New Grylloblattids of the family Megakhosaridae (Insecta: Grylloblattida) from the Permian of Russia

New Megakhosaridae (Insecta: Grylloblattida) are described from the Permian of Russia: Ivakhosara pectinimedia gen. et sp. nov., Megakhosarina intricata sp. nov. and M. minuscula sp. nov. from the Lower Kazanian of Soyana (Arkhangelsk Region), M. magna sp. nov. from the Urzhumian of Chepanikha (Udmurtia), Kargalokhosara terraefossa gen. et sp. nov. from the Urzhumian of Kargala (Orenburg Region), and Alekhosara reticulata gen. et sp. nov. from the Severodvinian of Novo-Aleksandrovka (Orenburg Region).     

Taxonomy of the fossil grylloblattid nymphs (Insecta: Grylloblattida)

Nymphs of fossil grylloblattid insects are revised. Newly described taxa are Lemmatonympha gracilissima gen. et sp. nov. and Kaltanympha vorcutensis sp. nov. from the Verkhne-Syr’yaginsk locality (Ufimian, Lek-Vorkuta Formation in the Vorkuta Coal Basin), genera Sylvalitoralis gen. nov. and Tshebardanympha gen. nov. from the Tshekarda locality (Kungurian, Koshelevka Formation, Middle Urals), Tataronymphakamensis gen. et sp. nov. from the Tikhie Gory locality (Lower Kazanian, linguloid beds of the Baitugan Formation, Tatarstan), and Kaltanympha ornata sp. nov. from the Kerbo locality (Upper Tatarian, lower part of the Degali Formation, Evenki Autonomous Region). Liomopterites (?) gracilis Sharov, 1961 from Lower Kazanian deposits of the Kuznetsk Formation in the Kuznetsk Basin is transferred to the genus Kaltanympha Sharov, 1961; Permonympha arcuata Sharov, 1957 from the same locality is synonymized under Permonympha gracile Sharov, 1957; the nymph described from the Karatau locality (Upper Jurassic, Karabastau Formation in southern Kazakhstan) as Blattogryllus karatavicus Rasnitsyn, 1976 is excluded from grylloblattids. Keys to extinct grylloblattid nymphs are provided.     

A new family of the order Grylloblattida (Insecta) from the Middle Permian of Russia

A new family, Ivapteridae fam. nov. (Insecta; Grylloblattida), is described from the Middle Permian locality of Soyana (Arkhangelsk Region; Kazanian Stage). It is most similar to Sojanoraphidiidae O. Martynova, 1952, differing from it in the subcostal field being traversed in the basal half of the wing by long, curved, and strongly oblique crossveins that form a double row of cells, the base of CuA being free, and CuA₁ thin compared to CuA₂. The new family is represented by a single species, Ivaptera sharovi, gen. et sp. nov. An overview of the modern system of the order Grylloblattida is included.     

A new dicynodont (Anomodontia, Eotherapsida) from the Upper Permian of Tatarstan

A new dicynodont genus and species, Idelesaurus tataricus sp. nov. (Cryptodontidae), from the Semin Ovrag locality (Tatarstan, Tetyushinskii District; Upper Permian, Upper Tatarian Substage, Severodvinian Horizon) is described. The skull patterns of the East European and South African Cryptodontidae and Aulocephalodontidae are compared from the morphofunctional point of view.     

New and little-known grylloblattids of the family Geinitziidae (Insecta: Grylloblattida) from the Triassic and Jurassic of Europe,Asia, and South Africa

The fossil history of the family Geinitziidae is reviewed. New taxa are described in the family: Shurabia hissarica, sp. nov. (Lower Jurassic of Tajikistan), Sh. shartegica, sp. nov. (Upper Jurassic of Mongolia), Sh. serrata, sp. nov. and Ginitzia sagulensis, sp. nov. (both Lower Jurassic of Kyrgyzstan). The subfamily Stegopterinae Sharov, 1961 is synonymized under Geinitziinae Handlirsch, 1906. The genera Minesedes Fujiyama, 1973 and Ominea Fujiyama, 1973 (Upper Triassic of Japan) are synonymized under Shurabia Martynov, 1937 and Geinitzia Handlirsch, 1906, respectively. Geinitzia varia Bode, 1953 (Lower Jurassic of Germany) and Fletchizia picturata Riek, 1976 (Upper Triassic of South Africa) are redescribed from their holotypes. F. kapokraalensis Wappler, 2001 and F. aleda Wappler, 2001 (both Upper Triassic of South Africa) are transferred to the genus Shurabia.     

