A revision of the scale insect genera Etiennea and Platysaissetia (Homoptera: Coccidae) with particular reference to Africa

Abstract. From a study of P.castilloae (Cockerell), the type species of Platysaissetia Cockerell, it is considered that none of the other species presently placed in Platysaissetia are congeneric. All known species from Africa (and one from British Guiana) are redescribed and are here transferred to the genus Etiennea Matile-Ferrero; one species is synonymized and twelve species are described as new. Lectotypes have been designated for Etiennea kellyi (Brain) and E.montrichardiae (Newstead). Although not considered to be congeneric with P.castilloae, P.tsaratananae Mamet and P.crustuliforme (Green) are left in Platysaissetia.     

Mastigopterus imperator Smith and Radcliffe, 1913, a senior synonym of M. praetor Smith and Radcliffe, 1913 (Ophidiidae, Ophidiiformes)

 A rare deep-sea ophidiid genus Mastigopterus known to contain two species, M. imperator Smith and Radcliffe, 1913 and M. praetor Smith and Radcliffe, 1913, was reviewed on the basis of six specimens including the holotypes of both species. Dorsal and anal fin ray counts and the size of cephalic sensory pores previously thought to be diagnostic characteristics to discriminate the two species did not suggest the presence of two forms, the large (M. imperator) and the small species (M. praetor), in the genus. Apparently the genus is represented by a single species, M. imperator, known from off Madagascar, the East and South China Seas and Papua New Guinea. Received: September 7, 1999 / Revised: July 9, 2001 / Accepted: November 13, 2001     

A review of the systematic position of the North American species of the genusGlyptotendipes

The systematic position of the North American species of the genusGlyptotendipes is reviewed using morphological characters from all life history stages. The cladistic analysis revealed adult characters which support the monophyly of the three species groups (A, B and C) of PINDER and REISS (1983, 1986) for pupae and larvae. These species groups are given formal subgeneric status, with Group A becomingGlytotendipes, s.s., placingPhytotendipes Goetghebuer, 1937 in synonymy, Group B is namedCaulochironomus (type-species,Tendipes caulicola Kieffer, 1913) and Group C is namedTrichotendipes (type-species,Tendipes signatus Kieffer, 1911).     

Les Abeilles de Martinique (Antilles françaises) et leurs relations avec la flore butinée (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Megachilidae,Apidae)

Checklist of bees from Martinique (French West Indies) and their relations with visited flowers (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Megachilidae, Apidae). An annotated checklist of the bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Anthophila) of Martinique, Lesser Antilles is presented. The bee fauna is constituted by 14 species: one endemic; five known only from the Insular Caribbean; four that occur both on mainland and the West Indies and three adventive species to the West Indies. Seven species are new island records: Megachile (Eutricharaea) concinna Smith 1879, Megachile (Pseudocentron) vitraci Pérez 1884, Centris (Hemisiella) barbadensis Cockerell 1939, Centris (Centris) decolorata Lepeletier 1841, Centris (Centris) versicolor (Fabricius 1775), Exomalopsis (Exomalopsis) analis Spinola 1853 and Exomalopsis (Exomalopsis) similis (Cresson 1865). The list is arranged with data from literature and field researches carried out by the junior author between 2006 and 2014. A list of the visited flowers along with ecological notes for each species is also given.     

Taxonomy and biogeography of Australian species of the Ropalidia stigma group and R. variegata group (Hymenoptera: Vespidae)

The taxonomy of the Australian species of two Ropalidia species groups, the R. stigma group and R. variegata group, is revised and their distribution patterns are discussed. Two species in the R. stigma group (R. darwini and R. elegantula), and four species in the R. variegata group (R. flavinoda, R. gregaria, R. mutabilis and R. revolutionalis) are recognized in Australia, with a new synonymy of R. mutabilis torresiana Richards, 1978, under R. gregaria (de Saussure, 1854). Icaria torrida Smith, 1863, from Seram Island is synonymized with R. unicolor (Smith, 1859).     

