Morphological conservatism in the foreleg structure of cicada hatchlings,Burmacicada protera n. gen., n. sp. in Burmese amber,Dominicicada youngi n. gen., n. sp. in Dominican amber and the extant Magicicada septendecim (L.) (Hemiptera: Cicadidae)

Two cicada hatchlings (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) in Burmese and Dominican amber are described as Burmacicada protera n. gen., n. sp. and Dominicicada youngi n. gen., n. sp., respectively. Although very similar in appearance, the two species can be separated by body contour, the nature of the process on the terminal antennomere and the shape and size of protrusions, teeth and spines on the forelegs. A comparison of the forelegs of the fossil hatchlings with those of an extant hatchling of the periodical cicada, Magicicada septendecim (L.), reveals a remarkable degree of morphological conservatism over 100 million years. A brief review of fossil cicadas is presented.     

New Genera and Higher Taxa of Septate Gregarines (Protozoa,Apicomplexa)*

SYNOPSIS The following new taxa of septate gregarines are established: METAMERIDAE fam. nov. includes genera Metamera Duke, Deutomera Bhatia & Setna, and Cognettia gen. n., the last with the type and only species C. legeri (Cognetti de Martiis); family GREGARINIDAE Labbé includes Degiustia gen. n. with the type and only species D. hyallela (Batten & DeGiusti); Cirrigregarina gen. n., with the type species C. spissa (Henry) and another species, C. kamenote (Hoshide); and Molluskocystis gen. n., with the type and only species M. pterotracheae (Stuart). Family HIRMOCYSTIDAE (Grassé) includes Arachnocystis gen. n., with the type species A. arachnoidea (Devdhar & Gourishankar) and 3 other species A. nitida (Geus), A. oribatidae (Geus), A. scutovertexi (Erhardová). Family ACTINOCEPHALIDAE (Léger), subfamily Actinocephalinae (Léger), includes Chilogregarina gen. n., with the type species C. striata (Léger & Duboscq) and 3 other species C. brasiliensis (Pinto), C. dujardini (Schneider), and C. stella (Léger).     

Two new genera of Caenidae (Insecta: Ephemeroptera) from Guinea,West Africa

Larvae of two new genera of Caenidae are described from the River Niandan, Guinea. Their position in the phylogenetic system of Caenidae is discussed. Niandancus alienus gen. n., sp. n. is the first known representative of the Brachycercinae in the Ethiopic region. Aenigmocaenis morgensterni gen. n., sp. n. could represent the sister group to all other Caenidae, as the most important larval synapomorphy of the family, a band or row of microtrichia on the ventral side of the operculate gill, is lacking.     

Entodiniomorph Ciliates from the Stomach of Hippopotamus amphibius, with Descriptions of Two New Genera and Three New Species

Entodiniomorph ciliates, belonging to the family Cycloposthiidae, are described from the stomach contents of Hippopotamus amphibius. Monoposthium acanthum gen. n., sp. n., with typical cycloposthiid structure, differs from other genera in having only 1 caudalium. Parentodinium gen. n., represented by P. africanum sp. n. and P. ostrea sp. n., although superficially resembling Entodinium, is considered to be a relatively unspecialized cycloposthiid.     

Description of the terrestrial isopod mirtana costaricensis gen. et sp. n. from central America (Crustacea: Isopoda: Oniscidea)

An examination of isopod material deposited in the Museum of the University of Costa Rica, San Pedro, revealed a new genus and species of terrestrial isopods, Mirtana costaricensis gen. et sp. n. which is distinguished by its three‐articulate antennal flagellum, incurved coxal plates and prominent neopleurae, while noduli laterales and respiratory areas on any pleopod are apparently lacking. Despite this unique combination of characters, a closer relationship to the widely distributed neotropical genus Ischioscia Verhoeff, 1928 can be postulated because of similar structure of male pereopods 1 to 2 and pleopod 1 endopodite.     

