Records and descriptions of caddisflies from Natma Taung National Park and adjacent localities in the Chin Hills of Myanmar (Insecta, Trichoptera)

During several excursions to the Chin Hills of Myanmar from 2001 to 2015, rich collections of caddisflies were made which form the basis of the present taxonomic and biogeographic study. A total of 106 species were identified including seven new species. They are described as Arctopsyche subflavasp. nov., Hydromanicus abdominalissp. nov., Cheumatopsyche janosolahisp. nov., Lepidostoma subpanaitossp. nov., Aplatyphylax pumilussp. nov., Adicella natmataungensissp. nov. and Triaenodes mindatensissp. nov. Illustrations of the male genitalia and images of the adults are provided. Two species names were recognised as junior synonyms: Hydropsyche athamas Malicky & Chantaramongkol, 2000, = Hydropsyche januha Oláh & Barnard, 2008, syn. nov.; Hydropsyche khasigiri Oláh & Barnard, 2008, = Hydropsyche kiogupa Oláh & Schefter, 2008, syn. nov. In an attempt to determine the biogeographic character of the fauna, the known ranges of all resident species were plotted into three longitudinal transects from 85°–95°E, 95–98°E and 98°–108°E, ranging from the eastern Himalayas to northern Vietnam. About half of the species have ranges extending over all three transects. The fauna is equally composed of western and eastern species qualifying the Chin Hills as part of a transition zone including palearctic elements. Most of the species, which are widely distributed in south-east Asia, are members of the suborder Annulipalpia. The investigations of the authors yielded 77 autochthonous species, which have been unrecorded from the country including the newly-described taxa. This brings the number of species records from Mynamar to 304.

A molecular and conchological dissection of the “scaly” Georissa of Malaysian Borneo (Gastropoda, Neritimorpha, Hydrocenidae)

The Bornean hydrocenids have so far been understudied compared to other non-pulmonate snails in this region. In the present study, we review a first group of minute land snail species belonging to the genusGeorissa(Gastropoda, Hydrocenidae) from Malaysian Borneo. This group is restricted to the species with conspicuous scale-like sculpture on the shell. Based on materials from recent fieldwork, museums, and personal collections, Malaysian Borneo hydrocenids are more complex and diverse in shell characters than previously anticipated. Here, a molecular, conchological, and biogeographic study of this “scaly group” is presented. We recognise 13 species of which six are new to science, namelyGeorissaanyiensissp. n.,Georissamuluensissp. n.,Georissabauensissp. n.,Georissasilaburensissp. n.,Georissakinabatanganensissp. n., andGeorissasepulutensissp. n.

Priority areas to collect germplasm ofMalacomeles(Rosaceae) in Mexico based on diversity and species richness indices

The genusMalacomeles(Decne.) G. N. Jones (RosaceaesubtribePyrinae) represents several fruit shrubs, which is mainly distributed in North and Central America, from southern USA to Honduras and Guatemala, although the main distribution of this genus is in Mexico. Five species of the genusMalacomeleshave been reported to exist in Mexico.Malacomelesis widely distributed in several mountainous ranges in Mexico, although it is unknown where most of the diversity of theMalacomelesgenus is located in the country. The aim of this biogeographic study was to determine the areas of highest diversity of the genusMalacomelesin Mexico based on species richness and diversity indices in order to identify the best regions of Mexico to collect germplasm. The results indicated that most of the diversity of the genusMalacomelesis concentrated in northeast Mexico, mainly in the biogeographic province of Sierra Madre Oriental. In this province, the highest values on three biodiversity indices were found. Thus, this area can be considered as the priority area to collect the germplasm ofMalacomeles.M. denticulatais the predominant and the most interesting species in Mexico from the viewpoint of collecting plant genetic resources; this species is mainly distributed in the provinces of Trans-Mexican Volcanic Axis, Mexican Plateau and Sierra Madre del Sur, where secondary priority areas to collect germplasm are located.