<Emphasis Type="Italic">Idaea pseudoaversata</Emphasis>, a new species of geometrids (Lepidoptera,Geometridae) from the Southeastern Asian part of Russia

A new species, Idaea pseudoaversata, is described from the Far East. According to the coloration and wing pattern, the new species is similar to I. straminata (Borkhausen, 1794). The species is closely related to I. aversata (Linnaeus, 1758), but differs in the presence of seven cornuti in the aedeagus. The type material of the new species is deposited in the Institute of Animal Systematics and Ecology, Russian Academy of Sciences (Novosibirsk, Russia).     

A genus and a species of hover-flies,new for the Russian fauna (Diptera,Syrphidae)

A new species Pseudoplatychirus glupovi is described from the highlands of the Altai Mts. (the Ukok Plateau). This is also the first record of the genus Pseudoplatychirus from Russia. The new species differs from P. peteri Doesburg, 1955 in the wing membrane more strongly pubescent with microtrichia, in the brown halteres with black capitulum, and in the structure of the male genitalia. The holotype and paratypes are deposited in the Siberian Zoological Museum, Institute of Animal Systematics and Ecology, Novosibirsk, Russia.     

Fossil wood of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Betula erkovetskiensis</Emphasis> sp. nov. (Betulaceae) from the Miocene of the Erkovetskii Brown Coal Field,Amur Region,Russia

A new species, Betula erkovetskiensis Blokhina et O.V. Bondarenko (Betulaceae), from the deposits of the Sazanka Formation (upper Middle?Upper Miocene) of the Erkovetskii Brown Coal Field (Amur Region, Russia) is described based on anatomical features of fossil wood. The new species shows some wood anatomical characters of the extant birch subgenus Betula, B. davurica, B. nigra (section Dahuricae), and B. papyrifera (section Betula). Fossil wood of Betula is found in the Amur Region for the first time.     

New and little known species of the dance-fly subgenus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Xanthempis</Emphasis> Bezzi,genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Empis</Emphasis> L. (Diptera,Empididae), from the Caucasus

Five new species of the subgenus Xanthempis Bezzi are described from the Caucasus: Empis (Xanthempis) annae sp. n. (Russia: Krasnodar Territory), E. (X.) grichanovi sp. n. (Russia: Krasnodar Territory; Georgia), E. (X.) pseudoconcolor sp. n. (Russia: Krasnodar and Stavropol territories; Georgia: Abkhazia), E. (X.) teberdaensis sp. n. (Russia: Karachay-Cherkessia), and E. (X.) zamotajlovi sp. n. (Russia: Krasnodar Territory and Adygea). The females of E. (X.) alanica Shamshev and E. (X.) kovalevi Shamshev are described for the first time. New data on the distribution of some previously described species are reported. The geographical distribution of Xanthempis is discussed. A key to Xanthempis species from the Caucasus is compiled.     

Yeast communities of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Formica aquilonia</Emphasis> colonies

Yeast abundance and species diversity in the colonies of Formica aquilonia ants in birch–pine grass forest near Novosibirsk, Russia, were studied. The average yeast number in the anthill material was 10³–10⁴ CFU/g, reaching 10⁵ CFU/g in the hatching chambers. Typical litter species (Trichosporon moniliiforme and Cystofilobasidium capitatum) were predominant in soil and litter around the anthills. Apart from these species, ascomycete species of the family Debaryomycetaceae, Debaryomyces hansenii, and Schwanniomyces vanrijiae were predominant in the anthill material. Yeast population of the ant’ bodies consisted exclusively of the members of the last two species. Thus, highly specific yeast communities formed in the colonies of Formica aquilonia ants differ from the communities of surrounding soil. These differences are caused by environment-forming activity of the ants.     

Dynamics of Malaria Mosquito Species Composition in Siberian Populations Detected by Restriction Analysis

The peculiarities of the dynamics of malaria mosquito species proportions were studied in natural populations. Twenty-one collections from five larval habitats of the Anopheles maculipennis complex malaria mosquitoes were taken in the vicinity of Novosibirsk (Russia). It was detected that the Anopheles messeae and An. daciae are dominant species in the collected samples. Three An. beklemishevi individuals were also detected. The dynamics of the species proportions within the reproduction seasons for a number of years and also the differences between localities in the species composition were studied. It was revealed that the An. daciae proportion is maximal in July and falls in August. The species proportions can change sharply from year to year. For example, the An. messeae species prevailed in localities on the left bank of Novosibirsk Reservoir in 2013 and 2014 with the frequency of 54–68%, while An. daciae began to prevail on this territory in 2016 with the frequency of 73–85%. Our data on the proportions of species in different reservoirs were compared with data of other authors for the collections of malaria mosquitoes of the Anopheles maculipennis complex in Russia (Tomsk oblast) and in Germany. A high correspondence of models provided by these authors for the territory that we studied was demonstrated. Thus, the ecological peculiarities of the An. messeae and An. daciae species are highly stable even in geographically and climatically distant localities. An increase in the portion of relatively anthropophilic An. daciae in the middle of summer can be a risk factor relative to malaria transmission in this period of time.     

