Tetracha hope 1838 of the Turks and Caicos Islands (coleoptera, carabidae, cicindelinae)

A new species, Tetracha (Neotetracha) naviauxi, and a new subspecies, Tetracha (Tetracha) sobrina caicosensis, are described from the Turks and Caicos Islands. The key to Tetracha species in Naviaux (2007) is adapted to accommodate Tetracha naviauxi. Tetracha sobrina caicosensis is compared to other Caribbean subspecies of Tetracha sobrina.     

The sequoia-loving sprite,a new genus and species of fungus gnat (Diptera,Mycetophilidae) from California

California is one of the most biologically diverse regions of the world, yet the diversity of fungus gnats (Mycetophilidae) remains largely undocumented within the state. A modest survey of these flies has led to the discovery of a new genus and species of gnat that lives alongside one of the most iconic trees in the world, the giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum). Spritella sequoiaphilagen. et sp. n. is described and illustrated and its status among other mycetophilid genera is analyzed and discussed.     

Taxonomic revision of hispaniola tiger beetles in the genus brasiella rivalier 1954 (coleoptera, carabidae, cicindelinae)

The Brasiella tiger beetle fauna on Hispaniola, the second largest island of the Greater Antilles, has more species diversity than currently recognized as all populations previously have been assigned to the insular endemic Brasiella dominicana (Mandl). A comparative study of adult morphology, particularly male genitalic and female abdominal characters, for available Brasiella specimens from populations on Hispaniola, proposes eight additional new species also endemic to this island. Except for three sympatric species in the Sierra de Baoruco in southern Dominican Republic occurring in different habitats, all the Brasiella on Hispaniola appear to be allopatric. Most species occur in the major mountainous regions of Hispaniola. Two species, however, are known only from river floodplains in the southern coastal plain of the Dominican Republic. Brasiella dominicana (Mandl) and Brasiella ocoa, new species, occur along river floodplains emanating from the eastern end of the Cordillera Central in the Dominican Republic. Two new Brasiella species, Brasiella bellorum, and Brasiella philipi, occur in the Cordillera Central, Dominican Republic, the former species from central portions, and the latter species from north slopes of this mountain range, respectively. Three new Brasiella species, Brasiella rawlinsi, Brasiella iviei, and Brasiella youngi, are isolated in the Sierra de Baoruco, Dominican Republic, where each occupies a different habitat along an altitudinal gradient. The two new Brasiella species in Haiti are Brasiella darlingtoniana, in the Massif de la Selle, and Brasiella davidsoni, in the Massif de la Hotte. All nine Brasiella species on Hispaniola, along with Brasiella viridicollis (Dejean) and its two subspecies on Cuba, belong to the viridicollis species group of the genus Brasiella based on criteria presented in earlier published phylogenetic studies of Brazilian and West Indian tiger beetles. The subspecies Brasiella viridicollis fernandozayasi (Kippenhan, Ivie and Hopp) may represent a distinct species within this species group, whereas removal of Brasiella wickhami (W. Horn) from this species group seems warranted based on evidence presented. A general overview of species relationships for the Brasiella on Hispaniola are discussed, along with the current and ancestral geographic distributions of the Brasiella viridicollis species group in the West Indies.     

The earliest fossil record of Panorpidae (Mecoptera) from the Middle Jurassic of China

The early history of Panorpidae (Mecoptera) is poorly known due to sparse fossil records. Up to date, only nine fossil species have been described, all from the Paleogene, except the Early Cretaceous Solusipanorpa gibbidorsa Lin, 1980. However, we suggest S. gibbidorsa is too incompletely preserved to permit even family classification. A new genus with two new species, Jurassipanorpa impunctata gen. et sp. n. and Jurassipanorpa sticta sp. n., are described based on four well-preserved specimens from the late Middle Jurassic Jiulongshan Formation of Daohugou, Inner Mongolia, China. These two new species are the earliest fossil records of Panorpidae. The new genus is erected based on a combination of forewing characters: both R₁ and Rs₁ with two branches, 1A reaching posterior margin of wing distad of the forking of Rs from R_1, and no crossveins or only one crossvein between veins of 1A and 2A. In all four specimens, long and robust setae ranging from 0.09 to 0.38 mm in length and pointing anteriorly, are present on anal veins of forewings. The function of these setae is enigmatic.     

