Revision of the genus Attaphila (Blattodea: Blaberoidea), myrmecophiles living in the mushroom gardens of leaf-cutting ants

The genus Attaphila, comprising minute myrmecophilous cockroaches, is revised, including now six previously known (A. aptera, A. bergi, A. flava, A. fungicola, A. schuppi, A. sexdentis) and three new species (A. multisetosasp. nov. Bohn and Klass, A. paucisetosasp. nov. Bohn and Klass, A. sinuosocarinatasp. nov. Bohn and Klass). All species are described or redescribed and depicted with their main characteristics; determination keys allow the identification of males and females. Especially the male characters allow a distribution to two species-groups with differing host specificity: bergi-group associated with Acromyrmex (and possibly Amoimyrmex) ants, fungicola-group associated with Atta ants; the former appears paraphyletic, the latter monophyletic. The genus Attaphila is characterised emphasising its unique features: (1) insertion of antennae at the bottom of a wide funnel-shaped deepening; (2) antenna with the possibility of a rectangular bending between scapus and pedicellus (associated with a distal excavation of the scapus) and (3) with an unusual shape and low number of antennomeres; (4) femora of legs with a ventral groove allowing a close spacing of femur and tibia during a strong flexion; (5) a complex and unusual shape of the laterosternal shelf area of the female genitalia (lack of shelf, presence of a pair of complicated tubular invaginations); and (6) lateral parts of abdominal tergite T9 of male ending in a pair of ventromesally directed arms, which contact the lateral margins of the subgenital plate. Functional aspects and the possible biological roles of these features are discussed. Older biological data are summarised and new observations are presented. The position of Attaphila within Blattodea is discussed. Like a recent molecular study, the morphology of the male genitalia places the genus in the Blaberoidea. The molecular result of Attaphila being closest to three particular blattellid genera, however, is conflictual from the morphological perspective.

Download Full-text

Descripción de tres nuevas especies de tetigónidos de Costa Rica (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae)

Animal Biodiversity and Conservation ◽

10.32800/abc.2013.36.0217 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 36 (2) ◽

pp. 217-223

Author(s):

P. Barranco Vega ◽

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Costa Rica ◽

Central America ◽

Related Species ◽

Abdominal Tergite ◽

Light Traps ◽

Internal Branch ◽

Subgenital Plate ◽

Three New Species

Description of three new species of katydids from Costa Rica (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae) Three new species of katydids from the Reserva Biológica Alberto Manuel Brenes (Alajuela) in Costa Rica (Central America) are described. The specimens were collected in the course of the Project INVARTRAB developed by the Central University of Costa Rica and the INIA de Madrid (España). The specimens were sampled by direct prospection on plants and light traps. The new species belong to the genera Phlugis, Scopiorinus and Viadana, respectively. Phlugis ramirezi n. sp. has little developed tegmens and wings, male tenth abdominal tergite ending in two spiniform processes, cerci curved with a basal spur, and four teeth in the apex. Scopiorinus estebani n. sp. shows male tenth abdominal tergite with a longer than broad expansion, subgenital plate depressed in the middle, and lateral spiniform processes at the end. Viadana rowelli n. sp. has rhomboidal tegmens and male cerci with an internal branch with serrulated apex inserted in the last third. Main characters are illustrated and compared in related species in each genus.

Download Full-text

Descriptions of three new species of the harvestmen genus Pseudogagrella (Opiliones: Sclerosomatidae: Gagrellinae) from Taiwan, supported by morphological and molecular evidence

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.4268.1.2 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 4268 (1) ◽

pp. 34-52

Author(s):

