Sponges from the Permian of Hambast Mountains,south of Abadeh,central Iran

Upper Permian (Murghabian) sponges from the Surmaq Formation exposed in the Hambast Mountains, south of Abadeh, central Iran are described. The sponge fauna of the Surmaq Formation is composed of at least 26 taxa, including 12 species of sphinctozoans, 12 species of inozoans, one operculospongid, and one lithistid species. The following taxa were determined to genus or species level: Sphinctozoa: Family Sebargasiidae: Amblysiphonella hambastensis n. sp., Discosiphonella iranica n. sp., Family Colospongiidae: Colospongia cortexifera Senowbari-Daryan and Rigby, Exaulipora permica (Senowbari-Daryan), Platythalamiella sp. 1, Platythalamiella? sp. 2, Parauvanella minima Senowbari-Daryan, Colospongia? or Neoguadalupia? sp., Family Guadalupiidae: Cystothalamia surmaqensis n. sp., Imbricatocoelia cf. paucipora Rigby, Fan and Zhang, Family Thaumastocoeliidae: Sollasia ostiolata Steinmann, Family Cryptocoeliidae: Stylocoelia circopora Wu. Inozoa: Family Peronidellidae: Preperonidella cf. Preperonidella recta grossa (Wu), Heptatubispongia symmetrica Rigby and Senowbari-Daryan, Hambastella sincassa n. gen., n. sp., Hambastella cumcassa n. sp., Family Maeandrostiidae: Maeandrostia kansasensis Girty, Maeandrostia? dubia n. sp., Surmaqella pustulata n. gen., n. sp., Family Auriculospongiidae: Pseudopalaeoaplysina huayingensis Wang, Qiang and Zhang, Family Disjectoporidae: Disjectopora beipeiensis Fan, Rigby and Zhang, Lichuanopora cf. bancaoensis Fan, Rigby and Zhang, Family Khmeriidae: Imilce newelli Flügel. Lithistida: Family Astylospongiidae: Raanespongia iranica n. sp. Among the sphinctozoans A. hambastensis n. sp. is an extremely abundant species. Among the inozoans the genus Hambastella n. gen., with both species, is the most abundant genus. The genera Disjectopora, Lichuanopora, and Pseudopaleoaplysina, were described as hydrozoans by early workers, but are assigned to the inozoans in this paper. The Upper Permian sponge fauna, as well as the composition of other reef organisms, from the Hambast Mountains in central Iran is different from that of the assemblage in the Lower Permian reefal limestones of Bagh-e Vang from the Shotori Mountians (northeast Iran).     

New genera and species of Neotropical Exosternini (Coleoptera,Histeridae)

We describe the following 8 new genera and 23 new species of Neotropical Exosternini. Conocassis gen. n. (Conocassis minor sp. n. [type species], Conocassis dromedaria sp. n., Conocassis trisulcata sp. n., and Conocassis invaginata sp. n.), Enkyosoma gen. n. (Enkyosoma rockwelli sp. n.), Pluricosta gen. n. (Pluricosta onthophiloides sp. n.), Pyxister gen. n. (Pyxister devorator sp. n. [type species] and Pyxister labralis sp. n.), Chapischema gen. n. (Chapischema doppelganger sp. n.), Scaptorus gen. n. (Scaptorus pyramus sp. n.), Lacrimorpha gen. n. (Lacrimorpha glabra sp. n. [type species], Lacrimorpha balbina sp. n., Lacrimorpha subdepressa sp. n., and Lacrimorpha acuminata sp. n.), Crenulister gen. n. (Crenulister grossus sp. n. [type species], Crenulister explanatus sp. n., Crenulister dentatus sp. n., Crenulister impar sp. n., Crenulister umbrosus sp. n., Crenulister simplex sp. n., Crenulister paucitans sp. n., Crenulister spinipes sp. n., and Crenulister seriatus sp. n.) These all represent highly distinctive and phylogenetically isolated forms, almost invariably known from very few specimens. All but one species have been collected only by passive flight intercept traps, and nothing significant is known about the biology of any of them.     

