Redefinition of the sexstrigatus group of Lasioglossum (Hemihalictus) Cockerell, 1897 (Hymenoptera, Apoidea, Halictidae), with a revision of Japanese species

I propose a redefinition of the sexstrigatus group of Lasioglossum (Hemihalictus) Cockerell, 1897, including a phylogenetic analysis. This group is characterised by a combination of the following 12 characteristics: male antenna short, not attaining to metasoma, male labrum with distal process and well-developed basal elevation, male head with genal process as variation, female mesepisternum reticulate-punctate on lower area, mesepisternum without tubercle in both sexes, female metasomal terga with distinct fimbriae on posterior margin, male S8 with well-developed median process, gonobase ventral arm of male genitalia connected with each other at upper ends, gonocoxite of male genitalia smooth, gonostylus of male genitalia small and simple, bud-like, and the ventral retrorse lobe of male genitalia not attaining to gonobase. The Japanese species of the sexstrigatus group are revised. Thirteen species in total are recognised, including three new species: Lasioglossum (Hemihalictus) ikudomei sp. nov., L. (H.) spectrum sp. nov., and L. (H.) subsimplicior sp. nov. Lasioglossum (Hemihalictus) perplexans (Cockerell, 1925) is synonymised under L. (H.) kiautschouense (Strand, 1910). A key to the Japanese species is provided. Bionomical data, such as flight and flower records or habitat, are reported for some species. The distributions of all species are mapped. DNA sequences including a part of the barcode region are given for L. (H.) kiautschouense, L. (H.) ohei Hirashima & Sakagami, 1966, L. (H.) speculinum (Cockerell, 1925), L. (H. ) spectrum sp. nov., L. (H. ) subsimplicior sp. nov., and L. (H. ) taeniolellum (Vachal, 1903).

Integrated Taxonomy for Halistemma Species from the Northwest Pacific Ocean

During a survey of the siphonophore community in the Kuroshio Extension, Northwest Pacific Ocean, a new Halistemma Huxley, 1859 was described using integrated molecular and morphological approaches. The Halistemma isabu sp. nov. nectophore is most closely related morphologically to H. striata Totton, 1965 and H. maculatum Pugh and Baxter, 2014. These species can be differentiated by their nectosac shape, thrust block size, ectodermal cell patches and ridge patterns. The new species’ bracts are divided into two distinct types according to the number of teeth. Type A bracts are more closely related to ventral bracts in H. foliacea (Quoy and Gaimard, 1833) while Type B bracts are more similar to H. rubrum (Vogt, 1852). Each type differs, however, from the proximal end shape, distal process and bracteal canal. Both of the new species’ morphological type and phylogenetic position within the genus Halistemma are supported by phylogenetic analysis of concatenated DNA dataset (mtCOI, 16S rRNA and 18S rRNA). Integrated morphological and molecular approaches to the taxonomy of siphonophores showed a clear delimitation of the new species from the congeners. Halistemma isabu sp. nov. is distributed with the congeners H. rubrum, H. cupulifera, H. foliacea and H. striata in the northwestern Pacific Ocean.

New species of caddisflies (Trichoptera, Ecnomidae, Polycentropodidae, Psychomyiidae) from Mekong tributaries, Laos

Four new species of caddisflies are added to the fauna of Mekong River, Laos. Described and illustrated are Ecnomus petchanaaesp. nov. and E. boonsawaengaesp. nov. (Ecnomidae), Polyplectropus proukaewisp. nov. (Polycentropodidae), and Psychomyia srichanaisp. nov. (Psychomyiidae) from tributaries of the Mekong River, Laos. Ecnomus petchanaaesp. nov. can be distinguished by the characters of the superior appendages, which are slender and club-shaped in lateral view. In E. boonsawaengaesp. nov., the inferior appendages are tubular with a concave incision subapically and truncated apex. Polyplectropus proukaewisp. nov. has the distal process of the dorsal branch of the inferior appendage close to the base of the inferior appendages and the length of the process is half of inferior appendages. Psychomyia srichanaisp. nov. can be distinguished by the structure of the dorsal branches of the harpagones and apical sclerite. The outer branches of the harpago in the latter species are bifurcated and bent 90° degrees outward, and the inner dorsal branches of harpago are curved outward. The apical sclerite is indiscernible.

