Herein two new species of Lepidocyrtus with rounded dental tubercle are described, L. (Setogaster) asensillatus sp. nov. and L. (Cinctocyrtus) labrusbichaetus sp. nov., both from Northeastern Brazil. Lepidocyrtus (S.) asensillatus sp. nov. resembles Lepidocyrtus biphasis Mari-Mutt, 1986 and Lepidocyrtus dispar Mari-Mutt, 1986 by truncate unguiculus, but the new species differs by body color pattern, labral 'm' and 'p' rows ciliate, basomedian labial field with 2 'M' chaetae and Abd II devoid of m3 mac. Lepidocyrtus (C.) labrusbichaetus sp. nov. resembles some other Neotropical species with acuminate unguiculus, but can be readily distinguished from them by its bifurcated a2 chaeta on the labrum. A comparison between the 37 American species of Lepidocyrtus with dental tubercle and an identification key to them are also provided. Following the description of these two new taxa, a total of 11 Lepidocyrtus species are now recognized in Brazil, of which seven are endemic.
Fossil ants from Late Eocene European ambers provide a uniquely rich record of early myrmecofaunal diversity. Among the poneromorph subfamilies, Amblyoponinae and Proceratiinae remain comparatively understudied, and several historical taxonomic placements require revision. Here, we re-examine the identity of Proceratium eocenicum Dlussky, 2009, originally described from Baltic amber and previously attributed to Proceratiinae. Based on a detailed reassessment of the holotype, paratype, and two newly discovered males from Rovno amber, we demonstrate that P. eocenicum does not belong to Proceratiinae but instead fits within Amblyoponinae, and we formally transfer it to the genus Stigmatomma Roger, 1859 (Stigmatomma eocenicum comb. nov.). Diagnostic features supporting this reassignment include the number of antennal segments, shape of mandibles, presence of notauli, position of the mesopleural oblique furrow and helcium position, as well as forewing venation. We also provide additional morphological data for males of Bradoponera meieri Mayr, 1868 and evaluate their placement within Proceratiinae. Finally, we present an illustrated key to all known ant subfamilies and Amblyoponinae and Proceratiinae species from Late Eocene European ambers.These results refine our understanding of poneromorph diversity and character evolution in the Eocene ant fauna.
The genera of Ditylini and Asclerini (Coleoptera, Oedemeridae) of the Australian fauna are comprehen sively revised. Altogether, 22 genera and 90 species are recognised within these two tribes. For each genus and certain species within it, descriptions, diagnoses, and illustrations are provided. Additionally, keys to all genera and the known species within each genus are also presented. The following nine new genera are described (type species in parentheses): Ditylilycus gen. nov. (Pseudolycus wallacei Lea, 1909); Zabrinella gen. nov. (Pseudolycus canaliculatus Lea, 1917); Meridipalpus gen. nov. (Oedemera punctum Macleay, 1826); Aduncochroa gen. nov. (Copidita kershawi Blackburn, 1899); Phenacolycus gen. nov. (Pseudolycus torridus Blackburn, 1901); Danercoides gen. nov. (Ananca vitticollis Macleay, 1872); Noticha gen. nov. (Copidita maritima Lea, 1917); Austrophassa gen. nov. (Anaca ruficollis Macleay, 1872); Graciliphassa gen. nov. (Copidita gracilis Lea, 1917). The following 15 new species are described: Dohrnia compressicornis sp. nov.; Dohrnia smaragdina sp. nov.; Dohrnia assimilis sp. nov.; Dohrnia ganyanae sp. nov.; Sessinia zebrata sp. nov.; Zabrinella reticulata sp. nov.; Zabrinella lyciformis sp. nov.; Meridipalpus flaviventris sp. nov.; Aduncochroa ornata sp. nov.; Phenacolycus leai sp. nov.; Phenacolycus magneticus sp. nov.; Melananthia unilineata sp. nov.; Melananthia robusta sp. nov.; Noticha pseudopuncta sp. nov.; Thelyphassa ferruginea sp. nov. The following 52 new combinations are proposed (previous generic assignments in parentheses): Dohrnia erythroderes (Lea, 1917), (Copidita); Dohrnia carteri (Lea, 1917), (Pseudolycus); Ditylilycus wallacei (Lea, 1909), (Pseudolycus); Eobia apicifusca (Lea, 1917), (Copidita); Eobia andrewsi (Arrow, 1900), (Pselaphanca); Eobia