Notes on some tardigrades from Thailand,with descriptions of two new species

Abstract

Three species of tardigrades are reported from Thailand: Pseudechiniscus quadrilobatus Iharos, 1969, Calcarobiotus (Calcarobiotus) digeronimoi sp. n., and Mixibius sutirae sp. n. Calcarobiotus (C.) digeronimoi sp. n. has claws of Calcarobiotus type; those of the first three pairs of legs have a medial and a lateral spur, those of the hind legs lack basal spurs. Mixibius sutirae sp. n. has a densely sculptured dorsal cuticle and two macroplacoids; it lacks lunules and other thickenings on the legs. It is similar to Mixibius ornatus Pilato et al., 2001, from which it differs in characteristics of the cu‐ticular sculpture and by having the ventral surface unsculptured.     

A rare form of frontal shield development in the new cheilostome bryozoan genusUharella from the Eocene of Antarctica

A new cheilostome bryozoan,Uharella seymourensis n. gen., n. sp., is described from the Eocene of Seymour Island, Antarctic Peninsula. Colonies ofU. seymourensis encrust lithoclasts, locally in high densities with 1–2 mm-wide strips of unencrusted substrate between neighbouring colonies. This unusual patterning could indicate chemical defence against encroaching colonies or may have resulted from grazing.U. seymourensis is an ascophoran-grade cheilostome with an unusual umbonuloid frontal shield apparently derived entirely or in part from kenozooidal overgrowth. The most closely related genus appears to be the European Maastrichtian and Danian genusBrydonella Berthelsen, 1962 with whichUharella is here united in Brydonellidae n. fam.      

Predatory behaviour of the social orb-weaver spider,Geratonephila burmanica n. gen., n. sp. (Araneae: Nephilidae) with its wasp prey,Cascoscelio incassus n. gen., n. sp. (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae) in Early Cretaceous Burmese amber

The present work shows predatory behaviour of the social orb-weaver spider, Geratonephila burmanica n. gen., n. sp. (Araneae: Nephilidae) against a parasitic wasp, Cascoscelio incassus n. gen., n. sp. (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae) in Early Cretaceous Burmese amber. An adult male and juvenile of G. burmanica in the same web provide the first fossil evidence of sociality in spiders. The spider is characterised by a pedipalp with a hemispherical tegulum, a subtegulum curved at 180°and an apical spiralled embolas-conductor bent approximately 45°at midpoint. The male wasp is characterised by an ocellar tubercle, 12-segmented antennae with a feeble five-segmented clava, thick sensilla trichodea curvata with rounded ends on the claval antennomeres, a short uncus, a short post-marginal vein and a nebulose radial sector (Rs) vein extending from the uncus to the costal margin of the forewing. This is the first fossil evidence of spider sociality and a fossil spider attacking prey trapped in its web.     

CRYPTOPERIDINIOPSIS BRODYI GEN. ET SP. NOV. (DINOPHYCEAE), A SMALL LIGHTLY ARMORED DINOFLAGELLATE IN THE PFIESTERIACEAE1

A new genus and species of heterotrophic dinoflagellate, Cryptoperidiniopsis brodyi gen. et sp. nov., are described. This new species commonly occurs in estuaries from Florida to Maryland, and is often associated with Pfiesteria piscicida Steidinger et Burkholder, Pseudopfiesteria shumwayae (Glasgow et Burkholder) Litaker et al., and Karlodinium veneficum (Ballantine) J. Larsen, as well as other small (<20 μm) heterotrophic and mixotrophic dinoflagellates. C. brodyi gen. et sp. nov. feeds myzocytotically on pigmented microalgae and other microorganisms. The genus and species have the enhanced Kofoidian plate formula of Po, cp, X, 5′, 0a, 6″, 6c, PC, 5+s, 5″′, 0p, and 2″″ and are assigned to the order Peridiniales and the family Pfiesteriaceae. Because the Pfiesteriaceae comprise small species and are difficult to differentiate by light microscopy, C. brodyi gen. et sp. nov. can be easily misidentified.     

