The epigean Australasian species of Neobidessodes gen.n. diving beetles—a revision integrating morphology, cybertaxonomy, DNA taxonomy and phylogeny (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae, Bidessini)

Zootaxa ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 2288 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-41 ◽  
Author(s):  
LARS HENDRICH ◽  
OLIVER HAWLITSCHEK ◽  
MICHAEL BALKE
Keyword(s):  
Sequence Data ◽  
Habitat Preferences ◽  
New Guinea ◽  
Colour Pattern ◽  
South American Species ◽  
Important Species ◽  
Dna Taxonomy ◽  
Diving Beetles ◽  
Small Streams ◽  
Intermittent Rivers

We use mitochondrial DNA sequence data and morphology to the reassess taxonomy and phylogeny of Australasian diving beetles previously assigned to Bidessodes Régimbart, 1900 (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae, Bidessini). Bidessodes was described for a South American species. A molecular phylogenetic analysis of a set of the morphologically rather homoplastic Bidessini shows that Australasian Bidessodes form a clade distant from the Neotropical species and are thus assigned the new generic name Neobidessodes Hendrich & Balke gen.n. The seven Australian Bidessodes species known to date are transferred: Neobidessodes bilita (Watts, 1978), comb.n.; N. denticulatus (Sharp, 1882), comb.n.; N. flavosignatus (Zimmermann, 1922), comb.n.; N. grossus (Zimmermann, 1922), comb.n.; N. gutteridgei (Watts & Humphreys, 2003) (stygobitic species), comb.n.; N. limestonensis (Watts & Humphreys, 2003) (stygobitic species) comb.n. and N. mjobergi (Zimmermann, 1922), comb.n. The epigean species are re-described. Lectotypes for Bidessus flavosignatus Zimmermann, 1922; Bidessus grossus Zimmermann, 1922 and Bidessus mjobergi Zimmermann, 1922 are designated, and two new species, Neobidessodes samkrisi Hendrich & Balke sp.n. from southern New Guinea (Merauke, West Papua) as well as Neobidessodes thoracicus Hendrich & Balke sp.n. from the Kimberley region, the Northern Territory and northern Queensland, are described. We delineate the species using traditionally employed morphological structures such as male genital structure and beetle size, shape and colour pattern. Illustrations based on digital images are provided here and as online resources. Cox1 data for 42 individuals were used too as characters for DNA taxonomy (or barcoding). The signal is mixed. Of the nine species, all retrieved as monophyletic groups or clusters. N. samkrisi sp.n. and N. flavosignatus are morphologically strongly divergent, yet cox1 distance only amounts to 0.85– 1.14%, while intraspecific distances for N. denticulatus are 0.0–1.28%. The epigean species of the genus are distributed from southern New Guinea, tropical and subtropical north of Australia, and along the east coast south to Victoria. All species occur in small streams, creeks, and pools of intermittent rivers or billabongs with sandy or gravelly bottom. The morphologically highly derived, blind and wingless stygobitic species are endemic to the Three Rivers calcrete in the Yilgarn, Western Australia. Important species characters (median lobes, parameres (in part) and colour patterns) are illustrated. A key to all seven epigean species is provided. The known distribution and habitat preferences of each species are outlined briefly.

Taxonomic revision of Australasian diving beetles in the genus Leiodytes Guignot, 1936 (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae, Bidessini)

Zootaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4990 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-44
Author(s):  
LARS HENDRICH ◽  
LIANG-JONG WANG ◽  
MICHAEL BALKE
Keyword(s):  
Taxonomic Revision ◽  
New Guinea ◽  
Color Pattern ◽  
Morphological Evidence ◽  
Molecular Evidence ◽  
Diving Beetles ◽  
Intermittent Rivers ◽  
Genital Structure ◽  
Subjective Synonym ◽  
Male Genital

