Generic Diagnosis Research Articles

A new species of Homatula from the Red River drainage in Yunnan based on morphological and genetic data (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae).

Homatula coccinocola, new species, is described from a Red River affluent in Honghe Prefecture, Yunnan, China. The combination of a fully scaled body, a notched lower jaw, 4+42-44 vertebrae, 11 pectoral-fin and 8 pelvic-fin rays, and a color pattern of 16-19 brown, somewhat straight and vertically solid bars on a beige background distinguishes the new species from its congeners. The generic diagnosis of Homatula is revised.

Towards a robust systematic baseline of Neotropical fish tapeworms (Cestoda: Proteocephalidae): amended diagnoses of two genera from the redtail catfish, Phractocephalus hemioliopterus.

Species of two monotypic genera, Ephedrocephalus Diesing, 1850 and Zygobothrium Diesing, 1850 (Cestoda: Proteocephalidae), parasites of one of the most basal members of the catfish family Pimelodidae, the redtail catfish, Phractocephalus hemioliopterus, in the Neotropical Region, are redescribed based on the evaluation of type specimens and newly collected material. Generic diagnoses are amended to provide a robust baseline for the future re-arrangement of the classification of proteocephalid cestodes. Ephedrocephalus is typified by the medullary position of the ovary and uterus, the cortical distribution of vitelline follicles (dispersed throughout almost the entire ventral cortex) and the testes in one dorsal field. Zygobothrium is primarily characterized by its possession of a robust scolex bearing four uniloculate suckers with two openings each and by the tetralobed velum (laciniations) on every proglottid (two on the ventral and two on the dorsal side). The redtail catfish is the definitive host of as many as seven species of proteocephalid cestodes, which, however, do not represent a monophyletic group. Some species, including Z. megacephalum, are among the earliest diverged parasites of Neotropical catfishes, being closely related to African and North American proteocephalids from catfishes, whereas others such as E. microcephalus belong to more recently diverged taxa with uncertain interrelations. Unlike most proteocephalids of the redtail catfish, which almost always infect the anterior parts of the host intestine, E. microcephalus and Z. megacephalum occur exclusively in its posterior third. A key to the identification of the proteocephalid species parasitizing P. hemioliopterus is also presented.

Two New Species of Plagioporus (Digenea: Opecoelidae) from the Ouachita Madtom, Noturus lachneri, and the Banded Sculpin, Cottus carolinae, from Arkansas.

Plagioporus ictaluri n. sp. and Plagioporus carolini n. sp. are described from the intestines of the Ouachita Madtom, Noturus lachneri, and the Banded Sculpin, Cottus carolinae, respectively, from adjacent drainages in Arkansas. The new species are morphologically most similar to one another and in turn similar to Plagioporus sinitsini, Plagioporus chiliticorum, Plagioporus serratus, and Plagioporus hypentelii, but they can be distinguished from these congeners in possession of an excretory vesicle that extends anteriorly to the level of the anterior testis as opposed to 1 reaching only the posterior testis ( P. hypentelii) or 1 confined to the posttesticular space ( P. sinitsini, P. serratus, and P. chiliticorum), a feature that necessitates altering the generic diagnosis for the genus. Plagioporus ictaluri n. sp. is distinguished from Plagioporus carolini n. sp. in having tandem vs. oblique testes, a submedian to median ovary as opposed to 1 that is dextral, a ventral sucker occupying 53-71% of the body width (BW) vs. 80-92% of the BW, an oral sucker occupying 36-47% of the BW as opposed to 49-58% of the BW, and a pharynx occupying 21-26% of the BW compared to 28-36% of the BW. A Bayesian inference analysis of partial 28S rDNA sequences of the 2 new species and those of 34 opecoelids obtained from GenBank found that P. ictaluri and P. carolini formed a highly supported clade that was sister to P. chiliticorum and in turn to P. sinitsini. These 4 species are notably the only Nearctic plagioporids included in the analysis without a uterus extending to the posterior end that lack a confluent vitelline field in the posttesticular space. This study includes the first species of Plagioporus to be described from an ictalurid host and the first species in the genus to be described from a cottid east of the Rocky Mountains.

