A new genus and species of hatschekiid copepod (Siphonostomatoida) from groupers (Actinopterygii: Serranidae) collected off the Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan

A new genus and species of copepod, Mihbaicola sakamakii n. g., n. sp., belonging to the siphonostomatoid family Hatschekiidae, is described based on the females collected from inside the tissue of the branchiostegal membrane in three species of the groupers, Epinephelus fasciatus (Forsskål) (type-host), E. merra Bloch and Cephalopholis leopardus (Lacépède), collected off Okinawa-jima Island and Iriomote-jima Island, Ryukyu Archipelago, North Pacific Ocean. The new genus can be distinguished from other hatschekiid genera by a combination of the following characters in the female: the head is composed of the cephalosome and the pedigerous somite; the cephalothorax is expanded into a pair of posteroventral lobes carrying leg 1; legs 1 and 2 are biramous and composed of the protopod and both rami are 2-segmented; leg 3 is absent; and leg 4 is represented by a rounded lobe with a chitinous pointed apical process.     

Printed in Great Britain Mandobius regalis gen. et sp.n. (Copepoda: Poecilostomatoida: Lichomolgidae) associated with the coral Pectinia lactuca in New Caledonia

A new genus, Mandobius gen.n, containing a new species, M. regalis sp.n., is associated with the coral Pectinia lactuca in New Caledonia. The new copepod differs conspicuously from the allied genus Paramolgus in having only one seta on the first segment of the first antenna, in the formula 1,11,3 for the third segment of the endopodite of leg 1, and in the formula 11,1,5 for the third segment of the exopodite of leg 4.     

A new genus and species of oribatid mites <Emphasis Type="Italic">Scarabacarus longisensillus</Emphasis> gen. et sp. n. (Acariformes,Liacaridae) from the Caucasus

A new genus and species, Scarabacarus longisensillus gen. et sp. n., of the family Liacaridae are described from the Caucasus (Azerbaijan and Abkhazia): The new genus Scarabacarus is characterized by the highly convex body, straight anterior margin of the notogaster, narrow fusiform sensilla, the lamellae situated on the lateral margins of the prodorsum, the absence of interlamellar and notogastral setae (besides one posterior pair), presence of four pairs of genital setae, and tridactylous leg tarsi.     

Copepoda associated with the coral Gardineroseris planulata (Dana) on the Great Barrier Reef,northeastern Australia

Three new lichomolgid copepods associated with the scleractinian Gardineroseris planulata (Dana) are described: Sociellus torus, n. gen., n. sp., characterized by a 2-segmented endopod in leg 3 and the lack of an inner seta on the first segment of the endopod in legs 1–3; Odontomolgus pumilus, n. sp., of very small size and having a much elongated free segment in leg 5 of the female; and Paramolgus ampullaceus, n. sp., distinguished by the bottle-shaped genital segment of the female. In addition, the harpacticoid Alteuthellopsis corallina Humes, 1981, is reported from this coral. With the inclusion of 3 species of the poecilostomatoid genus Xarifia already described (Humes, 1985) there are now 7 species of copepods known to be associated with Gardineroseris planulata on the Great Barrier Reef.     

Gauchergasilus,a new genus for Ergasilus euripedesi Montú, 1980, an abundant parasitic copepod from the Patos Lagoon in southern Brazil

Ergasilus euripedesi is redescribed from newly collected material of both sexes. A new genus, Gauchergasilus, is proposed, with Gauchergasilus euripedesi n. comb., formerly Ergasilus euripedsi Montú, 1980, as its type and only species. The new genus is characterised principally by the five-segmented antennule, the presence of a conspicuous barb on the concave margin of the claw of the antenna, the two-segmented endopod of leg 1 and the reduced fifth leg comprising two setae, one papillate. The male lacks the barb on the antennal claw but its other appendages are similar to those of the female, except for the maxilliped which is absent in females. The affinities of the new genus lie with the Acusicola group of genera.     

