Translation of N.B.K. Sänger’s (1871) “Peripatus capensis Gr. and Peripatus leuckartii n. sp.” (Onychophora), along with remarks about the author and significance of his work

ABSTRACT The basic biology of onychophorans was revealed slowly and controversially during much of the 19th century. Communications were in Latin, French, Spanish, German and English. This information was synthesised in the monumental monographs of Bouvier in 1905 and 1907. However, amongst this multicultural endeavour is a significant Russian contribution by Nikolai Sänger, a student of Professor Leuckart of the Zoological Institute in Leipzig, Germany. Sänger requested a specimen of Onychophora from the Institute’s collection for serial sectioning. This resulted in a detailed account of the anatomy of Peripatopsis capensis. Sänger’s description of the extensive slime glands was the first to recognise them as the hallmark of onychophorans for defence and prey capture, and not the male reproductive system as previously claimed. Based on these morphological observations, he correctly concluded that onychophorans are not hermaphrodites and, furthermore, are “predominantly predaceous” animals. He further appropriately assigned the slime glands and salivary glands to the slime papilla segment, despite the lack of embryological data at that time. Sänger also identified the excretory organs (nephridia) and their openings, although he erroneously assigned them to a dual role of excretion and respiration. Moreover, he highlighted the importance of the position of the genital opening as a diagnostic character, described the ventral/preventral organs as “subcutaneous glandules”, identified the neurilemma enclosing the central nervous system, and recognised “oval holes of different sizes” in each nerve cord that were subsequently demonstrated to represent giant fibres. Of interest to parasitologists, he discovered a larval acanthocephalan encysted within the cutaneous muscles of his specimen of P. capensis, suggesting that onychophorans act as a secondary host for this parasite. Sänger’s memoir concludes with a brief but important description of the first species of Onychophora recorded from Australia, “northwest of Sydney, New Holland”. This species is now known as Euperipatoides leuckartii with a neotype designated from a specific location northwest of Sydney.

Macrodinychus tanduk sp. nov., an unusual new macrodinychid species from Sumatra, Indonesia (Mesostigmata Uropodina), with notes on the Macrodinychidae fam. nov.

A new diagnosis and the type genus of Macrodinychidae fam. nov. are given with the description of a new and very extreme macrodinychid mite (Macrodinychus tanduk sp. nov.) from Sumatra, Indonesia. The two horn-like processes formed on the anterior region of idiosoma, a strongly sclerotized half-ring-like court situated posterior to genital opening and the large and semicircular pygidial shield are unusual character states within the family Macrodinychidae. A new, updated key to the macrodinychid species is given.

Hylesia continua (Walker, 1865) (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) en una localidad del norte de Colombia: dimorfismo en pupas y lepidopterismo

Sexual dimorphism in pupae of Hylesia continua, is presented. The length and width are higher in females than males. The genital opening is between the eighth and ninth abdominal segments in females and in the ninth in males. Two cases of lepidopterism caused by this species are also reported.

A new species ofTritonia(Opisthobranchia: Nudibranchia: Tritoniidae) from the tropical South Atlantic Ocean

A new species of the family Tritoniidae is described from the tropical South Atlantic Ocean. The animal was found off north-east Brazil.Tritonia khaleesisp. nov. is up to 12 mm long, with a slender white body, of which the notum is covered with one broad white band extending from between the eyes and veil to the tail; veil with 4 velar appendages; retractable white rhinophores; rhinophoral sheath with fleshy extension; seven pairs of branchial plumes; the anus is located between the 3rd and 4th gills on the right side, and the genital opening is under the 2nd gill. Internally,T. khaleesisp. nov. is distinguished from other tritoniids by jaws with 10–14 rows of denticles on the inner lips, absence of stomach plates and the radular formula 32 × 2–5.1.1.1.2–5 teeth.Tritonia khaleesisp. nov. is the onlyTritoniathat possesses a unicuspid rachidian tooth as an adult.

A new species ofMarionia(Opisthobranchia: Nudibranchia: Tritoniidae) from the tropical South Atlantic Ocean

A new species of the family Tritoniidae is described for the tropical South Atlantic Ocean. The animal was found off north-east Brazil.Marionia limceanasp. nov. is up to 31 mm long, with a sturdy white body, of which the notum is covered with two rows of red polygons running from the rhinophores to the tail; notum with tubers; bi-lobed veil with 16 velar papillae; retractable white rhinophores; 11–14 pairs of branchial plumes; the anus is located below the 4th gill on the right side, and the genital opening is under the 3rd gill. Internally,M. limceanasp. nov. is distinguished from other tritoniids by jaws with three or four rows of denticles on the inner lips, a belt of 18 stomach plates; and the radular formula 26 × 26–32.1.1.1.26–32 teeth. The animal was found feeding on octocorals of a species of the new genusStragulum, and is the first reported nudibranch to feed on this genus.

