Some comments on the taxonomy of the species of the genus Neogrubea Dillon & Hargis, 1968 (Monogenea: Mazocraeidae) and their synonyms

The genus Asymmetria Suriano, 1975 is considered a junior synonym of Neogrubea. Similarly, the species A. symmetria Suriano, 1975 is considered to be a junior synonym of N. soni Evdokimova, 1969, and A. platensis Rey & Meneses, 1985 and possibly N. stromateae Gibson, 1976 junior synonyms of N. seriolellae Dillon & Hargis, 1968.     

New data on the Merodon Meigen 1803 fauna (Diptera: Syrphidae) of Turkey including description of a new species and changes in the nomenclatural status of several taxa

Abstract

The Old World syrphid genus Merodon Meigen 1803 is highly species-diverse and has a significant number of endemic species in the circum-Mediterranean area. The present study reports on taxonomic changes resulting from the examination of adult Merodon specimens collected in 15 Turkish provinces during the period 1992 to 2002, and provides new faunistic data. Merodon ilgazense n. sp. is described. Four species of Merodon new to Turkey are recorded: M. armipes Rondani 1843, M. auronites Hurkmans 1993, M. bessarabicus Paramonov 1924 and M. chalybeatus Sack 1913. Lectotypes are designated for two taxa: M. chalybeatus Sack 1913 and M. clunipes Sack 1913. Merodon italicus Rondani 1845 rev. stat. is reinstated as a valid species. Following a detailed study of the type material in different entomological collections, the status of 10 taxa is revised and five new synonymies are proposed: M. albonigrum Vuji Radenkovi &; S?imi 1996 n. syn. (=junior synonym of M. chalybeatus Sack 1913); M. alexeji Paramonov 1925 n. syn. (=junior synonym of M. serrulatus Wiedemann in Meigen 1822); M. aureotibia Hurkmans 1993 n. syn. (=junior synonym of M. vandergooti Hurkmans 1993); M. kaloceros Hurkmans 1993 n. syn. (=junior synonym of M. erivanicus Paramonov 1925); M. longicornis Sack 1913 n. syn. (=junior synonym of M. italicus Rondani 1845).     

Invalidation of the genus Anomaloporus Voge & Davis, 1953 (Cestoda: Paruterinidae sensu lato)

The type-specimens of Anomaloporus hesperiphonae Voge & Davis, 1953 (type-species of Anomaloporus) from Coccothraustes abeillei (Passeriformes) and A. lambi Voge & Davis, 1953 from Streptoprocne semicollaris (Apodiformes), both from Mexico, are re-examined. The former species is considered a synonym of Orthoskrjabinia conica (Fuhrmann, 1908) (new synonymy) and, consequently, Anomaloporus is regarded as a junior synonym of Orthoskrjabinia Spassky, 1947. The latter species is recognised as valid under the name Anonchotaenia (Anonchotaenia) lambi (Voge & Davis, 1953) n. comb. Orthoskrjabinia rostellata (Rodgers, 1941) and Multiuterina dubininae Mathevossian, 1969, previously believed to be probable synonyms of O. conica, are considered species inquirendae.     

Trichopsomyia ochrozona (Stackelberg, 1952) (Diptera: Syrphidae) recorded from Iran for the first time with a key to the West Palaearctic Trichopsomyia Williston, 1888 species

The hoverfly Trichopsomyia ochrozona (Stackelberg, 1952) (Diptera: Syrphidae) is recorded for the first time from Iran. An illustrated key to the West Palaearctic species of Trichopsomyia is presented. Illustrations of the puparium of Trichopsomyia joratensis Goeldin, 1997 and the larva and puparium of T. ochrozona are given and their larval and adult habitats are described. A short discussion is given on the known larval habitat of other West Palaearctic Trichopsomyia species. Some of the synonyms have been evaluated and Pipiza melancholica Meigen, 1822 is withdrawn from synonymy of Trichopsomyia flavitarsis (Meigen, 1822) and is considered as a junior synonym of Musca viduata Linnaeus, 1758 syn. nov.     

A revised polytomous key for the identification of species of the genus Xiphinema Cobb, 1913 (Nematoda: Longidoridae) with exclusion of the X. americanum-group: Supplement 1

Codes are given for eleven Xiphinema species described since the new polytomous key (Loof & Luc, 1990) was submitted plus one species described earlier but which had not come to the authors' notice. Differences from related species are given. X. ilyasi Ahmad & Baqri, 1987 is considered a junior synonym of X. ensiculiferum (Cobb, 1893) Thorne, 1937. X. clavatum Heyns, 1965 is transferred from Group 8 to Group 5. The authors agree that X. attorodorum Luc, 1961 is a junior synonym of X. parasetariae Luc, 1958.     

