Mexican species of the genus Stethantyx Townes (Hymenoptera,Ichneumonidae, Tersilochinae)

Six species of the genus Stethantyx Townes are found to occur in Mexico. One species, S. mexicana sp. n., is described as new, and four recently described Neotropical species, S. alajuela Khalaim & Broad, S. heredia Khalaim & Broad, S. osa Khalaim & Broad and S. sanjosea Khalaim & Broad, are new records from Mexico. A key to species of Stethantyx occurring in Mexico is provided.     

Taxonomic revision of the East Asian genus Scleropteroides Colonnelli, 1979 (Coleoptera,Curculionidae, Ceutorhynchinae)

The genus Scleropteroides Colonnelli, 1979 (Ceutorhynchinae: Scleropterini) was revised on the basis of detailed morphological observations. The genus was redefined to include three species from East Asia: S. hypocrita (Hustache, 1916) is redescribed and recorded from northeastern China and northern Korea for the first time; S. horridulus (Voss, 1958) is redescribed with new records from southern Korea; S. insularis Voss, 1971 was moved from synonymy with S. hypocrita to that with S. horridulus (syn. n.), and S. longiprocessus Huang & Yoshitake, sp. n. is described as new, sympatric with S. hypocrita in Japan. All the species are associated with woody Rubus species (Rosaceae). A key to species, habitus photographs, illustrations of important characters, and distribution maps are provided for each species.     

The taxonomic accounts of the genus Symmorphus Wesmael (Hymenoptera,Vespidae, Eumeninae) from China,with descriptions of three new species

In this study, we recognize and review a total of 19 species of the genus Symmorphus Wesmael from China. We also provide a key to these species. Three new species are described and illustrated, namely Symmorphus (Symmorphus) tianchiensis Li & Chen, sp. n., S. (S.) cavatus Li & Chen, sp. n., and S. (S.) nigriclypeus Li & Chen, sp. n. The following four species are newly recorded from China: Symmorphus (S.) fuscipes (Herrich-Schaeffer), S. (S.) lucens (Kostylev), S. (S.) sublaevis Kostylev, and S. (S.) violaceipennis Giordani Soika. In addition, we map the species geographical distributions in China of these 19 species. Type specimens of these three new species are deposited in Chongqing Normal University and Yunnan Agricultural University.     

Revision of the genus Salganea St?l (Blattodea,Blaberidae, Panesthiinae) from China,with descriptions of three new species

Three new species of Salganea Stål, 1877 are described and illustrated: S. quinquedentata sp. n., S. anisodonta sp. n. and S. flexibilis sp. n. S. taiwanensis Roth, 1979, S. guangxiensis (Feng & Woo, 1990), S. incerta (Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1893) and S. raggei Roth, 1979 are redescribed. Panesthia concinna Feng & Woo, 1990 is synonymized with S. taiwanensis Roth, 1979 and Panesthia guangxiensis Feng & Woo, 1990 is transferred to the genus Salganea for the first time. As well, a key to species from China is presented.     

Two new species of the Stenochinus amplus species-group from China (Coleoptera,Tenebrionidae, Stenochiini)

Two new species of the Stenochinus amplus species-group are described, S. apiciconcavus sp. n. (CHINA: Shaanxi) and S. xinyicus sp. n. (CHINA: Guangdong). Also, some new distribution data are provided for S. cylindricus (Gebien, 1914), and a key to the seven species of the S. amplus species-group from China is given.     

Monograph of the Afrotropical species of Scelio Latreille (Hymenoptera,Platygastridae), egg parasitoids of acridid grasshoppers (Orthoptera,Acrididae)

