Contribution to the knowledge of the genus Takobia Novikova & Kluge, 1987 (Ephemeroptera, Baetidae) in Central Asia

Based on the original type material, the nymphal stage of the mayfly Takobia maxillare is redescribed; in parallel, a lectotype is designated. Takobia maxillare is the type species of the genus Takobia, and an accurate and complete knowledge of its morphology is crucial to the delimitation of this problematic genus and clarification of its phylogenetic affinities. Ambiguous characters, previously reported for this species in the literature are clarified. Furthermore, two new species in the same genus are described, namely Takobia sinusopalpatasp. nov. and Takobia shughnonicasp. nov. based on the morphology of nymphs from Central Asia, supplemented with COI sequences. Implications for the systematics of Takobia and related taxa are discussed and the need for an extensive phylogenetic study of this group is stressed.

Three’s Company: discovery of a third syntype of Stegonotus lividus, a species of colubrid snake from Pulau Semau, Lesser Sunda Islands, Indonesia, with comments on an unpublished 19th Century manuscript by the naturalist Salomon Müller

We report on the discovery of a third, male specimen of Stegonotus lividus in the collection of the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle in Paris, France, and demonstrate that it is not only a member of the original type series but the only one of the three syntypes, whose morphology was detailed in the original description. We herein identify it as a paralectotype. In their description of S. lividus, Duméril et al. (1854) attributed authorship of the name to the German zoologist Salomon Müller, whose work was never published. By the rules of zoological nomenclature, author attribution solely via an unpublished manuscript is inadmissible, and the species is therefore properly listed as Stegonotus lividus (Duméril et al., 1854). The recent discovery of Müller’s handwritten manuscript, along with an unpublished drawing of one of these snakes by the Dutch artist Pieter van Oort, allows a better assessment of color and pattern for a species that remains known from only three preserved vouchers, as well as improved differentiation from other taxa occurring in the Lesser Sundas and Moluccas.

A revision of Angolan species in the genus Pedioplanis Fitzinger (Squamata: Lacertidae), with the description of a new species

The genus Pedioplanis reaches its northernmost limit in western Angola, where it is represented by three species, Pedioplanis benguelensis, P. haackei and P. huntleyi. The taxonomic status of P. benguelensis remains problematic, mainly due to the vague original description and the loss of the original type material. Here we provide a revision of the Angolan representatives of the genus, with the description of a new species, Pedioplanis serodioi sp. nov., from the lowlands of southwestern Angola. Phylogenetic analyses using a combination of mitochondrial (16S and ND2) and nuclear (RAG-1) markers, as well as morphological data, support the recognition of the new species. For purposes of nomenclatural stability, we designate a neotype for P. benguelensis and provide motivation to correct the spelling of the specific epithet to “benguelensis”. The clarification of the status of P. benguelensis and the description of a new species contribute to a better understanding of the taxonomy and biogeography of the genus Pedioplanis, as well as the general biogeographic context of southwestern Angola, adding to the growing evidence in favor of the recognition of this region as a hotspot of lizard diversity and endemism. An updated key to the genus is also provided.

A Revision of Cresson Pate (Hymenoptera, Apoidea, Bembicidae) with the description of two new species

I describe two new species of the previously monotypic, Chilean endemic nysonine genus Cresson: C. mariastea Packer, sp. nov. and C. salitrera Packer, sp. nov., redescribe the type species C. parvispinosus (Reed) and provide an identification key for the three species. I clear up the confusion associated with the original type material of the latter species by designating a specimen from the type locality as the lectotype. The new species extend the range of the genus northwards, one by over 1000 km. I suggest putative hosts for all three species, all of which are in the genera Tachysphex or Parapiagetia.

A redescription of Stenopora and the type species Stenopora tasmaniensis Lonsdale, 1844 (Trepostomata, Bryozoa)

Type material for Stenopora tasmaniensis Lonsdale, 1844 was lost in the late nineteenth century, and subsequent descriptions of the genus have been based on material incorrectly assigned to the type species. A neotype is erected for S. tasmaniensis from the original type locality and the genus redescribed. The genus exhibits ramose, frondescent, encrusting, and massive colony morphologies, diaphragms are absent, and acanthostyles of a single size surround each aperture. This single size of acanthostyles aligns with the original type species description; however, it differs from the subsequently accepted genus description and may result in existing species being removed from the genus. Analysis of zooecial characters of a single colony exhibiting both frondescent and ramose morphologies reveals statistically significant differences between subsampled sections, despite being from the same colony. Differences relate to details of zooecial parameters and are not controlled by colony morphology. This variation within a single colony confirms the importance of using qualitative characters alongside quantitative measures in defining Paleozoic bryozoan species.

From the lowlands to the highlands of Ecuador, a study of the genus Masteria (Araneae, Mygalomorphae, Dipluridae) with description of seven new species

Dipluridae represent a small Mygalomorphae family of South American origin, the family includes two subfamilies Diplurinae and Masteriinae although the placement of the latter in Dipluridae is still under debate. The family has a predominantly South American distribution although the genus Masteria L. Koch, 1873 presents an interesting distribution with representatives found in Fiji, Micronesia, New Caledonia, New Guinea and Australia. This genus is diverse at the species level in tropical South America and the Caribbean but no species have been described from Ecuador to date. Ongoing field work as part of the BIO-GEEC Project—a consortium established by several Ecuadorian and German institutions—has resulted in the discovery of several new species from both lowlands and highland habitats in Ecuador. Herein we described seven new species of Masteria from Ecuador: M. jatunsacha n. sp. (male); M. machay n. sp. (female); M. chalupas n. sp. (male); M. papallacta n. sp. (male and female); M. pasochoa n. sp. (male and female); M. lasdamas n. sp. (male); and M. otongachi n. sp. (male). The type species of the genus, Masteria hirsuta L. Koch, 1873 from Fiji, is redescribed and re-illustrated, from the original type specimen.