SSU-LI CHEN ◽

HSI-TE SHIH

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Abdominal Tergite ◽

Molecular Evidence ◽

National Forest ◽

Cytochrome Oxidase Subunit ◽

Forest Recreation ◽

Recreation Area ◽

Mitochondrial 16S Rdna ◽

Three New Species ◽

Northern Taiwan

Three new species of Opiliones are delimited and described from central and northern Taiwan based on morphological and molecular evidence. Pseudogagrella dorsomaculata sp. nov., collected from the Dasyueshan Forest Recreation Area, Heping, Taichung, resembles P. andoi Suzuki 1977, but can be recognized by the different pattern of the first abdominal tergite and the morphology of the penile grans. Pseudogagrella nigridorsa sp. nov., collected from the Lalashan National Forest Sanctuary, Fusing, Taoyuan, resembles P. arishana Suzuki 1977, but can be recognized by the different pattern of legs and the morphology of the penile stylus. Pseudogagrella sauteri sp. nov., also collected from the Dasyueshan Forest Recreation Area, resembles P. cyanea (Roewer 1915) and P. taiwana Suzuki 1977, but can be distinguished by the morphology of the alate part of the penis. Molecular evidence from mitochondrial 16S rDNA and cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) supports the identity of the three new species.

Download Full-text

Notes on the genus Perittopus Fieber, 1860 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Veliidae) with descriptions of three new species from Indochina

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.4858.3.7 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4858 (3) ◽

pp. 417-426

Author(s):

ZHEN YE ◽

MU QIAO ◽

ZEZHONG JIN ◽

WENJUN BU

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Distribution Map ◽

Male Characters ◽

Three New Species

Three species of the genus Perittopus Fieber from Indochina are described as new: P. anthracinus sp. n. from Yunnan of China, P. laosensis sp. n. from Laos and P. trizonus sp. n. from Thailand. Photographs of key female and male characters and male genitalic structures are provided, accompanied by a distribution map for the species of Perittopus occurring in Indochina.

Download Full-text

Two new species of the genus Sinopodisma Chang, 1940 (Orthoptra, Acridoidea, Catantopidae, Podisminae) from Taiwan, China

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.4258.6.6 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 4258 (6) ◽

pp. 574

Author(s):

BAO-HUA YE ◽

JIAN-PING SHI ◽

ZHAN YIN

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Ventral View ◽

Abdominal Tergite ◽

Hind Femur ◽

Middle Part ◽

National Museum ◽

Type Specimens ◽

Horizontal Diameter ◽

Two New Species ◽

Subgenital Plate

Two new species of the genus Sinopodisma Chang, 1940 from Taiwan, China are described in this paper. The new species Sinopodisma orchofemura sp. nov. is similar to Sinopodisma kodamae (Shiraki, 1910), but differs from latter in antennae length of joint 2.9 times width in the middle part, hind femur yellow, length of interspace of mesosternum larger than narrowest, tegmina almost reaching the hind margin of second abdominal tergum. The Sinopodisma hsinchuensis sp. nov. is similar to Sinopodisma orchofemura sp. nov., but differs from latter by vertical diameter of eyes 1.7 times horizontal diameter and 1.8 times subocular furrow; tegmina extending over the hind margin of first abdominal tergite slightly; the length of interspace of mesosternum equal to narrowest and subgenital plate longer than ovipositor valves ventral view. Type specimens are deposited in the National Museum of Natural Science, Taichung, Taiwan, China and the Institute of Entomology, Taiwan University, Taibei, Taiwan, China respectively.

Download Full-text

Phylogeny of Philornis Meinert species (Diptera: Muscidae)

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.1530.1.2 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 1530 (1) ◽

pp. 19-26 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

MÁRCIA SOUTO COURI ◽

CLAUDIO JOSÉ BARROS DE CARVALHO ◽

PETER LÖWENBERG-NETO

Keyword(s):

