Synonymy of Plotococcus Miller & Denno with Leptococcus Reyne, and description of a new species from Colombia (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae)

Plotococcus Miller & Denno is synonymized with Leptococcus Reyne (Coccoidea: Pseudococcidae). The genus is redescribed and the adult female of the type species, L. metroxyli Reyne, is redescribed and illustrated. All species hitherto included in Plotococcus are transferred to Leptococcus as L. capixaba (Kondo) comb. nov., L. eugeniae (Miller & Denno) comb. nov., L. hambletoni (Kondo) comb. nov., L. minutus (Hempel) comb. nov., and L. neotropicus (Williams & Granara de Willink) comb. nov. A new species of Leptococcus, L. rodmani Kondo sp. n., from leaves of Guarea guidonia (Meliaceae) from Colombia, is described and illustrated based on the adult female. A revised key to adult females of all species in the genus is provided.     

Comparative toxicity of ten organic chemicals to four earthworm species

Ten organic chemicals were tested for toxicity to four earthworm species: Allolobophora tuberculata, Eisenia fetida, Eudrilus eugeniae and Perionyx excavatus, using the European Economic Community's (EEC) earthworm artificial soil and contact testing procedure. The phenols were the most toxic chemicals tested, followed by the amine, substituted benzenes, halogenated aliphatic hydrocarbon, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon and phthalate as the least toxic chemical tested. Correlations among species within each type of test for a given chemical were extremely high, suggesting that the selection of earthworm test species does not markedly affect the assessment of a chemical's toxicity. The correlation between the two tests was low for all test species. The contact test LC50 for a given chemical cannot be directly correlated to an artificial soil test LC50 for the same earthworm species.     

Potential of two epigeic and two anecic earthworm species in vermicomposting of water hyacinth

The potential of two epigeic species (Eudrilus eugeniae Kinberg, and Perionyx excavatus Perrier) and two anecic species (Lampito mauritii Kinberg and Drawida willsi Michaelson) of earthworms was assessed in terms of efficiency and sustainability of vermicomposting water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes, Mart. Solm.). In different vermireactors, each run in duplicate with one of the four species of earthworms, and 75 g of 6:1 water hyacinth:cowdung as feed, vermicasts were produced with steadily increasing output in all the reactors. E. eugeniae was by far the most efficient producer of vermicasts, followed by the other epigeic P. excavatus. The two anecics came next, with D. willsi being the least effective which could generate only about half the quantity of vermicasts achieved in a corresponding time by E. eugeniae. In all the reactors, the earthworms grew well, increasing their weights by more than 250%. The maximum net gain of weight (average 30.7 g) was by E. eugeniae, followed by P. excavatus, L. mauritii and D. willsi. This trend, which followed the efficiency of vermicast production, was also shown in terms of reproductive ability as measured by the number of offspring produced by the four species.     

Vermicomposting of Taro (Colocasia esculenta) with two epigeic earthworm species

The bioconversion potential of two epigeic species (Eisenia foetida Sav. and Eudrilus eugeniae Kinberg) of earthworms was assessed in terms of efficiency and sustainability of vermicomposting of Taro (Colocasia esculenta (Linn) Schott in Schott and Endl). In different vermireactors, each run in triplicates with one of the two species of earthworms, and 60 g of 6:1 Colocasia:cowdung as feed, vermicasts were produced with steadily increasing output in all the reactors. E. eugeniae was found to be more efficient producer of vermicasts than E. foetida. In all reactors, the earthworms grew well, increasing their weights and number.     

The African species of Theganopteryx (Blattaria, Ectobiidae)

Abstract Twenty-one species of the genus Theganopteryx are known from Africa and the genus is probably confined to this continent. A key is provided to the males of twenty species, and eight new species are described: affinis Shelford; bivitatta Princis; bredoi sp.n.; camerunensis Shelford; dimorpha Princis; fantastica Shelford; flavescens sp.n.; heterogamia Princis; ituriensis Rehn; kivuensis sp.n.; lucidu Brunner; nitida Borg; notata Shelford; obscura Shelford; propinqua sp.n.; remotevittata (Werner); rhodesiae Shelford; shabaenis sp.n.; shelfordi sp.n.; simillima sp.n.; villiersi sp.n. Notes are given on eighteen further species of doubtful identity which have hitherto been included in Theganopteiyx , and one of these, perspicillaris Karny, is transferred to a new genus Theganosilpha .     