An integrative description of Diploechiniscus oihonnae (Richters, 1903) population from near the original type locality in Merok (Norway)

In the present study, we used integrative taxonomy to describe a population of Diploechiniscus oihonnae (Richters, 1903) from the neotype locality in Merok (Norway). We found no differences in the chaetotaxy formula between the life stages and sex of Dpl. oihonnae. The presence of filaments at Bd in some specimens of Dpl. oihonnae appears to be random and most likely represents the morphological variability of this species. We also obtained DNA sequences of 18S rRNA, 28S rRNA, ITS-2, and COI of Dpl. oihonnae from the neotype locality for comparison with the sequences available in GenBank, which showed low genetic differences between the neotypic population and specimens from other localities. Therefore, we decided to establish our specimens from Merok as neotype and neoparatypes of Dpl. oihonnae. Additionally, based on morphological characters, Dpl. horningi (Schuster & Grigarick, 1971) was synonymised with Dpl. oihonnae.

Coffee Fun: Gamified Tool Based on the SUM Agile Development Methodology For Video Games

In recent years, serious games have been applied in different contexts of application, highlighting their contribution in the educational context. This original type article presents the design, construction and evaluation of the Coffee Fun video game. Coffee Fun is a video serious game aimed at children aged 8 to 12 years old; the game has as a theme the growing of coffee beans in a simulation environment in which each player helps the growth of this plant by a few tools provided at each level of the game; in the game, different scenarios related to coffee growing environments are presented for each of its stages in a series of levels that the player must overcome to complete the game through a process of learning and entertainment.

Revision of the Australopapuan and West Pacific species of plain pumpkin-beetles, the Aulacophora indica species-complex (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae)

The ‘plain pumpkin-beetle’, indica species-complex of Aulacophora Chevrolat, 1836, is revised for Australopapua, Timor and the West Pacific. The species-complex is defined and the following eight included species are diagnosed and described: A. abdominalis (Fabricius, 1781); A. barrogae Reid, Halling & Beatson, sp. nov.; A. cornuta Baly, 1879; A. indica (Gmelin, 1790); A. mbabaram Reid, Halling & Beatson, sp. nov.; A. relicta (Boisduval, 1835); A. wallacii Baly, 1886; A. wilsoni Baly, 1888. The three other similar species in the region of interest, A. bicolor (Weber, 1801), A coffeae (Weber, 1801) and A. deplanchei (Perroud & Montrouzier, 1864), are diagnosed from the Aulacophora indica species-complex and a key is provided for all 11 species. New synonyms are noted as follows (senior synonym first): A. abdominalis (Fabricius, 1781) = A. argyrogaster (Montrouzier, 1861) syn. nov., = A. fabricii Baly, 1886 syn. nov., = A. armigera Baly, 1889 syn. nov., = A. aruensis (Weise, 1892) syn. nov., = A. fauveli Beenen, 2008 syn. nov.; A. relicta (Boisduval, 1835) = A. palmerstoni Blackburn, 1888 syn. nov., = A. imberbis Weise, 1916 syn. nov.. Aulacophora relicta (stat. rev.) is revalidated from synonymy with A. abdominalis and A. wilsoni (stat. rev.) is revalidated from synonymy with A. scutellata (Boisduval 1835). Aulacophora flava Olivier, 1808, is not an available species name. The synonymy of A. robusta Duvivier, 1884 with A. cornuta is confirmed. Five species traditionally placed in Aulacophora, Galleruca flaveola Boisduval, 1835, G. punctata Boisduval, 1835, G. scutellata Boisduval, 1835, Galleruca flavescens Montrouzier, 1856 and Galleruca artensis Montrouzier, 1861, are not identifiable to genus or species and are therefore listed as nomina dubia within Galerucinae. The previously designated lectotype of A. abdominalis is shown to be invalid. Neotypes are created for A. abdominalis and A. relicta as both lack original type material. A lectotype is designated for A. palmerstoni. The plain pumpkin-beetle species are distributed as follows: A. barrogae, A. mbabaram, A. relicta and A. wilsoni are endemic to Australia; A. abdominalis is widespread in the southwestern Pacific and Melanesia, west to Timor and east to Niue, but is absent from mainland Australia; A. cornuta is widespread from eastern India to Melanesia as far east as Guadalcanal; A. indica is widespread from India southeast to Timor and northeast to Guam, and adventitious further south and east, but absent from, or not established in, Australia, Fiji, New Caledonia, Niue, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu; A. wallacii is endemic to Timor. Native hosts are unknown for any species, but A. abdominalis, A. indica, A. relicta and A. wallacii are pests of exotic cucurbit crops.

Village Council in Paris: “French” Episode in the Story “For Future Use” by Platonov

The article focuses on one of the episodes of Andrey Platonov’s story “For Future Use.” The episode dealing with Efim Nechaev’s trip to Paris is a response to international issues as discussed in the Communist Party official speeches and newspaper publications and has recognizable literature parallels with the so-called “foreign texts” by other writers (V.V. Mayakovsky, A.M. Gorky). This scene was written in early 1930 and was only kept in the first edition of the story. The aggravation of Soviet-French relationships and an all-Union recyclable materials collection campaign are both reflected in the passage involving a kolkhoz (collective farm) activist who is ready to start collectivization and dispossession of kulaks in Paris and trying to solve the economic problems of the USSR by a new original type of export which he invented. Explanatory notes reveal the grotesqueness of Platonov’s plot combining the political idea of exporting the socialist revolution to the West and the economic task of waste export.