Forever in the dark: the cave-dwelling?azooxanthellate reef coral Leptoseris troglodyta sp. n. (Scleractinia,?Agariciidae)

The coral species Leptoseris troglodyta sp. n. (Scleractinia, Agariciidae) is described as new to science. It is the first known azooxanthellate shallow-water agariciid and is recorded from the ceilings of caves at 5-35 m depth in West Pacific coral reefs. The corals have monocentric cup-shaped calices. They may become colonial through extramural budding from the basal coenosteum, which may cause adjacent calices to fuse. The size, shape and habitat of Leptoseris troglodyta are unique compared to other Leptoseris species, many of which have been recorded from mesophotic depths. The absence of zooxanthellae indicates that it may survive well in darkness, but endolithic algae in some corals indicate that they may be able to get some light. The presence of menianes on the septal sides, which may help to absorb light at greater depths in zooxanthellate corals, have no obvious adaptive relevance in the new species and could have been inherited from ancestral species that perhaps were zooxanthellate. The new species may be azooxanthellate as derived through the loss of zooxanthellae, which would be a reversal in Leptoseris phylogeny.     

The world’s largest gharialsGryposuchus: description ofG. croizati n. sp. (Crocodylia, Gavialidae) from the Upper Miocene Urumaco Formation, Venezuela

A new fossil gharialGryposuchus species is described from the Upper Miocene Urumaco Formation, Venezuela.Gryposuchus croizati new species can be distinguished from other gavialoids, includingGryposuchus colombianus andGryposuchus neogaeus by the following combination of diagnostic characters: 1) slenderness of the parietal interfenestral bar; 2) dental formula, mainly the lesser number of maxillary teeth, with four premaxillary, 19 maxillary and 22 mandibular teeth; 3) large width of palatines between the reduced palatine fenestrae; 4) medial hemicondyle of the quadrate smaller but detached and much more posteriorly elongated than the lateral one and projected ventromedially; 5) pterygoid morphology, with two posterior vacuities. The polymorphism in the contour of the external naris inGryposuchus was evaluated for taxonomic significance. The body size ofG. croizati n. sp. was estimated in 10.15 m (9.67–10.67 m) using the dorsal skull length and the estimation of the body mass was 1,745 kg (1,280–2,379 kg) based on the braincase length. These maximal values placeG. croizati n. sp. among the world’s largest gharials and even Crocodyliforms as a whole.      

Ilyocryptus smirnovi n. sp. (Branchiopoda,Anomopoda) – a new member of the species group Ilyocryptus brevidentatus s. lat. from Australia

All representatives of the genus Ilyocryptus with short lateral setae at the postanal margin of the postabdomen may be separated into the compact species group I. brevidentatus s. lat. A new species of Ilyocryptus from this group is described from the Lake Numalla, Queensland, Australia. I. smirnovi n. sp. shows clear morphological differences in the armature of the valve, postabdomen, and several other structures, from all other species of the group. Differences between members of the above-mentioned species group are analogous with those between European species, listed by Štifter (1991). This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Tabanidae (Diptera) of Maranh?o state,Brazil. V. Description of Protosilvius gurupi sp. n. (Pangoniinae,Pangoniini) and key to Protosilvius species

Protosilvius gurupi sp. n. (Tabanidae, Pangoniinae) is described and illustrated based on seven female and 53 male specimens collected in the Amazonian region at Reserva Biológica Gurupi, Centro Novo do Maranhão municipality, northwest Maranhão, Brazil. This is the first record of Protosilvius in northern Brazil and in the Amazon Basin. An illustrated key to all Protosilvius species is also presented.     

Cardiocondyla pirata sp. n. – a new Philippine ant with enigmatic pigmentation pattern (Hymenoptera,Formicidae)

A new species of the ant genus Cardiocondyla Emery, 1869 – Cardiocondyla pirata sp. n. – is described from the Philippines. The species belongs to an Indo-Malayan group of six species that is characterized by workers having a strongly bilobate postpetiolar sternite and a thickset mesosoma with strongly convex dorsal profile as well as wingless, ergatoid males with sickle-shaped mandibles. The female castes show a pigmentation pattern not known from any ant worldwide. If having any adaptive value, a possible function of this structure is supposed to be visual dissolution of body shape in order to irritate predators.     