Revision and cladistic analysis of Isoctenus and description of a new neotropical genus (Araneae,Ctenidae, Cteninae)

A cladistic analysis was applied to test the monophyly of the genus Isoctenus. The data matrix comprised 28 taxa scored for 53 morphological and two behavioural characters. The analysis resulted in two equally parsimonious trees of 89 steps. The strict consensus was used to discuss the relationships of Isoctenus and related Cteninae genera. Ctenopsis Schmidt is synonymized with Isoctenus. Isoctenus foliifer Bertkau, I. strandi Mello‐Leitão, I. eupalaestrus Mello‐Leitão, I. janeirus (Walckenaer), I. coxalis (Pickard‐Cambridge), I. corymbus Polotow, Brescovit & Pellegatti‐Franco and I. malabaris Polotow, Brescovit & Ott are maintained in Isoctenus. Four species currently included in Ctenus are transferred to Isoctenus: I. griseolus (Mello‐Leitão) comb. nov., I. taperae (Mello‐Leitão) comb. nov., I. herteli (Mello‐Leitão) comb. nov. and I. minusculus (Keyserling) comb. nov. The following specific names are synonymized: Ctenus sanguineus Walckenaer, C. semiornatus Mello‐Leitão and Ctenopsis stellata Schmidt with Isoctenus janeirus (Walckenaer), Ctenus mourei Mello‐Leitão with Isoctenus herteli (Mello‐Leitão) and Ctenus pauper Mello‐Leitão with Isoctenus strandi Mello‐Leitão. Isoctenus sigma Schenkel, described from French Guiana, is transferred to Ctenus. Four species are newly described: Isoctenus areia sp. nov. from Paraíba, Brazil, I. charada sp. nov. and I. segredo sp. nov. from Paraná, Brazil, and I. ordinario sp. nov. from south and south‐eastern Brazil and north‐eastern Argentina. Isoctenus latevittatus Caporiacco is considered species inquirenda. Parabatinga gen. nov. is proposed to include Ctenus brevipes Keyserling. The following synonymies are established: Ctenus taeniatus Keyserling, C. tatarandensis Tullgren, C. anisitsi Strand, C. atrivulvus Strand, C. mentor Strand, C. brevipes brevilabris Strand, Isoctenus masculus Mello‐Leitão and Ctenus birabeni Mello‐Leitão with Parabatinga brevipes (Keyserling) comb. nov. © 2009 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2009, 155 , 583–614.     

Revision of the orchid bee subgenus Euglossella (Hymenoptera, Apidae), Part I, The decorata species group

Euglossella, one of the most distinctive subgenera of orchid bees of the genus Euglossa, is composed of two characteristic assemblages of species, one of them comprising bees bearing the strongly metallic integument trademark of the genus (viridis species group), and the other consisting of bees with a brown integument shaded with metallic iridescence (decorata species group). Here we provide the first of two parts of a revision of Euglossella, providing diagnostic definitions for the subgenus, the decorata species group, and all the species included therein. Six species are included in the decorata group, one new: Euglossa (Euglossella) aurantia, sp. n.; Euglossa (Euglossella) apiformis Schrottky, resurrected status; Euglossa (Euglossella) decorata Smith, revised status; Euglossa (Euglossella) singularis Mocsáry, revised status; Euglossa (Euglossella) cosmodora Hinojosa-Díaz and Engel; and Euglossa (Euglossella) perpulchra Moure and Schlindwein. Euglossa meliponoides Ducke and Euglossa urarina Hinojosa-Díaz and Engel are newly synonymized under Euglossa decorata, Euglossa decorata ruficauda Cockerell is synonymized under Euglossa singularis, and a neotype is designated for Euglossa apiformis.     

