New distributional, biological and taxonomic information on the genus Eulophinusia Girault (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae)

The genus Eulophinusia Girault (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), previously known from Australia and India, is newly recorded from the Americas (Canada, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic). The morphological diagnosis of the genus is enhanced through the discovery of an unnoticed and unique feature - an intricate jigsaw-like microsculptural pattern on the mesoscutellum. The new species described here, Eulophinusia andreamezae Hansson, is a hyperparasitoid. The majority of the Costa Rican specimens of this species were reared from pupae of Hypomicrogaster largus Valerio (Braconidae: Microgastrinae) that had parasitized a caterpillar of Anadasmus Janzen11 (Lepidoptera: Depressariidae) feeding on Ocotea insularis (Lauraceae).

ITIS and the Global Taxonomic Backbone

The Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) provides a regularly updated, global database that currently contains over 868,000 scientific names and their hierarchy. The program exists to communicate a comprehensive taxonomy of global species across 7 kingdoms that enables biodiversity information to be discovered, indexed, and connected across all human endeavors. ITIS partners with taxonomists and experts across the world to assemble scientific names and their taxonomic relationships, and then distributes that data through publicly available software. A single taxon may be represented by multiple scientific names, so ITIS makes it a priority to provide synonymy. Linking valid or accepted names with their subjective and objective synonyms is a key component of name translation and increases the precision of searches and organization of information. ITIS and its partner Species2000 create the Catalogue of Life (CoL) checklist that provides quality scientific name data for over 2.2M species. The CoL is the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) taxonomic backbone. Providing automated open access to complete, current, literature-referenced, and expert-validated taxonomic information enables biological data management systems, and is elemental to enhancing the utility of the amassed scientific data across the world. Fully leveraging this information for the public good is crucial for empowering the global digital society to confront the most pressing social and environmental challenges.

On the genus Mimela Kirby, 1823 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae) from China and adjacent countries, with description of five new species

Five new species of the leaf chafer genus Mimela Kirby, 1823 are described from China: M. prodigiosa Zhao, new species, M. semirubra Zhao, new species, M. varichroma Zhao, new species and M. admixta Zhao, new species from Yunnan as well as M. latimarginata Zhao, new species from Hainan. New faunistic and taxonomic information on species from China and adjacent countries are provided. Type material of M. sericea Ohaus, 1905 and M. soror Arrow, 1908 is illustrated for the first time.

New species and records of Entomobryidae and Orchesellidae (Collembola) from the East Caucasus (Russia)

We studied Entomobryidae and Orchesellidae springtails collected throughout Chechnya, Ingushetia, and Dagestan, Russia. Three new species of the genus Entomobrya (E. multisetis sp. nov., E. hirsutothorax sp. nov., and E. kremenitsai sp. nov.), and one of Entomobryoides (E. dagestanicus sp. nov.) are described. Taxonomic information for Entomobrya nicoleti (Lubbock, 1868), Willowsia potapovi Zhang et al., 2011, and Heteromurus nitidus (Templeton, 1836) in Templeton & Westwood 1836 from the Caucasus are given.

New distribution record of Hoya sipitangensis Kloppenb. & Wiberg (Apocynaceae, Asclepiadoideae) from Palawan, Philippines

We report Hoya sipitangensis Kloppenb. & Wiberg for the first time on Palawan Island, Philippines. This record extends its distribution northward from Borneo to the Philippines. Additional taxonomic information and photographs from field collections are provided.