Transport-active organs within the ’ano-genital’ capsule of Craterostigmus tasmanianus (Chilopoda, Craterostigmomorpha)

 In Craterostigmus tasmanianus, first results of the cellular organization of anal organs within the ’ano-genital’ capsule are presented. Each valve of the ’ano-genital’ capsule bears four pore fields ventrally, each of them consisting of several pore openings of the anal organs. The pores lead into a cuticle-lined pore channel, the base of which is surrounded by a single-layered epithelium that is composed of three different cell types. The main epithelium consists of radially arranged transport-active cells surrounded by exocrine cells, and the cells of the pore channel. The cells of the transporting epithelium show deep invaginations of the apical and basal cell surfaces and plasmalemma-mitochondrial complexes. These cells are covered by a specialized cuticle with a prominent subcuticle. Exocrine glands secrete a mucous layer on the cuticle of the main epithelium. The type of anal organ present in Craterostigmus tasmanianus shows similarities to coxal and anal organs found in other Pleurostigmophora in the chilopods. The possible function of the anal organs in uptaking water vapour is discussed. It is appropriate to call the organs within the ’ano-genital’ capsule of Craterostigmus tasmanianus ”anal organs”, as components of the genital segments are not involved. Accepted: 17 November 1996     

Divisispiculimermis mirus n. gen., n. sp. (Mermithidae: Nematoda) Parasitizing Midges in Córdoba,Argentina

Divisispiculimermis mirus n. gen., n. sp., a mermithid parasitizing larvae of Chironomus sp. in the Cajón o Grande Stream, Córdoba, Argentina, is described. The new genus differs from all other mermithid genera in having paired spicules which are separated and divided into proximal and distal sectors. The other diagnostic characters of the genus are medium size, nematodes with the cuticle appearing smooth (lacking cross fibers under the light microscope); head separated from the rest of the body by a slight constriction at the level of the amphids, six cephalic papillae, mouth papillae absent, mouth opening posterior to level of cephalic papillae; six hypodermal chords at midbody; weakly S-shaped vagina; postparasitic juvenile with a tail appendage.     

Bartolius pierrei n. g., n. sp. (Digenea: Gymnophallidae) from the Península Valdés, Argentina

Bartolius pierrei n. g., n. sp. (Digenea: Gymnophallidae) is described from metacercariae and naturally and cultivated obtained adults from southern Argentina. The second intermediate host is Darina solenoides (King) (Bivalvia: Mactridae) and the definitive host is Larus dominicanus Lichtenstein (Aves: Laridae). The diagnostic characters are as follows: Body small, oval. Oral sucker without lateral projections, twice size of ventral sucker (except in young metacercariae). Caeca short (in adults), without dorsal diverticula. Ventral sucker in posterior third of body. Ventral pit absent. Seminal vesicle bipartite. Ovary post-testicular. Vitelline glands paired, compact, close to ventral sucker. Uterus in fore- and hindbody. Genital atrium tubular. Genital pore inconspicuous, close to anterior margin of ventral sucker. Excretory vesicle Y-shaped with very short stem. Excretory formula: 2[(2+2)+(2+2)]=16. Bartolius is distinguished from other genera of the Gymnophallidae by the post-testicular position of the ovary.     

Parastenocaris andreji n. sp. (Crustacea; Copepoda) – the first record of the genus in Slovenia (SE Europe)

Parastenocaris andreji n. sp. was found in ground water in a northwestern part of Slovenia (southern part of Central Europe). Two adult females of the new species were filtered out of 20 000 l of water during examination of an aquifer for water supply. The bore well was 10 m deep. The aquifer is fed by rainwater and probably only occasionally from a nearby alpine river Sava. The new species differs markedly from other known species of the genus by shape and armature of furcal rami, very long and slim maxillae and some characters on endopodites P2–P5. The closest related species are probably Parastenocaris nolliKiefer, 1938 with subspecies P. nolli alpinaKiefer, 1960, P. gertrudae Kiefer, 1968 and P. austriacaKiefer, 1976.     

Sawadalepis prima n. g., n. sp. (Cestoda: Cyclophyllidea) from the Schreiber’s bent-winged bat Miniopterus schreibersii Kuhl (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) from China

Sawadalepis n. g. is erected for Sawadalepis prima n. sp. in Schreiber’s bent-winged bat Miniopterus schreibersii Kuhl (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) from southern China. Diagnostic features of the currently monotypic genus include attributes of the osmoregulatory system and female genital organs. The dorsal osmoregulatory canals are shifted bilaterally towards the margins of proglottides in relation to the ventral canals. The genital pores are unilateral and sinistral. Among female attributes, the copulatory part of the vagina is covered externally by a dense layer of intensely stained cells; the conductive part of the vagina is clearly distinguishable from the seminal receptacle; the uterus has ventral and dorsal diverticula, extending bilaterally beyond the longitudinal osmoregulatory canals; and the eggs are spherical with thick outer coat.     