Bidessus migrator Sharp, 1882, so far assigned to Clypeodytes Régimbart, 1894, and widely distributed in Australia and New Guinea, is re-described. Based on morphological and molecular evidence, it is here transferred to Leiodytes Guignot, 1936. Bidessus loriae Régimbart, 1892 is found to be a junior subjective synonym of L. migrator. We describe the following new species: Leiodytes surianiae sp. nov. (eastern New Guinea, northeast coast of Queensland), and Leiodytes wattsi sp. nov. (southern New Guinea and Darwin area to northern Queensland). We delineate the species using characters such as male genital structure and beetle size, shape and color pattern. Mitochondrial Cox1 data for 27 individuals, representing all three Australasian species, were generated and revealed clusters congruent with the morphological evidence. In Australia Leiodytes only occurs in the tropical and subtropical northern part of the continent. None of the species is endemic to Australia. The species are mainly lentic, occurring in seasonal swamps, flooded meadows and pools of intermittent rivers and temporary creeks.  

scholarly journals The “minute diving beetles” of southern Australia – taxonomic revision of Gibbidessus Watts, 1978, with description of six new species (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae, Bidessini)

ZooKeys ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 975 ◽  
pp. 11-49
Author(s):  
Lars Hendrich ◽  
Chris H.S. Watts ◽  
Michael Balke
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Sequence Data ◽  
Taxonomic Revision ◽  
Colour Pattern ◽  
Morphological Evidence ◽  
Molecular Systematic ◽  
Dna Sequence Data ◽  
Diving Beetles ◽  
Genital Structure ◽  
Male Genital

Morphology and mitochondrial DNA sequence data are used to reassess the taxonomy of Australian diving beetles previously assigned to the genera Uvarus Guignot, 1939 and Gibbidessus Watts, 1978. Gibbidessus was described as a monotypic genus for Gibbidessus chipi Watts, 1978. The genus is significantly extended here. Based on molecular systematic evidence, Uvarus pictipes (Lea, 1899) is transferred to Gibbidessus. Gibbidessus chipi and Gibbidessus pictipescomb. nov. are redescribed, and six new species are described: Gibbiddessus atomussp. nov. (SW Australia, Northcliffe area) [the smallest epigean diving beetle in Australia], G. davidisp. nov. (SW Australia), G. drikdrikensissp. nov. (Victoria), G. kangarooensissp. nov. (SA Kangaroo Island), G. pederzaniisp. nov. (SW Australia, Nannup area), and G. rottnestensissp. nov. (SW Australia). Species are delineated using characters such as male genital structure and beetle size, shape and colour pattern. Mitochondrial Cox1 data for 27 individuals, representing five species, were generated, and revealed clusters congruent with the morphological evidence. Gibbidessus occur in southern Australia, with the centre of diversification in the isolated peat- and wetlands of SW Australia. All species occur in very shallow water of seasonal, exposed or half-shaded wetlands and flooded meadows.

scholarly journals Taxonomic revision of Australian Copelatus Erichson, 1832 (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae, Copelatinae)

ZooKeys ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 889 ◽  
pp. 81-152
Author(s):  
Lars Hendrich ◽  
Helena Shaverdo ◽  
Jiří Hájek ◽  
Michael Balke
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Preferences ◽  
Taxonomic Revision ◽  
New Guinea ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Important Species ◽  
Iron Range ◽  
Northern Half ◽  
Cape York ◽  
Colour Patterns ◽  
First Time

The genus Copelatus in Australia is revised and nine species are recognised. One new species, Copelatus martinbaehrisp. nov., is described from Papua New Guinea (Central Province) and Cape York Peninsula (Iron Range NP and Mt Tozer). Copelatus divisus Watts, 1978, syn. nov., is considered a junior synonym of C. portior Guignot, 1956, described from New Guinea. Species delimitation is based on the morphological characters and Cox1 data. All species are (re)described, and their important species characters (median lobes, parameres, habitus and colour patterns) are illustrated. A key to all nine species is provided. The known distribution and habitat preferences of each species are outlined briefly. In Australia, all nine species are distributed in the northern half of the continent. Four species are also reported from New Guinea: in addition to C. martinbaehrisp. nov., we record C. clarki Sharp, 1882 for the first time from southern New Guinea, and consider literature records of C. irregularis W.J. Macleay, 1871 and C. marginatus Sharp, 1882 from New Guinea as doubtful. Copelatus portior is widely distributed in Australasia, while C. tenebrosus is widely distributed in the Indomalayan and Australasian realms. All Australian Copelatus are confirmed to be lentic, found in a large variety of stagnant water, mainly in lowland areas up to 250 m.

