Freshwater ostracods (Crustacea: Ostracoda) of the subfamily Dolerocypridinae Triebel, 1961 from Southeast Asia

The systematics of the freshwater ostracods of the subfamily Dolerocypridinae in Southeast Asia is reviewed: A total of five species are known and they are assigned to three genera. Astenocypris papyracea (Sars) 1903 and Dolerocypris sinensis Sars, 1903 are redescribed. Dolerocypris fasciata (Müller) 1776, from Indonesia is figured and the hitherto observed variations are discussed. Dolerocypris pellucida Klie, 1932 is transferred to the genus Tanycypris Triebel, 1959.     

Global diversity of ostracods (Ostracoda,Crustacea) in freshwater

There are close to 2,000 subjective species and about 200 genera of Recent non-marine Ostracoda. Together, Cyprididae (1,000 spp.) and Candonidae (c. 550 spp.) represent more than 75% of the extant specific diversity; the remaining 11 families comprise the other 25% of the species. The Palaearctic region has the highest absolute non-marine ostracod diversity, followed by the Afrotropical. The Australian region has the highest relative endemicity. About 90% of the species and 60% of the genera occur in one zoogeographical region only. This means that all the biological mechanisms which lead up to efficient dispersal and which are present in at least part of the non-marine Ostracoda (e.g. brooding, drought-resistant eggs, parthenogenesis) have not induced common cosmopolitan distributions in ostracods. Several habitats are hotspots for ostracod diversity and endemicity. For example, it appears that the ancient lakes hold up to 25% of the total ostracod diversity. Other speciation-prone habitats are groundwater, temporary pools and Australian salt lakes; in the latter two instances, cladogenesis has often been paralleled by gigantism. The present ostracod diversity results from 9 to 12 separate invasions of the non-marine habitat, starting about 400 Myr ago. Genetic diversity can be very different in different species, mostly, but not always, related to reproductive mode. Guest editors: E. V. Balian, C. Lévêque, H. Segers & K. Martens Freshwater Animal Diversity Assessment     

The ontogeny of appendages of Heterocypris salina (Brady, 1868) Ostracoda (Crustacea)

The post-embryonic development of the appendages of the Cyprididae ostracod Heterocypris salina (Brady, 1868) are described in detail and compared with those of other podocope species documented in previous studies. Generally, the appearence of limbs during onotgeny of H. salina is similar to that of other species, but small differences in limb morphologies were identified between H. salina and other Cyprididae species, including other Heterocypris species. Some features appear either earlier or later in the development of H. salina compared with other species, even species of the same genus. These features may be useful characters for phylogenetic analyses at the genus and family levels.     

A revision of the genus Paradoxostoma Fischer (Crustacea; Ostracoda) in British waters

Species of the genus Paradoxostoma Fischer are an important component of marine and estuarine ostracod faunas throughout the world. This revision of the genus in British waters deals with 17 species of which six are described as new. Each species is diagnosed and illustrated in detail, and comments are made on their ecology and distribution. The specialized mouthparts which characterize the genus are illustrated by means of the scanning electron microscope for the first time. A key to the genus is given.     

Two new species of Pseudocythere Sars (Crustacea,Ostracoda) from Britain and Norway

Two new species of the genus Pseudocythere Sars are described, one each from British and Norwegian waters respectively.     

Pleistocene and Recent species of the family Darwinulidae Brady & Norman, 1889 (Crustacea, Ostracoda) in Europe

Six species in two genera of Darwinulidae are herereported from Europe; two of these are known fromfossils only.Microdarwinula zimmeri (Menzel) is, in Europe,an interstitial species. Darwinula stevensoni(Brady & Robertson), the type species of thegenus, is also the most common darwinulid. Althoughit abounds in the shallow littoral of lakes, it canalso occur in rivers, bogs and springs, both infresh and saline waters. Darwinula boteaiDanielopol is found in interstitial habitats inRumania. Darwinula pagliolii Pinto & Kotzian,originally described from Recent South Americanpopulations, is reported from fossil, Germanlocalities. Darwinula brasiliensis Pinto &Kotzian, originally described as D. africanabrasiliensis, also from South America, is hereelevated to specific rank. It has been found extantin a bog in southern France and is reported from amuseum collection from a Scottish lake. The latterspecies is here reported from Europe for the firsttime. Finally, Darwinula danielopoli n.sp. isalso described from German Holocene (Subrecent)fossils. This species represents the first nominaltaxon of a distinctly separate lineage within Darwinula s.l.Global and European distribution, history,ecological tolerance ranges, brooding and clonaltaxonomy in this group are discussed.     

