Tsounkranaglenea hefferni gen. et sp. nov. from Sabah, Malaysia (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Lamiinae: Saperdini)

A new saperdine species belonging to a new genus, Tsounkranaglenea hefferni gen. et sp. nov., is described from Sabah, Malaysia. The new genus differs from other genera of the tribe Saperdini by the special male sternite VII modified into a rake-shape, with the apex of the ventral plate of the median lobe unusually emarginated.

A new species in the Simulium vernum group from the Northern Limestone Alps of Austria: Simulium hasekei (Diptera: Simuliidae)

Simulium hasekei new species is described from the Alps of Austria. It is characterized by a broad trapezoidal ventral plate in the male, long straight arms of the genital fork in the female, a well-developed anterodorsal projection on the weakly woven cocoon, and a deep rounded postgenal cleft and strong paralateral hypostomal teeth in the larva. The species is chromosomally most similar to the Holarctic S. bicorne Dorogostaisky, Rubtsov & Vlasenko and S. fontinale Radzivilovskaya and the Nearctic S. craigi Adler & Currie. It is known from one small ponor brook, in association with S. aureum (Fries) s. s., S. beltukovae (Rubtsov), and Simulium vernum Macquart s. s.

Small is beautiful: the first phylogenetic analysis of Bryodelphax Thulin, 1928 (Heterotardigrada, Echiniscidae)

The phyletic relationships both between and within many of tardigrade genera have been barely studied and they remain obscure. Amongst them is the cosmopolitan Bryodelphax, one of the smallest in terms of body size echiniscid genera. The analysis of newly-found populations and species from the Mediterranean region and from South-East Asia gave us an opportunity to present the first phylogeny of this genus, which showed that phenotypic traits used in classical Bryodelphax taxonomy do not correlate with their phyletic relationships. In contrast, geographic distribution of the analysed species suggests their limited dispersal abilities and seems to be a reliable predictor of phylogenetic affinities within the genus. Moreover, we describe three new species of the genus. Bryodelphax australasiaticussp. nov., by having the ventral plate configuration VII:4-4-2-4-2-2-1, is a new member of the weglarskae group with a wide geographic range extending from the Malay Peninsula through the Malay Archipelago to Australia. Bryodelphax decoratussp. nov. from Central Sulawesi (Celebes) also belongs to the weglarskae group (poorly visible ventral plates VII:4-2-2-4-2-2-1) and is closely related to the recently described Bryodelphax arenosus Gąsiorek, 2018, but is differentiated from the latter by well-developed epicuticular granules on the dorsum. Finally, a new dioecious species, Bryodelphax nigripunctatussp. nov., is described from Mallorca and, by the reduced ventral armature (II/III:2-2-(1)), it resembles Bryodelphax maculatus Gąsiorek et al., 2017. The latter species, known so far only from northern Africa, is recorded from Europe for the first time. A taxonomic key to the genus members is also presented.

Radiological analysis of the results of expandable implant insertion in one- to two-level cervical somatectomy

Introduction: The aim of the study was to radiologically analyse the results of expandable implant insertion in one- to two-level cervical spine somatectomy. Methods: A total of 28 patients undergoing one- to two-level somatectomy in cervical spine were postoperatively examined by CT. The following radiological parameters were studied: Cobb angle C2-7, segmental Cobb angle, implant subsidence and bone fusion. Results: The average Cobb angle of C2-7 in preoperative images was 13.7 degrees, 13.4 degrees in the early postoperative period (p=0.88), and 10.3 degrees (p=0.043) 2 years after the surgery. The average segmental Cobb angle in preoperative images was 4.4 degrees, 5.2 degrees in the early postoperative period (p=0.61), and 0.2 degrees (p=0.01) 2 years after the surgery. Significant implant subsidence was observed in 15 cases (53.6%). Grade I fusion was achieved in 6 cases (21.4%), grade II fusion in 12 cases (42.9%), and stable pseudoarthrosis (grade III) in 9 cases (32.1%). No cases of unstable pseudoarthrosis (grade IV) were detected. Conclusion: Implantation of an expandable vertebral body implant in one- to two-level cervical spine somatectomy with ventral plate fixation is a fully acceptable way to reconstruct the ventral column of the cervical spine, providing sufficient long-term stability of the cervical spine and instrumentation and an adequate cervical spine curve.

Contribution to the knowledge of the oribatid mite genus Zeasuctobelba (Acari, Oribatida, Suctobelbidae)

A new species of Zeasuctobelba (Oribatida, Suctobelbidae) is described from a moss Sphagnum magellanicum in swamp in southern Chile. Zeasuctobelba processa sp. nov. differs from all species of the genus by the presence of a median process on the anterior margin of the ventral plate (anterior part of epimere I), lateral sides of prodorsum with one pair of strong triangular processes and by bothridial setae having long setiform apices and long cilia. Revised generic diagnosis, identification key and data on distribution of known species of Zeasuctobelba are presented. Zeasuctobelba nodosa Hammer, 1966 and Z. arcuata Hammer, 1968 are excluded from Zeasuctobelba.

