[Botany • 2021] Hedysarum sunhangii (Fabaceae: Hedysareae) • A New Species from Pamir-Alay (Babatag Ridge, Uzbekistan)

Hedysarum sunhangii  Juramurodov & Tojibaev, 

in Juramurodov, Tojibaev, Nikitina, Makhmudjanov, Yusupov, Deng et Dehkanov, 2021. 

DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.524.1.1

  Researchgate.net/publication/355714611

 

Abstract

Hedysarum sunhangii is a new species described from the Babatag Ridge in the Uzbekistan part of the South-West Pamir-Alay (Central Asia). Morphological and molecular phylogenetic analyses were utilized to determine the taxonomic position of the species in genus Hedysarum. This new species belongs to the subsect. Crinifera of the sect. Multicaulia and it resembles H. criniferum and H. nuratense, but can be distinguished by details of its 3–4 pairs of larger and elliptical or ovate shaped leaflets, standard and keel sizes.

Keywords: Crinifera, Morphology, phylogeny, taxonomy, Eudicots

 Living plant of Hedysarum sunhangii.
A, in its habitat; B, Leaves (1-upper part, 2-lower part); C, Pods (3-front side, 4-lateral side); D, flower; E, raceme; F, entire plant.

Hedysarum sunhangii Juramurodov & Tojibaev, sp. nov.

INOM JURAMURODOV, KOMILJON TOJIBAEV, ELENA NIKITINA, DILMUROD MAKHMUDJANOV, ZIYOVIDDIN YUSUPOV, TAO DENG and DAVRON DEHKANOV. 2021. Hedysarum sunhangii (Fabaceae, Hedysareae), A New Species from Pamir-Alay (Babatag Ridge - Uzbekistan). Phytotaxa. 524(1); 1-13. DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.524.1.1

  Researchgate.net/publication/355714611_Hedysarum_sunhangii_a_new_species_from_Pamir-Alay_Babatag_Ridge_Uzbekistan

[Botany • 2021] Dionysia jamzadiae (Primulaceae) • A New Species from the Fars Province of Iran

Dionysia jamzadiae Lidén, M.Irvine, Alvén & Mehregan, 

in Lidén, Irvine, Alvén et Mehregan, 2021. 

DOI: doi.org/10.24823/EJB.2021.396

ABSTRACT

Dionysia jamzadiae Lidén, M.Irvine, Alvén & Mehregan, from the east Zagros Mountains, Fars, Iran, is described as new to science. It belongs in section Dionysiopsis and is similar to D. oreodoxa Bornm. but differs in, for example, its sparsely glandular hairy or almost glabrous corolla with emarginated lobes (densely non-glandular pubescent with entire lobes in D. oreodoxa). Dionysia jamzadiae is known from two places and is quite abundant at the type locality.

Keywords: New species, Fars, Iran, Dionysia

Dionysia jamzadiae Lidén, M.Irvine, Alvén & Mehregan, sp. nov.
Brevistylous (A) and longistylous (B) plants in the type locality.

 Photograph: M. Lidén.

 

Dionysia jamzadiae Lidén, M.Irvine, Alvén & Mehregan, sp. nov.

Differs from Dionysia oreodoxa Bornm., to which it is most similar, in its sparsely glandular hairy or almost glabrous corolla with emarginate lobes (versus densely non-glandular pubescent with entire lobes).

 

 

M. Lidén, M. Irvine, A. Alvén and I. Mehregan. 2021. Dionysia jamzadiae (Primulaceae), A New Species from the Fars Province of Iran. Edinburgh Journal of Botany. 78; DOI: doi.org/10.24823/EJB.2021.396 [2021-12-02]

Researchgate.net/publication/356756037_DIONYSIA_JAMZADIAE_A_NEW_SPECIES_FROM_THE_FARS_PROVINCE_OF_IRAN

[Ichthyology • 2021] Lethrinus mitchelli • A New Species of Emperor Fish (Acanthuriformes: Lethrinidae) from Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea

