Tischeriidae (Lepidoptera) leafminers new to Iran, including Tischeria caucasica on Quercus: a sibling species of T. ekebladella or a case of clinal variation?

We record three Tischeriidae species new for Iran: Coptotriche gaunacella (Duponchel, 1843) from Tehran and Mazandaran provinces, Tischeria dodonaea Stainton, 1858 from East Azarbaijan province and T. caucasica Klasiński & Stonis, 2020, previously only known from Georgia. The larvae of T. caucasica were observed mining the leaves of planted trees of Quercus infectoria G. Olivier, Q. robur Linnaeus and Q. libani G. Olivier in Peykan Shahr, Tehran province; and on native trees of Q. castaneifolia C.A.Mey. and Q. macranthera Fisch. & C.A.Mey. ex Hohen. in East Azarbaijan, Gilan and Mazandaran provinces. This species was very abundant on planted oaks in Peykan Shahr, Tehran and the infestation increased progressively in the second generation of the moth in November and December. Tischeria caucasica is very similar to European T. ekebladella (Bjerkander, 1795) in external appearance and biology, both sharing the same DNA barcode. The only diagnostic character, in the male genitalia, are the spiny appendages of the juxta. We provide a brief diagnosis and describe the larvae, leafmines and pupae for the first time. We discuss whether the observed difference in the male genitalia supports separate specific status, or is the result of clinal variation of a single species.

First report of Meris paradoxa Rindge (Geometridae: Ennominae) in the central mountains of Mexico, description of its female and a comparison of caterpillar variation among kin

Meris paradoxa Rindge, thought to be restricted to southeastern Arizona, is documented in Mexico for the first time. Previously described only from males, we provide the first description of the female from specimens collected as caterpillars and reared to adults. We find female M. paradoxa to have a normal haustellum; an external diagnostic character for this species previously only confirmed in conspecific males. Female genitalia of M. paradoxa are found similar to other Meris, but the absence of a sclerotized signum (present in congeners) may prove autapomorphic. Natural history information for the genus is discussed in light of new data reported here for Mexican M. paradoxa.

New species of Paraodontomma from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber with muscle tissue preservation (Coleoptera: Archostemata: Ommatidae)

The third member of the extinct ommatid genus Paraodontomma is reported from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber. Our observation confirms the transverse ridges on elytra as a diagnostic character for the genus. Paraodontomma leptocristatum sp. nov. differs from previously reported congeners mainly in head subquadrate and without prominent protuberances, pronotal disc without prominent ridges, elytral ridges indistinct, and teeth along elytral margins not forming a wavy pattern. Musculature is preserved in the newly discovered specimen of P. leptocristatum, which further demonstrates the preservation potential and irreplaceable value of amber fossils.

Gigantic scaphopods (Mollusca) from the Permian Akasaka Limestone, central Japan

Paleozoic scaphopods are among the most poorly known mollusks because of their featureless tubular shell morphology and fragmentary preservation. An apical orifice at the posterior end of a conch is a diagnostic character of Scaphopoda that distinguishes them from other groups of animals that produce similar calcareous tubes, but this structure is rarely preserved. A rich molluscan fauna from the Permian Akasaka Limestone in central Japan includes scaphopod shells, and past studies have reported four species, all of which were based on fragmentary specimens. This study recognizes six species in the Akasaka Limestone mainly on the basis of museum/institution collections, and a new genus (Minodentalium) and three species (Prodentalium onoi, M. hayasakai, and M. okumurai) are described, two known species (P. akasakensis and P. neornatum) are redescribed in more detail, and one species (Prodentalium sp.) is described under open nomenclature. The following eight known species are allocated to the new genus Minodentalium: Plagioglypta furcata Waterhouse, 1980; Pl. girtyi Knight, 1940; Pl. subannulata Easton, 1962; Dentalium ingens De Koninck, 1843; D. meekianum Geinitz, 1866; Pl. prosseri Morningstar, 1922; Dentalium priscum Münster in Goldfuss, 1842; and D. herculeum De Koninck, 1863. All the species, except for M. hayasakai, are gigantic, reaching 200 mm or more in length. The species richness is the greatest known from a single locality/formation worldwide. UUID: http://zoobank.org/35405b9d-3ba7-40bf-87c5-3f2b550b1a6d

