A new species of Mecomera Audinet-Serville earwig (Dermaptera: Spongiphoridae) from the Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest

A new earwig species, Mecomera ze sp. nov. (Spongiphoridae: Sparattinae: Sparattini) from the Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest is described based on males and females from Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil. Mecomera ze sp. nov. has a pygidium shape similar to that of M. chacoensis (Borelli), and can be differentiated by the flattened projections of M. ze sp. nov., with emarginations between each projection, whilst in M. chacoensis the pygidium has cylindrical projections, with a single emargination between apical projections. Mecomera ze sp. nov. is also similar to M. reichardti in that both have cerci as long as the abdomen. However, M. reichardti has an inconspicuous basal projection and a more acute conspicuous projection at middle, whilst M. ze sp. nov. has a more conspicuous basal projection and less conspicuous middle projection. Comparisons are made with the male genitalia of all species.

A Revision of Conchocarpus with Pantocolporate Pollen Grains: The Almeidea Group (Galipeinae, Rutaceae)

Abstract— Conchocarpus is the largest genus of Galipeinae (tribe Galipeeae), which is the most diverse group of Neotropical Rutaceae, with ca. 50 species. Recent phylogenetic analyses support a recircumscription of Conchocarpus to accommodate the species of Almeidea, a taxon from the Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest and Bolivia whose synapomorphy is the possession of pantocolporate pollen grains. Four species are recognized here: C. albiflorus, C. coeruleus, C. hendrixii, and C. ruber. A taxonomic revision of this group of four species of Conchocarpus is provided, with updates of their nomenclature, morphology, circumscription, geographic distribution, and preliminary conservation status, as well as a key to the species and illustrations. Conchocarpus limae and C. lilacinus are consigned to the synonymy of C. ruber.

Evidence of Elevational Speciation in Kerteszia cruzii (Diptera: Culicidae) in the Ribeira Valley, São Paulo, Brazil

Kerteszia cruzii [former Anopheles (Kerteszia) cruzii] is a bromeliad mosquito widespread in the Brazilian Atlantic rainforest. In South-eastern Brazil, it plays an important role in malaria transmission because it was infected with at least four Plasmodium species. There is robust evidence that Ke. cruzii is a species complex. We used single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from a nextRAD sequence (nextera-tagmented, reductively amplified DNA) to investigate the genetic structure of Ke. cruzii in the Ribeira Valley, South-eastern Brazil. Furthermore, we verified whether the genetic structure was associated with forest cover, elevation, slope, and vegetation physiognomy. Our results showed two distinct lineages in the studied region associated with elevation and isolation by distance. The first lineage included samples from coastal localities and the second comprised specimens from inland or mountain sites. At one sampling locality (Esteiro do Morro in Cananéia municipality), both lineages are sympatric. These results are in accordance with previously published data that showed elevated stratification in Ke. cruzii. However, Fst values did not indicate the existence of cryptic or sister species in Ke. cruzii in this region, we concluded that elevational speciation probably occurs, and we hypothesized that differences in population structure found might be associated with the distribution of bromeliad species.

Helicoma barretoi sp. nov. from the Brazilian Atlantic rainforest

A new species, Helicoma barretoi, collected on dead twigs in Paraíba State of northeastern Brazil, is described and illustrated. It is distinguished by frequent branched conidiophores, cylindrical conidiogenous cells constricted at basal septa, and broad terminal denticles.

Karyotypic data of five ant taxa from the Brazilian Atlantic rainforest

The Brazilian Atlantic rainforest is an endangered biome and biodiversity hotspot. Ant cytogenetic studies from this biome showed remarkable chromosomal diversity among species, and provided useful insights on phylogeny, chromosomal evolution, and taxonomy. In this study, we karyotyped five ant taxa from the Atlantic rainforest. The karyotypes observed were Pheidole germaini 2n=22, Pheidole sp. flavens group 2n=20, Brachymyrmex admotus 2n=18, Camponotus atriceps 2n=40, and Odontomachus haematodus 2n=44. The data obtained for Pheidole spp. represent the first chromosomal record for the genus in Brazil and provide insights on the chromosomal evolution of P. germaini. Karyotypic information from B. admotus brings the genus back to the cytogenetic scenario after decades of neglect. No karyotype variations were observed among the C. atriceps and O. haematodus from different already studied populations, corroborating their status as good species. This study increased the cytogenetic knowledge of ants from the Brazilian Atlantic rainforest.