Lethrinus mitchelli

Allen, Victor & Erdmann, 2021

DOI: doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5172763 

Abstract 

A new species of emperor fish, Lethrinus mitchelli, is described on the basis of three specimens, 109.4–111.3 mm SL, collected from 20 m at the East Cape region of Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea. It is similar to the sympatric relatives L. semicinctus and L. rubrioperculatus, but differs in color pattern and has a narrower cheek (cheek height 3.2–3.6 in head length vs. 2.4–2.9). Other diagnostic features include head length (2.7 in SL) greater than body depth (3.0–3.1 in SL); the snout excluding the lip 1.3–1.4 in cheek height; the snout profile nearly straight, without a prominent hump, and about 55° to the upper jaw; conical lateral jaw teeth; the interorbital area nearly flat or convex; the fourth dorsal-fin spine longest; lateral-line scales 47; transverse scale rows below and above the lateral line 15 and 4.5 rows; and a fully-scaled area adjacent to the prominent bony spine at the posteriormost margin of the opercle (excluding fleshy flap). The new species has a distinctive color pattern: brown dorsally, whitish ventrally, with a broad, brown, posteriorly tapering band on the midlateral body, partially split anteriorly by a relatively broad, ascending diagonal white band. Lethrinus mitchelli is 6.11% sequence divergent (pairwise) in the mtDNA COI marker from its nearest relative, L. semicinctus, also from the East Indies. A table of COI divergences among mtDNA lineages assigned to 27 of the 28 known species of Lethrinus shows a set of distinctly different lineages, from 3.32% to 20.85% divergent from each other (minimum interspecific distances). 

Key words: taxonomy, ichthyology, phylogenetics, coral reef fishes, Indo-Pacific, DNA barcodes, mtDNA COI 

Lethrinus mitchelli n. sp.
blotchy pattern on rubble bottom, about 200 mm SL, East Cape Region, Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea
 preserved holotype, 110.1 mm SL, East Cape Region, Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea.

photos: G.R. Allen.

Lethrinus mitchelli n. sp.
[upper] about 200 mm SL, East Cape Region, Milne Bay Prov., Papua New Guinea; 
[lower] blotchy pattern on rubble bottom, about 200 mm SL, East Cape Region, Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea.

photos: G.R. Allen

 Allen, G.R., Victor, B.C. and Erdmann, M.V. 2021. Lethrinus mitchelli, A New Species of Emperor Fish (Teleostei: Lethrinidae) from Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea. Journal of the Ocean Science Foundation. 38, 66–77. DOI: doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5172763 

[Herpetology • 2021] Hemidactylus cinganji, H. faustus, ... • Between Sand, Rocks and Branches: An Integrative Taxonomic Revision of Angolan Hemidactylus Goldfuss, 1820 (Squamata, Gekkonidae), with Description of Four New Species

  Hemidactylus cinganji
H. carivoensis
H. faustus 
H. pfindaensis 

 Lobón-Rovira, Conradie, Iglesias, Ernst, Veríssimo, Baptista & Vaz Pinto, 2021 

       

 DOI: 10.3897/vz.71.e64781 

 facebook.com/JavierLobonRovira

 

Abstract

The taxonomy of Angolan Hemidactylus has recently been revised. However, the lack of fresh material for some groups and regions, has led to the misidentification of some taxa and an underestimation of actual diversity in others. To shed light on the evolutionary history and systematics of Angolan Hemidactylus, we generated a new phylogenetic hypothesis for the group, and updated the taxonomy following an integrative approach. This resulted in the description of four new species (Hemidactylus pfindaensis sp. nov., H. faustus sp. nov., H. carivoensis sp. nov. and H. cinganji sp. nov.), the reevaluation of two recently described species (H. vernayi and H. paivae) and the synonymization of a recently described species (H. hannahsabinnae). We estimate divergence times for these lineages, providing a preliminary interpretation of their speciation process. Moreover, we suggest and outline 13 Angolan Main Biogeographic Units (AMBUs) in the area, defining a new biogeographic context for future works on Angolan herpetofauna. We now recognize eleven Hemidactylus species in Angola, and we provide here a new morphological key for Angolan Hemidactylus to help with identifications and species assignments in this group.

Keywords: Angola, biogeography, Gekkota, Hemidactylus, systematics, taxonomy

Hemidactylus bayonii-group 

Hemidactylus vernayi Ceríaco, Agarwal, Marques and Bauer 2020

Hemidactylus pfindaensis sp. nov.

Etymology: The name “pfindaensis” derives from the local word “pfinda” which in Kikongo – the main language used in Uíge Province and northwestern Angola – refers to a “gallery forest” or a “continuous block of thick forest”, the main habitat type associated with the species.

Hemidactylus longicephalus-group

Hemidactylus paivae Ceríaco, Agarwal, Marques and Bauer 2020

A – From top, dorsolateral view of Hemidactylus cinganji sp. nov. (FKH0435), H. benguellensis (FKH0413) and H. carivoensis sp. nov. (MNCN 50543);
B – records of H. benguellensis–group (purple color represents records of H. cinganji sp. nov.; blue H. benguellensis; dark green H. carivoensis sp. nov.; circles represent genetically assigned records, while triangles represent historical or non-genetically assigned records by Ceríaco et al. 2020a; color stars depict type or neotype localities; black star depicts original type locality of H. benguellensis assigned by Bocage (1893);
C – habitat of H. cinganji sp. nov. at Ebanga; D – habitat of H. carivoensis sp. nov between Dombe–Echimina. E – habitat of H. benguellensis at Tchivinguiro.