A new larval species of the genus Collemboerythraeus (Acariformes: Erythraeidae) ectoparasitic on Collembola from Iran

Collemboerythraeus izadpanahi sp. nov. (Acariformes: Erythraeidae) is described and illustrated from larvae ectoparasitic on unidentified springtails (unfortunately hosts got lost and therefore could not be identified) (Hexapoda: Collembola: Sminthuridae), from Simkan region, Jahrom city, Fars province, Iran. The generic diagnosis of the genus Collemboerythraeus and key to world genera of larval Erythraeinae are amended.

Description and phylogenetic position of Plagiolemma distortum sp. nov., a new raphid diatom (Bacillariophyceae) from French coastal waters

A new marine raphid diatom, Plagiolemma distortum Nézan, sp. nov. is described from plankton samples from the Atlantic Ocean, south Brittany (north-western France), where it was regularly observed, but never in high abundances. Cells have an unusual and complex shape under light microscopy (LM) depending on their position and orientation. The two valves are highly vaulted and narrow in width (transapical axis). Cells contain four complexly lobed plastids and a variable number of refractive granules without particular localization. In addition, capsules containing motile cells were observed. Ultrastructural details of the frustules were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The girdle bands are simple. Each valve possesses a sigmoid raphe raised on a ridge and ending in external large openings with elaborate internal helictoglossae. Moreover, each valve displays outer slit-like foramina and inner rounded hymenes, external terminal minute holes (micropyles) arranged in a row at the poles. In addition, on each valve face, one to several short transverse median costae are observed, terminating far away from the valve edges. Morphological comparisons with closely related taxa show that P. distortum is a new species. A video clip of a moving cell is provided for better understanding of the cell shape. The formation and function of capsules are discussed as well as the species habitat. A phylogenetic study, based on nuclear small subunit (SSU) ribosomal DNA (rDNA) sequence data, which includes new sequences relative to Plagiolemma and Plagiotropis, was performed. Furthermore, some morphological details observed with SEM are included in an emended generic diagnosis of Plagiolemma.

A revision of eastern Australian land snails placed in Nitor Gude (Helicarionidae, Stylommatophora)

Nitor Gude, 1911 is a genus of helicarionid land snails currently comprising eight species ranging from southern New South Wales to northern Queensland. We comprehensively revise the taxonomy of this group based on comparative morphology and on mitochondrial genes cytochrome c oxidase subunit I and 16S rRNA, provide a new generic diagnosis, revise species descriptions and describe four new species. Two species, ‘N.’ reisi Stanisic, 2010 from northern Queensland and ‘N.’ whitneyae Stnaisic, 2010 from mid-eastern Queensland, are removed from Nitor. Revised species descriptions are given for N. subrugatus (Reeve, 1852), N. medioximus Iredale, 1941, N. circumcinctus (Cox, 1868), N. wiangariensis Hyman, 2007 and N. pudibundus (Cox, 1868); N. helmsianus Iredale, 1941 (previously considered a synonym of N. subrugatus) is reinstated; and new species N. glenugie, N. sheai, N. benjamini and N. pipinna are described. Helix graftonensis Cox, 1864 is synonymised with N. subrugatus. We demonstrate that Nitor is closely related to Lord Howe Island taxa Epiglypta Pilsbry, 1893, Gudeoconcha Iredale, 1944, Howearion Iredale, 1944 and Parmellops Iredale, 1944; the five genera are united by a combination of characters including the presence of a distinct vagina, a slender epiphallic flagellum forming a simple spermatophore and an epiphallic caecum with terminal attachment of the penial retractor muscle.

