INCREASED HARASSMENT OF RIGHT WHALES (EUBALAENA AUSTRALIS) BY KELP GULLS (LARUS DOMINICANUS) AT PENÍNSULA VALDÉS, ARGENTINA

Kelp gulls at Península Valdés, Argentina, have recently developed the habit of feeding on pieces of skin and blubber that they gouge from the backs of southern right whales. In response, the whales flinch violently, submerge, and swim rapidly away underwater. The level of harassment in 1995 was almost five times higher than when first studied in 1984 by Thomas (1988). In 1995, 67% of attacks were aimed at large white lesions on the whales' backs. The proportion of whales with lesions increased from 0.01 in 1974 to 0.32 in 1990. Mother-calf pairs that were attacked traveled at medium and fast speeds for 3.1 h per day, compared to 0.8 h for undisturbed pairs. Mother-calf pairs are estimated to spend approximately 24% of their daylight hours in states of gullinduced disturbance. Little food is available at Península Valdés, so mothers must rely on blubber reserves to support their calves' growth, behavioral development, and migration to the feeding grounds. Even when undisturbed by gulls, mothers often curtail their calves' play and nursing bouts, suggesting that their energy reserves are limited. Increasingly intense harassment by gulls may therefore compromise calf development and might even induce right whales to abandon Península Valdés for other calving grounds.     

New carnivoraforms from the early Eocene of Europe and their bearing on the evolution of the Carnivoraformes

Two new mammalian carnivoraform species, Uintacyon hookeri sp. nov. and Quercygale smithi sp. nov., are described from the early Eocene of Europe. U. hookeri sp. nov. is recorded in Mutigny (MP8 + 9, PE IV), Avenay (MP8 + 9, PE V), Brasles, Condé‐en‐Brie (MP8 + 9) and Cuis (MP 10), while Q. smithi sp. nov. comes from Mutigny and Mancy (MP10). Because the two species are not recorded in earliest Eocene localities such as Dormaal and Le Quesnoy (MP7, PE I), it is proposed that they dispersed after the main phase of the Mammal Dispersal Event. U. hookeri sp. nov. supports the existence of terrestrial connections with North America, while Q. smithi sp. nov. implies possible faunal exchange with Asia. This evidence for the evolution of the Carnivoraformes supports: (1) a rapid decrease in their diversity after the Mammal Dispersal Event; and (2) the existence of a mammal turnover event in Europe during the early Eocene. The discovery of a new species of Quercygale, which is generally considered as the closest carnivoraform to the crown‐group Carnivora, shows that the genus had already lost the M₃ by the early Eocene and supports an important, but very poorly known, radiation of the carnivoraforms at least during the earliest early Eocene.     

New representatives of the family Melagathiceratidae (Ammonoidea) from the Lower Triassic of South Primorye

A new ammonoid genus, Ussurijuvenites (Melagathiceratidae), is described from the early Olenekian of South Primorye, represented by two new species (U. popovi sp. nov. and U. artyomensis sp. nov.); data on the inner shell structure of melagathiceratid ammonoids (based on U. artyomensis sp. nov.) are presented for the first time.     

False fairy wasps in Early Cretaceous amber from Spain (Hymenoptera: Mymarommatoidea)

Abstract: The fauna of false fairy wasps (Proctotrupomorpha: Bipetiolarida: Mymarommatoidea) occurring in Early Cretaceous (Albian) amber from north and north‐eastern Spain (Moraza, San Just, and El Soplao outcrops) is described. In total, 12 specimens have been recovered and four species recognized, all new: Alavaromma orchamum gen. nov. and sp. nov. (Alavarommatidae fam. nov.), Archaeromma hispanicum sp. nov. (Mymarommatidae), Galloromma alavaensis sp. nov., and G. turolensis sp. nov. (Gallorommatidae). The study indicates the necessity of revision and maybe fusion of both superfamilies, Mymarommatoidea and Serphitoidea, as the boundaries between them are less and less defined. However, major classificatory rearrangements must await the completion of the cladistic studies presently underway.     

