First Report of the Ash Sawfly, Tomostethus nigritus, Established on Fraxinus excelsior in the Republic of Ireland

This is the first report of the ash sawfly, Tomostethus nigritus, in the Republic of Ireland. We observed defoliated leaves of Fraxinus excelsior L. and T. nigritus larvae at a forestry plantation in Co. Kildare. Morphological observation of the larvae and DNA analysis using mitochondrial COI barcoding confirmed the identification of this pest of ash.

Hidden diversity of Ctenophora revealed by new mitochondrial COI primers and sequences

[Definitive version of this article may be found here] The mitochondrial gene cytochrome-c-oxidase subunit 1 (COI) is useful in many taxa for phylogenetics, population genetics, metabarcoding, and rapid species identifications. However, the phylum Ctenophora (comb jellies) has historically been difficult to study due to divergent mitochondrial sequences and the corresponding inability to amplify COI with degenerate and standard COI ‘barcoding’ primers. As a result, there are very few COI sequences available for ctenophores, despite over 200 described species in the phylum. Here, we designed new primers and amplified the COI fragment from members of all major groups of ctenophores, including many undescribed species. Phylogenetic analyses of the resulting COI sequences revealed high diversity within many groups that was not evident from more conserved 18S rDNA sequences, in particular among the Lobata. The COI phylogenetic results also revealed unexpected community structure within the genus Bolinopsis, suggested new species within the genus Bathocyroe, and supported the ecological and morphological differences of some species such as Lampocteis cruentiventer and similar lobates (Lampocteis sp. ‘V’ stratified by depth, and ‘A’ differentiated by color). The newly described primers reported herein provide important tools to enable researchers to illuminate the diversity of ctenophores worldwide via quick molecular identifications, improve the ability to analyze environmental DNA by improving reference libraries and amplifications, and enable a new breadth of population genetic studies.

Validity of Pampus liuorum Liu & Li, 2013, Revealed by the DNA Barcoding of Pampus Fishes (Perciformes, Stromateidae)

The genus Pampus contains seven valid species, which are commercially important fishery species in the Indo-Pacific area. Due to their highly similar external morphologies, Pampus liuorum has been proposed as a synonym of Pampus cinereus. In this study, partial sequences of COI (582 bp) and Cytb (1077 bp) were presented as potential DNA barcodes of six valid Pampus species and the controversial species P. liuorum. A species delimitation of the seven Pampus species was performed to verify their validities. Explicit COI barcoding gaps were found in all assessed species, except for P. liuorum and P. cinereus, which resulted from their smaller interspecific K2P distance (0.0034–0.0069). A Cytb barcoding gap (0.0200) of the two species was revealed, with a K2P distance ranging from 0.0237 to 0.0277. The longer Cytb fragment is thus a more suitable DNA barcode for the genus Pampus. In the genetic tree, using concatenated Cytb and COI sequences, the seven species reciprocally formed well-supported clades. Species delimitations with ABGD, GMYC, and bPTP models identified seven operational taxonomic units, which were congruent with the seven morphological species. Therefore, all of the seven analyzed species, including P. liuorum, should be kept as valid species.

Global controversy in oyster systematics and a newly described species from SE Asia (Bivalvia: Ostreidae: Crassostreinae)

The diversity of native oysters in many regions is overshadowed by the global dominance of a few economically important species. Here we describe the Muar Oyster, Crassostrea (Magallana) saidii sp. nov., first reported as an established local fishery renowned for exceptional and distinctive flavour over 160 years ago by British colonial officials in Malaysia, but as yet never formally named or described as a species. This new species has a subtle but clear morphological diagnosis dependent on three-dimensional characters, which has long been recognised by local fishers to differentiate the new species from co-occurring C. (M.) belcheri (G. B. Sowerby II, 1871). The Indo-Pacific clade Magallana Salvi & Mariottini, 2016 in Salvi and Mariottini 2017 is a phylogenetically distinct group that nonetheless cannot be morphologically separated from the broader genus Crassostrea Sacco, 1897. Fossils or species known only from shell specimens, though morphologically distinct species, cannot be classified as Magallana, Talonostrea Li & Qi, 1994, or Crassostrea s.s.; therefore, we revise these groups as sub-genera within Crassostrea. Our analysis of the COI barcoding fragment from previously published sequences of all available Magallana species found that gene is not sufficient to separate several economically important species, and revealed more than 5% of sequences in GenBank represent identification errors. The new species Crassostrea (Magallana) saidii sp. nov., which is genetically, morphologically, and gastronomically distinct, is known from only one population under potential threat from urbanisation. Many more global species of Magallana remain undescribed. The systematics of this group is critical to understand the diversity of global oysters, and to understand the sustainable use of species grown worldwide for centuries as our food.

