The millipede genus Orthomorpha Bollman, 1893 in Laos (Diplopoda,Polydesmida, Paradoxosomatidae), with descriptions of new species

The genus Orthomorpha is currently represented in Laos by nine species, including three, O. paviei Brölemann, 1896, O. communis Likhitrakarn, Golovatch & Panha, 2011 and O. cambodjana (Attems, 1953), which are new to the fauna of the country, and further three new to science: O. suberectoides sp. n., O. gladiata sp. n. and O. sutchariti sp. n.     

Revision of the endemic Taiwanese millipede genus Aponedyopus Verhoeff, 1939, with descriptions of two new species (Diplopoda, Polydesmida, Paradoxosomatidae). Advances in the systematica of Diplopoda III

The millipede genus Aponedyopus is endemic to Taiwan and contains three species. All previously described nominal species are considered to represent one species: Aponedyopus montanus Verhoeff, 1939 (the type species), including Aponedyopus reesi (Wang, 1957) and Aponedyopus maculatus Takakuwa, 1942, syn. n. Two further species are described as new: Aponedyopus similissp. n. and Aponedyopus latilobatussp. n. The genus is re-diagnosed, all of its three species are keyed, and their distributions mapped.     

Three new cavernicolous species of dragon millipedes, genus Desmoxytes Chamberlin, 1923, from southern China, with notes on a formal congener from the Philippines (Diplopoda, Polydesmida, Paradoxosomatidae)

The large Southeast Asian genus Desmoxytes is slightly rediagnosed. A number of troglomorphic, most likely troglobitic, species occur in southern China. A key is provided to all 10 Desmoxytes spp. currently known from China, including three new presumed troglobites: Desmoxytes eupterygotasp. n. from Hunan Province, as well as Desmoxytes spinissimasp. n. and Desmoxytes luisp. n. from Guangxi Province. "Desmoxytes" philippina Nguyen Duc & Sierwald, 2010, from the Philippines, is formally removed from Desmoxytes, but not assigned to another genus. It probably belongs in a new genus in the subfamily Australiosomatinae, tribe Antichiropodini, close to the Bornean Euphyodesmus Attems, 1931 and Borneochiropus Golovatch, 1996.     

Breeding bird diversity in relation to environmental gradients in China

Geographic variation in species richness has been explained by different theories such as energy, productivity, energy–water balance, habitat heterogeneity, and freezing tolerance. This study determines which of these theories best account for gradients of breeding bird richness in China. In addition, we develop a best-fit model to account for the relationship between breeding bird richness and environment in China. Breeding bird species richness in 207 localities (3271 km² per locality on average) from across China was related to thirteen environmental variables after accounting for sampling area. The Akaike's information criterion (AIC) was used to evaluate model performance. We used Moran's I to determine the magnitude of spatial autocorrelation in model residuals, and used simultaneous autoregressive model to determine coefficients of determination and AIC of explanatory variables after accounting for residual spatial autocorrelation. Of all environmental variables examined, normalized difference vegetation index, a measure of plant productivity, is the best variable to explain the variance in breeding bird richness. We found that species richness of breeding birds at the scale examined is best predicted by a combination of plant productivity, elevation range, seasonal variation in potential evapotranspiration, and mean annual temperature. These variables explained 47.3% of the variance in breeding bird richness after accounting for sampling area; most of the explained variance in richness is attributable to the first two of the four variables.     

中国夜蛾科昆虫的物种多样性及分布格局

本文在收集整理中国夜蛾全部种类名录和分布资料的数据库基础上,对其分布格局进行了分析。结果表明：中国夜蛾共有20个亚科845个有效属3 751个有效种,占世界种类的13.66%,其中1 734种模式产地在中国。这些种类主要归属4种区系成分,其中东亚成分占优势,占总数的51.35%,东洋成分占25.51%,古北成分占18.45%,广布成分仅2.26%。夜蛾在全国七个动物地理区中的分布,是不同类群不同分布特点的复合体,84种广布种分布广泛而均匀,七区之间的多元相似性系数达显著水平。 957种东洋种类和692种古北种类随纬度呈阶梯状分布,各区间无显著相似性。 1 926种东亚种类中,南中国型1 363种,分别较为孤立地分布在华南、华中、西南三区,各区之间联系微弱; 北中国型290种,零星分散地分布在东北、蒙新、华北、青藏四区; 中中国型273种遍布全国,但主要分布在我国中部的华北、华中、西南、青藏四区,以跨界分布为特点,四区之间具有显著的多元相似性。特有种的简约性分析结果表明,特有分布区的分布和划分基本和中国动物地理区划相一致,但台湾和华中区关系密切。关键区系分析显示,台湾、云南、新疆、西藏等11个省区包含了中国夜蛾物种的90%,是物种保护的优先区域。     

