Evaluation of the postal service for referral of specimen of drug resistance tuberculosis in Amhara region, Ethiopia; mixed method

Background: In Ethiopia, specimens of presumptive drug resistant tuberculosis cases are transported by courier system from district sample collection centers to reference laboratories. It is essential to track the effectiveness of the referral system and identify challenges in order to take timely and appropriate actions. We assessed turnaround time and quality of speci- mens, and explored challenges of the specimen referral system in Amhara region, Ethiopia, 2017. Methods: With mixed methods, we retrospectively examined 385 randomly selected presumptive drug resistance TB speci- mens, and interviewed 53 purposively selected key informants from laboratories and post offices. We calculated median TAT and proportion of acceptable quality. We analyzed qualitative data thematically. Results: Of the 385 specimens, 94.5% (364/385) had acceptable quality at arrival in the reference laboratories. All the 364 specimens had result. Three - fourth (76.1%) of results were dispatched to the referring health facilities within the recom- mended turnaround time. Ineffective communication and lack of feedback among institutions were mentioned as challenges. Conclusion: The postal service was effective in keeping quality and majority of test results were timely delivered. Yet, there were operational challenges. Therefore, effective communication, using dedicated vehicle for specimen shipment and aware- ness creation on specimen collection and handling are recommended. Keywords: Postal service; specimen referral; turnaround time; drug resistance tuberculosis.

The western barbastelle (Barbastella barbastellus) in Podillia: a phase of population growth

In 2009–2020, there was an increase in the number of the western barbastelle in Podillia. The number of wintering specimens in key wintering sites in the region has increased from 5 to 2500. The total increase over 12 years was 2,200 individuals, an average of +168 individuals per year. The only summer find of the species is the registration of a cluster of 20 speci-mens in a hollow of an old willow in the valley of the Studenytsia river near Nyzhni Patryntsi, Kamianets-Podilskyi Raion, Khmelnytskyi Oblast. According to census results, a positive population dynamics is observed in key wintering sites of the region: IVK, GMN, and YAC-mines. The species was also found in other anthropogenic sites of Pryvorottia-2, in the basement of Ozhekhovsky Palace in Kytaygorod, Kamianets-Podilskyi Raion, Khmelnytskyi Oblast, and in the basement of an abandoned house near Glybochok, Nova Ushytsia Raion, Khmelnytskyi Oblast. IVK mines are a unique wintering site of bats, which has been known as one of the largest winter aggregation of the species in Ukraine for the last 10 years.

Distribution of freshwater sponges in Serbia

As data on the distribution of freshwater sponges (Porifera, Demospongiae, Spongillida) in Serbia are extremely scarce, we investigated the main Serbian rivers and lakes with respect to Porifera occurrence, for which 17 lotic and 11 lentic water bodies were selected. Sponges were found in 11 of 17 rivers (62 specimens in total) and in 3 of 11 lakes/reservoirs (seven specimens in total). Classical morphological spicule analysis was coupled with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and gene sequencing for species identification. Among the 69 collected speci- mens, five sponge species of the family Spongillidae have been identified: Ephydatia fluviatilis (Linnaeus, 1759), Spongilla lacustris (Linnaeus, 1759), Ephydatia muelleri (Lieberkühn, 1856), Trochospongilla horrida Weltner, 1893, and Eunapius fragilis (Leidy, 1851). The most frequently found sponge in Serbian rivers was E. fluviatilis (45% of all specimens), while the least frequent was E. fragilis (6 % of all specimens). The Tisa river has the highest sponge diversity (four species). In lentic water bodies, only E. fluviatilis (four specimens) and S. lacustris (three specimens) were found. In general, sponges were infrequent and their abundance was low in Serbian fresh waters. While sponges seem to tolerate significant variations of physical and chemical parameters, some optimal values can be established.

A new squat lobster (Crustacea, Anomura, Munididae) from the Pliocene of Monterotondo Marittimo (Tuscany, Italy)

We report a new species of squat lobster from the Plio- cene of Monterotondo Marittimo (Grosseto, Tuscany, Italy). The speci- mens have been assigned to the fossil and extant <em>Munida</em> Leach, 1820, with <em>M. grossetana</em> n. sp. (Munididae Ahyong, Baba, MacPherson &amp; Poore, 2010)<em>. Munida grossetana</em> n. sp. represents the first report for the genus in the Mediterranean area, enlarging the palaeogeographic distribution for the genus.

New Sycoracinae (Diptera, Psychodidae) from southern Brazil

Two new species of Sycorax from the Atlantic Rain Forest of Espírito Santo, Sycorax canaanensis Santos, Bravo & Falqueto sp. nov. and Sycorax tuberculata Santos, Bravo & Falqueto sp. nov. are described and illustrated. Male speci-mens were collected with CDC light traps in the Biological Reserve of Augusto Ruschi, municipality of Santa Teresa, state of Espírito Santo, Brazil. This finding raises the number of described Western Hemisphere Sycorax species to 15.