 Photos Javier Lobón–Rovira (A–D) and William R. Branch (E).

Hemidactylus benguellensis-group

Hemidactylus cinganji sp. nov.

Etymology: The name “cinganji” is a widespread traditional word used in Angolan local languages that represents an ancestral spiritual entity that reincarnates assuming different physical forms in different places and occasions. This name is suitable as the new species corresponds to a taxon that was first described under a different name, then became lost and now resurfaces after its original name had been hijacked by a surrogate sister-species. The species epithet is used as a neuter singular noun in opposition to the generic name.

Hemidactylus carivoensis sp. nov.

Etymology: The species epithet “carivoensis” refers to the Farm Carivo, an old estate situated along the banks of the mid-lower Coporolo River on the coastal plain of Benguela Province, and where most of the type series was collected. The species proved to be common in the area, and by recognizing the farm, we also acknowledge the ongoing support from the owners to researchers, similar to the Chapmans nearly a century ago.

Species not assignable to specific species groups

Hemidactylus faustus sp. nov.   

  

Etymology: The name “faustus” applies to a Latin word that designate ‘good luck’, evoking the serendipitous discovery of this species. The species epithet is used as a masculine adjective singular. The first specimen was found by Beatriz Vaz Pinto, daughter of PVP, under a small stone which was removed while preparing a campsite. This unexpected find led to further collecting of this new and previously unrecorded form, albeit from a locality that had been regularly surveyed since the mid-19th century.  

 

 Javier Lobón-Rovira, Werner Conradie, David Buckley Iglesias, Raffael Ernst, Luis Veríssimo, Ninda Baptista and Pedro Vaz Pinto. 2021. Between Sand, Rocks and Branches: An Integrative Taxonomic Revision of Angolan Hemidactylus Goldfuss, 1820, with Description of Four New Species. Vertebrate Zoology. 71: 465-501. DOI: 10.3897/vz.71.e64781

  facebook.com/JavierLobonRovira/posts/3969307526513233

[Crustacea • 2021] Macromedaeus adelus • A New Species of intertidal xanthid crab of the Genus Macromedaeus Ward, 1942 (Decapoda: Brachyura: Xanthidae) from Singapore

Macromedaeus adelus

Mendoza, 2021

RAFFLES BULLETIN OF ZOOLOGY. 69 

  x.com/Mendoza_JCE

Abstract

 Four species of marine crab (Brachyura) are reported for the first time from Singapore. Three of these have been previously reported from other localities in the Indo-West Pacific region, while one is a new species described herein. The camptandriid crab, Exagorium fidelisi Naruse, Chung & Tangah, 2015, originally described from northeastern Sabah, Malaysia, is reported from the mangroves of northern Singapore. Two xanthid crabs are newly recorded as well: Hepatoporus guinotae (Zarenkov, 1971) and Medaeops edwardsi Guinot, 1967, previously described from the Red Sea and Indian Ocean, respectively. Another xanthid crab, Macromedaeus adelus, new species, is described from the intertidal areas of Singapore. It is most similar to M. distinguendus (De Haan, 1835) and M. voeltzkowi (Lenz, 1905), primarily in having a distinctly areolated and granular carapace and having four teeth on the carapace anterolateral margin. It can, however, be distinguished from congeners by morphological features of the carapace, chelipeds, ambulatory legs, and the male first gonopods. 

Key words. Xanthidae, Camptandriidae, taxonomy, biodiversity, Macromedaeus adelus, Hepatoporus, Exagorium

Live colouration. Macromedaeus adelus, new species (ZRC 2017.0466), West Coast Park, Singapore.
A, paratype, male, 16.0 × 10.3 mm; B, paratype, male, 11.8 × 7.7 mm.

Scale bar: A, B = 5.0 mm.

Macromedaeus adelus, new species

 

Etymology. The specific epithet of the new species is derived from the Greek “adelos”, meaning “unseen, unknown, and obscure”, because the true identity of this crab remained concealed for many decades. Used as a Latin adjective.

