Qorimayus, a new genus of relictual, high-altitude harvestmen from western Argentina (Arachnida, Opiliones, Gonyleptidae) reveals trans-Andean phylogenetic links

A new genus of Gonyleptidae Pachylinae, Qorimayus gen. nov., is described to place the high-altitude species originally named Parabalta alticola Ringuelet, endemic to Sierra de Famatina, western Argentina. While classical exomorphological features do not separate this new genus from Parabalta Roewer or Pachyloides Holmberg (to which the species was formerly combined), male genitalic features, especially the shape of the ventral process of stylus, differ clearly. In turn, penis morphology suggests the systematic relationship of Qorimayus gen. nov. with the Chilean genera Metabalta Roewer and Nanophareus Roewer. A cladistic analysis was performed to test the phylogenetic affinities of the new genus; 28 terminals were used, comprising selected species of Parabalta, Pachyloides, Metabalta and Nanophareus, as well as other Gonyleptidae to represent the ‘subtropical’ and the ‘Chilean’ opiliofaunistic elements; the most external outgroups included one cosmetid, one metasarcid and one nomoclastid. Results supported the recognition of Qorimayus as an independent genus, and its close relationship with the Chilean genera Metabalta and Nanophareus. A detailed redescription of Qorimayus alticola comb. nov., along with some habitat notes are given. The presumed zoogeographical links of this endemic species with the central Chilean opiliofauna are briefly discussed.

The homalonotid trilobite Burmeisteria Salter, 1865 in the Lower Devonian of Argentina: new data in the context of southwestern Gondwana

The homalonotid trilobite Burmeisteria Salter, 1865 is revised from material from the Lower Devonian of central western Argentina (the Talacasto Formation in the Precordillera Basin). In contrast to other closely related Devonian marine basins from South America (mainly Bolivia, Brazil and Uruguay), the only species recognized in Argentina include Burmeisteria herschelii (Murchison, 1839) and B. notica (Clarke, 1913). New observations on the structure of the carapace indicate that structures sometimes interpreted as granules with taxonomic meaning are, in fact, taphonomic characters that represent the fillings of pore canals exposed by decortication. The antero-ventral process of the rostral plate may be a locking device during enrollment, which allowed long-term defensive behavior with a minimum of muscular energy. Burmeisteria is an upper Silurian to Middle Devonian endemic representative of southwestern Gondwanan (Malvinokaffric) basins. In the Argentine Precordillera Basin, this genus is virtually restricted to a sandy, Pragian, stratigraphic interval capped by a marker bed first reported by Keidel in 1921.

Two new species of Hydroptilidae (Insecta: Trichoptera) from the Serra dos Carajás, Pará state, northern Brazil

Two new species of Hydroptilidae from Pará, Brazil, are described and illustrated: Costatrichia inaequalis sp. nov. is a distinctive species characterized principally by the lateral processes on tergum IX rounded and each bearing a long dorsal seta. Oxyethira carajas sp. nov. is characterized by the inferior appendages fused, incised mesally, narrowing posterolaterally, and each bearing a stout apical seta and having its ventral process blade-like. New distributional records are given for a species of Neotrichia for which the name is unpublished.

Four new species of Rhyacophila Pictet, 1834 (Trichoptera: Rhyacophilidae) from Southeast Asia

Four new species of genus Rhyacophila are described and illustrated from Thailand and Myanmar, Southeast Asia. Rhyacophila longicaudata sp. n. is in the R. nigrocephala Group; the very long basal segment of each inferior appendage distinguishes it from other related species. Rhyacophila aksornkoaei sp. n. and R. limsakuli sp. n. are in the R. anatina Group: they can be differentiated from other species of the group by the brush-like parameres and presence of a ventral process of the aedeagus in R. aksornkoaei sp. n., and by the rectangular apical segment of each inferior appendage and the hooked parameres in R. limsakuli sp. n.. Rhyacophila kengtungensis is in the R. yishepa Group and is characterized by the subtriangular shape of the preanal appendages in dorsal view and by the very large dorsal appendages of the phallic apparatus.

The real Bigfoot: a pes from Wyoming, USA is the largest sauropod pes ever reported and the northern-most occurrence of brachiosaurids in the Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation

A set of associated left pedal elements of a sauropod dinosaur from the Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation in Weston County, Wyoming, is described here. Several camarasaurids, a nearly complete small brachiosaur, and a small diplodocid have been found at this locality, but none match the exceptionally large size of the pedal elements. Next to the associated pedal elements, an isolated astragalus, phalanx and ungual were found, which match the large metatarsals in size. The elements cannot be ascribed to diplodocids due to the lack of a ventral process of metatarsal I. Moreover, the morphology of metatarsal V has a broad proximal end, with a long and narrow distal shaft, which differs fromCamarasaurus. The size of the material and a medially beveled distal articular surface of metatarsal IV imply an identification as a brachiosaurid. This is the largest pes ever reported from a sauropod dinosaur and represents the first confirmed pedal brachiosaur elements from the Late Jurassic of North America. Furthermore, this brachiosaur material (the pes and the small nearly complete specimen) is the northernmost occurrence of brachiosaurids in the Morrison Formation.

