Supra-anal Plate Research Articles

Lost but not forgotten: Rediscovery of the Ukrainian Lepidurus middendorffii (Braem, 1893) (Branchiopoda: Notostraca) through integrative taxonomy

Abstract The taxonomy of the notostracan LepidurusLeach, 1819 is complicated by a large number of synonymised species and extensive intraspecific variability in many relevant characters. We demonstrate, based on an integrative taxonomic approach, that the Ukrainian populations of Lepidurus are not conspecific with any currently accepted Lepidurus species and assign them to the previously synonymised species Lepidurus middendorffiicomp. nov. (Braem, 1893). This species exemplarily highlights the problems in the taxonomy of Lepidurus. The species was originally described as Apus extensus var. middendorffii (Braem, 1893), but L. extensus is a junior synonym of Lepidurus lubbocki (Brauer, 1873), which is currently treated as a subspecies of Lepidurus apus (Linnaeus, 1758). Our molecular genetic analyses based on mitochondrial COI, 12S, 16S, and nuclear 28S, which included published data, suggest the presence of further, possibly cryptic species that await formal recognition and stress the importance for a more extensive revision of Lepidurus. The original type specimens of L. middendorffii, previously stored at the Museum of Natural History (Wrocław University, Wrocław, Poland), are lost and a neotype is designated. Lepidurus middendorffii is characterised by the dorsal organ position between the ocular tubercle margins, the sharp carapace sulcus spines, the long supra-anal plate with many median spines, a telson length to carapace length ratio 0.18–0.35, and differs by > 9% uncorrected COI p-distances from all other Lepidurus species.

Molecular and morphological evidence reveals the presence of the tadpole shrimp Lepidurus cf. couesii (crustacea: Branchiopoda) in Iran

Lepidurus couesii is a large freshwater branchiopod that is distributed broadly around the world. In this study, we used molecular and morphological methods to identify and record Lepidurus cf. couesii for the first time in Iran. The Almalou Gul specimens presented the characteristic number of rings, mediodorsal spines on the supra-anal plate, and the sulcus spines of the species L. couesii. A complete morphological characterization of the species and a comparison with previous records of Lepidurus apus in Iran is included in this work. Phylogenetic analysis based on the COI gene recovered the Iranian specimens as an independent lineage within the L. couesii species complex. The GMYC and the ASAP species delimitation models calculated at least four independent lineages within the L. couesii species-complex, some of them with probably restricted distributions. This study stresses –once again– the presence of several species-complexes within this group of crustaceans and the necessity to include molecular phylogenetic research to recognize the specific occurrence of different lineages within the genus Lepidurus.

A new Blattoidea member (Dictyoptera: Blattaria) from mid-Cretaceous amber of northern Myanmar

A new Blattoidea species, Hypercercoula jiewenae gen. et sp. nov. is described based on a male individual from mid-Cretaceous amber of northern Myanmar. This new cockroach is similar to some extant Blattidae species by the depressed pronotum surface, the large but sparse spines on femora, and the subapical spine on genital hook. Its small size, simple and symmetrical supra-anal plate and subgenital plate, especially the type B2 profemur also make it comparable with the extant family Anaplectidae. Furthermore, the slender, soft, and pod-like cerci suggest it may be related to the coetaneous species Cercoula brachyptera Li & Huang. So far, this is the third representative of Blattoidea found in Cretaceous amber.

A new species of the genus Parapentacentrus Shiraki, 1930 from Yunnan, China (Orthoptera: Gryllidae: Itarinae).

The genus Parapentacentrus Shiraki, 1930 includes two species with long wings. In this paper, we report one new species, P. brevipennis He sp. nov., from Jinping, Yunnan, China. The new species have short forewings and hindwings, and have differences in the shape of supra-anal plate and male genitalia. DNA Barcode (COI gene) of this new species are provided. The type specimens are deposited in Museum of Biology, East China Normal University (ECNU).

Discovery of the second Asian Holocompsa species from China, and supplemental description of the male of H. debilis (Blattodea: Corydiidae: Euthyrrhaphinae)

Summary The second Asian Holocompsa species, Holocompsa zhangi n. sp., is reported from Yunnan, China. This new species can be easily distinguished from Holocompsa debilis Walker, 1868, the only previously known Asian species, by the yellowish color on tegmina, the shape of wings, supra-anal plate, subgenital plate, and the detailed structures of the male genitalia. Supplemental description of H. debilis is given based on a male specimen from Yunnan, China. An identification key to the Holocompsa from Asia and a checklist of Holocompsa of the world are provided.