Four new Mouse Spider species (Araneae,Mygalomorphae, Actinopodidae,Missulena) from Western Australia

Four new species of the Mouse Spider genus Missulena Walckenaer, 1805 (family Actinopodidae) are described from Western Australia based on morphological features of adult males. Missulena leniae sp. n.(from the Carnarvon and Yalgoo biogeographic regions), Missulena mainae sp. n. (Carnarvon), Missulena melissae sp. n. (Pilbara) and Missulena pinguipes sp. n. (Mallee) represent a broad spectrum of morphological diversity found in this genus and differ from other congeners by details of the male copulatory bulb, colour patterns, eye sizes, leg morphology and leg spination. Two of the species, M. pinguipes sp. n. and M. mainae sp. n., are characterised by swollen metatarsi of the fourth legs in males, a feature not previously recorded in the family. A key to males of all named Missulena species from Australia is presented and allows their identification based on external morphology.     

A new genus and four new species of quill mites (Acari: Prostigmata: Syringophiudae) from phasianid birds (Galuformes: Phasianidae)

A new genus and four new species of the quill mites are described. Galliphilopsis gen. n. (G. francolinus sp. n., type species) differs from the closely related Dissonus Skoracki, 1999 by loss of leg setae dGII, the slightly divergent tips of epimeres I and the stylophore constricted posteriorly. Three new species of the genus Galliphilopsis gen. n. and one new species of the genus Mironovia Chirov and Kravtsova, 1995 are described from galliform birds (Phasianidae) collected at the Museum of Natural History, Wroclaw University (Poland): G. lophurus sp. n. from Lophura leucomelanos, G. bochkovi sp. n. from Tragopan sp. and Alectoris barbara, G. francolinus sp. n. from Francolinus levalliantoides, and Mironovia rouloul sp. n. from Rollulus rouloul.     

Mariapanteles (Hymenoptera, Braconidae), a new genus of Neotropical microgastrine parasitoid wasp discovered through biodiversity inventory

A new genus of microgastrine parasitoid wasps, Mariapanteles Whitfield & Fernández-Triana, gen. n., is described from rain forests of the Neotropics. The new genus is related to the common and speciose genus Pseudapanteles, but can be distinguished from the latter by having a complete transverse carina on the propodeum which forks around the spiracles. A molecular analysis based on data from COI from specimens of the proposed new genus plus possibly related genera confirms its generic distinctness. A key to two known species, Mariapanteles felipei Whitfield, sp. n. (Costa Rica) and Mariapanteles dapkeyae Fernández-Triana, sp. n. (Brazil) is provided. Evidence from collections suggests that there are other undescribed Neotropical congenerics. Specimens of Mariapanteles were likely confused in the past with the genus Beyarslania (referred to as Xenogaster until recently) but present information suggests that Beyarslania is restricted to the Afrotropical region while the Neotropical species clearly belong to a different genus, which we propose as new.     

A new species of Procolobomatus Castro Romero, 1994 (Copepoda: Philichthyidae) endoparasitic in a deepwater longtail red snapper (Actinopterygii: Lutjanidae) off Ishigaki Island, Japan, with records of philichthyid copepods reported from Asian waters

A new species of the Philichthyidae Vogt, 1877 (Copepoda: Poecilostomatoida), Procolobomatus hoi n. sp., is described based on adult female specimens recovered from the cephalic sensory canals of Etelis coruscans Valenciennes (Actinopterygii: Lutjanidae) caught off Ishigaki Island, the Ryukyu Islands, southern Japan. The new species differs from its congeners by having the following combination of characters: a long medial cephalic lobe about one-third the length of the body; an armature of five spines on the distal exopodal segment of leg 2; one long apical seta on the papillose leg 4; a caudal ramus armed with one medial and four terminal setae (two middle setae are inflated); and spinulose ornamentation covering the body. Procolobomatus hoi n. sp. is the first member of the genus reported from the western Pacific Ocean and from a host of the family Lutjanidae. Previous records of philichthyid copepods from Asian waters are also reported.     

Nectonema zealandica n. sp. (Nematomorpha: Nectonematoidea) parasitising the purple rock crab Hemigrapsus edwardsi (Brachyura: Decapoda) in New Zealand,with notes on the prevalence of infection and host defence reactions

A new species of Acusicola is described based on adults of both sexes taken from plankton samples collected in the upper reaches of the Piauí River estuary, in the northeast of Brazil. Ovigerous females were present in the plankton. The new species, Acusicola minuta n. sp., can be distinguished from its congeners by its small body size, female antennal morphology and leg setation. The male described here as A. minuta n. sp. is the first known male attributed to the genus.     