Yunotrechus diannanensis n. gen., n. sp., the first troglobitic trechine (Coleoptera: Carabidae) from a tropical area of China

In the present paper Yunotrechus diannanensis n. gen., n. sp. is described and illustrated from two limestone caves which are close to each other in Wenshan and Maguan counties of southern Yunnan Province, southwestern China. Yunotrechus is an anophthalmoid, not directly related to any hypogean trechine genera hitherto known in Yunnan or in southeastern Asian countries because all of them are aphaenopsoids, with elongated prothorax and tumid propleura. The phylogenetic position of Yunotrechus within Trechinae in China or southeastern Asia remains unclear, although it may be related to Superbotrechus Deuve & Tian 2009, which was recorded from western Hubei Province, central China, and Sichuanotrechus Deuve 2006, which was recorded from northern Sichuan Province, southwestern China. Y. diannanensis n. sp. is the first troglobitic trechine beetle discovered in a tropical area of China.     

Contribution to the knowledge of the Carabus (Archiplectes) satyrus Kurnakov, 1962, species complex in Abkhazia (Coleoptera,Carabidae, Carabini)

This study is based on a comparative analysis of extensive material of Carabus (Archiplectes) satyrus Kurnakov, 1962, its various forms and related taxa recently collected by the authors and some other collectors in Abkhazia. The status or specific affiliations of several subspecies are changed and a subspecies is described. Carabus (Archiplectes) besleticus Kurnakov, 1972, stat. n. is treated as a separate species housing six hitherto established subspecies in addition to the nominal type: Carabus (Archiplectes) besleticus mtsaranus Kurnakov, 1972, Carabus (Archiplectes) besleticus duripshensis Kurnakov, 1972, Carabus (Archiplectes) besleticus napraensis Belousov & Zamotajlov, 1993, Carabus (Archiplectes) besleticus dsychvensis Kurnakov, 1972, Carabus (Archiplectes) besleticus adzinbai Retezár, 2013, and Carabus (Archiplectes) besleticus resheviensis subsp. n. Carabus (Archiplectes) satyrus is treated as monotypical while the specific status of Carabus (Archiplectes) pseudopshuensis Zamotajlov, 1991, earlier proposed by Fominykh and Zamotajlov (2012), is confirmed based on the morphological and morphometric data.     

New data on the systematics of leaf-beetle genus Chrysolina (Coleoptera, Chrysomelinae) from the Palaearctic region

Chrysolina przewalskii (Jacobson, 1895) and Ch. lucidula Chen, 1934 are redescribed based on the type specimens. Neotype of Ch. przewalskii is designated. Ch. daccordii Lopatin, 2000 is a new junior synonym of Ch. juldusana (Lopatin, 1962); Ch. daosana Lopatin, 2007 is a new junior synonym of Ch. tani Lopatin, 1998; Ch. burchana Lopatin, 1998 is a new junior synonym of Ch. przewalskii (Jacobson, 1895). Ch. lucidula Chen, 1934 described from a mislabeled specimen is a new junior synonym of the South European Ch. lucida (Olivier, 1807). Ch. hyrcana var. cyanescens (Jacobson, 1894) is synonymized with Ch. circumducta (Ménétriés, 1848) and is merely a color form of the latter species.     

New synonymy of Proceratium williamsi Tiwari (Hymenoptera,Formicidae)

Proceratium bhutanense De Andrade, 2003, syn. n. is here found to be conspecific with Proceratium williamsi Tiwari, 2000 and accordingly treated as a junior synonym.     

Polydactylus konadaensis Mishra and Krishnan, 1993, a junior synonym of Filimanus xanthonema (Valenciennes in Cuvier and Valenciennes, 1831) (Perciformes: Polynemidae)

Polydactylus konadaensis Mishra and Krishnan, 1993 was described on the basis of two specimens from Konada, Andhra Pradesh, east coast of India. Although the new species was placed in the genus Polydactylus, our examination of the type specimens of the species showed them to represent a species of Filimanus. Furthermore, the characters of those specimens were consistent with those of the lectotype, paralectotype, and other specimens of F. xanthonema (Valenciennes in Cuvier and Valenciennes, 1831). Accordingly, Polydactylus konadaensis is herein regarded as a junior synonym of F. xanthonema. Received: July 2, 2000 / Revised: November 2, 2000 / Accepted: January 12, 2001     

Neoaplectana Steiner, 1929 a junior synonym of Steinernema Travassos, 1927 (Nematoda; Rhabditida)

Summary A type specimen of Steinernema kraussei and a population of this nematode from the type host were compared with three species of Neoaplectana. No characters were found to separate the two genera and so Neoplectana Steiner, 1929 is considered to be a junior synonym of Steinernema Travassos, 1927. Valid species now included within the genus Steinernema are: S. kraussei (Steiner, 1923) Travassos, 1927 (type species); S. glaseri (Steiner, 1929) n.comb.; S. feltiae (Filipjev, 1934) n.comb. and S. bibionis (Bovien, 1937) n.comb. A key is given to these four species and their junior synonyms are listed.     