Cladistic Analysis ◽

Sister Group ◽

Morphological Characters ◽

Biological Data ◽

Lower Half ◽

Evolutionary Trends ◽

Phylogenetic Hypothesis ◽

Old World ◽

Male Characters ◽

Median Width

This study presents a cladistic analysis of the Neotropical Philornis species based on morphological characters of adults and larvae, as well as biological data on larvae. Forty-one species of Philornis were used in the analysis, which was based on a total of 64 characters and included six outgroup taxa, half of which belong to Passeromyia Rodhain & Villeneuve, an Old World genus that shows the same variety of associations with birds as Philornis. Four most parsimonious cladograms (242 steps in length; ci=30; ri=69) were produced. According to the analysis, the genus Philornis is supported by the following synapomorphies (adults): only the pre-scutellar pair of acrostichal postsutural setae developed and setulae on anepimeron present. The resulting phylogenetic hypothesis (strict consensus) shows a basal polytomy that includes the species that traditionally correspond to the “aitkeni-group”. This group is mainly defined by male characters, which are known for only about half of these species. The next clade is divided into two others, the first one supported by the homoplasies: cheek hairs yellow; setulae on anepimeron black on upper half and yellow on lower half and proepimeral hairs yellow. This group traditionally corresponds to the “falsificus-group” and more data on the biology of the species will certainly clarify and/or confirm their relationships. Philornis downsi Dodge & Aitken is the sister group of all the remaining Philornis species. This third clade corresponds to the “angustifrons-group”, defined in this analysis by the following synapomorphies: concave shape of posterior end of puparium and the median width of female frons. These “traditional” groups, the relationships among the species and their evolutionary trends are discussed.

Download Full-text

Review of the subgenus Xizicus (Xizicus) Gorochov, 1993 (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Meconematinae) from China

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.4247.1.9 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 4247 (1) ◽

pp. 68

Author(s):

JIYUAN FENG ◽

FUMING SHI ◽

SHAOLI MAO

Keyword(s):

Posterior Margin ◽

Type Species ◽

Abdominal Tergite ◽

The Other ◽

Subgenital Plate ◽

Lateral Margins

Gorochov (1993) erected the subgenus Xizicus (Xizicus), with the type species Xizicus (Xizicus) fascipes (Bey-Bienko, 1955). This subgenus is distinguished from the other subgenera of Xizicus by the following characters: male tenth abdominal tergite with a pair of contiguous posterior processes in the middle; subgenital plate simple, styli slender, located on the apices or subapices of lateral margins; posterior margin of female subgenital plate rounded.

Download Full-text

Three new species of Byrsopteryx Flint microcaddisflies from Peru (Insecta: Trichoptera) including DNA-based larval associations

PeerJ ◽

10.7717/peerj.12645 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 ◽

pp. e12645

Author(s):

Allan P.M. Santos ◽

Daniela Maeda Takiya

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Posterior Margin ◽

Coi Gene ◽

Membranous Structure ◽

Close Phylogenetic Relationship ◽

Subgenital Plate ◽

Viii And Ix ◽

Segment Viii ◽

Coi Sequences ◽

Three New Species

In this paper, we have described and illustrated three new species of Byrsopteryx from Peru: Byrsopteryx inti, sp. nov. Byrsopteryx mamaocllo sp. nov., and Byrsopteryx mancocapac sp. nov. Larvae of the latter two were also associated to male specimens based on comparison of a fragment of COI gene and pharate male identification. Byrsopteryx inti sp. nov. and Byrsopteryx mamaocllo sp. nov. share a unique feature: a semi-dome process formed by a thickened area on male forewings. The three species can be easily identified by wing coloration and male genitalia. Furthermore, Byrsopteryx inti sp. nov. can be recognized by its sternum VIII with a median digitate process on posterior margin, slightly capitate; and by long dorsolateral processes from segment VIII, which cross each other apically in dorsal view. Byrsopteryx mamaocllo sp. nov. can be distinguished by sternum VIII bearing a pair of short, posterior, spinelike processes, which are curved inwards and bordered by a rounded, membranous structure, and by a pair of short, heavily sclerotized, dorsolateral processes. Byrsopteryx mancocapac sp. nov. can be distinguished by strong spine-like processes arising dorsally from subgenital plate and by sternum VIII with posterior margin divided into two plate-like lobes. Larvae of B. mamaocllo sp. nov. and B. mancocapac sp. nov. are similar to other Byrsopteryx larvae known. They can be distinguished from each other by the shape of the operculum formed by terga VIII and IX, and number of setae on the second abdominal pleurite. Maximum likelihood analyses of 20 COI sequences, including nine Byrsopteryx species, placed B. inti sp. nov. and B. mamaocllo sp. nov. as sister species and related to a clade including B. gomezi, B. tapanti, and B. esparta, while B. mancocapac sp. nov. was found as sister to B. abrelata. Despite the close phylogenetic relationship found between B. inti sp. nov. and B. mamaocllo sp. nov., they are separated by 14.9% minimum K2P divergence of COI. The highest intraspecific distance observed was 1.4% for B. mancocapac sp. nov. individuals. Although the Peruvian caddisfly fauna has around 320 known species and almost a third of them are microcaddisflies, in this paper we present the first descriptions of Byrsopteryx species for the country.