The first zoeal stage morphology of Crossotonotus spinipes (De Man, 1888) and Pseudopalicus serripes (Alcock & Anderson, 1895), with implications for palicoid systematics (Crustacea: Brachyura: Palicoidea)

Traditionally, Crossotonotus spinipes (De Man, 1888) and Pseudopalicus serripes (Alcock & Anderson, 1895) were as-signed to the Crossotonotinae Moosa & Serène, 1981, and Palicinae Bouvier, 1898, respectively. However, Ng et al.(2008: 127) listed a number of major adult characters that suggested both subfamilies should be recognised as distinct fam-ilies within the Palicoidea Bouvier, 1898 (see also Castro 2010, 2011; Guinot et al. in prep.). Recently, ovigerous speci-mens of C. spinipes and P. serripes were collected from Okinawajima and Kumejima, central Ryukyu Islands, Japan. Thefirst zoeal stages of both species were hatched in the laboratory, dissected, examined, and the appendages illustrated anddescribed. Crossotonotus spinipes first stage zoeas were distinguished by three characters: the absence of lateral carapacespines (present in P. serripes), abdominal somite 4 with a pair of dorsolateral processes directed ventrally (absent in P.serripes) and the presence of a small lateral spine on the telson (absent in P. serripes). These distinguishing features appear to support the recent division of the Palicoidea into two families.

A third species of Gegeneophis Peters (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Indotyphlidae) lacking secondary annular grooves

A new species of indotyphlid caecilian amphibian, Gegeneophis primus sp. nov., is described based on a series of eight speci-mens from the state of Kerala in the southern region of the Western Ghats, India. This species is distinguished from all otherGegeneophis, except G. seshachari and G. pareshi, in lacking secondary annular grooves and scales. It differs from G. ses-hachari and G. pareshi in several features, including having fewer primary annuli and lacking a well-developed unsegmented terminal shield.

Descriptions of new Tortricidae (Lepidoptera) reared from native fruit in Kenya

One new genus, Concinocordis (Enarmoniini), and 13 new species, Phtheochroa aarviki (Cochylini), Endothenia ator(Bactrini), Concinocordis wilsonarum, Anthozela psychotriae (both Enarmoniini), Cosmetra podocarpivora, Cosmetrataitana, Gypsonoma scolopiae (all Eucosmini), Thaumatotibia salaciae, Cydia connara, Cydia sennae, Fulcrifera crota-lariae, Stenentoma sorindeiae, and Thylacogaster garcinivora (all Grapholitini), are described and illustrated. All speci-mens of these new species were reared from native fruit in Kenya. Two new combinations are proposed, Cydia anthracotis(Meyrick) (transferred from “Laspeyresia”) and Cosmetra nereidopa (Meyrick) (transferred from Sycacantha), and the female genitalia of Anthozela chrysoxantha Meyrick are illustrated for the first time.

An extraordinary new genus and three new species of Acostemmini (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae) from Madagascar with comments on the morphology and classification of the tribe

The circumscription and morphological characterization of the deltocephaline tribe Acostemmini is revised based on dis-coveries of new and poorly known taxa from recent collections in Madagascar and from examination of the type speci-mens of Alocoelidia fulva Evans, Iturnoria insulana Evans, and Protonesis delegorguei Spinola. Alocoelidia Evans 1954,Caelidioides Signoret 1880, Iturnoria Evans 1954, and Protonesis Spinola 1850 were previously placed in Coelidiinaebut were later removed from the subfamily and until now have been unplaced to subfamily are placed here in Deltocepha-linae: Acostemmini, new placement. A new genus and species, Ikelibeloha cristata gen. n., sp. n., are described that havean unusually modified structure of the head and a large, crested pronotum. Molecular data (28S, Histone H3 genes) wereobtained for Ikelibeloha and Iturnoria, and analyzed with other members of Deltocephalinae. Results of the phylogeneticanalyses show strong support for the monophyletic clade ((Acostemma, Eryapus), (Ikelibeloha, Iturnoria)) and thus a re-lationship between previously described Acostemmini, Ikelibeloha, and Iturnoria has strong statistical support, and aclose relationship is inferred between these and the morphologically similar Alocoelidia, Caelidioides, and Protonesis.Two new species of Alocoelidia, A. maurae sp. n. and A. chasei sp. n. are described, and the genus is redescribed. Themale genitalia of Caelidioides tristis (Signoret), Iturnoria insulana, Alocoelidia fulva, and Acostemella rubra Evans areillustrated and described for the first time. The female genitalia of A. fulva, C. tristis and I. insulana are described and thefirst and second valvulae of C. tristis are illustrated. The habitus and face of Protonesis delegorguei are illustrated and thegenus is redescribed. The characters traditionally used to define Acostemmini are reviewed with notes on their known de-grees of variation, and characters that differentiate Acostemmini from the closely related tribe Stegelytrini are discussed.The type of Malagasiella minima Evans was also examined, and Malagasiella Evans, 1954 is considered a junior syn-onym of Doratulina Melichar, 1903 (Deltocephalinae: Stenometopiini), syn. n. giving the new combination Doratulina minima (Evans) comb. n.

Two new Rhitymna species (Araneae: Sparassidae) from Hainan Island, China

Two new species of the genus Rhitymna are described from Hainan Island (southern China): Rhitymna tangi sp. nov., Rhi-tymna macilenta sp. nov. Morphological descriptions and illustrations of the two new species are given. The type speci-mens of those new species are deposited in the Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing (IZCAS) and in college of Life Sciences, Hubei University in Wuhan (HBU).