A new genus from Madagascar with strongly enlarged labium (Ephemeroptera, Baetidae)

A new genus of Baetidae, Megalabiopsgen. nov., and a new species, M. madagasikarasp. nov., are described from Madagascar based on nymphs. The new genus is characterized by having a strongly enlarged mentum; pedicelli with many long, stout, pointed setae; a brush of dense, short setae between prostheca and mola of both mandibles; an apically pointed maxillary palp with a stout seta at the tip; and a labium with many long, simple setae ventrally on glossae. The patellotibial suture is absent on the fore tibia and present on middle and hind tibiae. The claw is strongly elongated with two rows of denticles. The imago remains unknown and the relationships with other African genera of Baetidae are tentative. Despite being easily identifiable, only two nymphs were found in two highly sampled localities in Madagascar.

A review of the Afrotropical Plagiozopelma Enderlein, 1912 (Diptera: Dolichopodidae), with the description of a new species from Cameroon

A new species of Plagiozopelma from Cameroon is described and illustrated: Plagiozopelma mezamense sp. nov. Males of the new species differ reliably from other congeneric Afrotropical species by the simple antennal stylus, simple apical bristles on fore tibia and presence of one row of long posteroventral bristles on fore tarsomeres 1 and 2, two to three times longer than width of segments. Plagiozopelma piliseta (Parent, 1936) is illustrated and reported from Burundi for the first time. Plagiozopelma ramiseta (Parent, 1939) is recorded from Liberia for the first time. A new identification key for all the 17 Afrotropical species of genus is provided.

Pedicelliops gen. nov., a new genus from West Africa with striking antennae (Ephemeroptera, Baetidae)

A new genus of Baetidae, Pedicelliopsgen. nov., and a new species, P. capillifersp. nov., are described from Guinea (West Africa) based on larvae. The new genus is characterized by having strongly enlarged pedicelli and very short flagella, a brush of dense, short setae between prostheca and mola of both mandibles, a small rectangular labrum, an apicolaterally pointed maxillary palp, a labial palp with a small distolateral protuberance and long setae ventrally on glossae and paraglossae. The femora of all legs are covered with numerous long, fine setae. The patellotibial suture is absent on the fore tibia and present on middle and hind tibiae. The claw is pointed with two rows of denticles. No spines are present on the posterior margins of the abdominal tergites. The imago remains unknown and the relationships with other African genera of Baetidae remains tentative. Despite being easily identifiable and of a fairly large size (body length ca. 5 mm), only two larvae were found in two highly sampled localities in West Africa.

Rustitermes boteroi, a new genus and species of soldierless termites (Blattodea, Isoptera, Apicotermitinae) from South America

We present the description of a new genus and species of soldierless termites from South America. Rustitermes boteroi Constantini, Castro & Scheffrahn, gen. et sp. nov. can be identified by the morphology of the enteric valve, with six slightly asymmetric cushions, each one forming a central pouch made of scales smaller than those between the cushions. The new genus features two characteristic rows of thick bristles on the interior margin of the fore tibia, and is supported by COI molecular sequence data. This species is distributed from Tobago to northern Argentina.

Two new species of Clypeocaenis (Ephemeroptera: Caenidae) from Western Ghats, Southern India

Two new species of Clypeocaenis (Ephemeroptera: Caenidae) are described from Gayathripuzha River, Kerala, and Tunga River, Karnataka, Southern India. The species are best distinguished from congeners based on leg and gill characteristics, as follows. Clypeocaenis gayathri sp. nov.: (1) fore tibia with two rows of ventral and lateral filtering setae, femur with bifid spines, middle tibia with trifurcated spines apically; (2) tracheated gill covers with spines and bifurcated ridges on margins, gills III–VI with more numerous fringed bifid fimbriae. Clypeocaenis sharadhae sp. nov.: (1) fore tibia with two rows of long filtering setae on lateral margin and one row on ventral margin arranged vertically, fore tarsus with transverse row of long setae, hind tibia with a row of lanceolate setae on lateral margin; (2) gills III–VI approximately triangular shaped, with fringed bifid fimbriae, gill III with 12 bifurcated and 2 trifurcated fimbriae.

