The first record of Omosita nearctica Kirejtshuk (Coleoptera, Nitidulidae) in South Africa, with the first description of its mature larva

Sap beetles of the genus Omosita Erichson are stored-product pests that are also associated with carrion, potentially making them biosecurity risks and forensic tools. The discovery of a specimen of the Nearctic species Omosita nearctica Kirejtshuk in South Africa prompted an investigation a decade later to determine if this species had established itself in the country, which was confirmed by the collection of further breeding specimens that also facilitated the first description of mature larvae of O. nearctica. A new key to adults of all Omosita species is presented.

Download Full-text

First record of a pholcid spider (Arachnida: Araneae) feeding on a reptile in South Africa

African Journal of Ecology ◽

10.1111/aje.12835 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Michael F. Bates ◽

Nicolette Josling

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

First Record

Download Full-text

First Record ofEllimenistes laesicollis(Coleoptera: Curculionidae) as a Garden Pest in the Western Cape, South Africa

African Entomology ◽

10.4001/003.024.0536 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 24 (2) ◽

pp. 536-538

Author(s):

J.H. Giliomee

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

First Record ◽

Western Cape

Download Full-text

New host-plants records of Afrotropical Gelechiidae (Lepidoptera), with description of three new species

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.4952.3.4 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 4952 (3) ◽

pp. 495-522

Author(s):

OLEKSIY BIDZILYA

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

First Record ◽

Limpopo Province ◽

New Combination ◽

Larval Biology ◽

New Host ◽

North West ◽

Annotated List ◽

Three New Species ◽

First Time

First and additional host-plant records for 38 species of Gelechiidae from South Africa and Kenya are presented. An annotated list with brief descriptions of larval biology and known geographical distributions is presented. Three species are described as new: Mesophleps kruegeri sp. nov. (Namibia: Kavango Region and South Africa: Limpopo Province), Istrianis inquilinus sp. nov. (South Africa: North West Province), and Teleiopsis sharporum sp. nov. (South Africa: Limpopo Province). The new combination Istrianis epacria (Bradley, 1965) comb. nov. is proposed. The male genitalia of Hypatima melanecta (Meyrick, 1914) is described for the first time. It is noticed that male hitherto associated with T. commaculata (Meyrick, 1918) in fact refers to T. pundamilia Bidzilya & Mey, 2018. Hypatima stasimodes (Meyrick, 1931), Dichomeris coenulenta (Meyrick, 1927), Dichomeris eustacta Meyrick, 1921, Neotelphusa similella Janse, 1958 and Argophara epaxia Janse, 1963 are recorded for the first time from South Africa, and Istrianis epacria is new for Kenya. The adults, male and female genitalia are illustrated for some species mentioned in paper. The first record of the genus Teleiopsis Sattler, 1960 from South Africa is briefly discussed.

Download Full-text

Description of the mature larva and pupa of Ora semibrunnea Pic (Coleoptera: Scirtidae) with notes on its biology

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.4551.1.3 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 4551 (1) ◽

pp. 53 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

GABRIELLE JORGE ◽

MARÍA LAURA LIBONATTI ◽

CESAR JOÃO BENETTI ◽

NEUSA HAMADA

Keyword(s):

Water Surface ◽

Brazilian Amazon ◽

First Record ◽

Biological Information ◽

Mature Larva ◽

Natural Lakes ◽

Morphological Adaptations ◽

Brazilian Amazon Region ◽

And Behavior ◽

First Time

In this paper we describe and illustrate for the first time the immature forms (larva and pupa) of Ora semibrunnea Pic, 1922, including biological information and behavior observed in the laboratory. This is the first record of the occurrence of this species in the Brazilian Amazon region. Larvae and pupae were found in natural lakes associated with macrophyte banks. Pupae are aquatic and have morphological adaptations (well-developed pronotal siphons) to obtain atmospheric O2 at the water surface.

Download Full-text

The taxonomic status of the South African straptail, Macruronus capensis Davies, 1950 (Pisces, Gadiformes, Macruronidae)

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.4374.1.5 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 4374 (1) ◽

pp. 91 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

ROBIN W. LESLIE ◽

OFER GON ◽

GAVIN GOUWS

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

South African ◽

Taxonomic Status ◽

First Record ◽

The Other ◽

Molecular Evidence ◽

Nominal Species ◽

Single Specimen ◽

Cape Coast ◽

A New Species

The first record of the straptail fish, genus Macruronus, from South Africa was based on a single specimen captured off the Atlantic Cape coast and described as a new species, M. capensis Davies 1950. Davies did not examine specimens of the other extant nominal species in the genus, but based his conclusions solely on references to the original descriptions of M. novaezelandiae (Hector 1870) and M. magellanicus Lönnberg 1907. We show that all of the characters used by Davies (1950) to distinguish M. capensis from its congeners are in fact shared by the other nominal species of this genus. We also present molecular evidence from a Macruronus specimen recently caught off South Africa to support the conclusion that M. capensis is a junior synonym of M. novaezelandiae.