A taxonomic study of Chinese species of the insidiosus group of Metaphycus (Hymenoptera,Encyrtidae)

In this paper, twelve insidiosus-group species of the genus Metaphycus Mercet from China are reviewed. Five species, M. corniae sp. n., M. cylindricus sp. n., M. deltoideus sp. n., M. transversus sp. n. and M. yaanensis sp. n., are described as new to science. A key to the females of these species is given to facilitate species recognition. Photomicrographs are provided to illustrate morphological characters of these species. All specimens, unless otherwise specified, are deposited in the National Zoological Museum of China, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing.     

Two new species of Amblypsilopus Bigot with a key to species from Taiwan (Diptera, Dolichopodidae)

The following two new species of the genus Amblypsilopus Bigot from Taiwan are described: Amblypsilopus flavellussp. n. and Amblypsilopus ventralissp. n. One species, Amblypsilopus crassatus Yang, 1997, is newly reported from Taiwan. A key to the species of the genus from Taiwan is given.     

Four new species of Provanna Dall (Prosobranchia,Cerithiacea?) from East Pacific hydrothermal sites

Four new species of Provanna Dall, 1918 are described from East Pacific hydrothermal sites: Provanna ios sp.n., P. goniata sp.n., P. echinata sp.n. and P. variabilis sp.n. The type species of Provanna, P. Iomana Dall, 1918 and Trichotropis (Cerithioderma) pacifica Dall, 1908. which here is transferred to Provanna , are the only additional species known of the genus. Results of some preliminary anatomical investigations are given and a tentative position in the Cerithiacea is suggested. The four new species were collected by manned submersibles from sites of hydrothermal activity; P. Iomana has been dredged on two occasions only. from an area known for hydrothermal activity and we assume that the type- and only known locality for P. pacifica also is affected by hydrothermal acitivity.     

Revision of the Palaearctic species of the Helophorus minutus group (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae), with chromosome analysis and hybridization experiments

Abstract. Investigation of the chromosomes has revealed a Helophorus species from Central and Eastern Europe, and West Siberia, here described as H.paraminutus sp.n., which often closely resembles minutus F., though some specimens are larger and resemble lapponicus Thomson. The chromosomes of paraminutus are clearly distinct from those of minutus but closely resemble those of lapponicus. In the laboratory first generation hybrids were obtained between minutus and paraminutus, lapponicus and paraminutus, and lapponicus and minutus, but in no case was it possible to breed from these hybrids. Thus there can be no doubt that these three species are distinct. Recognition of paraminutus as a distinct species, despite the fact that study of its morphology alone could suggest introgressive hybridization between lapponicus and minutus, requires the recognition of limbatus Motschulsky as a species separate from H. lapponicus and necessitates the revision of the Helophorus minutus group of species which, as here defined, includes minutus, paraminutus, hilaris Sharp, lapponicus, limbatus, mervensis Semenov, rinki Angus, fulgidicol-lis Motschulsky and asturiensis Kuwert. Types and synonymies are discussed, and a key to these species given. Two old, imperfectly known, names are discussed to clear them from the synonymy: granulans var. rufipennis Hubenthal is identified as brevipalpis Bedel, and a lectotype designated; H. griseus var. lateralis Dalla Torre is left as incertae sedis and is classed as a nomen oblitum.     

