Review of the species of Achias (Diptera : Platystomatidae)

1994 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 117 ◽  
Author(s):  
DK Mcalpine

The genus Achias Fabricius occurs in New Guinea, northern Australia, and some islands adjacent to these areas. Evidence is presented as to the disputed publication dates for Hendel's two significant reviews of the Platystomatidae as these affect nomenclature. Available information on Achias biology is summarised, but includes no larval records. A method of estimating the approximate number of undiscovered species is presented, and indicates that the register of Achias species is very incomplete. A description of the genus Achias is given. Generic synonyms and means of generic determination are discussed. Certain taxonomic characters are discussed and these are related to taxonomic placement of the genus, informal infrageneric groupings of species, and species delimitation. A key to all recognised species is given. In total, 67 species (listed in index) are described as new. No synonyms among nominal species of Achias are recognised. Four apparent species represented by inadequate available material are assigned provisional numbers. An etymology of Achias nomenclature is appended.

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Taufan Nurzaman Sulaeman ◽  
AMIR HAMIDY ◽  
ACHMAD FARAJALLAH ◽  
ANTOINE FOUQUET ◽  
AWAL RIYANTO ◽  
...  

Abstract. Sulaeman TN, Hamidy A, Farajallah A, Fouquet A, Riyanto A, Arida E, Mulyadi, Trilaksono W, Munir M. 2021. Mitochondrial DNA suggests the existence of two distinct species in Moluccas and New Guinea within Nyctimystes infrafrenatus (Günther, 1867). Biodiversitas 22: 3287-3297. Nyctimystes infrafrenatus is a widespread frog species distributed across northern Australia, New Guinea, Bismarck archipelago and in the eastern part of Indonesian archipelago. The species thus encompasses two biogeographic regions, Papua and Wallacea. We evaluated the phylogenetic relationships among the populations from Papua and Moluccas based on two mitochondrial loci (16S rRNA and Cytochrome Oxidase Subunit I). Two major subclades are recovered within Nyctimystes infrafrenatus with subclade A being represented by populations from New Guinea and northern Australia and subclade B by Moluccan populations (Halmahera and Tidore). Genetic distances (2.3-4.2% in 16S rRNA) between these subclades suggest they could belong to distinct species. Since New Guinea populations correspond to the nominal species and that Nyctimystes tennuigranulatus (Boettger 1895), currently considered as a junior synonym of Nyctimystes infrafrenatus, is available for the northern Moluccan populations, we proposed to remove this taxon from synonymy. However, samples used in this study come from northern Moluccas, further studies including samples from Ambon (where another synonym was described i.e. Calamita dolichopsis) is needed to determine the taxonomic status of the southern Moluccan population whether they are conspecific with northern Moluccan population or not.


1990 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 281-288
Author(s):  
M.M. Stevens

AbstractThe genus Mitelloides Evans is revised. Three species are recognised and described; M. moaensis Evans (the type species) and two new species, M. thorntonensís and M. mouldsi. A key to the males of the genus is provided, and the known distributions of all species are mapped. The genus is known only from north-east Queensland, the Torres Strait Islands, and Papua New Guinea.


2002 ◽  
Vol 76 (3) ◽  
pp. 447-471 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey D. Stilwell ◽  
Robert A. Henderson

A middle Cenomanian faunule from the Moonkinu Formation of Bathurst Island in Northern Australia contains the best-preserved suite of benthic Mollusca known from the Cretaceous of the Australian region. Twenty-four species of bivalves, gastropods, and scaphopods, many exquisitely preserved with original aragonitic nacre, are recognized. Thirteen are new: Nucula s.l. meadinga n. sp. (Nuculidae), Nuculana bathurstensis n. sp. (Nuculanidae), Jupiteria? n. sp. A (Nuculanidae), Varicorbula cretaustrina n. sp. (Corbulidae), Vanikoropsis demipleurus n. sp. (Vanikoridae), Euspira n. sp. A (Naticidae), Amuletum praeturriformis n. sp. (Turridae), Granosolarium cretasteum n. sp. (Architectonicidae), Echinimathilda moonkinua n. sp. (Mathildidae), Acteon bathurstensis n. sp. (Acteonidae), Biplica antichthona n. sp. (Ringiculidae), Goniocylichna australocylindricata n. sp. (Cylichnidae), and Dentalium (Dentalium) n. sp. A (Dentaliidae). Nominal species of Nuculana, Grammatodon, Cylichna, and Laevidentalium also are present. The occurrence of ammonites, including taxa that occur in the type Cenomanian, securely establishes the fauna as middle Cenomanian (Acanthoceras rhotomagense Zone). The Moonkinu Formation and its faunule were deposited in a high-energy, shallow-shelfal setting, as part of a large-scale regressive cycle recognized as the Money Shoals Platform of northern Australia. The assemblage represents a parauthochthonous suite which experienced little or no post mortem transport. Epifaunal and infaunal suspension feeders (some 60 percent) dominate the bivalve fauna with a subordinate representation of deposit-feeding infaunal burrowers (some 40 percent). Nearly all of the gastopods were carnivores with the aporrhaid Latiala mountnorrisi (Skwarko), probably a deposit feeder, the only exception. The scaphopods were probably micro-carnivores. Concentrations of the ammonite Sciponoceras glaessneri are likely the result of mass kills in surface waters. The cosmopolitan nature of the Bathurst Island fauna at the genus-level reflects unrestricted oceanic circulation patterns and an equitable climate on a global scale during the Cenomanian. The retreat and disappearance of the Australian epicontinental sea at the close of the Albian coincided with reduced endemism in the molluscan faunas, after which time the continental shelves hosted a rich suite of cosmopolitan affinity. The high number of endemic species in the Moonkinu Formation probably represents an early stage of broad-scale genetic separation among Southern Hemisphere molluscan stocks, a trend that became increasingly pronounced through the Late Cretaceous. The new records of Varicorbula, Amuletum, Granosolarium, Echinimathilda, and Goniocylichna represent the oldest occurrences recorded for these genera and are suggestive of Southern Hemisphere origins.