Three new species of the genus Bittacus Latreille, 1805 (Mecoptera: Bittacidae), with a key to the species of Bittacidae in South China

The Bittacidae of South China consist of two species of Bicaubittacus and eight species of Bittacus, among which three species are described here as new to science. Bittacus acutus sp. n. from Guangxi is recognized mainly by the hat-shaped epandrial lobe with an acute ventro-distal process in the male genitalia. Bittacus shaoguanensis sp. n. from Guangdong is distinguished by the triangular epandrial lobe in the male genitalia, and a V-shaped streak in the central part of wings. Bittacus longilobus sp. n. from Guangdong is recognizable by the main body of the epandrial lobe trapezoid, with an elongate ventro-distal lobe twice as long. The number of described species of the Chinese Bittacus is now raised to 41. A key to the species of Bittacidae in South China is provided.

Topographic and anatomical features of the sulci structure of the brain's occipital lobe medial surface

The complex of macromicroscopic methods has revealed the features of the sulci structure of the brain’s occipital lobe medial surface. Macromicroscopic, morphometric, topographic and anatomical, statistical and mathematical analysis were used. The sulci of the medial surface of the brain's occipital lobe are classified into permanent, typical and non-permanent. The complex of anatomical structures of the medial surface of the brain's occipital lobe includes the parietooccipital sulcus, calcarine sulcus, cuneus, calcarine spur, additional sulci. The parietooccipital and calcarine sulci are divided into segments: posterior (distal process), anterior (proximal process), common (common area). The parietooccipital sulcus is connected to the anterior end of the calcarine sulcus at 98,5 %. The length of the parietooccipital sulcus is min 16,0 mm and max 58 mm, M=35,8 mm, depth is min 9,0 mm and max 43,0 mm, M=24,3 mm. It was found that in 35 % of cases, the posterior end of the calcarine sulcus does not reach the apex (angle) of the occipital lobe of the brain by min 2,0 mm and max 14,0 mm, M=7,8 mm. In 43 % the posterior end of the calcarine sulcus bifurcates. The distance between the posterior end of the calcarine sulcus and the upper end of the parietooccipital sulcus is min 18,0 mm and max 64,0 mm, M=39,8 mm. The length of the calcarine sulcus is min 37 mm and max 79 mm, M=54 mm. The depth of the anterior part of the calcarine sulcus is min 8,0 mm and max 36,0 mm, M=20,7 mm; the depth of the posterior part is min 5,0 mm and max 22,0 mm, M=12,8 mm.

A new dirivultid copepod (Siphonostomatoida) from hydrothermal vent fields of the Izu-Bonin Arc in the North Pacific Ocean

A new species of dirivultid copepod (Siphonostomatoida) is described from hydrothermal vents in a volcanic seamount in Izu-Bonin Arc, western part of North Pacific Ocean. The copepod was collected during the research cruise NT13-09 using the R/V Natsushima with the ROV Hyper-Dolphin in April 2013. The type series of the new species was collected from the populations of Paralvinella spp. (Annelida: Alvinellidae) on an active vent chimney at the depth of 795 m. Stygiopontius senokuchiae n. sp. is most closely related to S. teres Humes, 1996 but clearly distinguished from the latter species by the possession of the following characters: the basis of leg 1 with an attenuated inner process; the genital double somite with a conical process lateral to the genital opening; and caudal rami without distal process. The findings of the copepod in the present study represents the first record of nominal species of the Dirivultidae from Japanese waters and a record of the shallowest depth of the genus. A key to species of the genus Stygiopontius from Western Pacific is provided.

Three species ofAsterocheres(Copepoda: Siphonostomatoida: Asterocheridae) from shallow Antarctic water

Three species ofAsterocheres, including two new species, are reported as associates of sponges in shallow Antarctic water.Asterocheres spinosussp. nov. has a combination of diagnostic features: mandibular palp is one-segmented, caudal ramus is 1.88 times as long as wide, antennule is 20-segmented in the female and 18-segmented in the male, urosome is spinulose, and legs 1 and 2 display weak sexual dimorphsims. InA. raisp. nov., the body is large, 1.66 mm long in the female, the lateral margin of genital double-somite is smooth without setules or spinules, the exopod of antenna bears only a single seta, with two mucilaginous substances transformed from setae, and the third endopodal segment of leg 1 bears a prolonged distal process. A supplementary description is given forA. hirsutusBandera, Conradi and López-González, 2005, recorded previously from the Antarctic.