Two new species of Episymploce Bey-Bienko, 1950 (Blattodea, Ectobiidae, Blattellinae) from China.

Two new species of Episymploce Bey-Bienko from China are described. Nine individuals of E. sichuanensissp. nov. were collected from Sichuan Province and four individuals of E. maxima, sp. nov. were collected from Guangxi Province. Morphology, especially the wings, specialized abdominal tergum and genitalia of adults, are described and illustrated in detail. Episymploce sichuanensissp. nov. is similar to E. kunmingi (Bey-Bienko, 1969), but can be easily distinguished by the reduced wings, bifurcated two processes at the hind margin of the supra-anal plate, and the unspecialized first abdominal tergum (T1). Episymploce maximasp. nov. is similar to E. taiheizana Asahina, 1979 but is distinguished by its large size, the lateromedial margins of the subgenital plate without processes, and the unspecialized T1. A key to the recorded Episymploce species from China is provided in this paper.

First Record of the Female of the Praying Mantis Mythomantis serrata (Order: Mantodea) from Sabah, Borneo

We present the first record of the female of Mythomantis serrata, collected from Imbak Canyon Conservation Area, Sabah. This species was described by Schwarz & Helmkampf in 2014 based on male specimens collected from Gunung Mulu, Sarawak and Danum Valley, Sabah, Borneo. This species can be distinguished from the other Mythomantis species, M. confusa and M. gracilis, based on the presence of sawtooth-like lobes along the sides of the pronotum, and the concave margins of its supra-anal plate. The female individual of this species possesses similar morphological characters like those seen in males. The description of the female specimen follows Schwarz & Helmkampf (2014).

Occurrence of a new species of Letana (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae:Phaneropterinae) in India.

A new species of the Oriental genus Letana, Walker (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Phaneropterinae), proposed as Letana dentata sp. nov., collected from the North-eastern province, Meghalaya, India (Ri bhoi 90°55'15 to 91°16' latitude and 25°40' to 25°21' longitude, 993 MSL), is described together with the morphological characterization of eight reported species. Of these, Letanarubescens(Stål, 1861) collected from Shalimar, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir (India) is being reported for the first time from India. The other species of Letana include: L. atomifera, L. bulbosa, L. inflata, L. infurcata, L. pyrifera and L. rufonatata. Taxonomic and diagnostic characters with illustrations of the head, pronotum, ventral view of left tegmina to show stridulatory file teeth and the genitalia (supra-anal plate and subgenital plate) including the phallus sclerite has been given.

Some common and less known Phaneropterinae (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae; Phaneropterinae) with the description of a new species from India

The present paper deals with the description of eleven katydids of the tettigonid subfamily Phaneropterinae (Tettigoniidae). The katydids of more common occurrence in different parts of India include: Phaneroptera gracilis Burmeister, Ducetia japonica (Thunberg), Himertula pallisignata Ingrisch and Shishodia, Isopsera peducnulata Brunner von Wattenwyl, and Trigonocorypha unicolor Stal; while those lesser known are Phaneroptera myllocerca Ragge, Himertula kinneari (Uvarov), Elimaea melanocantha (Walker), Elimaea carispina (Ingrisch and Shishodia), and Trigonocorypha angustata Uvarov. Record of a new species of the genus Ducetia, named as Ducetia serratus sp. nov., is mentioned. The key diagnostic morphological characters have been supported with photographs and illustrations of the body parts: head, pronotum, stridulatory file and the genitalia (supra-anal plate and sub-genital plate). A key to identify the species of the reported katydids has been provided.

Additional data towards the knowledge of europeanPodisminiJacobson, 1905 (Orthoptera, Acrididae, Melanoplinae)

This paper describes Peripodisma llofizii n. sp., discovered during the summer of 2014 on Mount Llofiz around 1700 m above sea level, located in the North of Erind village in the district of Gjirokastra, in Albania. Very similar to P. tymphii Willemse, 1972, and known in the region of Epirus in Greece, up to and slightly beyond the border in Albania, it nevertheless differs from the latter by obvious morphological characters such as the colour of its hind tibia, the shape of the genital plate of the female, the supra-anal plate, the furculae and several parts of the male phallic complex.

