A new species of Amphictene (Annelida,Pectinariidae) from the northern South China Sea

Pectinariids are a family of polychaetes commonly found in shallow coastal waters around the world, but their diversity is poorly known along the coasts of Asia. Here we describe Amphictenealatasp. n. (Pectinariidae), based on 15 specimens collected from the coastal waters of Guangdong in the northern South China Sea. This new species can be distinguished from all other 13 described species and one described subspecies of Amphictene by having a pair of dorsolateral lobes on segment 3, a pair of large lateral lobes on segment 21, and more scaphal hooks (26 to 37 pairs).     

深圳宋卡湖根管虫(多毛纲:龙介虫科)个体发育的初步观察

对分布于中国深圳的宋卡湖根管虫Ficopomatus talehsapensis Pillai,2008进行了实验观察.结果表明:1)雌雄异体,精子或卵从鳃冠基部喷射至水中,体外受精,繁殖力强,受精后约0.8h开始卵裂,生活史经历早期胚胎发育、担轮幼虫、后担轮幼虫、游毛幼虫、后游毛幼虫、刚节幼体及成虫;2)鳃丝具呼吸、感觉、滤食功能,以单细胞藻类和有机碎屑为食;3)担轮幼虫至成体均具眼点,但视觉功能退化;4)对水环境的适应能力极强.讨论了根管虫对生境水质的影响.     

Marphysa (Eunicidae,polychaete, Annelida) species of the Sanguinea group from Australia,with comments on pseudo‐cryptic species

The genus Marphysa is widely collected for bait by recreational fishermen in Australia, and yet the number of species remains unresolved. A new species is described together with additional information on a previously described species. This study reveals that while species of Marphysa superficially resemble one another, detailed studies on the distribution of different types of chaetae along the body, together with molecular studies, uncover species which may co‐occur. Correct identification is critical for management of these largely intertidal species. This study also highlights the increasing awareness of the presence of pseudo‐cryptic species in polychaetes.     

First record of the genus aprivesa melichar (hemiptera: fulgoromorpha) from South India, with description of one new species

Aprivesa unimaculatasp. n. (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Ricaniidae) is described and illustrated from Coorg, south India. This represents the first record of the genus Aprivesa Melichar from India and the fourth known species of Aprivesa. The new taxon greatly extends the range of the genus Aprivesa, which was previously known as an endemic Australian genus. A checklist of all known species of the Ricaniidae from India and keys to all the known genera of the Ricaniidae from India and all species in the genus are provided.     

Suitable areas for the invasion expansion of Xylocopa bees in South America

The introduction of exotic species into native ecosystems can be a cause for concern when those species are invasive. Invasive species cause ecological problems and have socio-cultural impacts on human health and the economy; for example, invasive bees may negatively impact their introduced ecosystem by spreading diseases or outcompeting native pollinators. Xylocopa spp. bees are diverse and distributed throughout the Neotropics. However, Xylocopa augusti (Lepeletier, 1841) and Xylocopa splendidula (Lepeletier, 1841) are not native to Mediterranean Chile. This study aimed to evaluate the invasive potential of these exotic species and predict the potential macroecological effects of their invasions. We also aimed to pinpoint possible distributions for these species throughout South America. We correlated biogeographic occurrence data with climatic variables for each species to model their potential distribution in both current and future scenarios. The models provide strong evidence that both species are changing their distributions: their ranges are expanding towards western South America, particularly Bolivia, Chile and Peru. We demonstrate an increase in niche overlap between these species and show there are new geographic areas vulnerable to the establishment of these invasive bees under current and future climate conditions. These data suggest that these bees may adapt their geographic distribution as the climate changes and pose a threat to native pollinators in new geographic areas.     