2020 ◽  
Vol 86 (1) ◽  
pp. 56-63 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jun Liu ◽  
Dan Cui ◽  
Hui Wang ◽  
Jiawei Chen ◽  
Helu Liu ◽  
...  

Abstract Accurate species delimitation is important, especially for endangered species. As one of the most conspicuous bivalve taxa, giant clams are threatened throughout their geographic range. Many phylogeographic studies have revealed strong population structure among giant clams in the Indo-Pacific, suggesting cryptic diversity within these species. However, less attention has been paid to their identification and delimitation. In this study, we assembled a comprehensive dataset of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) sequences for Tridacna species, focusing on new sequences from Hainan Island in the South China Sea and previously published ones from Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, the Philippines, Indonesia, Australia, the Solomon Islands and the Red Sea. Three nominal species, Tridacna crocea, T. squamosa and T. noae, were recognized at Hainan Island on the basis of distance-based DNA barcoding, with mean interspecific K2P distances of 10.6–24.7% for seven Tridacna species (T. crocea, T. squamosa, T. noae, T. maxima, T. mbalavuana, T. derasa and T. gigas). The most abundant species, T. noae, represents the first record of this species from Hainan Island. Using a combination of phylogenetic and DNA-based species delimitation analyses (automatic barcode gap discovery, generalized mixed Yule coalescent and Bayesian Poisson tree processes), we found strong support for a total of 13 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) for the seven nominal Tridacna species. These results, coupled with the fact that each OTU occupies different regions in the Indo-Pacific, strongly suggest multiple cryptic species of giant clams. Our findings point to the need for taxonomic revisionary work on giant clams throughout the Indo-Pacific; such work will have important conservation implications.


1949 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 184-199 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Capell

WHILST the tonal languages spoken in West Africa have latterly received W a good deal of attention, it has not been generally realized that such languages are found also in parts of New Guinea. In New Guinea there are in fact two types of tonal languages. In one, the tones may be described as ” ornamental”, i.e. though they exist they do not seem to have semantic value, but rather to be connected with a certain type of sentence rhythm; in the other the tone systems are more definitely akin to those of Western Africa, and in such languages tones do possess semantic value. It is interesting that one at least of the latter group of languages tends also to be monosyllabic. It is hoped to provide a study of the former class of languages—at least one representative of which is also found in Northern Australia—at a later date. The present paper is occupied with the languages in which tones do have semantic value.These languages, so far as has been observed yet, are two in number, and they are spoken along the shores of Huon Gulf, in north-eastern New Guinea. The map on p. 186 will show their locations. Both belong to the group of languages known as Melanesian, and this makes the occurrence of tones even less expected. A considerable number of other languages are spoken round about this area, and though some of these also are Melanesian, they do not seem to have developed tones. Moreover, it would seem that the use of tones in these two languages antedates the coming of the Melanesian languages, for reasons that will be given towards the end of this paper.


Zootaxa ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 3444 (1) ◽  
pp. 40 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. O. SHATTUCK ◽  
N. R. GUNAWARDENE ◽  
B. HETERICK

Five species of the rarely encountered ant genus Probolomyrmex are known from Australia and Papua New Guinea, four of which are described here for the first time. Two species belong to the greavesi species-group (P. greavesi, P. latalongus sp. n.) while three belong to the longinodus species-group (P. aliundus sp. n., P. newguinensis sp. n., P. simplex sp. n.). The genus is now known to occur broadly across northern Australia and P. newguinensis and P. simplex are the first species of the genus described from Papua New Guinea. A key to Australian and Melanesian species is provided.


Zootaxa ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 3241 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
WILLIAM T. WHITE

A taxonomic re-evaluation of the Carcharhinus sealei-dussumieri group using meristic and morphological data revealedthat this group consists of 5 species. Two species, Carcharhinus coatesi (Whitley, 1939) from northern Australia and prob-ably New Guinea and C. tjutjot (Bleeker, 1852) from Indonesian to Taiwan, are resurrected as valid species and togetherwith C. dussumieri and C. sealei are redescribed. Garrick’s lectotype designation of C. dussumieri and C. tjutjot areretained. A neotype for C. sealei, collected from the same locality as the holotype which was destroyed during World WarII, is designated. A fifth, possibly undescribed species (Carcharhinus sp.) is also noted from the Western Indian Oceanand its affinities briefly discussed. The four redescribed species are very similarly morphologically but can be distin-guished by a combination of meristic, morphological, dental and colour characters. The most important characters for dis-tinguishing these species are: vertebral counts, tooth counts, tooth morphology, shape of first dorsal and pectoral fins,second dorsal fin colouration, and mouth width. Two independent molecular studies have produced results which closely correlate with and support the findings of this study.


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