Facieplatycauda pratti gen. n., sp. n. and Two New Species of Myxobolus (Myxosporida)*

Synopsis. Facieplatycauda pratti gen. n., sp. n. and Myxobolus kozloffi sp. n., from the Klamath Lake sucker, Catostomus luxatus (Cope), are described. The new genus is placed in the family Myxobolidae between Henneguya and Myxobolus. The spore valves beyond the sporoplasmic space are broad and long but not attenuated as an inverted triangle as in certain species of Myxobolus with tails, or of Henneguya with sometimes bifurcated tails. An organism resembling Myxobolus insidiosus (Wyatt & Pratt) was found in the muscle of the body of Salmo clarki (Richardson). Differences in spore structure and site of infection suggest this is a subspecies of the previous form which should be designated Myxobolus insidiosus clarki. A previously unreported species of Myxobolus from Cottus aleuticus (Gilbert) is also described.     

New contributions to the Cyrtophoria ciliates (Protista,Ciliophora): Establishment of new taxa and phylogenetic analyses using two ribosomal genes

Periphytic ciliates play a vital role in the material cycle and energy flow of microbial food web, however, their taxonomy and biodiversity are inadequately studied given their high species richness. Two new and one little known species, viz. Derouxella lembodes gen. et sp. nov., Cyrtophoron multivacuolatum sp. nov., and Cyrtophoron apsheronica Aliev, 1991, collected from coastal waters of China, were investigated using modern methods. Derouxella gen. nov. can be recognized by having dorsoventrally flattened body, a podite, one fragmented preoral kinety, two parallel circumoral kineties, and somatic kineties progressively shortened from right to left. Morphological classification and phylogenetic analyses based on nuclear small subunit ribosomal RNA (nSSU rRNA) and mitochondrial small subunit ribosomal RNA (mtSSU rRNA) gene sequence data inferred that Derouxella gen. nov. occupies an intermediate position between Hartmannulidae and Dysteriidae. Cyrtophoron multivacuolatum sp. nov. is characterized by large body size, the numbers of somatic kineties and nematodesmal rods, and having numerous contractile vacuoles. The genus Cyrtophoron and the poorly known species C. apsheronica were redefined. Even with the addition of newly obtained nSSU rRNA and mtSSU rRNA gene sequences of Cyrtophoron, the family Chlamydodontidae was still recovered as a monophyletic group, the monophyly of Cyrtophoron was supported too.     

A mousebird (Aves: Coliiformes) from the Eocene of England

Summary The first fossil mousebird (Aves, Coliiformes) known from the Eocene of England is described. This taxon,Eocolius walkeri gen. n. sp. n., is assigned to the order Coliiformes (mousebirds) on the basis of a character of the proximal ulna (large cotyla dorsalis). The degree of similarity between the preserved elements ofEocolius and those of the other known fossil and Recent taxa further support this conclusion. At present, this new taxon is considered to occupy an unresolved position near to the base of the coliiform ingroup; the phylogenetic position ofEocolius cannot be resolved further owing to a lack of preservation of diagnostic characters.

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Ein Mausvogel (Aves: Coliiformes) aus dem Eozän von England

Zusammenfassung Der erste fossile Mausvogel (Aves: Coliiformes) aus dem Eozän von England wird beschrieben. Dieses Taxon,Eocolius walkeri gen. n. sp. n., wird aufgrund von Merkmalen der proximalen Ulna (grosse Cotyla dorsalis) in die Ordnung Coliiformes gestellt. Darüber hinaus stützt der Grad der Üebereinstimmung zwischen den erhaltenen Skelettelementen vonEocolius und den anderen bekannten fossilen und rezenten Taxa diese Zuordnung. Zur Zeit nimmt dieses neue Taxon eine nicht näher aufgelöste Stellung an der Basis der Coliiformes ein. Das Fehlen diagnostischer Merkmale lässt keine sichere Zuordnung vonEocolius zu den ausgestorbenen Sandcoleidae oder den rezenten Coliidae zu.