Jose Christopher E. Mendoza. 2021. Marine Crabs new to Singapore, with A Description of A New Species of intertidal xanthid crab of the Genus Macromedaeus Ward, 1942 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura). RAFFLES BULLETIN OF ZOOLOGY. 69: 463–480. [5 November 2021]

  x.com/Mendoza_JCE/status/1456821180103462914

[Mollusca • 2021] Hemiplecta nemorosa • Systematic Review of the Dextral Hemiplecta Albers, 1850 (Eupulmonata: Ariophantidae) from Thailand with Description of A New Species and List of All the Indochinese Species

A Hemiplecta humphreysiana from Singapore; B Hemiplecta distincta from Saraburi, Thailand;
D, E Hemiplecta funerea from Nan, Thailand D yellow shell form and E dark shell form;
  F Hemiplecta esculenta from Chiang Mai, Thailand; 

Hemiplecta nemorosa  Sutcharit & Panha, 2021

DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1047.65735

  facebook.com/ASRUChula 

Abstract

The genus Hemiplecta is a group of large-sized land snails which have long been used as a food resource by Indochinese people. There are five dextral and four sinistral species currently recognized from Thailand. The dextral group is comprised of two previously recorded species (H. humphreysiana and H. distincta), two newly recorded species (H. funerea and H. esculenta), and one new species (Hemiplecta nemorosa sp. nov.) from northern Thailand is being proposed. We reassessed the diagnostic characters of the genitalia, mantle edge, and radula. Specimens were classified into the genus Hemiplecta on the basis of the penial verge and shell lobe, and on the characters of a bulbous gametolytic sac without a gametolytic duct. A complete species list, together with photographs of the name-bearing types or authenticated specimens and the taxonomic status of Hemiplecta s.l. that are known from Indochina including Peninsular Malaysia and Myanmar, is provided for the first time. In total, this species list contains 39 available nominal species names described from this area. Type or authentic specimens can be located for 37 nominal species names, of which 25 are illustrated herein and the other 12 were recently illustrated. However, two available species-level names could not be traced to any type specimens. In addition, lectotypes of H. funerea and H. pluto are designated herein to stabilize the names.

Keywords: Conservation, edible snails, lectotype, Southeast Asia, taxonomy type specimen

Living snail.
A Hemiplecta humphreysiana from Singapore (width about 45 mm)
B, C Hemiplecta distincta B from Saraburi, Thailand (width about 65 mm) and C mating pairs
D, E Hemiplecta funerea from Nan, Thailand (width about 50 mm) D yellow shell form and E dark shell form (width about 50 mm)  
F Hemiplecta esculenta from Chiang Mai, Thailand (width about 30 mm).

 Chirasak Sutcharit and Somsak Panha. 2021. Systematic Review of the Dextral Hemiplecta Albers, 1850 (Eupulmonata, Ariophantidae) from Thailand with Description of A New Species and List of All the Indochinese Species. ZooKeys. 1047: 101-154. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1047.65735

  facebook.com/ASRUChula/posts/198257822216364

[PaleoEntomology • 2021] Ferriantenna excalibur • Drawing the Excalibur Bug from the Stone: Adding Credibility to the Double-edged Sword Hypothesis of coreid evolution (Hemiptera: Coreidae)

  

 three Cretaceous coreids with elaborate antennae.
 Dorsal habitus scaled to same uniform length to highlight the antennae to body ratios. Colorations are artistic recreations based upon extant coreids rather than the actual specimen, whose color was not preserved in the amber
A Ferriantenna excalibur gen. et sp. nov. B Ferriantenna “club-like antennae” C Magnusantenna wuae. 

Ferriantenna excalibur  Cumming & Le Tirant, 2021  

 DOI: doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1043.67730

Illustrations by Liz Sisk 

Abstract

A new genus and species of exaggerated antennae Coreidae is described from Myanmar amber of the Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian stage). Ferriantenna excalibur gen. et sp. nov. appears related to another Cretaceous coreid with exaggerated antennae, Magnusantenna Du & Chen, 2021, but can be differentiated by the fourth antennal segment which is short and paddle-like, the undulating shape of the pronotum and mesonotum, and the shorter and thicker legs. The new coreid, with elaborately formed antennae and simple hind legs instead of the typical extant coreid morphology with simple antennae and elaborately formed hind legs, begs the question: why were the elaborate features of the antennae lost in favor of ornate hind legs? Features that are large and showy are at higher risk of being attacked by predators or stuck in a poor molt and subjected to autotomy and are therefore lost at a higher rate than simple appendages. We hypothesize that because elaborate antennae play an additional significant sensory role compared to elaborate hind legs, that evolutionarily it is more costly to have elaborate antennae versus elaborate hind legs. Thus, through the millenia, as coreid evolution experimented with elaborate/ornate features, those on the antennae were likely selected against in favor of ornate hind legs.

Keywords: Autotomy, Burmese, Cenomanian, Cretaceous, extinct, fossil, leaf-footed bugs, Mesozoic

Class Insecta Linnaeus, 1758

Order Hemiptera Linnaeus, 1758

Family Coreidae Leach, 1815

Subfamily Coreinae Leach, 1815

Artist recreation of the presently known three Cretaceous coreids with elaborate antennae. Illustrations by Liz Sisk (USA). Dorsal habitus scaled to same uniform length to highlight the antennae to body ratios. Colorations are artistic recreations based upon extant coreids rather than the actual specimen, whose color was not preserved in the amber A Ferriantenna excalibur gen. et sp. nov. B Ferriantenna “club-like antennae” C Magnusantenna wuae. 