The diversity of Hymenoptera in the tropics with special reference to Parasitica in Sulawesi

Abstract. 1. The results of a recent faunistic survey of the Hymenoptera of northern Sulawesi, Indonesia, are compared with the known British fauna.
2. All families of Hymenoptera are probably more species rich in Sulawesi than in Britain, with the possible exception of Symphyta and gall-forming Cynipidae.
3. The diversities of the samples obtained from Sulawesi are compared with those published from previous studies on the relationship between latitude, altitude and the diversity of parasitic Hymenoptera in tropical and temperate regions.
4. Despite its possibly greater species richness, the Ichneumonidae as a whole was no more diverse in the Sulawesi samples than in samples taken in temperate areas, including Britain.
5. The diversity of Parasitica as a whole appears to have been greater in the Sulawesi samples than those from either Britain or Michigan but lower than those from Costa Rica.
6. Parasitica as a whole was probably not more diverse inside the forest than at its edge, but the Aculeata was more diverse at its edge.
7. Both Parasitica and Aculeata were less diverse at 1765 m than at 220 m altitude.     

中国藓类一新纪录种―嵌边拟平藓

报道了原产于东南亚的嵌边拟平藓[Neckeropsis moutieri（Broth．＆ Par．in Par．）Fleisch．]为中国新纪录种。本种与云南拟平藓（Neckeropsis takahashii Higuchi et al．）最为相似,但因具丝状的假鳞毛和较弱的分化嵌边而有别。同时,还提供了嵌边拟平藓详细的描述和形态图,以及中国产拟平藓属11种的分种检索表。     

Two new cave-dwelling species of the millipede genus Paracortina Wang & Zhang, 1993 from southern China (Diplopoda,Callipodida, Paracortinidae)

Two new species of the millipede genus Paracortina Wang & Zhang, 1993 are described. Both are presumed troglophiles: Paracortina zhangi sp. n. from a cave in Ceheng County, southwestern Guizhou Province and Paracortina yinae sp. n. from a cave in Longlin County, western Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. A distribution map and a key to all 12 Paracortina species are also provided.     

A recent survey of mosquito fauna in Guandong Province, southern China, with a review of past records

Abstract The southern province of Guangdong has long been subject to endemic mosquito‐borne diseases. In recent years, this region of China has experienced rapid, extensive economic development involving environmental change, making much of the scant knowledge of its mosquito fauna obsolete. This paper reviews previous mosquito surveys, some of which may be too old to be of relevance to present‐day conditions, and presents the results of a recent survey of adult and immature mosquitoes. The main vectors of mosquito‐borne diseases endemic to the area, such as dengue and Japanese encephalitis virus, develop in container habitats. A three‐year survey was carried out, between 2004 and 2006, of 4131 breeding containers in residential areas and in open, sparsely populated areas, of which approximately 50% were positive for the presence of mosquitoes, and 10 156 larvae and pupae were collected and identified. Twelve species were found in both residential and sparsely populated areas: Aedes albopictus (Skuse) (Diptera: Culicidae), Ae. lineatopennis (Ludlow), Ae. vexans (Meigen), Tanakaius togoi (Theobald), Culex barraudi Edwards, Cx dispectus Bram, Cx malayi (Leicester), Cx pallidothorax Theobald, Cx quinquefasciatus Say, Cx sitiens Wiedemann, Lutzia fuscanus Wiedemann and Tripteroides bambusa (Yamada). Armigeres subalbatus (Coquillett) was found only in containers in villages, whereas Ae. macfarlanei Edwards, Cx mimeticus Noé, Cx sinensis Theobald, Cx vegans Wiedemann, Cx wilfredi Colless and Mansonia uniformis (Theobald) were found only in non‐ or sparsely populated areas. In residential areas, the rank order of most common species, as measured by the proportion of containers colonized, was Ae. albopictus > Cx quinquefasciatus > Lu. fuscanus, whereas in sparsely populated areas the rank order was Cx quinquefasciatus > Ae. albopictus > Lu. fuscanus. Light traps in non‐ or sparsely populated areas caught 5995 adult mosquitoes of 25 species, some of which are not container breeders. The most common species were: Anopheles sinensis Wiedemann, An. maculatus Theobald, An. minimus Theobald, Ta. togoi, Cx bitaeniorhynchus Giles, Cx malayi, Cx quinquefasciatus, Cx sinensis Theobald, Cx sitiens, Cx tritaeniorhynchus Giles and Lu. fuscanus. It is noteworthy that nine species caught had not been previously recorded in Guangdong Province, highlighting the deficient knowledge of the current composition and distribution of the mosquito fauna of this part of China.     