Interactive effects of species richness and species traits on functional diversity and redundancy

The importance of species diversity for ecosystem function has emerged as a key question for conservation biology. Recently, there has been a shift from examining the role of species richness in isolation towards understanding how species interact to effect ecosystem function. Here, we briefly review theoretical predictions regarding species contributions to functional diversity and redundancy and further use simulated data to test combined effects of species richness, number of functional traits, and species differences within these traits on unique species contributions to functional diversity and redundancy, as well as on the overall functional diversity and redundancy within species assemblages. Our results highlighted that species richness and species functional attributes interact in their effects on functional diversity. Moreover, our simulations suggested that functional differences among species have limited effects on the proportion of redundancy of species contributions as well as on the overall redundancy within species assemblages, but that redundancy rather was determined by number of traits and species richness. Our simulations finally indicated scale dependence in the relative effects of species richness and functional attributes, which suggest that the relative influence of these factors may affect individual contributions differently compared to the overall ecosystem function of species assemblages. We suggest that studies on the relationship between biological diversity and ecosystem function will benefit from focusing on multiple processes and ecological interactions, and that the relative functional attributes of species will have pivotal roles for the ecosystem function of a given species assembly.     

New species and sympatric relations of the chigger mite species group Talmiensis (Trombiculidae, Neotrombicula)

A revision of chigger mites species being closely related to Neotrombicula talmiensis (Schluger, 1955) has been performed. 2 new species are described: N. pontica sp. n. from Krasnodar Territory (Western Caucasus) and N. sympatrica sp. n. from Krasnodar Territory, Daghestan, Tuva, Armenia, Kirghizia and Turkey (Rize Province). N. pontica sp. n. is closely related to N. carpathica Schluger et Vysotzkaya, 1970 and differs from this species by the larger number of idiosomal setae (NDV = = 75-99 against 63-77), shorter legs (Ip = 782-847 against 844-920, TaIII = 67-74 against 70-80), lesser m-t (0.180 against 0.192), slightly lesser scutum and slightly longer setae. N. sympatrica sp. n. is closely related to N. carpathica and differs from this species by the longer scutal and idiosomal setae (PL = 67-78 against 57-69, H = 65-75 against 57-68, Dmin = 43-52 against 39-48, Dmax = 61-70 against 54-64), longer legs (Ip = 892-973 against 844-920, TaIII = = 77-86 against 70-80) and lesser m-t (0.168 against 0.192). N. carpathica is reported for the first time from Northern Caucasus (Karachai-Cherkess Republic, Kabardino-Balkaria, North Ossetia); N. talmiensis is reported for the first time from Khakasia. Data on joint occurrence of 3 species are reported. The 3 types of sympatric pairs of the species have been found in the Western Caucasus: 1) N. pontica sp. n. and N. sympatrica sp. n., 2) N. sympatrica sp. n., and N. carpathica, 3) N. pontica sp. n., and N. carpathica. Differences between species in that localities, where the joint occurrence was recorded, have been analysed. Sympatric relations between N. sympatrica sp. n. and N. carpathica are characterized by increased value of some general diagnostic characters of these species, such as the length of idiosomal setae and length of legs. Different characters play main distinguishing role in different sympatric localities. Besides that, some local features appear in certain species of sympatric pairs (narrow scutum in 3 samples of N. carpathica, numerous idiosomal setae in 1 sample of N. sympatrica), that differs the populations of the sympatric pair, and also discriminates such aberrant group from other material of the same species. Functions produced by the method of discriminant analysis are proposed for the purpose of diagnostics in talmiensis group. Tests for assumptions of discriminant analysis, such as normality and homogeneity of variances, has been performed beforehand. Verifications of the functions on test samples demonstrated the good quality of its working. Key to species using discriminant functions has been constructed.     

A key to species of the genus Gastroserica Brenske of the China (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Sericini), with the description of two new species and two new records for China

Based on a revision of the material housed in Chinese collections and a key to species of Gastroserica of China is provided. Two new species are described, habitus photographs, and illustrations of the genitalia are given: Gastroserica nigrofasciatasp. n. (from China: Guangxi and Guizhou Prov.), Gastroserica yunnanensissp. n. (from China: Yunnan Prov.). Besides, illustrations of the genitalia of species mentioned in the key are provided. Additional distribution records of the Gastroserica species including an updated distribution map are given.     

