Aspidoderid nematodes from bolivian armadillos, with the description of a new species of Lauroia (Heterakoidea: Aspidoderidae)

One nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) and 1 yellow armadillo (Euphractus sexcinctus) were necropsied in the field during an expedition to collect parasites of mammals in Bolivia. A total of 205 Aspidodera binansata Railliet and Henry, 1913 (Heterakoidea: Aspidoderidae), and 40 specimens of Lauroia bolivari n. sp. (Heterakoidea: Aspidoderidae) were recovered from the cecum and large intestines of D. novemcinctus and E. sexcinctus. Aspidodera esperanzae Fujita et al., 1995, is proposed as a junior synonym of A. binansata based on the structure of the cordons on the hood. Lauroia bolivari n. sp. has an undercut cephalic cap and unequal spicules. It differs from other species in the genus in the shape of the cephalic cap and from Lauroia travassosi Proen?a, 1938, in the relative proportion of the spicules. This is the first record of a member of Lauroia Proen?a, 1938, for Bolivia.     

Two new species of rhabdochonids (Nematoda: Rhabdochonidae) from freshwater fishes in Mexico, with a description of a new genus

Two new nematode species, Beaninema nayaritense n. gen., n. sp. and Rhabdochona xiphophori n. sp., are described on the basis of the specimens recovered from the gall bladder and intestine of 2 fishes, Cichlasoma beani (Jordan) (Cichlidae, Perciformes) and Xiphophorus sp. (Poeciliidae, Cyprinodontiformes), respectively, from Mexico. The monotypic genus Beaninema differs from other rhabdochonid genera mainly in the presence of large conical teeth in the middle of the prostom. Rhabdochona xiphophori is characterized mainly by a unique structure of the prostom (presence of 6 anterior teeth; dorsal and ventral teeth unusually broad, with 2 lateral horns) and the shape of the deirids (bifurcated, with markedly long base).     

Rhodocybe pulchrisperma (Entolomataceae): A new species from North America

Rhodocybe pulchrisperma is described as a new species of Agaricales from North America. It belongs in section Rhodocybe due to the brightly colored pseudocystidia and lack of clamp connections. The very large, handsomely ornamented basidiospores distinguish this species from others in the section. A key to taxa from Florida, Papua New Guinea, and India that exhibit similar features is presented.     

Six new species of Acomoptera from North America (Diptera, Mycetophilidae)

Six new species are described, raising the number of North American Acomoptera species to seven and the genus total to ten, and nearly doubling the number of species within the putative clade containing Acomoptera, Drepanocercus, and Paratinia. These novel species forms have implications for the concept of Acomoptera that in turn, may impact our understanding of its generic relationships and the evolution and composition of Gnoristinae and Sciophilinae. The new species, Acomoptera crispa, Acomoptera digitata, Acomoptera echinosa, Acomoptera forculata, Acomoptera nelsoni,and Acomoptera vockerothi, are compared with the type species of the genus, Acomoptera plexipus (Garrett), whose diagnostic features are imaged and illustrated for the first time. The European species, Acomoptera difficilis (Dziedzicki) is also illustrated and compared. Acomoptera spinistyla (Søli) comb. n. is transferred from Drepanocercus. A key to species is provided. Future work will seek to incorporate this knowledge into a systematic phylogenetic study of relationships between these species and their sister taxa.     

Cladonia petrophila,a new species from eastern North America

Cladonia petrophila, an overlooked, usually sterile species, morphologically similar toC. apodocarpa andC. caespiticia, is described as new on the basis of its distinctive chemistry, perlatolic and fumarprotocetraric acids, and habitat preference for moist non-calcareous rock.     

Tricholoma fulvimarginatum (Tricholomataceae): A new species from North America associated with cottonwood

Tricholoma fulvimarginatum is described as a new species of Agaricales from eastern North America. This fungus belongs in subgenusTricholoma sectionGenuina due to the coloration of the pileus surface. The orange-brown pileus, marginate lamellae, and presumed mycorrhizal association withPopulus deltoides distinguish this species from others in the section.     

Helminths of Cnemidophorus ruthveni (Squamata: Teiidae) from Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles, with description of a new species of Alaeuris (Nematoda: Pharyngodonidae)

Alaeuris rinconensis n. sp. (Oxyuroidea, Pharyngodonidae) from the large intestine of the Bonaire whiptail lizard, Cnemidophorus ruthveni, is described and illustrated. Alaeuris rinconensis n. sp. represents the 13th Neotropical species assigned to the genus. It is most similar to Alaeuris iguanae in that only these 2 Neotropical species have postbulbar excretory pores; in A. iguanae, a tail filament is absent; in A. rinconensis, a tail filament is present. Two additional helminth species were found, i.e., the cestode Oochoristica iguanae and a nematode, Ozolaimus megatyphlon. Cnemidoporus ruthveni represents a new host record for the latter 2 species.     

