New species of Nearctic oak gall wasps (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae, Cynipini)

Twenty nine new species of cynipid oak gall wasps from the Nearctic region (America north of Mexico) are described: Andricus archboldi Melika & Abrahamson, sp. nov., A. catalinensis Melika, Nicholls & Stone, sp. nov., A. chapmanii Melika & Abrahamson, sp. nov., A. chiricahuensis Melika, Nicholls & Stone, sp. nov., A. coconinoensis Melika, Nicholls & Stone, sp. nov., A. columbiensis Melika, Nicholls & Stone, sp. nov., A. cooki Melika, Nicholls & Stone, sp. nov., A. fitzpatricki Melika & Abrahamson, sp. nov., A. highlandensis Melika, Nicholls & Stone, sp. nov., A. mellificus Nicholls, Stone & Melika, sp. nov., A. menkei Melika & Abrahamson, sp. nov., A. mogollonensis Melika, Nicholls & Stone, sp. nov., A. nichollsi Melika & Stone, sp. nov., A. schickae Nicholls, Melika & Stone, sp. nov., A. torreyaensis Melika & Abrahamson, sp. nov., A. williami Melika, Nicholls & Stone, sp. nov., Antron lovellae Melika, Nicholls & Stone, sp. nov., A.tomkursari Melika, Nicholls & Stone, sp. nov., Dryocosmus archboldi Melika & Abrahamson, sp. nov., Loxaulus virginianae Melika & Buss, sp. nov., Neuroterus alexandrae Nicholls & Melika, sp. nov., N. aliceae Melika, Nicholls & Stone, sp. nov., N. bussae Melika & Nicholls, sp. nov., N. oblongifoliae Nicholls, Stone & Melika, sp. nov., N. quaili Melika, Nicholls & Stone, sp. nov., N. rosieae Melika, Nicholls & Stone, sp. nov., N. stonei Melika & Nicholls, sp. nov., Zapatella abrahamsoni Melika, sp. nov., Z. brooksvillei Melika & Abrahamson, sp. nov.. Alternate asexual and sexual generations are described for four species, Andricus archboldi Melika & Abrahamson, sp. nov., A. fitzpatricki Melika & Abrahamson, sp. nov., A. schickae Nicholls, Melika & Stone, sp. nov., Neuroterus aliceae Melika, Nicholls & Stone, sp. nov.. Descriptions, diagnoses, plus information on biology and host associations are given for all new species. All taxa are supported by morphological data; matching of generations is established using DNA sequence data. We also demonstrate that Neuroterus niger var. alimas Kinsey should be considered as a nomen dubium.

Upside down: ‘Cryobatrachus’ and the lydekkerinid record from Antarctica

Temnospondyl amphibians are common in non-marine Triassic assemblages, including in the Fremouw Formation (Lower to Middle Triassic) of Antarctica. Temnospondyls were among the first tetrapods to be collected from Antarctica, but their record from the lower Fremouw Formation has long been tenuous. One taxon, ‘Austrobrachyops jenseni,’ is represented by a type specimen comprising only a partial pterygoid, which is now thought to belong to a dicynodont. A second taxon, ‘Cryobatrachus kitchingi,’ is represented by a type specimen comprising a nearly complete skull, but the specimen is only exposed ventrally, and uncertainty over its ontogenetic maturity and some aspects of its anatomy has led it to be designated as a nomen dubium by previous workers. Here, we redescribe the holotype of ‘C. kitchingi,’ an undertaking that is augmented by tomographic analysis. Most of the original interpretations and reconstructions cannot be substantiated, and some are clearly erroneous. Although originally classified as a lydekkerinid, the purported lydekkerinid characteristics are shown to be unfounded or no longer diagnostic for the family. We instead identify numerous features shared with highly immature capitosaurs, a large-bodied clade documented in the upper Fremouw Formation of Antarctica and elsewhere in the Lower Triassic. Additionally, we describe a newly collected partial skull from the lower Fremouw Formation that represents a relatively mature, small-bodied individual, which we provisionally refer to Lydekkerinidae; this specimen represents the most confident identification of a lydekkerinid from Antarctica to date.