Diploporaceae (calcareous green algae dasycladales) from the late Visean (Mississippian) of Montagne Noire (southern France)

The Montagne Noire limestones are rich in late Visean (Mississippian) dasycladales and the locality of Cabrières in particular has been famous for over 30 years for the Diploporaceae (metaspondyl dasycladales). New Diploporaceae are described, in order to introduce the necessary nomenclature for future studies. The following new taxa are described: Windsoporella solida, n. sp., W. longirostris n. sp., Cabrieroporinae n. subtrib., Kulikiinae n. subtrib., Borladellinae n. subtrib., Guadiatella heraldica n. sp., Murvielipora n. gen., Murvielipora aretzii n. gen. n. sp., Cabrieroporellopsis n. gen., Cabrieroporellopsis inopinatus n. gen. n. sp. The emended taxa are Windsoporella, W. tulayae, Kulikia and Cabrieropora.     

Review of the millipede family Trichopolydesmidae in the Oriental realm (Diplopoda,Polydesmida), with descriptions of new genera and species

In the Oriental Region, the large, basically Northern Hemisphere family Trichopolydesmidae is shown to currently comprise 18 genera and 43 species. Based mainly on gonopod structure, all of them, as well as the whole family, are (re)diagnosed, including five new genera and seven new species. These new taxa are keyed, also being the first to be described from Indochina in general and from Vietnam in particular: Aporodesmella gen. n., with three species: A. securiformis sp. n. (the type species), A. similis sp. n. and A. tergalis sp. n., as well as the following four monotypic genera: Deharvengius gen. n., with D. bedosae sp. n., Gonatodesmus gen. n., with G. communicans sp. n., Helicodesmus gen. n., with H. anichkini sp. n., and Monstrodesmus gen. n., with M. flagellifer sp. n. In addition, Cocacolaria hauseri Hoffman, 1987, hitherto known only from New Ireland Island, Papua New Guinea, is redescribed based on material from Vanuatu whence it is recorded for the first time. One of the new genera, Gonatodesmus gen. n., provides a kind of transition or evolutionary bridge between Trichopolydesmidae and Opisotretidae, thus reinforcing the assignment of these two families to the single superfamily Trichopolydesmoidea.     

Orthid brachiopods from the Lower and Middle Devonian of northeastern Russia

Brachiopods of the order Orthida from the Lower and Middle Devonian of northeastern Russia: Skenidium diversus Baranov (family Skenidiidae); Datnia gen. nov., with the type species D. asiatica sp. nov. (subfamily Prokopiinae); Janzhinshinia gen. nov., with the type species J. datnensis sp. nov. (subfamily Isorthinae); Cortezorthis chobotchalensis (Alekseeva) (subfamily Cortezorthinae); Elenia gen. nov., with the type species E. gerensis sp. nov. (family Dicoelosiidae); Seimtchania communis (family Seimtchaniidae); Simakovia gen. nov., with the type species S. rara sp. nov. (family Draboviidae); Schizophoria distenta sp. nov., S. grande Baranov, S. striatula (Schlotheim) (family Schizophoriinae); and Hypsomionia sinsera Baranov (family Hypsomioniidae) are described.     

New Aradidae from Ecuador (Hemiptera,Heteroptera, Aradidae)

As an addition to the presently poorly known aradid fauna of Ecuador, 3 new genera and 4 new species are described: Osellaptera setifera gen. n., sp. n.; Kormilevia ecuadoriana sp. n. both belonging to Mezirinae; and Carventinae Cotopaxicoris cruciatus gen. n., sp. n. and Onorecoris piceus gen. n., sp. n. An updated key is provided for all species of the Neotropical genus Kormilevia Usinger & Matsuda, 1959.     

A Remarkable New Family of Jurassic Insects (Neuroptera) with Primitive Wing Venation and Its Phylogenetic Position in Neuropterida

Background

Lacewings (insect order Neuroptera), known in the fossil record since the Early Permian, were most diverse in the Mesozoic. A dramatic variety of forms ranged in that time from large butterfly-like Kalligrammatidae to minute two-winged Dipteromantispidae.