Review of the millipede family Opisotretidae (Diplopoda,Polydesmida), with descriptions of?new?species

The small, basically Oriental family Opisotretidae is rediagnosed, reclassified, and shown to comprise the following seven genera, all keyed: Carlotretus Hoffman, 1980, with two species, including Carlotretus triramus sp. n. from southern China; Corypholophus Attems, 1938, with two species, one in Vietnam, the other in the Ryukyus, Japan; Martensodesmus Golovatch, 1987, with eight species, all keyed, including Martensodesmus cattienensis sp. n. from southern Vietnam, as well as Martensodesmus bedosae sp. n. and Martensodesmus spiniger sp. n. from southern China; Opisotretus Attems, 1907, with seven species, all keyed, including Opisotretus beroni sp. n. and Opisotretus hagen sp. n., both from Papua New Guinea, Opisotretus deharvengi sp. n. from Sulawesi, Indonesia, and Opisotretus spinosus sp. n. from Nusakambangan Island, off Java, Indonesia; Opisthoporodesmus Silvestri, 1899, with six nominate species; Retrodesmus Chamberlin, 1945, with two species, i.e. the type-species Retrodesmus dammermani Chamberlin, 1945, from Java, Indonesia, revised from the holotype, and Retrodesmus cavernicola sp. n., from Papua New Guinea; and Solaenaulus Attems, 1940, with two species. Comments are presented on the family’s possible relationships and palaeogeographic history. Instead of being considered as the sole component of the superfamily Opisotretoidea, the Opisotretidae is believed here to form one of the families of the diverse superfamily Trichopolydesmoidea, perhaps the sister-group to, if not immediately derived from, the pantropical family Fuhrmannodesmidae. The origin of Opisotretidae, previously dated as far back as the Triassic (220 Ma) in relation to the fragmentation of eastern Gondwanaland, mainly in the region of present-day Indonesia, could have had nothing to do with Gondwanaland. Opisotretids might have originated in mainland Southeast Asia well within the Cenozoic, with subsequent dispersals along the Himalayas in the West and across Indonesia (including New Guinea) in the East, also reaching as far north as the Ryukyus, Japan and Guangxi, southern China.     

湖北地区蝇科物种多样性及地理分布

研究湖北地区蝇科已知种类及区系组成资料,并与邻近的江西、湖南和河南3地区蝇科区系进行比较,分析湖北地区蝇科物种多样性及地理分布。湖北地区已知蝇科物种150种,其中东洋界为主的种类69种,占46.0%;古北界为主的种类57种,占38.0%;广布两界的种类24种,占16.0%。结论认为,湖北地区蝇科区系应划归东洋界。     

Diversity and distribution of millipedes (Diplopoda) in the Campo Ma'an National Park,southern Cameroon

Diplopods (millipedes) are one of the important groups of terrestrial Arthropoda in tropical forest ecosystems. Despite their ecological importance, data on millipede populations are still scarce and outdated in Cameroon. The first comparative eco‐faunistic analysis is presented of two local populations of Diplopoda in two lowland rainforests (nearly primary and secondary) during 12 months (2015–2016) at the southern periphery of the Campo Ma'an National Park in southern Cameroon. The millipedes were collected using pitfall trapping and quadrat sampling, their diversity and distribution analyzed with the help of two diversity indexes and two nonparametric estimators. Overall, 27 species in eighteen genera, ten families and four orders were revealed in the two forests, yet each faunule was about equally rich (23 and 22 species in the primary and secondary forest, respectively) and peculiar (five and four species unique, respectively). The Odontopygidae was the most abundant family, which made up to 33% of the total species diversity. The most abundant species in both forests was Aporodesmus gabonicus (26.8% of occurrences). This study shows that despite the similarity in millipede species richness between both habitats, the species composition of all habitats was different. Some species occurred in two habitats whilst others were restricted to only one habitat.     

