On Lecane tanganyikae new species (Rotifera: Monogononta, Lecanidae)

A new species of rotifer, Lecane tanganyikae n.sp., is described from the littoral of Lake Tanganyika and some water bodies in the plain of the Rusizi river near Lake Tanganyika, Bujumbura Province, Burundi. The affiliation of the new species, especially in relation to L. elsa Hauer, is discussed.     

Notholca dongtingensis (Rotifera: Monogononta: Brachionidae), a new species from Dongting Lake,China

Notholca dongtingensis n.sp. was found in the second largest lake of China, Dongting Lake. It is related to Notholca labis Gosse, 1887 and N. kozhovi Vassilijewa & Kutikova, 1969. Its main distinguishing taxonomic features are a square-oval lorica, very short anterior spines, anterior lateral spines curving outwards and protrusile posterior margin of the ventral plate. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Rotifera from Burundi: the Lepadellidae (Rotifera: Monogononta)

We studied the distribution of Lepadellidae (Rotifera) in freshwater habitats in the floodplain of the River Rusizi in northwest Burundi. Twenty-three species belonging to ColurellaBory de St. Vincent, 1824 (3 species), Lepadella Bory de St. Vincent, 1826 (18 species) and Squatinella Bory de St. Vincent, 1826 (2 species) are recorded, 22 of them are new to Burundi. One of the taxa encountered probably represents an unnamed species. Lepadella arabicaSegers & Dumont, 1993 is recognised as junior subjective synonym of Lepadella eurysterna Myers, 1942 (syn. nov.). Most of the taxa recorded are cosmopolitan or tropicopolitan, two are restricted to the tropical regions of the Old World and Australia, and one, Squatinella lunata Segers, 1993 is an Ethiopian endemic.     

On species of genus Lepadella (Eurotatoria:Monogononta:Colurellidae) from North-Eastern India,with remarks on Indian taxa

Ten species of Lepadella Bory de St. Vincent, 1826, including one new species and one new form, are documented from North-Eastern India. Two of these species are new records from this country and six are new reports from N.E. region. Comments are also made on the status and distribution of various Indian taxa.     

On a new species of Keratella (Rotifera: Monogononta: Brachionidae)

A new species of planktonic rotifer, Keratella sinensis n.sp.is described from Lake Yaoquan, Heilongjiang, P.R. China. Itprobably also occurs in the Republic of Korea and Japan. The newmorphospecies is characterised by an unusually smooth lorica, andstrongly reduced lateral anterior spines. It is the first exampleof a planktonic freshwater rotifer, endemic to North EastAsia.     

Musculature in three species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Proales</Emphasis> (Monogononta,Rotifera) stained with phalloidin-labeled fluorescent dye

The musculature in the rotifer species Proales daphnicola, P. reinhardti and P. fallaciosa was stained with phalloidin-labeled fluorescent dye and compared using confocal laser scanning microscopy. All three species share several homologous muscle systems, but each systems detailed morphology varies among the species both concerning appearance, number and location. The obtained results were compared with data from other rotifers and it was concluded that the muscles pars coronalis and the corona sphincter probably represent conditions in Ploima or Monogononta, while incomplete circular muscles and dorsal and ventral trunk retractors might be part of the eurotatorian ground pattern.     

A biogeographical analysis of rotifers of the genus Trichocerca Lamarck, 1801 (Trichocercidae,Monogononta, Rotifera), with notes on taxonomy

An analysis of distribution patterns reveals a unique group of Nearctic endemics in Trichocerca Lamarck, 1801. This group, comprising 13.4% of all taxa analysed in the genus, is of diverse origin. A glacial origin is postulated for one species. The observed biogeographic pattern of eight others, and possibly two New World taxa, suggests a pre-Pleistocene origin followed by differential extinctions during glaciations in the Nearctic and Palaearctic. In general, endemism in Trichocerca is strongly biased towards the Northern hemisphere, with no endemism in tropical regions. This suggests a Laurasian origin of the genus. The analysis further reveals a majority (65.7%) of widely distributed taxa, with strict cosmopolitanism in more than a third of the species analysed. Latitudinal variation is evident in 26.9% of Trichocerca, and a warm-water preference appears to be indicated for a majority of these. Although the results should be interpreted with caution due to confused taxonomy, a Southern hemisphere, warm-water and Northern hemisphere, cold water component appear to be present. Comments on the taxonomy and distribution of several species are provided, along with illustrations of poorly known species. Suggestions include elevating T. maior (Hauer, 1936) to species rank, and several new cases of synonymy.     

A new species of Ceriodaphnia from Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan

A Ceriodaphnia has been found inWaterbodies of the plains and foothills of Uzbekistan and southern Kazakhstan that strongly resembles C. reticulata (Jurine, 1820). The female of this new species, C. turkestanica, differs from C. reticulata because it lacks a fenestra (nucal organ) in the cervical notch of the adult, has a rostral pore encircled by a ridge of cuticle rather than opening on the flat surface of a polygon anterior to the antennules, and has fewer and finer spines punctuating the row of fine spinules along the inner margin of the posterior carapace. The locule of the ephippium lacks the regular, small, rounded protuberances seen in the locule of C. reticulata. The male of C. turkestanica also exhibits the lack of a cervical fenestra, an encircled rostral pore, and variable, fine spines along the posterior carapace inner margin. In addition, it has a much shorter terminal seta on the antennule, and increasing lengths of the spinose setae on endites 1–3 of trunk limb I rather than the second being the longest as in C. reticulata. Because of similarities between these species, we suggest that C. turkestanica either is derived from C. reticulata or that the two share a common ancestor.     

