Are Spondylosoma and Staurikosaurus (Santa Maria Formation, Middle-Upper Triassic, Brazil) the oldest saurischian dinosaurs?

Spondylosoma absconditum (Ladinian, Middle Triassic) lacks certain Dinosauriformes-Dinosauria characters (sigmoid curve and epipophyses in neck, distally placed deltopectoral crest on humerus) and those present (accessary hyposphene-hypantra vertebral articulations, three sacral vertebrae, elongate pubis) also occur in the Rauisuchia (Crurotarsi, Suchia, Rauisuchiformes).Spondylosoma is tentatively referred to the Rauisuchidae because, as indicated by the ventrolaterally directed sacral ribs, the ilium was held obliquely (and not vertically as in the Poposauridae).Staurikosaurus pricei (Carnian, Upper Triassic), one of the oldest dinosaurs, possesses autapomorphies of Dinosauriformes, Dinosauria, Saurischia, and Herrerasauridae, but it retains certain plesiomorphic characters (subcircular distal end to tibia, ?proximally placed deltopectoral crest, axially unshortened neural spine to sacral 1, ?scapular spine unreduced distally) not present inHerrerasaurus (Carnian, Ischigualasto Formation, Argentina). However, the femur is more derived in the loss of the trochanteric shelf and reduction of the lesser trochanter (as also occurs in some prosauropods). The two vertebrae sacrum ofStaurikosaurus is a plesiomorphic character for Dinosauria (also in other herrerasaurids, German Upper Triassic prosauropodSellosaurus gracilis — ?males), to which was added either a caudosacral (e.g. Santa Maria prosauropodSaturnalia, Sellosaurus gracilis — ?females) or a dorsosacral (e.g. Ischigualasto theropodEoraptor and prosauropodRiojasaurus). Agrosaurus (Upper Triassic, Durdham Down, England — not Australia) is not a herrerasaurid; it is referred to the prosauropod dinosaurThecodontosaurus antiquus (Upper Triassic, Durdham Down).     

Studies of pacific island plants,XXX. Notes on Fijian Apocynaceae and Asclepiadaceae

In the Apocynaceae the new combinationAlstonia pacifica (Seem.) A. C. Sm. is required. In the Asclepiadaceae the genusGymnema R. Br. is found not to occur in Fiji; for the two Fijian species previously referred to it the new combinationsLeichardtia stenophylla (A. Gray) A. C. Sm. andTylophora subnuda (A. Gray) A. C. Sm. are proposed. The species ofTylophora occurring in the Fijian Region are reviewed and a new Fijian species,T. venulosa, is described.     

A new species of Nicon Kinberg, 1866 (Polychaeta,Nereididae) from Ecuador,Eastern Pacific,with a?key?to?all known?species?of the genus

A new species of Nicon Kinberg, 1866 from the east Pacific coast of Ecuador is described. The new species is characterized by a long, thin dorsal ligule on median and posterior parapodia and infracicular sesquigomph falcigers in the neuropodia. A key to all species of Nicon is provided.     

New nomenclatural combinations in the North American perennial Triticeae (Gramineae)

Recent generic realignments of the perennial grasses of the tribe Triticeae necessitate some new name combinations for North American species. Three new species combinations and three new subspecies combinations are made to accommodate six long-anthered and usually cross-pollinating species ofAgropyron sensu A. S. Hitchcock in the genusElytrigia sensu N. N. Tzvelev. Three new species combinations are made to accommodate three long-anthered and usually cross-pollinating species ofElymus sensu A. S. Hitchcock in the genusLeymus sensu N. N. Tzvelev. A complete listing is given of the North American species and subspecies ofElytrigia andLeymus as I perceive them.     

Archaeotinodes ivanovi sp. nov., a new fossil species of Ecnomidae (Insecta: Trichoptera) from the Baltic amber

Archaeotinodes ivanovi sp. nov., a new species of the fossil genus Archaeotinodes, is described from the Eocene Baltic amber. The new species is generally similar to A. pauper Ulmer, 1912 and A. igneusaper Melnitsky, 2009 from the Baltic amber and to A. reveraverus Melnitsky et Ivanov, 2010 from the Rovno amber.     

Comments on the genus Aphilenia weise in Reitter, 1889 (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Eumolpinae), with a description of a new species from Russia

A review of species of the genus Aphilenia is given. The genera Aphilenia and Atomyria are transferred from the tribe Bromiini to the tribe Nodinini. A new species, Aphilenia astakhovi sp. n. from Russia (Astrakhan Prov.), is described. Aphilenia interrupta var. unicolor Rtt. is upgraded to a species and is transferred to the subgenus Pseudaphilenia Lop. Aphilenia hauseri Wse. is a new synonym of A. unicolor Rtt.; A. inornata Chen is transferred to the genus Chloropterus.     

A new species of Aphis Linnaeus from Guangxi,China (Hemiptera,Aphididae), based on morphological characters and DNA sequences

A new species of the genus Aphis with stridulatory apparatus, Aphis gnetuma Qiao sp. n., feeding on Gnetum parvifolium which is a new host plant record for aphids from Guangxi, China is described. The new species is distinguished by a well-developed median frontal tubercle and body bearing white wax powder in life. The taxonomic position of this new species is supported by analysis results of COI and gnd genes. A key to Aphis species with stridulatory spines on the hind tibiae of apterous viviparous females is provided. The type specimens studied are deposited in the National Zoological Museum of China, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:BBB024DA-8454-4E22-8736-66ED92A3091B.     