Principal Findings

We describe the intriguing new neuropteran family Parakseneuridae fam. nov. with three new genera and 15 new species from the Middle Jurassic of Daohugou (Inner Mongolia, China) and the Early/Middle Jurassic of Sai-Sagul (Kyrgyzstan): Parakseneura undula gen. et sp. nov., P. albomacula gen. et sp. nov., P. curvivenis gen. et sp. nov., P. nigromacula gen. et sp. nov., P. nigrolinea gen. et sp. nov., P. albadelta gen. et sp. nov., P. cavomaculata gen. et sp. nov., P. inflata gen. et sp. nov., P. metallica gen. et sp. nov., P. emarginata gen. et sp. nov., P. directa gen. et sp. nov., Pseudorapisma jurassicum gen. et sp. nov., P. angustipenne gen. et sp. nov., P. maculatum gen. et sp. nov. (Daohugou); Shuraboneura ovata gen. et sp. nov. (Sai-Sagul). The family comprises large neuropterans with most primitive wing venation in the order indicated by the presence of ScA and AA1+2, and the dichotomous branching of MP, CuA, CuP, AA3+4, AP1+2. The phylogenetic position of Parakseneuridae was investigated using a phylogenetic analysis of morphological scoring for 33 families of extinct and extant Neuropterida combined with DNA sequence data for representatives of all extant families. Parakseneuridae were recovered in a clade with Osmylopsychopidae, Prohemerobiidae, and Ithonidae.

Conclusions/Significance

The presence of the presumed AA1+2 in wings of Parakseneuridae is a unique plesiomorphic condition hitherto unknown in Neuropterida, the clade comprising Neuroptera, Megaloptera, Raphidioptera. The relative uncertainty of phylogenetic position of Parakseneuridae and the majority of other families of Neuroptera reflects deficient paleontological data, especially from critical important periods for the order, earliest Triassic and latest Triassic/earliest Jurassic.     

New cave-dwelling armored spiders (Araneae,Tetrablemmidae) from Southwest China

A new genus and five new species belonging to the family Tetrablemmidae are described from caves in Southwest China, i.e., Sinammaoxycera gen. & sp. n., Singaporemma banxiaoensis sp. n., Singaporemma wulongensis sp. n., Tetrablemma ziyaoensis sp. n. andTetrablemma menglaensis sp. n. The following new combination is proposed: Sinamma sanya (Lin & Li, 2010), comb. n. ex. Shearella Lehtinen, 1981. The relationships of the Sinamma gen. n. with other genera are discussed. Diagnoses and illustrations for all new taxa are given.     

Two new genera and twelve new species of Anthuridea (Crustacea: Isopoda) from off the West Coast of New Zealand

Abstract

From the shelf and upper slope off the West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand, the following new taxa of Isopoda Anthuridea (Crustacea) are described: Kupellonura proberti n. sp. (Hyssuridae); Quantanthura pacifica n. sp., Haliophasma platytelson n. sp. and H. novaezelandiae n. sp. (Anthuridae) Albanthura stenodactyla n. gen. et sp., A. rotunduropus n. sp., Bullowanthura crebrui n. sp., Leptanthura tmncatitelson n. sp., L. exilis n. sp., L. profundicola n. sp., Paranthura longa n. sp., and Psittanthura egregia n. gen. et sp. (Paranthuridae). Most of these are blind, unpigmented species, adapted to life in deep water. Albanthura n. gen. is blind, has a single telsonic statocyst, short flagella of the antennae, a maxilliped with 3 palpal articles, and a triangular carpus on pereopods 4 to 7. Psittanthura n. gen. is also blind, with very unusual, enlarged subchelae of pereopods 1 and 2, a large, rectangular telson with a single statocyst; the maxillipedal palp is composed of 1 large and 1 small, distal article; a mandibular palp is absent.     

New and little known weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea) from the Paleocene of Menat (France)

Two new genera Petropsis gen. n., and Menatorhis gen. n., and two species, Petropsis rostrata gen. et sp. n. (Ithyceridae) and Perapion menatensis sp. n. (Brentidae), are described from the Paleocene of Menat (France). Petropsis rostrata gen. et sp. n. is similar to Cretocar luzzii Gratshev et Zherikhin (2000) but differs from it in the comparatively short ventrites 1 and 2, almost straight and not dilated metatibiae, short precoxal portion of the prosternum, slightly convex elytra and antennae inserted more closely to the middle of the rostrum. Perapion menatensis sp. n. is similar to Perapion antiquum (Gyllenhal, 1833) but differs from it in the straight rostrum, sparser and finer punctures of the pronotum, and somewhat larger body. The families Ithyceridae and Brentidae are recorded for the first time in the Paleocene of Menat. The systematic positions of Balaninus elegans Piton (1940) (type species of Menatorhis gen. n.) and Hipporhinus ventricosus Piton (1940) are discussed.     