Descriptions of the postembryonic developmental stages of Hatschekia bifurcata Yamaguti & Yamasu, 1959 (Copepoda, Siphonostomatoida, Hatschekiidae)

A series of descriptions of postembryonic developmental stages of Hatschekia bifurcata Yamaguti & Yamasu, 1959 is presented based on free-living larvae reared from eggs detached from ovigerous females recovered from the branchial lamellae of Aulacocephalus temmincki Bleeker, 1855, as well as on copepodids I-VI from A. temmincki and Diploprion bifasciatum Cuvier, 1828 (Pisces, Perciformes, Serranidae). The number of naupliar stages preceding the infective copepodid I is three in this species as in H. multibarbatae Izawa, 2015. A diagnostic feature of the species, a hook-like ventral process on the fourth antennular segment of the female, is regarded as an enlarged seta and was found to appear after copepodid V. A correction in the previously given setation of leg 2 and a complemental description of the antennule of the adult female are made. The male of this species is herein described for the first time. The sexes become distinct at copepodid III, and then growth curves of both sexes diverge stage by stage, as in H. multibarbatae. Aulacocephalus temmincki is reported as a new host species for H. bifurcata.

Glanidium botocudo, a new species from the rio Doce and rio Mucuri, Minas Gerais, Brazil (Siluriformes: Auchenipteridae) with comments on taxonomic position of Glanidium bockmanni Sarmento-Soares & Buckup

Glanidium botocudo, new species, is described from the tributaries to the upper rio Doce and Mucuri, eastern Minas Gerais State, Brazil. It represents the northernmost record of a centromochlin catfish from the coastal rivers of the Northeastern Atlantic Forest. Glanidium botocudo is readily distinguished from its congeners, except Glanidium albescens, by the whitish grey body coloration with evenly spaced small dark brown dots. The new species has a long sharpened ventral process on the urohyal, an uncommon condition among congeners, and the lowest vertebral count among the large-sized Glanidium, 36-37. It differs from Glanidium albescens by proportional measurements and higher number of ribs. Glanidium botocudo and Glanidium albescens are probably sister species, exhibiting similar morphological features and a complimentary distribution pattern, associated to an allopatric distribution pattern. Glanidium bockmanni is transferred to the genus Centromochlus

A new Oriental genus of Deltocephalinae (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) from China and Thailand

A new deltocephaline leafhopper genus Hamulotettix is described and illustrated based on a large, distinctly patterned species, Hamulotettix ungulatus sp. nov., from China and Thailand, and is tentatively placed in the tribe Athysanini. Detailed morphological description and illustrations are provided. The genus is similar to Abrus Dai & Zhang in external body form, and also bears a superficial resemblance to Oxycephalotettix Zahniser, in having segment X of the male abdomen with a falcate ventral process.

A new genus, Krameragallia, a segregate from the Neogeic genus Agalliopsis (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Megophthalminae)

A new genus, Krameragallia, type-species Agalliopsis rex gen. nov. Kramer, is described and illustrated. Krameragallia gen. nov. can be distinguished from all other known genera of Neotropical Agalliini by morphological features such as the following: largest size (7.4–9mm) among known species in the New World representatives of the subfamily; strong contrasting scarlet and black color pattern; aedeagus shaft very long, almost ribbon-like with ventral process; aedeagal apex bearing one pair of lateral slender processes on each side and first valvifer of female genitalia very well developed and hook-shaped. Female genitalia are described for the first time, including a highly unusual, well developed first valvifer. Notes on the genus as well as on the distinction between Krameragallia gen. nov., Agalliopsis Kirkaldy, Brasa Oman, and Chromagallia Linnavuori are given.

Revised diagnosis of the family Blattisociidae (Acari: Mesostigmata: Phytoseioidea), with a key to its genera and description of a new fungus- inhabiting genus from Costa Rica

The genus Opilioseius gen. nov. of the phytoseioid family Blattisociidae is described, based on adults and deutonymphs of one newly described species from Costa Rica. These striking long-legged mites undergo their life histories on the lower surface of their fungal hosts in lowland tropical rainforest. Opilioseius grallator sp. nov. coexists with a surprising variety of blattisociine and other mesostigmatic mites on fungi of the genus Coriolus. A diagnosis of the recently-revised familial concept of the Blattisociidae is given, along with a key to its constituent genera. Attention is drawn to the unusually large size of the egg relative to the size of the maternal female, and to an apical ventral process on the tarsus of legs II to IV, found to be present on a variety of other mesostigmatic mites, but not noted previously.