On the taxonomy of Negeta semialba Hampson, 1918 with descriptions of two new Leucobaeta László, Ronkay & Witt, 2010 species (Lepidoptera, Nolidae, Nolinae)

The taxonomic position of the West African Negeta semialba Hampson, 1918 is revised and the species is transferred from the genus Negeta Walker, 1862 of Westermanniinae to Leucobaeta László, Ronkay & Witt, 2010 of Nolinae: Leucobaeta semialba (Hampson, 1918) comb. n., based on morphological analysis. The hitherto unknown male adult and genitalia of both sexes are described and illustrated. Leucobaeta semialba is compared to the superficially similar Afrotropical Negeta mesoleuca (Holland, 1894) and N. ruficeps (Hampson, 1902); two sibling species from East Africa and Madagascar are described as new to science: L. smithi and L. malagassa spp. n. Pairwise genetic distances of COI-5P sequences between the taxa are provided.

One new genus and three new species of the Penenirmus-complex (Phthiraptera: Ischnocera) from China, with resurrection of Picophilopterus Ansari, 1947

Three new species of chewing lice of the Penenirmus-complex (Phthiraptera: Ischnocera) are described and illustrated from woodpeckers (Picidae) and barbets (Megalaimidae) occurring in China. They are: Picophilopterus blythipici new species from Blythipicus pyrrhotis sinensis (Rickett, 1897), Laimoloima ruiliensis new genus, new species from Psilopogon asiaticus asiaticus (Latham, 1790), and Laimoloima tandani new genus, new species from Psilopogon virens virens (Boddaert, 1783). In addition, we provide illustrations of Picophilopterus pici sensu lato ex Picus canus sordidior (Rippon, 1906), and we present evidence that justifies resurrecting the genus Picophilopterus Ansari, 1947 to include the species infesting woodpeckers and Neotropical barbets (Capitonidae). Also, we erect the new genus Laimoloima to include the species from Asian barbets (Megalaimidae). The taxonomic position of Penenirmus species from African barbets (Lybiidae) and honeyguides (Indicatoridae) is unresolved. An updated checklist of the species in the Penenirmus-complex parasitic on non-passeriform hosts is provided, including species of the genus Turnicola Clay & Meinertzhagen, 1938.

CHARACTERISATION OF A MEMBER OF THE GENUS CELLULOSIMICROBIUM AS A DEGRADER OF 2,4-DICHLOROPHENOXYACETIC ACID

On the basis of the cultural, morphological, physiological and biochemical features, the taxonomic position of the NPZ-121 strain (isolated from the soil contaminated with chemical waste in Ufa (Russia)) as belonging to the species Cellulosimicrobium funkei was specified. In a batch culture the dynamics of growth of the strain C. funkei NPZ-121 and utilization of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid at a concentration of 100 mg/l were described. For 11 days the culture used up to 69% of the substrate from the initial value. The ability of the strain to metabolize 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4,5-T) was revealed previously. Thus, the polysubstrate activity to chlorinated phenoxyacetic acids of the NPZ-121 strain was established.

A new species of fossil Calosoma (Coleoptera: Carabidae) from the Geumgwangdong Formation (Early Miocene), South Korea

In this paper, a new fossil species of Calosoma (Coleoptera: Carabidae) from the lower Miocene Geumgwangdong Formation, Pohang City, South Korea, is described. Compared with other Miocene Calosoma fossils, Calosoma kimi sp. nov. exhibits different characteristics in particular interval connection and scale patterns on the elytra. It is the first fossil Calosoma recorded from the Korean Peninsula. However, the taxonomic position of C. kimi sp. nov. within Calosoma is not clear at present though it is probably related to the complex of the subgenera Australodrepa, Calodrepa, and Calosoma.