A new rhamphorhynchid (Pterosauria: Rhamphorhynchidae) from the Middle/Upper Jurassic of Qinglong, Hebei Province, China

A heavily compressed, but nearly complete fossil skeleton recovered from the Middle/Upper Jurassic Tiaojishan Forma-tion of Mutoudeng, Qinglong County, Hebei Province, China, represents a new genus and species of long-tailed pterosaur,Qinglongopterus guoi gen. et sp. nov. The holotype and only known specimen has an estimated forelimb length of 0.18m. The new taxon is distinguished by a relatively short skull, a remarkably short pteroid with a distinctive knob-like distalexpansion, and a prepubis with a relatively slender distal process. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrates that Qinglongopter-us is a member of Rhamphorhynchidae, exhibiting many of the unique character states found in members of this clade.Qinglongopterus is strikingly similar to Rhamphorhynchus and more closely related to this taxon than to any other rham-phorhynchine, this pairing is supported by morphometric data and several synapomorphies (short, broad nasal process ofthe maxilla; forelimb length more than four times that of the hind limb; wing-phalanx one more than twice the length ofthe tibia). Qinglongopterus demonstrates that the highly derived skeletal morphology of Rhamphorhynchus, known onlyfrom the latest Jurassic (Tithonian) of Europe, had already appeared by the start of the Late Jurassic. This hints at evolu-tionary stasis in Rhamphorhynchinae, a phenomenon seemingly also present in two other clades of basal pterosaurs,Anurognathidae and Scaphognathinae, and contrasting sharply with basal monofenestratans which appear to have undergone extensive evolutionary change during the same interval.

A new genus and three new species of Drilonematidae (Rhabditida, Drilonematoidea) from earthworms

A new genus and three new species of Drilonematidae (Rhabditidae, Drilonematoidea) from earthworms deposited in the collection of Natural History Museum, Smithsonian Institution are described and illustrated. Paradicelis bursata gen. et sp. n. is closely related to other Dicelinae genera, namely Dicelis Dujardin, 1845 and Adieronema Timm 1966, but is differentiated from both by the presence of a bursa and by whip-like copulatory sensilla. From Dicelis the new genus differs further by the excretory pore being situated in front of the nerve ring. Dicelis eudrilii sp. n. is the first African member of a predominantly Palearctic genus and also shares similarity with Adieronema, but clearly differs from this genus by the eggs lacking a bipolar corona. D. eudrillii is distinguished from other members of Dicelis by having a narrow, conoid tail; prominent excretory pore; nerve ring being situated around the intestine in both adults and juveniles; very long spicules; and by a well-developed spermatheca. Pharyngonema chinense sp. n. is distinguished from the only other member of the genus, Ph. mekongianum, by the shape of the head end with its minute apical tip; smaller circular lateral organs situated at mid-pharyngeal length; larger, slightly bent spicules with blunt, hooked distal process; and smaller, proximally broadened, club-shaped gubernacula. A specimen of Ph. chinense is described with the distal portion of testis forked. Keys to the genera of subfamily Dicelinae and species of Dicelis, Adieronema, Paradicelis and Pharyngonema are presented.

Two new species of the genus Tanzanapseudes Băcescu, 1975 (Tanaidacea: Apseudomorpha: Tanzanapseudidae) from mid-west Australia

Two new species of the apseudomorphan tanaidacean genus Tanzanapseudes are described from coral reefs of Western Australia. This genus belongs to the monogeneric family Tanzanapseudidae, which is recorded here for the first time from Australia. Tanzanapseudes nieli n. sp. differs from the other members of the genus by a specific pattern of minute spines and setae on pereonites, and by a combination of two other characters: a pleotelson distal process with a smooth outer margin and a short and spinose first article in the antennule. T. levis n. sp. has the anterolateral processes on its carapace and distal processes on its pleotelson uniquely smooth. A key for identification of Tanzanapseudes species and an amended diagnosis are given.