A new bent-toed gecko (Squamata: Gekkonidae: Cyrtodactylus) from the Western Himalayas, Himachal Pradesh, India

Zootaxa ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 4446 (4) ◽  
pp. 442
Author(s):  
ISHAN AGARWAL ◽  
AKSHAY KHANDEKAR ◽  
AARON M. BAUER
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Sequence Data ◽  
Himachal Pradesh ◽  
Colour Pattern ◽  
Continuous Series ◽  
Western Himalayas ◽  
Basic Field ◽  
Jammu And Kashmir ◽  
True Diversity ◽  
Mountainous Landscape

We describe a new species of the gekkonid genus Cyrtodactylus based on a series of six specimens from the Chamba Valley in the Western Himalayas, Himachal Pradesh state, India. Cyrtodactylus chamba sp. nov. is a member of the subgenus Siwaligekko and can be diagnosed from congeners in the Western Himalayas by a combination of its small size (snout to vent length up to 63 mm), a continuous series of five precloacal pores on males, 13–15 rows of dorsal tubercles, 33–43 scales across the belly, no regular series of enlarged subcaudals, and a dorsal colour pattern of 5–7 irregular, broad, dark bands with much narrower, light interspaces. The new species is 14% divergent in ND2 sequence from the most similar sampled congener, Cyrtodactylus (Siwaligekko) himalayanus from Jammu and Kashmir, and is 0.5–1.1% divergent in nuclear sequence data from sampled Siwaligekko species. Many more undiscovered Cyrtodactylus species probably exist across the Himalayas at elevations below ~2000 m; basic field surveys for reptiles and other poorly known groups and examination of existing material should be a priority if we are to appreciate the true diversity of this spectacular mountainous landscape. 

scholarly journals Description of six new species of Xenorhina Peters, 1863 from southern Papua New Guinea (Amphibia, Anura, Microhylidae)

2021 ◽  
Vol 97 (2) ◽  
pp. 355-382
Author(s):  
Rainer Günther ◽  
Stephen Richards
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Papua New Guinea ◽  
Tropical Rainforest ◽  
Habitat Preferences ◽  
New Guinea ◽  
Advertisement Calls ◽  
High Rainfall ◽  
Central Cordillera

We describe six new species of the microhylid frog genus Xenorhina from the southern slopes of Papua New Guinea’s central cordillera and adjacent lowlands, based on a combination of morphological (including osteology) and bioacoustic features. All of the new species are fossorial or terrestrial inhabitants of tropical rainforest habitats and belong to a group of Xenorhina having a single, enlarged odontoid spike on each vomeropalatine bone. Advertisement calls and habitat preferences are described for each species, one of which is amongst the smallest hitherto members of the genus. Description of these six species brings the total number of Xenorhina known to 40 and emphasises the importance of the high-rainfall belt that extends along the southern flanks of New Guinea’s central cordillera as a hotspot of Melanesian amphibian diversity.

scholarly journals Comment on Falade et al. (2016) DNA-barcoding of Clarias gariepinus, Coptedon zillii and Sarotherodon melanotheron from Southwestern Nigeria

F1000Research ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 2654
Author(s):  
Jeremy A. Miller ◽  
Isolde van Riemsdijk ◽  
Mohd Zacaery Khalik ◽  
David J. Scager ◽  
Menno Schilthuizen
Keyword(s):  
Dna Barcoding ◽  
Sequence Data ◽  
Journal Club ◽  
Clarias Gariepinus ◽  
Southwestern Nigeria ◽  
Dna Taxonomy ◽  
Open Review ◽  
Review Model ◽  
Sarotherodon Melanotheron ◽  
Untapped Resource

