Distributional Data For Species Research Articles

An update to the taxonomy and distribution of the Arabian Tapinoma Foerster, 1850 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) with an illustrated key and remarks on habitats

BackgroundTapinoma Foerster belongs to the ant subfamily Dolichoderinae and the vast majority of its species are arboreal or generalised foragers. The genus is composed of 70 described species, 22 known subspecies and six valid fossil species worldwide, while from the Arabian Peninsula, three species have been recorded so far.New informationAnts of the genus Tapinoma of the Arabian Peninsula are reviewed, keyed and illustrated, based on the worker caste. Three species are diagnosed, T. melanocephalum (Fabricius, 1793), T. simrothi Krausse, 1911 and T. wilsoni Sharaf & Aldawood, 2012. We present the first illustrated key to the Arabian Tapinoma, enhanced by automontage images to facilitate species recognition. New distributional data for species are presented, based on recently-collected material from the region and literature records. Information on habitats' preference and biology of species are given.

Hidden areas of endemism: Small units in the South-eastern Neotropics

This study aimed to establish if the Lower Río de la Plata Basin (LRPB) wetlands can be considered a biogeographic unit. The species of this area were compiled and segregated according to the habitat, selecting only 87 endemic taxa restricted to the LRPB and linked to wetlands. Distributional data of species obtained from the literature, web databases, biological collections, and field trips were georeferenced. The areas of endemism were established as those areas where the distribution of two or more taxa overlaps in groups of rivers’ sections with geographic continuity and were tested with a cluster analysis. This congruence is due to ecological, geomorphological, and historical factors. Four areas of endemism were found: a broad area that comprises the whole study area (Riverine district), which is divided into three nested smaller areas (Paraguay–Paraná Flooding Valleys, Uruguay Basin, and Paraná Delta subdistricts). Then, we analysed 170 taxa distributions to evaluate the relationship between the study area and the neighbouring biogeographic units. According to the results, the study area belongs to the Paraná biogeographic province. Some areas of endemism are hidden inside broader areas and are hardly detected with the currently used biogeographic grid-methods. We propose to combine the information about ecological requirements of each taxon with its georeferenced records to estimate their areas of distribution as a primary step for searching areas of endemism in intracontinental studies.

The genus Hintonelmis (Coleoptera: Elmidae: Elminae), new species and records

ABSTRACTHintonelmis is a South American genus of Elmidae, comprising 11 species. Two further new species are here described and illustrated: Hintonelmis guianensis sp. nov. from Guyana, and Hintonelmis roellae sp. nov. from Brazil, can be distinguished from all other known members of the genus by their general colour pattern, some characters of pronotal and elytral sculpture, and the morphology of the male genitalia. The type material is deposited in the Natural History Museum, London, UK and Museum of Zoology of the University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. New distributional data for species of Hintonelmis are presented for the South of Brazil, Bolivia, Ecuador, and Guyana. We also provide an updated key for the genus species.urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:34EEE39E-147D-4ADB-B600-53DA213CE83Eurn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:5F3F83E8-F484-469C-802E-0C1F56EDD34Furn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:88FA97AE-C8B5-4ADF-B680-A185A88D3899

Some species of the genus Hydrellia Robineau-Desvoidy (Diptera, Ephydridae) in Africa and Arabia, with special reference to species of economic importance

The most important and reliable characters for specific diagnosis of Hydrellia lie in the very complex male genitalia. In nearly all of the afrotropical species the descriptions of these structures have been inadequate. Of the eighteen species treated here, two, Hydrellia anguliterga and H. feijeni, are described as being new to science, a further two, H. binotata Canzoneri & Meneghini and H. lunata Cresson, are placed in synonymy, supplementary descriptions of male and female genitalia are given, immature stages of three species, H. anguliterga, H. feijeni and H. soikae Cogan, are described and further distributional data for species presented.