Apodopsyllus gabesensis n. sp.: a new species of Paramesochridae (Copepoda: Harpacticoida) from the Gulf of Gabès (south-eastern Tunisia)

Several specimens belonging to a new species of Apodopsyllus were collected during a study on the diversity of meiobenthic communities in the Gulf of Gabès, a Mediterranean shallow-water bay at the south-eastern coast of Tunisia in July 2005. The new species Apodopsyllus gabesensis n. sp. shares the characteristics of the genus such as the lack of endopods from P2 to P4 and the soft and slightly cuticularized body. Apodopsyllus gabesensis n. sp. belongs to the few known species of Apodopsyllus that are described to have comparably distinct patterns of dorsal and lateral cuticular plates and pores. Besides a typical combination of characters that clearly distinguishes the new species from its congeners, the new species shows the following unique single characters: female P5 with a hitherto unknown combination of shape of the exopodal part and shape and setation of the baseoendopodal lobe with two small stout spines; male P6 with a particular shape, and a distinct armature of the exopodal spines in P2–P4 in the male that are pinnate with very short spinules contrary to the female where spines are smooth. The genus Apodopsyllus contains 26 species with the inclusion of the new species.     

Thecamoeba foliovenanda n. sp. (Amoebozoa,Discosea, Thecamoebida) – One more case of sibling species among amoebae of the genus Thecamoeba

Until recently it seemed that amoebae of the genus Thecamoeba can be reliably identified using light-microscopic characters, like the size and shape of the cell, a characteristic pattern of folds and ridges and structure of the nucleus. However, recent molecular studies show the presence of sibling species that can be reliably distinguished based on the gene sequence data only. Here we describe a new terrestrial species, Thecamoeba foliovenanda n. sp. This species is almost identical with Thecamoeba similis in light-microscopy, which has minor differences in the ultrastructure but considerable differences in the SSU rRNA gene sequence. We investigated the light-microscopic data, as well as transmission electron-microscopic images and videorecords on the type strain of T. similis 1583/8 and performed its comparison with the new species. This study further supports the conclusion that species of the genus Thecamoeba nowadays require gene sequencing for reliable identification and species distinction.     

On Artigasia horridospina n.sp., Longior semialata n.sp., Mentecle magnifica n.sp., Paraxyo ensicrinatus n.sp. (Oxyurida: Hystrignathidae) and Pulchrocephala? pulchrocephala Travassos, 1925 (Oxyurida: Pulchrocephalidae)

Summary Four new species of hystrignathid nematodes are described from the midgut caeca of Passalus unicornus (Coleoptera: Passalidae) from St. Lucia, West Indies. Artigasia horridospina n.sp. is differentiated from A. dispar van Waerebeke, 1973 by virtue of fewer rows of spines in the oesophageal region and in possessing lateral alae, and from A. insignia Travassos & Kloss, 1958 in the extent of the oesophageal spiens and in having the lateral alae commence more anteriorly. The first annule is also much shallower than that of A. insignia. Longior semialata n.sp. is differentiated from L. longicollis Travassos & Kloss, 1958 on body length, b ratio, egg size and the starting point of the lateral alae. Mentecle magnifica n.sp. differs from M. parvus Travassos & Kloss, 1958 in having the spines of the oesophageal region extending much further down the body and in having ridged eggs. It is also longer and relatively thinner. Paraxyo ensicrinatus n.sp. differs from P. monodelpho Travassos & Kloss, 1958 in having a proportionately longer tail. The spines in the oesophageal region also extend considerably further posteriorly than in P. monodelpho.Two types of male associated with the above nematodes are described and illustrated, but not assigned to females. Pulchrocephala? pulchrocephala Travassos, 1925 is redescribed from the gut of the mole-cricket Scapteriscus vicinus.Scanning electron micrographs of four of the described species are given and briefly discussed. ac]19801024     

A new species of parasitic copepod, Sarcotretes umitakae sp. n. (Siphonostomatoida,Pennellidae), on the rattail (Actinopterygii,Macrouridae) from?the?East?China Sea,Japan

A new species of copepod, Sarcotretes umitakae sp. n., of the siphonostomatoid family Pennellidae is described based on female specimens from the rattail Coelorinchus jordani Smith and Pope (Actinopterygii: Gadiformes: Macrouridae) caught in the East China Sea. This species is characterized by exhibiting the following characters: the large proboscis projects strongly; the head bears paired lateral processes which are bulbous and taper into a slender horn; the twisting neck is significantly longer than the trunk; and the trunk bears an anterior constriction with a reduced abdomen.     