Taxonomy of the genus Sclerochilus Sars (Crustacea: Ostracoda) from British waters with a pictorial key

Nine species of the ostracod genus Sclerochilus which live in British waters are diagnosed and illustrated, including lour new species: S. hicksi, S. rudjakovi, S. schornikovi , and S. whatleyi . The appendages of the genotype, S. contortus , are illustrated for the first time, and many previous records of that species are shown to be erroneous. A pictorial key is provided to facilitate identification.     

A revised classification of the higher taxa of the Ostracoda (Crustacea)

Focusing on palaeontological data from the literature of the last four decades, a new classification of the Ostracoda is outlined. The superorder Podocopomorpha is accepted as a mantle term for the ‘P-orders’ Palaeocopida, Punciocopida, Platycopida and Podocopida; its counterpart are the Myodocopomorpha (Cypridinida, Halocypridida and ? Leperditicopida). The Podocopida comprise the suborders Bairdiocopina, Cytherocopina, Sigilliocopina, Cypridocopina, Darwinulocopina and Healdiocopina (n.;=Metacopina s.s.). The non-calcifying ostracodomorph arthropods (Archaeocopida and Phosphatocopida) of the Early Palaeozoic, now excluded from the Ostracoda by many authors, are also considered briefly.     

On Indiacypris luxata (Brady), a freshwater ostracod (Crustacea: Entomostraca) from Sri Lanka

Indiacypris luxata (Brady), a freshwater ostracod from Sri Lanka is described and both the valves and the limbs and soft parts are figured.     

Redescription of two freshwater ostracods (Crustacea,Ostracoda) of the genus Eucypris Vavra, 1891 from the Philippines

The type specimens of the freshwater ostracodsEucypris bayensis Tressler, 1937 andEucypris orca Tressler, 1937, from the Philippines are redescribed and their valves and appendages are figured.     

On a new species of Fabaeformiscandona KRSTIC, 1972 (Crustacea, Ostracoda) from China, with a preliminary checklist of Recent Chinese non-marine ostracods

Fabaeformiscandona danielopoli n.sp. isdescribed from the Chinese Lake Erhai, a freshwaterlagoon of the ancient saline lake Qinghai. The speciesbelongs to the acuminata-group of the genus andis characterized by the shape of both male and femalevalves and by the morphology of the female genitallobe and of lobe a in the hemipenis. The new speciesis quite rare in its type locality and might beendemic to the ancient Qinghai basin. A checklist ofRecent non-marine Chinese ostracods is offered inappendix.     

Representatives of the genus Fabaeformiscandona Krstič, 1972 (Crustacea,Ostracoda) from Quaternary deposits of Western Siberia

The present paper deals with the study of the Ostracode species of subfamily Candoninae Kaufmann, 1900 from the Quaternary deposits of Western Siberia. The main goal is to reassess their generic affiliation based on their morphological features. The Siberian forms mentioned by Kazmina (1968, 1975, 1989) as Candona caudata and C. fabaeformis should be assigned to the genus Fabaeformiscandona. Shells classified by Kazmina as Candona rectangulata Alm are referred to Fabaeformiscandona balatonica Daday (Konovalova, 2012b). For the first time in the Pleistocene deposits of Western Siberia, species Fabaeformiscandona aff. hyalina (Brady et Robertson) and Fabaeformiscandona holzkampfi Hartwig were encountered, along with Fabaeformiscandona harmsworthi (Scott).     

Distribution patterns of freshwater Ostracoda (Crustacea) in the Canary Islands with regards to habitat use and biogeography

In this study biogeographic patterns and habitatrelationships of freshwater Ostracoda wereinvestigated in the Canary Island archipelago. Mostdata were collected from published studies, thoughalso new data from Gran Canaria are presented. In all,22 freshwater species are presently known to theCanaries. Six species, viz. Ilyocypris bradyi,Cypris bispinosa, C. pubera, Herpetocypris chevreuxi, Heterocyprisincongruens, and Sarscypridopsis lanzarotensisare new to Gran Canaria, the first two also being newto the Canaries in general. Testing the influence ofa number of variables on faunal richness indicatedonly a weak association with island area. Distancesbetween islands also proved not significant, and sodid other properties of islands, including age,altitude and precipitation. This was in contrast to acomparison set of data comprising aquatic beetles.Like beetles, however, ostracods did not show a nestedpattern, i.e. faunas of species-poor islands were notsubsets of species-rich island faunas. By having lowendemicity (endemic species lacking in the Canaries),the ostracod fauna resembled island fern floras. Bothgroups of organisms have tiny diaspores (diameter<0.1 mm) and are extensively parthenogeneticsuggesting similar dispersal and founder mechanisms.We identified a pattern (with one exception), wherethose species with distributions extending acrossseveral islands also had wider within-islanddistributions. Many species showed affinities todifferent habitats depending on conductivity of water,altitude and habitat types: whether they werepermanent or temporary, hypogean or epigean, orcharacterized by running or stagnant waters.     