Discopersicus n. gen., a New Member of the Family Tylenchidae ?rley, 1880 with Detailed SEM Study on Two Known Species of the Genus Discotylenchus Siddiqi, 1980 (Nematoda; Tylenchidae) from Iran

Discopersicus iranicus n. gen., n. comb., previously described from Iran as a new species under the genus Discotylenchus, is illustrated using light microscope and scanning electron microscope (SEM) observations and further studied using molecular characters. SEM studies revealed the newly proposed genus has oblique amphidial apertures on the lateral sides of the lip region. SEM images are also provided for two species of Discotylenchus, namely D. discretus and D. brevicaudatus, as the first SEM study of the genus. These results confirmed longitudinal amphidial aperture type on lateral sides of the lip region in genus Discotylenchus, as noted by Siddiqi while erecting the genus with D. discretus as the type species. Molecular phylogenetic analyses using partial small subunit (SSU) and large subunit (LSU) rDNA sequences revealed the affinity of the genus Discopersicus n. gen. with members of the subfamily Boleodorinae, as supported by morphological characters (mainly, the oblique amphidial opening).     

A new genus of Chifengiinae (Orthoptera: Ensifera: Prophalangopsidae) from the Middle Jurassic (Jiulongshan Formation) of Inner Mongolia,China

The Middle Jurassic Ashangopsis daohugouensis, gen. et sp. n., of the prophalangopsid subfamily Chifengiinae is described based on two well-preserved specimens collected from the fossil locality near Daohugou at Ningcheng County, Inner Mongolia, Northeast China. The new genus is characterized by the particular shape of its pronotum, its hind leg, and stridulatory veins that only concern the cubital area but not the anal area, unlike in other Chifengiinae.     

A new species of Pseudomacrochiron Reddiah, 1969 (Crustacea: Copepoda: Macrochironidae) associated with scyphistomae of the moon jellyfish Aurelia sp. (Cnidaria: Scyphozoa) off Japan

A new species of the Macrochironidae Humes & Boxshall, 1996 (Copepoda: Cyclopoida), Pseudomacrochiron aureliae n. sp., is described based on adult specimens extracted from the gastrovacular cavity of the scyphistomae of Aurelia sp. (Cnidaria: Scyphozoa) collected in the Seto Inland Sea and Ise Bay off the coast of Japan. The new species differs from its congeners by having the following combination of characters: a caudal ramus with a length to width ratio of 3.1; an accessory flagellum on caudal setae II, III and VI; three apical setae on the maxillule; only setae I and II on the maxillary basis; two short spines on the female maxilliped claw (endopod); an armature of III, I, 4 on the terminal exopodal segment of leg 3; an armature of I, II, 2 on the terminal endopodal segment of leg 3; an armature of II, I, 4 on the terminal exopodal segment of leg 4; and a short free exopodal segment of leg 5 (length to width ratio of 1.4) armed with a long seta and short spine. P. aureliae n. sp. is the first member of the genus reported from off Japan and from the scyphistomae of its scyphozoan host.     

Revision of the Nearctic species of the genus Stiropius Cameron (=Bucculatriplex Auct.) with the description of a new related genus (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

Abstract. The New World rogadine genus Stiropius Cameron is revised for the Nearctic region and a new related genus from the Americas, Viridipyge , is decribed. Bucculatriplex Viereck is found to be a junior subjective synonym of Stiropius Cameron. Three Nearctic species are recognized: S.bucculatricis (Ashmead) comb.n., S.californicus sp.n. and S.wagneri sp.n. A single Nearctic specis of Viridipyge is described as new: V.prunicola , and a Neotropical species, V.letifer (Mann) comb.n., is found to be congeneric. The biology and systematic relationships of both genera are discussed; the two genera appear to represent a relatively basal branch of the Rogadini lineage.     