Revision of the Central Asian Scorpion Genus Anomalobuthus Kraepelin, 1900, with Descriptions of Three New Species and a Generic Synonymy (Scorpiones: Buthidae)

We revise the Central Asian endemic genus Anomalobuthus Kraepelin, 1900, which was considered monotypic for more than 100 years until the recent addition of a second species from Iran (Teruel et al., 2014). We redefine the generic diagnosis of Anomalobuthus and reveal that it is composed of no less than six species, three of which are described as new: A. krivochatskyi, sp. n. (central Uzbekistan and extreme southern Kazakhstan), A. lowei, sp. n. (southeastern Kazakhstan), and A. pavlovskyi, sp. n. (south-central Kazakhstan and extreme northern Turkmenistan). The monotypic genus Psammobuthus Birula, 1911 (described from the Ferghana Valley at the border of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan) is synonymized under Anomalobuthus; its single species is transferred as Anomalobuthus zarudnyi (Birula, 1911), comb. n. We also clarify the type locality of the type species A. rickmersi Kraepelin, 1900, from accurate data published by its collector Rickmer Rickmers (1913) but overlooked since its very original description: it is Baljuvon in Tajikistan. Occurrence of A. rickmersi in southern and southeastern Turkmenistan is confirmed. All available species are fully illustrated with color photos of habitus and morphologically diagnostic characters, and a key covering all six recognized species of Anomalobuthus is included.

The genus Birisia (Dicksoniaceae) in Cretaceous flora of Siberia and North-East of Russia

In the result of the re-examination of type material of the genus Birisia from the Cretaceous deposits of Siberia and North-East of Russia, we include only three species in this genus: B. alata (Prynada) Samylina (early-middle Albian — Coniacian), B. onychioides (Vassilevskaja et Kara-Mursa) Samylina (Aptian), and B. acutata Samylina (early-middle Albian). Species B. ochotica and B. alata are united under the name B. alata. Species B. jelisejevii, B. samylinae and B. oerstedtii are excluded from the genus Birisia as mismatching to the generic diagnosis. Species of Birisia are distinguished each other in size and degree of dissection of pinnules, in shape, presence and number of lobes, as well as the number of branches of the lateral veins inside the lobes. The pinnules of the Birisia are characterized by the significant variability and have a slightly different structure depending on their location on the leaf blade. Therefore, for a more accurate species identification of Birisia, it is necessary to have the most complete leaves with branching of two or three orders and the fertile pinnules.

Eurycnemus v. d. Wulp (Diptera, Chironomidae) newly recorded in China

Pharate male, pupa and larva of Eurycnemus cf. nozakii Kobayashi 1998 are described based on the associated material collected from Liaoning Province. This is the first record of this genus in China. The Chinese species is distinctly smaller than the Japanese E. nozakii at all stages, which can be separated from congeners by the presence of hind tibial comb and the absence of basal strong seta on the gonostylus in the male, some differences are also found in the immature stage, which suggest an independent new species rather than the true E. nozakii. Detailed differences are compared among similar taxa from Japan, Russian Far East and China. Pupal exuviae collected from Fujian and Yunnan Provinces were also examined, which can be separated from the above species by the short male genital sac. Because of few different characters at the immature stage among these similar taxa from a wide range, the possible high diversity within this genus is suspected. Based on the current knowledge, the generic diagnosis is emended.

Orientatractis brycini sp. nov. (Nematoda: Atractidae) from characiform freshwater fishes in Gabon, Africa

The nematode Orientatractis brycini sp. nov. (Atractidae) is described from the intestine of Brycinus macrolepidotus Valenciennes (Alestidae) and Xenocharax spilurus Gunther (Distichodontidae) collected in two localities from Gabon, Africa. The new species is characterized by the presence of four submedian lips with well-sclerotized pieces armed with two recurved pointed spines and one median large spine on their distal part, along with two smaller spines posterior to amphidial pores. It differs from its congeners mainly in the length of both spicules, gubernaculum, presence of two lateral spines posterior to amphids, distribution and number of caudal papillae. An emended generic diagnosis is provided. This is the eighth species in the genus Orientatractis, the fourth from fish hosts and the first from Africa, which expands its geographical distribution.