A new lumbriculid genus and species from North America (Clitellata,Lumbriculidae)

Secubelmis limpida n. sp., n. gen., is described from Montana, U.S.A. The monotypic genus resembles the lumbriculid genera Rhynchelmis and Tatriella in having atria in X, spermathecae in VIII, and semi-prosoporous male ducts. It differs from Tatriella in having paired atria and spermathecae, and from Rhynchelmis in having petiolate atria. The single prostate gland is unique within the Lumbriculidae. The new species appears to have a restricted range in the northern Rocky Mountains.     

Helminths of Pholidobolus montium (Sauria: Gymnophthalmidae) from Ecuador with description of a new species of Skrjabinodon (Nematoda: Oxyuroidea: Pharyngodonidae)

Skrjabinodon aspercaudus n. sp. from the large intestine of Pholidobolus montium (Gymnophthalmidae) from Ecuador is described and illustrated. Skrjabinodon aspercaudus represents the 29th species assigned to the genus and the 6th species from the neotropical region. The new species differs from all other species assigned to Skrjabinodon by the presence of small bosses on the surface of the tail filament of both males and females. In addition to the new species, P. montium harbored the cestode, Cairaella henrii, and third-stage larvae of a species of Physaloptera.     

A new species of Herpetogramma (Lepidoptera, Crambidae, Spilomelinae) from eastern North America

Herpetogramma sphingealissp. n., a new species of Crambidae (Lepidoptera), is described from Québec, Canada. The species is included in the genus Herpetogramma Led., 1863, a genus in the subfamily Spilomelinae. Adults and genitalia of this species are described and illustrated, as well as those of Herpetogramma aeglealis (Walker, 1859) and Herpetogramma thestealis (Walker, 1859), and adults of the semi-melanic form of Herpetogramma aeglealis are illustrated.     

Three new species of the genus Pseudotelphusa Janse, 1958 (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) from North America

The eight species of Pseudotelphusa (Gelechiidae: Litini) are known to occur in North America. Three new species of the genus from North America are described and illustrated.     

Morphological and biological study of Rhabdias spp. (Nematoda) from African chameleons with description of a new species

Lung-dwelling females of Rhabdias (Rhabdiasidae), and possible migrating ceolomic young females were searched for in 46 chameleons, belonging to seven species. Rhabdias chamaeleonis, the single species identified to date in Africa, was found in Chamaeleo (Trioceros) johnstoni and C. (T.) hoehnelii, and redescribed; the sizes of the buccal capsule and oesophagus were stable compared to the length of the female parasiles, which varied from 6 mm to 22 mm in length. A second species, R. jarki n. sp., was identified from one C. (T.) johnstoni; it differed from R. chamaeleonis in the shape of anterior region, the longer and slender oesophagus (ratio bulb diameter-body diameter at that level about 1/5 instead of 1/2), the arrangement of the head papillae, the shape of the buccal capsule, and the anatomy of the genital apparatus: one of the ovaries (the anterior or posterior one according to the specimen) had a band of small cells, among larger ovocytes of the synapsis zone, which were likely to generate the spermatozoa present in the oviducts, whereas these two elements were absent from R. chamaeleonis. The parasitic females of R. jarki thus appeared to be hermaphroditic, whereas those of R. chamaeleonis appeared to be parthenogenetic. The free living phase of these Rhabdias species was heterogonic. The infective larva of R. chamaeleonis was 360-590 microns long, unmolile and at third stage inside the maternal cuticle. The free-living male of R. jarki was described. The numerous infective larvae recovered from cultures of unidentified Rhabdias were all in maternal cuticle (one larva/female instead of two as in R. gemellipara from Calumma parsonii, from Madagascar) and two kinds of larvae were identified, R. chamaeleonis and larvae 700-900 microns long provisionally identified to R. jarki. The behaviour of infective larvae and a few successful infections of insects suggest that, in the field, insect transport hosts are involved in transmission and in preventing infective larvae from drying out.     

Armillaria altimontana, a new species from the western interior of North America

Armillaria altimontana, previously considered North American biological species (NABS) X, is described as new. To date, it appears that A. altimontana prefers higher-elevation, mesic sites within the dry, conifer forest zone of western interior North America. This species has been found on hardwoods and conifers and is associated most commonly with Abies-dominated forest types in southern British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, Idaho and northern California. Partial elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1) sequences were generated from six isolates of A. altimontana originating from three locations in northern Idaho. Phylogenetic analyses of all 10 North American Armillaria species were carried out with maximum parsimony and maximum likelihood. Results indicate that isolates of A. altimontana formed a monophyletic group and clustered with A. calvescens, A. cepistipes, A. gallica and A. nabsnona, which is in agreement with recent phylogenetic studies of Armillaria.     

Sinosciapus from Taiwan with description of a new species (Diptera, Dolichopodidae)

Sinosciapus liuaesp. n. is newly described from Taiwan. The genus Sinosciapus is discussed and a key to the three known Oriental species is provided.