A review of the Holarctic genus Tmeticus Menge, 1868 (Araneae, Linyphiidae), with a description of a new genus

Eight species attributed to Tmeticus are reviewed; five are redescribed and illustrated: Tmeticus affinis (Blackwall, 1885), Tmeticus bipunctis (Bösenberg & Strand, 1906), Tmeticus nigriceps Kulczyński, 1916, Tmeticus ornatus (Emerton, 1914) and Tmeticus tolli Kulczyński, 1908. The new genus, Paratmeticus gen. n. is erected for Tmeticus bipunctis, and a new combination is established: Paratmeticus bipunctis (Bösenberg & Strand, 1906), comb. n. Three species names: Gongylidium vile Kulczyński, 1885, syn. n., Tmeticus difficilis Kulczyński, 1926, syn. n. and Tmeticus dubius Kulczyński, 1926, syn. n., are synonymized with Tmeticus tolli Kulczyński, 1908. Although Gongylidium vile has date priority over Tmeticus tolli it is synonymized because of the lack of usage. Three species from Japan attributed to Tmeticus: Tmeticus neserigonoides Saito & Ono, 2001, Tmeticus nigerrimus Saito & Ono, 2001 and Tmeticus vulcanicus Saito & Ono, 2001 are not related to Tmeticus affinis, the type species of the genus, and their affinities remain unclear. The male of Tmeticus nigriceps is described for the first time.     

Extensive genetic divergence in the East Asian natricine snake,Rhabdophis tigrinus (Serpentes: Colubridae), with special reference to prominent geographical differentiation of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene in Japanese populations

We investigated intraspecific phylogenetic relationships in the natricine snake, Rhabdophis tigrinus. A partial sequence of mitochondrial cytochrome b gene (990 bp) was sequenced for 220 individuals from 112 populations. The phylogeny indicated monophyly of the Japanese populations against the continental and Taiwanese populations, sister relationships of the Japanese and continental populations, and monophyly of the whole species. The results strongly suggested substantial genetic divergences among population assemblages from those three regions. We thus consider both lateralis from the continent, which is often synonymized to R. tigrinus, and formosanus from Taiwan, which is usually regarded as a subspecies of the latter, as distinct full species based on the evolutionary species concept. In the Japanese populations, haplotypes were classified to in two major clades (I and II) that were parapatric to each other. Clade I consisted of three distinct subclades (I‐A, I‐B, and I‐C), of which the former two were parapatric with each other, whereas the latter was sympatric with each of the former two subclades. The geographical haplotype structure exhibited by the Japanese populations is likely to have resulted from a series of allopatric differentiations with rapid range extensions of resultant lineages, leading to secondary contact or further admixture of mitochondrial haplotype clades and subclades. © 2011 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2012, 105 , 395–408.     

A review of the Iberian Sphingonotini with description of two novel species (Orthoptera: Acrididae: Oedipodinae)

The genus Sphingonotus Fieber, 1853 is one of the most species‐rich grasshopper genera in the world. We studied the morphology of c. 1000 individuals from the Iberian Peninsula to review the taxonomy of the genus and its relatives. Moreover, we inferred a molecular phylogeny of the Iberian Sphingonotini based on two mitochondrial genes. The Iberian and north‐west African Sphingonotini comprise two recent radiations, within which the genetic relationships are not fully resolved. A multivariate morphometric analysis showed that S. azurescens (Rambur, 1838) and S. morini (Defaut, 2005) can be clearly discriminated, supporting their species status. Based upon the combined data, the genus Granada Koçak & Kemal, 2008 is synonymized with Sphingonotus Fieber, 1853 and its type species re‐assigned to Sphingonotus imitans Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1882 comb. rev . The data also supported species rank for Sphingonotus lusitanicus Ebner, 1941 comb. rev. Oedipoda callosa Fieber, 1853 is considered as nomen dubium. Two novel species are described: Sphingonotus ( Neosphingonotus ) almeriense Llucià‐Pomares sp. nov . and Sphingonotus (Neosphingonotus) nodulosus Llucia‐Pomares sp. nov. from the southern part of the Iberian Peninsula. The new species are compared with other Iberian Sphingonotini and a key to the species is provided. © 2013 The Linnean Society of London     

Remarks on the deep-sea decapod fauna of the Sea of Marmara (Crustacea: Decapoda)

A total of 1127 crustacean specimens was sampled from five stations in the deep-sea depressions of the Sea of Marmara (>1000?m deep). Calocaris macandreae Bell, 1853 was by far the dominant species at all stations. Polycheles typhlops C. Heller, 1862 and Sergestes robustus Smith, 1882 were found in low numbers.     