Pragian–Emsian palynomorphs from the Cordobés Formation, Norte Basin, Uruguay: stratigraphically restricted and regionally correlative palynological events in the cool-water Malvinokaffric Realm

ABSTRACTPalynological analyses of core samples from Achar E1 well (Norte Basin, Uruguay), yield abundant well-preserved Lower Devonian assemblages. Four new acritarch species (Bimerga acharii, Bimerga nuda, Polyplanifer turbatum and Veryachium woodii) are described. Two of them belong to the Devonian bipolar genus Bimerga Wood 1995, being the oldest representatives of this lineage. Generic diagnosis of Bimerga is emended to fully document species variation. The Devonian recurrence of bipolar symmetry among acritarchs is discussed. New Bimerga species were recorded in the Cordobés Formation, the principal potential hydrocarbon source rock in the basin. These species have biostratigraphic value, confirmed by studies from Argentina, Brazil and Bolivia. All stratigraphic records are from the Gondwanan Malvinokaffric Realm. Associated to Bimerga appear other acritarchs, prasinophycean algae, chitinozoans, and miospores. Miospore assemblage is comparable to those previously described in part of the Ponta Grossa Formation (Paraná Basin, Brazil), confirming a late Pragian–early Emsian age span.

New Mesopsyllus species from the Bohai Sea, China, re-evaluation of the validity of Vibriopsyllus Kornev & Chertoprud, 2008 and proposal of Sympodella gen. n. (Copepoda, Harpacticoida, Canthocamptidae).

Two new species of the genus Mesopsyllus Por, 1960 (Canthocamptidae) are described from the Bohai Sea, eastern China. Mesopsyllus dimorphus sp. n. and M. spiniferus sp. n. differ from their congeners by the presence of two instead of three outer spines on P2–P3 exp-3. They can be differentiated from each other by (1) number of inner setae on P3–P4 enp-2; (2) anterior margin of antennulary segment 7 of male; (3) ornamentation of male abdomen; (4) sexual dimorphism on P2 endopod and P3–P4 exp-3; and (5) differences in length of setae on male P5. Some observations in the original description of M. atargatis Por, 1960 are reinterpreted and the type material of M. secundus (Wells, 1965) is re-examined. Comparison between the type species of Vibriopsyllus Kornev & Chertoprud, 2008 and the four known species of Mesopsyllus shows the former as a junior subjective synonym of the latter. Consequently, Vibriopsyllus curviseta Kornev & Chertoprud, 2008 is formally transferred to Mesopsyllus as M. curvisetus (Kornev & Chertoprud, 2008), comb. n. A key to species and an updated generic diagnosis of Mesopsyllus are presented.The taxonomic status of the genus Carolinicola Huys & Thistle, 1989 is re-evaluated. The characters of its type species, C. trisetosa (Coull, 1973), indicate that the latter (and – by inference – the genus Carolinicola) should remain in the Danielsseniinae. Carolinicola galapagoensis Mielke, 1997 is fixed as the type species of a new genus Sympodella gen. n. and placed in the Hemimesochrinae (Canthocamptidae) as the putative sistertaxon of Pusillargillus Huys & Thistle, 1989. The relationships and potential synonymy of the genera Pyrocletodes Coull, 1973, Perucamptus Huys & Thistle, 1989 and Isthmiocaris George & Schminke, 2003 are briefly discussed.

The Kerner Commission and the Irony of Antiracist Politics

The Kerner Commission and the Irony of Antiracist Politics

Review of Nilodosis Kieffer (Diptera: Chironomidae: Chironominae), with description of a new species from South China.

The male, female and pupa of Nilodosis austrosinensis Tang & Cranston, sp. n., reared from 2 reservoirs of south China, are described. The male can be separated from congeners by the presence of few squamal setae, a relatively long spur on the mid- and hind legs, a characteristic superior volsella and distinctive pattern of all legs. The female can be separated by features of genitalia, namely the absence of a ventrolateral lobe and the dorsomesal lobe with the apex usually curved. The pupa is separable by a bare tergite VIII and by characteristic spinulation of the sternites. The generic diagnosis is emended and some problems alluded to. This is the first formal record of Nilodosis from the Oriental region, indeed the first outside the Afrotropical region.