First record for the slug parasitic nematode,Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita (Schneider) in Egypt

The rhabditid nematode, Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita is a lethal parasite of certain terrestrial gastropods and has been shown as a biocontrol agent under laboratory and field conditions. In Egypt, P. hermaphrodita was isolated for the first time from different species of terrestrial gastropods found associated with various crops at Aga and Mansoura districts of Dakhalia Governorate during the year 2000/2001. Females and dauer larvae (IJs) were described and illustrated based on the light microscope. Males are not found as this species seemed to be protandrous. PCR analysis confirmed nematode identification. The Egyptian isolate of P. hermaphrodita was found to be shorter and lower in width than the British isolate. V%, a, b and c parameters showed detectable variations between two isolates with values of 54%, 17.7, 4.28, 13.7 in the Egyptian isolate, and 51%, 19.5, 7.2 and 15.8 for the British isolate, respectively.     

Increasing the Understanding of Plant Invasions in Southern South America: First Symposium on Alien Plant Invasions in Chile

The first symposium on Alien Plant Invasions in Chile was held in southern Chile in November of 2002. Chile represents an interesting setting to study biological invasions because of its long history of introductions, and its high rate of endemisms that makes it more prone to invasions. However, little is known about plant invasions in Chile and the country lacks a clear policy on alien species. The speakers at the symposium discussed their research on several aspects of alien plant invasions in southern Chile and Argentina. They also elaborated a list of future challenges of plant invasion ecology for the area. The package of recommendations may be useful for other developing countries with similar state of knowledge of their flora and similar environmental and economic issues. We expect that this type of meeting will help to stimulate the scientific debate about invasion ecology and the development of coordinated research to answer local questions, while contributing to find generalities in plant invasion patterns and processes.     

First genetic record of the non-native muzzled blenny Omobranchus punctatus (Teleostei: Blenniidae) in the Atlantic Coast of Central and South America

In this study we sequenced two mitochondrial (COI and 16S rRNA) and one nuclear (18S rRNA) gene fragment of an introduced muzzled blenny (Omobranchus punctatus) specimen collected from the Orinoco Delta (Gulf of Paria estuary) in Venezuela. This is the first genetic data generated for this species' introduced range in Central and South America, suggesting an introduction from the Indian Ocean.     

A phylogenetic analysis of the genus Eunice (Eunicidae, polychaete, Annelida)

Species of Eunice are distributed worldwide, inhabiting soft and hard marine bottoms. Some of these species play significant roles in coral reef communities and others are commercially important. Eunice is the largest and most poorly defined genus in Eunicidae. It has traditionally been subdivided in taxonomically informal groups based on the colour and dentition of subacicular hooks, and branchial distribution. The monophyly of Eunice and of its informal subgroups is tested here using cladistic analyses of 24 ingroup species based on morphological data. In the phylogenetic hypothesis resulting from the present analyses Eunice and its subgroups are paraphyletic; the genus may be divided in at least two monophyletic groups, Eunice s.s. and Leodice , but several species do not fall inside these two groups. Most of the traditional characters used in the taxonomy of Eunice are homoplasies; however, characters used for the first time in this study, such as certain jaw characters and characters derived from a close examination of chaetal variation along the body, are promising sources of phylogenetic signal.  © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2007, 150 , 413–434.     

First record of the freshwater snail Pseudosuccinea columella (Gastropoda: Lymnaeidae) in southern Pampas (Argentina) and assessment of future spread

ABSTRACT

The freshwater snail Pseudosuccinea columella was recorded for the first time in Argentina more than 60 years ago. Since then its distribution in the wild has been restricted to the northeastern provinces. Here we record the presence of P. columella in southern Pampas for the first time, extending its distribution more than 500?km southwards. The climatic suitability of this and other areas of South America for its establishment and spread was analysed using habitat modelling software. Hitherto its spread within and between watercourses in southern Pampas has been very limited, probably through a combination of low climatic suitability, recent introduction and low connectivity of the drainage basins. The suitability of other areas where it has been recently recorded indicates a moderate risk of further spread in central and northwestern Argentina and in coastal areas of the Pacific rim of South America (southern Perú and northern Chile). The recent spread of P. columella in the wild in Argentina may be the result of an increase in the trade in aquarium plants or of the evolution of a new lineage with different ecological capabilities.     

