Tubificidae (oligochaeta) from the Ross Sea (Antarctica), with descriptions of one new genus and two new species

Three species,Torodrilus gelidus sp. nov. (subfamily Rhyacodrilinae),Rossidrilus terraenovae gen. et sp. nov. (Limnodriloidinae), and a second unnamed species of Limnodriloidinae, are reported from marine sediments in Terra Nova Bay, Ross Sea. Torodrilus gelidus is distinguished fromT. lowryi Cook, 1970 by its setal pattern (with few exceptions, both anterior and posterior setae are single-pointed in sexually mature specimens ofT. gelidus) and the morphology of its male protuberances (the latter folded over a midventral bursa in segment XI).Rossidrilus terraenovae is characterized by large diverticula attached to the oesophagus in the posterior part of segment IX, unpaired male and spermathecal pores, heavily muscular and entally ciliated atrial ampullae, elongate prostatic pads, and a deep, unpaired and muscular, copulatory sac. It is the first species of its subfamily to be described from Antarctic waters.     

Heteroxiphia Saini & Singh (Hymenoptera, Xiphydriidae), a genus new to China with descriptions of two new species

Heteroxiphia Saini & Singh, 1987 is redescribed and Heteroxiphia sinicasp. n.and Heteroxiphia tenuipalpasp. n. from China are described. A key to three species is provided and a key for separation of Heteroxiphia, Trixiphidia Wei, 1999 and Yangixiphia Wei, 2002 is also provided.     

Pseudoexeirarthra,a new genus from New Zealand (Coleoptera,Staphylinidae, Pselaphinae), with descriptions of seven new species

A new endemic genus and seven new species of New Zealand pselaphine staphylinid beetles of the supertribe Faronitae are described as follows: Pseudoexeirarthra Park & Carlton, gen. n. (type species: Sagola spinifer Broun); Pseudoexeirarthra sungmini Park & Carlton, sp. n.; Pseudoexeirarthra kwangguki Park & Carlton, sp. n.; Pseudoexeirarthra youngboki Park & Carlton, sp. n.; Pseudoexeirarthra seiwoongi Park & Carlton, sp. n.; Pseudoexeirarthra parkeri Park & Carlton, sp. n.; Pseudoexeirarthra hlavaci Park & Carlton, sp. n.; Pseudoexeirarthra nomurai Park & Carlton, sp. n. Three species, Sagola spinifer Broun, Sagola colorata Broun, and Sagola puncticollis Broun, are transferred to the genus Pseudoexeirarthra. Six species are synonymized: Sagola dilucida Broun, Sagola guinnessi Broun, Sagola longicollis Broun, Sagola longula Broun, and Sagola rectipennis Broun under Pseudoexeirarthra spinifer (Broun); Sagola insueta Broun under Sagola colorata (Broun). A lectotype is designated for Pseudoexeirarthra spinifer (Broun). A key, habitus photographs, line drawings of diagnostic characters, and distribution maps are provided for each species.     

Redescriptions and reestablishments of some species belonging to the genus Prionospio (Polychaeta,Spionidae) and descriptions of three new species

Available type material of Prionospio heterobranchia Moore, 1907, P. (Prionospio) texana Hartman, 1951, P. spongicola Wesenberg-Lund, 1958 and P. (P.) newportensis Reish, 1959, as well as newly collected material from the Southern Gulf of Mexico and Chetumal Bay in the Caribbean Sea, was examined. Several important differences were found between P. heterobranchia, P. (Prionospio) texana, P. spongicola and P. (P.) newportensis, and as a result, these three species are removed from synonymy with P. heterobranchia Moore, 1907, and redescribed and reinstated as valid species. In addition, three new species were identified and described: P. caribensis sp. nov., P. rosariae sp. nov. and P. jamaicensis sp. nov. A key to all species of Prionospio with five pairs of branchiae is provided.     

Review of the genus Hieromantis Meyrick from China,with descriptions of three new species (Lepidoptera,Stathmopodidae)

Six species of the genus Hieromantis occurring in China are reviewed. Hieromantis rectangula sp. n., Hieromantis arcuata sp. n. and Hieromantis puerensis sp. n. are described as new, and Hieromantis phaeodora Meyrick, 1929 is newly recorded in China. Photographs of adults and illustrations of genitalia are provided, along with an identification key and a distribution map.     

