Description of Pintomyia (Pifanomyia) brazilorum sp. nov. a new fossil species from the Dominican Republic (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae)

A sand fly fossil was found in amber; a vegetal resin, which allows all the external phlebotomine structures to be seen. The piece that contains the new species is 14 mm long x 8 mm wide x 3 mm high. All the structures from the head, thorax, and abdomen were examined under the microscope and measured with a calibrated micrometric eyepiece. The morphological aspects of the new species suggest its inclusion in the Pintomyia genus, Pifanomyia subgenus though it is not possible to include it in any of the series known for this subgenus. The presence of two atrophied spines on the gonostyles and gonocoxites without tufts of setae permit the exclusion of the new species from the other species of the subgenus Pifanomyia. The new species is named Pintomyia (Pifanomyia) brazilorum sp. nov.     

Description of a new phlebotomine species, Evandromyia gaucha sp. nov. (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae), from Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

The present paper describes a new phlebotomine species, Evandromyia gaucha sp. nov., based on seven females found in the municipality of Ca?apava do Sul, state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The new species belong to rupicola series and differs from other sand flies of the genus Evandromyia due to the presence of a rounded spermatheca head with its size very close to that of the spermatheca body.     

Description of Pintomyia (Pifanomyia) Falcaorum sp. n. (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae), a fossil sand fly from dominican amber

A new species of sand fly, Pintomyia (Pifanomyia) falcaorum is described from an amber originated from the northern mountain range of Dominican Republic. The male sand fly specimen is well preserved and most features used in Phlebotominae taxonomy are seen with remarkable clarity.     

A first record of Phlebotominae from Argentinean Patagonia (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae)

A species of the Lutzomyia oswaldoi group is recorded from the Valcheta stream basin, Somuncura plateau, Patagonia. It represents the World southermost record of a species of Phlebotominae, apparently supporting the hypothesis about the relictual character of several components of the Somuncura plateau biota, particularly for those species belonging to the Paranaense lineages.     

A study of phlebotomine sandflies (Diptera: Psychodidae) in Yunnan Province, China. Sergentomyia (Sergentomyia) wangi n. sp

Among the phlebotomine sandflies collected in a lime-stone cave of 21 degrees 42' N, 10 degrees 23' E and 700 m above sea level on 14th August, Mengyuan, Mengla County, Xishuangbanna District, Yunnan Province, two males of the group fallax of subgenus Sergentomyia are quite different in morphology with those hitherto recorded in the literature. In the present paper its morphology is described with seven figures and the name Sergentomyia wangi is proposed in honor of professor Chao-Tsun Wang for his contribution in study and control of leishmaniasis in China.     

Sergentomyia gobica sp. n. (Diptera, Phlebotominae)--a new species of sandfly from the Mongolian People's Republic

17 males and 7 females of Sergentomyia (Parrotomyia) gobica sp. n. were collected in Tsubulur-Khara-Nuru mountains (Bayan-Khongor region) of the Mongolian People's Republic in August of 1980 and in July of 1982. The new species is similar to S. (Parr.) sumbarica (Perfiliew), 1933.     

Phlebotominae (Diptera: Psychodidae) of human leishmaniosis sites in Tunisia

In order to identify the phlebotomine sandfly populations in Tunisian leishmaniosis foci, an entomological survey was carried out through three entomological seasons (2002-2003-2004) in 19 visceral and cutaneous leishmaniosis areas, located in six bioclimatic zones. Sandfly collections were based on light and sticky traps placed around human leishmaniosis cases. 8,722 phlebotomine sandflies belonging to 12 species were collected. The dominance of subgenus Larroussius species in northern foci, Phlebotomus papatasi in south-western foci and their co-dominance in the centre of the country is in accordance with the distribution of Leishmania infantum and L. major in Tunisia. The low density found in the historical zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniosis focus of Metlaoui in the south-west may indicate the high competence of the local populations. Studied phlebotomine settlements have showed a low specific diversity in most of the studied sites. In L. infantum areas, the dominant species were respectively: P. perfiliewi in the cutaneous leishmaniosis site of the humid bioclimatic stage, P. perniciosus in the cutaneous and visceral leishmaniosis foci of semi-arid and arid bioclimatic stages and P. longicuspis in the visceral leishmaniosis focus of saharan bioclimate. In the zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniosis foci, P. papatasi was a dominant species. In the well-known south-eastern foci of cutaneous leishmaniosis due to L. killicki, P. sergenti was a dominant species with P. perniciosus. In the central emerging foci of L. killicki, P. perniciosus was a dominant species in some sites whereas it was very rare in others. In these sites, the subgenus Paraphlebotomus was always present with a higher abundance of P. alexandri than P. sergenti.     

Description of Pintomyia (Pifanomyia) paleotrichia, a miocene period new species from the Dominican Republic (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae)

A new fossil species of phlebotomine sandflies is described from Dominican amber based in one specimen. Pintomyia (Pifanomyia) paleotrichia sp. nov. is distinguished from the other extant and extinct species by aspects of paramere and the basal tuft of bristles in the gonocoxite.     