First record of a walnut shield bearer Coptodisca (Lepidoptera: Heliozelidae) in Europe

A leafminer of the Nearctic genus Coptodisca Walsingham (Lepidoptera: Heliozelidae), a species of potential economic interest, is reported for the first time from Europe, infesting the black (Juglans nigra L.) and the common walnut (Juglans regia L.). Mines were collected since September of 2010 in several sites of two Italian regions (Campania and Lazio). The species is rather similar to Coptodisca juglandella (Chambers), the only Coptodisca known to attack walnuts, but at present, an unambiguous identification cannot be provided because of the unsatisfactory characterization of this leafminer and congeneric species. Three generations were recorded per year and leafminers overwinter as mature larvae. The first adults emerged in May–June while mature larvae of the last generation started the overwintering in September. During the last generation of the year, infestation levels of leaves were 100% in all sampled localities. Several species of parasitoids were reared from infested mines, with specimens belonging to the genus Chrysocharis (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) being the most frequent parasitoids.     

Serpulids (Polychaeta: Serpulidae) from the Northwestern Caribbean with keys to the Grand Caribbean region: Salmacina, Ficopomatus, Pomatoceros, Pomatostegus, Protula, Pseudovermilia, Spirobranchus and Vermiliopsis

From the revision of more than 1,250 serpulids, 15 species from the Grand Caribbean Region were identified and characterized. Thirteen species were collected along the shores of the Yucatan Peninsula and eight were found in other localities in the Gulf of Mexico, seven others are from Cuba and comments on type specimens of two species are also included. Three morphometric analyses were made to evaluate some characters. The first on Pomatostegus stellatus (Abildgaard), and related species and subspecies: P. brachysoma Schmarda, P. macrosoma Schmarda, P. s. fruticosa M?rch, P. s. pentapoma M?rch and P. s. tetrapoma M?rch, indicated that they are conspecific. Another one on Spirobranchus de Blainville species: S. dendropoma M?rch, S. giganteus (Pallas), S. polycerus (Schmarda) and S. polycerus augeneri ten Hove; indicated that S. giganteus differs from the other three taxa. The third analysis was made on Vermiliopsis annulata (Schmarda) sensu lato; it allowed the recognition of three different forms. Several incomplete specimens might belong to an undescribed genus. A key for identification of all the species recorded in the Grand Caribbean Region is also included.     

中国尺蛾科新纪录属——离顶尺蛾属及其一新纪录种记述（鳞翅目：尺蛾科：姬尺蛾亚科）

首次报道姬尺蛾亚科离顶尺蛾属Apostegania Prout,1932和离顶尺蛾A.crina(Swinhoe,1892)在中国分布,给出了形态描述和特征图。     

First record of the emesine assassin bug genus Emesopsis (Heteroptera: Reduviidae) from Vietnam, with descriptions of two new species

The emesine assassin bug genus Emesopsis is reported from Vietnam for the first time and is briefly diagnosed, and two new species of the genus, E. longipilosa and E. albispinosa, are described. They were collected by beating dead, drooping leaves of the banana, Musa acuminata (Musaceae).     

Two new species of Mediomastus (Annelida,Capitellidae) from Tokyo Bay,Japan

Two undescribed species of polychaetes in Mediomastus (Annelida: Capitellidae) were collected from intertidal to shallow habitats in Tokyo Bay, Japan. These are M. duobalteussp. n. and M. hanedaensissp. n.Mediomastus duobalteussp. n. is distinguishable from all congeners by the following characters: 1) segments 3, 4, 8–11 stainable with methyl green, 2) thoracic capillary chaetae unilimbate, 3) abdominal capillary chaetae absent, 4) paddle-like chaetae in the thorax absent, and 5) abdominal hooded hooks not flared. Mediomastus hanedaensissp. n. is similar to M. warrenae Green, 2002, but differs from the latter in the shapes of the thoracic capillary chaetae and the abdominal hooded hooks, and the staining pattern with methyl green. In addition, a key to all Mediomastus species is provided.