Genus Ferriantenna gen. nov.

 

Etymology: The generic name is derived from Latin prefix ferri (meaning weapon) and Latin antenna (meaning yardarm of a ship/sail yard which was the origin of the “feeler or horn” of an insect; etymonline.com). This genus epithet is referring to the weapon-like appearance of the antennae of these insects (Fig. 2A, B). Gender is neuter.

Ferriantenna excalibur gen. et, sp. nov.

Etymology: Noun in apposition, given for Excalibur, the mythical “sword in the stone” which was first described in the epic poem Merlin (about the mythical advisor to King Arthur), written by the French poet Robert de Boron sometime between 1195–1210 (Reeve and Wright 2007) which was a reworking of Geoffrey of Monmouth’s “Historia Regum Britanniae”, completed c. 1138 (Wright 1985). Within this poem is the first mention of Excalibur being the sword in the stone, which could only be removed by the true king of England. We felt that this specific epithet was fitting as this group of insects with exaggerated antennae were first described as a possible “double edged sword in evolution” as these elaborate antennae went extinct (Du et al. 2021). We felt this witty description, coupled with the insect being trapped in stone (amber) was fitting for such a long lost, and therefore mythical species.

Ferriantenna excalibur gen. et sp. nov. holotype
A dorsolateral habitus B left antennae lateral and head dorsal C amber specimen #BHM10200800678 showing the inclusion.

Royce T. Cumming and Stephane Le Tirant. 2021. Drawing the Excalibur Bug from the Stone: Adding Credibility to the Double-edged Sword Hypothesis of coreid evolution (Hemiptera, Coreidae). ZooKeys. 1043: 117-131.  DOI: doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1043.67730

[Invertebrate • 2021] Magelona brachypalpata • A Review of the Magelonidae (Annelida: Polychaeta) of Northeast America, including A Description of A New Species and re-descriptions of Magelona riojai and M. sacculata

 

Magelona brachypalpata

Mortimer, Blake & Harrendence, 2021

 DOI: 10.2988/0006-324X-134.1.209  

 twitter.com/CardiffCurator

 

Abstract

A new species of Magelona is described based on collections from off Long Island, New York that are identical to an undescribed species reported by M. L. Jones (1968) from the vicinity of Woods Hole, Massachusetts. The species is herein named (Magelona brachypalpata, new species) and described. The new species belongs to the ‘Magelona mirabilis group,' possessing a rounded prostomium, lacking prostomial horns, and having specialized chaetae on chaetiger nine. The new species is most similar to M. riojai and M. sacculata, both of which are here redescribed. Additionally, a dichotomous identification key to the known magelonid species of the northeastern American coast and a worldwide pictorial identification key to the ‘M. mirabilis' group of magelonids are provided.

Magelona brachypalpata, new species

Kate Mortimer, James A. Blake and Kelsey Harrendence. 2021. A Review of the Magelonidae (Annelida: Polychaeta) of Northeast America, including A Description of A New Species and re-descriptions of Magelona riojai and Magelona sacculata. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. 134(1); 209–242. DOI: 10.2988/0006-324X-134.1.209 

  twitter.com/CardiffCurator/status/1447467272868618242

[Entomology • 2021] Nisitrus crucius, N. malaya, N. rindu, ... • Revision of the Cricket Genus Nisitrus Saussure (Orthoptera: Gryllidae: Eneopterinae) and Descriptions of Five New Species

 

[A, B, D] Nisitrus malaya Robillard & Tan sp. nov.

[E, F, G] N. vittatus (Haan, 1844). 

in Tan, Wahab, Japir, Chung et Robillard. 2021. 

 DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2021.761.1449 

facebook.com: Arthur CHUNG

Photograph: Ming Kai Tan.

ABSTRACT

Nisitrus Saussure, 1878 is a diurnal and monophyletic group of eneopterine crickets found in parts of Southeast Asia. Species often have vivid colourations which make them charismatic photograph subjects among macro photographers. However, their taxonomy has not been revised since their original descriptions, whereas there are also species awaiting to be discovered and described. A synoptic revision is therefore needed prior to studying the phylogenetic relationships of the genus, and before undertaking more precise studies on biogeography and evolution of traits. By holistically incorporating information about general morphology, male and female genitalia, and bioacoustics, we revise the taxonomy of these crickets and recognise 10 valid species of Nisitrus. Five new species are described: N. crucius Robillard & Tan sp. nov. from Borneo; N. danum Robillard & Tan sp. nov. from Borneo; N. hughtani Robillard & Tan sp. nov. from Sumatra; N. malaya Robillard & Tan sp. nov. from Malay Peninsula; and N. rindu Robillard & Tan sp. nov. from Borneo. We redescribe N. brunnerianus and N. insignis; describe the calls of N. malaya sp. nov., N. musicus and N. vittatus. We consider N. sumatrensis as a junior synonym of N. insignis; and N. marginata as a junior synonym of N. vittatus. Nisitrus hyalinus requires further revision. We also consider N. maculosus as a dubious name.

