New Techniques for Seed Shape Description in Silene Species

Seed shape in Silene species is often described by means of adjectives such as reniform, globose, and orbicular, but the application of seed shape for species classification requires quantification. A method for the description and quantification of seed shape consists in the comparison with geometric models. Geometric models based on mathematical equations were applied to characterize the general morphology of the seeds in 21 species of Silene. In addition to the previously described four models (M1 is the cardioid, and M2 to M4 are figures derived from it), we present four new geometric models (model 5–8). Models 5 and 6 are open cardioids that resemble M3, quite different from the flat models, M2 and M4. Models 7 and 8 were applied to those species not covered by models 2 to 6. Morphological measures were obtained to describe and characterize the dorsal view of the seeds. The analyses done on dorsal views revealed a notable morphological diversity and four groups were identified. A correlation was found between roundness of dorsal view and the geometric models based on lateral views, such that some of the groups defined by seed roundness are also characterized by the similarity to particular models. The usefulness of new morphological tools of seed morphology to taxonomy is discussed.

Nesobasis rito sp. nov. (Zygoptera: Coenagrionidae), a new species of forest damselfly from Vanua Levu, Fiji

Nesobasis rito sp. nov. (Holotype ♂, Fiji, Vanua Levu, Drawa, 31 v 2018, A. Rivas-Torres leg.) from the comosa group is here described, illustrated, diagnosed, and compared with morphologically close species of the genus. Nesobasis rito can be distinguished from its related congeners by the shape of the caudal appendages and the ligula. The most similar species are N. comosa and N. heteroneura, which, like N. rito, have the caudal appendages covered by dense setae (especially the first species), but the shape differs clearly in lateral view, with N. rito having longer and more slender appendages, and a basal tooth clearly seen in dorsal view, absent in other members of the comosa group. The specific status of the collected specimens is also supported by the results of genetic analyses, where N. rito appears as a well-supported monophyletic clade. Nesobasis rito also has a distinct distribution from its most similar congeners: it is found on Vanua Levu, while N. comosa is found on Viti Levu and the closely related N. heteroneura is found on Viti Levu and Ovalau. All species of this group are found in streams with native forest riparian vegetation on their respective islands.

An owlfly larva preserved in Mexican amber and the Miocene record of lacewing larvae

Neuroptera (lacewings) is today a rather small lineage of Holometabola. These representatives of Insecta have mostly predatory larvae with prominent venom-injecting stylets formed by upper and lower jaws. These impressive larvae can be found not only in the modern fauna, but sometimes also as fossils, predominantly preserved in amber. Here we report a new specimen of a lacewing larva from Miocene Mexican amber, most likely a larva of an owlfly (Ascalaphidae) with large prominent stylets, each with three teeth. These stylets arise from a more or less square-shaped head (in dorsal view) that has distinct eye hills with at least three simple eyes (stemmata) each. The trunk is rather short. Trunk segments possess finger-like protrusions carrying numerous setae, which could have been used to attach camouflaging debris to it. Remarkably, the specimen represents only the second report of a lacewing from Miocene Mexican amber, and the first larva. Additionally, we review the Miocene record of lacewing larvae. It includes otherwise only fossils preserved in Dominican amber and remains rather scarce, with only eight specimens in the literature so far. While there seem to be additional specimens in private collections, the overall number is astonishingly low compared to the numbers in Eocene and Cretaceous ambers. Ecological and taphonomic factors possibly explaining the rarity of lacewing larvae in Miocene amber are discussed here.

A new species and a new record of the ant genus Ooceraea Roger, 1862 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Dorylinae) from Thailand

Currently, 16 species of the genus Ooceraea Roger, 1862 are known from the Oriental, Australian and Oceanian realms, but no identified species have ever been recorded from Thailand. Here Ooceraea siamensis sp. n. is described from Thailand based on the worker and dealate queen. The new species is most similar to O. biroi (Forel, 1907), a species widely distributed across tropical and subtropical regions of the world, but can be distinguished from the latter by postpetiole slightly longer than broad in dorsal view (clearly shorter than broad in O. biroi), by foveae on first gastral tergite and sternite denser and coarser (weak in O. biroi), and by smaller size (head width in new species 0.33–0.38 mm while in O. biroi 0.46–0.49 mm). The type series of the new species was collected from a colony in soil and partly in a coconut seed. Ooceraea duadridentata Yamada, Luong et Eguchi, 2018 is recorded from Thailand for the first time.

First record of Mothocya arrosor Bruce, 1986 parasitizing Euleptorhamphus viridis (van Hasselt, 1823) from India

The first record of Mothocya arrosor Bruce, 1986 parasitizing ribbon halfbeak fish Euleptorhamphus viridis is here reported from the southeast coast of India. The important characters distinguishing M. arrosor from other species in the genus include the body slightly twisted to one side, dorsum weakly convex, coxae of pereonites 6 and 7 distinctly rounded, pleon more completely overlapped by pereonite 7, pleonite 1 scarcely visible in dorsal view, uropod peduncle longer than rami, lacking strongly convex medial and lateral margins. The damage of gill rakers and erosion of gill lamellae were the acute gross lesions observed as a result of isopod infestation.