The large branchiopod, Triops cancriformis simplex (Gihi, 1921) (Crustacea: Notostraca) in temporary rain pools, recorded for the first time in Taif-KSA

The present species Triops cancriformis simplex was not recorded in Taif and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia before. The present work is a confirmatory study to indicate the identity of this species in the ephemeral freshwater bodies in Taif, KSA and to ascertain that, if there is any other Triops species in the same area or not. Four sites were investigated in Taif governorate; Wadi Al-Arj, Saysed, Jabajeb pool and Ghadeer Al-Banat. The animal was not recorded in the first two sites all the year. The specimens were collected from Jabajeb pool on Al-Hada road and Ghadeer Al-Banat at Al-Roddaf region. No specimens were found in these sites during winter and autumn but they start in late spring and summer. One hundred and seven specimens were collected from both sites in this period. The animal was morphologically described to be distinguished from the other large branchiopods species. The supra-anal plate is absent, the dorsal organ of the present species is rounded, second maxilla is present, no supernumerary spines on apodous rings, the carina of T. c. simplex is smooth without spines in front of its terminal spine and presence of small spines on the furca.

Female genitalia as a taxonomic tool in the classification of Indian Acridoidea (Orthoptera)

A comparative study on female genitalia was carried out in Indian species of the superfamily Acridoidea. An attempt has been made to describe and illustrate the different structures viz., spermatheca, ovipositor, sub genital plate, supra-anal plate and cerci of female in Acridids with an aim to discover their significance in order to make the identification of genera and species, together with other generic characters more perfect and convenient. Genitalic structures particularly female subgenital plate, ovipositor and spermatheca makes it possible to put forward some suggestions regarding interrelations of families and subfamilies of Acridoidea more clearly than the external characters.

A new species of Neoblattella Shelford (Blattellidae: Pseudophyllodromiinae) from Amazonas State, Brazil

Neoblattella mista sp. nov. is described and illustrated based on male genitalia and morphological characters of a single specimen collected in the town of Coari, State of Amazonas, Brazil. By studying the literature on the genus, we determined that N. mista sp. nov. differs from the other four known complexes in the morphology of its genital structures, including the supra-anal plate, subgenital plate, right and left phallomeres, median genital sclerite and tergal modification in the abdomen, and is placed in the new "mista complex".

Huastecacris alexandri,a New Species of Melanoplinae from Tamaulipas, Northeastern Mexico

Huastecacris alexandri n. sp., is described from the El Cielo Biosphere Reserve in southern Tamaulipas, northeastern México. Geographic distribution is limited to the highlands of the reserve where it occurs from 1300 to 1700 m in open areas on natural, low vegetation. This species is most related to Huastecacris zenoni Fontana & Buzzetti 2007, which is found in the lowlands of the reserve, extending the distribution of the genus along the Eastern Sierra Madre up to Cd. Victoria's mountain range. The species are distinguished by details of the male cerci, supra-anal plate, genitalia and color pattern.

Fine structure of the reproductive system of Chrysomya megacephala (Diptera: Calliphoridae): the external sexual organ

The fine structure of the reproductive system of Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius), a blow fly species of medical importance, was studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to contribute detailed morphological information on the external sexual organs or genitalia of this species. Analysis of the male genitalia or hypopygium revealed that the epandrium is a broad organ resembling a crescent shape, while the ejaculatory apodeme and aedeagal apodeme show similarity in their lengths. The cercus is significantly longer than the surstylus with its apical end being more or less rounded. Dense patches of long bristles, morphologically similar to the sensilla chaetica and sensilla trichodea, were found along the lower half of the cercus. The surstylus has a stout triangular shape, and the proximal half is greatly endowed with sensilla thought to be sensilla chaetica and sensilla trichodea. The aedeagus per se is prominent and has a clavate shape formed by the base theca and elongated phallus. The vesica of the phallus is a smooth bilobed structure, which curves inward. The juxta and juxta process are armed with many rows of strong spines resembling thorns in their appearance. The harpe is slender, recurved anteriorly, and distally pointed like a sickle. Regarding the female genitalia or ovipositor, SEM observation of the supraanal plate revealed it to be sclerotized and more or less triangular-shaped, lying between a pair of short cerci. Several types of sensilla were found on the supraanal plate, subanal plate and cercus, including the sensilla trichodea, sensilla basiconica, sensilla placodea, and probably, sensilla styloconica. The possible functions of sensilla distributed in particular regions of the fly genitalia are discussed.

A New Species of the Genus Galloisiana (Grylloblattodea, Grylloblattidae) from Korea

A new ice bug species, Galloisiana odaesanensis sp. nov., is described from Mt. Odae, Pyeongchang-gun, Gangwon-do, South Korea. This species resembles the G. yuasai group in having a short body (less than 20 mm), distinct compound eyes, fewer than 35 antennomeres, and seven or eight cercomeres. The species is, however, clearly distinguished from the G. yuasai group by the following characters: slightly curved supra-anal plate with dull apical margin; rectangular pronotum that is straight on the posterior; 3rd antennomere 1.7 times as long as the 2nd. The distribution of the genus Galloisiana is discussed and a key for Galloisiana species is presented.

