Clitellocephalus americanus n. gen., n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Eugregarinida: Gregarinidae) from Cratacanthus dubius (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Harpalinae) in the Nebraska sandhills and Clitellocephalus ophoni n. comb. (Apicomplexa: Eugregarinida: Gregarinidae) from Ophonus pubescens (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Harpalinae) in Sète,France

Clitellocephalus americanus n. gen., n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Eugregarinida: Gregarinidae) is described from Cratacanthus dubius (Coleoptera: Carabidae) collected from Keith County in the Sandhills of western Nebraska. Clitellocephalus ophoni n. comb. is redescribed using original type material from Ophonus pubescens (Coleoptera: Carabidae) collected in Sète, France. Clitellocephalus n. gen. is distinguished by a deltoid epimerite with an internal anterior obconoid structure and a basal toroidal vacuole, which is retained in gamonts. Protomerites are broadly elliptical to cylindrical; deutomerites are narrowly obovate. Association is precocious, caudofrontal, and biassociative, with the satellite protomerite engulfing the posterior end of the primite deutomerite to form an interlock. Gametocysts are spherical. Sporoducts are present but reduced and irregular in number. Oocysts are dolioform, dehiscing in chains. The species described herein are differentiated by their overall size and relative proportion of cellular structures.     

Corbicula (Bivalvia: Sphaeriacea) vs. Indigenous Mussels (Bivalvia: Unionacea) in U.S. Rivers: A Hard Case for Interspecific Competition?

At a time when populations of indigenous river mussels havebeen dwindling and/or disappearing, the introduced Asian clam,Corbicula, has spread through many U.S. rivers from Californiato Florida. In the Arkansas River Navigation System, a heavilymanaged waterway, Corbicula presently has a different "competitive"presence than it does in the relatively unmanaged Buffalo Riverin Arkansas. Comparative studies of both Corbicula and indigenousbivalved mollusks reveal biological bases for the contrastingkinds of benthic faunal change. There are ecologically relevant,distinctive differences between the two kinds of animals: inmantle/shell and mantle/gill apparatus, in the reproductivecomplex and neuroanatomy, and in spawning and locomotor behaviors.It is argued that the conservative molluscan characteristicsof Corbicula enable it to function in an exclusive, "contradictory"role with indigenous bivalves in a heavily managed waterway,and in a "contrary" competitive role elsewhere. Rationale ispresented for incorporating organismic evaluation into studiesof competition between distantly related taxa.     

Oosterschelde estuary (S.W. Netherlands): a self-sustaining ecosystem?

The Oosterschelde estuary has a special position among the Dutch North Sea estuaries. With relatively unpolluted water and high transparency it combines high biotic diversity and high primary and secondary production. Before 1970 a major part of the water of the rivers Rhine and Meuse flowed into the Oosterschelde. The building of a permeable storm-surge barrier (1986) decreased the exchange between Oosterschelde and North Sea. The construction of two additional dams (1987) reduced the very limited fresh water discharge on the estuary even further. The total effect of these changes was a decrease of the nutrient levels in the water column.The estuary is used intensively for culture of mussels and fishery of cockles. Both zoobenthos groups use together up to 60% (in the western part) of the organic food available in the Oosterschelde estuary. The storm-surge barrier resulted in reduced current velocities and increased sedimentation, accompanied by higher transparency, hence accelerating primary production. This phenomenon is counteracted by the lowered nutrient concentrations throughout the year.In the seventies a preliminary carbon budget study indicated that a substantial import of organic carbon was required to sustain the ecosystem. Later studies did not confirm this hypothesis.In the present paper three different methods are presented to answer the question, if internal production suffices to sustain the foodweb. At first a steady state model is applied, secondly, calculations with actually measured process rates are carried out and, finally, a dynamic simulation model is used.The conclusion is drawn that, before the construction of the storm-surge barrier, primary production of organic matter by phytoplankton is much more important than import, although the latter can not be neglected as additional food source for mussels, cockles and zooplankton. The simulation model predicts that this conclusion will not have to be changed in the future. The Oosterschelde will remain largely a self-sustaining ecosystem.     

Low parasitism by Diaeretiella rapae (Hym.: Braconidae) of Lipaphis pseudobrassicae (Hemip.: Aphididae): pre- or post-ovipositional host resistance?