The Stenopodainae (Hemiptera,Heteroptera) of Argentina

In Argentina, 10 genera and 33 species of Stenopodainae (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) have been recorded. Diagnoses of the genera, subgenera and species are given, and an illustrated key to genera is provided. Six species are new records for Argentina and an additional seven species represent new records for provinces.     

The mycetophagidae (coleoptera) of the maritime provinces of Canada

The Mycetophagidae (hairy fungus beetles) of the Maritime Provinces of Canada are surveyed. Seven species in the genera Mycetophagus, Litargus, and Typhaea are found in the region. Six new provincial records are reported including Mycetophagus punctatus and Mycetophagus flexuosus, whichare newly recorded in the Maritime Provinces. The distribution of all species is mapped, colour habitus photographs of all species are figured, and an identification key to species is provided. The discussion notes that four of the species found in the region are apparently rare, possibly due to the history of forest management practices in the region; a situation similar to that of a significant proportion of other saproxylic beetles found in the Maritime Provinces.     

The karyotype of Adenomera diptyx (Boettger 1885) (Anura, Leptodactylidae) from northeastern Argentina

In this work we analyzed the karyotype of five populations of Adenomera diptyx from Argentina after conventional staining, Ag-NOR and C-banding. All specimens presented 2n = 26 and FN = 34. The karyotype was formed by three submetacentric, one metacentric and nine telocentric pairs. Silver staining revealed that the NOR was located on a secondary constriction in pair 7. C- banding evidenced constitutive heterochromatin at the pericentromeric region of all chromosomes. The karyotype of A. diptyx was similar to that of A. hylaedactyla (2n = 26, FN = 34) and different from that of A. andreae (2n = 26, FN = 40) in the fundamental number and secondary constriction position. It also differed from the karyotypes of A. marmorata (2n = 24, FN = 34 and 36) and of A. aff. bokermanni (2n = 23, FN = 34) in diploid number. Until a comprehensive cytogenetic analysis of all the species of the genus is performed, their chromosome evolution will remain poorly understood.     

A new genus and species of Metopiinae (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) from Mexico

A new genus of Metopiinae, Ojuelos Khalaim, gen. n., with a single species, Ojuelos juachicus Khalaim & Ruíz-Cancino, sp. n., is described from Jalisco Province in central Mexico. Ojuelos belongs to the group of three genera (Cubus Townes & Townes, Colpotrochia Holmgren and Triclistus Förster) having a high lamella separating the antennal sockets and reaching the median ocellus (this lamella possesses a dorsal groove in it, just below the median ocellus), but differs from these genera primarily by 1) face and clypeus not convex in lateral view, 2) face separated from clypeus by a shallow transverse impression, 3) mandible with lower tooth very strongly reduced, 4) flagellomeres of antenna strongly transverse, and 5) dorsal carinae of propodeum reduced. A portion of the key to the genera of Metopiinae is provided to distinguish the new genus.     

A new genus and two new species of Phygadeuontini (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Cryptinae) from China

Carinityla Sheng & Sun gen. n., Carinityla punctulata Sheng & Sun sp. n. and Carinityla pilosa Sheng & Sun sp. n. belonging to the tribe Phygadeuontini of the subfamily Cryptinae (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae), collected from Jiangxi Province, China, are described. A key to the species of the new genus, Carinityla Sheng & Sun, gen. n., is provided and the genus is placed in Townes' key to genera of Endaseina.     

A new genus and species of Macrosiphini (Hemiptera,Aphididae) from China,living on Isodon eriocalyx

The aphid genus Nigritergaphis gen. n. is described, and N. crassisetosa sp. n. on Isodon eriocalyx (Dunn) Kudô (Lamiaceae) from Yunnan, China is described and illustrated. The new species curls and distorts the leaves of this important traditional Chinese medicinal plant, and is evidently specific to this host. Holotype and paratypes are deposited in the National Zoological Museum of China, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.     

Asiphonipponaphis, a new genus of Hormaphidinae (Hemiptera, Aphididae) causing galls on Distylium chinense from China, with description of a new species

The aphid genus Asiphonipponaphisgen. n. from China is new to science. Asiphonipponaphis vasigallasp. n. causing galls on Distylium chinense from Hunan, China is described and illustrated. Holotype and paratypes are deposited in the National Zoological Museum of China, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China (NZMCAS) and Kogakkan University, Japan.     