A revision of the genus Monstrillopsis Sars (Crustacea: Copepoda: Monstrilloida) with description of a new species from Chile

In the course of a comparative analysis of the species included in the copepod genus Monstrillopsis Sars, a new species of the genus was discovered. The new species, Monstrillopsis chilensis n. sp., was found in a plankton sample collected in coastal waters off central Chile in the Southeastern Pacific. The adult female is similar to females of the type species M. dubia Scott and related forms but differs from its congeners by a combination of characters including: (1) a pair of small cephalic processes present between bases of antennules; (2) deep corrugations present on proximo-lateral surface of fifth pedigerous somite; (3) exopodal lobe of fifth leg not distally elongated; and (4) endopodal lobe of fifth legs short. This is the first record of the genus in the Southeastern Pacific and the second record of any monstrilloid in Chile. A comparative analysis of the species assigned to Monstrillopsis allowed a clarification of the generic characters and limits. The most important apomorphic characters in the genus are the presence of four caudal setae and modifications of the male antennule; other potentially useful characters are the pattern of antennule segmentation and the uniform presence of a reduced inner lobe of the fifth leg. The female of Monstrilla reticulata Davis should be retained in Monstrilla, but the purportedly conspecific male is probably a Monstrillopsis. Monstrillopsis ciqroi Suárez-Morales and M. angustipes Isaac should be transferred to Monstrilla. Haemocera filogranarum Malaquin is probably a species of Monstrillopsis. Monstrillopsis zernowi is tentatively retained in this genus as an aberrant form. A key for the identification of the species of this genus is included.     

Three new species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Hatschekia</Emphasis> Poche, 1902 (Copepoda: Siphonostomatoida: Hatschekiidae) parasitic on <Emphasis Type="Italic">Abalistes filamentosus</Emphasis> (Pisces: Tetraodontiformes: Balistidae) from off Okinawa,Japan

Three new species of the copepod genus Hatschekia Poche, 1902, H. lima n. sp., H. cylindrus n. sp. and H. sunaoi n. sp., are described from the gill filaments of a triggerfish, Abalistes filamentosus Matsuura & Yoshino, caught off the Ryukyu Islands, Okinawa, Japan. These new species share an unusual morphological character, i.e. four stout posterior spines on the intercoxal sclerites of legs 1 and 2. H. lima n. sp. differs from its congeners in having a robust inner lobe on the maxillule and leg 3 with a swollen basal lobe. H. cylindrus n. sp. is distinguishable from its congeners by having a cephalothorax fused to the trunk and a double-semicircular chitinous frame. H. sunaoi n. sp. is characterised by leg 3 with a swollen basal lobe and an oval cephalothorax.     

Six new Richtersia species (Nematoda, Selachinematidae) from the Mediterranean Sea

Six new species of the genus Richtersia Steiner, 1916 are described from the Mediterranean Sea: R. bathyalis sp.n., R. spinosa sp.n., R. heipi sp.n., R. mediterranea sp.n., R. staresensis sp.n. and R. coomansi sp.n. Some morphological adaptations of R. bathyalis, R. spinosa and R. heipi are discussed in relation to their small body size. The structure of the stomatal region, labial region and spicules is described in detail and probably holds for the entire genus.     

New genus, new species of Cestoda (Anoplocephalidae), new species of Nematoda (Cosmocercidae) and other helminths in Cyrtodactylus louisiadensis (Sauria: Gekkonidae) from Papua New Guinea

Gekkotaenia novaeguineaensis n. gen., n. sp. (Cestoda: Anoplocephalidae) from the small intestine and Cosmocerca zugi n. sp. (Nematoda: Cosmocercidae) from the large intestine of the ring-tailed gecko, Cyrtodactylus louisiadensis (Sauria: Gekkonidae) are described and illustrated. Gekkotaenia novaeguineaensis n. gen., n. sp. is unique among the acraspedote Linstowiinae in possessing a poral female reproductory system. Cosmocerca zugi n. sp. is the 22nd species to be assigned to the genus and differs from other species in the genus by possessing 4 pairs of rosette papillae on plectanes and having a gubernaculum longer than the spicules. It is the fifth species to be described from the Australian biogeographical region. Eight additional helminth species were found: the digenean, Allopharynx macallisteri; 2 cestodes, cysticercoids of Cyclophyllidea gen. sp. and tetrathyridia of Mesocestoides sp.; 5 nematodes, larvae in cysts of Abbreviata sp., Aplectana macintoshii, Oswaldocruzia bakeri, Parapharyngodon maplestonei, and an undescribed species of Physalopteroides. Cyrtodactylus louisiadensis represents a new host record for each of these helminths.