Delimitation of the segmented trapdoor spider genus Luthela gen. nov., with comments on the genus Sinothela from northern China (Araneae, Mesothelae, Liphistiidae)

A new genus of the primitively segmented trapdoor spiders, which is endemic to the north of China, is described, Luthela gen. nov., and the status of Sinothela Haupt, 2003 and Sinothela sinensis (Bishop & Crosby, 1932) is discussed and both are treated as nomina dubia. The new genus Luthela gen. nov. is erected based on morphology and molecular data of the type species Luthela yiyuan sp. nov. A taxonomic revision of the new genus is given. Three Sinothela species are transferred to the new genus, L. luotianensis comb. nov. and L. schensiensis comb. nov. are redescribed using our newly collected specimens, include L. heyangensis comb. nov. as a junior synonym of L. schensiensis comb. nov., and describe six new species based on both male and female morphological characters: L. badong sp. nov., L. dengfeng sp. nov., L. handan sp. nov., L. taian sp. nov., L. yiyuan sp. nov., and L. yuncheng sp. nov.

Subspecific taxonomy of African porcupines Hystrix spp.: is there anything beyond the species level?

Taxonomy is a mistreated matter, but its role in ecology, behaviour and conservation studies is pivotal. Disentangling amongst different subspecies is challenging given the high arbitrariness level in determining thresholds of genetic and morphological distances. Splitting frenzy trends have increased the number of animal taxa and for most of them a critical redefinition is required. In this work, we reviewed knowledge and validity of subspecific taxa identified for African crested porcupines Hystrix cristata and Hystrix africaeaustralis. In the past, several subspecies were recognized for both the species, but successive works suggested H. cristata and H. africaeaustralis as monotypic species with no clear explanation. Recently, the validity of the taxon H. cristata senegalica has been claimed again. We analysed all available data and discussed all the subspecific taxa in light of both genetic and morphological data. We revalidated here the synonymy Hystrix senegalica Cuvier, 1823 = Hystrix cristata Linnaeus, 1758. Syn. rev. Two names are treated as nomina dubia: Acanthion daubentonii Cuvier, 1823 (formalization) and “Hystrix capensis Gr.”. Hystrix cristata var. alba de Sélys-Longchamps, 1839 has been deleted from the synonymic list of H. cristata. Neither mitochondrial nor nuclear DNA data militate for the existence of any subspecific taxon, although further data are required for H. cristata from East Africa (e.g., Kenya and Tanzania). Similarly, morphology seems to play for a clinal variation in both species. For available data, we thus strongly recommend to keep both H. cristata and H. africaeaustralis as monotypic species.

Mesosaur taxonomy reappraisal: are Stereosternum and Brazilosaurus valid taxa?

Mesosaurs are basal amniotes that lived at the beginning of the Permian or close to the Permo–Carboniferous boundary. Despite the several hundred specimens that have been found, including complete skeletons of adult and juvenile individuals, mesosaur taxonomy has been subjected to a high controversy over time. Currently, three monotypic genera, Mesosaurus tenuidens Gervais, Stereosternum tumidum Cope, and Brazilosaurus sanpauloensis Shikama & Ozaki are recognized, but identification of new specimens using the available diagnostic characters are arbitrary and influenced by high subjectivity. We performed anatomical and morphometric analyses to look for statistical support to these previously suggested basic diagnostic characters through an exhaustive anatomical revision of these characters and also of some new attributes discovered during the course of our study. We found a notable influence of taphonomic features in most of the diagnostic characters used to differentiate the three monotypic genera, including strong bias derived from the preservation of individuals in different ontogenetic stages, whose size and degree of ossification could have been controlled by particular environmental conditions that resulted in subtle polymorphisms of these and other few characters. Other features may even represent sexual dimorphism. After the detailed revision of the type specimens of the three currently accepted mesosaur taxa, for which we include here good-quality photographs, and considering the lack of statistical support for the most applied putative diagnostic features such as the different ratio found when comparing skull and cervical region lengths and the low or higher intensity of pachyosteosclerosis observed in dorsal ribs, which can be controlled by taphonomic and ecological conditions, we recognize Mesosaurus as the only mesosaurid taxon in the Paraná and Karoo basins, probably including dwarf individuals. Therefore, S.tumidum and B. sanpauloensis are suggested here as nomina dubia taking into account that the autapomorphies that supported these taxa cannot be confirmed to be absent in Mesosaurus. Keywords: Mesosaurus, morphometrics, taxonomy, ?Early Permian, Gondwana.

