A revision of the genus Kaszabister Mazur (Histeridae, Histerinae, Exosternini)

We revise the four species of Kaszabister Mazur, 1972, one of which, Kaszabister barrigaisp. n., is described as new. The other species in the genus are Kaszabister rubellus (Erichson, 1834), Kaszabister ferrugineus (Kirsch, 1873) and Kaszabister carinatus (Lewis, 1888). The species are principally known from the subtropics of South America, with one in Central America. Lectotypes are designated for Kaszabister rubellus and Kaszabister ferrugineus, and a key is provided for all the species. Ants of the genus Solenopsis Westwood, mainly Solenopsis invicta Buren and Solenopsis saevissima (Smith), are documented as hosts of three of the four species.     

Mealybugs of the genus Heliococcus Šulc (Homoptera, Pseudococcidae) of the fauna of Russia and adjacent countries

A key to, and reviews of 30 species of the genus Heliococcus from the former USSR, Mongolia, and North Korea are given. All the species discussed are illustrated and redescribed. A new species, H. astragali sp. n., is described. Lectotypes are designated for nine nominal species. The following new synonymies are established: Heliococcus atraphaxidis Baz. (= inconspicuous Baz., = kirgisicus Baz.); H. bohemicus ?ulc (= danzigae Baz.); H. destructor Borchs. (= kehejanae Ter-Grig., = slavonicus Borchs. et Terezn., = ziziphi Borchs.); H. halocnemi Borchs. (= xerophilus Mat.); H. radicicola Goux (= saxatilis Borchs.); H. sulcii Goux (= marginalis Goux, = tesquorum Borchs., = caucasicus Borchs., = artemisiae Ter-Grig.), syn. nn.     

On Levymanus,a remarkable new spider genus from?Israel,with notes on the Chediminae (Araneae,Palpimanidae)

Levymanus gershomigen. n. et sp. n., is described from southern Israel. The eye arrangement and structure of the male palp indicate that this genus belongs to Chediminae Simon, 1893. Levymanus gen. n. differs from other chedimine genera by its unusually long and slender legs, an elongate body, a unique shape of the bipartite thoracic fovea, reduced leg scopulae, smaller spinnerets, and other characters, which are presumably apomorphic. We propose two taxonomic changes: 1) based on widely spaced lateral eyes the Western African genus Badia Roewer, 1961 is transferred from Chediminae to Palpimaninae, and 2) Fernandezina gyirongensis Hu & Li, 1987 from China, based on palpal morphology, is transferred to the Asian genus Steriphopus Simon, 1887 for a new combination Steriphopus gyirongensis (Hu & Li, 1987) comb. n.     

Characterizing the vibratory and acoustic signals of the “purring” wolf spider,Gladicosa gulosa (Araneae: Lycosidae)

Both airborne acoustic signals and substrate-borne vibrations are prevalent modes of animal communication, particularly in arthropods. While a wide variety of animals utilize one or both of these modalities, the connection between them is still ambiguous in many species. Spiders as a group are not known for using, or even perceiving, acoustic signals, despite being well-adapted for vibratory communication. Males of the “purring” wolf spider Gladicosa gulosa are reported to produce audible signals during courtship, although the literature on this species is largely anecdotal. Using a laser Doppler vibrometer and an omnidirectional microphone in controlled conditions, we recorded and characterized the visual and mechanical (both substrate-borne and airborne) signals of this species in an attempt to provide a qualitative and quantitative overview of its signal properties. We found that the vibratory signal is composed of two primary repeating and alternating elements, consisting of pulses of stridulation and percussive strikes, as well as a less common, but repeatable, third element. We also characterized a measurable airborne component to the signal that is significantly correlated with the amplitude of the vibratory signal, which we suggest is a by-product of the strong vibration. Neither modality correlated significantly with male body size or condition. Although the exact role of the acoustic component is unclear, we speculate that the unique properties of signalling in this species may have value in answering new questions about animal communication.     

A synoptic review of the genus Thaumaspis Bolívar (Orthoptera,Tettigoniidae, Meconematinae) with the description of a new genus and four new species

Two new species of the new genus Athaumaspisgen. n., Athaumaspisminutussp. n. and Athaumaspistibetanussp. n. from Vietnam and China are described. The subgenus Pseudothaumaspis of Thaumaspis is elevated to generic status and another two new species Pseudothaumaspisbispinosussp. n. and Pseudothaumaspisfurcocercussp. n. are described, the remaining species of Thaumaspis are reviewed and keyed with the four new species.     

