Systematic review of Atractus schach (Serpentes: Dipsadidae) species complex from the Guiana Shield with description of three new species

The Guiana Shield harbours one of the best preserved and largest extents of tropical forest on Earth and an immense biodiversity. The herpetofauna of this region remains poorly known. The species-rich snake genus Atractus contains ～140 species, many with complicated taxonomic histories, including A. schach. Examination of specimens in museums and newly collected material from French Guiana has allowed the illustration of hemipenial morphology for the first time and an expanded diagnosis. Concatenated molecular phylogenetic (mitochondrial and nuclear genes) and phenotypic (morphometrics, external and hemipenial morphology) analyses confirm non-monophyly of the A. flammigerus group and indicate that A. schach is a species complex with three new species described here. The geographic distribution of A. schach sensu stricto is restricted to Guiana, Surinam, and French Guiana north of Tumucumaque massif. Populations tentatively assigned to A. schach from the east from French Guiana in the Roura lowlands to Almeirim, and from central Amazonia between the Negro and Trombetas rivers in Brazil are also recognized as new species. Our results suggest that populations from south of the Amazon River are not conspecific with those from the Guiana Shield.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:A7AE40BC-4716-4302-B3BE-1F43600B0A72     

A new species of plume moth (Lepidoptera: Pterophoridae) from Jordan

The species Hellinsia jordanica Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich sp. n. is newly described from Jordan.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:EED698C9-1943-41BC-A503-13A2128A62C5     

A new species of the genus Haba Semenov, 1954 (Hymenoptera: Chrysididae) from Iran,with a key to species

Haba persica Strumia & Fallahzadeh sp. n. (Hymenoptera: Chrysididae: Elampini), from mountains in southwestern Iran, is described and illustrated.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:9D537878-6215-4874-8970-7F7DE8F57422     

A new species of Penion P. Fischer, 1884 from northern New Zealand (Mollusca: Neogastropoda: Buccinoidea)

We describe a new, morphologically distinct species of Penion found off the Three Kings Islands, Middlesex and King banks, and Cape Reinga, in the far north of New Zealand.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:573BCBA0-1FFB-490D-8AEF-AC156354E48B     

Description of a new pseudoscorpion species of the genus Amblyolpium Simon (Pseudoscorpiones: Garypinidae) from north-western Iran

A new species of pseudoscorpion, Amblyolpium atropatesi n. sp. is described and illustrated on the basis of the adult specimens extracted from soil by Berlese funnel.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:0150B850-E80D-46F5-983C-7E958FE69B87     

Description of a new species of Lytorhynchus (Squamata: Colubridae) from Iran

A new species of the genus Lytorhynchus is described from the Kabir-Koh Mountains, southwestern Iran. Known from a single specimen, it is readily distinguished from its congeners by the form of the rostrum, the number of scales, and the colouration and colour pattern.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:66BC88DF-C092-4F7D-8ECD2860EDAC17B1     

Pseudobithynia guldeni sp. n., a new gastropod species from the Mediterranean region of Turkey (Gastropoda: Truncatelloidea)

A new Bithyniidae species Pseudobithynia guldeni sp.n. is described from the Mediter-ranean region of Turkey based on shell and male genitalia morphology. An identification key for the species of Pseudobithynia of Turkey is given.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:FA659D77-5B02-4C2F-9A6D-D61E676778E1     

A new species of Hercostomus Loew, 1857 (Diptera: Dolichopodidae) from Turkey

A new species of Hercostomus is described from Turkey: Hercostomus anatoliensis sp. n. The new species is close to Hercostomus parvilamellatus (Macquart, 1827), but is distinguished by its genitalia.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:38B210E3-610D-4BAB-91AC-A212A8054474     

A new hypogean species of the genus Domene Fauvel, 1873 from Turkey (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Paederinae)

Domene bordonii sp. n. is described and illustrated from Geyik Mountains, Konya province, central southern Anatolia. This new hypogean species was collected with a subterranean pitfall trap in the mesovoid shallow substratum.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:72D06EC5-885F-4BCC-8066-A16B28016697     