Taxonomic revision of the Neotropical spiders of the genus Idiops Perty, 1833 (Araneae, Idiopidae), with description of four new species

Neotropical species of the genus Idiops Perty, 1833 are reviewed, and four new species are described from Brazil: I. duocordibus Fonseca-Ferreira, Guadanucci & Brescovit sp. nov., I. guri Fonseca-Ferreira, Guadanucci & Brescovit sp. nov., I. mocambo Fonseca-Ferreira, Guadanucci & Brescovit sp. nov. and I. sertania Fonseca-Ferreira, Guadanucci & Brescovit sp. nov. The majority of species are redescribed based on the examination of the types and extensive material. Males of I. petiti (Guérin, 1838), I. rastratus (Pickard-Cambrige, 1889), I. rohdei Karsch, 1886 and I. nilopolensis Mello-Leitão, 1923, and females of I. fuscus Perty, 1833 and I. pirassununguensis Fukami & Lucas, 2005, hitherto unknown, are described for the first time. Idiops nilopolensis, considered a nomen dubium, is revalidated. Idiops fulvipes Simon, 1889 is synonymized with I. argus Simon, 1889, and I. santaremius (Pickard-Cambrige, 1896) is synonymized with I. petiti. Neotypes are designated for Idiops fuscus, I. nilopolensis and I. siolii (Bücherl, 1953). Idiops bonapartei Hasselt, 1888 is considered species inquirendae, since the type is an immature female. Finally, an updated distribution map of Neotropical species is included. The genus now has 24 species in the Neotropical region.

Review of Brazilian species of Syneches Walker (Diptera, Hybotidae, Hybotinae), with description of ten new species

We increase the knowledge on the taxonomy of Brazilian Syneches describing 10 new species: S. amorimi sp. nov., S. barrettoi sp. nov., S. digitatus sp. nov., S. fasciatus sp. nov., S. flaviscutellatus sp. nov., S. fuscus sp. nov., S. nordestino sp. nov., S. plaumanni sp. nov., S. sinclairi sp. nov., and S. smithi sp. nov., and redescribing three species: S. catarinae Smith, 1962, S. luteus (Wiedemann, 1830) and S. tomentosus Smith, 1962. Syneches ruficollis (Walker, 1852) is proposed as a nomen dubium since the type is lost and the original description does not allow identification. An identification key, high-resolution images of relevant characters, short diagnoses and maps of geographic records for all 34 Brazilian species now included in the genus are provided, as well as a checklist for the South American species of Syneches.

Three new synonyms of Rhopalopsole sinensis Yang & Yang, 1993 (Plecoptera: Leuctridae)

We recently examined specimens of the Rhopalopsole from Hubei, Ningxia and Shaanxi, China and three new synonyms of Rhopalopsole sinensis Yang & Yang, 1993 are established: Rhopalopsole furcata Yang & Yang, 1994, Rhopalopsole hongpingana Sivec & Harper, 2008 and Rhopalopsole ningxiana Li & Yang, 2010 are synonymized with Rhopalopsole sinensis Yang & Yang, 1993. We also place Rhopalopsole furcospina (Wu, 1973) as a nomen dubium. Long hairs on the antennae of R. sinensis thought to be diagnostic also occur on Rhopalopsole ampulla Du & Qian, 2011, Rhopalopsole exiguspina Du & Qian, 2011, and Rhopalopsole memorabilis Qian & Du, 2014. We provide new images of several species to facilitate identification.

Zoonom: Gathering the concepts of zoological nomenclature in an electronic thesaurus