A new species of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Xanthorhoe</Emphasis> (Lepidoptera,Geometridae, Larentiinae) from the Urals and Western Siberia

A new geometrid-moth species, Xanthorhoe pseudoannotinata, is described. It is similar to X. annotinata in the coloration and wing pattern, but differs in structure of the costa of the valva, presence of 9 or 10 spines at the base of the aedeagal vesica of the male, large oval and trapezoid-like ostium, and short conic ductus bursae of the female. The holotype is deposited at the Siberian Zoological Museum, Institute of Animal Systematics and Ecology (Novosibirsk, Russia), the paratypes, at the same museum and in the Finnish Museum of Natural History (Helsinki, Finland).     

Five new species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Conocybe</Emphasis> (Agaricomycetes,Bolbitiaceae) from Russia

Five new Conocybe species are described from Russia based on collections made in different parts of the country. One species (C. olivaceopileata) belongs to sect. Conocybe, two species (C. praticola and C. coniferarum) to sect. Mixtae. The ornamented basidiospores of C. confundens and C. incerta is characteristic for sect. Ochromarasmius. All new species are described based on morphology and, in some cases, on DNA sequencing (ITS rDNA). Photos of basidiocarps, illustrations of microstructures and a comparison with similar taxa are given.     

A new species of the millipede genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lamyctes</Emphasis> Meinert, 1868 (Chilopoda,Lithobiomorpha, Henicopidae) from European Russia

Lamyctes inexpectatus sp. n., characterized by a distinctive shape of the female gonopods, is described from European Russia. The new species is compared with other species of the genus Lamyctes from Russia, and a key to these species is given. Types of the new species are deposited at the Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg.     

Two new palaearctic species of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Scoliophthalmus</Emphasis> Becker, 1903 (Diptera,Chloropidae) with a key to the species occurring in the Palaearctic Region

Two new species of the genus Scoliophthalmus Becker, 1903 (Diptera, Chloropidae) are described: S. miscanthi sp. n. from southern Primorskii Territory (Russia) and S. gussakovskii sp. n. from southern Tajikistan. The genus is recorded for Russia for the first time. The species of Scoliophthalmus occur only in the southern areas of the Palaearctic Region. A key to eight species occurring in the Palaearctic Region is given.     

Free-living nematodes of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Alaimella</Emphasis> Cobb 1920 (Nematoda: Leptolaimidae): A description of <Emphasis Type="Italic">A. macramphis</Emphasis> sp. n. from the White Sea and a revision of the genus

Alaimella cincta Cobb 1920 and Alaimella macramphis sp. n. are described and illustrated. Both the species were first recorded for the White Sea in northern Russia. A. cincta occurs in the shells of the agglutinated foraminiferan Reophax curtus, as well as freely in bottom sediments. A. macramphis sp. n. is described from a single male sampled from bottom sediments. A. macramphis sp. n. is distinguished from two previously known species of Alaimella (A. cincta Cobb 1920 and A. truncate Cobb 1920) by having a longer body, longer cephalic setae, and a wide amphid equal to the respective body diameter. The new species also differs from A. truncate by the distinct striation of the cuticular annulations. The Alaimella species are additionally characterized by having a posterior glandular widening of the esophagus. An emended diagnosis of the genus Alaimella Cobb 1920 and a key for species identification are provided.     

A review of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Deporaus</Emphasis> (Coleoptera,Rhynchitidae) from the Russian fauna: 1. Subgenera <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pseudapoderites</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Japonodeporaus</Emphasis>

The genus Deporaus from the Russian fauna is revised. Four species (D. pacatus, D. azarovae, D. septentrionalis, and D. hartmanni) of the subgenera Pseudapoderites and Japonodeporaus are found. Keys to the subgenera and to the species of the subgenus Pseudapoderites are given. The genus Deporaus, subgenera Pseudapoderites and Japonodeporaus, and four species are redescribed. The distribution of these species in Russia is discussed.     