Detection of the Japanese encephalitis vector mosquito Culex tritaeniorhynchus in Australia using molecular diagnostics and morphology

Background Culex (Culex) tritaeniorhynchus is an important vector of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) affecting feral pigs, native mammals and humans. The mosquito species is widely distributed throughout Southeast Asia, Africa and Europe, and thought to be absent in Australia. Methods In February and May, 2020 the Medical Entomology unit of the Northern Territory (NT) Top End Health Service collected Cx. tritaeniorhynchus female specimens (n = 19) from the Darwin and Katherine regions. Specimens were preliminarily identified morphologically as the Vishnui subgroup in subgenus Culex. Molecular identification was performed using cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) barcoding, including sequence percentage identity using BLAST and tree-based identification using maximum likelihood analysis in the IQ-TREE software package. Once identified using COI, specimens were reanalysed for diagnostic morphological characters to inform a new taxonomic key to related species from the NT. Results Sequence percentage analysis of COI revealed that specimens from the NT shared 99.7% nucleotide identity to a haplotype of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus from Dili, Timor-Leste. The phylogenetic analysis showed that the NT specimens formed a monophyletic clade with other Cx. tritaeniorhynchus from Southeast Asia and the Middle East. We provide COI barcodes for most NT species from the Vishnui subgroup to aid future identifications, including the first genetic sequences for Culex (Culex) crinicauda and the undescribed species Culex (Culex) sp. No. 32 of Marks. Useful diagnostic morphological characters were identified and are presented in a taxonomic key to adult females to separate Cx. tritaeniorhynchus from other members of the Vishnui subgroup from the NT. Conclusions We report the detection of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus in Australia from the Darwin and Katherine regions of the NT. The vector is likely to be already established in northern Australia, given the wide geographical spread throughout the Top End of the NT. The establishment of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus in Australia is a concern to health officials as the species is an important vector of JEV and is now the sixth species from the subgenus Culex capable of vectoring JEV in Australia. We suggest that the species must now be continuously monitored during routine mosquito surveillance programmes to determine its current geographical spread and prevent the potential transmission of exotic JEV throughout Australia. Graphical abstract

First observation of Aedes albopictus in the Tshuapa province (Boende) of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

In May-June 2021, we detected Aedes albopictus adults near the central hospital in Boende, the capital city of the Tshuapa province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). We identified the mosquitoes using morphological and molecular techniques (COI barcoding). This is the first report of this species in the DRC outside of Kinshasa and Kongo Central. Given the central location of Boende in the Congo Basin, our finding suggests that the vector might also have spread to other cities which are located upstream of the Congo River and its major tributaries. Because Aedes albopictus is an important vector for human arbovirus transmission, we highlight the need to investigate its distribution range and to update disease risk maps in Central Africa.

Revision of Tomosvaryella Aczél (Diptera: Pipunculidae) in the Middle East, with description of 19 new species

The genus Tomosvaryella Aczél, 1939 is revised from the Middle East. Fifty-nine species are recorded and 19 of these are new to science: T. acantha Motamedinia & Skevington sp. nov., T. ampliasa Motamedinia & Skevington sp. nov., T. anahitae Motamedinia & Skevington sp. nov., T. bistounensis Motamedinia & Skevington sp. nov., T. cyprusensis Motamedinia & Skevington sp. nov., T. ellipiensis Motamedinia & Skevington sp. nov., T. emaratensis Motamedinia & Skevington sp. nov., T. hamounensis Motamedinia & Skevington sp. nov., T. kiansiae Motamedinia & Skevington sp. nov., T. nimroozensis Motamedinia & Skevington sp. nov., T. oshidae Motamedinia & Skevington sp. nov., T. osteodes Motamedinia & Skevington sp. nov., T. saudiensis Motamedinia & Skevington sp. nov., T. soziana Motamedinia & Skevington sp. nov., T. spinula Motamedinia & Skevington sp. nov., T. subtransvaalensis Motamedinia & Skevington sp. nov., T. susa Motamedinia & Skevington sp. nov., T. unicorna Motamedinia & Skevington sp. nov. and T. yemenensis Motamedinia & Skevington sp. nov. are described and illustrated based on sequence information from the mitochondrial COI barcoding gene and morphological parameters. DNA barcodes are provided for 37 of the 59 species. Descriptions of new species, diagnoses, distribution maps and an illustrated key for all species are provided.

Hidden diversity of Ctenophora revealed by new mitochondrial COI primers and sequences

The mitochondrial gene cytochrome-c-oxidase subunit 1 (COI) is useful in many taxa for phylogenetics, population genetics, metabarcoding, and rapid species identifications. However, the phylum Ctenophora (comb jellies) has historically been difficult to study due to divergent mitochondrial sequences and the corresponding inability to amplify COI with degenerate and standard COI ‘barcoding’ primers. As a result, there are very few COI sequences available for ctenophores, despite over 200 described species in the phylum. Here, we designed new primers and amplified the COI fragment from members of all major groups of ctenophores, including many undescribed species. Phylogenetic analyses of the resulting COI sequences revealed high diversity within many groups that was not evident from more conserved 18S rDNA sequences, in particular among the Lobata. The COI phylogenetic results also revealed unexpected community structure within the genus Bolinopsis, suggested new species within the genus Bathocyroe, and supported the ecological and morphological differences of some species such as Lampocteis cruentiventer and similar lobates (Lampocteis sp. ‘V’ stratified by depth, and ‘A’ differentiated by color). The newly described primers reported herein provide important tools to enable researchers to illuminate the diversity of ctenophores worldwide via quick molecular identifications, improve the ability to analyze environmental DNA by improving reference libraries and amplifications, and enable a new breadth of population genetic studies.