Generic revision and phylogeny of Microweiseinae (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)

The monophyly and phylogenetic relationships of the subfamily Microweiseinae were investigated. Twenty‐three in‐group taxa, representing all known genera of Microweiseinae (except for Microcapillata Gordon) were included in a cladistic analysis, based on 45 adult morphological characters. The parsimony analysis of the resulting data matrix supported the monophyly of Microweiseinae, Carinodulini, Serangiini and Microweiseini (inclusive of Sukunahikonini). The recognition of Sukunahikonini renders Microweiseini paraphyletic, and consequently both tribes were synonymized, retaining Microweiseini as a senior family‐group name ( syn.n. ). Genera and tribes of Microweiseinae are diagnosed thoroughly, illustrated and keys to their identification are provided. The following nomenclatural changes were made: Hikonasukuna Sasaji and Orculus Sicard are synonymized with Scymnomorphus Weise ( syn.n. ); Gnathoweisea Gordon is synonymized with Microweisea Cockerell ( syn.n. ); Hikonasukuna monticola Sasaji and Orculus castaneus Sicard are transferred to Scymnomorphus ( comb.n. ); Smilia planiceps Casey, Gnathoweisea hageni Gordon, Gnathoweisea ferox Gordon, Gnathoweisea micula Gordon and Gnathoweisea texana Gordon are transferred to Microweisea ( comb.n ). Three new genera are described: Allenius gen.n. for Allenius californianus sp.n. (type species) from Mexico and Allenius iviei sp.n. from U.S.A.; Gordoneus gen.n. (type species Gnathoweisea schwarzi Gordon from U.S.A.); and Cathedrana gen.n. (type species Cathedrana natalensis sp.n. from South Africa). The first African member of Carinodulini, Carinodulina ruwenzorii sp.n. is described. The genera Microweisea, Coccidophilus, Serangium and Delphastus are well‐known predators of sternorrynchous Hemiptera, such as scale insects (Diaspididae) and whiteflies (Aleyrodidae), and play a significant role in agricultural ecosystems as biocontrol agents. Host data and biological records are summarized for each genus.     

Taxonomic revision of the genus Stauropoctonus Brauns, 1889 (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Ophioninae) in Japan

The Japanese species of the ichneumonid genus Stauropoctonus Brauns, 1889 are revised. As a result, three species are recognized. Stauropoctonus infuscus (Uchida, 1928 ) stat. rev. , previously synonymized with S. bombycivorus (Gravenhorst, 1829 ), is recognized as a valid species and re‐described. Stauropoctonus bombycivorus, which has already been recorded in Japan, is also recognized and re‐described based on Japanese specimens. Stauropoctonus aurantiacus sp. nov. is described based on a single male specimen from Yakushima Island, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. Stauropoctonus nigrithorax Lee & Kim, 2002 syn. nov. is newly synonymized with S. bombycivorus. Additionally, a key to the Stauropoctonus species and discussions on their phenology and collection methods are provided.     