Systematic revision of the pantropical whip spider family Charinidae Quintero, 1986 (Arachnida, Amblypygi)

The whip spider family Charinidae Quintero, 1986 is the most speciose and widely distributed in the arachnid order Amblypygi Thorell, 1883. It comprises three genera and 95 species distributed across all tropical continents and the eastern Mediterranean. Despite recent advances in the taxonomy of the family, a global revision of all its species, necessary to advance understanding of its systematics, biogeography and evolution, has never been conducted. In the present contribution, the family is revised in its entirety for the first time, including all previous names and 33 new species, 24 in the genus Charinus Simon, 1892: C. alagoanus sp. nov., C. apiaca sp. nov., C. carinae sp. nov., C. carioca sp. nov., C. carvalhoi sp. nov., C. cearensis sp. nov., C. diamantinus sp. nov., C. euclidesi sp. nov., C. goitaca sp. nov., C. guayaquil sp. nov., C. imperialis sp. nov., C. loko sp. nov., C. magalhaesi sp. nov., C. miskito sp. nov., C. mocoa sp. nov., C. monasticus sp. nov., C. palikur sp. nov., C. perquerens sp. nov., C. puri sp. nov., C. renneri sp. nov., C. sooretama sp. nov., C. souzai sp. nov., C. susuwa sp. nov., C. una sp. nov.; eight in the genus Sarax Simon, 1892: S. bilua sp. nov., S. dunni sp. nov., S. gravelyi sp. nov., S. indochinensis sp. nov., S. lembeh sp. nov., S. palau sp. nov., S. rahmadii sp. nov., S. tiomanensis sp. nov.; and one in the genus Weygoldtia Miranda et al., 2018: W. consonensis sp. nov. Taxonomic keys to the 132 species (excluding four nomina dubia) are presented and several taxonomic rearrangements implemented. Four subspecies are elevated to species level: Charinus cavernicolus Weygoldt, 2006, C. elegans Weygoldt, 2006, C. longipes Weygoldt, 2006, and Sarax bispinosus (Nair, 1934). Sarax batuensis Roewer, 1962 is removed from synonymy with Sarax buxtoni (Gravely, 1915) and S. buxtoni newly synonymized with Sarax rimosus (Simon, 1901). Stygophrynus moultoni Gravely, 1915 is transferred to Sarax, resulting in Sarax moultoni (Gravely, 1915) comb. nov. Ten species are transferred from Charinus to Sarax, resulting in new combinations: S. abbatei (Delle Cave, 1986) comb. nov., S. bengalensis (Gravely, 1911) comb. nov., S. dhofarensis (Weygoldt, Pohl & Polak, 2002) comb. nov., S. ioanniticus (Kritscher, 1959) comb. nov., S. israelensis (Miranda et al., 2016) comb. nov., S. omanensis (Delle Cave, Gardner & Weygoldt, 2009) comb. nov., S. pakistanus (Weygoldt, 2005) comb. nov., S. seychellarum (Kraepelin, 1898) comb. nov., S. socotranus (Weygoldt, Pohl & Polak, 2002) comb. nov. and S. stygochthobius (Weygoldt & Van Damme, 2004) comb. nov.

Systematic revision of the pantropical whip spider family Charinidae Quintero, 1986 (Arachnida, Amblypygi)