A new Platycheirus species of the manicatus Meigen subgroup from the arctic Russia (Diptera: Syrphidae)

AnewPlatycheirus species of the manicatus subgroup is described from Taimyr in the arctic Russia. It is characterised by a facial knob, a row of scattered straight setae from base to apex postero-laterally on fore tibia, and a broad, angulate basal segment of front leg. Tergites 2–4 each with a couple of vague dark bluish grey dust spots. It is compared with similar Holarctic tundra species.

The origins of novelty from within the confines of homology: the developmental evolution of the digging tibia of dung beetles

Understanding the origin of novel complex traits is among the most fundamental goals in evolutionary biology. The most widely used definition of novelty in evolution assumes the absence of homology, yet where homology ends and novelty begins is increasingly difficult to parse as evo devo continuously revises our understanding of what constitutes homology. Here, we executed a case study to explore the earliest stages of innovation by examining the tibial teeth of tunnelling dung beetles. Tibial teeth are a morphologically modest innovation, composed of relatively simple body wall projections and contained fully within the fore tibia, a leg segment whose own homology status is unambiguous. We first demonstrate that tibial teeth aid in multiple digging behaviours. We then show that the developmental evolution of tibial teeth was dominated by the redeployment of locally pre-existing gene networks. At the same time, we find that even at this very early stage of innovation, at least two genes that ancestrally function in embryonic patterning and thus entirely outside the spatial and temporal context of leg formation, have already become recruited to help shape the formation of tibial teeth. Our results suggest a testable model for how developmental evolution scaffolds innovation.

Two new species of Atopophlebia Flowers, 1980 (Ephemeroptera, Leptophlebiidae) from Colombia

Atopophlebia pacis sp. nov. and Atopophlebia caldasi sp. nov. are newly described based on material from Colombia, Putumayo and Caldas, respectively. Both species are known from nymphs and alate stages, male imago for A. pacis, male subimago, female imago and eggs for A. caldasi. This is the first description of eggs of the genus. The following characteristics are useful for distinguishing the males of the new species: A. pacis sp. nov., 1) eyes meeting on meson of head; 2) fore wings hyaline, veins yellow (Fig. 2); 3) fore tibia completely tinged with black; 4) abdominal segments yellowish, terga VIII with conspicuous triangular anterolateral black mark (Fig. 1); 5) apical projection of penis lobe short; A. caldasi sp. nov., 1) eyes meeting on meson of head; 2) fore tibia completely tinged with black; 3) abdominal segments orange, posterior margin of all terga tinged with black, black bands broader on terga V to VIII. Egg of A. caldasi is characterized by presenting a prismatic shape with longitudinal chorionic depressions at the sides and concave polar regions. An updated key for male adults of Atopophlebia is presented.

A new species of the genus Thinophilus (Diptera: Dolichopodidae) from Ukraine and Kazakhstan

Thinophilus sinclairi sp. nov. is described from the coast of the Sea of Azov, Ukraine, and from northern Kazakhstan. The new species is similar to T. spinitarsis Becker but differs from it in the structure of the hypopygium, apex of fore tibia without long black dorsal seta, and segments 2–4 of fore tarsi with long posterodorsal black setae.

Madachironomus, a new genus of tribe Pseudochironomini (Diptera: Chironomidae, Chironominae) from Madagascar

<em>Madachironomus</em> gen. n. is described based on male and female imagines collected at two watersheds in Madagascar. Two species are included, <em>M. lakazana</em> sp. n. from Lakazana River, Antananarivo province and <em>M. rongaronga</em> sp. n. from Rongaronga River, Toamasina province. The adults have a black comb on the apex of the fore tibia, similar to the combs on mid- and hind tibiae, thus placing the new genus in the tribe Pseudochironomini Sæther. The male has a strong, moderately long, nearly parallel-sided anal point with broadly rounded apex, without microtrichia except at base, and a digitiform, apically split median volsella with strong brush-like setae, projecting medially. The female sternite VIII has a very dense posteromedial to posterolateral field of setae, the gonocoxapodeme VIII is nearly straight, the gonapophysis VIII has closely adjacent, indistinctly separable lobes; the ovoid seminal capsules have nearly straight spermathecal ducts and the labia have internal apodemes and spinose chaetulae on dorsomedial surfaces.