The genus Scelio is a cosmopolitan and speciose group of solitary parasitoids of the eggs of short-horned grasshoppers (Orthoptera: Acrididae). A number of these hosts are important pests, including plague locusts of the genus Schistocerca. Species of Scelio are recognized as potentially important biological control agents, but this possibility has yet to be fully realized, in part because the species-level taxonomy is still incompletely developed. The species of the pulchripennis group have been recently revised. As a continuation of this effort, here we revise the Afrotropical species of Scelio, excluding the pulchripennis species group. Sixty two (62) species are treated, 48 of which are new. Species are classified into the following species groups: ernstii (12 species, 9 new), howardi (23 species, 19 new), ipomeae (6 species, 5 new), irwini (4 species, 3 new), simoni (3 new species) and walkeri (12 species, 9 new). Keys to species groups and to the species within each group are provided. New species described are: S. albatus Yoder, sp. n., S. aphares Yoder, sp. n., S. apospastos Yoder, sp. n., S. ardelio Yoder, sp. n., S. aurantium Yoder, sp. n., S. balo Valerio & Yoder, sp. n., S. bayanga Yoder, sp. n., S. bubulo Yoder, sp. n., S. cano Yoder, sp. n., S. clypeatus Yoder, sp. n., S. concavus Yoder, sp. n., S. copelandi Yoder, sp. n., S. crepo Yoder, sp. n., S. destico Yoder, sp. n., S. dupondi Yoder, sp. n., S. effervesco Yoder, sp. n., S. erugatus Yoder, sp. n., S. exophthalmus Yoder, sp. n., S. fremo Valerio & Yoder, sp. n., S. gemo Yoder, sp. n., S. grunnio Yoder, sp. n., S. harinhalai Yoder, sp. n., S. igland Yoder, sp. n., S. impostor Yoder, sp. n., S. irwini Yoder, sp. n., S. janseni Yoder, sp. n., S. latro Yoder, sp. n., S. memorabilis Yoder, sp. n., S. modulus Yoder, sp. n., S. mutio Yoder, sp. n., S. ntchisii Yoder, sp. n., S. parkeri Yoder, sp. n., S. phaeoprora Yoder, sp. n., S. pilosilatus Yoder, sp. n., S. pipilo Yoder, sp. n., S. quasiclypeatus Yoder, sp. n., S. retifrons Yoder, sp. n., S. ructo Yoder, sp. n., S. scomma Yoder, sp. n., S. simoni Yoder, sp. n., S. simonolus Yoder, sp. n., S. somaliensis Yoder, sp. n., S. susurro Yoder, sp. n., S. tono Yoder, sp. n., S. transtrum Yoder, sp. n., S. tritus Yoder, sp. n., S. ululo Yoder, sp. n., S. vannoorti Valerio & Yoder, sp. n. The following species are redescribed: S. afer Kieffer, S. chapmani Nixon, S. howardi Crawford, S. ipomeae Risbec, stat. n., S. mauritanicus Risbec, S. philippinensis Ashmead, S. remaudierei Ferrière, S. striatus Priesner,S. taylori Nixon, and S. zolotarevskyi Ferrière. The genus Lepidoscelio Kieffer is treated as a junior synonym of Scelio Latreille, syn. n.; its type species, Lepidoscelio fuscipennis Kieffer, 1905 is transferred to Scelio, renamed Scelio obscuripennis Johnson, nom. n. (preoccupied by Scelio fuscipennis Ashmead, 1887), and redescribed. The following additional species are transferred from Lepidoscelio to Scelio: S. cayennensis (Risbec), comb. n., S. insularis Ashmead, rev. comb., S. luteus (Cameron), comb. n., S. thoracicus Ashmead, rev. comb. Lectotypes are designated for S. africanus Risbec, S. ipomeae Risbec, S. mauritanicus Risbec, S. remaudierei Ferrière, S. sudanensis Ferrière, and S. zolotarevskyi Ferrière. Scelio gaudens Nixon is a junior synonym of Scelio striatus Priesner, syn. n.; Scelio africanus Risbec and Scelio clarus Fouts are both junior synonyms of Scelio afer Kieffer, syn. n.; Scelio sudanensis Ferrière and Scelio cheops Nixon are both junior synonyms of Scelio zolotarevskyi Ferrière, syn. n.; Scelio cahirensis Priesner is a junior synonym of Scelio mauritanicus Risbec, syn. n. The name Scelio chapmanni Nixon is an incorrect original spelling, requiring an emendation to S. chapmani. Digital versions of the identification keys are available at http://www.waspweb.org/Platygastroidea/Keys/index.htm     

The genus Spathius Nees (Hymenoptera,Braconidae, Doryctinae) in Mexico: occurrence of a highly diverse Old World taxon in the Neotropics

Two new species of the parasitoid wasp genus Spathius Nees (Braconidae: Doryctinae) from Mexico, S. mexicanus sp. n. and S. chamelae sp. n., are described and illustrated. These represent the second and third described species of this highly diverse Old World genus in the Neotropics, and the first described species recorded for the Mexican territory.     