The whip spider family Charinidae Quintero, 1986 is the most speciose and widely distributed in the arachnid order Amblypygi Thorell, 1883. It comprises three genera and 95 species distributed across all tropical continents and the eastern Mediterranean. Despite recent advances in the taxonomy of the family, a global revision of all its species, necessary to advance understanding of its systematics, biogeography and evolution, has never been conducted. In the present contribution, the family is revised in its entirety for the first time, including all previous names and 33 new species, 24 in the genus Charinus Simon, 1892: C. alagoanus sp. nov., C. apiaca sp. nov., C. carinae sp. nov., C. carioca sp. nov., C. carvalhoi sp. nov., C. cearensis sp. nov., C. diamantinus sp. nov., C. euclidesi sp. nov., C. goitaca sp. nov., C. guayaquil sp. nov., C. imperialis sp. nov., C. loko sp. nov., C. magalhaesi sp. nov., C. miskito sp. nov., C. mocoa sp. nov., C. monasticus sp. nov., C. palikur sp. nov., C. perquerens sp. nov., C. puri sp. nov., C. renneri sp. nov., C. sooretama sp. nov., C. souzai sp. nov., C. susuwa sp. nov., C. una sp. nov.; eight in the genus Sarax Simon, 1892: S. bilua sp. nov., S. dunni sp. nov., S. gravelyi sp. nov., S. indochinensis sp. nov., S. lembeh sp. nov., S. palau sp. nov., S. rahmadii sp. nov., S. tiomanensis sp. nov.; and one in the genus Weygoldtia Miranda et al., 2018: W. consonensis sp. nov. Taxonomic keys to the 132 species (excluding four nomina dubia) are presented and several taxonomic rearrangements implemented. Four subspecies are elevated to species level: Charinus cavernicolus Weygoldt, 2006, C. elegans Weygoldt, 2006, C. longipes Weygoldt, 2006, and Sarax bispinosus (Nair, 1934). Sarax batuensis Roewer, 1962 is removed from synonymy with Sarax buxtoni (Gravely, 1915) and S. buxtoni newly synonymized with Sarax rimosus (Simon, 1901). Stygophrynus moultoni Gravely, 1915 is transferred to Sarax, resulting in Sarax moultoni (Gravely, 1915) comb. nov. Ten species are transferred from Charinus to Sarax, resulting in new combinations: S. abbatei (Delle Cave, 1986) comb. nov., S. bengalensis (Gravely, 1911) comb. nov., S. dhofarensis (Weygoldt, Pohl & Polak, 2002) comb. nov., S. ioanniticus (Kritscher, 1959) comb. nov., S. israelensis (Miranda et al., 2016) comb. nov., S. omanensis (Delle Cave, Gardner & Weygoldt, 2009) comb. nov., S. pakistanus (Weygoldt, 2005) comb. nov., S. seychellarum (Kraepelin, 1898) comb. nov., S. socotranus (Weygoldt, Pohl & Polak, 2002) comb. nov. and S. stygochthobius (Weygoldt & Van Damme, 2004) comb. nov.

Systematic revision of Platevindex Baker, 1938 (Gastropoda: Euthyneura: Onchidiidae)

In the Indo-West Pacific, intertidal slugs of the genus Platevindex Baker, 1938 are common in mangrove forests, where they typically live on the roots and trunks of mangrove trees. These slugs are easily distinguished from most onchidiids by their hard notum and narrow foot, but despite their large size and abundance, species diversity and geographic distributions have remained a mystery. With the aid of new collections from across the entire Indo-West Pacific, the taxonomy of Platevindex is revised using an integrative approach (natural history field observations, re-examination of type specimens, mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences, and comparative anatomy). In this monograph, nine species of Platevindex are recognized, including one new to science: P. amboinae (Plate, 1893), P. applanatus (Simroth, 1920) comb. nov., P. aptei Goulding & Dayrat sp. nov., P. burnupi (Collinge, 1902) comb. nov., P. coriaceus (Semper, 1880), P. latus (Plate, 1893), P. luteus (Semper, 1880), P. martensi (Plate, 1893) and P. tigrinus (Stoliczka, 1869) comb. nov. Five species names are recognized as junior synonyms, four of which are new, and two Platevindex names are regarded as nomina dubia. One new subspecies is also recognized: P. coriaceus darwinensis Goulding & Dayrat subsp. nov. Most species were previously known only from the type material and many new geographic records are provided across the Indo-West Pacific, from South Africa to the West Pacific (Japan, New Ireland and New Caledonia).

Revision of the Australopapuan and West Pacific species of plain pumpkin-beetles, the Aulacophora indica species-complex (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae)