The application of the n-alkane technique for estimating the composition of diets consumed by equines and cattle feeding on upland vegetation communities

The application of n-alkanes as faecal markers to estimate diet composition of equines and cattle was studied. Twelve mature crossbreed mares (385 ± 47 kg live weight – LW) and six adult non-lactating cows (499 ± 36 kg LW) of Asturiana de los Valles breed were divided in groups of three animals (H1, H2, H3 and H4 in equines and C1 and C2 in cattle) and housed in individual stalls. Animals received a daily total amount of 1.0 kg DM/100 kg LW of different experimental diets composed of herbaceous (Lolium perenne L.) and woody species (Ulex gallii Planchon and heather: Erica spp. and Calluna vulgaris L.). Diet composition varied among treatments: H1 and C1 – L. perenne as sole component; H2 and C2 – L. perenne (0.70) and heather (0.30); H3 – L. perenne (0.70) and U. gallii (0.30); H4 – L. perenne (0.40), heather (0.30) and U. gallii (0.30).     

Pronemouridae fam. nov. (Insecta: Plecoptera), the stem group of nemouridae and notonemouridae,from the Middle Jurassic of Inner Mongolia,China

Abstract: A new family, Pronemouridae fam. nov., with a new genus, Pronemoura gen. nov., and five new species of fossil stoneflies are described from Daohugou village (Middle Jurassic), Inner Mongolia, China: P. shii sp. nov., P. angustithorax sp. nov., P. longialata sp. nov., P. minuta sp. nov. and P. peculiaris sp. nov. Wing venation of pronemourinids presents some or considerable variety in the fore and hind wings of the same or different individuals. Pronemourinidae, retaining plesiomorphic characters (short, multisegmented cerci and CuA with forks), should be treated as the stem group of Nemouridae and Notonemouridae. Based on fossil data, we propose a model in which the extant plecopterid distribution began in the Early Cretaceous. Nemouridae and Notonemouridae must have occurred in Asia and begun to migrate from here by at least the Early Cretaceous.     

石耳科(子囊菌门)的新种和新分布

本文报导了石耳科的八个种,其中新种四个,即阿尔泰石耳,鳞芽石耳、亚石耳及太白石耳;三个种是中国的新分布,即皱石耳、亚光石耳及淡腹疤脐衣;一个种即白根石耳为中国及蒙古的新分布。     

Reviews of publications

Fruits and Vegetables of the Caribbean, M. J. Bourne, G. W. Lennox and S. A. Seddon.
Vascular Plant Families and Genera compiled by R. K. Brummitt
Flora iberica: plantas vasculares de la Peninsula Ibkica e Islas Baleares, volumes 3 & 4, edited by S. Castroviejo et al.     

Morphology and phylogenetic position of the oxytrichid ciliates,Urosoma salmastra (Dragesco and Dragesco-Kernéis, 1986) Berger, 1999 and U. karinae sinense nov. sspec. (Ciliophora,Hypotrichia)

The morphology and infraciliature of two hypotrichous ciliates, Urosoma salmastra and U. karinae sinense nov. sspec., were investigated for populations collected from the surface of intertidal gravel in the Huguang Mangrove Forest, Zhanjiang, China and the upper 10 cm layer of soil in the Sangke Grass Land in the southern part of Gansu Province, China, respectively. Urosoma salmastra is characterized by its elongate-elliptical body with no tail-like structure; two macronuclear nodules; cortical granules colourless, less than 1 μm across, and arranged in short rows; adoral zone occupying 25% of body length in vivo; paroral conspicuously short and located in front of endoral. Urosoma karinae sinense nov. sspec. is characterized by its elongate-elliptical body with no tail; 2–4 macronuclear nodules; cortical granules colourless, less than 1 μm across, and arranged in short rows; adoral zone occupying 30% of body length in vivo; paroral shorter than, and located ahead of endoral. Phylogenetic analyses based on SSU rRNA gene sequence data suggest a close relationship between U. salmastra, U. karinae sinense nov. sspec. and Oxytricha granulifera within the Oxytrichinae assemblage.     

