Catalog of the adelgids of the world (Hemiptera,Adelgidae)

A taxonomic and nomenclatural Catalogue of the adelgids (Hemiptera: Adelgidae) is presented. Six family-group names are listed, five being synonyms of Adelgidae. Twenty-two genus-group names, of which nine are subjectively valid and in use, are presented with their type species, etymology, and grammatical gender. One hundred and six species-group names are listed, of which 70 are considered subjectively valid.     

Revision of the paraphyletic genus Koerneria Meyl, 1960 and resurrection of two other genera of Diplogastridae (Nematoda)

Recent inferences of phylogeny from molecular characters, as well as a reexamination of morphological and biological characters, reject the monophyly of the nematode genus Koerneria Meyl, 1960 (Diplogastridae). Here, Koerneria sensu lato is revised. The genus, which previously consisted of 40 species, is separated into three genera. Almost all of the transferred species are moved to the resurrected genus Allodiplogaster Paramonov & Sobolev in Skrjabin et al. (1954). Koerneria and Allodiplogaster are distinguished from each other by a weakly vs. clearly striated body surface, an undivided vs. divided stomatal cheilostom, and arrangement of the terminal ventral triplet of male genital papillae, namely in that v5 and v6 are paired and separated from v7 vs. v5–v7 being close to each other. Allodiplogaster is further divided into two groups of species, herein called the henrichae and striata groups, based on both morphological and life-history traits. The henrichae group is characterized by papilliform labial sensilla and male genital papillae, a conical tail in both males and females, and an association with terrestrial habitats and insects, whereas the striata group is characterized by setiform labial sensilla and male genital papillae, an elongated conical tail in both sexes, and an association with aquatic habitats. A second genus, Anchidiplogaster Paramonov, 1952, is resurrected to include a single species that is characterized by its miniscule stoma and teeth, unreflexed testis, and a distinct lack of male genital papillae or stomatal apodemes. Lastly, one further species that was previously included in Koerneria sensu lato is transferred to the genus Pristionchus Kreis, 1932. The revision of Koerneria sensu lato is necessitated by the great variability in its subordinate taxa, which occupy a variety of habitats, in addition to the increased attention to Diplogastridae as a model system for comparative mechanistic biology.     

No need to replace an “anomalous” primate (Primates) with an “anomalous” bear (Carnivora,Ursidae)

By means of mitochondrial 12S rRNA sequencing of putative “yeti”, “bigfoot”, and other “anomalous primate” hair samples, a recent study concluded that two samples, presented as from the Himalayas, do not belong to an “anomalous primate”, but to an unknown, anomalous type of ursid. That is, that they match 12S rRNA sequences of a fossil Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus), but neither of modern Polar Bears, nor of Brown Bears (Ursus arctos), the closest relative of Polar Bears, and one that occurs today in the Himalayas. We have undertaken direct comparison of sequences; replication of the original comparative study; inference of phylogenetic relationships of the two samples with respect to those from all extant species of Ursidae (except for the Giant Panda, Ailuropoda melanoleuca) and two extinct Pleistocene species; and application of a non-tree-based population aggregation approach for species diagnosis and identification. Our results demonstrate that the very short fragment of the 12S rRNA gene sequenced by Sykes et al. is not sufficiently informative to support the hypotheses provided by these authors with respect to the taxonomic identity of the individuals from which these sequences were obtained. We have concluded that there is no reason to believe that the two samples came from anything other than Brown Bears. These analyses afforded an opportunity to test the monophyly of morphologically defined species and to comment on both their phylogenetic relationships and future efforts necessary to advance our understanding of ursid systematics.     

Cherax snowden,a new species of crayfish (Crustacea,Decapoda, Parastacidae) from the Kepala Burung (Vogelkop) Peninsula in Irian Jaya (West Papua), Indonesia

A new species, Cherax snowden sp. n., from the Oinsok River Drainage, Sawiat District in the central part of the Kepala Burung (Vogelkop) Peninsula, West Papua, Indonesia, is described, figured and compared with the closest related species, Cherax holthuisi Lukhaup & Pekny, 2006. This species is collected and exported for ornamental purposes and its commercial name in the pet trade is “orange tip” or “green orange tip”. Both species may be easily distinguished morphologically or by using sequence divergence, which is substantial, for considering Cherax snowden sp. n. to be a new species.     