The rediscovery of Pimelodella longipinnis (Borodin, 1927), an enigmatic Atlantic Rainforest catfish species from Southeastern Brazil (Siluriformes: Heptapteridae)

This article is a redescription of Pimelodella longipinnis, an enigmatic catfish previously known only from its holotype and with uncertain type locality. The species is redescribed based on recently collected materials from streams of the Mata Atlântica bioregion, in Santos municipality, São Paulo State, Brazil. Pimelodella longipinnis is assigned to a putatively monophyletic group, the Pimelodella leptosoma-group, diagnosed by the presence of a supraoccipital process not reaching the anterior nuchal plate, with a gap of ca. 20-25% of the supraoccipital process total length, and whose tip notably surpasses the midpoint of the complex vertebra in dorsal view. We also present a list of fish species described from a shipping sent to the American Museum of Natural History from the former Museu Paulista (now Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo), of which P. longipinnis was part.

Three new species of caddisflies (Trichoptera, Hydroptilidae, Polycentropodidae, Leptoceridae) from Khon Phapheng Waterfall, the Mekong River, Laos

The Mekong River is a hotspot area for freshwater biodiversity, but caddisfly diversity is largely understudied. Three new species of caddisflies from three different families are described and illustrated from Khon Phapheng Waterfall, the Mekong River, Laos; Orthotrichia choengthongi Malicky & Laudee, sp. nov. (Hydroptilidae), Pseudoneureclipsis khonphaphengensis Malicky & Thamsenanupap, sp. nov. (Polycentropodidae), and Setodes karrilai Malicky & Laudee, sp. nov.Orthotrichia choengthongi Malicky & Laudee, sp. nov. can be differentiated from the most similar Orthotrichia tritonMalicky 2008 by the specific shape of segment X which is long and tubular, pointed apically and curved inward then immediately upward in dorsal view. Pseudoneureclipsis khonphaphengensis Malicky & Thamsenanupap, sp. nov. differs from the similar P. kaineus Malicky & Bunlue in Malicky et al. 2004 by the shape of the inferior appendages that are usually broad, almost circular in lateral view. Setodes karrilai Malicky & Laudee, sp. nov. is mainly different to S. omphale Malicky & Changthong in Malicky et al. 2004 by the distal part of segment X which has a brush-like process.

A new species of the genus Microhyla Tschudi, 1838 (Amphibia: Anura: Microhylidae) from eastern India with notes on Indian species

A new species of the genus Microhyla, Microhyla bengalensis sp. nov., described from West Bengal state, India. The new species is distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following morphological characters: 1) Small in size (SVL= 16.2 mm. in male); 2) truncated snout in dorsal view; 3) head wider than long (HW: HL= 1.36); 4) canthus rostralis and tympanum are indistinct; 5) nostril placed on the dorsal side of the snout; 6) tibiotarsal articulation not reaching the eye; 7) fingers and toes without disc; 8) toe webbing basal; 9) thigh and foot length are equal and smaller than shank; 10) skin tuberculated on dorsum; 11) 'teddy bear' dark brown mark on dorsum; 12) an inverted 'V'-shaped dark brown mark above the vent. A comparative morphological data of all the 14 Indian species of Microhyla is also provided.

Illustrated key to the species included in the genus Petalops Amyot & Serville, 1843 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Coreidae: Coreinae: Acanthocephalini), with description of four new species and new distributional notes

Four new species of Petalops Amyot & Serville, 1843 are described: P. graziae from Brazil, P. jactatus from Ecuador, P. lautus from Colombia, and P. necopinus from Peru. A revised key to all known species (16) is included. New distributional data are given for P. ambiguous Brailovsky, 1991, P. bellator Brailovsky, 1991, P. luteomaculosus Brailovsky, 1991, P. occulta Brailovsky, 1991, and P. thoracicus (Thunberg), 1783. Dorsal view photos are added of all the known species.

Three new species of Heteromysis (Crustacea: Mysida) from coral reef aquaria in Florida and Central Europe

Three new species of the genus Heteromysis S.I. Smith, 1873 (tribus Heteromysini), are described from a rich stock of mysids obtained on request from the international community of professional aquarium keepers. The 18S rDNA and COI sequences of the three species were distinct from each other and also from other sequences published in DNA databases. Heteromysis (Olivemysis) schoenbrunnensis sp. nov. is morphologically characterized within the subgenus Olivemysis based on the structure of the first and second antennae, male pleopods, uropods, and telson. Heteromysis (Heteromysis) gulfarii sp. nov. is outstanding within the subgenus Heteromysis by sexually dimorphic modified setae on the antennular trunk. These setae are non-dimorphic in the very similar Heteromysis (Heteromysis) korntalensis sp. nov. Both species H. gulfarii and to a lesser degree also H. korntalensis show modified eyes, subquadrate in dorsal view, eyestalks anteriorly tapering in lateral view; small, well-developed cornea implanted laterally on modified eyestalk. Apart from eye structure H. gulfarii and H. korntalensis clearly fall morphologically within the nominotypical subgenus Heteromysis.