Mesozoic strata; however, little is known about the fertile structures, including sporangia and in situ spores, of this genus. In this study, a new species Hausmannia sinensis was identified from the Middle Jurassic of Nei Mongol (Inner Mongolia), northern China. The specimens are compressions and are well preserved with details of sporangia and in situ spores. The leaf laminae are broadly fan-shaped, with an almost entire margin. Primary and lateral veins dichotomously branch to form square or polygonal meshes. Each ultimate mesh bears one to two circular sori of 0.4 mm in diameter. Sori are exindusiate; each sorus contains three to six round to ovoid sporangia. The annulus is developed and oblique, with stomial region present in proximal position. Spores are trilete, circular to oval in shape. Both proximal and distal surfaces are covered with baculate to subverrucate sculptures. Spores range from 20 to 30 μm in diameter (average 28 μm), and are comparable to the dispersed genera Baculatisporites Thomas and Pflug and Apiculatisporis Potonié and Kremp. Hausmannia sinensis represents the first compression species of genus Hausmannia form Eurasia, which shows the combination of well-preserved sori, sporangia, annuli and in situ spore characters, and is therefore helpful for further understanding the diversity and evolution of the Dipteridaceae fern lineage through time.     

Revision of the genus Hemisaprinus Kryzhanovskij, 1976 (Coleoptera,Histeridae, Saprininae)

The monophyletic genus Hemisaprinus Kryzhanovskij in Kryzhanovskij & Reichardt, 1976 is revised herein. All three species Hemisaprinus subvirescens (Ménétries, 1832), H. lutshniki (Reichardt, 1941) and H. cyprius (Dahlgren, 1981) are found to be correctly assigned to the genus and their monophyly is supported by the synapomorphy of the presence of prosternal foveae. The three species are re-described and supplemented with colour photographs as well as SEM micrographs outlining their differences. Male genitalia drawing of H. subvirescens and H. lutshniki are provided and a key to the species is given. Hemisaprinus subvirescens (Ménétries, 1832) is newly reported from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Jordan, Cyprus and Mongolia. The lectotypes and paralectotypes of the following species are designated herein: Saprinus foveisternus Schmidt, 1884, Saprinus syriacus Marseul, 1855 and Saprinus viridulus Marseul, 1855.     

New Palaearctic species of the tribe Thalassaphorurini Pomorski, 1998 (Collembola, Onychiuridae)

The paper is devoted to a taxonomic revision of the genus Sensillonychiurus Pomorski & Sveenkova, 2006. Five new species of this genus, i.e. Sensillonychiurus mirussp. n., Sensillonychiurus taimyrensissp. n., Sensillonychiurus vegaesp. n., Sensillonychiurus vitimicussp. n., and Sensillonychiurus amuricussp. n., as well as three new species of the related genus Allonychiurus Yoshii, 1995, i.e. Allonychiurus subvolinensissp. n., Allonychiurus elikoniussp. n., and Allonychiurus unisetosussp. n. are being described from various regions of Eurasia. The diagnoses of both genera are amended to include described species. Two genera, Tantulonychiurus Pomorski, 1996 and Thibaudichiurus Weiner, 1996, are treated as junior synonyms of the genus Allonychiurus. Agraphorura eisi (Rusek, 1976) is transferred to Sensillonychiurus; Tantulonychiurus volinensis (Szeptycki, 1964) and Tantulonychiurus asiaticus Babenko, 2007 to Allonychiurus. A review of morphological peculiarities of Sensillonychiurus is performed, comparisons with the other genera of Thalassaphorurini given, and a key to the known species provided.     

Revision of the Southeast Asian millipede genus Orthomorpha Bollman, 1893, with the proposal of a new genus (Diplopoda, Polydesmida, Paradoxosomatidae)

The large genus Orthomorpha is rediagnosed and is shown to currently comprise 51 identifiable species ranging from northern Myanmar and Thailand in the Northwest to Lombok Island, Indonesia in the Southeast. Of them, 20 species have been revised and/or abundantly illustrated, based on a restudy of mostly type material; further 12 species are described as new: Orthomorpha atypicasp. n., Orthomorpha communissp. n., Orthomorpha isarankuraisp. n., Orthomorpha picturatasp. n., Orthomorpha similanensissp. n., Orthomorpha suberectasp. n., Orthomorpha tuberculiferasp. n.,Orthomorpha subtuberculiferasp. n. and Orthomorpha latitergasp. n., all from Thailand, as well as Orthomorpha elevatasp. n.,Orthomorpha spiniformissp. n. and Orthomorpha subelevatasp. n., from northern Malaysia. The type-species Orthomorpha beaumontii (Le Guillou, 1841) is redescribed in due detail from male material as well, actually being a senior subjective synonym of Orthomorpha spinala (Attems, 1932), syn. n. Two additional new synonymies are proposed: Orthomorpha rotundicollis (Attems, 1937) = Orthomorpha tuberculata (Attems, 1937), syn. n., and Orthomorpha butteli Carl, 1922 = Orthomorpha consocius Chamberlin, 1945, syn. n., the valid names to the left. All species have been keyed and all new and some especially widespread species have been mapped. Further six species, including two revised from type material, are still to be considered dubious, mostly because their paraterga appear to be too narrow to represent Orthomorpha species. A new genus, Orthomorphoidesgen. n., diagnosed versus Orthomorpha through only moderately well developed paraterga, coupled with a poorly bi- or trifid gonopod tip, with at least some of its apical prongs being short spines, is erected for two species: Orthomorpha setosus (Attems, 1937), the type-species, which is also revised from type material, and Orthomorpha exaratus (Attems, 1953), both comb. n. ex Orthomorpha.     

Review of the genus Merulempista Roesler, 1967 (Lepidoptera, Pyralidae) from China, with description of two new species

The genus Merulempista Roesler, 1967 is reviewed for China. Of the four species treated in this paper, Merulempista rubriptera Li & Ren, sp. n. and Merulempista digitata Li & Ren, sp. n. are described as new; Merulempista cyclogramma (Hampson, 1896) is newly recorded for China, and its taxonomic position is briefly discussed. Photographs of the adults and genitalia are provided, along with a key to the known Chinese species.     

Taxonomic revision of Ectyphus Gerstaecker, 1868 and Parectyphus Hesse, 1972 with a key to world Ectyphinae (Insecta, Diptera, Mydidae)

The Afrotropical Mydidae genera Ectyphus Gerstaecker, 1868 and Parectyphus Hesse, 1972 are revised. Six species of Ectyphus are recognised (Ectyphus abdominalis Bezzi, 1924, Ectyphus armipes Bezzi, 1924, Ectyphus capillatus Hesse, 1969, Ectyphus pinguis Gerstaecker, 1868, and Ectyphus pretoriensis Bezzi, 1924), of which one is newly described from Kenya, Ectyphus amboselisp. n. Two species, Ectyphus bitaeniatus Hesse, 1969 and Ectyphus flavidorsalis Hesse, 1969, are newly synonymised with Ectyphus pinguis. The monotypic genus Parectyphus Hesse, 1972 and the male of its type species Parectyphus namibiensis Hesse, 1972 are re-described while the female is described for the first time. Comments on the distribution of all species within biodiversity hotspots are given. A dichotomous identification key to the genera and species of world Ectyphinae is provided and illustrated keys to the world Ectyphinae are made available online in both dichotomous and multi-access, matrix-based formats.