Solenoporaceen aus den obertriassischen (Nor) Riffkalken des Taurusgebirges (Antalya-Gebiet, Südtürkei)

From the Upper Triassic (Norian) reef limestones north and west of Antalya (Taurus Mts., Turkey) the red algae (Solenoporaceans)Solenopora undata n. sp.,Parachaetetes clatratus n. sp.,Parachaetetes riedeli n. sp.,Parachaetetes tauricus n. sp., andTauristorea parallela n. gen., n. sp. are described.Tauristorea is characterized by cells orientated parallel to the Substrate (vertically to the growth direction of the alga). InSolenopora undata andParachaetetes clatratus some cavity structures occur, whose function as reproductive organs are discussed.     

Description of new species of the genus Ctenochira Förster, 1855 (hymenoptera,ichneumonidae: Tryphoninae) from the Eurasian Subarctic subzone and Siberia,with remarks on the Ichneumonid fauna of the Chukchi Peninsula

13 new species of Ctenochira (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Tryphoninae) from the Eurasian Subarctic subzone and Siberia are described: C. albosignata sp. n., C. anabar sp. n., C. epipleuralis sp. n., C. gracilicornis sp. n., C. hyperborea sp. n., C. kerzhneri sp. n., C. laticauda sp. n., C. minuta sp. n., C. nigronitens sp. n., C. pallistigma sp. n., C. tixi sp. n., C. trochanterata sp. n., and C. uzon sp. n. A key to the Subarctic and northern Siberian species is given. Quantitative occurrence of different ichneumonid subfamilies in the Subarctic subzone is considered based on analysis of 827 specimens of ichneumonids collected in yellow plates in the Chukchi Autonomous Area in July 2012. Idiobiont (polyphagous) subfamilies (36.5%): Cryptinae, 294 spms. (35.5%); Pimplinae, 8 (1%). Koinobiont parasitoids, 10 subfamilies (63.5%): parasitoids of Symphyta, 313 spms. (37.9%): Tryphoninae, 225 (27.2%); Adelognathinae, 14 (1.7%); Ctenopelmatinae, 59 (7.2%); Campopleginae (Olesicampe; Lathrostizus), 15 (1.8%); parasitoids of Diptera, 169 spms. (20.5%): Diplazontinae, 8 (1%); Orthocentrinae s. l., 161 (19.5%); parasitoids of Lepidoptera, 29 spms. (3.5%): Campopleginae (part), 18 (2.2%) (Campoletis; Hyposoter; Tranosema; Diadegma; etc.); Ichneumoninae, 2 (0.2%); Banchinae, 3 (0.4%) (Glypta; Lissonota); Metopiinae, 6 (0.7%) (Exochus); parasitoids of Coleoptera (0.3%): Tersilochinae, 3 spms. (Barycnemis); hyperparasitoids (1.3%): Mesochorinae, 11 spms.     

Fischreste (Selachii,Actinopterygii) aus der Wealdentonscholle von Lobber Ort (Mönchgut/Rügen/DDR)

A fossil fish fauna from an erratic Wealden clay deposit in the tillitic cliff of Lobber Ort (Isle of Rügen/GDR) is described (Hybodus sp.,Polyacrodus sp.,Lissodus rugianus n. sp.,Lepidotes cf.mantelli Agassiz,Lepidotes sp., Pycnodontiformes fam., gen. et sp. indet). The fauna indicates brackish-fresh water conditions and resembles those from British Purbeck and Wealden deposits and from the Wealden deposits of Hannover. The exceptional environmental features within the depositional area of the NW-European Wealden facies have obviously accelerated speciation processes within the genusLissodus Brough 1935 during the Earliest Cretaceous.     

