One new genus and three new species of Orsillinae (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae) from Australia

Abstract  Two new species of Nysius Dallas, N. orarius sp. n. and N. tasmaniensis sp. n. are described from New South Wales and Tasmania (Australia), respectively. A new monotypic genus, Reticulatonysius , with type-species R. queenslandensis sp. n. is described from Queensland, and its systematic relationship with other orsilline genera is discussed.     

Ultrastructural review of Choleoeimeria spp., a coccidium infecting the gall-bladder epithelium of reptiles

Choleoeimeria Paperna and Landsberg, 1989 is a reptile coccidium with unique features. Its endogenous development occurs in the cells of the bile epithelium. Its host cell while becoming hypertrophic emerges above the epithelial surface. The following species studied by electron microscopy: C. alloagamae Paperna, 2007 from Agama sp. West Africa; C. allogehyrae Paperna, 2007 from Gehyra australis and C. heteronotis Paperna, 2007 from Heteronotia binoei, from Australia, and C. pachydactyli Paperna and Landsberg, 1989 from Pachydactylus capensis from South Africa. The fine structure of the respective endogenous stages is fairly uniform. The host-cell hypertrophy coincides with a drastic depletion of the microvilli, their junction zone with the underlying cell extends into numerous long and fine membranal out-folds. The PV of all infected cells is filled with typical round granular particles. Young meronts undergo binary fission. The differentiating microgamont develops an expanded multilobed body. Macrogamont's organelles include type 1 and type 2 wall forming bodies, canaliculi and granular bodies, suspected to be the precursors of the sporozoites refractile bodies. The oocyst wall forms from 4 wall-membranes consolidating over the zygote plasmalemma.     

Notes on Australian Typhlodrominae (Acari: Mesostigmata: Phytoseiidae), with Descriptions of Two New Species of Neoseiulella Muma from Tropical Rainforests in Far Northern Queensland

Neoseiulella is the most diverse of the six genera of the subfamily Typhlodrominae in Australia, but previously only a single species has been reported from the tropics. Herein, two new species, Neoseiulella eiko sp.n. and N. coreen sp.n., from tropical rainforest in far northern Queensland are described. These mites are the smallest known members of the genus, share a number of unusual character states, and are intermediate in morphology between the two currently recognised species groups. A synopsis of the current placement of Australian Typhlodrominae and a key to the adult females of the Australian genera are provided.     

FURTHER STUDIES ON ASIRACINAE (HOMOPTERA: DELPHACIDAE) IN AUSTRALIA AND NEW CALEDONIA

Abstract
Kiambrama hylonoma gen. n., sp. n., K. longirostrata sp. n. and Notuchus oresbios sp. n. from North Queensland and Notuchoides montanus gen. n., sp. n. from New Caledonia are described. Notuchus palmerstonensis Donaldson is synonymised with N. kurandae Donaldson. A key to genera of Asiracinae in Australia and New Caledonia, keys to species of Kiambrama and Notuchus and new locality records for Notuchus are given.     

Pseudorhabdosynochus argus n. sp. (Monogenea: Diplectanidae) from Cephalopholis argus, P. minutus n. sp. and Diplectanum nanus n. sp. from C. sonnerati and other monogeneans from Cephalopholis spp. (Perciformes: Serranidae) off Australia and New Caledonia

Monogeneans from three species of Cephalopholis, namely C. argus, C. sonnerati and C. boenak, are described from fish caught off New Caledonia, South Pacific, with comparisons with material from off Queensland, Australia. Pseudorhabdosynochus argus n. sp. from C. argus is present off New Caledonia and Australia; it is characterised by its male quadriloculate organ with very elongate cone, and its sclerotised vagina with anterior trumpet, coiled primary canal and distal part with two chambers and an accessory part. C. boenak has no monogeneans off New Caledonia, but off Australia it harbours Pseudorhabdosynochus sp., a new species which is morphologically related to P. argus. P. minutus n. sp. from C. sonnerati is characterised by its minute body and a sclerotised vagina with two spherical chambers. Diplectanum nanus n. sp. from C. sonnerati is characterised by its very small funnel-shaped male copulatory organ and minute body. A new species, Haliotrema sp. from C. sonnerati is characterised by a very elongate tubular penis; it is distinct from H. cromileptis Young, 1968 (redescribed herein from specimens collected from Cromileptes altivelis off New Caledonia). The species described here include the first members of Pseudorhabdosynochus and the first diplectanids described from species of Cephalopholis. There is no evidence for a clade of Pseudorhabdosynochus species specific to members of Cephalopholis, since the species described here share similarities with other species from Epinephelus. However, it is suggested that the gill structure of Cephalopholis spp. imposes selection toward small body sizes for monogeneans.     