While the aphid Lipaphis pseudobrassicae (Davis) (Hemip.: Aphididae: Macrosiphini) is considered one of the preferred hosts of Diaeretiella rapae (McIntosh) (Hym.: Braconidae: Aphidiinae) in several parts of the world, field surveys in Uberlandia (Brazil) found parasitism of this aphid to not exceed 10%. This study sought to determine the cause of this low parasitism, as well as the effects of parasitism on the intrinsic growth rate of the aphid population. We evaluated parasitism, percentage emergence, developmental time, longevity, number of attacks and number of parasitoid larvae in L. pseudobrassicae and compared these to the same characteristics in Brevicoryne brassicae (L.) and Myzus persicae (Sulzer). The lowest percentage of parasitism was found in L. pseudobrassicae, followed by M. persicae and B. brassicae. The ratio between the number of parasitoid larvae and the number of ovipositions in L. pseudobrassicae ranged from 0.02 to 0.03, while, in B. brassicae, it was between 0.41 and 0.44 and, in M. persicae, between 0.62 and 0.80, indicating high mortality rates of early stages of D. rapae in L. pseudobrassicae. Parasitism by D. rapae reduced the r_m of L. pseudobrassicae. The r_m for parasitised aphids was only 63% of that for unparasitised aphids. However, no hosts died before reaching adulthood, and 83% of parasitised aphids were still able to reproduce. As a result, the r_m of the aphid was positive, resulting in population growth of L. pseudobrassicae, even among individuals parasitised during the second instar. Our results indicate the existence of L. pseudobrassicae genotypes that are completely resistant to D. rapae.     

Paramaritremopsis solielangi n. sp. et Microphallus kinsellai n. sp. (Digenea: Microphallidae) parasites de Charadrii (Aves) du Bélize (Amérique centrale)

The authors describe and illustrate two trematodes from Belize (Central America): Paramaritremopsis solielangi n. sp. from the small intestine of Arenaria interpres is characterised by a body length of 478 m, two short and pre-acetabular caeca, part of the uterus in close association with the cirrus-sac and left caecum, vitelline glands in the shape of a horseshoe, a short pre-ovarian cirrus-sac containing a long, cylindrical, voluminous and unarmed cirrus (size when evaginated: 150×20–30 m) and Microphallus kinsellai n. sp. from the caeca of Actitis macularia characterised by a body length of 370 m and a phallus which is 30 m in diameter and asymmetrical (basically a pad with a moderately developed accessory lobe) and a straight ejaculatory canal. Levinseniella carteretensis is another microphallid recovered from Arenaria interpres. The term of ``phallus' is proposed to name the male copulatory organ which characterizes the Microphallinae.     

狭蚤属( Stenoponia J. et R. , 1911)一新种记述(Siphonaptera: Hystrichopsyllidae)

狭蚤属(Stenoponia J.et R.,1911)为大型色深的跳蚤,全身有浓密的鬃,多分布于旧北界,少数在新北界。1959年7月廖灏溶同志从青海Myospalax fontanierii体上采到本属跳蚤,其形态与已知各种均有区别,故订为新种,命名为多棘狭蚤新种S.polyspina sp.nov。     

Heterodera longicolla,n. sp. (Nematoda: Heteroderidae) from Buffalo-grass (Buchlo? dactyloides) in Kansas

Heterodera longicolla n. sp., a member of the H. goettingiana group, is described and illustrated from roots of buffalo-grass, Buchloë dactyloides (Nutt.) Engelm., in Manhattan, Kansas. This new abullate species, having second-stage larvae with only three lines in the lateral field, is most closely related to H. cyperi Golden, Rau & Cobb, 1962, but differs particularly in having a shorter stylet in larvae, males and females; in possessing only three annules on the head of larvae and males; in having a shorter tail in larvae; and by the presence on cysts of a small anus without a circum-anal pattern.     

Obituary: Ron K. Pickerill (1947–2018)

Recently discovered tracks in alluvial sediments of the Late Paleocene Bullion Creek Formation of western North Dakota have been identified as belonging to the large eusuchian crocodile Borealosuchus formidabilis and an associated small arthropod. They are described as two new ichnotaxa. The first of these, Borealosuchipus hanksi igen. et isp. nov., is based on a partly complete trackway having fore- and hind-footprints as well as body marks preserved in hyporelief. These tracks are directly associated with numerous body fossils including articulated bones which provide strong implications for their probable origin. The second specimen, Koupichnium pentapodus isp. nov., is founded on a trackway of a small invertebrate in which a series of five pairs of footprints are arranged along a midline drag mark which is continuous throughout the length of its trackway. This trackway shares features with other fossils as well as living arthropod trackways in which four small feet and a larger posterior hind “pusher” foot are present. The two described new ichnotaxa represent the first recognized tracks from the Wannagan Creek local fauna.