Description of three new species of Paractenopsyllus genus (Siphonaptera: Leptopsyllinae) from Madagascar

The males of three new and rare species of the Malagasy endemic genus Paractenopsyllus Wagner, 1938 are described. Paractenopsyllus beaucournui, P. oconnori and P. raxworthyi have been collected on endemic small mammals and the black rat. As for others species of the genus, biotopes are rain-forests of the central highlands or the northern mountains of Madagascar. Two of the described species were collected at elevations lower than typical for the genus and below the limits of the highland bioclimatic zone. Morphological affinities between these new species and those already described provide taxonomic framework for the genus. An updated identification key is provided for the diagnosis of all the 20 Malagasy species of Leptopsyllinae.     

The ant-lions of southern Africa: genus Pamexis Hagen (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae: Palparinae: Palparini)

Abstract. Pamexis Hagen, 1866, is revised. Myrmeleon luteum Thunberg is designated as type species. A key is provided for the five species comprising the genus. Pamexis luteus (Thunberg, 1784), P.bifasciatus (Olivier, 1811) and P.contaminatus (Hagen, 1887) are redescribed: P.karoo and P.namaqua are new species. All are endemic to the Cape Province of South Africa.     

The genus Paragehyra (Reptilia: Sauria: Gekkonidae) in southern Madagascar

Paragehyra Angel is a gekkonine genus endemic to Madagascar. From 1929 until the present, the genus was represented only by the holotype of the single known species. Paragehyra petiti. The type locality of P. petiti is in the driest part of Madagascar (south-west) where rainless periods may exceed 11 months and the original vegetation consists of thorn scrub or dry deciduous forest. No new individuals of P. petiti were observed. However, a second, undescribed species of the genus was discovered in October 1990 on the opposite side of the island (south-east) in primary-low montane rainforest. The new form was observed at four localities at the southernmost extremity of rainforest in Madagascar.     

The Micro-caddisflies of Lord Howe Island (Hydroptilidae: Trichoptera: Insecta)

Hydroptilid species are described from Lord Howe Island for the first time. All four species are in the endemic Australian genus Orphninotrichia, and all are endemic to Lord Howe Island. Modifications exhibited by these new species to the normally conservative Orphninotrichia features are suggestive of sympatric speciation and, for several, of a shift in larval niche.     

New species of Brachygasterina Macquart (Diptera: Muscidae) from high altitudes of Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela

The genus Brachygasterina Macquart (Muscidae), comprising seven species, is endemic in South America. Three new species are herein described from the highlands of Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela. A key to the species of this genus is provided.     

The Apionidae (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea) of New Caledonia, genus Caledonapion Wanat

The New Caledonian endemic weevil genus Caledonapion is revised, with one new species, C . assimile , described. Diagnoses, a key and distribution maps are provided for both species of the genus. An association of Caledonapion with the plant genus Hedycarya (Monimiaceae) is suggested from field observations.     

Paradiaptomus peninsularis, P. hameri and P. warreni, three new species of Paradiaptomus (Calanoida: Diaptomidae) from South Africa

Three new species of Paradiaptomus from southern Africa are described, Paradiaptomus peninsularis, P. hameri and P. warreni. Paradiaptomus peninsularis occurs in temporary blackwater pools on the peninsula of the Western Cape province, P. hameri in saline pools in the Western Cape province and P. warreni in mountain tarns in the Drakensberg Range in Kwazulu Natal and Lesotho. The genus Paradiaptomus was first established by Sars (1895) for Paradiaptomus lamellatus. There are five described species of Paradiaptomus endemic to Africa ( lamellatus, schultzei, similis, natalensis and rex) and P. greeni from India and Sri Lanka. The three new species have highly-weighted morphological characters which set them apart from each other and from any of the described species of Paradiaptomus.     

Taxonomic studies in the genus Peristylus (Orchidaceae) in Thailand

A taxonomic review of the Thai species of the orchid genus Peristylus is presented. Seventeen species are recognised, five of them new to Thailand. Peristylus rigidus and P. phuwuaensis are endemic species, new to science, and the widespread P. maingayi and P. mannii have recently been newly recorded in the country. In addition, two further collections do not match any known Thai species, but very much resemble P. nematocaulon from the Himalayas and China. The present study will form the basis for the taxonomic account of Peristylus in the Flora of Thailand.     

A new sinistral species of the land-snail genus Satsuma (Pulmonata: Camaenidae) from China

ABSTRACT

The species of Satsuma are mostly endemic to East Asia except for one species distributed in Batan Island of the Philippines. More than 99% of the known species of this genus are endemic to the island environment. Only three species are currently known to occur on the mainland. Here we describe a new sinistral Satsuma species from China, Satsuma guandi n. sp. We studied the shell morphology and genital anatomy of the new species and reconstructed the molecular phylogeny of the genus based on partial nucleotide sequences of the mitochondrial gene cytochrome c oxidase subunit I and nuclear markers from the ribosomal RNA cistrons (the internal transcribed spacer and the external transcribed spacer regions). The new species differs from other sinistral Satsuma species by having a strongly angulated shell and an open dark brownish-red umbilicus. The new species also differed from all other sinistral congeners in details of its reproductive anatomy. The molecular analysis supports the validity of the new species within the genus Satsuma.     

A revision of the brassoline genus Catoblepia (Lepidoptera: Rhopalocera)

The brassoline genus Catoblepia is revised: eight new subspecies are described, nine new synonymies established, the status of four species and subspecies is revised, one species ( singularis ) is returned to the genus Opsiphanes and ten lectotypes are designated. All known holotypes (20) and lectotypes (10) are figured, many for the first time. The refined taxonomy reveals an interesting pairing of the Andean subspecies of xanthicles and berecynthia and it is suggested that diese may be mimetic pairs. There is close agreement in the distribution of the Andean species and subspecies with die endemic centres previously recognized; east of the Andes, however, diere is no close correspondence and each of the subspecies has, in general, a distribution across several endemic centres.     