The ‘plain pumpkin-beetle’, indica species-complex of Aulacophora Chevrolat, 1836, is revised for Australopapua, Timor and the West Pacific. The species-complex is defined and the following eight included species are diagnosed and described: A. abdominalis (Fabricius, 1781); A. barrogae Reid, Halling & Beatson, sp. nov.; A. cornuta Baly, 1879; A. indica (Gmelin, 1790); A. mbabaram Reid, Halling & Beatson, sp. nov.; A. relicta (Boisduval, 1835); A. wallacii Baly, 1886; A. wilsoni Baly, 1888. The three other similar species in the region of interest, A. bicolor (Weber, 1801), A coffeae (Weber, 1801) and A. deplanchei (Perroud & Montrouzier, 1864), are diagnosed from the Aulacophora indica species-complex and a key is provided for all 11 species. New synonyms are noted as follows (senior synonym first): A. abdominalis (Fabricius, 1781) = A. argyrogaster (Montrouzier, 1861) syn. nov., = A. fabricii Baly, 1886 syn. nov., = A. armigera Baly, 1889 syn. nov., = A. aruensis (Weise, 1892) syn. nov., = A. fauveli Beenen, 2008 syn. nov.; A. relicta (Boisduval, 1835) = A. palmerstoni Blackburn, 1888 syn. nov., = A. imberbis Weise, 1916 syn. nov.. Aulacophora relicta (stat. rev.) is revalidated from synonymy with A. abdominalis and A. wilsoni (stat. rev.) is revalidated from synonymy with A. scutellata (Boisduval 1835). Aulacophora flava Olivier, 1808, is not an available species name. The synonymy of A. robusta Duvivier, 1884 with A. cornuta is confirmed. Five species traditionally placed in Aulacophora, Galleruca flaveola Boisduval, 1835, G. punctata Boisduval, 1835, G. scutellata Boisduval, 1835, Galleruca flavescens Montrouzier, 1856 and Galleruca artensis Montrouzier, 1861, are not identifiable to genus or species and are therefore listed as nomina dubia within Galerucinae. The previously designated lectotype of A. abdominalis is shown to be invalid. Neotypes are created for A. abdominalis and A. relicta as both lack original type material. A lectotype is designated for A. palmerstoni. The plain pumpkin-beetle species are distributed as follows: A. barrogae, A. mbabaram, A. relicta and A. wilsoni are endemic to Australia; A. abdominalis is widespread in the southwestern Pacific and Melanesia, west to Timor and east to Niue, but is absent from mainland Australia; A. cornuta is widespread from eastern India to Melanesia as far east as Guadalcanal; A. indica is widespread from India southeast to Timor and northeast to Guam, and adventitious further south and east, but absent from, or not established in, Australia, Fiji, New Caledonia, Niue, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu; A. wallacii is endemic to Timor. Native hosts are unknown for any species, but A. abdominalis, A. indica, A. relicta and A. wallacii are pests of exotic cucurbit crops.

A Revision of fossil Bibionidae (Insecta: Diptera) from the Oligocene of Germany

We revise the available material of fossil Bibionidae from the Oligocene of Germany, except for the Early Oligocene site of Kleinkems which has recently been revised. The bulk of the material originates from the Late Oligocene Lagerstätten of Rott and Enspel. One new species, Bibio castaneipennis sp.n., is described from Enspel. The following new combinations are established: Hesperinus heeri (Heyden & Heyden, 1865) comb.n. (previously Plecia heeri), Plecia dubia (Germar, 1837) (previously Phthiria dubia). Plecia collossea (Heyden & Heyden, 1865) is removed from synonymy with Plecia morio (Heer, 1849), Plecia gracilenta (Heyden & Heyden, 1865) is removed from synonymy with Plecia lygaeoides (Heer, 1849). The following new synonymies are established: Plecia elegantula Meunier, 1915 = Penthetria rottensis Statz, 1943 = Penthetria scita Statz, 1943 = Hesperinus heeri (Heyden & Heyden, 1865); Plecia superba Meunier, 1915 = Plecia imperialis Statz, 1943 = Plecia philippi Statz, 1943 = Plecia collossea (Heyden & Heyden, 1865); Helophilus primarius Germar, 1837 = Plecia abava (Heyden & Heyden, 1865) = Plecia satyrus Statz, 1943 = Plecia dubia (Germar, 1837); Plecia expositia (Heyden & Heyden, 1865) = Plecia grandaeva (Heyden & Heyden, 1865) = Plecia antenata (Heyden & Heyden, 1865) = Plecia elongata (Heyden & Heyden, 1865) = Plecia pulchella Meunier, 1915 = Plecia hypogaea (Heyden & Heyden, 1865); Plecia schineri (Heyden & Heyden, 1865) = Plecia macrocephala (Heyden & Heyden, 1865); Plecia lapidaria (Heyden & Heyden, 1865) = Bibio brachypteroides Meunier, 1915 = Plecia vulpina Statz, 1943 = Plecia pinguis (Heyden & Heyden, 1865); Plecia lapidaria nigra Statz, 1943 = Plecia sluiteri Meunier, 1917; Plecia veterana (Heyden & Heyden, 1865) = Plecia stygia (Heyden & Heyden, 1865); Bibio spadicea Statz, 1943 = Bibio aerosus Statz, 1943; Bibio heydeni Meunier, 1920 = Bibio comosella Statz, 1943 = Bibio germari Meunier, 1920; Plecia heroica Heyden & Heyden, 1865 = Bibio giganteus Unger, 1841; Bibio infumatus Meunier, 1915 = Bibio mimas L. Heyden, 1870. The following names are placed as nomina dubia pending rediscovery of the type material: Plecia volgeri (C.H.G. Heyden, 1859); Bibio janus L. Heyden, 1870; Bibio tertiarius C.H.G. Heyden, 1862; Dilophus deletus (C.H.G. Heyden, 1862). The male morphotypes described but not formally named by Statz (1943) are tentatively assigned to named species.