New species,new genera,and new records in Cerambycidae from Peru (Coleoptera)

Three new species and two new genera of longhorn beetles are described from Peru: Cosmoplatus polis n. sp. (Pteroplatini), Hemilocallia grishami n. gen., n. sp. (Calliini) and Arabela ramirezi n. gen., n. sp. (Hemilophini). Esmeralda laetifica Bates, 1869 (Prioninae), Stratone transversalis (Chevrolat, 1862) (Cerambycinae), Gymnocerina cratosomoides (Bates, 1862) (Lamiinae), and Trachysomus verrucosus (Olivier, 1795) (Lamiinae) are new records for Peru.     

A new, enigmatic family for new genus and species of Polyneoptera from the Upper Permian of Russia

Alexarasniidaefam. n. and Alexarasnia rossicagen. et sp. n. are described from the Upper Permian of European Russia. Systematic position of this enigmatic family within the infraclass Polyneoptera is unclear.     

The first Whaitsiid (Therocephalia,Theromorpha) from the terminal Permian of eastern Europe

The first representative of the family Whaitsiidae, Megawhaitsia patrichae gen. et sp. nov., from the terminal Permian of eastern Europe is described. This is a very large predator that appeared in the Vyazniki Tetrapod Assemblage in conditions of large predatory biomorph deficiency.     

Mexican species of the genus Stethantyx Townes (Hymenoptera,Ichneumonidae, Tersilochinae)

Six species of the genus Stethantyx Townes are found to occur in Mexico. One species, S. mexicana sp. n., is described as new, and four recently described Neotropical species, S. alajuela Khalaim & Broad, S. heredia Khalaim & Broad, S. osa Khalaim & Broad and S. sanjosea Khalaim & Broad, are new records from Mexico. A key to species of Stethantyx occurring in Mexico is provided.     

Evolution of the Permian family Spirolegoceratidae (Goniatitida,Ammonoidea)

The evolution of the Permian ammonoid family Spirolegoceratidae is discussed and a new phylogenetic reconstruction is proposed based on new data. Two subfamilies are recognized within the family Spirolegoceratidae: Spirolegoceratinae Nassichuk and Sverdrupitinae subfam. nov. A new genus, Archboldiceras, is proposed to accommodate the Australian species Uraloceras lobulatum and U. whitehousei. Species of the genus Sverdrupites Nassichuk, 1970 are described based on new material from the Volga-Urals Region. The new species S. bogoslovskayae from the Gerkinskaya Formation of Novaya Zemlya previously identified by M.F. Bogoslovskaya as S. amundseni is described.     

Cytisus purgans auct(Leguminosae-Papilionoideae comprises four distinct species)

Based on a study of the morphology and stem anatomy of a broad sample of specimens attributed to Cytisus purgans auct. non Cytisus purgans (L.) Boiss. four species are recognized. Two species are non-spiny: Cytisus oromediterraneus Rivas Martínez et at. is a widely distributed taxon ranging from central France to north-central Spain and Portugal, and C. galianoi Talavera & Gibbs, sp. nov., which is restricted to schistose sierras in south-east Spain. C. oromediterraneus has 8-ribbed stems and 2-ribbed stipular organs, whilst C. galianoi has 10-ribbed stems and 3-ribbed stipular organs. Of two spiny species, Cytisus balansae (Boiss.) Ball wkh 10-ribbed stems, occurs in calcareous mountain areas, 1800–2500 m in Algeria and southern Morocco, whilst C. valdesii Talavera & Gibbs, nom. nov. with 13-ribbed stems, occurs in die High and Middle Atlas of Morocco. Both north African species have 3-ribbed stipular organs.     