Opisthobranch molluscs from the Tertiary of the Aquitaine Basin (south-western France), with descriptions of seven new species and a new genus

An exceptionally well-preserved collection of Tertiary opisthobranch molluscs from the Aquitaine Basin, France, includes species of the order Notaspidea [ Umbraculum sanctipaulensis sp. nov., Tylodina perversa (Gmelin), Spiricella unguiculus Rang and Des Moulins, Berthella aquitaniensis sp. nov., Berthella ateles sp. nov.], of the order Anaspidea [ Akera cf. bullata Mu¨ller, Floribella corrugata (Cossmann), Floribella cossmanni sp. nov., Floribella rozieri sp. nov., Limondinia ornata gen. et sp. nov.] and of the order Sacoglossa [ Volvatella faviae sp. nov.]. Berthella aquitaniensis B. ateles V. faviae are the first fossil records of the families Volvatellidae and Pleurobranchidae. Floribella plicifera (Cossmann) and F. corrugata , originally assigned to the genus Philine , belong to the genus Floribella and constitute the oldest records of this genus. The fossil evidence indicates that in Umbraculum laudunensis and U. sanctipaulensis the shell probably covered most of the animal, whereas in the Recent U. umbraculum the shell only covers the central portion of the body. Tylodina perversa could be an old species that appeared during the early Miocene, more than 21 Ma. The Recent shells of Akera bullata are indistinguishable from fossils as old as the mid Eocene, but it may be biologically unrealistic to consider them to be the same species. The European species of Floribella evolved from the bullomorph shells of the early Eocene forms to the elongate shells of the early Miocene. The genus Volvatella is another example of marine tropical disjoint distributions and an excellent ecological indicator.     

Revision of the resurrected deepwater scorpionfish genus Lythrichthys Jordan and Starks 1904 (Setarchidae), with descriptions of two new species

Ichthyological Research - Lythrichthys Jordan and Starks 1904 (Setarchidae), previously regarded as a junior synonym of Setarches Johnson 1862, is recognized as valid, despite sharing some...     

A revision of the genus Arenivaga (Rehn) (Blattodea,Corydiidae), with descriptions of new species and key to the males of the genus

The cockroach genus Arenivaga is revised. Forty-eight Arenivaga species are recognized with nine previously known species and 39 described as new including the following: A. pagana sp. n., A. grandiscanyonensis sp. n., A. haringtoni sp. n., A. hopkinsorum sp. n., A. umbratilis sp. n., A. tenax sp. n., A. impensa sp. n., A. trypheros sp. n., A. darwini sp. n., A. nalepae sp. n., A. sequoia sp. n., A. mckittrickae sp. n., A. gaiophanes sp. n., A. belli sp. n., A. estelleae sp. n., A. delicata sp. n., A. mortisvallisensis sp. n., A. milleri sp. n., A. pratchetti sp. n., A. gumperzae sp. n., A. rothi sp. n., A. ricei sp. n., A. adamsi sp. n., A. nicklei sp. n., A. akanthikos sp. n., A. moctezuma sp. n., A. paradoxa sp. n., A. apaeninsula sp. n., A. hebardi sp. n., A. dnopheros sp. n., A. aquila sp. n., A. florilega sp. n., A. galeana sp. n., A. gurneyi sp. n., A. pumila sp. n., A. hypogaios sp. n., A. diaphana sp. n., A. nocturna sp. n., A. alichenas sp. n. All species are described or redescribed, major morphological features are illustrated, distributions are characterized, and the biology of the species is reviewed. A neotype series is designated for A. investigata Friauf & Edney.     

Morphological description of three marine ciliates (Ciliophora, Scuticociliatia), with establishment of a new genus and two new species

Three marine scuticociliates, Falcicyclidium fangi nov. gen., nov. spec., Falcicyclidium atractodes nov. spec., and Cristigera media Kahl, 1928 were investigated using live observation and silver impregnation methods. The genus Falcicyclidium is distinguished by the combination of: (i) dorsoventrally flattened body, (ii) hook-like (falciform) paroral membrane, (iii) anterior end of paroral membrane posterior to anterior end of membranelle 1, and (iv) multiple caudal cilia. Falcicyclidium fangi nov. spec., the type of the new genus, can be recognized by the combination of its large size, extremely dorsoventrally flattened (3:1) body, consistently 10 somatic kineties, and the broad, elongate buccal area occupying 60% of the body length. Falcicyclidium atractodes nov. spec. is mainly characterized by a unique spine projecting from both the anterior and posterior end. The uncommon form, Cristigera media is redescribed based on the population from Qingdao, the statistic data and additional features, especially the morphology of the living cells, are documented.     