Phylogeny and systematics of the bee genus Osmia (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) with emphasis on North American Melanosmia: subgenera,synonymies and nesting biology revisited

The predominantly Holarctic bee genus Osmia Panzer is species‐rich and behaviourally diverse. A robust phylogeny of this genus is important for understanding the evolution of the immense variety of morphological and behavioural traits exhibited by this group. We infer a phylogeny of Osmia using DNA sequence data obtained from three nuclear genes (elongation factor 1‐α, LW‐rhodopsin and CAD) and the mitochondrial gene COI. Our taxon sampling places special attention on North American members of the subgenus Melanosmia Schmiedeknecht; we discuss the novel placement of a number of species traditionally assigned to O. (Melanosmia) and examine the relative support for alternative classifications of this species‐rich subgenus. We use this new phylogeny to guide a reassessment of morphological and behavioural characters within Osmia. Our results provide support for the recognition of Osmia (Hapsidosmia), subgen.n ., a monotypic subgenus containing Osmia iridis Cockerell & Titus. We synonymize Osmia (Mystacosmia) Snelling under O. (Melanosmia), syn.n . We synonymize Osmia (Acanthosmioides) Ashmead under O. (Melanosmia), syn.n ., propose ‘odontogaster species group’ as a replacement for the subgeneric name Acanthosmioides, and refine the morphological characters that serve to diagnose the species group. We additionally propose ‘nigrifrons species group’ for a clade within O. (Melanosmia) containing most species formerly placed in Osmia (Centrosmia) Robertson. We demonstrate more cohesive patterns of nest substrate use in the nigrifrons and odontogaster species groups than was previously believed to occur, reconsider character polarity of aspects of the female mandible, and show that a large number of morphological characters have evolved convergently within the genus. In order to facilitate discussion of relevant taxa, we propose the following 15 new synonymies: O. bakeri Sandhouse under O. melanopleura Cockerell; O. crenulaticornis Michener under O. pinorum Cockerell; O. claremontensis Michener under O. sedula Sandhouse; O. cockerelli Sandhouse under O. dakotensis Michener; O. francisconis White under O. enixa Sandhouse; O. hurdi White under O. austromaritima Michener; O. sladeni Sandhouse under O. nifoata Cockerell; O. titusi Cockerell under O. phenax Cockerell; O. subtrevoris Cockerell, O. physariae Cockerell, and O. erecta Michener under O. giliarum Cockerell; and O. universitatis Cockerell, O. integrella Cockerell, O. amala Cockerell, and O. metitia Cockerell under O. nigrifrons Cresson, syn.n . We remove O. wyomingensis Michener from synonymy with O. nifoata Cockerell, stat.n ., and O. pinorum Cockerell from synonymy with O. physariae Cockerell, stat.n . This published work has been registered in ZooBank, http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:A3E7D63B‐5C4C‐4ACF‐BF33‐48E5C5DD1B0D .     

Phylogenetic analysis of the tropical wolf spider subfamily Cteninae (Arachnida,Araneae, Ctenidae)

A cladistic analysis based on parsimony was performed to test the monophyly of Cteninae. The data matrix comprises 72 terminal taxa scored for 88 characters from external morphology, female internal genitalia, and two behavioural characters. Cteninae, as currently delimited, is polyphyletic. The monoplyly of Cteninae requires the transfer of two Ctenus species to Enoploctenus (Acantheinae) and two Ctenus species to Asthenoctenus (Viridasiinae). Ctenus, the genus type, comprises approximately half of the described species of the family, and is polyphyletic as currently delimited. From the 32 Ctenus species added to this analysis, only 13 are recognized as Ctenus s.s.: (C. rectipes (C. pauloterrai (C. manauara, C. nigritus ((C. dubius, C. crulsi) ((C. amphora, C. minor) (C. medius, C. paubrasil (C. fernandae (C. ornatus, C. vehemens)))))))). The results suggest that at least eight new genera should be described to accommodate species misplaced in Ctenus. The result also refutes the monophyly of Amauropelma Raven, Stumkat & Gray, 2001, Celaetycheus Simon, 1897, Leptoctenus L. Koch, 1878, and Thoriosa Simon, 1910. The following taxonomic changes are proposed: Ctenus inazensis Strand, 1909 and Ctenus miserabilis Strand, 1916 are transferred to Enoploctenus; Ctenus tarsalis F.O. Pickard‐Cambridge, 1902 and Ctenus bulimus Strand, 1909 are transferred to Asthenoctenus Simon, 1897; Celaetycheus modestus Bryant, 1942 is transferred to Ohvida Polotow & Brescovit, 2009. © 2014 The Linnean Society of London     