Reductive evolutionary trends in two new cavernicolous species of a new Australian cixiid genus (Homoptera: Fulgroidea)

Abstract A new genus, Undarana gen.n., is established to accomodate six new closely related cixiid species from Queensland, Australia: U.tamborina sp. n.(type species), U.gloriosa sp.n., U.towomba sp.n., U. daybora sp. n., U. rosella sp.n. and U.collina sp.n. Two of the species live in lava tubes in northern Queensland and show different degrees of troglomorphy (reduction of eyes and bodily pigmentation) U.rosella is regarded as being troglophilic (facultative cavernicole), adn U.collina as being troglobitic (facultative cavernicole), and U.collina as being troglobitic (obligatory cavernicole), and it is considered likely that they represent a single invasion into the cave environment. Reductive evolutionary trends displayed by cave-dwelling Undarana species are described, and notes on their ecology and distribution are given. Hypotheses on the factors that might have led to cave-adaption in Undarana species are discussed.     

Two new species of Neolebouria Gibson, 1976 (Digenea: Opecoelidae) from temperate marine fishes of Australia

Neolebouria moretonensis n. sp. is described from Gerres subfasciatus (Gerreidae) from Moreton Bay, south-east Queensland and N. lineatus n. sp. is described from Centroberyx lineatus (Berycidae) from off Rottnest Island, south-west Western Australia. C. lineatus represents a new host family and order (Beryciformes) for the genus. The two new species are distinguished within the genus by their entire, tandem to oblique testes and cirrus-sacs that do not extend into the hind-body, by being less than 1 mm in length, and by the position of the genital pore and the relative size of the forebody and post-testicular region. N. lineatus and N. moretonensis are very similar but are distinguished by their caeca which extend further posteriorly in N. moretonensis. There is no apparent pattern in the host-specificity of this genus.     

World species of the genus Platyscelio Kieffer (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae)

The genus Platyscelio Kieffer (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae, Scelioninae) is a widespread group in the Old World, found from West Africa to northern Queensland, Australia. The species concepts are revised and a key to world species is presented. The genus is comprised of 6 species, including 2 known species which are redescribed: Platyscelioafricanus Risbec (Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Yemen, Zimbabwe); and Platysceliopulchricornis Kieffer (Australia, Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Solomon Islands, Taiwan, Thailand, Vanuatu, Vietnam). Five species-group names are considered to be junior synonyms of Platysceliopulchricornis: Platyscelioabnormis Crawford syn. n., Platysceliodunensis Mukerjee syn. n., Platysceliomirabilis Dodd syn. n., Platysceliopunctatus Kieffer syn. n., and Platysceliowilcoxi Fullaway. The following species are hypothesized and described as new taxa: Platyscelioarcuatus Taekul & Johnson, sp. n. (Western Australia); Platysceliomysterium Taekul & Johnson, sp. n. (Zimbabwe, Botswana, South Africa); Platysceliomzantsi Taekul & Johnson, sp. n. (South Africa); and Platysceliostriga Taekul & Johnson, sp. n. (Western Australia).     