<Emphasis Type=Italic>Rhinoglena kutikovae</Emphasis> n.sp. (Rotifera: Monogononta: Epiphanidae) from the Bunger Hills,East Antarctica: a probable relict species that survived Quaternary glaciations on the continent

A new species of rotifer, Rhinoglena kutikovae n.sp. (Monogononta: Epiphanidae), is described from a freshwater lake in the Bunger Hills, East Antarctica. The new taxon is characterized by the following combination of characters: body conical to vase-shaped; a single toe; distal foot pseudosegment bulged; tail prominent, semi-circular; two small spherical pedal glands with common duct, forming a complex with caudal ganglion; trophi with seven major teeth with offset head and two smaller teeth without offset head. The new species is compared with R. fertoeensis, R. frontalis and R. tokioensis, of which scanning electron microscopic information is presented of the trophi. R. kutikovae n.sp. is probably a relict species that survived Quaternary glaciations in glacial lacustrine refugia on the Antarctic continent.     

Distribution of Brachionidae (Rotifera,Monogononta) in Inner Mongolian Waters

Two-hundred and fourty-six freshwater and saline-alkaline waters in Inner Mongolia, P.R. China were surveyed for Brachionidae. Twenty-nine brachionid morphospecies (33 taxa) are recorded, four are new to China. Some data on their distribution, and comments on selected taxa are provided. Brachionus asplanchnoides (stat.nov.) is reinstated at the morphospecies level. We suggest that this taxon may be used in aquaculture, considering that, by its large size, it extends the size range of brackish-water Rotifera potentially available as food for fish larvae.     

Hastatobythites arafurensis, a new bythitid genus and species from Australia (Bythitidae, Ophidiiformes)

A new genus and species of the subfamily Bythitinae (Bythitidae),Hastatobythites arafurensis, is described on the basis of two specimens from the Arafura Sea. The genus is unique in the subfamily in having two anteriorlydirected spines, one on the frontal and one on the mesethmoid. It is also distinguishable from all other genera in the subfamily by the following combination of characters: head scales absent; squamation on body incomplete; maxillary expanded posteriorly; no thin pore-bearing skin flap over opercle; opercle thin, weak, without distinct spine; jaw teeth conical; vomerine and palatine teeth present; developed gill rakers on 1 st arch 3; pelvic fins with 1 ray in each; pectoral peduncle elongated, with 16 rays; caudal fin rays 12; branchiostegal, rays 8; precaudal vertebrae 15, with tips of 6th to 12th neural spines truncated.     

Moina mukhamedievi n. sp. (Crustacea,Cladocera) from ricefields of Uzbekistan (central Asia)

A new species of Cladocera, Moina mukhamedievi from ricefields of Uzbekistan, is described. It is compared with the related species M. dubia, M. brachiata, M. oryzae. This revised version was published online in September 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

A new miniature species of the genus Triplophysa (Balitoridae: Nemacheilinae) from Yunnan, China

During a re-examination of museum specimens of Triplophysa species, some specimens that had been collected from the Jialonghe River in Yunnan Province, China, in April 1975, were identified as a new species. Triplophysa parvus n. sp. can be distinguished by the following combination of characters: dorsal fin rays 3, ; anal fin rays 3, ; pectoral fin rays 1, 11; scales absent; two saddle-like blotches with fuzzy borders cranial to the dorsal fin and four saddle-like blotches caudal to the dorsal fin; distal margin of the dorsal fin emarginate; pelvic fin reaching caudally almost to the anus; anus located immediately cranial to the origin of the anal fin; caudal fin forked; caudal chamber of air bladder reduced to a small free protuberance; head slightly laterally compressed, head deeper than wide at nape; length of caudal peduncle being 18.0–20.0% of standard length; depth of caudal peduncle being 7.8–8.4% of standard length; eye diameter 17.6–21.4% of head length; body depth being 60.7–70.2% of head length; caudal peduncle depth being 39.1–45.0% of caudal peduncle length; and body width at the base of caudal peduncle 59.0–68.0% of the body depth at the base of caudal peduncle. These characters allow a distinction from the similar species of T. nasobarbatula, T. nandanensis, and T. macromaculata.     

New species of the genus Glaesotropis (Insecta: Coleoptera: Anthribidae) from Rovno amber

A new species of the fungus weevil genus Glaesotropis is described from the Late Eocene Rovno amber. G. diadiasashai sp. nov. differs from G. weitschati and G. minor described from Baltic amber in having a longer rostrum and in the structure of its antennae, with the third and fourth antennomeres being longer than the first and second ones. Additionally, the new species differs from G. weitschati in being smaller, in having unswollen frons, and weakly and smoothly concave elytral margin near hind coxae. The new species also differs from G. minor in having an uninterrupted posterior transverse carina on the pronotum, elytra less convex longitudinally, and a slightly broadened rostrum at the attachment of antennae.