Rhodopotyphlus mitovi gen. et sp. nov., a new endogean millipede from the Western Rhodope Mountains, Bulgaria (Diplopoda: Julida: Julidae)

A new genus and species, Rhodopotyphlus mitovi gen. et sp. nov., is described from the Western Rhodopi Mts., south-central Bulgaria. According to its morphology combined with previously published molecular data, the new species is supposed to represent a basal lineage in the julid tribe Typhloiulini. Some assumptions concerning the early evolutionary stages of the development of the mesomere—an important part of the male copulatory apparatus of many julid millipedes—are made on the basis of the outstanding gonopod conformation in the newly described taxon. Rhodopotyphlus mitovi gen. et sp. nov. is likely a narrow local endemic showing preference for specific microhabitat conditions.

Sand Fly Colony Crash Tentatively Attributed to Nematode Infestation

Maintenance of laboratory colonies of insects and other arthropod pests offers significant research advantages. The availability, age, sex, housing conditions, nutrition, and relative uniformity over time of biological material for research facilitate comparison of results between experiments that would otherwise be difficult or impossible. A laboratory research colony of Phlebotomus papatasi (Scopoli), old world sand flies, was maintained with high-colony productivity for a number of years, but within a relatively short (4–6 mo) time period, colony productivity declined from over 10,000 flies per week to less than 100 per week. Mites and nematodes were both visible in the larval medium; however, the mites had been present throughout high productivity periods; therefore, it seemed reasonable to investigate the nematodes. PCR amplification of 18S rRNA yielded a clean cDNA sequence identified by BLAST search as Procephalobus sp. 1 WB-2008 (Rhabditida: Panagrolaimidae) small subunit ribosomal RNA gene, GenBank EU543179.1, with 475/477 nucleotide identities. Nematode samples were collected and identified as Tricephalobus steineri, (Andrássy, 1952) Rühm, 1956 (Rhabditida: Panagrolaimidae) based on morphological characteristics of the esophagus and the male copulatory apparatus. Mites (Tyrophagus putrescentiae [Acariformes: Acaridae]) may have played an additional predatory role in the loss of sand fly colony productivity. We hypothesized that the origin of the nematode infestation was rabbit dung from a local rabbitry used in preparation of the larval medium. Colony productivity was fully restored within 3 mo (two sand fly generational periods) by replacement of the rabbit dung from a clean source for use to prepare sand fly larval medium.

New replacement name for Anaperus Graff, 1911 (Acoelomorpha: Acoela: Convolutidae)

The acoel genus Anaperus was established by Graff in 1911 for Amphiscolops gardineri Graff, 1910, making Anaperus gardineri (Graff, 1910) its type species. Since then, six more valid species were described: A. tvaerminnensis (Luther, 1912); A. sulcatus Beklemischev, 1914; A. rubellus Westblad, 1945; A. biaculeatus Boguta, 1970; A. ornatus Beltagi, 2001; A. singularis Hooge & Smith, 2004. A seventh species, A. australis Westblad, 1952, is incertae sedis (Dörjes & Karling, 1975). The genus was placed to family Convolutidae Graff, 1905, until Dörjes (1968) erected the family Anaperidae on the basis of a distinctive male copulatory apparatus. Jondelius et al. (2011) returned it to Convolutidae on the basis of molecular–sequence data.

A revision of Peronina Plate, 1893 (Gastropoda : Euthyneura : Onchidiidae) based on mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences, morphology and natural history

Peronina Plate, 1893 is a genus of onchidiids that live on the mud in mangrove forests. Peronina can be identified in the field by the lung opening at the margin between the ventral hyponotum and the dorsal notum, and by the distinctive scalloped notum edge. This genus was previously known only from the holotype of the type species, Peronina alta Plate, 1893, from eastern India. Onchidium tenerum Stoliczka, 1869 is moved to Peronina and applies to the same species as Peronina alta. Peronina species are described using an integrative approach (natural history, comparative anatomy and DNA sequences). Mitochondrial COI and 16S sequences and nuclear ITS2 and 28S sequences are used to independently test species boundaries. Mitochondrial sequences yielded three units separated by a large barcode gap, but nuclear sequences yielded two units. Because these two units are congruent with differences in the male copulatory apparatus, they are accepted as species. Explanations for highly divergent COI haplotypes within one species are discussed. Peronina tenera (Stoliczka, 1869) is distributed in the Bay of Bengal and the Strait of Malacca, while P. zulfigari Goulding & Dayrat, sp. nov. is endemic to the Strait of Malacca. The two species differ internally but are cryptic externally.

A contribution to knowledge of some main trends in evolutionary transformations of the male genitalia in superorder Amphiesmenoptera (Insecta, Trichoptera + Lepidoptera)

The general trends of evolutionary transformations in the male copulatory apparatus of the lower ditrysian Lepidoptera, family Gelechiidae, on the base of functional morphological analysis are similar to those in the order Trichoptera. Evolution of the genitalia in both groups was directed to improvement of efficiency of mating mechanisms. It is found that one of the general trends in trichopterans, reduced of gonopods, corresponds to the main direction of valvae transformation in lower ditrysian moths Gelechiidae. These structures, being of importance in grasping the female in other groups of Lepidoptera, lost this function in some genera and they completely disappeared in most advanced groups of gelechiid moths. That phenomenon is associated with transformations of other structures in copulatory apparatus, which functionally compensate for the lack of valvae. Such functional analogues are found in the course of comparative morphological analysis of the male genitalia in both groups. Similar changes and similar traits of the genital appendages in both groups, trichopterans and lower ditrysian lepidopterans, can be considered as evidence of parallel evolution. The possible parallelisms as indicators of common evolutionary trends in transformation of copulatory apparatus within the two lineages, Trichoptera and Lepidoptera, having a common ancestor, are discussed.