Three new species of Zerconidae (Acari: Mesostigmata) from Turkey

Three new species, Zercon afyonensis sp. n., Zercon karacamehmeti sp. n. and Zercon soguticus sp. n., are described and illustrated based on samples collected in the Inner Aegean Region. The similarities and differences between the related species are discussed.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:3FA1701A-A243-4E45-8AE9-FCB733CC56A6     

A new species of Copidosoma (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) from Iran

Copidosoma isfahan Japoshvili sp. n. (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Encyrtidae), a parasitoid of Altenia mersinella (Staudinger, 1879) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) on pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) is described and illustrated from Iran.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:F1BCFE50-AD05-40BB-A2AC-2AF86956FE5F     

A new species of Polydrusus (Polydrusus) Germar (Coleoptera:Curculionidae) from the Kurdistan region of Iraq

Polydrusus (s. str.) akreanus sp. n. is a new record of Curculionidae found in Iraqi Kurdistan. The new species is described, illustrated and compared with Polydrusus (s. str.) kadleci Borovec & Germann, 2013 known from Turkey and Iran, which is morphologically similar to the new species.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:9FDC3C5B-6854-4DEF-BDF6-EE6809F82DEE     

A new species of Maladera from Jordan (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Sericini)

A new Maladera species is described from Jordan: M. schnitteri sp. n. A key to the species of the subgenus Eusericula is given, and the habitus and genitalia are illustrated.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:D41D75B5-D700-4C2B-9058-04D14006C810     

A new species of weevil of the genus Rhytideres (Coleoptera: Entiminae: Alophini) from Inner Anatolia (Turkey)

A new species, Rhytideres evrani Erbey sp. n., is described from Inner Anatolia (Turkey), which is closely related to R. plicatus Olivier, 1790.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub: AF936EEE-D6F2-4830-9D42-35CEF250E066     

A new miniature species of geophilomorph centipede from the Ecuadorian Amazon rainforest (Chilopoda: Geophilomorpha: Ballophilidae)

A new miniature species of geophilomorph centipede, Ityphilus grismadoi sp. nov. (Chilopoda: Geophilomorpha: Ballophilidae) is fully described and illustrated on the basis of specimens collected in Yasuní Scientific Station and Jatun Sacha Biological Station, both located in the Ecuadorian Amazon. The new species is characterized by having the internal edge of the forcipular tarsungulum completely smooth, this trait being shared by six other Neotropical members of the genus Ityphilus Cook, 1899; and another species (I. cifuentesi Cupul Magaña, 2014) from the transition area between the Neotropical and Nearctic regions. Ityphilus grismadoi sp. nov. is distinguished from these seven species by the low number of leg-bearing segments (37, 39), and the very small body size (7–9 mm in length) and for a confident identification it is compared in detail with those having a roughly similar range of leg-bearing segments. This is the first record of the genus Ityphilus from Ecuador and the second report of a ballophilid centipede from the country (the other represented by Zygethmus pantenus Chamberlin, 1957). A key to the Neotropical members of Ityphilus with forcipular tarsungulum smooth (including I. cifuentesi) is also given.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:32F77890-9DC5-47AC-A794-29C4437C3B93http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:3EB64970-F159-4C6E-B9FF-AF9D09128553     

A new species of ant-loving cricket Myrmecophilus Berthold, 1827 from Cyprus (Orthoptera: Myrmecophilidae)

A new species of ant-loving cricket, Myrmecophilus cyprius sp. n., collected in the Republic of Cyprus from the nests of Messor structor (Latreille, 1798) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), is described and illustrated. The species belongs to the subgenus Myrmophilina Silvestri, 1912.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:B588546E-FC72-4996-A0C2-583BCE46905E     

Dyspessa peri (Lepidoptera: Cossidae), a new species of Cossidae from Afghanistan

Dyspessa peri sp. n. (Lepidoptera: Cossidae) is described from Sarobi in Central Afghanistan. The new species is closely related to D. tristis A. Bang-Haas, 1912, and is distinguished by peculiarities of the wing pattern and structure of the male genitalia.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:D58AAAC5-90F2-4D06-9DB2-C4D3CDE36265