Bakkeius moragai n. gen. et n. sp. and Pojmanskia riosae n. gen. et n. sp. (Trematoda: Digenea: Brachylaimoidea) in birds from the Area de Conservación Guanacaste, Costa Rica

We describe 2 new species of leucochloridiid-like brachylaimoid digeneans parasitizing a variety of birds in the Area de Conservación Guanacaste, Costa Rica, each of which we assign to a new genus. According to Pojmanska's (Pojmanska, T. 2002a. Superfamily Brachylaimoidea Joyeux & Foley, 1930. In Keys to the Trematoda, D. I. Gibson, A. Jones, and R. A. Bray [eds.]. CAB International and The Natural History Museum, London, U.K., p. 31-36.) key for the Brachylaimoidea, we are unable to place either species in any family. One species most closely resembles members of Leucochloridium by having well-developed suckers, lacking an esophagus, and having cecal shoulders, gonads at the posterior end, and the genital pore at posterior end of body but differs by having symmetrical testes, a posttesticular ovary, and a terminal genital pore; thus, we propose the genus Bakkeius for it. The second new genus resembles members of Michajlovia by having ventral genital pores but differs by having extracecal uterine loops in the forebody, a cirrus sac containing the pars prostatica and seminal vesicle, and gland cells surrounding the genital pore; thus, we propose Pojmanskia for it. These new genera must currently be treated as incertae sedis according to Pojmanska (op. cit.); however, we feel that future phylogenetic analyses will require emendation of the family diagnosis for Leucochloridiidae to include those taxa with terminal and ventral genital pores and with preovarian testes.     

Redescriptions of Nereis oligohalina (Rioja, 1946) and N. garwoodi González-Escalante & Salazar-Vallejo, 2003 and description of N. confusa sp. n. (Annelida,Nereididae)

Type material of several polychaete species described by Enrique Rioja from Mexican coasts are lost, and the current status of some species is doubtful. Nereis oligohalina (Rioja, 1946) was described from the Gulf of Mexico, but it has been considered a junior synonym of Nereis occidentalis Hartman, 1945, or regarded as a distinct species with an amphiamerican distribution. On the other hand, Nereis garwoodi González-Escalante & Salazar-Vallejo, 2003, described from Chetumal Bay, Caribbean coasts, could be confused with Nereis oligohalina. In order to clarify these uncertainties, Nereis oligohalina is redescribed based on specimens from the Mexican Gulf of Mexico, including a proposed neotype; further, Nereis garwoodi is redescribed including the selection of lectotype and paralectotypes, and Nereis confusa sp. n. is described with material from the Gulf of California. A key for the identification of similar species and some comments about speciation in nereidid polychaetes are also included.     

Systematics of Old World Odontacolus Kieffer s.l. (Hymenoptera,Platygastridae s.l.): parasitoids?of?spider?eggs