First record of the mygalomorph spider family Paratropididae (Arachnida,Araneae) in North America with the description of a new species of Paratropis Simon from Mexico,and with new ultramorphological data for the family

A new species of the genus Paratropis is described from North America: Paratropis tuxtlensissp. n., from a tropical rainforest in Veracruz, Mexico. This is the fifth Paratropis and the tenth paratropidid species described and the first North American record of this Neotropical family. The species is described based on adult males and females, and juveniles. The juveniles show ontogenetic variation in the number of cuspules on the labium and endites, and in the number and position of leg trichobothria. This is the second Paratropis species, and the third paratropidid known from both sexes. The scanning electron photographs (SEM) reveal new morphological data and contribute to the knowledge of the family.     

New seeds of gymnosperms from the Lower Permian of the Ural mountains

New taxa of detached seeds are described from the Kungurian (Lower Permian) of the Middle Cis-Urals: Laevigatospermum compressum gen. et sp. nov., Hirsutospermum paniculatum gen. et sp. nov., Rugosospermum callosum gen. et sp. nov., and Craspedosperma filiferum sp. nov. The systematic position of the new taxa is discussed.     

Phylogeny of the Permian family Metalegoceratidae (Goniatitida,Ammonoidea)

The paper discusses the evolution of the Permian ammonoid family Metalegoceratidae, and a new phylogenetic reconstruction is proposed. Three subfamilies are recognized in this family: Metalegoceratinae Plummer et Scott, 1937; Pericycloceratinae Zhao et Zheng, 1977; and Eothinitinae Ruzhencev, 1956. The genus Metalegoceras Schindewolf, 1931 is subdivided into three subgenera: Metalegoceras s. str., Mesometalegoceras subgen. nov., and Artimetalegoceras subgen. nov. Five species of the endemic South Chinese metalegoceratids are described: Pseudometalegoceras shangraoense (Zhao et Zheng, 1977), P. liratum (Zhao et Zheng, 1977), P. platyventrum (Zhao et Zheng, 1977), P. spirale (Zhao et Zheng, 1977), and Pericycloceras costatum (Zhao et Zheng, 1977).     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Mongousia</Emphasis>: A new productid genus (Brachiopoda) from the Permian of northeastern Mongolia

A new linoproductid genus is described from the provincial Terrakea arguta Zone (lower part of the Upper Kazanian Substage) of the key section of the Tsagan-Temete Horizon (Kazanian Stage-Lower Tatarian Substage) of northeastern Mongolia. The type species of the new genus was found in the middle layers of the Lower Uldza Subformation, which contains numerous diverse productids from the genus Terrakea.     

Review of the Nearctic genus Lacconotus LeConte (Coleoptera, Mycteridae, Eurypinae)

Lacconotus LeConte, the sole Nearctic representative of the eurypine Mycteridae, is revised, based on morphological features of adults. The following syn. n. is proposed: Lacconotus pallidus Van Dyke, 1928 = Lacconotus pinicola Horn, 1879. The former is a light-colored form with a southern California distribution. A subgen. n.,Alcconotus, is described for Lacconotus pinicola, producing the following comb. n.: Lacconotus (Alcconotus) pinicola (Horn). A lectotype is designated for Lacconotus pinicola. A key separating the two subgenera and species is provided, as are photographs and illustrations of salient structures of adults, and maps showing collection localities. Lacconotus punctatus is newly recorded in Alabama, Arkansas, Massachusetts, Oklahoma, Texas, and Wisconsin; Lacconotus pinicola is newly recorded in Arizona and Utah in the USA, and Baja California Norte in Mexico. Phenology information shows a north-to-south gradation in occurrence time.     