Phylogenetic analysis of a group of palaeonemerteans (Nemertea) including two new species from Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef, Australia

Sundberg, P., Gibson, R. & Olsson, U. (2003). Phylogenetic analysis of a group of palaeonemerteans (Nemertea) including two new species from Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. — Zoologica Scripta, 32, 279–296.
Based on 18S rDNA nucleotide sequences and morphological characters, we reconstruct the phylogeny for a group of palaeonemerteans estimated to be monophyletic. Two new palaeonemertean species from Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef, Australia are included in the phylogenetic analysis. The results confirm that one of the species, Cephalothrix queenslandica sp. n., is part of the Cephalothrix–Cephalotrichella–Procephalothrix group. These genera are redefined phylogenetically under the name Cephalothrix based on the cladistic analysis. The other species, Balionemertes australiensis gen. et sp. n., is placed in a new genus which forms a sister taxon to Cephalothrix . The morphology of both new species is described in detail.     

Digenetic trematodes of the genus Clinostomum Leidy, 1856 (Digenea: Clinostomidae) from birds of Queensland, Australia, including C. wilsoni n. sp. from Egretta intermedia

Two species of Clinostomum previously described from Australia, C. hornum from Botaurus poiciloptilus (Australian bittern) and Nycticorax caledonicus (Nankeen night heron) and C. australiense from Pelecanus conspicillatus (Australian pelican), which have previously been synonymised with C. complanatum, are redescribed and recognised as valid species. In addition, C. complanatum is recorded from Egretta alba (large egret), E. garzetta (little egret), E. intermedia (plumed egret), N. caledonicus and Ardea novaehollandiae (white-faced heron). C. wilsoni n. sp. is described from E. intermedia from Queensland. C. wilsoni differs from the other three species in size and shape of the body and in the oral collar, oral sucker, intestinal caeca, caecal diverticula and position of testes. Taxonomic problems within the genus Clinostomum are discussed.     

A New Species of Prosopistoma (Ephemeroptera: Prosopistomatidae) from Australia

The nymph, female subimago and egg of Prosopistoma pearsonorum sp. n. are described from localities in far north Queensland, Australia. This is believed to be the only species of Prosopistoma known from Australia, the previous record of P. sedlaceki Peters being a misidentification.     

Two new genera,shape Provitellus and shape Ovipusillus,and four new species of Monorchiidae (Digenea) from carangid fishes of Queensland,Australia

Two new genera and four new species of monorchiid digeneans are described from the Great Barrier Reef and Moreton Bay, Queensland. Provitellus turrum n. g., n. sp. from Pseudocaranx dentex and Trachinotus coppingeri is characterised by the presence of vitelline follicles in the forebody, a single testis, a unipartite terminal organ and filamented eggs. Ovipusillus mayu n. g., n. sp. from Gnathanodon speciosus is characterised by the presence of two testes, vitelline follicles overlapping the ventral sucker and a large, complex cirrus-sac that contains a coiled eversible ejaculatory duct joined by the pars prostatica halfway along its length. Paramonorcheides pseudocaranxi n. sp. from Pseudocaranx dentex differs from other species described in this genus in the longer flatter forebody, entire ovary and the well-developed cirrus-sac. Chrisomon gaigai n. sp. from Trachinotus coppingeri and T. botla is characterised by the unflattened forebody and transversely oval pharynx. Chrisomon is redefined to include species of Lasiotocus with a vitellarium composed of clusters of tubular acini, creating the following new combinations: C. albulae n. comb. for L. albulae Overstreet, 1969, C. ulua n. comb. for L. ulua Yamaguti, 1970 and C. weke n. comb. for L. weke Yamaguti, 1970. The diagnosis of Lasiotocus is amended accordingly and the new combinations, L. polynemi n. comb. and L. sunderbanensis n. comb., are created for C. polynemi Dutta, Hafeezullah & Manna, 1994 and C. sunderbanensis Dutta, Hafeezullah & Manna, 1994, respectively. Extrapolation of our collection data suggests that there may be as many as 80 species of monorchiids infecting carangid fishes in Australia and 180 species infecting carangids in all oceans of the world. The latter figure greatly exceeds the number of monorchiids described from all host families to     

Lepocreadiidae (Digenea) of Australian coastal fishes: new species of Opechona Looss, 1907, Lepotrema Ozaki, 1932 and Bianium Stunkard, 1930 and comments on other species reported for the first time or poorly known in Australian waters