Catatropis pakistanensis n. sp. (Trematoda: Notocotylidae) from Northern shovelers, Anas clypeata (Anatidae: Aves) from Pakistan with some remarks on the history of Catatropis species

Five out of 15 free-ranging Northern shovelers (Anas clypeata Linneus) caught in Pakistan were infected with notocotylid trematodes. Out of the 31 flukes, 10 specimens were used morphological studies, 4 others were also examined by scanning electron microscopy and one remaining trematode was cut in serial semi-thin sections for histological evaluation in order to describe a new species. Like all species of this genus, Catatropis pakistanensis n. sp has a median ridge starting posterior to the basis of the cirrus sac and extends posterior to the ovary. Bilateral to this ridge there are two rows of 9–10 ventral papillae each. Metraterm and cirrus sac are equally in length. In contrast to most other Catatropis spp. the genital opening in C. pakistanensis is situated between the oral sucker and bifurcation of the caeca.

Development of Loxosceles intermedia Mello-Leitão (1934) (Araneae, Sicariidae) genital tract

We examined the post-embryonic development of the male and female genital apparatus of the brown spider, Loxosceles intermedia. The development of the genital apparatus for both sexes begins with the appearance of inner structures. In the male genital apparatus, formation of the testes occurs first, followed by differentiation of the duct, ampulla and vas deferens, and finally the formation of the genital opening and differentiation of the copulatory organ (secondary sexual characteristic). Similarly, the development of the female genital apparatus begins with the formation of the ovaries, followed by the appearance of oocytes in vitellogenesis, then the development of oviducts and uterus internus and, finally, the spermatheca. These data may be very important in further comparative studies on the development of the reproductive system of spiders.

Halacarus socius (Acari: Halacaridae), description of the male and diagnoses of species of the Halacarus actenos group

Amongst the about a dozen halacarid species from a shore of Mauritius, the genus Halacarus was represented by a single species, Halacarus socius Bartsch, 1992. The species was once described on the basis of females collected on Moorea, Society Islands, Pacific Ocean, now a description of the male is added and that of the female supplemented. Halacarus socius seems to be wide-spread in the Indo-Pacific region. Halacarus tritoni Otto is a synonym. Halacarus socius is a member of the H. actenos group, a group characterized by the combination: posterior dorsal plate absent in both females and males, ocular plates small or lacking, with or without a cornea, apodemes of anterior and posterior epimeral plates long, female genitoanal plate with rather uniform cerotegumental cover and two pairs of perigenital setae adjacent to the genital opening, one pair (rarely two pairs) of perigenital setae anterior to the genitoanal plate, one or two bipectinate setae on tibia II, no tines on shaft of claws but paired claws often with tines on the accessory process. Species attributed to this group are diagnosed.

Reproductive characteristics of Calyptogena gallardoi (Bivalvia: Vesicomyidae) from a methane seep area off Concepción, Chile

Calyptogena gallardoi is a vesicomyid bivalve inhabiting a methane seep area located at a depth of 740–870 m off the Bay of Concepción, Chile. Vesicomyids host chemoautotrophic sulphide-oxidizing endosymbiont bacteria and are always found associated to reducing environments. In this study, the gonadal structure and the gametes produced by C. gallardoi are described. Light microscopy is used to examine serial histological sections of the gonads, and scanning electron microscopy is used to visualize the external morphology of gametes. The gonads of both males and females are organized in ramified tubular acini. In males, mature sperm are stored near genital openings in acini lined with a secretor epithelium that resembles a seminal receptacle. Spermatozoids have bullet-like heads with an average length of 30.3±2.6 μm (mean±1 SD). In females, the mature oocytes are driven toward the genital opening through evacuator conduits lined by ‘paddle’ cilia. The average diameter of oogonias is 11.6±2.5 μm and that of mature oocytes is 273.8±23.1 μm, making the size of the mature oocyte among the largest reported for bivalves. In addition, C. gallardoi is shown to have external sexual dimorphism. Shells of males are significantly smaller and more elongated with sloping postero-dorsal margin compared with shells of females. The data are discussed in the context of available information on reproductive biology of vesicomyids.