The evolution of feathers

<p>Feathers are a diagnostic character of birds, and yet new fossils show they likely originated more than 100 million years before the first birds. In fact, feathers probably occurred in all dinosaur groups, and in their cousins, the pterosaurs, as we showed in 2019. This finding confirms current knowledge of the genomic regulation of feather development. Our work stems from ten years of collaboration with Chinese colleagues, during which we set ourselves the task of understanding fossil feathers. Our first discovery was to answer the question, ‘Will we ever know the colour of dinosaurs?’. In 2010, we were able to announce the first objective evidence for colour in a dinosaur. Using ultrastructural studies of fossil feathers, we identified melanosomes for the first time in dinosaur feathers, and these demonstrated that Sinosauropteryx had ginger and white rings down its tail. Studies of other dinosaurs identified patterns of black, white, grey, brown, and ginger. This is part of a new wave in Palaeobiology where we apply objective approaches to provide testable hypotheses, once thought impossible in the historical sciences.</p><p> </p><p>Benton, M.J., Dhouailly, D., Jiang, B.Y., and McNamara, M. 2019. The early origin of feathers. Trends in Ecology & Evolution 34, 856-869 (doi: 10.1016/j.tree.2019.04.018).</p><p>https://dinocolour.blogs.bristol.ac.uk/</p><p>https://dinosaurs.blogs.bristol.ac.uk/</p>

Finding a shadow in the dark: rediscovery of Fugler’s Shadow Snake (Emmochliophis fugleri Fritts & Smith, 1969) after 54 years, with comments on its conservation status, distribution, and the tribe Diaphorolepidini

Herein we report the second known record of Emmochliophis fugleri Fritts & Smith, 1969, present the first color images of the species, extend its known distribution and elevational range, provide the snout–vent and tail lengths of the holotype, and demonstrate that the condition of fused prefrontals is an unreliable diagnostic character for the genus Diaphorolepis. Considering the rarity of this snake as well as the imminent threat that mining poses to the Río Manduriacu Reserve, we recommend a conservation status of Critically Endangered for E. fugleri. 

A new, giant ricinuleid (Arachnida, Ricinulei), from the Pennsylvanian of Illinois, and the identification of a new, ontogenetically stable, diagnostic character

A new fossil ricinuleid, Curculioides bohemondi n. sp., from the Pennsylvanian Energy Shale of Illinois is described from a single specimen. It is the largest ricinuleid species yet described, living or extinct. The Energy Shale represents a new geographic locale for fossil ricinuleids, a sparsely distributed group. The species is distinguished from other members within the genus by the possession of very large (0.09 mm) carapace tubercles at a very low (30 mm-2) density. Statistical analyses are performed on extant and fossil ricinuleids to determine how their tubercles change throughout ontogeny, culminating in the recovery of a new ontogenetically stable diagnostic character: the tubercle coefficient (a measure of the size of the tubercles relative to body size). UUID: http://zoobank.org/aa9f2de5-c49d-4f70-bba5-db12fdee406f.

Anatomical diversity and evolution of the anthocarp in Nyctaginaceae

Nyctaginaceae are one of the most diverse families in core Caryophyllales. The most diagnostic character of the family is a persistent anthocarp derived from a calyx-like perianth. Anthocarp morphology is highly variable across the family, but its evolution is poorly studied. We investigate anthocarp evolution in Nyctaginaceae through extensive anatomical studies (159 species from 28 genera representing six of seven tribes) and phylogenetic character state reconstructions. We found highly diverse anthocarp anatomy across Nyctaginaceae, with most traits analysed evolving multiple times throughout the family. The representatives of three early-diverging clades of Nyctaginaceae (Leucastereae, Boldoeae and Colignonieae) possess a calyx-like anthocarp with simplified anatomy. The so-called ‘glands’ in Nyctagineae and Pisonieae are emergences, whereas wings originate by accrescence of perianth segments, elongation of the ribs and outgrowths (emergences) of anthocarp mesophyll. Anthocarp anatomy can be considered as a generic-level feature in Colignonieae, Pisonieae, Bougainvilleeae and Nyctagineae. The most dramatic transitions from perianth to anthocarp involve the shrivelling and abscission of the upper perianth part and the maintenance of the basal modified perianth portion that originated in the clade comprising Colignonieae and sister clades.

New Data on Seed Coat Micromorphology of Several Impatiens spp. from Northeast India

This study aimed to analyze the seed coat structure of nine species from the genus <em>Impatiens </em>from Northeast India. A review of the available literature showed a scarcity of data on seed sizes and shapes, as well as a complete lack of information on the ultrastructure of seeds from five taxa of <em>Impatiens </em>determined with a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Photographs of the surface structure of seeds from the analyzed species were taken using an SEM and, from these, we measured the length and width of the seeds. The results showed differences in the seed ultrastructure and metric traits within the studied taxa. Based on the ornamentation of the epidermal cells, we distinguished three morphological types: protrusive, granulate, and reticulate. The seeds of the investigated species had ellipsoid, subellipsoid, or subspheroid shapes. Their lengths and widths ranged from 1.2 to 3.6 mm and 0.7 to 2.1 mm, respectively. The results of the study showed that the ultrastructures of <em>Impatiens </em>seeds are different among taxa and for some species can be used as a diagnostic character for their identification.