     

A new mousebird (Coliiformes: Coliidae) from the Oligocene of Germany

Summary A new species and genus of mousebird (Coliiformes: Coliidae) from the Oligocene (Rupelian) of Frauenweiler near Wiesloch (Baden-Württemberg, Germany) is described.Oligocolius brevitarsus n. gen. n. sp. is the first Oligocene mousebird and one of the most complete skeletons of early Tertiary Coliidae to have come to light so far. The new taxon has a more strongly developed wing and a much shorter tarsometatarsus than recent mousebirds and was probably adapted to a more sustained flight.

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Ein neuer Mausvogel (Coliiformes: Coliidae) aus dem Oligozän Deutschlands

Zusammenfassung Eine neue Gattung und Art der Mausvögel (Coliiformes: Coliidae) wird aus dem Oligozän (Rupel) von Frauenweiler bei Wiesloch (Baden-Württemberg, Deutschland) beschrieben.Oligocolius brevitarsus n. gen. n. sp. ist der erste oligozäne Mausvogel und eines der vollständigsten Skelette frühtertiärer Coliidae, das bisher gefunden wurde. Das neue Taxon hat einen kräftiger entwickelten Flügel und einen viel kürzeren Tarsometatarsus als rezente Mausvögel und war wahrscheinlich an einen Flug angepaßt, der ausdauernder als bei rezenten Arten war.

     

Taxonomy of five species of cyrtophorids (Protozoa: Ciliophora) including consideration of the phylogeny of two new genera

Cyrtophorids are a specialized group of ciliated protozoa with multitudinous morphotypes. In the present work, the morphology and infraciliature of two new and three rarely known species, including two new genera of cyrtophorid ciliates, Heterohartmannula fangi gen. et sp. nov. , Aporthotrochilia pulex (Deroux, 1976) gen. et comb. nov. , Trochilia alveolata sp. nov. , Trochochilodon flavus Deroux, 1976, and Hypocoma acinetarum Collin, 1907, are described. Heterohartmannula gen. nov. is mainly characterized by a combination of features: two circumoral kineties obliquely arranged, podite not surrounded by somatic kineties, and no distinct gap between left and right ciliary field. Aporthotrochilia gen. nov. is diagnosed mainly by: podite present, oral ciliature reduced to two fragments, several kinety fragments positioned on the right posterior of frontoventral kineties and several terminal fragments. Phylogenetic analyses based on the small subunit rRNA (SSU rRNA) gene sequences support the establishment of two new genera and indicate that Heterohartmannula is most closely related to Hartmannula, and Aporthotrochilia is basal to the Cyrtophoria‐Chonotrichia clade. Trochilia alveolata sp. nov. differs from its congeners mainly by having a conspicuous alveolar layer. In addition, detailed live and infraciliature data of Hypocoma acinetarum and Trochochilodon flavus are supplied. © 2012 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2012, 164 , 1–17.     

Genetic diversity and phylogenetic position of the subclass Astomatia (Ciliophora) based on a sampling of six genera from West African oligochaetes (Glossoscolecidae, Megascolecidae), including description of the new genus Paraclausilocola n. gen

To more confidently assess phylogenetic relationships among astome ciliates, we obtained small subunit (SSU) rRNA sequences from nine species distributed in six genera and three families: Almophrya bivacuolata, Eudrilophrya complanata, Metaracoelophrya sp. 1, Metaracoelophrya sp. 2, Metaracoelophrya intermedia, Metaradiophrya sp., Njinella prolifera, Paraclausilocola constricta n. gen., n. sp., and Paraclausilocola elongata n. sp. The two new species in the proposed new clausilocolid genus Paraclausilocola n. gen. are astomes with no attachment apparatus, two files of contractile vacuoles, and an arc-like anterior suture that has differentiations of thigmotactic ciliature on the anterior ends of the left kineties of the upper surface. Phylogenetic analyses were undertaken using neighbor-joining, Bayesian inference, maximum likelihood, and maximum parsimony. The nine species of astomes formed a strongly supported clade, showing the subclass Astomatia to be monophyletic and a weakly supported sister clade to the scuticociliates. There were two strongly supported clades within the astomes. However, genera assigned to the same family were found in different clades, and genera assigned to the same order were found in both clades. Thus, astome taxa appear to be paraphyletic when morphology is used to assign species to genera.     