Rhabdosargus niger (Perciformes: Sparidae), a new sparid species from Indonesia, with taxonomic status of the nominal species synonymized under Rhabdosargus sarba

A new sparid Rhabdosargus niger is described on the basis of three type specimens collected from off Kalimantan, Indonesia. The species can be differentiated from all known congeners by the following combination of characters: dorsal-fin rays XI, 13, anal-fin rays III, 11, scale rows below lateral line 11½–12½, scale rows between the fifth dorsal-fin spine base and lateral line 5½, pored lateral-line scales 53–55, head and body silvery-black, pelvic and anal fins dusky gray, and no golden longitudinal lines on the body. Partial sequences of mitochondrial COI gene (571 bp) strongly supported the distinctiveness of R. niger within the genus. Taxonomic status of the nominal species synonymized under Rhabdosargus sarba (Forsskål 1775) is discussed and the key to the species of Rhabdosargus is provided.     

The genus Nanopterodectes Mironov, 2009 (Acari, Proctophyllodidae), with descriptions of three new species from antbirds (Passeriformes: Thamnophilidae) in Brazil

Three new species of the recently discovered, and hitherto monotypic, feather mite genus Nanopterodectes Mironov, 2009 are described: N. acutirostris n. sp. from Stymphalornis acutirostris Bornschein, Reinert & Teixeira, N. mentalis n. sp. from Dysithamnus mentalis (Temminck), and N. leucopterus n. sp. from Pyriglena leucoptera (Vieillot). This feather mite genus is currently restricted to passerine birds of the Neotropical family Thamnophilidae in Brazil. A key to the known species of Nanopterodectes is presented for both sexes.     

Comparative morphology and phylogeny of the family Thompsoniidae (Cirripedia, Rhizocephala, Akentrogonida), with descriptions of three new genera and seven new species

Akentrogonid rhizocephalans morphologically resembling the genus Thompsonia are revised as a result of examination of new material. The species concerned are all obligatorily colonial and have ovoid or cylindrically shaped externae with a terminal stalk and a much reduced anatomy. A numerical cladistic analysis of all Rhizocephala Akentrogonida using the Hennig 86 program leads to a redefinition of the Thompsoniidae HOeg and Rybakov, 1992. Autapomorphies for the Thompsoniidae are primarily the morphology of the attachment to the host and the total absence of a mesentery. The cladistic analysis refutes that the Thompsoniidae should have a plesiomorphic morphology and branch off very low on the rhizocephalan phylogeny. The family now comprises four genera: Pottsia gen. n. (monotypic), Diplothylacus gen. n. with two species, Thompsonia Kossmann with five species. A revived and redefined Thylacoplethus Coutière includes eight species. The genera are distinguished by the location of the spermatogenic tissue, the site where the eggs are fertilized, the presence or absence of a mantle pore and the way it is formed, the number or absence of oviducts, and the number of cuticular annuli on the stalk. All 16 species, of which six are new to science, are described when necessary, and, if possible, illustrated. A phylogeny for the redefined family is proposed. Thylacoplethus is morphologically closest to the hypothetically ancestral thompsoniid and is likely paraphyletic. The new genus Polysaccus with two species, one of them new to science, and the monotypic genus Pirusaccus Lützen resemble thompsoniids in externa morphology and in being obligatorily colonial.     

The taxonomic accounts of the genus Symmorphus Wesmael (Hymenoptera,Vespidae, Eumeninae) from China,with descriptions of three new species

In this study, we recognize and review a total of 19 species of the genus Symmorphus Wesmael from China. We also provide a key to these species. Three new species are described and illustrated, namely Symmorphus (Symmorphus) tianchiensis Li & Chen, sp. n., S. (S.) cavatus Li & Chen, sp. n., and S. (S.) nigriclypeus Li & Chen, sp. n. The following four species are newly recorded from China: Symmorphus (S.) fuscipes (Herrich-Schaeffer), S. (S.) lucens (Kostylev), S. (S.) sublaevis Kostylev, and S. (S.) violaceipennis Giordani Soika. In addition, we map the species geographical distributions in China of these 19 species. Type specimens of these three new species are deposited in Chongqing Normal University and Yunnan Agricultural University.