A new species of Hyalella (Crustacea,Amphipoda, Dogielinotidae) from the Atlantic Forest of Misiones,Argentina

The freshwater genus Hyalella Smith, 1874 has a distribution restricted to the Western Hemisphere with most species being found in South America. In this report we describe a new species of Hyalella from the Atlantic Forest of the Misiones province, Argentina.     

Description of Paktylenchus tuberosus gen. n., sp. n. (Nematoda: Tylenchinae)

Paktylenchus tuberosus gen.n., sp.n. is described and illustrated from soil around Solanum tuberosum from Kaghan Valley, Pakistan. Paktylenchus gen.n, can be distinguished from the most closely related genus, Agelenchus Andrassy, 1954, by the distinct longitudinal striae, three incisures in the lateral field, and absence of males. Paktylenchus tuberosus shows affinities to Coslenchus Siddiqi, 1978 but differs in having an oblique vagina-to-body axis and a prominent sunken vulva with vulval flaps. Four genera of the subfamily Tylenchinae are also discussed herein.     

Six new species of Acomoptera from North America (Diptera, Mycetophilidae)

Six new species are described, raising the number of North American Acomoptera species to seven and the genus total to ten, and nearly doubling the number of species within the putative clade containing Acomoptera, Drepanocercus, and Paratinia. These novel species forms have implications for the concept of Acomoptera that in turn, may impact our understanding of its generic relationships and the evolution and composition of Gnoristinae and Sciophilinae. The new species, Acomoptera crispa, Acomoptera digitata, Acomoptera echinosa, Acomoptera forculata, Acomoptera nelsoni,and Acomoptera vockerothi, are compared with the type species of the genus, Acomoptera plexipus (Garrett), whose diagnostic features are imaged and illustrated for the first time. The European species, Acomoptera difficilis (Dziedzicki) is also illustrated and compared. Acomoptera spinistyla (Søli) comb. n. is transferred from Drepanocercus. A key to species is provided. Future work will seek to incorporate this knowledge into a systematic phylogenetic study of relationships between these species and their sister taxa.     

Two new genera of Nanophyidae with six desmomeres (Coleoptera, Curculionoidea)

A new genus Lyalia is described in Nanophyidae and three species are included in it: Lyalia curvatasp. n. (Vietnam), Lyalia robusta (Pic, 1921), comb. n. (from Nanophyes) (Java, Bali, Laos) and Lyalia albolineata (Pajni & Bhateja, 1982), comb. n. (from Ctenomerus) (India: Assam). Ctenomerus lagerstroemiae G. A. K. Marshall, 1923 is a syn. n. of Lyalia robusta. Thus, the genus Ctenomerus Schoenherr, 1843 is restricted to the Afrotropical Realm. Kantohiagen. n. is erected for Kantohia taiwana (Kantoh & Kojima, 2009) (from Shiva) (Taiwan). A key to the Nanophyinae genera with six desmomeres is presented.     

Contributions to the knowledge of oribatid mites of Indonesia. 1. The genus Allogalumna (Galumnidae) with descriptions of two new species (Acari,Oribatida)

Two new species of oribatid mites of the genus Allogalumna (Oribatida, Galumnidae) are described from litter and soil materials of Sumatra, Indonesia. Allogalumna indonesiensis sp. n. is morphologically most similar to Allogalumna borhidii Balogh & Mahunka, 1979, Allogalumna quadrimaculata (Mahunka, 1988), Allogalumna rotundiceps Aoki, 1996 and Allogalumna plowmanae Balogh & Balogh, 1983; however, the new species differs by having densely ciliate bothridial heads, larger body size and absence of a median pore. Allogalumna paranovazealandica sp. n. is morphologically most similar to Allogalumna novazealandica Hammer, 1968; however, the new species differs by the shorter body length and barbed and curving postero-laterad bothridial setae. The genus Allogalumna is recorded for the first time in the Indonesian fauna.     

A new Diacyclops (Copepoda,Cyclopoida, Cyclopidae) from northwestern Argentina

No species of the genus Diacyclops has been so far cited from continental Argentina. Specimens collected from a roadside pool in the province of Catamarca on a plateau at 3700 m a.s.l. turned out to belong to a new species, Diacyclops andinus, which is described and illustrated in detail for both sexes. Main diagnostic features are: spine formula of swimming legs 3, 4, 4, 4; terminal spines of the distal endopod segment of leg 4 subequal; smooth furcal rami. The new species is a member of the D. bicuspidatus group, and is probably near the base of this line.