Description of Micropygomyia (Silvamyia) echinatopharynx sp. nov. (Diptera: Psychodidae) a new species of phlebotomine sand fly from the state of Tocantins, Brazil

During a study of the phlebotomines of the Brazilian state of Tocantins, a new species was discovered in Porto Nacional county, here described as Micropygomyia (Silvamyia) echinatopharynx sp. nov. This is only the second species of the subgenus Micropygomyia (Silvamyia) to be described.     

Phlebotomine sandflies from Madagascar (Diptera: Psychodidae). IV--Description of Sergentomyia (Rondanomyia) goodmani n. sp. Reinstatement of the subgenus Rondanomyia Theodor

This work is the fourth related to species recently described from Madagascar. The authors describe Sergentomyia goodmani on females and males. The female has tubular spermathecae with internal spines. It has an aspect, in Canada balsam, of transversally striped spermatheca, without being completely segmented. The spermathecal ducts share a proximal common part. The pharynx is narrow. The cibarial armature is comb-like. Based on these characters, the authors consider that S. goodmani belongs to the subgenus Rondanomyia. They reinstate this subgenus and consider Neophlebotomus sensu Lewis, 1977 as invalid. Considering Grassomyia as a genus, this is the first record of Sergentomyia in Madagascar.     

Zingiberanamalayanum sp. nov. (Zingiberaceae) from India

Zingiber anamalayanum (Zingiberaceae), a new species from the southern western Ghats, India is described and illustrated. A phenetic analyses to assess the similarity indices and the uniqueness of the new species have been performed. A diagnostic key to Zingiber spp. in south India is provided.     

Preparation of sand fly (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae) specimens for histological studies

Phlebotominae sand fly specimens were prepared for histological and physiological studies. Different fixatives were tested on sectioned and whole bodied adult females in order to obtain good fixation and provide satisfactory penetration of the embedding media. All fixed specimens were infiltrated (up to seven days under 5 C) and embedded in hydroxyethyl metacrylate. Two-three m sections were stained, mounted in Canada balsam and observed by light microscopy. Best results were achieved when whole bodied insects were double fixed in Bouin's and Carnoy's fluids (4 h/2 h) and stained in Hematoxilin/Eosin or fixed in calcium formaldehyde and stained in mercury bromophenol blue.     

Pichia scaptomyzae sp. nov., isolated from Scaptomyza multispinosa Malloch (Diptera) in southern Chile

A novel representative of the yeast genus Pichia which has been isolated from the intestinal tract of the fly Scaptomyza multispinosa Malloch, (species of Chilian diptera frequenting meadows where Ranunculus repens L. are abundant), is described and illustrated. The strain differs from all accepted Pichia species (1–11) to warrant its establishment as a new species: Pichia scaptomyzae sp. nov.     

Cheirostylis seidenfadeniana sp. nov. (Orchidaceae) from India

Cheirostylis seidenfadeniana is described from Kerala in India. The new species appears to be related to C. parvifolia and shares some characteristics with C. thailandica and C. montana , but differs in floral characters.     

Selaginella lakkidiana sp. nov. (Selaginellaceae) from India

Selaginella lakkidiana Nisha, Nampy & Joby sp. nov. from Lakkidi, the Western Ghats of India is described and illustrated. The new species is closely allied to S. chrysorrhizos Spring, but differs by a serrate and smaller sporophyll, smooth megaspores, and reddish brown and pitted microspores.     

Berberis rawatii sp. nov. (Berberidaceae) from India

In India, 55 species of Berberis have been reported and 22 species are found in Uttarakhand state. Berberis rawatii (Berberidaceae), a new species from Chamoli and Pithoragarh districts of Uttarakhand state of India (western Himalaya) is here described and illustrated. In terms of leaf and inflorescence, Berberis rawatii shows affinities with B. cretica L. Both these species have entire leaves, fascicled inflorescences, conspicuous style and black berries, but B. rawatii differs in the presence of a petiole, the dorsal surface of leaf pruinose, presence of elongated‐ovate glands, presence of prophylls, three ovules and pruinose fruits.     

Teucrium ramaswamii sp. nov. (Lamiaceae) from India

A new species of Lamiaceae, Teucrium ramaswamii M. B. Viswan. & U. Manik. is described from the Kalakkad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve (KMTR) in the Agastyamalai hills of the southwestern Ghats in peninsular India. It is allied to T. tomentosum Heyne ex Benth. but differs by stem, leaves and inflorescence being glandular strigose; leaves being deltoid–ovate, crenate–dentate or doubly crenate–dentate at margin, subcoriaceous, sparsely strigose above, densely strigose beneath; bracts being oblong–deltoid, ca 9.4×2.6 mm; calyx with uppermost teeth being lanceolate, ca 2.8×1.9 mm, lateral teeth being broadly triangular, lower teeth being oblong–lanceolate; corolla being glandular strigose outside below lateral lobes and ovary being glandular strigose. Using the IUCN criteria, conservation status of the species is assigned as Critically Endangered based on the field data (2000–2002). Life history studies, population ecology, genome resource banking and wild population management are recommended for conserving this species.