PEMBARUAN TAKSONOMI, SEBARAN SPESIES DAN KUNCI IDENTIFIKASI NYAMUK DEWASA TRIBE FICALBIINI (DIPTERA: CULICIDAE) DI INDONESIA

Indonesia is an archipelago that has complex biodiversity and distribution of fauna, including mosquitoes. Indonesia currently has around 456 species of mosquitoes and is the second-largest in the world. Update on the information about the species list and distribution of mosquitoes in Indonesia compiled by O'Connor and Sopa (1981) have never been conducted for nearly 40 years. The purpose of this study is to convey taxonomic updates and species distribution as well as the key to identifying mosquito in the tribe Ficalbiini in Indonesia. The Ficalbiini tribe consists of the genus Ficalbia and Mimomyia. The author has reviewed some literature about taxonomic information, species distribution, and morphological characters of tribe Ficalbiini members. The list of species and their distribution updated with literature study and mosquitoes collection from Rikhus Vektora 2015 – 2018 organized by Balitbangkes, Ministry of Health, Indonesia. The mosquitoes were identified on the spot and confirmed in the laboratory. Identification results also have undergone an appeal with external parties. Indonesia currently has 11 species in the tribe Ficalbiini, namely Ficalbia ludlowae, Fi. minima, Mimomyia elegans, Mi. luzonensis, Mi. fusca, Mi. mogii, Mi. aurea, Mi. chamberlaini, Mi. flavens, Mi. hybrida, and Mi. modesta. Mimomyia mogii and Mi. aurea are two additional species to the species list compiled by O'Connor and Sopa (1981). The species of the tribe Ficalbiini spread throughout Indonesia, except in the Maluku islands. The identification key for species in the tribe Ficalbiini in Indonesia has never been available before. Thus, species identification key for female mosquitoes in the tribe Ficalbiini included in this paper as well.

The Unequal Taxonomic Signal of Mosquito Wing Cells

Accurate identification of mosquito species is critically important for monitoring and controlling the impact of human diseases they transmit. Here, we investigate four mosquito species: Aedes aegypti, Ae. albopictus, Ae. scutellaris and Verrallina dux that co-occur in tropical and subtropical regions, and whose morphological similarity challenges their accurate identification, a crucial requirement in entomological surveillance programs. Previous publications reveal a clear taxonomic signal embedded in wing cell landmark configuration, as well as in the external contour of the wings. We explored this signal for internal cells of the wings as well, to determine whether internal cells could uniformly provide the same taxonomic information. For each cell to be tentatively assigned to its respective species, i.e., to measure the amount of its taxonomic information, we used the shape of its contour, rather than its size. We show that (i) the taxonomic signal of wing shape is not uniformly spread among internal cells of the wing, and (ii) the amount of taxonomic information of a given cell depends on the species under comparison. This unequal taxonomic signal of internal cells is not related to size, nor to apparent shape complexity. The strong taxonomic signal of some cells ensures that even partly damaged wings can be used to improve species recognition.

Four new species of Phrynus, Lamarck (Arachnida: Amblypygi) from Mexico

Mexico is the country with the largest diversity of the genus Phrynus (Amblypygi: Phrynidae); however, many species could remain hidden due to the conservative morphology of the group. Two of the Mexican species, P. operculatus, and P. jalisco show enough variation, between populations from different localities, to be considered as possible species complexes. The scarce taxonomic information of these species and the few analyses of their variation could cause misidentifications and sub estimation of the diversity. Specimens morphologically similar to P. operculatus from different Mexican localities were analyzed, using characters from the male and female genitals. Four new species are described, presenting illustrations of SEM for the male genitals. Details of the morphologic variation in this group of species are discussed, as well as the usefulness of sexual characters like the size proportions, and sclerotization in the female gonopods, and ornaments in males, to improve the diagnoses of the Mexican Phrynus. The known distribution of P. operculatus is large in comparison with those of the other species, after the result of this research, the possibility that it is a larger species complex is evident, thus, it is necessary to increase the morphologic and genetic population studies in this group.

Electron microscopy techniques.

This chapter provides information on the various procedures and techniques used for the preparation of plant parasitic and soil nematode samples for transmission and scanning electron microscopy studies regarding their ultrastructural information, morphogenesis, nematode-host interactions, responses to biotic and abiotic effects and as an important adjunct to taxonomic information.

Electron microscopy techniques.

This chapter provides information on the various procedures and techniques used for the preparation of plant parasitic and soil nematode samples for transmission and scanning electron microscopy studies regarding their ultrastructural information, morphogenesis, nematode-host interactions, responses to biotic and abiotic effects and as an important adjunct to taxonomic information.