 

Keywords: Nisitrini, key, lectotype, redescription, Southeast Asia

 

Class Insecta Linnaeus, 1758

Order Orthoptera Latreille, 1793

Suborder Ensifera Chopard, 1920

Superfamily Grylloidea Laicharting, 1781

Family Gryllidae Laicharting, 1781

Subfamily Eneopterinae Saussure, 1874

Tribe Nisitrini Robillard, 2004

A–D. Nisitrus malaya Robillard & Tan sp. nov.
E–H. N. vittatus (Haan, 1844). 
Adult ♂♂ (A–B, E–F) and ♀♀ (C–D, G–H) in their natural environment.

Photograph: Ming Kai Tan.

Genus Nisitrus Saussure, 1878

Type species: Nisitra vittatus (Haan, 1844).

Remarks on type species: Kirby (1906) and Chopard (1968) listed N. vittata as the type species of Nisitra and treated the original type species N. marginata Walker, 1869 as a synonym of N. vittata. Subsequent authors listed N. vittatusas the type species of the replacement name Nisitrus, although Otte (1994) reinstated N. marginatus as a valid species (Braun 2013 in Cigliano et al. 2020). The present revision revalidates the synonymy of N. marginatus under N. vittatus, making N. vittatus the valid type species of the genus.

Diagnosis (emended from Robillard & Tan 2013) Among genera of Eneopterinae, Nisitrus is characterised by an elegant, wasp-like, slender and colourful body (Figs 7–9). Size average for subfamily. Colouration vivid, dominantly yellow, whitish and black, with species-specific patterns, particularly in the head (Figs 10–11), pronotum (Figs 11–12) and FWs (Figs 12–14). Characteristic head shape with narrow fastigium and large prominent eyes with thin dorso-ventral black stripes. Pronotum setose, square-shaped to slightly trapezoidal, usually bisinuated posteriorly. Metanotum with large glandular structures in males, made of a wide pit on scutum and a pair of posterior pits on scutellum, with glandular pores mostly organised by groups of 2 or 3 (Fig. 15). FWs more or less as long as abdomen. Male Nisitrus show modified FW venation and characteristic glossy transparency. Hindwings longer than FWs, bicoloured in most species, their base transparent with a wide dark posterior margin. Legs long and thin, FIII with a characteristic narrowed area before knee. Other general traits: TI with two tympana, inner one slit-like, covered by a swollen cuticular expansion; outer tympanum oval, its membrane transversally plicate in dorsal half. TI with three apical spurs; outer dorsal spur missing. TII with four apical spurs, inner longest. TIII with three inner and three outer apical spurs, median longest on each side; four pairs of subapical spurs, inner and outer spurs almost straight, their apex hook-like; TIII serrulate over whole length, slightly furrowed dorsally. Tarsomeres III-1 with one row of dorsal spines on external edge in addition to apical spines. Apical claws of legs slightly indented. Both males and females show characteristic genitalia.

Nymphs in their natural environment.
A–C. Nisitrus malaya Robillard & Tan sp. nov.
 D–F. N. vittatus (Haan, 1844).

Photograph: Ming Kai Tan.

Ming Kai Tan, Rodzay bin Haji Abdul Wahab, Razy Japir, Authur Y.C. Chung and Tony Robillard. 2021. Revision of the Cricket Genus Nisitrus Saussure (Orthoptera: Gryllidae: Eneopterinae) and Descriptions of Five New Species. European Journal of Taxonomy. 761(1), 1-75. DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2021.761.1449 

Researchgate.net/publication/353514179_Revision_of_Nisitrus

 facebook.com/100004187887445/posts/2025765667573010

facebook.com/ArthurCHUNG123799/posts/2025765667573010

  

[PaleoEntomology • 2021] Ankyloleon caudatus • X-ray Microtomography and Phylogenomics provide insights into the Morphology and Evolution of an enigmatic Mesozoic Insect Larva

 

 Ankyloleon caudatus  

Badano, Fratini, Maugeri, Palermo, Pieroni, Cedola, Haug, Weiterschan, Velten, Mei, Di  Giulio & Cerretti, 2021

DOI: 10.1111/syen.12482 

  Researchgate.net/publication/352213053

Scale bar: 500 μm. 