Revision and molecular phylogeny of the spider genus Micaria Westring, 1851 (Araneae: Gnaphosidae) in the Afrotropical Region

The genus Micaria Westring, 1851 (Araneae, Gnaphosidae) is a group of small (1.85–5 mm) ant-like spiders that can be distinguished from other gnaphosids by their piriform gland spigots that are similar in size to the major ampullate gland spigots. According to the World Spider Catalog, there are 105 species of Micaria in the world, of which only three species are known from the African part of the Afrotropical Region, namely M. chrysis (Simon, 1910), M. tersissima Simon, 1910 and M. beaufortia (Tucker, 1923). The objectives of this study were to revise Micaria in the Afrotropical Region, providing new and updated records for each of the species, evaluating the relationships between them using COI barcoding data, and providing information on their biology, mimetic relationships and feeding ecology. These objectives were met by collecting fresh material from the KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape, Northern Cape and Free State provinces in South Africa. Fresh material of M. tersissima and M. chrysis were collected from their type localities, Komaggas and Port Nolloth (Northern Cape Province), respectively, for identification and DNA analyses. COI sequences generated, together with those sourced from Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD) and GenBank, were aligned using the CulstalW alignment algorithm in the Mega X software, and molecular phylogenetic analyses were performed using MrBayes for Bayesian Inference (BI) and RaxML for maximum likelihood (ML) analyses. Morphological examination of the collected and voucher material yielded 17 new species for the Afrotropical Region, namely M. basaliducta sp. nov. (♀, ♂, South Africa), M. bimaculata sp. nov. (♀, ♂, Mauritania), M. bispicula sp. nov. (♀, ♂, Namibia, South Africa), M. durbana sp. nov. (♀, ♂, South Africa, Zambia), M. felix sp. nov. (♀, ♂, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe), M. gagnoa sp. nov. (♀, ♂, Côte d’Ivoire, Mozambique, Mozambique, Tanzania), M. koingnaas sp. nov. (♂, South Africa), M. lata sp. nov. (♂, Namibia, South Africa), M. laxa sp. nov. (♀, South Africa), M. mediospina sp. nov. (♂, South Africa), M. parvotibialis sp. nov. (♀, ♂, Senegal), M. plana sp. nov. (♀, ♂, Ethiopia), M. quadrata sp. nov. (♀, Ethiopia), M. quinquemaculosa sp. nov. (♀, ♂, Namibia, South Africa), M. rivonosy sp. nov. (♀, ♂, Madagascar), M. sanipass sp. nov. (♂, South Africa) and M. scutellata sp. nov. (♂, South Africa). Furthermore, both sexes of M. beaufortia, as well as the male of M. tersissima, are redescribed. Both sexes of M. chrysis are described for the first time, as this species was only known from a juvenile. Of the previously known species, M. beaufortia (Botswana, Ethiopia, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe) and M. chrysis (Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania) are widespread in the Afroptropics, while M. tersissima is only known from South Africa. Both the Bayesian inference and the maximum likelihood analysess recovered Micaria (sensu lato) as monophyletic with the inclusion of the subopaca group. The pulicaria species group was recovered as polyphyletic in both the BI and ML analyses. Four Afrotropical species, as well as the M. rossica Thorell, 1875/M. foxi Gertsch, 1933 group, formed a clade sister to M. formicaria (Sundevall, 1831). Eight of the Afrotropical species now have COI barcoding data uploaded to BOLD.

New distributional data for the northern forestfly, Lednia borealis Baumann and Kondratieff, 2010 (Plecoptera: Nemouridae), Washington, USA

ABSTRACTThe northern forestfly, Lednia borealis (Plecoptera: Nemouridae) is a rare montane stonefly believed to be endemic to Washington. The species, first recognized as a valid taxon in 2010, is the only member of the genus Lednia known from the state. Like other species in its genus, it is found in mid- to high-elevation cold water habitat, including lakes, glacial-fed streams, and rheocrenes (channelized springs). Lednia species in general appear to be rare or at least rarely collected. Because of their reliance on alpine and subalpine habitat, Lednia may be especially vulnerable to threats associated with climate change. However, relatively little is known about this species, and distribution data are scarce. From 2015 to 2019, 94 sites were surveyed in order to document unmapped populations of Lednia borealis to improve range and distributional information from montane areas of Washington State. In this paper, we share locations of L. borealis documented to date, including collections from eight newly documented Lednia sites in the Mt. Baker and Glacier Peak Wildernesses in the Cascade Mountains of Washington, and report recent COI barcoding results. We also provide updated details on the species’ distribution, highlight a confirmed habitat association with glacial edge meltwater, and provide recommendations for future surveys.