flava (Lea, 1917), (Copidita); Nacerdochroa litoralis (Lea, 1908), (Copidita); Nacerdochroa mansueta (Newman, 1851), (Asclera); Nacerdochroa bifoveicollis (Lea, 1917), (Dohrnia); Pseudohyperasclera listeri (Arrow, 1900), (Sessinia); Pseudohyperasclera apicicollis (Lea, 1917), (Sessinia); Parasessinia inquisitor (Blackburn, 1899), (Sessinia); Parases- sinia vittipennis (Lea, 1917), (Sessinia); Parasessinia caviceps (Blackburn, 1899), (Sessinia); Parasessinia zietzi (Black burn, 1895), (Sessinia); Zabrinella canaliculata (Lea, 1917), (Pseudolycus); Zabrinella megalops (Lea, 1926), (Pseudolycus); Zabrinella fasciata (Lea, 1926), (Pseudolycus); Zabrinella niger (Lea, 1917), (Pseudolycus); Zabrinella laticornis (Lea, 1926), (Pseudolycus); Nacerdochroides nigronotatus (Boheman, 1858), (Parisopalpus); Nacerdo- chroides interruptus (Lea, 1917), (Copidita); Nacerdochroides uchiyamai (K & ocirc;no, 1937), (Eobia); Nacerdochroides macleayi (Champion, 1895), (Parisopalpus); Nacerdochroides bipartitus (Champion, 1895), (Copidita); Nacerdo- chroides torridus (Champion, 1895), (Copidita); Pseudolycus baldiensis (Blackburn, 1899), (Copidita); Pseudolycus languidus (Blackburn, 1899), (Copidita); Pseudolycus atkinsoni (Waterhouse, 1877), (Asclera); Meridipalpus punctus (Macleay, 1826), (Copidita); Meridipalpus fuscicollis (Lea, 1917), (Copidita); Aduncochroa kershawi (Blackburn, 1899), (Copidita); Aduncochroa nigripennis (Lea, 1921), (Copidita); Phenacolycus torridus (Blackburn, 1901), (Pseu- dolycus); Danercoides vitticollis (Macleay, 1872), (Pseudolycus); Danercoides bicolor (Lea, 1904), (Danerces); Da- nercoides basiflava (Lea, 1926), (Pseudolycus); Melananthia sublineata (Waterhouse, 1877), (Ischnomera); Melananthia monticola (Lea, 1917), (Ischnomera); Noticha maritima (Lea, 1917), (Copidita); Noticha interocularis (Lea, 1917), (Copidita); Noticha oblongicollis (Lea, 1917), (Copidita); Noticha australis (Boisduval, 1835), (Sessinia); Baculipalpus mirus (Lea, 1917), (Copidita); Austrophassa ruficollis (Macleay, 1872), (Copidita); Austrophassa bodonii (Buck, 1958), (Copidita); Austrophassa pulchra (Blackburn, 1899), (Copidita); Austrophassa appendiculata (Lea, 1917), (Copidita); Austrophassa sloanei (Blackburn, 1899), (Copidita); Austrophassa medioflava (Lea, 1917), (Copi- dita); Austrophassa pachymera (Lea, 1917), (Copidita); Graciliphassa gracilis (Lea, 1917), (Copidita). The following five new synonyms are proposed: Eobia kanack (Fairmaire, 1849) [= Copidita tenuicornis Lea, 1917]; Nacerdochroides torridus (Champion, 1895) [= Copidita illota Lea, 1917]; Baculipalpus mirus (Lea, 1917) [= Copidita tenuicollis Lea, 1921]; Austrophassa pulchra (Blackburn, 1899) [= Copidita incisa Lea, 1917]. Pseudolycus Gu & eacute;rinM & eacute;neville, 1833 [=Parisopalpus Hudson, 1975]. Lectotypes of the following 40 species are designated: Copidita erythroderes Lea, 1917, Dohrnia undulaticollis Lea, 1917, Pseudolycus carteri Lea, 1917, Copidita apicifusca Lea, 1917, Sessinia andrewsi Arrow, 1900, Copidita flava Lea, 1917, Copidita tenuicornis Lea, 1917, Copidita litoralis Lea, 1908, Asclera mansueta Newman, 1851, Do- hrnia bifoveicollis Lea, 1917, Sessinia listeri Arrow, 1900, Ananca zietzi Blackburn, 1895, Ananca lateralis Macleay, 1887, Oxacis majorina Lea, 1917, Oxacis concaviceps Lea, 1917, Oxacis picticeps Lea, 1917, Pseudolycus megalops Lea, 1926, Pseudolycus laticornis Lea, 1926, Copidita interrupta Lea, 1917, Copidita torrida Champion, 1895, Copidita baldiensis Blackburn, 1899, Copidita languida Blackburn, 1899, Sessinia atkinsoni Waterhouse, 1877, Pseudolycus bivitticollis Lea, 1917, Oedemera punctum Macleay, 1826, Copidita kershawi Blackburn, 1899, Pseudolycus torridus Blackburn, 1901, Ananca vitticollis Macleay, 1872, Sessinia sublineata Waterhouse, 1877, Ischnomera sublineata var. monticola Lea, 1917, Copidita maritima Lea, 1917, Copidita interocularis Lea, 1917, Copidita oblongicollis Lea, 1917, Copidita mira Lea, 1917, Copidita dentipes Blackburn, 1899, Copidita pulchra Blackburn, 1899, Copidita incisa Lea, 1917, Copidita sloanei Blackburn, 1899, Copidita medioflava Lea, 1917, Copidita gracilis Lea, 1917.