Two new species of the genus Teredorus Hancock, 1906 (Orthoptera,Tetrigidae) from China,with a key to the species of the genus

Taxonomy of a tetrigid genus Teredorus Hancock is reviewed. Two new species, Teredorus parvipulvillus sp. n. and Teredorus hunanensis sp. n. are described from China and an updated identification key to all known species of the genus is given, as well as brief comments on phylogenetic relationships, biology and ecology.     

Review of the species of Michotamia from China with a description of a new species (Diptera, Asilidae)

Three species of Michotamia are recorded from China. Of these Michotamia aurata (Fabricius, 1794) was previously reported from Hainan and Taiwan. Michotamia assamensis Joseph & Parui, 1995 is recorded from China and Laos for the first time, and Michotamia yunnanensissp. n., is described and figured. A key to the known species from China is provided. A new name, Michotamia subnigra, is given to Michotamia nigra Scarbrough & Hill, 2000, which is preoccupied by Michotamia nigra (Meijere, 1911).     

Reductive evolutionary trends in two new cavernicolous species of a new Australian cixiid genus (Homoptera: Fulgroidea)

Abstract A new genus, Undarana gen.n., is established to accomodate six new closely related cixiid species from Queensland, Australia: U.tamborina sp. n.(type species), U.gloriosa sp.n., U.towomba sp.n., U. daybora sp. n., U. rosella sp.n. and U.collina sp.n. Two of the species live in lava tubes in northern Queensland and show different degrees of troglomorphy (reduction of eyes and bodily pigmentation) U.rosella is regarded as being troglophilic (facultative cavernicole), adn U.collina as being troglobitic (facultative cavernicole), and U.collina as being troglobitic (obligatory cavernicole), and it is considered likely that they represent a single invasion into the cave environment. Reductive evolutionary trends displayed by cave-dwelling Undarana species are described, and notes on their ecology and distribution are given. Hypotheses on the factors that might have led to cave-adaption in Undarana species are discussed.     

Mammals of Australian islands: factors influencing species richness

Distribution patterns of indigenous non-volant terrestrial mammals on 257 Australian islands were examined in relation to environmental parameters and the effects of human-induced disturbance during prehistoric and historic times on island species numbers. Species occurrence for individual species, for taxonomic and trophic groups, and for all species together was related to environmental parameters using regression analysis and the extreme-value function model. Patterns of occurrence were examined separately within three major biogeographic regions derived by pattern analysis. The number of species known to have occurred on these islands during historic times was adequately predicted from area alone. No statistically significant improvement in predicted species number was gained by including island elevation, mean annual rainfall, isolation from the mainland or the number of potentially competing species present on the island. Similarly, no single factor other than area was found to influence consistently the presence of individual species. We conclude that the occurrence of indigenous non-volant terrestrial mammal species on these islands indicates a relictual rather than equilibrial fauna. Visitation by Aboriginal people during prehistoric times did not significantly increase mammal extinctions on islands. Examination of patterns of species richness for a given area on a regional basis showed that islands in and around Bass Strait and Tasmania (Bass Region) were the most species-rich, islands off the northern coasts were slightly less rich, and islands off the south western coasts had fewest species. This is in contrast to the usual latitudinal gradient in species richness patterns. However, islands off the northern and eastern coasts had an overall greater number of different species. When considered in relation to the number of different species of mammals occurring within each region, islands of a given size in Bass Region typically bore a higher proportion of this species pool than other regions. The Bass Region was found to be particularly rich in macropoid herbivores and dasyurid carnivores and insectivores. Analyses indicated that there is a very strong relationship between the presence of exotics as a whole and the local extinction of native mammals. Many mammal species formerly widespread on the Australian mainland are now restricted totally to islands (nine species) or are threatened with extinction on the mainland and have island populations of conservation significance (ten species). In all, thirty-five islands protect eighteen taxa of Australian threatened mammals. The land-use and management of these islands is of considerable importance to nature conservation. The introduction of exotic mammals to these islands should be prevented; any introductions that occur should be eradicated immediately.