Molecular Phylogeny and Taxonomy of Two Novel Brackish Water Hypotrich Ciliates,with the Establishment of a New Genus,Antiokeronopsis gen. n. (Ciliophora,Hypotrichia)

Two novel brackish water urostyloid ciliates, Anteholosticha paramanca sp. n. and Antiokeronopsis flava gen. n., sp. n., isolated from the Shenzhen Mangrove Nature Protection Area on the coast of the South China Sea, were investigated using live observation and protargol impregnation techniques. Anteholosticha paramanca sp. n. is characterized by its spherical yellowish cortical granules arranged in lines, shortened midventral complex and three transverse cirri. Morphogenesis is similar to that in Anteholosticha manca. The new genus Antiokeronopsis is diagnosed by having a continuous adoral zone of membranelles, frontal cirri arranged in a bicorona, midventral complex composed of midventral pairs only, one marginal cirral row on each side, the presence of frontoterminal and transverse cirri, and the lack of buccal and caudal cirri. The type species A. flava sp. n. is characterized by its elongated body shape, brown to yellowish body color and two types of cortical granules. Small subunit ribosomal RNA gene sequence data justify the classification of both species. Phylogenetic analyses indicate that A. paramanca clusters with Bakuella subtropica within a clade that includes two other Anteholosticha species, while Antiokeronopsis groups within the core urostylids and is most closely related to the well‐known genera Pseudokeronopsis and Uroleptopsis.     

A new genus of Cyrtoscydmini (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Scydmaeninae) from Japan

Rutaraphes shikokuensis gen. et sp. nov. is described from Shikoku, Japan. The new taxon belongs to a group of genera characterized by the lateral sutures demarcating the submentum and is most similar to Neuraphes and Scydmoraphes. Morphological structures of Rutaraphes are illustrated and possible affinities with other genera of Cyrtoscydmini are discussed. Keys to identification of Palearctic and Japanese genera of Cyrtoscydmini are given. Including Rutaraphes, 14 genera of Scydmaeninae are currently known to occur in Japan.     

New and little known phalangopsinae (Orthoptera,Gryllidae): 7. Neotropical taxa of the tribes Paragryllini and Luzarini

Three new genera, one new subgenus, and 13 new species (Strogulomorpha separata sp. n., S. davidi sp. n., S. proxima sp. n., Luzarida lata sp. n., Luzara venado sp. n., L. sapani sp. n., Ucayacla pulchella gen. et sp. n., Peruzara atalaya gen. et sp. n., P. loreto sp. n., Amazonacla imitata gen. et sp. n., A. primitiva sp. n., Leptopsis (Leptopsis) ucayali sp. n., and L. (Aberracla subgen. n.) morona sp. n.) are described. The composition of the tribes Paragryllini and Luzarini and of the genera Luzarida Heb. and Luzara Walk is discussed. The new synonymies Luzarida Hebard, 1928 = Ecuazarida Nischk et Otte, 2000, syn. n.; Lerneca Walker, 1869 = Doposia Otte et Perez-Gelabert, 2009, syn. n.; Nemoricantor Desutter-Grandcolas et Hubbell, 1993 = Kumalorina Otte et Perez-Gelabert, 2009, syn. n. are given. The systematic position of some previously described species is corrected.     

Grellia gen. n. for Eucoccidium of Grell (1953) Preoccupied*

Grellia gen. n. is established for the genus Eucoccidium of Grell (1953) preoccupied, and the classification of the apicomplexan order Protococcidiorida Kheisin, 1956 is reviewed, giving diagnoses, type species and a list of species. Grelliidae fam. n. is established for the genera Grellia, Coelotropha, Myriosporides and Defretinella.