A new species of Agaporomorphus Zimmermann, 1921 from Peru (Coleoptera,Dytiscidae, Copelatinae)

Agaporomorphus julianeae sp. n. is described from the Biological Field Station Panguana, in Huànuco province of central Peru. The new species belongs to the Agaporomorphus knischi-group sensu Miller 2005. Together with Agaporomorphus knischi Zimmermann, 1921 and Agaporomorphus colberti Miller & Wheeler, 2008 this is the third species of the genus with broadly enlarged male antennomeres. The new species can be separated from Agaporomorphus colberti and Agaporomorphus knischi by the smaller please expanded male antennomere VIII, and the form of the median lobe. Important species characters (median lobe, male antennae, metafemur, colour pattern) of the new species and Agaporomorphus knischi are figured, and the habitat, a temporary blackwater forest pond, and its species rich water beetle coenosis are illustrated and described in detail. The Brazilian Agaporomorphus mecolobus Miller, 2001, only known from the type material from Sao Paulo, is here recorded for Minas Gerais. Habitus photos of four additional Agaporomorphus species and Hydrodytes opalinus (Zimmermann, 1921) are provided. Altogether ten species of Agaporomorphus are now known.     

Two new species of the Liolaemus elongatus-kriegi complex (Iguania,Liolaemidae) from Andean highlands of southern Chile

The elongatus-kriegi complex is one of the most diverse clades of the Liolaemus (sensu stricto) subgenus of lizards. There are currently 29 species recognized in this group distributed between Chile and Argentina. Based on molecular evidence, there seem to be five main clades nested within this complex: the elongatus, leopardinus, kriegi, petrophilus and punmahuida clades. Liolaemus buergeri and Liolaemus kriegi, both of the kriegi clade, were believed to inhabit the surroundings of the Laja Lagoon, in the Biobío Region of Chile. Moreover, this Chilean population of Liolaemus kriegi was recently recognized as an undescribed taxon called “Liolaemus sp. A” based on molecular phylogenetics. In this work, we studied these two populations of the Laja Lagoon and provided the morphological diagnosis to describe them as two new species: Liolaemus scorialis sp. n. and Liolaemus zabalai sp. n., previously considered Liolaemus buergeri and “Liolaemus kriegi/Liolaemus sp. A” respectively. Additionally, we identified another population of Liolaemus scorialis in the vicinity of La Mula Lagoon in the Araucanía Region of Chile. Liolaemus scorialis differs from almost all of the species of the elongatus-kriegi complex by its considerably smaller size. Nevertheless, without molecular data we cannot assign it to any particular subclade. Liolaemus zabalai belongs to the kriegi clade based on published molecular phylogenies. Finally, we provide some natural history data on both species and we document for the first time the presence of Liolaemus neuquensis in Chile from a museum specimen from La Mula Lagoon.     

Three new genera of Neotropical Mimallonidae (Lepidoptera,Mimallonoidea, Mimallonidae) with descriptions of three new species

Three new genera of Mimallonidae are described. The monotypic genus Tostallo gen. n. is erected to contain “Perophora” albescens Jones, 1912, which was previously placed in the preoccupied genus Perophora Harris, 1841 and was never formally moved to a valid genus. Perophora is a junior homonym of Cicinnus Blanchard, 1852, but the name albescens is not appropriately placed in Cicinnus due to external and genitalia characteristics entirely unique to the species albescens. The female of Tostallo albescens comb. n. is described and both sexes are figured for the first time. Auroriana gen. n. is erected to contain Auroriana florianensis (Herbin, 2012), comb. n. previously described as Cicinnus florianensis, and two new species: Auroriana colombiana sp. n. from Colombia and Auroriana gemma sp. n. from southeastern and southern Brazil. The female of Auroriana florianensis is described and figured for the first time. Finally, the monotypic genus Micrallo gen. n. is erected to include a new species, Micrallo minutus sp. n. described from northeastern Brazil.     