Manna scale,Trabutina mannipara (Hemprich & Ehrenberg) (Homoptera: Coccoidea: Pseudococcidae)*

Abstract. The mealybug Trabutina mannipara (Hemprich & Ehrenberg, 1829) is described and illustrated, and a neotype female selected from topotypic material collected in the Sinai Peninsula. A lectotype female is designated for Trabutina palestina Bodenheimer (1927) which is shown to be a junior synonym of T.mannipara.     

Validity of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Scorpaena jacksoniensis</Emphasis> and a redescription of <Emphasis Type="Italic">S. cardinalis</Emphasis>, a senior synonym of <Emphasis Type="Italic">S. cookii</Emphasis> (Scorpaeniformes: Scorpaenidae)

The Scorpaena cardinalis complex, including S. cardinalis, S. jacksoniensis and S. orgila, is defined. The genus Ruboralga (type species: S. jacksoniensis) is regarded as a junior synonym of Scorpaena. Scorpaena jacksoniensis Steindachner 1866, previously treated as a junior synonym of Scorpaena cardinalis Solander and Richardson 1842, is regarded here as a valid species. Scorpaena cookii Günther 1874, previously treated as a valid species, is regarded here as a junior synonym of S. cardinalis. Thus, recent recognition of the two Australasian scorpionfishes, i.e., S. cardinalis and S. cookii, are re-identified in this study as S. jacksoniensis and S. cardinalis, respectively. Scorpaena plebeia Solander 1842 is regarded as a junior synonym of S. cardinalis. Scorpaena jacksoniensis is distributed along the east coast of Australia from southern Queensland to eastern Victoria, whereas S. cardinalis occurs around northern New Zealand, the Kermadec Islands and offshore islands of the Tasman Sea. A neotype is designated for S. cardinalis. Morphological changes with growth in the two species are described in detail.     

Lampetra (Eudontomyzon) gracilis,a synonym of Eudontomyzon danfordi

Synopsis Evidence is presented which suggests that the nonparasitic lamprey, Lampetra (Eudontomyzon) gracilis Kux, 1965, is conspecific with the parasitic lamprey Eudontomyzon danfordi Regan, 1911. The diagnostic characters of the holotype and of the non-type material of E. gracilis are features found in E. danfordi specimens in their second and final year of adult life, thereby making the former a junior synonym of the latter.     

Nomenclatural status of Brachirus Swainson, Synaptura Cantor and Euryglossa Kaup (Soleidae, Pleuronectiformes)

We find that Brachirus Swainson, 1839 is a valid soleid (Pleuronectiformes) genus name, Euryglossa Kaup, 1858 is an invalid soleid genus name, and Synaptura Cantor, 1849 is a junior objective synonym of Brachirus. However, for the sake of taxonomic stability and because Synaptura Cantor, 1849 has had a long-term consistent usage within the Soleidae for four species (S. commersoni, S. lusitanica, S. marginata, and S. albomaculata) forming a monophyletic group, we will petition the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature to recognize Synaptura Cantor, 1849 as a valid genus name with its type-species being Pleuronectes commersoni Lacepède, 1802. Received: September 19, 1999 / Revised: November 2, 2000 / Accepted: February 20, 2001     

Synonymy of two species of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Platycephalus</Emphasis> and validity of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Platycephalus westraliae</Emphasis> (Teleostei: Platycephalidae)

The type specimens of platycephalid Platycephalus endrachtensis Quoy and Gaimard 1825 are regarded as being conspecific with Platycephalus arenarius Ramsay and Ogilby 1886, so the latter becomes a junior synonym. This species is characterized as having a caudal fin with four or more longitudinal dark bands and lacking a yellow blotch. It is also found that Platycephalus westraliae (Whitley 1938), which had been considered to be a junior synonym of Platycephalus bassensis Cuvier 1829, is a valid species. Specimens that recently had been mistakenly identified as “P. endrachtensis,” having the caudal fin with three or four longitudinal dark bands and a yellow blotch on the upper lobe, should be referred to P. westraliae.     

Taxonomical notes on <Emphasis Type="Italic">Torymidae</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Insecta: Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea</Emphasis>)

As a result of investigations over type material from a collection of the Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest, a new synonym and two new combinations in the Torymidae family (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) are proposed: Eridontomerus illiesi Szelényi, 1981 as a junior synonym of Cryptopristus caliginosus (Walker, 1833); Eridontomerus unidentatus Szelényi, 1973 is transferred to the genus Pseudotorymus Masi, 1921; and Idiomacromerus obscuripennis (Szelényi, 1973) is transferred to the genus Torymoides Walker, 1871.