Download Full-text

Contribution to the knowledge of Chinese Gryllacrididae (Orthoptera) IV: New additions of Chinese Furcilarnaca Gorochov, 2004

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.5087.2.5 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 5087 (2) ◽

pp. 335-356

Author(s):

JING LIU ◽

XIANGYI WU ◽

XUN BIAN

Keyword(s):

Phylogenetic Analysis ◽

Control Region ◽

Phylogenetic Relationships ◽

Genetic Information ◽

Significant Variation ◽

Abdominal Tergite ◽

Valid Species ◽

Mitochondrial Genomes ◽

Subgenital Plate ◽

Normal University

Based on the specimens from Guangxi and Yunnan deposited in the Guangxi Normal University, the paper is firstly reported the female sex of two known species from China, viz. Furcilarnaca armata (Bey-Bienko, 1957) and Furcilarnaca forceps (Bey-Bienko, 1962). The female of Furcilarnaca armata (Bey-Bienko, 1957) is very similar to Furcilarnaca chiangdao in seventh abdominal tergite and subgenital plate, and they may belong to the same species. After examining the female subgenital plate of Furcilarnaca chirurga (Bey-Bienko, 1962), we treat Furcilarnaca hirta as a valid species. Mitochondrial genomes of six specimens of three Furcilarnaca species were sequenced and annotated in this study. The organization and gene content of new sequenced mitogenomes were conserved, except for significant variation of the control region. All the PCGs started with the typical ATN codons and most ended with complete TAA or TAG codons. Combined with five mitogenomes in NCBI, a total of twelve specimens (including one outgroup) were used in phylogenetic analysis based on 13 PCGs. The result revealed that Furcilarnaca was a monophyletic group. These data will provide more meaningful genetic information and validate the phylogenetic relationships within the Gryllacrididae.

Download Full-text

One new species of the genus Xizicus (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Meconematinae) from Chongqing, China

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.4286.4.12 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 4286 (4) ◽

pp. 593

Author(s):

HAI-JIAN WANG ◽

FU-MING SHI

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Posterior Margin ◽

Abdominal Tergite ◽

Ventral Surface ◽

The Other ◽

Base Area ◽

Subgenital Plate ◽

One New Species

The paper described one new species from Chongqing, China, i.e. Xizicus (Eoxizicus) simianshanensis sp. nov., it resembles Xizicus (Eoxizicus) divergentis (Liu & Zhang, 2000) and Xizicus (Eoxizicus) xiai (Liu & Zhang, 2000), but differs from the latter in: posterior processes of male tenth abdominal tergite straight; inner margin of base area of cerci with a notch, the other area of ventral surface after it enlarged inwards, with distinct edge; subgenital plate with posterior margin narrow, with styli stout and short.

Download Full-text

Contribution toward a monograph of the genus Ascosphaera

Canadian Journal of Botany ◽

10.1139/b88-346 ◽

1988 ◽

Vol 66 (12) ◽

pp. 2541-2560 ◽

Cited By ~ 31

Author(s):

John Bissett

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Identification Key ◽

Megachile Rotundata ◽

Early Instar ◽

Leaf Cutting ◽

Alfalfa Leaf ◽

Three New Species ◽

Herbarium Collections

Cultures and herbarium collections of the previously described species of Ascosphaera were studied. Additional observations are reported on Ascosphaera strains associated with the alfalfa leaf-cutting bee, Megachile rotundata (Fab.). Three new species of Ascosphaera are described, all occurring in brood cells of the alfalfa leaf-cutting bee. Ascosphaera larvis sp.nov., with short, ellipsoidal ascospores, was frequently associated with a chalkbrood-like disease in early-instar larvae. Ascosphaera pollenicola sp.nov., a homothallic species with subcylindric ascospores, most often occurred on pollen provisions in brood cells. Ascosphaera variegata sp.nov., with conspicuously mottled ascomatal walls, was isolated from pollen and also from larvae that had died from undetermined causes. Descriptions and an identification key are provided for the 11 species of Ascosphaera currently recognized.

Download Full-text