  

Abstract

Fossils sometimes show unusual morphological features absent in living organisms, making it difficult to reconstruct both their affinity and their function. We describe here a new lacewing larva, Ankyloleon caudatus gen. et sp.n. (Neuroptera) from the Cretaceous amber of Myanmar, characterized by an abdomen unique among insects, with ‘tail-like’ terminal segments bearing a ventral pair of vesicles. Phase-contrast X-ray microtomography reveals that these structures were dense and equipped with a median duct, suggesting that they were likely pygopods used for locomotion, holding the position through adhesive secretions. Our phylogenetic analyses, combining genomic and morphological data from both living and fossil lacewings, proved critical to placing Ankyloleon gen. n. on the lacewing tree of life as an early representative of the antlion clade, Myrmeleontiformia. These results corroborate the view that derived myrmeleontiform lacewings ‘experimented’ with unusual combinations of features and specializations during their evolutionary history, some of which are now lost.

 Ankyloleon caudatus gen. et sp. n. holotype (MZURPAL00111):
(A) dorsal view and (B) ventral view.

Scale bar: 500 μm. 

 Phylogeny of Neuroptera, highlighting the relationships of Ankyloleon. Based on the ML analysis of partitioned combined dataset including genomic and morphological data, see also Fig. S4. Fossil taxa are in bold characters. (i-vii) selected representatives of the diversity of lacewing larvae (not in scale): (i) Osmylidae larva indet. (photo by G. Montgomery); (ii) Dilar sp., Dilaridae; (iii) Mantispa styriaca (Poda), first instar, Mantispidae; (iv) Chrysoperla mediterranea Hölzel, Chrysopidae; (v) Ankyloleon caudatus gen. et sp. n. reconstruction; (vi) Nemoptera bipennis (Illiger) Nemopteridae; (vii) Libelloides ictericus (Charpentier) Ascalaphidae and (viii) Brachynemurus ferox (Walker), Myrmeleontidae.   

 

Davide Badano, Michela Fratini, Laura Maugeri, Francesca Palermo, Nicola Pieroni, Alessia Cedola, Joachim T. Haug, Thomas Weiterschan, Jürgen Velten, Maurizio Mei, Andrea Di  Giulio, Pierfilippo Cerretti. 2021. X-ray Microtomography and Phylogenomics provide insights into the Morphology and Evolution of an enigmatic Mesozoic Insect Larva. Systematic Entomology. 46(3); 672-684. DOI: 10.1111/syen.12482

  Researchgate.net/publication/352213053_morphology_and_evolution_of_an_enigmatic_Mesozoic_insect_larva

[Entomology • 2021] Agrioglypta fulguralis • A New Species of the Genus Agrioglypta Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) from Japan based on morphological characters and DNA barcoding

 

Agrioglypta itysalis (Walker, 1859)  A, ♂; B, ♀; 

Agrioglypta fulguralis Rosfiansyah, Yagi & Hirowatari sp. nov.,
C, holotype (♂); D, paratype (♀) 

in Rosfiansyah, Yagi, Tomura et Hirowatari. 2021. 

DOI: doi.org/10.1016/j.japb.2021.10.001

Abstract

Agrioglypta fulguralis Rosfiansyah, Yagi & Hirowatari sp. nov. (Crambidae) is described from the Ryukyus, Japan, based on morphological characteristics and DNA barcoding. Although this new species is similar to A. itysalis, it can be distinguished by the following characters: its smaller size, a lightning marking on the discoidal part of the hindwing, lack of a pair of scale tufts on male seventh abdominal segment, shorter uncus, wider tegumen, wider valva in the male genitalia, and fewer spines in the signum in the female genitalia. DNA barcoding also supports the distinction of this new species from A. itysalis found in China, Java, Papua New Guinea, and Australia. Images of the adults and male and female genitalia are provided herein.

 

Keywords: Agrioglypta fulguralis sp. nov., Agrioglypta itysalis, Genitalia, Ryukyus, Spilomelinae

Family Crambidae Latreille, 1810

Subfamily Spilomelinae Guenée, 1854

Genus Agrioglypta Meyrick, 1932

Agrioglypta itysalis (Walker, 1859)

[Japanese name: Yaeyama-ikarimon-nomeiga]

  Adult of Agrioglypta spp. from Japan:
A, A. itysalis (♂); B, A. itysalis (♀); 
C, A. fulguralis sp. nov., holotype (♂); D, A. fulguralis sp. nov., paratype (♀). 

<scale bar: 5mm (A-D)>.

Agrioglypta fulguralis Rosfiansyah, Yagi & Hirowatari sp. nov.