Review of grylloblattid insects (Insecta: Grylloblattida) from the Solikamsk deposits of the Perm Region

The Solikamsk faunas of the Vorkuta series of the Pechora Basin and the Solikamsk Formation of the Perm Region of Russia are reviewed. New taxa are described from Tyul’kino locality (Solikamsk District): Artinska ufimica sp. nov., Sylvaprisca tyulkinensis sp. nov., Ufimoprisca gen. nov. (the type species Sylvaprisca alba Aristov, 2005), U. mica sp. nov., U. kamensis sp. nov. (family Lemmatophoridae), Sylvaella ovalis sp. nov. (family Liomopteridae), Ivakhosara prima sp. nov., and Megakhosarella prisca sp. nov. (family Megakhosaridae). Additionally, Uralioma sp. is described from Shchugor locality (Cherdyn’ District). Two species, Paraprisca solikamskensis Aristov, 2009 (family Lemmatophoridae) from Tyul’kino and Kolvidelia curta G. Zalessky, 1950 (family Ideliidae) from Pokcha locality (Cherdyn’ District)), are redescribed.     

西藏林芝真蚋亚属三新种（双翅目：蚋科）

本文记述西藏林芝真蚋亚属Ｅｕｓｉｍｕｌｉｕｍ三种：凸端真蚋Ｓｉｍｕｌｉｕｍ（Ｅｕｓｉｍｕｌｉｕｍ）ｃｏｎｃａｖｕｓｔｙｌｕｍｓｐ．ｎｏｖ．、林芝真蚋Ｓｉｍｕｌｉｕｍ（Ｅｕｓｉｍｕｌｉｕｍ）ｌｉｎｇｚｉｅｎｓｅｓｐ．ｎｏｖ．、裂缘真蚋Ｓｉｍｕｌｉｕｍ（Ｅｕｓｉｍｕｌｉｕｍ）ｓｃｈｉｚｏｌｏｍｕｎｓｐ．ｎｏｖ 。     

Five new genera of the subfamily Psilodercinae (Araneae:Ochyroceratidae) from Southeast Asia

Five new genera of the spider family Ochyroceratidae with remarkable palpal and epigynal characters are described:Luzonacera Li & Li,gen.nov.,Qiongocera Li & Li,gen.nov.,Relictocera Li & Li,gen.nov.,Sinoderces Li & Li,gen.nov.,and Thaiderces Li & Li,gen.nov.Six new species are described based on specimens collected in China,Philippines,Vietnam,and Thailand:Luzonacera chang Li & Li,sp.nov.,Luzonacera duan Li & Li,sp.nov.,Qiongocera hongjunensis Li & Li,sp.nov.,Relictocera qiyi Li & Li,sp.nov.,Sinoderces nawanensis Li & Li,sp.nov.,and Thaidercesjian Li & Li,sp.nov.In addition,two Psiloderces species are transferred to other genera:Sinoderces exilis (Wang & Li,2013) comb.nov.and Thaiderces vulgaris (Deeleman-Reinhold,1995) comb.nov.All type specimens are deposited in the Institute of Zoology,Chinese Academy of Sciences (IZCAS) in Beijing.     

高黎贡山齿甲属六新种(鞘翅目,拟步甲科)

描述中国云南高黎贡山齿甲属Uloma Latreille 6新种,模式标本保存于河北大学博物馆.     

Wing Shape of Four New Bee Fossils (Hymenoptera: Anthophila) Provides Insights to Bee Evolution