The genus Scaphidium Olivier in East China (Coleoptera,Staphylinidae, Scaphidiinae)

A review of 21 species of Scaphidium Olivier from East China is presented, including 6 new species: S. jinmingi sp. n. (Zhejiang, Anhui, Chongqing), S. crypticum sp. n. (Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangxi, Guangxi), S. varifasciatum sp. n. (Zhejiang, An’hui), S. robustum sp. n. (Fujian, Guizhou, Chongqing, Guangxi, Yunnan), S. connexum sp. n. (Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangxi), and S. bayibini sp. n. (An’hui). New province records for S. comes Löbl, S. grande Gestro, S. sauteri Miwa & Mitono, S. formosanum Pic, S. carinense Achard, S. sinense Pic, S. delatouchei Achard, S. biwenxuani He, Tang & Li, S. klapperichi Pic, S. stigmatinotum Löbl, S. wuyongxiangi He, Tang & Li, and S. direptum Tang & Li as well as some biological notes are reported. Habitus and diagnostic characters of all species are photographed and a key to Scaphidium species of East China is provided.     

Neue eremophilene aus südafrikanischen Senecio-arten

The investigation of the South African Senecio species, S. gerardii, S. scaposus, S. cathcartensis and S. rhomboideus affords several new eremophilenes, the diesters of seneremophilondiol, senescaposone and isosenescaposone, both esterified with the previously unknown 4-methyl-5-acetoxy-pent-2c-en acid, and two further esters, one esterified with cis-hex-2-enoic acid. The side chains in three of these compounds have the unusual 7α- configuration. Furthermore the germacrene derivatives rhomboidol and the corresponding acetate have been isolated. The structures are elucidated by spectroscopic methods and some chemical transformations.     

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.     

A new species of Tingidae (Insecta: Hemiptera: Heteroptera) from the Lower Cretaceous of Transbaikalia

A new species of lace-bug Sinaldocader ponomarenkoi sp. nov. (Tingidae: Phatnomatini) is described from the Lower Cretaceous Transbaikalian locality Baissa. The new species differs from the type species S. drakei Popov, 1989 from the Lower Cretaceous of Mongolia in the well-developed lateral carinae of pronotal disc and in the details of hemelytral venation.     

The earliest fossil record of Panorpidae (Mecoptera) from the Middle Jurassic of China

The early history of Panorpidae (Mecoptera) is poorly known due to sparse fossil records. Up to date, only nine fossil species have been described, all from the Paleogene, except the Early Cretaceous Solusipanorpa gibbidorsa Lin, 1980. However, we suggest S. gibbidorsa is too incompletely preserved to permit even family classification. A new genus with two new species, Jurassipanorpa impunctata gen. et sp. n. and Jurassipanorpa sticta sp. n., are described based on four well-preserved specimens from the late Middle Jurassic Jiulongshan Formation of Daohugou, Inner Mongolia, China. These two new species are the earliest fossil records of Panorpidae. The new genus is erected based on a combination of forewing characters: both R₁ and Rs₁ with two branches, 1A reaching posterior margin of wing distad of the forking of Rs from R_1, and no crossveins or only one crossvein between veins of 1A and 2A. In all four specimens, long and robust setae ranging from 0.09 to 0.38 mm in length and pointing anteriorly, are present on anal veins of forewings. The function of these setae is enigmatic.     

New conodont species from the Kasimovian Stage (Upper Carboniferous) of Moscow and Moscow Basin

Three new conodont species, Streptognathodus neverovensis, S. isakovae, and Idiognathodus mestsherensis, which are widespread in the Kasimovian Stage of central Russia, are described.     

中国竹亚科思劳竹属一新种——万石山思劳竹

描述了竹亚科思劳竹属一新种——万石山思劳竹（Schizostachyum wanshishanensis S.H.Chen,K.F.Huang et H.Z.Guo）。该种与思劳竹（S.pseudolima McClure）近缘,但本种箨片较平直,且短,长不及箨鞘之1/2,叶表无毛,叶背具柔毛,易于区别;本种也与沙罗单竹（S.funghomii McClure）近缘,但本种秆梢端细长下垂,叶鞘具有白色短刺毛,易于区别。     

Morpho-Molecular and Ultrastructural Characterization of Discocriconemella Parasinensis n. Sp. from Zhejiang Province,China