Patterns of bee diversity in mosaic agricultural landscapes of central Uganda: implication of pollination services conservation for food security

Little is known about bee communities and pollination services conservation strategies in sub-Sahara Africa. A study was conducted at 26 different sites with varying local landscape characteristics in farmlands of central Uganda in 2006. Bees were sampled using coloured pantraps, handnet and line transect counts. Overall 80,883 bee individuals from 6 families and 652 species were encountered. The bee fauna was characterized by a lower diversity of Melittidae and Andrenidae and a high diversity of Apidae, Megachilidae and Halictidae. Megachile and Lasioglossum were the two most species-rich genera. The most abundant species was Apis mellifera adansonii Linnaeus (23 % of total individuals) followed by Hypotrigona gribodoi Magretti (19 %), Meliponula ferruginea Lepeletier (13 %), Lasioglossum ugandicum Cockerell (7 %), Apis mellifera scutellata Latreille (6 %), Allodapula acutigera Cockerell (6 %), Ceratina rufigastra Cockerell (5 %), Ceratina tanganyicensis Strand (5 %), Braunsapis angolensis Cockerell (5 %), Megachile rufipes Fabricius (5 %), Meliponula bocandei Spinola (5 %) and Seladonia jucundus Smith (5 %). The mean number of species recorded per study site per day ranged between 14 and 49, whereas the abundance ranged between 188 and 1,859 individuals. Study sites in areas with intense land-use had species-poor bee communities compared to sites with medium to low land-use intensities. Study sites with riparian forest fragments and wetlands, or with forest fallows in their vicinity had significantly (P < 0.05) higher species richness and diversity than sites dominated by small-scale monoculture/polyculture fields or sites dominated by either simple or complex traditional agroforestry systems. An ordination analysis also revealed that bee communities were significantly (P < 0.01) influenced by the presence of semi-natural habitats (woodlands, fallows) and forest fragments in the surrounding of fields. Thus, natural and semi-natural habitats are of great value for afrotropical farmland bee communities. There is a need to put in place strategies and policies for semi-natural and forest fragments preservation for spatio-temporal stability of pollination services in rural landscapes. Farmers are recommended to increase on-farm trees cover to safeguard and enhance pollination function and services in fields. Mimicking natural vegetation through promoting establishment of forest plantations and village community forestry in rural landscapes is also critical for conserving pollination services.     

Morphometric analyses and new taxonomic circumscription of South American species of Flourensia (Asteraceae,Heliantheae, Enceliinae)

Flourensia (Asteraceae, Heliantheae, Enceliinae) is an amphitropical genus of resinous subshrubs, shrubs and small trees with 13 North American and 20 South American species among which disagreement on the species limits of some members still exists. To resolve the taxonomy of the South American taxa, we carried out a combination of clustering (Ward's method with Gower distance coefficient) and ordination analyses (Principal Coordinate Analyses) based on 34 vegetative and reproductive characters scored from herbarium material, including types. Based on the results, we recognize 12 South American species: F. angustifolia, F. cajabambensis, F. fiebrigii, F. heterolepis, F. hirtissima, F. macrophylla, F. niederleinii; F. peruviana, F. polycephala, F. thurifera, F. tortuosa and F. suffrutescens. A number of species are placed in synonymy: Flourensia blakeana and F. hirta are synonymized under the name F. fiebrigii; Flourensia campestris, F. leptopoda, F. oolepis and F. riparia are synonymized under F. thurifera; Flourensia macroligulata is synonymized under F. tortuosa, and Flourensia polyclada is synonymized under F. suffrutescens. A taxonomic treatment of four redefined species as well as a key and distribution maps to all South American Flourensia species are provided.