Morphological and molecular analyses of epikarstic Parastenocarididae (Copepoda: Harpacticoida) from two Sicilian caves, with description of a new Stammericaris.

We describe Stammericaris destillans sp. nov., and re-describe Stammericaris trinacriae (Pesce, Galassi and Cottarelli 1988) based on new material. The two species were collected from epikarstic drips and pools on the floor of two different caves: a karstic (Molara Cave) and a gypsum (Entella Cave) cave, respectively, both located in Sicily, Italy. We also report the presence of previously undescribed structures for Stammericaris amyclaea (Cottarelli 1969) and Stammericaris orcina (Chappuis 1938). Phylogenetic analyses of the mitochondrial COI and ribosomal 18S genes attributed the new species to Stammericaris Jakobi 1972, therefore the structure of the male P4 endopod of S. destillans is interpreted as an autapomorphy; other morphological features (structure of male antennule and P3, of female P3; inner ornamentation of P1 basis, armature of caudal rami and shape and armature of P5 of both sexes) correspond to those typical of the genus. Hence, we slithgly amended the generic diagnosis. [zoobank.org:pub:4CC84A0C-C511-4388-9728-41647E58097A].

The Finding of Pacific Transvenid Acanthocephalan in the Arabian Gulf, with the Description of Paratrajectura longcementglandatus N. Gen., N. Sp. from Perciform Fishes and Emendation of Transvenidae.

The acanthocephalan Paratrajectura longcementglandatus n. gen., n. sp. (Transvenidae) is described from specimens of 2 perciform fish species, Nemipterus japonicus Bloch (Nemipteridae) and Otolithes ruber Bloch and Schneider, collected in the marine territorial waters of Iraq and Iran in the Arabian Gulf. Metal analysis of hook tip, middle, and base is also described using energy disruptive analysis for X-ray. The new genus is distinguished from the closely related genus Trajectura Pichelin and Cribb, 2001 described from wrasses (Labridae) (Perciformes) in the Pacific off Australia and Japan by having a proboscis with apical epidermal cone, long rhadinorhynchid-like tubular cement glands, relatively short and lobulated lemnisci, all proboscis hooks with prominent roots, females with subterminal gonopore and a rounded projection on the antero-dorsal end of the trunk, and males with elongate pre-equatorial testes reaching proboscis receptacle. In Trajectura, the proboscis lacks apical epidermal cone, the cement glands are pyriform or ovoid, the lemnisci are digitiform and considerably longer than the receptacle, the posterior proboscis hooks are rootless, the females have prominent finger-like trunk projection and terminal gonopore, and males with equatorial testes that may not be elongate and may be distant from the receptacle. The importance of cement glands in the diagnosis of genera and families in acanthocephalan taxonomy is stressed. Other features especially the type and arrangement of hooks on the proboscis, but not hook roots, are comparable in the 2 genera. Diagnosis of the family Transvenidae is emended.

Contribution to the knowledge of the oribatid mite genus Lamellarea (Acari, Oribatida, Lamellareidae)

A new species of the genus Lamellarea (Oribatida, Lamellareidae) is described from nests of the termite Trinervitermes trinervoides (Sjöstedt) in the Franklin Game Reserve (Bloemfontein, South Africa). Lamellarea koki sp. nov. differs from all species of the genus by the following main morphological traits: lamellar cusps triangular, without anteromedial processes, separated; translamella long; rostrum with median indentation; several ridges located near tutoria. A revised generic diagnosis, an identification key to known species, and data on the distribution and ecology of Lamellarea are presented.

The comparison of molecular and morphology-based phylogenies of trichaline net-winged beetles (Coleoptera: Lycidae: Metriorrhynchini) with description of a new subgenus.