Download Full-text

Two new species of Alamirinae (Diptera: Phoridae)

Insect Systematics & Evolution ◽

10.1163/187631283x00191 ◽

1983 ◽

Vol 14 (4) ◽

pp. 435-438 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

R.H.L. Disney ◽

B.V. Peterson

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

New Species ◽

First Record ◽

Single Female ◽

Afrotropical Region ◽

Two New Species

AbstractAlamira peckorum n.sp. is described from a single female from South Africa. Couturiera orientalis n.sp. is described from three females from Malaysia. The latter represents the first record of Alamirinae outside the Afrotropical Region.

Download Full-text

Nematodes associated with terrestrial slugs from canola fields and ornamental nurseries in South Africa

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.4312.1.12 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 4312 (1) ◽

pp. 194 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

ANNIKA PIETERSE ◽

ANTOINETTE P. MALAN ◽

LAURA M. KRUITBOS ◽

WILLEM SIRGEL ◽

JENNA L. ROSS

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Sequence Data ◽

Large Subunit ◽

Morphological Characteristics ◽

Nematode Species ◽

First Record ◽

Small Subunit ◽

Western Cape ◽

Molecular Sequence Data ◽

Molecular Sequence

A survey of nematodes that use terrestrial slugs as definitive hosts, was conducted in canola fields and ornamental nurseries located in the Western Cape province of South Africa. A total of 3290 slugs were collected from 22 different sites. On the identification of the slugs, they were vivisected and examined for internal nematodes. After identifying the nematodes found, on the basis of their morphological characteristics, their identity was confirmed using molecular sequence data for the internal transcribed spacer (ITS-1, 5.8S, ITS-2), D2-D3 expansion segments of the large subunit (LSU or 28S) and small subunit (SSU or 18S) ribosomal DNA. Of the 22 sites investigated, 13 had nematodes present, with 8 % of the slugs being found to be infected with nematodes. Seven nematode species were confirmed, including Agfa flexilis, Angiostoma margaretae, Angiostoma sp. (SA1), Caenorhabditis elegans, mermithid sp. (SA1), Phasmarhabditis sp. (SA3) and Phasmarhabditis sp. (SA4). In addition, several Angiostoma spp. were also isolated, but could only be identified to genus level due to limited material. Of the seven confirmed species, four were previously undescribed. This is the first record of A. margaretae associating with Deroceras panormitanum, Deroceras reticulatum, Lehmannia valentiana and Oopelta polypunctata. Also, this is the first time that a mermithid has been found associating with molluscs in South Africa.

Download Full-text

Schoenefeldia transiens (Poaceae): Rare new record from the Limpopo Province, South Africa

Bothalia ◽

10.4102/abc.v44i1.325 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 44 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Aluoneswi C. Mashau ◽

Albie R. Götze

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

National Park ◽

First Record ◽

Limpopo Province ◽

C4 Grasses ◽

Mining Company ◽

Mpumalanga Province ◽

National Herbarium ◽

Distribution Record ◽

New Distribution

Background: Schoenefeldia is a genus of C4 grasses, consisting of two species in Africa, Madagascar and India. It is the only representative of the genus found in southern Africa, where it was previously only known from a few collections in the southern part of the Kruger National Park (Mpumalanga Province, South Africa), dating from the early 1980s.Objectives: The objective of this study was to document a newly recorded population of Schoenefeldia transiens in an area that is exploited for coal mining.Method: A specimen of S. transiens was collected between Musina and Pontdrift, about 30 km east of Mapungubwe National Park, in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. The specimen was identified at the National Herbarium (Pretoria).Results: This is not only a new distribution record for the quarter degree grid (QDS: 2229BA), but is also the first record of this grass in the Limpopo Province. The population of S. transiens has already been fragmented and partially destroyed because of mining activities and is under serious threat of total destruction.Conclusion: It is proposed that the population of S. transiens must be considered to be of conservation significance, and the population should be made a high priority in the overall environmental management programme of the mining company that owns the land.

Download Full-text