A publication by Falade et al. was selected for discussion by a Naturalis Biodiversity Center-Leiden University Journal Club. The study focused on the identification of fish from Southwestern Nigeria using a DNA barcoding approach. Questions raised during the discussion led to a reanalysis and reinterpretation of the data presented. The authors characterize the process of deriving a taxonomic identification from their sequence data as straightforward, but we were concerned that their approach made it nearly impossible to fail to obtain a taxonomic name for each sequence. The value of sophisticated DNA taxonomy, as well as the pitfalls of its naïve application, are discussed. We suggest that journal discussion groups may be an untapped resource for expanding rigorous peer review, particularly for journals that have adopted an open review model.

scholarly journals Relationships among felt scale insects (Hemiptera:Coccoidea:Eriococcidae) of southern beech, Nothofagus (Nothofagaceae), with the first descriptions of Australian species of the Nothofagus-feeding genus Madarococcus Hoy

2008 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 365 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nate B. Hardy ◽  
Penny J. Gullan ◽  
Rosa C. Henderson ◽  
Lyn G. Cook
Keyword(s):  
Sequence Data ◽  
Monophyletic Group ◽  
Scale Insects ◽  
Recent Analysis ◽  
South American Species ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Nucleotide Sequence Data ◽  
Australian Species ◽  
Adult Females ◽  
Southern Beech

Species of southern beech (Nothofagus) have been studied extensively because of their importance in understanding southern hemisphere biogeography. Nothofagus species support a diverse assemblage of insect herbivores, including more than 30 described species of felt scales (Eriococcidae). We reconstructed the phylogeny of the Nothofagus-feeding felt scales with nucleotide sequence data and morphology. All but one of the exclusively Nothofagus-feeding species included in the analyses were recovered as a monophyletic group. This clade comprised the genera Chilechiton Hodgson & Miller, Chilecoccus Miller & González, Intecticoccus Kondo, Madarococcus Hoy (except for M. totorae Hoy), Sisyrococcus Hoy and several species of the genus Eriococcus Targioni Tozzetti. The genera Eriococcus and Madarococcus were not recovered as monophyletic. Here we revise Madarococcus. We expand the concept of the genus, provide a key to the adult females of the 31 species of Madarococcus and, for each named species, provide revised synonymies and any new collection or taxonomic information. We recognise the genus from Australia for the first time and describe the adult females of six new Australian species: Madarococcus cunninghamii Hardy & Gullan, sp. nov.; M. meander Hardy & Gullan, sp. nov.; M. megaventris Hardy & Gullan, sp. nov.; M. moorei Hardy & Gullan, sp. nov.; M. occultus Hardy & Gullan, sp. nov., and M. osculus Hardy & Gullan, sp. nov. We also describe the first-instar nymphs of M. cunninghamii, sp. nov., M. meander, sp. nov. and M. moorei, sp. nov. We transfer 17 species into Madarococcus from Eriococcus: M. argentifagi (Hoy), comb. nov.; M. cavellii (Maskell), comb. nov.; M. chilensis (Miller & González), comb. nov.; M. detectus (Hoy), comb. nov.; M. eurythrix (Miller & González), comb. nov.; M. fagicorticis (Maskell), comb. nov.; M. hispidus (Hoy), comb. nov.; M. latilobatus (Hoy), comb. nov.; M. maskelli, (Hoy), comb. nov.; M. montifagi (Hoy), comb. nov.; M. navarinoensis (Miller & González), comb. nov.; M. nelsonensis (Hoy), comb. nov.; M. nothofagi (Hoy), comb. nov.; M. podocarpi (Hoy), comb. nov.; M. raithbyi (Maskell), comb. nov.; M. rotundus (Hoy), comb. nov. and M. rubrifagi (Hoy), comb. nov. We transfer two species from Sisyrococcus into Madarococcus: M. intermedius (Maskell), comb. nov. and M. papillosus (Hoy), comb. nov. One species, M. totarae (Maskell), is excluded from Madarococcus, but cannot at present be placed in another genus and is listed as ‘M.’ totarae incertae sedis. We report the first collection of an eriococcid, M. osculus, sp. nov., on the deciduous beech, Nothofagus gunnii. With respect to biogeography, the results of our phylogenetic analysis are congruent with those obtained from recent analysis of Nothofagus; Australian and New Zealand species of Madarococcus form a monophyletic group to the exclusion of the South American species, suggesting that long-distance dispersal has played an important role in shaping the distributions of both the Nothofagus-feeding felt scales and their hosts.