中国简管蓟马族昆虫物种多样性及区系初步分析(缨翅目:管蓟马科)

通过对中国简管蓟马族Haplothripini物种的模式标本和定名标本及地理分布文献资料的整理,分析了该族13属53种在中国的物种组成及区系分布特点。结果发现,简管蓟马属物种丰富度最高;中国简管蓟马族在东洋界和古北界均有分布,无特有属,特有种比例低,具有广布种;该族物种在中国动物地理区划中有22个分布型,以华南区为主。最后,初步分析和讨论了该族昆虫的区系特点。     

Revision of the Taiwanese millipede genus Chamberlinius Wang, 1956, with descriptions of two new species and a reclassification of the tribe Chamberlinini (Diplopoda, Polydesmida, Paradoxosomatidae, Paradoxosomatinae)

The millipede genus Chamberlinius is basically confined to Taiwan, with only one of the four known species presumably introduced to southern Japan. Both previously known species are redescribed, based on new material: Chamberlinius hualienensis Wang, 1956 (the type species) and Chamberlinius piceofasciatus (Gressitt, 1941), the latter being a new subjective senior synonym of Chamberlinius shengmui Wang, 1957, syn. n. Two further congeners are described as new: Chamberlinius pessior sp. n. and Chamberlinius sublaevus sp. n. The genus is re-diagnosed, all of its four species are keyed, and their distributions mapped. The tribe Chamberlinini is reclassified and, based on gonopod traits, shown to comprise the following five genera: Chamberlinius Wang, 1956, Haplogonosoma Brölemann, 1916, Riukiupeltis Verhoeff, 1939, Aponedyopus Verhoeff, 1939 and Geniculodesmus Chen, Golovatch and Chang, 2008.     

Elevational gradients of diversity for lizards and snakes in the Hengduan Mountains,China

Comparing elevational gradients across a wide spectrum of climatic zones offers an ideal system for testing hypotheses explaining the altitudinal gradients of biodiversity. We document elevational patterns of lizard and snake species richness, and explore how land area and climatic factors may affect species distributions of lizards and snakes. Our synthesis found 42 lizard species and 94 snake species known from the Hengduan Mountains. The lizards are distributed between 500 and 3500 m, and the snakes are distributed between 500 and 4320 m. The relationship between species richness and elevation for lizards and snakes is unimodal. Land area explains a significant amount of the variation in lizard and snake species richness. The cluster analysis reveals pronounced distinct assemblages for lizards and snakes to better reflect the vertical profiles of climate in the mountains. Climatic variables are strongly associated with lizard and snake richness along the elevational gradient. The data strongly implicate water availability as a key constraint on lizard species richness, and annual potential evapotranspiration is the best predictor of snake species richness along the elevational gradient in the Hengduan Mountains.     

The base of the Middle Ordovician in China with special reference to the succession at Hengtang near Jiangshan, Zhejiang Province, southern China

Extensive work during the last decade has led to the recent decision by the International Subcommission on Ordovician Stratigraphy that the base of the Middle Ordovician Series should be placed at the base of the Baltoniodus triangularis Conodont Biozone in the Huanghuachang GSSP (Global Stratotype Section and Point) section near Yichang, Hubei Province, China. A review of the biostratigraphy of successions in many parts of China shows that for various reasons, it is currently difficult to recognize the precise boundary level in many regions, and additional studies are clearly needed. A newly exposed, previously poorly known, condensed section in deeperwater facies at Hengtang near Jiangshan in the Chiangnan (Jiangnan) belt has yielded a substantial number of important graptolites and conodonts through the boundary interval. It provides a more informative illustration of the relations between the ranges of several key taxa of these groups than any other section in China, and the level of the base of the Middle Ordovician appears to be within an about 1.8 m thick interval of Ningkuo Formation, and lies in the lower Isograptus caduceus imitatus Biozone.     

Molecular phylogeny and biogeography of caecilians from Southeast Asia (Amphibia, Gymnophiona, Ichthyophiidae), with special reference to high cryptic species diversity in Sundaland

We investigated the phylogenetic relationships and estimated the history of species diversification and character evolution in two ichthyophiid genera: Caudacaecilia and Ichthyophis. We estimated the phylogenetic relationships of 67 samples from 33 localities in Southeast Asia from 3840-bp sequences of the mitochondrial 12S rRNA, 16S rRNA, and cyt b genes using Bayesian inference, maximum likelihood, and maximum parsimony methods. The Southeast Asian samples formed a well-supported clade differentiated from a South Asian sample. The Southeast Asian clade was divided into two subclades, one containing samples from South China, Indochina, Malay Peninsula, and Java. The other consisted of samples from Borneo and the Philippines. Neither Caudacaecilia nor Ichthyophis was monophyletic, nor did samples with or without light stripes lateral to the body form clades. We found several distinct sympatric lineages and undescribed species, especially from Sundaland.