New record of Kashmir Birch Mouse Sicista concolor leathemi (Thomas, 1893) (Rodentia: Sminthidae) in the Indian Himalaya

Birch mice are grouped under the monotypic genus Sicista Gray, 1827 and placed under the family Sminthidae. They are distributed over the Palearctic ream and the fragmented population of the species Sicista concolor reported from China, North Pakistan and India in Himalayan region. The present communication is a range extension of the Kashmir Birch mouse, Sicista concolor leathemi in Indian Himalaya and first report from Himachal Pradesh.

Morphology, anatomy and micromorphology of the genus Oliveria (Apiaceae)

Oliveria is a little-known, monotypic genus of the family Apiaceae. The only accepted species, O. decumbens, is distributed throughout Mesopotamia. It is an annual, aromatic plant that has been used in traditional medicine since ancient times. The aim of this study was to examine morphological, micromorphological, and anatomical characters of O. decumbens in order to increase the current botanical knowledge of this genus.

A new combination in Pseudolappula (Boraginaceae, Rochelieae) based on morphological, molecular and palynological evidence

Lappula sinaica was recently transferred to the monotypic genus Pseudolappula based on phylogenetic studies, while the related species, L. occultata, has remained in the genus Lappula. In this study, morphological, molecular, and palynological evidence supports that L. occultata should be transferred to the genus Pseudolappula. Both L. occultata and P. sinaica share a combination of nutlets features that distinguish them from Lappula: a longer adaxial keel and a linear attachment scar. Phylogenetic analysis based on ITS and trnL-F strongly supports L. occultata as the sister taxon of P. sinaica. In addition, pollen grains of these two species are 3-syncolporate with 3 alternating pseudocolpi, which is significantly different from the grains of Lappula taxa. Based on the above evidence, the new combination Pseudolappula occultata is proposed.

Rediscovering the rare short-winged unicorn katydid Toledopizia salesopolensis (Piza) (Tettigoniidae: Conocephalinae) from South and Southeastern Brazil: First description of male and bioacoustics

Toledopizia Chamorro-Rengifo & Braun, 2010 is a poorly known monotypic genus of Copiphorini. The only known specimen is the female type of T. salesopolensis (Piza, 1980). In this contribution, we present an updated description of this species, describing the unknown male, and provide biological and bioacoustic data. We also describe color variation, update the distribution data, and extend the known distribution of the species to two localities in Paraná State and another two in São Paulo State.

Julmarichardiidae, a new apseudoidean family (Crustacea: Tanaidacea: Apseudomorpha) with the description of a new species of Julmarichardia Guţu, 1995 from the Northwest Australian Shelf

A new tanaidacean family Julmarichardiidae is designated to receive the Indo-Pacific genus Julmarichardia Guţu. The new family is characterized by having a prominent rostrum, a strongly developed coxal process of pereopod-1 with plumose setae and sometimes spines, and the presence of mucus glands and packets throughout its body. The latter appear to be involved in the construction of a mucus domicile. Based on distinctive antennal and pereopodal characters, the South China Sea species, J. bajau Bamber & Sheader, is placed in a new monotypic genus. A second Australian species is described from specimens collected on the northwestern continental shelf from depths of 37 to 83 m. The new species can be distinguished from its sympatric congener J. gutui Ritger & Heard by a variety of characters, including the lack of setulose setae on the rostral margin and the posterior margin of pereopod-1 having three or fewer setulate setae. It differs from J. alinati Guţu, by the shape and/or spination of the rostrum, antennule, and antenna. Julmarichardia dollfusi (Guţu) is removed from Julmarichardia and designated as Metapseudidae incertae sedis. A key to the six species comprising the genus Julmarichardia is presented.

The genus Microniphargus (Crustacea, Amphipoda): evidence for three lineages distributed across northwestern Europe and transfer from Niphargidae to Pseudoniphargidae

Microniphargus leruthi Schellenberg, 1934 (Amphipoda: Niphargidae) was first described based on samples collected in Belgium and placed in a monotypic genus within the family Niphargidae. However, some details of its morphology as well as recent phylogenetic studies suggest that Microniphargus may be more closely related to Pseudoniphargus (Amphipoda: Pseudoniphargidae) than to Niphargus. Moreover, M. leruthi ranges over 1,469 km from Ireland to Germany, which is striking since only a few niphargids have confirmed ranges in excess of 200 km. To find out the phylogenetic position of M. leruthi and check whether it may be a complex of cryptic species, we collected material from Ireland, England and Belgium then sequenced fragments of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene as well as of the nuclear 28S ribosomal gene. Phylogenetic analyses of both markers confirm that Microniphargus is closer to Pseudoniphargus than to Niphargus, leading us to reallocate Microniphargus to Pseudoniphargidae. We also identify three congruent mito-nuclear lineages present respectively in Ireland, in both Belgium and England, and in England only (with the latter found in sympatry at one location), suggesting that M. leruthi is a complex of at least three species with a putative centre of origin in England.

A new genus of prosopid crabs (Decapoda: Brachyura: Dromiacea) from the Upper Jurassic of southern Germany

A new monotypic genus and species of brachyurans, Petersbuchia thauckei n. gen. n. sp., is described from southern Germany. The holotype, an incompletely preserved carapace, was collected from a thick-bedded spongiolithic limestone of the Upper Jurassic Treuchtlingen Formation (early late Kimmeridgian, Acanthicum Zone). Petersbuchia adds to the diversification hotspot of early true crabs within the sponge-microbial magnafacies along the northern shelve of the Tethys Ocean in general and to the brachyuran fauna of the Treuchtlingen Formation in special.

New insight into the taxonomic resolution of the genus Bythotrephes Leydig (Crustacea: Cladocera) based on molecular data from Central Europe

The taxonomic status of the genus Bythotrephes Leydig (Crustacea: Cladocera) has been debated since the second half of the XIX century. The most widespread view of recent decades has been that Bythotrephes is a monotypic genus, which was support by preliminary molecular data. However, the recent detailed morphological revision of this genus clearly distinguishes at least seven species. Therefore, we performed a multi-lake survey in Central Europe to give new insight into the taxonomic status of Bythotrephes by combining genetic analysis with traditional morphology-based taxonomy. Based on the morphology we identified two species in Central Europe, B. brevimanus and B. lilljeborgi, as well as hybrid forms. For the genetic analysis, we used newly obtained 113 sequences of mtDNA COI gene of the 535-bp length Bythotrephes from Central Europe and sequences downloaded from GenBank. There were no significant differences between all analyzed sequences, which supports the hypothesis that Bythotrephes is a monotypic genus, with only one highly polymorphic species. On the other hand, the results of our work could point out that the COI gene is insufficient to evaluate the taxonomic status of Bythotrephes. Nonetheless, we have identified 29 new haplotypes of mtDNA COI, and one which was the same as the haplotype found in North America and Finland. Furthermore, this haplotype was the source variant from which most other haplotypes were derived.

Description of the female of Witteulisna paraxena Volynkin (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae: Lithosiini)

The hitherto unknown female of Witteulisna paraxena Volynkin, 2020, the type species of the monotypic genus Witteulisna Volynkin, 2020 is described. Adults and female genitalia of W. paraxena and the similar taxa of the genera Teulisna Walker, 1862 and Thysanoptyx Hampson, 1894 are illustrated.