Odonata from Batanta (Indonesia, West Papua) with description of one new species

Fifty-eight taxa of Odonata are herewith reported from Batanta Island (including Arefi and Birie Islands). One new species is described: Argiolestes varga sp. nov. The following ten species are new to the Raja Ampat Islands: Papuagrion magnanimum (Selys, 1876), Gynacantha rosenbergi Kaup, 1867, Palaeosynthemis cf. cervula (Lieftinck, 1938), Diplacina smaragdina Selys, 1878, Nannophlebia amphicyllis Lieftinck, 1933, Pantala flavescens (Fabricius, 1798), Rhodothemis nigripes Lohmann, 1984, Rhyothemis regia (Brauer, 1867), Tramea transmarina propinqua Lieftinck, 1942, Zyxomma multinervorum Carpenter, 1897, and fifteen are new to Batanta: Selysioneura cornelia Lieftinck, 1953, P. magnanimum, Agyrtacantha dirupta (Karsch, 1889), Anax maclachlani Förster, 1898, G. rosenbergi, P. cf. cervula, D. smaragdina, N. amphicyllis, Nesoxenia mysis (Selys, 1878), P. flavescens, R. nigripes, R. regia, Tetrathemis irregularis Brauer, 1868, T. transmarina propinqua, Z. multinervorum. Metagrion postnodale (Selys, 1878) and Selysioneura cf. cervicornu Förster, 1900 are deleted from the faunal lists of Odonata of Raja Ampat and Batanta Islands. The total number of species recorded for Batanta Island is 62.

Biodiversity of Indian Rotifers (Rotifera) with remarks on biogeography and richness in diverse ecosystems

We assess biodiversity status of Rotifera known from India to-date based on our studies from various regions of this country and evaluation of other viable records, and highlight notable features of biogeography and richness. The Indian fauna reveals 434 valid species belonging to 68 genera and 25 families and thus indicates the most biodiverse Rotifera vis-àvis south and Southeast Asia, and records ~25% and ~41% species of global and regional biogeographic interest. It depicts the littoral-periphytic nature, broadly tropical character, the limited reports of cold-water species from the sub-Himalayan and Himalayan latitudes, paucity of the endemics and Bdelloids, and cryptic diversity awaits analyses. The richest diversity and distinct biogeographic identity of Rotifera of Northeast India (NEI) is attributed to location of this region in the ‘Himalayan and Indo-Burmese’ biodiversity hot-spots, ‘Assam gateway’ – the biogeographic corridor, and the ‘Rotiferologist effect’. Regional disparity and spatial heterogeneity of biodiversity elsewhere from India are attributed to the limited sampling, inadequate collections from diverse ecosystems, unidentified species, and paucity of attention on smaller species. The biodiverse rotifer assemblages of the floodplain lakes including Deepor Beel and Loktak Lake, the two Ramsar sites and globally megadiverse ecosystems, are hypothesized to habitat diversity of these ecotones, while ‘Rotifera paradox’ depict speciose constellations per sample. The species-rich small floodplain and urban wetlands focus interest on rotifer diversity in small water bodies. We estimate more diverse Indian Rotifera following analyses of collections from underexplored and unexplored regions and ecosystems, and the bdelloid and sessile rotifers using integrative taxonomic approaches.

On the Diplectroninae and Hydropsychinae (Trichoptera) of India, with related taxa. A tribute to Fernand Schmid

The overall declining state of the western taxonomy is clearly documented by the present fate of the extremely high valued and huge unidentified caddisfly material collected in India and deposited in the Canadian National Collection. Due to the general lack of both financial and scientific resources in taxonomy, this huge collection remained almost untouched during the last 70 years after its collection. With a tribute to the collector, Fernand Schmid, the great caddisfly collector and taxonomist we have reconstructed his collecting activities of the five years in India by geolocalization and elaborated about ten percent of his undetermined Hydropsychidae in the Diplectroninae and Hydropsychinae subfamilies. Description of 145 new species from this small fragment of the huge unidentified collection demonstrates a pronounced underestimation of the biodiversity in general, routinely measured by gross phenomics. During this study we have reinstated the species status of seven taxa: Diplectrona kirimaduhela Sch

Description of a new Eumenescolex species (Clitellata: Megadrili, Lumbricidae) with new data to the earthworm fauna of Corsica and Sardinia

Earthworm collectings on Corsica and Sardinia resulted in recording eight species belonging to the families Lumbricidae and Hormogastridae. Among them, Octodrilus transpadanus represents a new record for the fauna of Sardinia and Eumenescolex zoltani sp. nov. from Corsica is new to science.

A new species of Nemoura (Plecoptera, Nemouridae) from the Abruzzo region (Central Italian Apennines)

A new species of Nemoura Latreille, 1796, N. aprutiana sp. n., from the Italian Abruzzo region in the central part of the Apennines, is described and illustrated, and compared to its three Italian sister species N. hesperiae Consiglio, 1960, N. lucana Nicolai & Fochetti, 1991 and N. palliventris Aubert, 1953. Information on the distribution and ecological preferences of this new species is also provided, as well as a distribution map of the four Italian sister species.