Revision of the spider genus Sparianthis Simon, 1880 (Araneae, Sparassidae, Sparianthinae)

The genus Sparianthis Simon is revised. Pseudosparianthis Simon and Sampaiosia Mello-Leitão are considered junior synonyms of Sparianthis and thus, seven new combinations are proposed: S. accentuata (Caporiacco) comb. nov., S. chickeringi (Gerstch) comb. nov., S. fusca (Simon) comb. nov., S. megalopalpa (Caporiacco) comb. nov., S. picta (Simon) comb. nov. and S. ravida (Simon) comb. nov. are transferred from Pseudosparianthis and S. crulsi (Mello-Leitão) comb. nov. from Sampaiosia. Two additional new combinations are proposed: Decaphora ambigua (Caporiacco) comb. nov. and Uaiuara jayuyae (Petrunkevitch) comb. nov. are transferred from Pseudosparianthis and, together with S. fusca, are considered nomina dubia. Sparianthis accentuata is considered incertae sedis. The male of S. chickeringi and the female of S. crulsi are described for the first time and six new species are described: S. beebei sp. nov. (♂♀) from Trinidad and S. caracarai sp. nov. (♂♀) from Roraima, S. boraris sp. nov. (♂♀) and S. juruti sp. nov. (♂♀) from Pará, and S. humaita sp. nov. (♂♀) and S. juazeiro sp. nov. (♀) from Acre, all in Brazil. All species are redescribed and illustrated. In addition, an identification key and updated distribution maps for all species of the genus are included.

Delicate and diverse: A taxonomic monograph with a phylogenetic analysis of the Neotropical genus Ghilianella Spinola (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Emesinae)

The Neotropical thread-legged bug genus Ghilianella Spinola, 1850 is the most diversified within Metapterini. A taxonomic revision of Ghilianella is presented, in which seventy seven species are recognized as valid, with twenty-one described as new: Ghilianella berengeri sp. nov.; Ghilianella bifurcata sp. nov.; Ghilianella bolivari sp. nov.; Ghilianella caldensis sp. nov.; Ghilianella dilatata sp. nov.; Ghilianella embera sp. nov.; Ghilianella fernandezi sp. nov.; Ghilianella ferruginosa sp. nov.; Ghilianella gilsantanai sp. nov.; Ghilianella goliath sp. nov.; Ghilianella gracilis sp. nov.; Ghilianella huaorani sp. nov.; Ghilianella jaguar sp. nov.; Ghilianella laticauda sp. nov.; Ghilianella maricruzae sp. nov.; Ghilianella quimbaya sp. nov.; Ghilianella scimitarra sp. nov.; Ghilianella tica sp. nov.; Ghilianella urbanoi sp. nov.; Ghilianella ventrimaculata sp. nov.; and Ghilianella weirauchae sp. nov. For the first time a female specimen is described for Ghilianella atriclava Bergroth, 1911, Ghilianella colona McAtee & Malloch, 1925 and Ghilianella pachitea McAtee & Malloch, 1925. Three new synonyms are recognized: Ghilianella bulbifera Champion, 1898 (=Ghilianella pendula McAtee & Malloch, 1925 syn. nov.; Ghilianella inflata Maldonado, 1981 syn. nov.) and Ghilianella strigata McAtee & Malloch, 1925 (=Ghilianella fenestrata Maldonado, 1960 syn. nov.). Eleven species are considered nomina dubia and one species nomen nudum. A key to species and digital images of the external morphology and genitalic structures for each species are provided. Additionally, we offer the first phylogenetic hypothesis of relationships within Ghilianella, using cladistic methods. Based on the phylogenetic results we dismiss all subgenera in Ghilianella and discuss the complex evolution of the abdominal expansions.