Sexual Dimorphism of Basitarsi in Pest Species of <I>Diabrotica</I> and <I>Cerotoma</I> (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

Sexual dimorphism in basitarsal pad morphology is described for prothoracic and mesothoracic legs of Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte, Diabrotica barberi Smith & Lawrence, and Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardi Barber (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) and for prothoracic legs of Cerotoma trifurcata (Forster) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). On the indicated legs of these diabroticite beetles, the typical structure of the hairy tarsal pads of chrysomelid beetles is replaced proximally on tarsomere 1 of males by a hairless planar ovoid patch that may facilitate maintenance of the mating posture of males upon the elytra of females. This basitarsal patch proved as reliable as the standard supra-anal plate character for establishing sex of these important crop pests.

Papuacocelus papuanus n. gen., n. sp. - a new Eurycanthinae from Papua New Guinea, with notes on the genus Dryococelus Gurney, 1947 and description of the egg (Phasmatodea: Phasmatidae: Eurycanthinae)

The new genus Papuacocelus n. gen. (Type-species: Papuacocelus papuanus n. sp.) is described from Papua New Guinea (Morobe Province) and is related to Dryococelus Gurney, 1947, Thaumatobactron Günther, 1929 and Eurycantha Boisduval, 1835. The type-species Papuacocelus papuanus n. sp. is described and illustrated from both sexes. The male holotype is deposited in BMNH, the female paratype in the first author’s collection (FH). The monotypic genus Dryococelus Gurney, 1947 (Type-species: Karabidion australe Montrouzier, 1855) is briefly discussed and the eggs are described and illustrated for the first time. Keys and a table are presented to distinguish Dryococelus Gurney, 1947, Papuacocelus n. gen., Thaumatobactron Günther, 1929 and Eurycantha Boisduval, 1835. The beak-like ovipositor possessed by most females of Eurycanthinae is found to be formed by elongation of the anal segment and subgenital plate, and not as stated by former authors, by the subgenital plate and an elongated supraanal plate. A brief survey is provided of the beak-like ovipositors in Phasmatodea.

Redescription of the largest ice bug, Namkungia magnus com. nov. (Grylloblattodea, Grylloblattidae) from Korea

The largest ice bug species, Namkungia magnus (Namkung, 1986) from Balgudeuk cave at Jeongseon, Gangwon-do, Korea is transferred from the genus Galloisiana and redescribed with setae and trichobothria patterns, and with mouthpart, basisternum and genital structure descriptions based on the morphological characters. This species resembles N. biyongensis (Namkung, 1974) by its large size (longer than 30 mm), eyeless condition, more than 47antennomeres, and 12 cercomeres but is distinguished by asymmetrical supra-anal plate of the bulging 9th abdominal tergite with truncate projection, 52 antennomeres, the cervical sclerite with nine setae (11 on right) on the lateral margin of the left, and copulatory sclerites of the genital structure.

Circumpolar analysis of morphological and genetic diversity in the Notostracan Lepidurus arcticus

This study presents a first circumpolar screening of the taxonomic and genetic diversity of the crustacean Lepidurus arcticus, belonging to the ‘living fossil’ order Notostraca. Sequencing of a 484 bp segment of the mitochondrial 12S rDNA from 48 populations revealed two distinct haplogroups, each consisting of separate haplotypes. Alignment with published sequences of other species of Lepidurus clearly revealed that all of the studied populations were distinctly different from other species. Some major geographical patterns for distribution of haplogroups and haplotypes were identified, perhaps the most remarkable being the difference in distribution of haplogroups between the neighbouring Svalbard and Bear Island where a larger number of populations were studied. On the Norwegian mainland both haplogroups co-occurred in the same areas, however, and strong conclusions of the distributional pattern are yet premature. The distribution of similar haplotypes over wide geographical ranges suggests high dispersal abilities by Lepidurus. Morphological taxonomic criteria assign all surveyed populations to L. arcticusin spite of a pronounced morphological plasticity. Analysis of major morphological features such as length:width ratio of cephalothorax, the cephalothorax:abdominal length ratio, size of supra-anal plate and eye morphology revealed some distinctive population specific properties. The two major haplogroups differed significantly with regard to the relative size of the supra-anal plate, which also is a standard taxonomic criterion. This first genetic screening of a limited number of populations suggests that a subtler genetic diversity will be revealed when including more populations over a larger geographic area as well as a finer geographical resolution.