中国西南特有翅茎草属的种间界定——基于形态学和分子系统学分析

翅茎草属(Pterygiella)是中国西南地区特有的半寄生植物.翅茎草属4种植物形态差异不显著,种的界定依据较模糊;此外,杜氏翅茎草2变种的划分依据也存在疑问.本研究选取了翅茎草属4种13个居群,通过数量性状的主成分分析和质量性状的非加权组平均法聚类分析;结合叶绿体4个片段(即atpB-rbcL、trnD-trnT、trnS-trnG和sbA-trnH)和核基因组的ITS片段研究,对该属下的种类划分作了重新界定.研究表明:翅茎草属应包括3种,即翅茎草、杜氏翅茎草和圆茎翅茎草;川滇翅茎木应作为圆茎翅茎草的变种.对杜氏翅茎草指定了后选模式,该种仅包括茎无毛的个体,而茎疏被毛的个体应归入翅茎草中.基于以上研究结果,本文提出了一个新的翅茎草属分种检索表,并做了分类修订.     

Revision of the genus Chalcasthenes Arrow (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae: Oryctoderini) from the Solomon Islands

The genus Chalcasthenes Arrow (Dynastinae: Oryctoderini), a scarab beetle genus endemic to the Solomon Islands, is reviewed. Based on examination of type specimens, the genus Strehlia Frey (Rutelinae: Rutelini: Parastasiina) is a new junior synonym of Chalcasthenes . The historical classification of these genera (either in the subfamily Dynastinae or Rutelinae) and character-based criteria for assigning the taxa to the Dynastinae are provided. We discuss character states that support the monophyly of members of the genus Chalcasthenes, comment on the distribution and biogeography of species in the genus and provide a key to species. The genus includes four species: Chalcasthenes divinus Endrödi, Chalcasthenes pulcher Arrow, Chalcasthenes squamigerus Frey new combination and Chalcasthenes styracoceros Jameson and Ratcliffe n. sp. Species hypotheses are corroborated based on evidence from Pleistocene geological reconstructions of the Solomon Islands, geographic variation of bird species in the region and development in scarab beetles.     

A revision of Ptychopyxis (Euphorbiaceae) in southeast Asia

Ptychopyxis is a genus comprised of 11 species. Nine are found in southeast Asia mainland and west Malesia and two species are endemic to New Guinea. One of the endemic New Guinean species is newly described here, viz. P. esdras Stoops sp. nov.     

Tylanthera (Melastomataceae), a new genus of two species endemic to Thailand

The new genus Tylanthera and its two species, T. tuberosa and T. cordata , are described. The genus is endemic to Thailand, and the species are known only from their type collections.     

The neglected side of speciation in ancient lakes: phylogeography of an inconspicuous mollusc taxon in lakes Ohrid and Prespa

The morphologically remarkable endemic fauna within ancient lakes has received much attention in the literature. More inconspicuous taxa, however, often lack detailed molecular and morphometrical examination, although their proportion of the endemic fauna of an ancient lake must not be underestimated. Consequently, a better understanding of evolutionary patterns and processes within these lakes requires more knowledge about the often-neglected inconspicuous taxa. In the present study, we focus on the notoriously cryptic pea clam genus Pisidium (Bivalvia: Sphaeriidae). Though the genus is widely distributed, most endemic species are reported only from ancient lakes, including the European ancient sister lake system of Ohrid and Prespa on the Balkan Peninsula. Here we test for the first time hypotheses on the evolution of the endemic pea clams in this European biodiversity hotspot by molecular means. Combining a broad 16S phylogeny (comprising most European pea clam species), network analyses and morphometrical analyses, we found interesting biogeographical patterns and provide evidence for cryptic species in both lakes. Furthermore, we confirmed the proposed sister-species relationship of the endemics P. edlaueri in Lake Ohrid and P. maasseni in Lake Prespa, and we suggest scenarios of the endemic pea clam evolution within both lakes. The patterns of speciation found in the genus Pisidium are compared to patterns in morphologically distinct molluscan groups in lakes Ohrid und Prespa.     

Notes on the genus Pandanus (Pandanaceae) in Tahiti

STONE, BENJAMIN C, 1988. Notes on the genus Pandanus (Pandanaceae) in Tahiti. Pandanus tectorius Park. ex Z. is reinstated with choice of a representative pistillate specimen, following the example of St. John who selected a representative pistillate specimen for P. odoratissimus L. fil., thus making possible the comparison and contrast of other taxa distinguished on carpological characters. Most other putative endemic species are reduced to synonymy under P. teclorius , but the interior, upland species P. papenooensis St. John is shown to be a well-marked endemic (but with P. aoraiewis St. John as a synonym). One new combination is made under P. tectorius for a variety from Raiatea.     

A revision of the brassoline genus Selenophanes (Lepidoptera: Rhopalocera)

The Brassoline genus Selenophanes is revised: three new subspecies are described and three lectotypes designated. The nine known holotypes and two of the three lectotypes are figured. Along the Andes there is a fairly close agreement in the distribution of some of the species and subspecies of Selenophanes with the recently recognized endemic centres. East of the Andes there is no close correspondence between subspecies and endemic centres; each subspecies has, in general, a distribution across several centres. A similar distribution has been noted previously in the Brassoline genus Catoblepia.