A new genus and species in the tribe Empoascini (Hemiptera,Cicadellidae, Typhlocybinae) from China

One new leafhopper genus, Circinans, is described with a new species Circinans striata sp. n. as the type species from southern China. Habitus photos and illustrations of male genitalia of this new species are given and differences between the new genus and closely related genera are discussed.     

The millipede family Polydesmidae in Taiwan, with descriptions of five new species (Polydesmida, Diplopoda)

Polydesmidae are represented in Taiwan by seven species in two genera. Neither of the genera is endemic to Taiwan, but six of the species are, including five new: Nipponesmus minorsp. n., Epanerchodus bispinosussp. n., Epanerchodus curtigonopussp. n., Epanerchodus flagellifersp. n. and Epanerchodus pinguissp. n. In addition, the diagnosis of the hitherto enigmatic genus Nipponesmus Chamberlin & Wang, 1953 is refined vis-à-vis the especially similar, Central Asian, Siberian and Eastern European genus Schizoturanius Verhoeff, 1931, chiefly based on new material of the type-species Nipponesmus shirinensis Chamberlin & Wang, 1953; this species is adequately redescribed and represents still another Taiwanese endemic. A key to all three currently known species of Nipponesmus Chamberlin & Wang, 1953 is given. The highly speciose Central to East Asian genus Epanerchodus Attems, 1901 is represented in Taiwan by five species, all keyed, including Epanerchodus orientalis Attems, 1901, which is long known to be highly variable in Japan and found particularly polymorphous and apparently allochthonous in Taiwan. The following synonymy is formalized: Epanerchodus orientalis orientalis Attems, 1901 = Epanerchodus orientalis takakuwai Verhoeff, 1913, syn. n. The genus Usbekodesmus Lohmander, 1932 is formally synonymized with Epanerchodus Attems, 1901, syn. n., resulting in the following new formal transfers: Epanerchodus redikorzevi (Lohmander, 1932), Epanerchodus swatensis (Golovatch, 1991), Epanerchodus varius (Geoffroy & Golovatch, 2004), Epanerchodus anachoretus (Golovatch, 1986), Epanerchodus buddhis (Golovatch, 1986), Epanerchodus occultus (Golovatch, 1986), Epanerchodus sacer (Golovatch, 1987), Epanerchodus theocraticus (Golovatch, 1990) and Epanerchodus theosophicus (Golovatch, 1986), all comb. n. ex Usbekodesmus. The distributions of all seven species of Polydesmidae occurring in Taiwan are mapped and discussed.     

Studies on California ants: a review of the genus Temnothorax (Hymenoptera,Formicidae)

The following ten new species of the ant genus Temnothorax are described and illustrated: T. anaphalantus (California, Baja California), T. arboreus (California), T. caguatan (Oregon, California, Baja California), T. morongo (California, Baja California), T. myrmiciformis (California, Baja California), T. nuwuvi (Nevada), T. paiute (California, Nevada), T. pseudandrei (Arizona, California), T. quasimodo (California) and T. wardi (California). A key to workers of the twenty-two Temnothorax species known or expected to occur in California is provided.     

A new genus and species of Metopiinae (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) from Mexico

A new genus of Metopiinae, Ojuelos Khalaim, gen. n., with a single species, Ojuelos juachicus Khalaim & Ruíz-Cancino, sp. n., is described from Jalisco Province in central Mexico. Ojuelos belongs to the group of three genera (Cubus Townes & Townes, Colpotrochia Holmgren and Triclistus Förster) having a high lamella separating the antennal sockets and reaching the median ocellus (this lamella possesses a dorsal groove in it, just below the median ocellus), but differs from these genera primarily by 1) face and clypeus not convex in lateral view, 2) face separated from clypeus by a shallow transverse impression, 3) mandible with lower tooth very strongly reduced, 4) flagellomeres of antenna strongly transverse, and 5) dorsal carinae of propodeum reduced. A portion of the key to the genera of Metopiinae is provided to distinguish the new genus.