Immature stages, host plants and natural enemies of Henosepilachna implicata (Mulsant) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) with DNA sequence data and a new synonym and notes on some Indian species of Epilachnini

Zootaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4970 (3) ◽  
pp. 533-546
Author(s):  
J. POORANI ◽  
R. G. BOOTH ◽  
R. GANDHI GRACY ◽  
C. ANURADHA ◽  
R. THANIGAIRAJ ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dna Sequence ◽  
Natural Enemies ◽  
Host Plants ◽  
Sequence Data ◽  
Indian Species ◽  
Life Stages ◽  
Important Species ◽  
Dna Sequence Data ◽  
New Synonym ◽  
First Time

Life stages of Henosepilachna implicata (Mulsant), an economically important species of Epilachnini in India, are documented and illustrated. Mitochondrial DNA sequence data is provided for the first time for H. implicata with additional details on its host plants, distribution, and natural enemies. Its similarities and differences with other common pestiferous Henosepilachna spp. in India such as H. vigintioctopunctata (F.), H. septima (Dieke) and H. pusillanima (Mulsant) are discussed. Epilachna circularis Korschefsky, 1933 is found to be conspecific with H. implicata and is reduced to a junior synonym of the latter (new synonym). Notes are given on the distribution and natural enemies of some other species of Epilachnini of the Indian region.  

Hydrophis donaldi (Elapidae, Hydrophiinae), a highly distinctive new species of sea snake from northern Australia

Zootaxa ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 3201 (1) ◽  
pp. 45 ◽  
Author(s):  
KANISHKA D.B. UKUWELA ◽  
KATE L. SANDERS ◽  
BRYAN G. FRY
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Habitat Preferences ◽  
The Body ◽  
Colour Pattern ◽  
Northern Australia ◽  
Nucleotide Substitutions ◽  
Sea Snake ◽  
Sea Snakes ◽  
Morphological Diagnosis ◽  
By Catch

A new species of viviparous sea snake, Hydrophis donaldi sp. nov. (Hydrophiinae), is described from the Gulf of Carpen-taria, northern Australia. Molecular analyses reveal this species as a deeply divergent lineage within the Hydrophis sub-group, and separate it from all other sampled taxa by fixed nucleotide substitutions at three independent mitochondrial andnuclear loci. The new species is assigned to Hydrophis based on the current morphological diagnosis of this large but pa-raphyletic genus, and is distinguished from all other Hydrophis species and closely allied genera by a combination of mor-phological characters relating to scalation, colour pattern and osteology. Using current keys for sea snakes, H. donaldi sp.nov. might be mistaken for H. coggeri, H. sibauensis or H. torquatus diadema but it is readily distinguished from thesespecies by a higher number of bands on the body and tail, lower ventral count, strongly spinous body scales, and a wider,more rounded head. Sea snakes have been sampled intensively in the Gulf of Carpentaria due to their vulnerability to by-catch in the region’s commercial prawn-trawl fisheries. That this highly distinctive new species has evaded discovery inthe region until now is surprising, but might be explained by its habitat preferences. All known specimens of H. donaldi sp. nov. were found in estuarine habitats that are relatively poorly surveyed and are not targeted by commercial fisheries.

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