Description of two new Ecuadorian Zilchistrophia Weyrauch, 1960, with the clarification of the systematic position of the genus based on anatomical data (Gastropoda,Stylommatophora, Scolodontidae)

Two new species of the genus Zilchistrophia Weyrauch, 1960 are described from Eastern Ecuadorian rain forest: Zilchistrophia hilaryae sp. n. and Zilchistrophia shiwiarorum sp. n. These two new species extend the distribution of the genus considerably northwards, because congeners have been reported from Peru only. For the first time we present anatomical data (radula, buccal mass, morphology of the foot and the genital structure) of Zilchistrophia species. According to these, the genus belongs to the family Scolodontidae, subfamily Scolodontinae (=“Systrophiini”). The previously assumed systematic relationship of Zilchistrophia with the Asian Corillidae and Plectopylidae based on the similarly looking palatal plicae is not supported.     

The integripennis species group of Geocharidius Jeannel, 1963 (Carabidae,Bembidiini, Anillina) from Nuclear Central America: a taxonomic review with notes about biogeography and speciation

Our review recognizes 15 species of the integripennis species group of Geocharidius from Nuclear Central America, include three species previously described (Geocharidius gimlii Erwin, Geocharidius integripennis (Bates) and Geocharidius zullinii Vigna Taglianti) and 12 described here as new. They are: Geocharidius andersoni sp. n. (type locality: Chiapas, Chiapas Highlands, Cerro Huitepec) and Geocharidius vignatagliantii sp. n. (type locality: Chiapas, Motozintla, Sierra Madre de Chiapas, Benito Juárez) from Mexico; Geocharidius antigua sp. n. (type locality: Sacatepéquez, 5 km SE of Antigua), Geocharidius balini sp. n. (type locality: Suchitepéquez, 4 km S of Volcan Atitlán), Geocharidius erwini sp. n. (type locality: Quiché Department, 7 km NE of Los Encuentros), Geocharidius jalapensis sp. n. (type locality: Jalapa Department, 4 km E of Mataquescuintla), Geocharidius longinoi, sp. n. (type locality: El Progreso Department, Cerro Pinalón), and Geocharidius minimus sp. n. (type locality: Sacatepéquez Department, 5 km SE of Antigua) from Guatemala; and Geocharidius celaquensis sp. n. (type locality: Lempira Department, Celaque National Park), Geocharidius comayaguanus sp. n. (type locality: Comayagua Department, 18 km ENE of Comayagua), Geocharidius disjunctus sp. n. (type locality: Francisco Morazán, La Tigra National Park), and Geocharidius lencanus sp. n. (type locality: Lempira Department, Celaque National Park) from Honduras. For all members of the group, adult structural characters, including male and female genitalia, are described, and a taxonomic key for all members of the integripennis species group is presented based on these characters. Behavioral and biogeographical aspects of speciation in the group are discussed, based on the morphological analysis. In all cases of sympatry, pairs of closely related species show greater differences in sizes than pairs of more remotely related species. Integripennis group species occupy six different montane areas at elevations above 1300m, with no species shared among them. Major faunal barriers in the region limiting present species distributions include the Motagua Fault Zone and a gap between the Guatemalan Cordillera volcanic chain and the Honduran Interior Highlands no higher than 900m in elevation. Highest species diversity is in the Guatematan Cordillera (six species), second highest in the Honduran Interior Highlands area (four species).     

A new subspecies and a new synonym of the genus Coladenia (Hesperiidae,Pyrginae) from China

The second subspecies of Coladenia buchananii (de Nicéville, 1889), viz. Coladenia buchananii separafasciata Xue, Inayoshi & Hu, ssp. n., is discovered from south Jiangxi Province and west Fujian Province, southeast China. External and genital characters of both male and female of this new subspecies are illustrated and described. Coladenia neomaeniata Fan & Wang, 2006, syn. n. is proposed to be a junior synonym of Coladenia maeniata Oberthür, 1896, and the distribution of this species is briefly discussed.     