New Grylloblattida (Insecta) from the Upper Permian and Lower Triassic of European Russia and Kazakhstan

New grylloblattid insects are described from the Upper Permian and Lower Triassic of European Russia and Kazakhstan: Kuplya minutissima gen. et sp. nov. (Tshekardominidae) from the Severodvinian locality Novo-Aleksandrovka (Orenburg Region); Parachauliodites orthopteroides gen. et sp. nov. (Chaulioditidae), Permofossilis commasticatus gen. et sp. nov. (Permotermopsidae), Megakhosarodes tensilis sp. nov. (Megakhosaridae), and Baharellinus dilaceratus sp. nov. (Blattogryllidae) from the Severodvinian locality Isady (Vologda Region); Dvinopedes salariovensis gen. et sp. nov. (Chaulioditidae) from the Vyatkian locality Aristovo (Vologda Region); Klyazmia karasevi gen. et sp. nov. (Chaulioditidae) from the Vyatkian locality Sokovka (Vladimir Region); Megakhosarodes borealis sp. nov. (Megakhosaridae) from the Vyatkian locality Balymotikha (Vladimir Region); Sigmophlebia rugulosa sp. nov. (Tshekardominidae) from the Upper Permian locality Karaungir (East Kazakhstan Province); and Chauliodites kitshmengensis sp. nov. and C. nedubrovensis sp. nov. (Chaulioditidae) from the Induan locality Nedubrovo (Vologda Region).     

New Devonian brachiopods from northeastern Russia

Brachiopods from the Devonian of northeastern Russia are described: Eoprokopia gen. nov., with the type species E. aequalis sp. nov. (subfamily Prokopiinae, order Orthida); Davoustia settedabanica sp. nov. and D. verkhojanica sp. nov. (family Anopliidae, order Chonetida); and Alkhovikovia gen. nov. with the type species A. libera sp. nov. and A. importuna sp. nov. and Tikhyspirifer gen. nov. with the type species T. globosus sp. nov. (subfamily Rhynchospiriferinae, order Spiriferida).     

New beetles (Coleoptera) from the terminal Middle Permian of China

New beetles are described from the Middle Permian (Upper Capitanian) locality Yinping (Anhui Province, China): Linicupes yinpinensis gen. et sp. nov. (Permocupedidae), Taldycupes pingi sp. nov. (Taldycupedidae), Archosyne permiana gen. et sp. nov., Chaocoleus limnebius gen. et sp. nov. (Ademosynidae) and Asiocoleopsis hongi sp. nov. (Asiocoleidae); the type material of Dikerocoleus divisus Lin, 1982 from the same type locality is redescribed. Comparison with beetles from the Permian of European Russia shows that Yinping beetles are similar to Late Severodvinian beetles rather than to Early Severodvinian and Urzhumian ones.     

Sélaciens nouveaux du Crétacé du Texas

Researches undertaken in the Cretaceous of Texas have allowed to collect rich selachian faunas from Albian to Maestrichtian. Some new taxa are described: Microcorax crassus n. gen. n. sp., Pseudocorax granti n. sp., Odontaspis tenuiplicatus n. sp., O. amonensis n. sp., Ptychotrygon mcnultyi n. sp., Ischirhiza texana n. sp.; the genus Pseudohypolophus n. is proposed for the species mcnultyi placed by Thurmond in the genus Hypolophus. Thes faunas reveal to be rather different from the contemporary faunas of Europa.     

New Genera and Higher Taxa of Septate Gregarines (Protozoa,Apicomplexa)*

SYNOPSIS The following new taxa of septate gregarines are established: METAMERIDAE fam. nov. includes genera Metamera Duke, Deutomera Bhatia & Setna, and Cognettia gen. n., the last with the type and only species C. legeri (Cognetti de Martiis); family GREGARINIDAE Labbé includes Degiustia gen. n. with the type and only species D. hyallela (Batten & DeGiusti); Cirrigregarina gen. n., with the type species C. spissa (Henry) and another species, C. kamenote (Hoshide); and Molluskocystis gen. n., with the type and only species M. pterotracheae (Stuart). Family HIRMOCYSTIDAE (Grassé) includes Arachnocystis gen. n., with the type species A. arachnoidea (Devdhar & Gourishankar) and 3 other species A. nitida (Geus), A. oribatidae (Geus), A. scutovertexi (Erhardová). Family ACTINOCEPHALIDAE (Léger), subfamily Actinocephalinae (Léger), includes Chilogregarina gen. n., with the type species C. striata (Léger & Duboscq) and 3 other species C. brasiliensis (Pinto), C. dujardini (Schneider), and C. stella (Léger).