Separate morphological and molecular phylogenetic analyses are presented and the classification of trichaline net-winged beetles is revised. The clade, earlier given a subfamily, tribe or subtribe rank, is a terminal lineage in Metriorrhynchina and contains Diatrichalus Kleine, 1926, Eniclases Waterhouse, 1879, Flabellotrichalus Pic, 1921, Lobatang Bocak, 1998, Microtrichalus Pic, 1921, Schizotrichalus Kleine, 1926, and Trichalus Waterhouse, 1877. Maibrius subgen. nov. is proposed in Flabellotrichalus with the type-species Flabellotrichalus (Maibrius) horaki sp. nov. Unlike previous studies, Lobatang is included in the trichaline clade. Further, Spinotrichalus Kazantsev, 2010, stat. nov. is down-ranked to the subgenus in Lobatang Bocak, 1998 and a new combination, Lobatang (Spinotrichalus) telnovi (Kazantsev, 2010) comb. nov., is proposed. The morphology does not provide a sufficient support for robust phylogeny due to the intrageneric variability of most phenotypic traits and the limited number of characters supporting deep relationships. Most morphological generic diagnoses must be based on the shape of male genitalia. Other characters, such as the shapes of pronotum and antennae are commonly variable within genera. The fronto-lateral pronotal ridges of Eniclases + Schizotrichalus resemble the ancestral condition in Metriorrhynchini and they re-evolved in the terminal clade and do not indicate the early split of Eniclases + Schizotrichalus from other trichaline genera. The evolution of morphological traits and the conflict in the morphological and molecular phylogenetic signal are discussed in details. We suggest that the general appearance is affected by the evolution of mimetic complexes, the patterns of elytral costae by their strengthening function, and the presence of flabellate antennae by their role in sexual communication. Then, similar phenotypic traits evolve in unrelated lineages. The results demonstrate that phylogenetic classification must be based on all available information because neither morphological traits nor DNA data robustly support all recovered relationships.

Taxonomic revision of Paraustrosimulium Wygodzinsky & Coscarón: reassignment of Austrosimulium colboi and description of P. obcidens n. sp. from Western Australia.

The hitherto monotypic South American genus Paraustrosimulium Wygodzinsky & Coscarón is revised to accommodate two Australian species: Austrosimulium colboi Davies & Györkös and Paraustrosimulium obcidens n. sp. The generic diagnosis is updated and the eastern Australian species Paraustrosimulium colboi (Davies & Györkös) n. stat. is re-described, including the male for the first time. The Western, Australian sister species of P. colbo, namely P. obcidens Craig, Moulton Currie n. sp. is also fully described. The relationship of Paraustrosimulium to other simuliid genera is discussed, as are aspects of historical biogeography.

A new specimen of Orthosuchus stormbergi (Nash 1968) and a review of the distribution of Southern African Lower Jurassic crocodylomorphs

Orthosuchus stormbergi (Nash 1968) is a rare member of the Lower Jurassic crocodylomorph fauna of Southern Africa. Here we report on a new specimen, consisting of a nearly complete dentary bone, and a previously collected specimen that can confidently be referred to this taxon. The dentary presents several features of utility for generic-level identification of Southern African crocodylomorphs, and furthermore the anatomy of this specimen allows for a modest revision of the generic diagnosis. Furthermore, it provides an opportunity to reassess differences in dentary morphology between basal South African crocodylomorphs with the intention of refining taxonomic identification. Finally, we review the stratigraphic provenance of all of Southern Africa’s known crocodylomorph taxa, and show that most are confined to the uppermost Elliot Formation. Protosuchus, Litargosuchus, Notochampsa, and Orthosuchus have first appearance data in uppermost Elliot Formation. Only Notochampsa has a confirmed last appearance datum in the Lower Clarens Formation. These findings have implications with regards to the true position of the Triassic-Jurassic Boundary, and paleoenvironmental pressures acting on the Crocodylomorpha over the boundary of the Upper Elliot and Lower Clarens Formations.