The genera Odontacolus Kieffer and Cyphacolus Priesner are among the most distinctive platygastroid wasps because of their laterally compressed metasomal horn; however, their generic status has remained unclear. We present a morphological phylogenetic analysis comprising all 38 Old World and four Neotropical Odontacolus species and 13 Cyphacolus species, which demonstrates that the latter is monophyletic but nested within a somewhat poorly resolved Odontacolus. Based on these results Cyphacolus syn. n. is placed as a junior synonym of Odontacolus which is here redefined. The taxonomy of Old World Odontacolus s.str. is revised; the previously known species Odontacolus longiceps Kieffer (Seychelles), Odontacolus markadicus Veenakumari (India), Odontacolus spinosus (Dodd) (Australia) and Odontacolus hackeri (Dodd) (Australia) are re-described, and 32 new species are described: Odontacolus africanus Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Congo, Guinea, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, South Africa, Uganda, Zimbabwe), Odontacolus aldrovandii Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Nepal), Odontacolus anningae Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Cameroon), Odontacolus australiensis Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Australia), Odontacolus baeri Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Australia), Odontacolus berryae Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Australia, New Zealand, Norfolk Island), Odontacolus bosei Valerio & Austin sp. n. (India, Malaysia, Sri Lanka), Odontacolus cardaleae Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Australia), Odontacolus darwini Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Thailand), Odontacolus dayi Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Indonesia), Odontacolus gallowayi Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Australia), Odontacolus gentingensis Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Malaysia), Odontacolus guineensis Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Guinea), Odontacolus harveyi Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Australia), Odontacolus heratyi Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Fiji), Odontacolus heydoni Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Malaysia, Thailand), Odontacolus irwini Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Fiji), Odontacolus jacksonae Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Cameroon, Guinea, Madagascar), Odontacolus kiau Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Papua New Guinea), Odontacolus lamarcki Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Thailand), Odontacolus madagascarensis Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Madagascar), Odontacolus mayri Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Indonesia, Thailand), Odontacolus mot Valerio & Austin sp. n. (India), Odontacolus noyesi Valerio & Austin sp. n. (India, Indonesia), Odontacolus pintoi Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Australia, New Zealand, Norfolk Island), Odontacolus schlingeri Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Fiji), Odontacolus sharkeyi Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Thailand), Odontacolus veroae Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Fiji), Odontacolus wallacei Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Australia, Indonesia, Malawi, Papua New Guinea), Odontacolus whitfieldi Valerio & Austin sp. n. (China, India, Indonesia, Sulawesi, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam), Odontacolus zborowskii Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Australia), and Odontacolus zimi Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Madagascar). In addition, all species of Cyphacolus are here transferred to Odontacolus: Odontacolus asheri (Valerio, Masner & Austin) comb. n. (Sri Lanka), Odontacolus axfordi (Valerio, Masner & Austin) comb. n. (Australia), Odontacolus bhowaliensis (Mani & Mukerjee) comb. n. (India), Odontacolus bouceki (Austin & Iqbal) comb. n. (Australia), Odontacolus copelandi (Valerio, Masner & Austin) comb. n. (Kenya, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Thailand), Odontacolus diazae (Valerio, Masner & Austin) comb. n. (Kenya), Odontacolus harteni (Valerio, Masner & Austin) comb. n. (Yemen, Ivory Coast, Paskistan), Odontacolus jenningsi (Valerio, Masner & Austin) comb. n. (Australia), Odontacolus leblanci (Valerio, Masner & Austin) comb. n. (Guinea), Odontacolus lucianae (Valerio, Masner & Austin) comb. n. (Ivory Coast, Madagascar, South Africa, Swaziland, Zimbabwe), Odontacolus normani (Valerio, Masner & Austin) comb. n. (India, United Arab Emirates), Odontacolus sallyae (Valerio, Masner & Austin) comb. n. (Australia), Odontacolus tessae (Valerio, Masner & Austin) comb. n. (Australia), Odontacolus tullyae (Valerio, Masner & Austin) comb. n. (Australia), Odontacolus veniprivus (Priesner) comb. n. (Egypt), and Odontacolus watshami (Valerio, Masner & Austin) comb. n. (Africa, Madagascar). Two species of Odontacolus are transferred to the genus Idris Förster: Idris longispinosus (Girault) comb. n. and Idris amoenus (Kononova) comb. n., and Odontacolus doddi Austin syn. n. is placed as a junior synonym of Odontacolus spinosus (Dodd). Odontacolus markadicus, previously only known from India, is here recorded from Brunei, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam. The relationships, distribution and biology of Odontacolus are discussed, and a key is provided to identify all species.     

Aporocotyle mariachristinae n. sp., and A. ymakara Villalba & Fernández, 1986 (Digenea: Aporocotylidae) of the pink cusk-eel,Genypterus blacodes (Ophidiiformes: Ophidiidae) from Patagonia,Argentina

Aporocotyle mariachristinae n. sp. and A. ymakara Villalba & Fernández, 1986 were collected from the bulbus arteriosus and ventral aorta of pink cusk-eels, Genypterus blacodes (Forster, 1801) from Patagonia, Argentina. A. mariachristinae n. sp. can be distinguished from all the species of Aporocotyle by the asymmetrical extension of posterior caeca (right posterior caecum longer, terminating at the area between mid-level of ovary and posterior body end; left posterior caecum shorter, terminating at the area between mid-level of cirrus sac and posterior to reproductive organs), the distribution of spines along the ventro-lateral body margins and the number of testes. The new species clearly differs from A. ymakara, from the same host species, in the esophagus / body length ratio, the absence of distal loops at caeca, the anterior caeca / posterior caeca length ratio, and the number of testes. Additionally, in A. ymakara the left posterior caecum may be longer than right posterior caecum, while in the new species left posterior caecum is always shorter. The specimen of A. ymakara collected from Argentina is also described. We also provide observations of the distribution of spines in different species of Aporocotyle, including new specimens of A. argentinensis Smith, 1969 from Merluccius hubbsi Marini, 1933. Molecular sequence data obtained from partial 18S and 28S rDNA regions were compared between the new species and other two species of Aporocotyle (A. argentinensis and A. spinosicanalis Williams, 1958). This is a new locality record for A. ymakara, extending the known geographical distribution for this species from Chile to Argentina, and the first report of two species of Aporocotyle in the same host species and locality.