A remarkable new genus and a new species of chewing louse (Phthiraptera,Ischnocera, Philopteridae) from Brazil

A new genus of chewing louse as Bobdalgleishia, and its type species Bobdalgleishia stephanophallus sp. n. (Phthiraptera) belonging to the Brueelia-complex (Ischnocera: Philopteridae) are described. Adults of the new species are fully described, illustrated and compared morphologically with the type species of Motmotnirmus Mey & Barker, 2014, which is its closest relative. The type host of Bobdalgleishia stephanophallus is a subspecies of the great jacamar Jacamerops aureus ridgwayi Todd, 1943, an endemic Amazonian bird distributed in northern Brazil, and the type locality is the State of Pará. Bobdalgleishia is a remarkable genus with unique morphological and chaetotaxic characters which readily separate it from other members of the Brueelia-complex, in particular by having the first two marginal temporal and ocular setae very long.     

Revised generic placement of Brachypelma embrithes (Chamberlin & Ivie, 1936) and Brachypelma angustum Valerio, 1980, with definition of the taxonomic features for identification of female Sericopelma Ausserer, 1875 (Araneae,Theraphosidae)

The tarantula genus Sericopelma was originally defined based on male specimens, most notably lacking tibial spurs on leg I. Early female specimens were unrecognised as Sericopelma, and typically placed in Eurypelma – a dumping ground for problem specimens. The first females were only later recognised, but authors failed to adequately define female Sericopelma. Here, the holotypes of the southern-most alleged Brachypelma species, Brachypelma embrithes (Chamberlin & Ivie, 1936) and Brachypelma angustum Valerio, 1980 were examined, and finding both to possess defining characteristics of Sericopelma were transferred. The taxonomic attributes to define Sericopelma relative to Brachypelma and select other Neotropical genera are discussed, especially for females. As important diagnostic characters for Sericopelma, the single (unilobar) spermathecae swollen at the apex forming a P-shaped cross-section, metatarsus IV with trace scopula, femur IV with a dense retrolateral pad of plumose hair, plus other attributes. Some past confusion in these characters are clarified and Sericopelma relative to Brachypelma and Megaphobema mesomelas are discussed. Finally recommendations are given about these taxonomic changes for CITES regulations.     

JellyWeb: an interactive information system on Scyphozoa,Cubozoa and Staurozoa

Identification of organisms is traditionally based on the use of “classic” identification keys, normally printed on paper. These keys have several drawbacks: they are mainly based on the systematics, requiring identification of orders, families and genera at first; they are written by experts for other experts, in a specific scientific jargon; they have a “frozen” structure (sequence of theses/antitheses); once published, they cannot be changed or updated without printing a new edition. Due to the use of computers, it is now possible to build new digital identification tools, which: 1) can be produced automatically, if the characters are stored in a database; 2) can be freed from the traditional systematics, giving priority to easy-to-observe characters, incl. those usually uncommon to the classical keys, such as ecology and distribution; 3) can be updated in real time once published on-line; 4) can be available on different media, and on mobile devices. An important feature of these new digital tools is their “collaborative” nature. They can be enriched by the contribution of several researchers, which can cooperate while maintaining rights and property of the resources and data they contribute to the system. JellyWeb, the information system on Scyphozoa, Cubozoa and Staurozoa has been developed in Trieste since 2010. The system was created with the aim of – potentially – becoming a starting point for a wide collaborative effort in developing a user-friendly worldwide digital identification system for jellyfishes.     

Phylogenetic revision of Minyomerus Horn, 1876 sec. Jansen & Franz, 2015 (Coleoptera,Curculionidae) using taxonomic concept annotations and alignments