An extraordinary new family of spiders from caves in the Pacific Northwest (Araneae, Trogloraptoridae, new family)

The new spider genus and species Trogloraptor marchingtoni Griswold, Audisio & Ledford is described as the type of the new family Trogloraptoridae. The oblique membranous division of the basal segment of the anterior lateral spinnerets of Trogloraptor suggests that this haplogyne family is the sister group of the other Dysderoidea (Dysderidae, Oonopidae, Orsolobidae and Segestriidae). Trogloraptor is known only from caves and old growth forest understory in the Klamath-Siskiyou region of Oregon and California.     

A taxonomic review of the genus Coleophora Hübner (Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae) in Korea

Twenty-seven species of the genus Coleophora Hübner (Lepidoptera, Coleophoridae) are recognized in the Korean peninsula, including seven species that are new to Korea: C. albicans Zeller, C. falkovitshella Vives, C. honshuella Baldizzone & Oku, C. japonicella Oku, C. kononenkoi Baldizzone & Savenkov, C. rectimarginalis Li, and C. vestianella (Linnaeus). For all known species, bibliographies, collecting localities, distribution, biological information, and some taxonomic notes are provided, with illustrations of the male or the female genitalia.     

A new troglomorphic species of Harmonicon (Araneae,Mygalomorphae, Dipluridae) from Pará, Brazil,with notes on the genus

A new species of Harmonicon F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1896 (Araneae, Dipluridae) is described, from a medium-sized lateritic cave in Parauapebas, Pará, Brazil. The male holotype and only specimen known of H. cerberus sp. n. was found near the entrance of Pequiá cave. This taxon is the fourth species described and the southernmost record for the genus. The new species displays some troglomorphic characteristics, such as reduction and merging of the posterior median and both pairs of lateral eyes and pale yellow to light brown coloration. Both characters are diagnostic when compared to the normal separated eyes and reddish to dark brown of other Harmonicon species. Other diagnostic characteristics are isolated, long, rigid setae distal to the lyra and the shape of the copulatory bulb. This is the second troglomorphic mygalomorph species from Brazil and the first from the Amazonian region.     

A review of the genus Parapoynx Hübner in China (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae: Acentropinae)

Thirteen species of the genus Parapoynx Hübner (1825) are recognised from China, including P. qujingalis, a new species described herein. A key to the Chinese species is provided. The adults of the new species and the genital structures of all examined species are illustrated.     

A review of the geometrid genus Entephria Hübner, 1825 (Lepidoptera, Geometridae) from the Taymyr Peninsula

Five species of the geometrid genus Entephria Hb. from the Taimyr Peninsula are considered: E. punctipes (Curtis, 1835), E. bradorata (Munroe, 1951), E. kidluitata (Munroe, 1951), E. polata (Duponchel, 1831), and E. lynda Troubridge, 1997. E. bradorata and E. lynda in the Palaearctic Region and E. kidluitata in the Taimyr Peninsula are recorded for the first time. Brief characteristics and data on the distribution are given for each species.     

Five new species and three new females of the genus Endotricha Zeller from China (Lepidoptera, Pyralidae, Pyralinae)

Five new species of the genus Endotricha Zeller are described from China: Endotricha dentiprocessasp. n., Endotricha unicolorsp. n., Endotricha shafferisp. n., Endotricha convexasp. n. and Endotricha whalleyisp. n. Females of three species are described for the first time: Endotricha hoenei Whalley, 1963, Endotricha luteogrisalis Hampson, 1896 and Endotricha simipunicea Wang & Li, 2005. Photographs of the adults and both male and female genitalia are provided.     

Phantoms of Gondwana?—phylogeny of the spider subfamily Mynogleninae (Araneae: Linyphiidae)

This is the first genus‐level phylogeny of the subfamily Mynogleninae. It is based on 190 morphological characters scored for 44 taxa: 37 mynoglenine taxa (ingroup) representing 15 of the 17 known genera and seven outgroup taxa representing the subfamilies Stemonyphantinae, Linyphiinae (Linyphiini and Micronetini), and Erigoninae, and a representative of the family Pimoidae, the sister‐group to Linyphiidae. No fewer than 147 of the morphological characters used in this study are new and defined for this study, and come mainly from male and female genitalia. Parsimony analysis with equal weights resulted in three most parsimonious trees of length 871. The monophyly of the subfamily Mynogleninae and the genera Novafroneta, Parafroneta, Laminafroneta, Afroneta, Promynoglenes, Metamynoglenes, and Haplinis are supported, whereas Pseudafroneta is paraphyletic. The remaining seven mynoglenine genera are either monotypic or represented by only one taxon. Diagnoses are given for all genera included in the analysis. The evolution of morphological traits is discussed and we summarize the diversity and distribution patterns of the 124 known species of mynoglenines. The preferred topology suggests a single origin of mynoglenines in New Zealand with two dispersal events to Africa, and does not support Gondwana origin.     

