Identification key to nymphal and adult mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) associated with dragon fruits in Indonesia

Rezeki MS, Harahap IS, Sartiami D, Irmansyah, Watson GW. 2021. Identification key to nymphal and adult mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) associated with dragon fruits in Indonesia. Biodiversitas 22: 3113-3118. Dragon fruit (Hylocereus spp.), belonging to Cactaceae family, is one of the horticultural commodities being developed in Indonesia for export. Phytosanitary regulations require that fruits for export must be free from diseases and pests, including mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae). Mealybug species commonly found on dragon fruits in Indonesia are Ferrisia virgata (Cockerell), Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley, Planococcus minor (Maskell) and Pseudococcus jackbeardsleyi Gimpel & Miller. Species-level identification of these insects in the nymphal phase is difficult due to the limited number of identification keys available, so it has been necessary to create an identification key to nymphs of mealybug species found on dragon fruit. A dichotomous identification key was constructed based on microscopic morphological characteristics of the cuticle. Thus, the four species can be differentiated based on general and unique characteristics of each species in the nymphal and adult stages. The diagnostic features that can be used to separate the four species in the nymphal phase are the presence or absence of: discoidal pores around the eyes; anal lobe bars; tubular ducts on the dorsum; and a denticle on each tarsal claw.

Redescription of Apobaetis lakota McCafferty, 2000 (Ephemeroptera: Baetidae) and description of two new species from Brazil

The genus Apobaetis Day is known by its small size and larval shifting-sand habitat preference (psammophilous). Three species of this genus are recorded in North America, from these, only Apobaetis lakota McCafferty needs to be redescribed because its original description is incomplete, turning difficult to distinguish it from species with similar morphology. Therefore, one of the objectives of this study is to redescribe A. lakota. Based on this redescription, two new species from Brazil, with similar morphology could be identified and are described (Apobaetis biancae sp. nov. and Apobaetis jacobusi sp. nov.). Apobaetis lakota can be differentiated by the labrum rectangular, distal margin without medial emargination, medial area of distal margin with three sockets of setae on dorsal surface; maxillary palp long, more than 2.0× the length of galea-lacinia, segment I with the same length as galea-lacinia; lingua subcircular with one medial lobe; glossa distally rounded; inner projection of labial palp segment II rounded and distally directed, segment III triangular; tarsal claws 1.3× the length of tarsus, without row of denticles. Apobaetis jacobusi sp. nov. can be differentiated from other species by fore tarsal claw I with the same length of tarsus, labrum medially with two protuberances and glossa with pointed apex. Apobaetis biancae sp. nov. can be differentiated by the absence of a ventral row of long thin setae near distolateral margin of labrum, four marginal spines on the paraproct, a subrectangular hypopharynx, and by the absence of robust setae on inner margin of the glossa.

A new species of Tricorythodes Ulmer (Ephemeroptera: Leptohyphidae) from Uruguay

A new species of Tricorythodes Ulmer (Ephemeroptera: Leptohyphidae) from Uruguay is described and illustrated based on nymphs and adults. Tricorythodes biluhue sp. nov. is related to T. arequita Traver, T. mirca Molineri, T. sallesi Dias, Cabette & De Sousa, and T. tragoedia Souto, Angeli & Salles. The adults of these species are similar (share body color patterns formed by irregularly distributed pigments, while nymphs and adults present subapical blackish marks on tibiae). The nymphs of the new species present a spine on the inner margin of superlingua; operculate gills with a clear paler anterolateral area; and fore tarsal claw with 10–13 marginal denticles and with 0–1 + 1 submarginal denticles. This species has a wide distribution in Uruguay and was found in small streams with stony substrate and thick sand. Additional records for T. arequita Traver in Uruguay are also provided.

Current status of Andricus mairei (Kieffer), with synonymization of two species from China (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae)

The original description of Parandricus mairei Kieffer, 1906 included a misinterpretation of a relevant forewing trait. The species was subsequently transferred to the genus Andricus, despite presenting two very peculiar morphological characters, namely a simple tarsal claw and the absence of irradiating carinae on the lower face. Similarly, the original descriptions of Andricus deqingis Wang, Gui, Chen, 2013 and A. flavus Pujade-Villar, Wang, Guo & Chen, 2014 included some relevant mistakes. Here, we present the results of a molecular analysis that reveals that individuals of the three species are genetically very similar; supporting the proposal that A. mairei is a senior synonym of the other two species, A. deqingis n. syn. and A. flavus n. syn. In addition, our results indicate that Parandricus renders Andricus paraphyletic, which supports that Parandricus is a junior synonym of Andricus. We re-describe and illustrate the relevant characters of A. mairei and provide additional comments on the characters erroneously interpreted in the former descriptions and give notes about the biology and intraspecific variability.

Aberrant claw forms in the Annulipes Group of mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae: Aedes) in Germany

Specimens of five species of the culicid Annulipes Group (Aedes annulipes, Ae. cantans, Ae. excrucians, Ae. flavescens, Ae. riparius), collected in the framework of the German mosquito monitoring programme, were examined for aberrant tarsal claws. Twenty types of aberrations regarding position, size, multiplication and structural modification of the tarsal claw and its basal tooth that were detected are described and illustrated. Different basal tooth positions found on claws reveal a basic blueprint of possible positions on mosquito tarsal claws. Morphological peculiarities and asymmetric occurrence of the aberrant claw types, as well as possible causes, are discussed with respect to species and gender.