This contribution adopts the taxonomic concept annotation and alignment approach. Accordingly, and where indicated, previous and newly inferred meanings of taxonomic names are individuated according to one specific source. Articulations among these concepts and pairwise, logically consistent alignments of original and revisionary classifications are also provided, in addition to conventional nomenclatural provenance information. A phylogenetic revision of the broad-nosed weevil genera Minyomerus Horn, 1876 sec. O’Brien & Wibmer (1982), and Piscatopus Sleeper, 1960 sec. O’Brien & Wibmer (1982) (Curculionidae [non-focal]: Entiminae [non-focal]: Tanymecini [non-focal]) is presented. Prior to this study, Minyomerus sec. O’Brien & Wibmer (1982) contained seven species, whereas the monotypic Piscatopus sec. O’Brien & Wibmer (1982) was comprised solely of Piscatopus griseus Sleeper, 1960 sec. O’Brien & Wibmer (1982). We thoroughly redescribe these recognized species-level entities and furthermore describe ten species as new to science: Minyomerus bulbifrons sec. Jansen & Franz (2015) (henceforth: [JF2015]), sp. n., Minyomerus aeriballux [JF2015], sp. n., Minyomerus cracens [JF2015], sp. n., Minyomerus gravivultus [JF2015], sp. n., Minyomerus imberbus [JF2015], sp. n., Minyomerus reburrus [JF2015], sp. n., Minyomerus politus [JF2015], sp. n., Minyomerus puticulatus [JF2015], sp. n., Minyomerus rutellirostris [JF2015], sp. n., and Minyomerus trisetosus [JF2015], sp. n. A cladistic analysis using 46 morphological characters of 22 terminal taxa (5/17 outgroup/ingroup) yielded a single most-parsimonious cladogram (L = 82, CI = 65, RI = 82). The analysis strongly supports the monophyly of Minyomerus [JF2015] with eight unreversed synapomorphies, and places Piscatopus griseus sec. O’Brien & Wibmer (1982) within the genus as sister to Minyomerus rutellirostris [JF2015]. Accordingly, Piscatopus sec. Sleeper (1960), syn. n. is changed to junior synonymy of Minyomerus [JF2015], and its sole member Piscatopus griseus sec. Sleeper (1960) is moved to Minyomerus [JF2015] as Minyomerus griseus [JF2015], comb. n. In addition, the formerly designated type Minyomerus innocuus Horn, 1876 sec. Pierce (1913), syn. n. is changed to junior synonymy of Minyomerus microps (Say, 1831) [JF2015] which has priority. The genus is widespread throughout western North America, ranging from Canada to Mexico and Baja California. Apparent patterns of interspecific diversity of exterior and genitalic morphology, varying host plant ranges, overlapping and widely extending species distributions, suggest an early origin for Minyomerus [JF2015], with a diversification that likely followed the development of North American desert biomes. Three species in the genus – i.e., Minyomerus languidus Horn, 1876 [JF2015], Minyomerus microps [JF2015], and Minyomerus trisetosus [JF2015] – are putatively considered parthenogenetic.     

Two new phragmotic ant species from Africa: morphology and next-generation sequencing solve a caste association problem in the genus Carebara Westwood

Phragmotic or “door head” ants have evolved independently in several ant genera across the world, but in Africa only one case has been documented until now. Carebara elmenteitae (Patrizi) is known from only a single phragmotic major worker collected from sifted leaf-litter near Lake Elmenteita in Kenya, but here the worker castes of two species collected from Kakamega Forest, a small rainforest in Western Kenya, are studied. Phragmotic major workers were previously identified as Carebara elmenteitae and non-phragmotic major and minor workers were assigned to Carebara thoracica (Weber). Using evidence of both morphological and next-generation sequencing analysis, it is shown that phragmotic and non-phragmotic workers of the two different species are actually the same and that neither name – Carebara elmenteitae or Carebara thoracica – correctly applies to them. Instead, this and another closey related species from Ivory Coast are both morphologically different from Carebara elmenteitae, and thus they are described as the new species Carebara phragmotica sp. n. and Carebara lilith sp. n.     

Immatures of the New World treehopper tribe Amastrini (Hemiptera,Membracidae, Smiliinae) with a key to genera

The immatures stages of 8 of the 11 genera (Amastris Stål, Bajulata Ball, Erosne Stål, Harmonides Kirkaldy, Idioderma Van Duzee, Neotynelia Creão-Duarte & Sakakibara, Tynelia Stål, and Vanduzea Goding) of the tribe Amastrini are described for the first time along with brief diagnoses of Membracidae and the subfamily Smiliinae. A key to genera and notes on biology are provided. Multiple species of most genera are illustrated. Based on its distinct nymphal morphology, Vanduzea laeta nolina Ball is elevated to specific rank as Vanduzea nolina stat. n., and Bajulata, despite the superficial similarity of its adults to those of Vanduzea, is confirmed as warranting generic rank based on its unique nymphal morphology. Colombia is a new country record for Tynelia.