Some comments on Passer italiae-like of south Italy, Sicily and Malta

The authors summarize the results obtained over a period of about 150 years by various authors on the taxonomic position of Sparrows present in southern Italy, Sicily and Malta, identified on several occasions as Passer italiae, P. hispaniolensis or as hybrids of the two species. Based on the latest research and the analysis of the genome of the sparrows of Corsica, Crete, southern Italy, Sicily and Malta, it appears that it has finally been possible to establish that these populations possess a different degree of hybridization between P. italiae and P. hispaniolensis, with less genes of P. hispaniolensis in northern regions and more in southern ones. Therefore, the authors propose to name these populations Passer italiae x hispaniolensis.

Notes on Longitarsus aphthonoides Weise 1887 and on the species groups of L. lateripunctatus (Rosenhauer 1856) and L. curtus (Allard 1860) (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae)

The aim of this study is to deepen the knowledge of five poorly studied Longitarsus species in order to elucidate their taxonomic position within the genus. For each of them further diagnostic characters and many new collecting localities are supplied. One new synonymy and one change of status are proposed: L. callidus Warchalowski 1967 = L. aphthonoides Weise 1887 syn. nov., and L. lateripunctatus personatus Weise 1893 is raised to valid species. The morphologically similar L. curtus (Allard 1860) and L. monticola Kutschera 1863 are also examined, providing new male and female diagnostic characters for their identification, as well as several European and Italian new collecting localities.

Hedysarum sunhangii (Fabaceae, Hedysareae), a new species from Pamir-Alay (Babatag Ridge - Uzbekistan)

Hedysarum sunhangii is a new species described from the Babatag Ridge in the Uzbekistan part of the South-West Pamir-Alay (Central Asia). Morphological and molecular phylogenetic analyses were utilized to determine the taxonomic position of the species in genus Hedysarum. This new species belongs to the subsect. Crinifera of the sect. Multicaulia and it resembles H. criniferum and H. nuratense, but can be distinguished by details of its 3–4 pairs of larger and elliptical or ovate shaped leaflets, standard and keel sizes.

The genus Stammericaris Jakobi (Copepoda: Harpacticoida: Parastenocarididae) in the Nearctic subregion: description of Stammericaris remotaepatriae sp. nov., proposal of Stammericaris palmerae (Reid 1992) comb. nov., and remarks on other North American Parastenocarididae

We describe a new harpacticoid, Stammericaris remotaepatriae sp. nov., collected from the hyporheic habitat of a stream in Nantucket, MA, USA. The new species is characterized by the size of the caudal rami of both sexes, which are shorter than the anal somite, by the morphology and armature of the P3 and, mainly, by the P4 endopod of males, represented by a curved plate with a strongly bifid tip, the distal proximal outgrowth of the distal margin spiniform and denticled, the proximal outgrowth missing. The study of the new species allowed us to review the systematic position of Parastenocaris palmerae Reid, 1992, which we transferred to Stammericaris Jakobi, 1972 as Stammericaris palmerae (Reid, 1992) comb. nov., based mainly on the structure of the male P4 endopod complex and the setation of the caudal rami. We also discussed the taxonomic position and affinities of Parastenocaris trichelata Reid, 1955, suggesting that this species is related to the two former ones for a set of diagnostic features, but can not be attributed to the genus due to the peculiar morphology of the male P4 endopod complex; P. trichelata is therefore considered species inquirenda. We also discussed Parastenocaris sp. 1 and Parastenocaris sp. 3, two taxa only partially described and drawn in Strayer (1988). In fact, Parastenocaris sp. 1 can be related to Stammericaris and might represent a third species of the genus in the Nearctic region. Remarkably, the structure of the male P4 endopod of Parastenocaris sp. 3 is typical of Proserpinicaris Jakobi, 1972; this hypothetical assignment of the species to Proserpinicaris, if confirmed, would be of relevant taxonomic and biogeographic value. Finally, we provide an updated distribution map of the genus Stammericaris and brief remarks on the faunistic and ecological characteristics of the taxa presented and discussed in this paper.