A rare new species of Leptohyphes Eaton (Ephemeroptera: Leptohyphidae) from the Lost World

A new species of Leptohyphes Eaton (Ephemerotera: Leptohyphidae) is described, diagnosed and illustrated from nymphs collected in the Pantepui region in Southeastern Venezuela. Leptohyphes kukenan sp. nov. is similar to Leptohyphes populus Allen because they share a unique character for the genus: male compound eyes are divided. Other unique characters for the new species include a plesiomorphic gill structure, with imbricated ventral lamellae, and paired subapical denticles on tarsal claw. The new species show a unique combination of characters that distinguish it from L. populus and all other species of Leptohyphes: fore and hind margin of femora with spines on strong elevated sockets, part of body and legs covered by small pale spots, tarsal claws with 4–5 marginal denticles and a subapical pair of submarginal denticles, pronotum with large rounded lateral projection, hind wing pads absent in female, gill formula 8/7/7/4/1, operculate gill with imbricated ventral lobes, and gill V without ventral extension on dorsal lamella.

New insects feeding on dinosaur feathers in mid-Cretaceous amber

Due to a lack of Mesozoic fossil records, the origins and early evolution of feather-feeding behaviors by insects are obscure. Here, we report ten nymph specimens of a new lineage of insect, Mesophthirus engeli gen et. sp. nov. within Mesophthiridae fam. nov. from the mid-Cretaceous (ca. 100 Mya) Myanmar (Burmese) amber. This new insect clade shows a series of ectoparasitic morphological characters such as tiny wingless body, head with strong chewing mouthparts, robust and short antennae having long setae, legs with only one single tarsal claw associated with two additional long setae, etc. Most significantly, these insects are preserved with partially damaged dinosaur feathers, the damage of which was probably made by these insects’ integument-feeding behaviors. This finding demonstrates that feather-feeding behaviors of insects originated at least in mid-Cretaceous, accompanying the radiation of feathered dinosaurs including early birds.

Two new species of Gaeolaelaps Evans & Till (Acari: Laelapidae) from Sri Lanka

Two new mite species of the genus Gaeolaelaps (Laelapidae), G. lankaensis sp. nov. and G. setillus sp. nov., collected from soil-litter in Sri Lanka, are described and illustrated based on morphological characters of the adult females. Both species have the unusual character state of a three-tined palp tarsal claw. The genus Gaeolaelaps is reported for the first time from Sri Lanka. An updated key to the species with a three-tined palp tarsal claw is presented.

Chinja, a new genus of spider from the Eastern Arc Mountains of Tanzania (Araneae, Zoropsidae)

The new zoropsid spider genus Chinja Polotow & Griswold is diagnosed and described and the following two new species are described: C. chinja sp. nov. and C. scharffi sp. nov. The species were collected in the Eastern Arc Mountains of Tanzania and appear to be endemic to this region. The genus belongs to the oval-calamistrum clade (OC Clade), which also includes Dionycha and Lycosoidea. Based on the synapomorphies and diagnostic characters of members of the OC Clade, Chinja is considered a member of Zoropsidae, although without a clear subfamily placement due to insufficient data. Males of Chinja can be distinguished from other Zoropsidae by a straight PER, by lacking a tibial crack, by having a male palpal cymbium with a retrobasal process and the male palpal tibia with an RTA and a retromedian cluster of stout setae. Females have a divided cribellum with cribellar spigots evenly arranged, and the epigynum with the median plate broad and laterally procurved into hooks, and the lateral lobes each with a wide tooth. The following set of characters can be also helpful to identify the genus: presence of a third tarsal claw, absence of claw tufts and presence of a cribellum and calamistrum.

A stable phylogenomic classification of Travunioidea (Arachnida, Opiliones, Laniatores) based on sequence capture of ultraconserved elements

Molecular phylogenetics has transitioned into the phylogenomic era, with data derived from next-generation sequencing technologies allowing unprecedented phylogenetic resolution in all animal groups, including understudied invertebrate taxa. Within the most diverse harvestmen suborder, Laniatores, most relationships at all taxonomic levels have yet to be explored from a phylogenomics perspective. Travunioidea is an early-diverging lineage of laniatorean harvestmen with a Laurasian distribution, with species distributed in eastern Asia, eastern and western North America, and south-central Europe. This clade has had a challenging taxonomic history, but the current classification consists of ~77 species in three families, the Travuniidae, Paranonychidae, and Nippononychidae. Travunioidea classification has traditionally been based on structure of the tarsal claws of the hind legs. However, it is now clear that tarsal claw structure is a poor taxonomic character due to homoplasy at all taxonomic levels. Here, we utilize DNA sequences derived from capture of ultraconserved elements (UCEs) to reconstruct travunioid relationships. Data matrices consisting of 317–677 loci were used in maximum likelihood, Bayesian, and species tree analyses. Resulting phylogenies recover four consistent and highly supported clades; the phylogenetic position and taxonomic status of the enigmatic genusYuriais less certain. Based on the resulting phylogenies, a revision of Travunioidea is proposed, now consisting of the Travuniidae, Cladonychiidae, Paranonychidae (Nippononychidae is synonymized), and the new family Cryptomastridae Derkarabetian & Hedin,fam. n., diagnosed here. The phylogenetic utility and diagnostic features of the intestinal complex and male genitalia are discussed in light of phylogenomic results, and the inappropriateness of the tarsal claw in diagnosing higher-level taxa is further corroborated.