Alocanthedon, a new subgenus of Chalicodoma from Southeast Asia (Hymenoptera, Megachilidae)

A new subgenus, Alocanthedon Engel and Gonzalez subgen. n., is described for five species of unusual Southeast Asian bees in the genus Chalicodoma Lepeletier de Saint Fargeau (Megachilinae: Megachilini). The subgenus is most noteworthy for the deep postgenal depression or furrow in males (bordered outwardly near the base of the mandible by a protuberant, thick lamella) and the presence of a dense patch of black setae posteriorly in the forewing medial cell (except in one species) [resembling the dense patch of setae among the submarginal cells of Thrinchostoma Saussure (Halictidae: Halictinae: Halictini)]. The subgenus is characterized and distinguished from the related Callomegachile Michener. A key to the following five species presently included in the subgenus is provided: Chalicodoma aterrimum (Smith), Chalicodoma atratiforme (Meade-Waldo) comb. n., Chalicodoma memecylonae Engel sp. n., Chalicodoma odontophorum Engel sp. n., and Chalicodoma apoicola Engel sp. n.Chalicodoma (Callomegachile) atratiforme sininsulae (Cockerell) is newly placed in synonymy with C. (C.) fulvipenne (Smith). Species have been collected from Memecylaceae (Myrtales) and Fabaceae (Fabales). The phylogenetic relationships of Alocanthedon among other Megachilini are briefly elaborated upon.     

A new genus of Diplommatinidae from the Andaman Islands (Gastropoda: Caenogastropoda: Cyclophoroidea)

ABSTRACT

Examination of the syntypes of Pupa (Pupisoma) constrictus Godwin-Austen, 1895 revealed that this species does not belong to the eupulmonate Pupilloidea, but to the caenogastropod Diplommatinidae. Based on conchological characters it could not be placed to any of the existing diplommatinid genera, therefore a new genus, Moderata n. gen. is erected, which is characterised by a conical shell, a discontinuous aperture and most importantly, a conspicuous constriction half a whorl behind the aperture. Pupisoma bilamellatum Benthem Jutting, 1958 and P. unilamellatum Benthem Jutting, 1958 are moved to the assimineid genus Acmella W. T. Blanford, 1869.     

Late Miocene brackish Loxoconchidae (Crustacea, Ostracoda) from Italy

The Late Miocene Italian brackish Loxoconchidae are herein discussed and illustrated. Three genera and two subgenera have been recognized in the brackish Italian basins: Loxoconcha, Loxocorniculina, Loxoconchissa (Loxoconchissa) and Loxoconchissa (Loxocaspia). Taking into account the diagnostic characters of several Loxoconchidae genera, in this paper Loxocorniculina is raised at a generic rank, Loxocaspia is confirmed as a subgenus within genus Loxoconchissa and several new species are established: Loxoconchissa (Loxoconchissa) kinoi nov. sp., Loxoconchissa (Loxocaspia) cosentinoi nov. sp., Loxoconchissa (Loxocaspia) nuda nov. sp., Loxoconchissa (Loxocaspia) punctata nov. sp., Loxoconchissa (Loxocaspia) reticulata nov. sp., Loxoconchissa (Loxocaspia) tuberosa nov. sp. and Loxoconchissa (Loxocaspia) velonae nov. sp. Loxocorniculina is a typical Paratethyan genus which widespread into the Palaeo-Mediterranean during the late Messinian Lago-Mare event. Loxoconchissa was known to be widespread only in the Paratethyan realm and in this paper it is signalled for the first time in the Late Tortonian-early Messinian of Italy. The palaeobiogeography of these genera is discussed and the observed continuous distribution of Loxocorniculina against the disjunct distribution of Loxoconchissa leads to suggest that this latter genus underwent a passive dispersal via aquatic birds.     

Four new species of Gomphocythere (Crustacea, Ostracoda) from Lake Tanganyika, East Africa

Four new species of the ostracod genus Gomphocythere are described from Lake Tanganyika (East Africa): Gomphocythere downingi n. sp. G. coheni n. sp., G. wilsoni n. sp., and G. woutersi n. sp. All species are endemic to the lake and are found within a variety of substrates and depths. The addition of these four new species brings the total number of endemic Gomphocythere species in Lake Tanganyika to nine. Other Gomphocythere species are known from water bodies throughout East and South Africa and in the Levant. Brooding is an important, but not a unique, preadaptation for the persistence and taxic prolific speciation of this lineage in Lake Tanganyika.