Taxonomic notes on the genus Eupoa ?abka, 1985 (Arachnida,Araneae, Salticidae)

The south-east Asian genus Eupoa is redescribed and diagnosed. Seven new species are diagnosed, described and illustrated: E. daklaksp. n. (♀) from Viet-Nam; E. lehtinenisp. n. (♂♀) from India, Thailand and Viet-Nam; E. loblisp. n. (♂) from Malaysia; E. pappisp. n. (♂) from Thailand; E. pulchellasp. n.(♂) from Thailand; E. schwendingerisp. n. (♂♀) from Thailand; and E. thailandicasp. n. (♂♀) from Thailand. Eupoa prima Żabka, 1985 and E. yunnanensis Peng & Kim, 1997 are redescribed and illustrated on the basis of type and/or newly collected materials. The female of E. yunnanensis Peng & Kim, 1997 is found and described for the first time.     

Effects of anthropogenic factors on spider communities (Arthropoda: Araneae) in Chréa National park (Blida,Algeria)

Chréa National Park, one of the 11 national parks in Algeria, is natural and diverse but under different pressures: urbanisation, fires caused by the high flux of visitors. Several ecological and systematic studies have been conducted on the Araneae, the most important epigeal fauna, but no attention was given to the anthropogenic parcels of the Park. To assess the effects of urbanisation and fires on the ecology of this fauna, spiders were collected monthly for 2 years, using ‘Pitfall’ traps in three disturbed stations: burned, urbanised and reforested and three natural sites as control. In total, 1,476 specimens were sampled (19 families, 42 genera and 68 species). Zodarion algericum was the dominant species (13.25%), particularly in the burned station. Mann–Whitney U test showed a significant difference between urbanised and nonurbanised sites in contrast to other ones and no significant differences with the control. Our results show that fires transform the forest into a mosaic of habitats, with open gaps of different stages of succession. In addition, the reforestation of cedars without any agricultural practices has no negative effects on the Park. No loss of biodiversity was observed; this would encourage the restoration of the forest to protect its fauna and flora.     

The sensory equipment of a spider – A morphological survey of different types of sensillum in both sexes of Argiope bruennichi (Araneae,Araneidae)

Spiders show a wide range of sensory capabilities as evidenced by behavioural observations. Accordingly, spiders possess diverse sensory structures like mechano-, hygro-, thermo- or chemoreceptive sensilla. As to chemoreceptive structures, only trichoid tip-pore sensilla were found so far that were tested for gustation. That spiders are also able to receive airborne signals is corroborated by numerous behavioural experiments but the responsible structures have not been determined yet. Here, we provide sensilla distribution maps of pedipalps and walking legs of both sexes of the wasp spider Argiope bruennichi whose biology and mating system is well explored. By means of scanning electron microscopy, we scrutinized whether there is in fact only one type of trichoid pore sensillum and if so, if there are deviations in the outer structure of the tip-pore sensilla depending on their position on the body. We also describe the external structure and distribution of slit sense organs, trichobothria and tarsal organs. Our study shows that all four sensillum types occur on pedipalps and walking legs of both sexes. As to chemosensory organs, only tip-pore sensilla were found, suggesting that this sensillum type is used for both gustation and olfaction. The highest numbers of tip-pore sensilla were observed on metatarsi and tarsi of the first two walking legs. Mechanosensitive slit sense organs occur as single slit sensilla in rows along all podomers or as lyriform organs next to the joints. The mechanosensitive trichobothria occur on the basal part of tibiae and metatarsi. Tarsal organs occur on the dorsal side of all tarsi and the male cymbium. The distribution maps of the sensilla are the starting point for further exploration of internal, morphological differences of the sensilla from different regions on the body. Cryptic anatomical differences might be linked to functional differences that can be explored in combination with electrophysiological analyses. Consequently, the maps will help to elucidate the sensory world of spiders.