Zoological nomenclature, the discipline of taxonomy responsible for managing the scientific names of animal taxa, takes its roots in the work of Carolus Linnaeus, and has been governed by an international Code since the beginning of the 20th century. Like any other scientific discipline, it has developed its own vocabulary, which has gotten increasingly complex with time. However, it sometimes lacks clarity in its terminology. New terms have been defined by various authors to reduce ambiguity or replace existing problematic terms. To make these new terms, but also terms used by the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (the Code), accessible, an electronic Simple Knowledge Organization System (SKOS) thesaurus was created, called Zoonom. Zoonom was built using an open-source thesaurus-making software, Opentheso. Opentheso complies with the most recent standards i.e., ISO 25964-1 (International Organization for Standardization 2011) and ISO 25964-2 (International Organization for Standardization 2013). The thesaurus is shared online through the LOTERRE platform (Linked Open TERminology REssources). SKOS is part of the Semantic Web family of standards and a World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) recommendation for controlled vocabularies and thesauri. It is itself based on the Web Ontology Language (OWL). See some applications of SKOS and semantic web for biodiversity in Larmande et al. 2013. Zoonom contains 920 terms (excluding terms from the same word families, like plurals), distributed within 794 concepts, 404 etymologies and 58 references. It is divided into 20 collections and covers every aspect of zoological nomenclature, from theoretical nomenclature to taxonomic publications. Find the link to a downloadable file in the description of Zoonom. The thesaurus can be used as a classical glossary, using the search bar, or in alphabetical order, but this is not its only feature. Gathering different terms under a single concept also offers the possibility of refining the terminologies, and thus accessing a less ambiguous equivalent term. A richly developed vocabulary enables better labeling of particular names or situations in databases, software, or in the context of Semantic Web. As an example, let’s focus on the concept of nomen dubium. It is defined by the Code as “a name of unknown or doubtful application” (International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature 1999). However, at least four different major categories of nomina dubia exist. Names attached to multiple types belonging to potentially different taxa; names attached to a problematic type; names attached to a non-identifiable type; and names not clearly available because their conditions of availability have not been checked. Concepts have been created to distinguish each of these situations: Synaptonym, Anaptonym, Nyctonym (Dubois 2011) and Aporioplonym. The nomenclatural treatment of these names varies. Some may need the designation of a neotype (nyctonym) or if relevant, lectotype (synaptonym); others may need a referral to the Commission, while some will stay dubious, or even end up being deemed unavailable (aporioplonym). The simple tagging “nomen dubium” gives little to no information about the exact status of the name, only implying that it is not valid. A better description of the scientific names in databases is beneficial both for information retrieval and intercommunication. Zoonom is destined to be updated at least once a year. Any relevant propositions of new concepts are highly welcomed. We are especially looking for terms widely used in a part of the taxonomic community, or associated with a particular taxon, but unknown or obscure outside of these applications. Crosslinking the common concepts with the NOMEN OWL ontology (Yoder et al. 2017) and Wikidata might be implimented in the near future. In conclusion, Zoonom should help provide a better understanding of zoological nomenclature and assist in the curation and management of databases by offering improved tags and definitions.

Revision of the Merodon bombiformis group (Diptera: Syrphidae) – rare and endemic African hoverflies

In the present work, the Afrotropical species of the bombiformis species group, part of the aureus lineage, are revised. Six species are recognized, based on a combination of morphological and genetic features. Three of these species are new to science: Merodon lotus Vujić & Radenković sp. nov., M. vittatus Vujić & Likov sp. nov., and M. zebra Vujić & Radenković sp. nov. Redescriptions are provided for the other three species: M. bombiformis Hull, 1944, M. multifasciatus Curran, 1939, and M. nasicus Bezzi, 1915. The female of M. bombiformis is described. The name Merodon edentulus Macquart, 1855 is considered here as a nomen dubium. One new synonymy is proposed: M. apimima Hull, 1944 syn. nov. (junior synonym of M. multifasciatus). The distribution of the bombiformis species group is discussed. The larval host plant of M. multifasciatus is identified as Gladiolus. A key to the identification of both males and females of the bombiformis group is provided.

Review of the status of the genus Phelene stat. resurr. (Orthoptera: Tetrigidae: Lophotettiginae) and description of a new species

The status of the genus Phelene stat. resurr., previously synonymized under Chiriquia is revalidated. The genus is redescribed and Phelene turgida stat. rev. a lectotype and paralectotypes are designated for this species. Tetrix laticeps is proposed as nomen dubium and its described a new additional species Phelene maroon n. sp. The diagnosis of the subfamily is adjusted with the characters of the new taxa included and an updated key of genera and species is provided.

A new species of Loneura Navás and taxonomic update of L. boliviana Williner and L. meridionalis García Aldrete (Psocodea: Psocomorpha: Ptiloneuridae)

A new species of Loneura named as Loneura willineri n. sp. is described from Bolivia, and and variation in the venation of the fore and hindwings discussed. Both sexes of Loneura meridionalis García Aldrete are described, inclulding variation in the fore and hindwing venation, and this species is withdrawn from synonymy with Loneura boliviana, a species now considered a nomen dubium.

Penthetria Meigen (Diptera: Bibionidae): Revision of the New World species and world catalog

The New World species of Penthetria Meigen are revised. Eight species are recognized: P. appendicula Hardy, P. arizonensis Fitzgerald n. sp., P. distincta Hardy, P. dolichopeza Fitzgerald n. sp., P. heteroptera (Say), P. mexicana (Hardy), P. neonigrita Fitzgerald n. sp., and P. yakima Fitzgerald n. sp.. Penthetria heros Say and P. nigerrima (Bellardi) are considered unrecognized (nomen dubium) and P. nigrita Perty is transferred to the genus Plecia Wiedemann, where it is a junior synonym of Plecia plagiata Wiedemann. The fossil species Penthetria dubia Geinitz is removed from family Bibionidae. Additionally, a summary of current knowledge about the genus, a generic description and diagnosis, and a catalog of the 36 (extant) world species are provided.