Description of a new Pergalumna (Acari: Oribatida: Galumnidae) species from Mexico and its postembryonic development

A new species of Pergalumna from soil and litter was reared in laboratory and a description of adult and juveniles is provided. Adults are characterized by having bands of striae in the posterior part of notogaster, the interlamellar seta are longer than all other prodorsal setae and the lenticular area covers most of the prodorsum. It differs from Pergalumna boliviana by having long interlamellar seta, bigger ellipsoidal porose area Aa and the presence of A2; it differs from Pergalumna paraboliviana by the shape of porose areas; i.e. Aa being ellipsoidal and big, A1 is the smallest, Ap is absent and there are longitudinal striate bands on the prodorsum and ventral plate.

The oribatid mite genus Topalia in Australia (Oribatida: Nosybeidae) and the taxonomic status of related families and genera

Five new species of Topalia (Nosybeidae) are described from Australia: Topalia caliginosa sp. nov. from Victoria, T. corinnensis sp. nov. from Tasmania, T. dunlopi sp. nov. and T. katyae sp. nov. from Norfolk Island and T. royi sp. nov. from New South Wales. The genus was known previously from Australia from unidentified specimens only. I revise the generic definition, provide a key to species and clarify the family placement and taxonomic status of Topalia, Nosybea, Lamellocepheus and Charassobates. From a phylogenetic analysis and identification of synapomorphies, I consider Topalia, Nosybea and Lamellocepheus are valid, morphologically related and included in the Nosybeidae. The superfamily Charassobatoidea is valid, and contains Charassobatidae, Nosybeidae and Microtegeidae. These families have synapomorphies of a narrow, elongate subcapitulum, minute notogastral setae with at least one pair in the d series retained in the adults (dm in Nosybeidae, dp or dm in Microtegeidae, full complement in Charassobates). Immatures of Nosybeidae and Microtegeidae are undescribed, but in Charassobates are eupheredermous, plicate, and the tritonymph has the full complement of setae in the d series. Charassobates and Topalia have the synapomorphy of a ventral plate tectum, providing strong evidence for their relatedness. By way of contrast, the Cepheoidea, in which Nosybeidae and Microtegeidae have been placed by various authors, have a broad subcapitulum, well-developed setiform notogastral setae positioned marginally and lacking the d series, and no ventral plate tectum. The immatures are eupheredermous but non-plicate and the tritonymph lacks setae in the d series. Based on these differences, Nosybeidae, Microtegeidae and Charassobatidae cannot be included in the Cepheoidea.

Redescription of adults of Simulium jeteri (Py-Daniel, Darwich, Mardini, Strieder & Coscarón, 2005) (Diptera: Simuliidae)

Simulium jeteri (Py-Daniel, Darwich, Mardini, Strieder & Coscarón, 2005) was not fully described, because only pharate male and female adults extracted from pupae were used for the original descriptions. Important diagnostic characters were either incompletely or poorly described. During field work in areas at the same hydrographic basin of the type-locality, we were able to rear adult stages. The main objective of this study is to redescribe the male and female of S. jeteri, providing a complete description, including morphological characteristics not reported before, such as, presence of a median ventral projection on male ventral plate and a bilobed anal lobe on female terminalia. Additional characters of pupae and larvae are given. The addition of new characters will be useful to better understand phylogenetic relationships among species in this group. Females of S. jeteri are not known to bite.

A new species of Cephaloecetes (Bubocorophiina) from the Iranian coasts of the Gulf of Oman and the Hormuz Strait (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Siphonoecetini)

The first member of Cephaloecetes in the north-western part of the Indian Ocean, Cephaloecetes ungulatus sp. nov., is described from Chabahar Bay, the Gulf of Oman and Qeshm Island in the western Hormuz Strait, Iran. The new species is characterized from the other two species of genus Cephaloecetes by a unique claw-shaped ventral plate on antenna 2 article 2.

New taxa of oribatid mites from Korup National Park (Cameroon). The genus Pergalumna (Acari, Oribatida, Galumnidae), with description of three new species and a key to known species from the Ethiopian region

Three new species of oribatid mites of the genus Pergalumna (Oribatida, Galumnidae) are described from litter and soil in the Korup National Park (Cameroon). Pergalumna jenoi sp. nov. differs from P. margaritata Mahunka, 1989 and P. pseudomargaritata Mahunka, 1994 by the presence of simple dorsosejugal suture, dentate anterior margin of the ventral plate, distinct reticulate pattern on the pteromorphs and dense stria on the genital plates, the localization of setal alveoli la posterior to porose areas Aa, and the absence of a median pore. Pergalumna tuberclesejugalis sp. nov. differs from P. margaritata and P. pseudomargaritata by the larger body size, the localization of porose areas Aa closer to lm than la, and setal alveoli h3 close and lateral to A2, the presence of sejugal porose areas, and the absence of a median pore and stria on the genital plates. Pergalumna grebennikovi sp. nov. differs from P. bifissurata Hammer, 1972 by the larger body size, the presence of smooth bothridial setae, well-developed interlamellar setae, reticulate anterior margin of pteromorphs, comparatively long prodorsal median ridge and a median pore, and the localization of setal alveoli la and porose areas Aa. An identification key to the known species of the genus Pergalumna from the Ethiopian region is presented.