The composition and heterogeneity of the rich and diverse rotifers (Rotifera: Eurotatoria) of the floodplain lakes (beels) of the Majuli River Island, Assam State (Northeast India)

The tropical and subtropical floodplain lakes are hypothesized as one of the globally interesting rotifer rich ecosystems. Our study indicating the biodiverse Rotifera of ten ‘slightly acidic to circum-neutral, moderately hard-water and de-mineralized’ tropical floodplain lakes (beels) of the Majuli River Island of the Brahmaputra river basin of northeast India mendorses this hypothesis. Total richness, the richness of important families and community similarities affirm heterogeneity mof the rotifer species composition amongst the beels. The species richness registers significant spatio-temporal variations with seasonal differences amongst the beels and individually in each beel, and lacks significant influence of the recorded abiotic factors. The constellations of 76-81 species in three beels during winter and 76 species in one beel during pre-monsoon are noteworthy instances of ‘Rotifera paradox’. The rotifer fauna of the Majuli beels registers affinity with Southeast Asian and Oriental faunas, records several species of the regional distribution interest and exhibits the littoral-periphytic nature, while application of Q B/T and Q L/B quotients depicts limitations. This study merits ecological diversity interest for Rotifera vis-avis the floodplain lakes of India and elsewhere from the tropics and subtropics, and assumes biodiversity conservation importance due to threat of extinction of the Majuli – an alluvial floodplain of the Brahmaputra basin.

The subfamily Pteromalinae (Chalcidoidea: Pteromalidae) in South-Eastern Iran

A faunistic survey on the parasitic wasps of the subfamily Pteromalinae Dalman, 1820 (Hym., Chalcidoidea, Pteromalidae) of South-Eastern Iran (Kerman province) was done. In total 46 specimens representing 10 genera and 16 species are identified, among them, Dinarmus altifrons (Walker, 1862) and Syntomopus incurvus Walker, 1833 are recorded for the first time for the fauna of Iran. Previously recorded species of Pteromalinae from this area are also reviewed and listed. Faunistic analysis of the known species according to their distribution both in Iran and in a broader biogeographical sense is also discussed.

Checklist of rotifer species from Albania (phylum Rotifera)

The checklist of Rotifera species recorded for Albanian inland waters and its neighboring regions is provided. A total of 140 species of bdelloids and monogononts, with representatives of 38 genera are listed. The history of rotifer surveys as a component of zooplankton in Albania started at the end of 19th century. Mostly they were taxonomic and descriptive ones, while later on after the mid 20th century appeared the systematic approaches emphasizing the particularities and richness of zooplankton in specific karstic Mediterranean ecosystems. In this article 140 taxa of bdelloids and monogononts representing 39 genera are reported.

On the Trichoptera of Italy with delineation of incipient sibling species

Lumpers, focussing between gross and molecular morphologies and neglecting fine phenomics, highly underestimate biodiversity. The outdated lumper’s attitude fixed in the Distribution Atlas of European Trichoptera (Neu et al. 2018) is revisited and some theoretical background of why and how to delineate phylogenetic-retigenetic incipient species is outlined very briefly. We expose the adverse effect of lumpers in order to improve by fine phenomics the detection of the fine structure of the local genetic resources, the most valuable and most specific living components, the endemics of the particular ecosystems. In the Italian caddisfly fauna we have recorded, treated or revised the species complex status of Plectrocnemia geniculata, Tinodes dives, Diplectrona atra, Rhyacophila praemorsa, R. pubescens, R. vulgaris, Drusus graecus, D. discolor D. muelleri, D. flavipennis, D. mixtus, D. spelaeus, D. alpinus, D. nebulicola, Limnephilus stigma. Raised the subspecies status to phylogenetic-retigenetic incipient species rank of Plectrocnemia calabrica Malicky, 1971 stat. nov., Tinodes cantabricus Botosaneanau & Gonzalez, 2001 stat. restit., stat. nov., Tinodes consiglioi Botosaneanu, 1980 stat. nov. Tinodes jeekeli Botosaneanu, 1980, stat restit., stat. nov., Ernodes romaniulus Moretti, Cianficconi, Campadelli & Crudele, 1999 stat. nov. Described 21 new species: Wormaldia ameliae sp. nov., W. dupla sp. nov., W. joani sp. nov., W. marilouae sp. nov., W. reggella sp. nov., W. toscanica sp. nov., Diplectrona ligurica sp. nov., Rhyacophila abruzzica sp. nov., R. harmasa sp. nov., R. ligurica sp. nov., R. pilosa sp. nov., Drusus oblos sp. nov., D. cerreto sp. nov., D. dondenaz sp. nov., D. tagolt sp. nov., D. hatras sp. nov., D. granparadiso sp. nov., D. camposilvano sp. nov., Limnephilus logos sp. nov., Chaetopteryx kimera sp. nov., Consorophylax juliae sp. nov.