Three following new species of Palpomyiini Enderlein, 1936, collected at light in the Amazon area of Peru are described and photographed: Palpomyia peruensis sp. nov., (species belonging to the flavipes species group), P. ronderosae sp. nov. and P. jorgei sp. nov. Two latter species are provisionally placed in Palpomyia due to the presence of a single long radial with a very long and curved radius and with the costa extending beyond the apex of the radial cell. Remarks on future research on Palpomyia are outlined.
A new species of the genus Medauroidea is described from the Mingyong Glacier at an altitude of 2280 m. This represents the first record of the genus from Yunnan Province, China, and is particularly notable for its presence at high altitude, a condition exceptionally rare in the phasmids. The paper presents illustrations of the adult morphology and eggs of the new species and provides an identification key to the known species of Medauroidea. Variation in the body colouration of the female is also discussed.
Trachynotothrips vyaghravahini sp. nov. is described from India based on specimens collected from flowers of Lagerstroemia sp. at Pilikula Nisargadhama, Karnataka, and an identification key to the world species of Trachynotothrips is provided. Dendrothrips latimaculatus Nonaka & Okajima, previously known only from Japan and China, is recorded from India for the first time. Dendrothrips elixae Bhatti, which has received little attention since its original description in 1971, is redescribed and illustrated, including the first description of the male. The rare species Alathrips roonwali (Bhatti) is also redescribed and illustrated. The study highlights the need for further taxonomic research in the biodiversity-rich Western Ghats.
larva of Chironomus'annularius' is examined from material collected from the Nearctic population in Baptiste Lake (Ontario, Canada). Comparison between its larval morphology and that from Palaearctic populations reveals differences at the external morphology: the blade of the antenna is significantly shorter, reaching the third antennal segment. Teeth 4 and 5 of mentum are usually the same size; however, there are cases where fourth lateral tooth is shorter than the adjacent teeth (23.07%). Mouth malformations were observed in 15.38%. Cytogenetic analysis showed that the species belongs to 'thummi' cytocomplex with chromosome arm combinations AB, CD, EF, G. An additional 'B' chromosome found in a single individual is reported for the first time in a Nearctic population. A characterization of the polytene chromosomes is presented, and compared with those from Palaearctic and other Nearctic populations of C. 'annularius'. While the banding patterns of arms A, B, C, and F align with those of Palaearctic populations, the band patterns in arms D, E, and G are unique to the study Nearctic region, the reasons for this are discussed. It could be possible that C.'annularius' sensu Strenzke can be considered a complex of species with cytogenetic divergence between Palaearctic and Nearctic populations.
The Sao Tom & eacute; Green Mamba has long been considered one of the great enigmas of Gulf of Guinea herpetology, as the only specimens ever collected were destroyed or are missing. Here we report the rediscovery of one of these specimens, collected in 1885 by Adolfo M & ouml;ller and long thought lost, housed in the Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw. A detailed re-examination of this specimen provides the first opportunity in over a century to reassess its morphology and clarifies historical ambiguities in Bedriaga's description, particularly morphology overlaps with continental Dendroaspis viridis. A detailed history of the specimen is also presented, as well as future research directions.