Checklist of tortoise beetles (Coleoptera,Chrysomelidae, Cassidinae) from Colombia with new data and description of a new species

A new tortoise beetle species, Cyrtonota abrili, is described from the Antioquia and Caldas departments in Colombia. New faunistic data are provided for 87 species, including 16 new additions to the country’s fauna. A checklist of the known 238 species of tortoise beetles recorded from Colombia is given.     

13-Oxomyricanol,a new [7.0]-metacyclophane from Myrica nagi

A new [7.0]-metacyclophane has been isolated from the root bark of Myrica nagi. On the basis of spectroscopy the constitution of the new compound is proposed to be 13-oxomyricanol.A new [7.0]-metacyclophane has been isolated from the root bark of Myrica nagi. On the basis of spectroscopy the constitution of the new compound is proposed to be 13-oxomyricanol.     

New basal procolophonid reptile from the Katberg formation (Lower Triassic) of the South African Karoo

A new procolophonid reptile, Kitchingnathus untabeni n. gen. et n. sp., is described from the uppermost strata of the Lystrosaurus Assemblage Zone of the Karoo Basin, South Africa. The new taxon co-occurs with the well-known Procolophon trigoniceps. The most distinctive feature of the new taxon is the presence of numerous small bicuspid molariforms in both the maxilla and the dentary. A phylogenetic analysis indicates that Kitchingnathus occupies a basal position among procolophonids. Character optimisation suggests that bicuspid teeth were acquired independently by the new taxon, and originated twice in procolophonid evolution.     

A new species of the Aenictus wroughtonii group (Hymenoptera,Formicidae) from South-East China

A new species of army ant from the Aenictus wroughtonii group is described and illustrated based on the worker caste. Aenictus gutianshanensis Staab, sp. n. is known form a single colony collected in the subtropical mixed evergreen broad-leaved forest of the Gutianshan National Nature Reserve, South-East China. The new species is probably most closely related to A. vieti Jaitrong & Yamane, 2010 known from North Vietnam and Taiwan. It is suggested that the abundant records of A. camposi Wheeler & Chapman, 1925 from East and South-East China should be reevaluated, as they are probably A. gutianshanensis or A. vieti and not A. camposi, which is distributed in Sundaland, the Philippines, and the southernmost part of continental South-East Asia.     

A new species of Socarnes Boeck, 1871 (Crustacea,Amphipoda, Lysianassidae) from Korean waters

A new species of lysianassid amphipod belonging to the genus Socarnes Boeck was collected from Korean coastal waters. This is the first record of the genus Socarnes from Korea. The new species is fully illustrated and extensively compared with related species. A key to Socarnes speciesis provided.     

The ant genus Aenictus from Laos,with description of a new species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Aenictinae)

Ants of the genus Aenictus are recorded from Laos for the first time. Here, we report six species including a new species and a new status: Aenictus binghami Forel, A. cf. dentatus Forel, A. doydeei Jaitrong et Yamane, sp. nov., A. cf. fuchuanensis Zhou, A. hodgsoni Forel, stat. nov., and A. nishimurai Terayama et Kubota. A. doydeei sp. nov. is very probably a nocturnal species.     

Note on brachypterous Stenochiini from China (Coleoptera,Tenebrionidae) with description of a new species

A checklist of 29 brachypterous species in the tenebrionid tribe Stenochiini is given for China and neighboring countries. A new species is described and illustrated under the name of Strongylium liangi sp. n. (CHINA: Yunnan). Also, some new distribution data is provided for S. claudum (Gebien, 1914), and a distribution map of all Strongylium species in the checklist is presented.     

Buellia laurocanariensis,a new species from the Canary Islands

Abstract:A new corticolous species of Buellia is described from La Palma and La Gomera (Canary Islands). It is mainly characterized by its strongly ornamented, (1–2)–3-septate ascospores with apical and septa thickenings, which follow an ascospore-ontogeny of type B, and its chemistry. The new species is compared with the relatedBuellia lauricassiae (Fée) Müll. Arg. and B. lauricassiaeoides Aptroot. Illustrations of the ascospores of B. laurocanariensis and B. lauricassiaeoides are presented. A habit photograph of the new species is also provided.     

A review of the microgastropod genus Systenostoma Bavay & Dautzenberg, 1908 and a new subterranean species from China (Gastropoda,Pulmonata, Hypselostomatidae)

A review of the microgastropod genus Systenostoma is provided. Thai and Malaysian species are transferred to a new genus, Angustopila (type species: Systenostoma tamlod Panha & Burch, 1999). A new subterranean Angustopila species is described here. Conchologically, the new species is most similar to the cave-dwelling, Thai A. tamlod (Panha & Burch, 1999). One Thai species (Systenostoma edentata) is transferred to the genus Hypselostoma. Vietnamese members remain in the genus Tonkinospira (nomen novum) for Systenostoma Bavay & Dautzenberg, 1908 (non Systenostoma Marsson, 1887). A comprehensive map of former Systenostoma species is presented. SEM and NanoCT images, including a video of A. huoyani sp. n. internal shell morphology, provide novel perspectives of the shells of Angustopila and of the scarcely known Vietnamese Tonkinospira species. The biology of these snails is not yet known but collection localities suggest a troglophilic ecology.     

Two new species of the genus Abrus Dai & Zhang, 2002 (Hemiptera,Cicadellidae, Deltocephalinae) from China

Two new species of leafhoppers: Abrus damingshanensis sp. n. (from Guangxi) and A. expansivus sp. n. (from Guizhou) are described and illustrated from China. A map showing the geographic distribution of the two new species is given. Taxonomic notes on species of the genus Abrus is also provided.