Opechona austrobacillaris n. sp. is described from Pomatomus saltatrix from marine sites off Western Australia and New South Wales, Australia. It differs from O. bacillaris in its elongate outline, small ventral sucker, longer pseudoesophagus (relative to the oesophagus), relatively shorter ventral sucker to ovary distance and the relatively longer post-testicular region. Lepotrema monile n. sp. is described from Pomacentrus wardi from Heron Island, Queensland. It differs from its congeners in the sphincter around the distal metraterm and the more-or-less oval ovary. Bianium spongiosum n. sp. is described from Ostracion cubicus from Lizard Island, Queensland. It differs from its congeners in lacking lateral flaps in the forebody, but in having large, internal spongiform patches in the lateral forebody. The following species are redescribed from Australian sites: Lepocreadium oyabitcha from Abudefduf whitleyi, Lizard Island; Clavogalea trachinoti from Trachinotus botla, Heron Island and T. coppingeri, New South Wales, Stradbroke Island, Queensland and Heron Island; Myzoxenus insolens from Notolabrus parilus, Western Australia; Bulbocirrus aulostomi from Aulostomus chinensis, Heron Island; Lepocreadioides orientalis [new synonyms: Bicaudum interruptum Bilqees, 1973; Lepocreadioides interruptum (Bilqees, 1973) Madhavi, Narasimhulu & Shameem, 1986; Lepocreadioides discum Wang, 1986; Lepocreadioides sp. of Karyakarte & Yadav (1976)] from Cynoglossus bilineata, Moreton Bay, Queensland; Hypocreadium patellare from Sufflamen chrysopterus, Heron Island; Echeneidocoelium indicum from Echeneis naucrates, Heron Island; Multitestis pyriformis from Epinephelus cyanopodus, Heron Island; Pseudopisthogonoporus vitellosus from Naso brevirostris, Heron Island; and Bianium hispidum from Torquigener whitleyi and T. pleurogramma, southern Queensland. Only M. solens and M. pyriformis have been reported from Australian waters before; both are new host records.     

NORTHERN RECORDS OF THE GENUS CULISETA FELT IN AUSTRALIA WITH THE DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES (DIPTERA: CULICIDAE)

i
Culiseta arenivaga sp.n., described from females from Fraser Island, Queensland, provides the northernmost record of Culiseta in Australia. C. arenivaga has postspiracular setae and it is compared in text and figures with the other species known from Queensland, C. antipodea Dobrotworsky, and with the other species possessing postspiracular setae, C. littleri (Taylor), C. inconspicua (Lee), and C. atra (Lee), of which the first two are the only species known from New South Wales. Postspiracular setae are reported in C. inconspicua for the first time. C. littleri is recorded from northern New South Wales and geographical variation in this species is discussed. The unusual palmate empodium of C. antipodea females is described and figured. Relationships within the genus are considered and an austral origin for the genus is suggested.     

Adelphocorisella Miyamoto and Yasunaga newly recorded from Australia, with the description of a new species (Heteroptera: Miridae: Mirinae)

Adelphocorisella australis sp. n. is described from north Queensland. This, the first representative of the genus known from Australia, is compared with the two previously described species, both from Japan.     

First record of the genus Brachygaster Leach (Hymenoptera: Evaniidae) from Australia with the description of a new species

Abstract  Brachygaster murrayorum sp. n., a new species of evaniid ensign wasp, is described from northern Queensland. This is the first record of Brachygaster Leach in Australia and represents a significant range extension from Singapore, its previous closest occurrence.     

Two new egg parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) of the wood borer Agrianome spinicollis (Macleay) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), a pest of pecans in eastern Australia

Abstract Baeoanusia xanthopleuron sp. n. and Avetianella coombsi sp. n. (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) are described from New South Wales and Queensland. Photomicrographs are provided to illustrate morphological characters of both species, and their systematic position is discussed on the basis of their morphology and biology. Both species are egg parasitoids of the wood borer Agrianome spinicollis (Macleay), an important pest of pecans in eastern Australia.