During a recent inventory survey of the nematofauna of tea plantation at Zhejiang Province, China, Discocriconemella parasinensis n. sp. was detected in the rhizosphere of Camellia sinensis. The new species can be characterized by having the uninterrupted rounded labial disc, en face view showing rectangular-rounded labial plate without submedian lobes, R = 82.6 (80–86), Rex = 22 (21–23), stylet length of 68.3 (59–76) μm, excretory pore located 1–2 annuli posterior to the esophageal bulb, vulva open, postvulval body elongated conoid, and tail conoid with bilobed terminus. Morphologically, the species shares the same lip-type with D. discolabia, D. mauritiensis, D. mineira, D. perseae, and D. sinensis. Phylogenetic relationships of the new species based on D2–D3 expansion segments of 28S, ITS, and 18S rRNA genes revealed that D. parasinensis n. sp. formed a separated clade from other criconematid species, thereby supporting its status as a new species of the genus. The new species showed close phylogenetic relationships with Criconemoides geraerti.     

An insight into molecular taxonomy of bufonids,microhylids, and dicroglossid frogs: First genetic records from Pakistan

The current study was focused on documentation of amphibian assemblage in North Punjab and Islamabad Capital Territory, Pakistan, by using mitochondrial gene sequences of 16S rRNA. Our study entailed 37% of the known amphibian species of the country. We provided a phylogenetic analysis based on 74 newly generated mitochondrial 16S rRNAs from nine species of genus Microlyla, Duttaphrynus, Allopaa, Nanorana, Sphaerotheca, Minervarya, Hoplobatrachus, and Euphlyctis. We employed the maximum‐likelihood inference and Bayesian analysis to assess the taxonomic status of the samples obtained from Pakistan, with respect to other congeneric species from surrounding regions. Our findings confirmed the taxonomic status of South Asian anuran species Duttaphrynus stomaticus, Duttaphrynus melanostictus, Microhyla nilphamariensis, Allopaa hazarensis, Nanorana vicina, Sphaerotheca maskeyi (synonym: S. pashchima), Minervarya pierrei, Hoplobatrachus tigerinus, and Euphlyctis kalasgramensis in Pakistan. We have reported new country records of genus Minervarya ( M. pierrei). Minervarya pierrei was previously misidentified as Fejervarya limnocharis, due to dearth of genetic information. We provided the first genetic records of our endemic species N. vicina. The results revealed the taxonomic placement of N. vicina with respect to its congeners and validated the taxonomic status of N. vicina from its type locality (Murree) for the first time. The findings of the present study also indicated the paraphyletic relationship of A.‐ hazarensis with Nanorana species. So, based on our phylogenetic inferences, morphological characters, and habitat preferences, validity of generic status of A. hazarensis is undecided. As our data were not enough to resolve this issue, we suggest sequencing of additional mitochondrial and nuclear genes in the future studies to get a better resolution. We recommend carrying out extensive surveys throughout the country for proper scientific documentation of amphibians of Pakistan. Many new species, some of them might be endemic to Pakistan, are expected to be discovered, and taxonomic status of other species would be resolved.     

梵净山景天——景天属一新种

报道了产于中国贵州梵净山景天属一新种——梵净山景天（Sedum fanjingshanensis C.D.Yang et X.Y.Wang）。新种与单花景天（S.correpta Fröderström）相似,但雄蕊10枚,排列成2轮而不同。该种与小山飘风（S.filipes Hemsley）亦相似,但花单生于枝顶而明显不同。     

A new hero emerges: another exceptional mammalian spine and its potential adaptive significance

The hero shrew''s (Scutisorex somereni) massive interlocking lumbar vertebrae represent the most extreme modification of the vertebral column known in mammals. No intermediate form of this remarkable morphology is known, nor is there any convincing theory to explain its functional significance. We document a new species in the heretofore monotypic genus Scutisorex; the new species possesses cranial and vertebral features representing intermediate character states between S. somereni and other shrews. Phylogenetic analyses of DNA sequences support a sister relationship between the new species and S. somereni. While the function of the unusual spine in Scutisorex is unknown, it gives these small animals incredible vertebral strength. Based on field observations, we hypothesize that the unique vertebral column is an adaptation allowing these shrews to lever heavy or compressive objects to access concentrated food resources inaccessible to other animals.