Etymology. The specific name derived from the latin fulgur (= lightning), which refers to two connected stripes on the median area of the hindwing.

 

 Rosfiansyah, Sadahisa Yagi, Shunsuke Tomura and Toshiya Hirowatari. 2021. A New Species of the Genus Agrioglypta Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) from Japan based on morphological characters and DNA barcoding. Journal of Asia-Pacific Biodiversity. 14(1); 557-568. DOI: doi.org/10.1016/j.japb.2021.10.001 [1 December 2021]

[Herpetology • 2021] Odorrana liboensis • A New Species of Odorous Frog Genus Odorrana (Anura: Ranidae) from Southern Guizhou Province, China

 

Odorrana liboensis 

Luo, S. Wang, Xiao, Y. Wang & Zhou, 2021

 https://cstr.cn/32242.14.j.cnki.ahr.200122 

 Researchgate.net/publication/351358154

Abstract

We describe Odorrana liboensis sp. nov., a new species from the Maolan National Nature Reserve, Libo County, Guizhou Province, China. Phylogenetic analyses based on DNA sequences of the mitochondrial 12S rRNA, 16S rRNA, and ND2 genes supported the new species as an independent lineage, closely related to O. lipuensis. The uncorrected genetic distances between the 12S rRNA and 16S rRNA in the new species and its closest congener, O. lipuensis, were 6.06% and 5.19%, respectively. The new species is distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following morphological characters: (1) having medium body size, with the snout-vent length (SVL) of adult females approximately 1.2 times as long as males at 56.9 ± 1.0 (55.8–58.2 mm, n = 9) in females and 48.7 ± 1.2 (47.1–49.9 mm, n = 5) in males; (2) head length greater than width in males and females; (3) tympanum distinctly visible, greater than one-half the diameter of the eye; (4) eyes big and prominent, width of upper eyelid (UEW) approximately 3/4 of eye diameter (ED); (5) dorsolateral folds absent; (6) two metacarpal tubercles; (7) relative finger lengths: II < I < IV < III; (8) subarticular tubercles on fingers prominent: 1, 1, 2, 2; (9) one metatarsal tubercle; (10) tibiotarsal articulation reaching to between the eye and nostril when the leg is stretched forward; (11) toes with entire webbing to disks; (12) subarticular tubercles on toes prominent: 1, 1, 2, 3, 2; (13) dorsal surfaces of limbs with distinct brownish-black bands; (14) smooth, grass-green dorsum with irregular brown mottling; (15) venter smooth, lacking black spots; and (16) lacking pectoral spinules, lacking vocal sacs, and light white nuptial pad present on finger I in males. The new species is currently only known from the type locality.

Keywords: Taxonomy; morphology; Odorrana; Odorrana liboensis sp. nov.; karst cave; Guizhou

Morphological features of the live adult male holotype GZNU20180608004 of Odorrana liboensis sp. nov. and O. wuchuanensis.
(A) Dorsal view; (B) Ventral view; (C) Dorsolateral view; (D) Tadpole; (E) Type locality of Odorrana liboensis sp. nov. in June, 2018 (dry season);

(F) Dorsolateral view of O. wuchuanensis in life.

Odorrana liboensis sp. nov.  

Differential diagnosis. Odorrana liboensis sp. nov. is assigned to genus Odorrana based upon molecular phylogenetic analyses and the following morphological characters: (1) dorsum is mostly green; (2) tips of digits dilated, tapering, disks with circum-marginal grooves or lateroventral grooves, and vertical diameter longer than horizontal diameter in the disks; (3) supernumerary tubercle below the base of fingers III and IV; (4) feet fully webbed to disks, without tarsal fold; (5) the first finger thick and nuptial pad distinct and (6) dorsal skin smooth, dorsolateral folds absent or fine (Fei et al., 2009; Li et al., 2018a).

  

Etymology. The specific epithet “liboensis” is in reference to the type locality of the new species: Libo County, Guizhou Province, China. We propose the common English name “Libo Odorous Frog” and Chinese name “Li Bo Chou Wa ( 荔波臭蛙 )”. 

Distribution: Known only from the type locality, a cave in Maolan National Nature Reserve, Libo County, Guizhou Province, China, 715 m elevation. 

 

Tao LUO; Siwei WANG; Ning XIAO; Yali WANG and Jiang ZHOU. 2021. A New Species of Odorous Frog Genus Odorrana (Anura, Ranidae) from Southern Guizhou Province, China. Asian Herpetological Research. 12(4); 381-398. DOI: 10.16373/j.cnki.ahr.200122 [2021-12-25]

 https://cstr.cn/32242.14.j.cnki.ahr.200122

 Researchgate.net/publication/351358154_A_New_Species_of_Odorrana_from_Southern_Guizhou_Province_China