Members of the family Syringophilidae (Acariformes: Prostigmata) are highly specialised ectoparasites that complete their entire life cycle within the quills of bird feathers. Herein, we provide the first records of quill mites from birds of the order Podargiformes and describe a new species, Pteroclidisyringophilus podargi Skoracki & Patan sp. nov., collected from three species of frogmouths (Podargiformes: Podargidae): Podargus papuensis Quoy & Gaimard, P. ocellatus Quoy & Gaimard, and P. strigoides (Latham) originating from Papua New Guinea and Australia. Representatives of the genus Pteroclidisyringophilus Skoracki, 2011 were previously known only from Afro-Eurasian birds belonging to the orders Otidiformes (bustards) and Pterocliformes (sandgrouse).The discovery of P. podargi sp. nov., therefore, represents both the first record of this genus in the Australasian region and the first instance of its members parasitising nocturnal birds. This finding reveals an extraordinary host shift across deep phylogenetic and ecological boundaries, indicating the remarkable adaptive flexibility of mites of the genus Pteroclidisyringophilus.The discovery underscores the poorly explored diversity of syringophilid mites on Australasian birds and highlights the potential for unexpected host associations within this highly specialised group of quill-inhabiting parasites.
This paper describes and illustrates Tanystroma groehni gen. et sp. nov. - a new genus and species of Tanyderidae from mid-Cretaceous (Cenomanian) Burmese amber. Its taxonomic position is discussed in relation to current understanding of Tanyderidae systematics and morphological analyses of other fossil taxa. The reconsideration of the concept of Tanyderidae subfamilies and classification of fossil taxa are suggested.
Transoceanic introductions of alien species are especially dangerous in the case of pests. This study reports the unexpected but well-documented establishment of a population of Olepa schleini Witt et al., 2005 in the Afrotropics (Comoros). This is the first population record of this potentially severe pest of castor (Ricinus communis L.) outside the Asian continent. We discuss the taxonomic identity of the recorded species, based on morphological and genetic data, comparing it especially to the Israeli population of Olepa Watson, 1890. Our analyses reveal significant inaccuracies in the molecular data publicly available for the genus, and the urgent need for systematic revision of Olepa based on extensive material, particularly from India. We highlight that the relationships between the two most commonly reported taxa, O. ricini and O. schleini, are unclear and require critical re-examination. We also discuss the possible source of the Comoros population, the routes of transportation of the founding individuals, and the threats to the castor market in continental Africa. It is very likely that O. schleini will soon colonise this region and may become the major pest of castor in East African countries and Madagascar.
Four new species of Acanthocinini are described: Leptostylus setosus sp. nov., from Mexico (Quintana Roo); similis sp. nov., from Mexico (Jalisco). Notes on Sternidius alpha (Say, 1827) are provided in the remarks for S. x-fasciatum sp. nov. Lepturges (Lepturges) macilentus Bates, 1881 is recorded from Belize; and Polymitoleiopus celtis (Schaeffer, 1905) is recorded from the Mexican state of Quintana Roo.
Microlophium eastopi sp. nov. is described based on the apterous viviparous females collected on Urtica dioica L. (Urticaceae) in Chiswick Bridge, London (United Kingdom) by M.A. Beach, and alate viviparous females and oviparous females reared in laboratory by R. Blackman. Differential diagnosis to other species of the genus is given. An identification key for apterous viviparous females of all Microlophium Mordvilko, 1914 species is provided.
This paper deals with the genus Coraebus Gory et Laporte from China. Two new species are described and illustrated: Coraebus lizhen, sp. nov. and Coraebus subcoeruleus sp. nov.
A new species, Gaeolaelaps sinuspersica sp. nov. (Acari: Laelapidae), is described from adult females collected in Shahrekord (holotype) and Ahvaz (paratypes), Iran. The species is characterized by a short peritreme reaching the midpoint of coxa II, elongate setae on the Z and S series of the opisthonotal region, and the absence of elongated setae on tarsus IV. Sexual dimorphism in peritreme length is known in several Gaeolaelaps species, with females typically exhibiting longer peritremes than males.
Two new species, Phryganistria yangi sp. nov. and Phryganistria nangunheensis sp. nov. from Yunnan Province, Southwest China are described. Phryganistria virgea (Westwood, 1848) is recorded in China for the first time, and P. laikuenae Ho, 2023 is not only distributed in Baoshan City but also in Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture of Yunnan. Illustrations of the adults and eggs of these species and the identification key to the known species of Phryganistria are presented.
Two new species belonging to the subtribe Cylindromorphoidina (Agrilinae: Aphanisticini), Cylindromorphoides curlettii sp. nov. and Taphroceroides rubii sp. nov. are described and illustrated based on material collected in the Brazilian states of Pernambuco and Amazonas, respectively. This represents the first record of Cylindromorphoides for the Northeast region of Brazil. Additionally, the presence of head pores in some genera of subfamily Agrilinae is discussed, along with their possible relationship to larval feeding habits in the green tissues of their host plants.