Bees (Anthophila) are one of the major groups of angiosperm-pollinating insects and accordingly are widely studied in both basic and applied research, for which it is essential to have a clear understanding of their phylogeny, and evolutionary history. Direct evidence of bee evolutionary history has been hindered by a dearth of available fossils needed to determine the timing and tempo of their diversification, as well as episodes of extinction. Here we describe four new compression fossils of bees from three different deposits (Miocene of la Cerdanya, Spain; Oligocene of Céreste, France; and Eocene of the Green River Formation, U.S.A.). We assess the similarity of the forewing shape of the new fossils with extant and fossil taxa using geometric morphometrics analyses. Predictive discriminant analyses show that three fossils share similar forewing shapes with the Apidae [one of uncertain tribal placement and perhaps near Euglossini, one definitive bumble bee (Bombini), and one digger bee (Anthophorini)], while one fossil is more similar to the Andrenidae. The corbiculate fossils are described as Euglossopteryx biesmeijeri De Meulemeester, Michez, & Engel, gen. nov. sp. nov. (type species of Euglossopteryx Dehon & Engel, n. gen.) and Bombus cerdanyensis Dehon, De Meulemeester, & Engel, sp. nov. They provide new information on the distribution and timing of particular corbiculate groups, most notably the extension into North America of possible Eocene-Oligocene cooling-induced extinctions. Protohabropoda pauli De Meulemeester & Michez, gen. nov. sp. nov. (type species of Protohabropoda Dehon & Engel, n. gen.) reinforces previous hypotheses of anthophorine evolution in terms of ecological shifts by the Oligocene from tropical to mesic or xeric habitats. Lastly, a new fossil of the Andreninae, Andrena antoinei Michez & De Meulemeester, sp. nov., further documents the presence of the today widespread genus Andrena Fabricius in the Late Oligocene of France.     

The oldest higher true crabs (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura): insights from the Early Cretaceous of the Americas

Despite the extensive fossil record of higher crabs (Eubrachyura) from Late Cretaceous and Cenozoic rocks worldwide, their Early Cretaceous occurrences are scarce and fragmentary, obscuring our understanding of their early evolution. Until now, representatives of only two families of eubrachyuran‐like crabs were known from the Early Cretaceous: Componocancridae and Tepexicarcinidae fam. nov., both monospecific lineages from the Albian (~110–100 Ma) of North and Central America, respectively. The discovery of Telamonocarcinus antiquus sp. nov. (Telamonocarcinidae) from the early Albian of Colombia, South America (~110 Ma), increases to three the number of known Early Cretaceous eubrachyuran‐like families. The ages and geographical distributions of the oldest eubrachyuran‐like taxa (i.e. Componocancridae, Telamonocarcinidae and Tepexicarcinidae fam. nov.) suggest that the oldest higher true crabs might have originated in the Americas; that they were already morphologically diverse by the late Early Cretaceous; and that their most recent common ancestor must be rooted in the Early Cretaceous, or even the Late Jurassic.     

广西齿甲属分类研究(鞘翅目,拟步甲科,齿甲族)

对中国广西的齿甲属Uloma Dejean进行了分类整理,给出已知种检索表,描述4新种和1中国新纪录种,模式标本除特别注明保存地外,其余均保存于河北大学博物馆.     

Taxonomic study of the genus Tetralonioidella Strand from China (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Melectini)

The Chinese cleptoparasitic bee genus Tetralonioidella Strand,1914 is studied.Fourteen species are found in China,with nine new species,namely T.damenglongensis Niu & Zhu,sp.nov.,T.dinghuensis Niu & Zhu,sp.nov.,T.emeiensis Niu & Zhu,sp.nov.,T.goumenensis Niu & Zhu,sp.nov.,T.leigongensis Niu & Zhu,sp.nov.,T.longqiensis Niu & Zhu,sp.nov.,T.maniwengensis Niu & Zhu,sp.nov.,T.tianmuensis Niu & Zhu,sp.nov.and T.wuae Niu & Zhu,sp.nov.,respectively.T.pendleburyi (Cockerell,1926) is firstly recorded in China.An illustrated key to Chinese known species is provided.All type specimens of new species are deposited in the Institute of Zoology,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing,China.     

First records of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ulocrinus</Emphasis> miller et gurley (Crinoidea,Cromyocrinidae) from the upper carboniferous beds of the Moscow syneclise and Oka-Tsna Swell

Three new species of the genus Ulocrinus, which is recorded for the first time in the Upper Carboniferous of the Moscow Region, are described. These are U. neverovoensis sp. nov. and U. karchevskyi sp. nov. from the Kasimovian Stage and U. grishini sp. nov. from the Gzhelian Stage. Intraspecific variability and structural variations in arms are considered. The uniserial arm structure is established for the first time in juvenile Ulocrinus. The sequence and causes of the acquisition of biserial arms in cromyocrinids are discussed.