A new species of the leaf-beetle genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cryptocephalus</Emphasis> Geoffroy (Coleoptera,Chrysomelidae: Cryptocephalinae) from Southeastern Kazakhstan

A new species of the genus Cryptocephalus is described from the Malaysary Mountains (Southeastern Kazakhstan). The new species belongs to the subgenus Asionus and is closest to the group of species with a deep impression on the male anal (V) sternite (C. halophilus, C. impressipygus and C. mniczechi). Cryptocephalus malaysaryensis sp. n. clearly differs in the structure of the aedeagus and abdominal sternite V of the male.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Viola woosanensis</Emphasis>, a recurrent spontaneous hybrid between <Emphasis Type="Italic">V. ulleungdoensis</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">V. chaerophylloides</Emphasis> (Violaceae) endemic to Ulleung Island,Korea

Ulleung Island is an oceanic volcanic island in Korea, which has never been connected to the adjacent continent. Previous studies highlighted Ulleung Island as an excellent system to study the pattern and process of early stages of flowering plant evolutions on oceanic island. The predominant mode of speciation in flowering plants on Ulleung Island appears to be anagenesis. However, the potentially important role of hybrid speciation among incompletely reproductively isolated lineages cannot be ruled out. Viola woosanensis (Violaceae) is of purportedly hybrid origin between V. ulleungdoensis (i.e., formerly recognized as V. selkirkii in Ulleung Island) and V. chaerophylloides, based on morphology. To examine the origin of V. woosanensis, we sampled a total of 80 accessions, including V. woosanensis and its putative parental species and sequenced nrDNA ITS, and four highly variable chloroplast noncoding regions (trnL-trnF, rpl16 intron, atpF-atpH, and psbA-trnH). Representative species of Viola from Korea were also included in the phylogenetic analyses (maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian inference). Additive polymorphic sites in the nrDNA ITS regions were confirmed by cloning amplicons from representative species. The molecular data strongly supported the hybrid origin of V. woosanensis, and the maternal and paternal parent were determined to be V. ulleungdoensis and V. chaerophylloides, respectively. The presence of two parental ribotypes in V. woosanensis (with the exception in one population) was confirmed by cloning, suggesting V. woosanensis is primarily the F₁ generation. No trace of backcrossing and introgression with its parents was detected due to low fertility of hybrid species. We found a multiple and unidirectional hybrid origin of V. woosanensis. Additional studies are required to determine which factors contribute to asymmetric gene flow of Viola species in Ulleung Island.     

A new species,a new synonym,and new records of the hover-fly genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cheilosia</Emphasis> Meigen (Diptera,Syrphidae)

A new species, Cheilosia richterae sp. n., is described in the nominotypical subgenus, being most closely related there to Ch. annulifemur Stackelberg, 1930. Two species, Ch. sootryeni Nielsen, 1970 and Ch. rufimana (Becker, 1984), are recorded from Russia for the first time. Ch. kuznetzovae Skufjin, 1977 is recorded for the first time from the Urals and western Siberia. The subgenus Nephocheila Barkalov, 2002 is synonymized with Nephomyia Matsumura, 1916. Figures of the male and female heads and the male genitalia are given for all the species.     

Mealybugs of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fonscolombia</Emphasis> Licht. (Homoptera,Pseudococcidae) of the fauna of Russia and adjacent countries

The genus name Euripersia Borchs. is considered a junior synonym of Fonscolombia Licht. based on the absence of essential differences between type species of these genera. The key to Fonscolombia includes, in addition to the type species, nine species from Russia and adjacent countries. Eight of these species are redescribed and illustrated, F. butorinae Danzig et Gavrilov, 2005 has been recently described as new. Two species originally described in Euripersia do not belong to this genus. One is transferred to Trionymus Berg, and thus a new combination is established: Trionymus mongolicus (Danzig), comb. n. Synonymy of Euripersia caulicola with Phenacoccus incertus Kir. has been established recently (Danzig, 2005). Other species presently placed in Euripersia (Ben-Dov, 1994) need a revision. Lectotypes are designated for 4 nominal species. Fonscolombia is related to Phenacoccus Sign., the separation of these two genera is not clear. Fonscolombia is characterized by broad-oval and convex body, poorly developed anal lobes, short, 6-8-segmented (F. edentata and F. herbacea with 7–9-segmented) antennae, and cerarii present on the last abdominal segments only (C ₃ sometimes present). Most species live on roots of grasses (F. butorinae between leaves near soil, F. herbacea, on dicotyledonous herbs) and are characterized by ovoviviparity.