scholarly journals A new species of Eucharissa Westwood (Eucharitidae) from South Africa, with an evaluation of the importance of pupae for assessing relationships in these ant parasitoids

2020 ◽  
Vol 79 ◽  
pp. 43-55
Author(s):  
John M. Heraty ◽  
Nokuthula Mbanyana ◽  
Simon Van Noort

Eucharissa (Hymenoptera: Eucharitidae) is an enigmatic genus within Chalcidoidea. Adults have at least 16 antennal segments, which is shared only by the closely related genus, Saccharissa, with some species of Eucharissa having as many as 22 antennal segments. At most, other Chalcidoidea have up to 14 segments. Phylogenetic analyses place Eucharissa within the poneromorph-ant attacking clade, but until now, the host and immature stages of this genus were unknown. Eucharissa insolitasp. nov. was discovered in two cocoons of Bothroponera granosa (Ponerinae) from South Africa; one a fully developed male and the other a second-instar larva. The larval exuviae present within the cocoons allowed for description of the life stages and comparison with other members of the poneromorph-attacking clade of Eucharitidae. Morphology of the pupa across Eucharitidae is reviewed, and synapomorphies of the immature stages are identified that support monophyly of the poneromorph-attacking clade within the tribe Eucharitini.

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 177-187
Author(s):  
Lourdes Y. Echevarría ◽  
Pablo J. Venegas ◽  
Luis A. García-Ayachi ◽  
Pedro M. Sales Nunes

We describe a new species of Selvasaura from the montane forests of the eastern slopes of the Andes in northern Peru, based on external and hemipenial morphological characters and previous phylogenetic analyses. The new species can be differentiated from the other two Selvasaura species in having keeled dorsal scales usually flanked by longitudinal striations, in adults and juveniles; adult males with a yellow vertebral stripe bordered by broad dark brown stripes on each side and a unilobed hemipenis surrounded by the branches of the sulcus spermaticus. The description of the new species contributes information about new states of diagnostic characters of Selvasaura and natural history.


2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (5) ◽  
pp. 995
Author(s):  
Pholoshi Abram Maake ◽  
Edward Ueckermann

A new species of Obuloides, Obuloides crinitus sp. nov., is described based on females and males collected from the galls and twigs of Grewia occidentalis (Tiliaceae) in South Africa. Obuloides crinutus is closely related to O. namibiensis and O. rajamohani but can be distinguished by the finely granulated shields, a character that no other species of this genus has. Another notable difference is the length of prodorsal setae v2, which are longer and more strongly serrated compared to the other species of this genus which have very short and mostly smooth setae. Males of this species lack setae d1. A key to known species is provided.


Phytotaxa ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 305 (1) ◽  
pp. 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
LI-HONG HAN ◽  
BART BUYCK ◽  
NOUROU S. YOROU ◽  
ROY E. HALLING ◽  
ZHU L. YANG

A new species of Afroboletus, namely A. sequestratus, is described from Zambia. Evidence from molecular phylogenetic analyses using sequences rpb1, rpb2 and tef1α and morphological comparison support its placement in Afroboletus and it is distinct from the other related members of this genus in Africa. It is the first species with sequestrate basidiomata in the genus. A morphological description is augmented with line drawings and SEM images for the species.


Zootaxa ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 4415 (3) ◽  
pp. 452 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. R. PUGH ◽  
C.W. DUNN ◽  
S.H.D. HADDOCK

A new species of calycophoran siphonophore, Tottonophyes enigmatica gen. nov, sp. nov., is described. It has a unique combination of traits, some shared with prayomorphs (including two rounded nectophores) and some with clausophyid diphyomorphs (the nectophores are dissimilar, with one slightly larger and slightly to the anterior of the other, and both possess a somatocyst). Molecular phylogenetic analyses indicate that the new species is the sister group to all other diphyomorphs. A new family, Tottonophyidae, is established for it. Its phylogenetic position and distinct morphology help clarify diphyomorph evolution. The function and homology of the nectophoral canals and somatocyst is also re-examined and further clarification is given to their nomenclature.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yan-Yan Liu ◽  
Qi-Rui Wang ◽  
Zeng-Lu Mi ◽  
Jia-Mei Li

Abstract Background Hyoscyamus, the largest genus in the tribe Hyoscyameae, harbors more than 20 species. Although the monophyly of Hyoscyamus is supported by both morphological and molecular phylogenetic studies, the delimitation of Hyoscyamus has been hotly debated in different classifications. Here, we report a new species of Hyoscyamus (Solanaceae) from Henan Province, China, and discuss the delimitation of Hyoscyamus. Results This species is morphologically similar to the known species of Hyoscyamus and its close related genus Archihyoscyamus, but can be distinguished by corolla 2-lipped, adaxial lip 3-lobed and much longer than abaxial lips, tube slender at base, and stamens 5, inserted on inner side of disk, free, obviously unequal, and exceeding corolla. Phylogenetic analysis based on four chloroplast markers including rbcL, ndhF, trnC-psbM and trnL-trnF, strongly suggested that the new species was sister to a monophyletic group containing all species of Hyoscyamus and Archihyoscyamus previously described. Conclusions Both the morphological observations and molecular phylogenetic analyses support the recognition of Hyoscyamus labiatus as a new species. Our study also showed that Archihyoscyamus should be a synonym of Hyoscyamus. The delimitation of Hyoscyamus is thus revised in our study.


Nematology ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 439-453 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harun Çimen ◽  
Vladimír Půža ◽  
Jiří Nermuť ◽  
Justin Hatting ◽  
Tshima Ramakuwela ◽  
...  

Steinernema beitlechemi n. sp. is a new species of entomopathogenic nematode isolated from soil samples collected in Bethlehem, Free State province, South Africa. The infective juveniles of S. beitlechemi n. sp. are characterised by a body length of 696 (606-768) μm, position of nerve ring of 96 (86-105) μm from the head and lateral fields with six ridges (i.e., seven lines) in mid-body. First-generation males of S. beitlechemi n. sp. can be distinguished by a spicule length of 93 (88-100) μm and 12 pairs of genital papillae. First-generation females have a moderately protruding vulva and a rounded tail tip bearing one spine-like projection. The new species is further characterised by sequences of the ITS and partial 28S regions of the ribosomal DNA. Phylogenetic analyses show S. beitlechemi n. sp. as a member of a strongly supported monophyletic clade with three other African species: S. sacchari, S. cameroonense and S. nyetense.


Insects ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 571
Author(s):  
Yongying Ruan ◽  
Alexander S. Konstantinov ◽  
Albert F. Damaška

The biology of the moss and leaf litter inhabiting flea beetles is poorly understood. In this study, a new species of moss-eating flea beetles Cangshanaltica fuanensis sp. nov. is described; the morphology of adult and immature stages is examined and illustrated. Its life history and biology are studied. The remarkable and unique biological features are revealed: (1) females deposit one large egg at a time, egg length equals 0.4–0.5 times the female body length, these are unusual in Chrysomelidae; (2) females have only two ovarioles on each side of the ovary, which has not been reported in other Chrysomelidae species; (3) females lay and hide each egg under a spoon-shaped moss leaf; (4) cannibalism of a second instar larva on an egg was observed. Both adults and larvae feed on moss and are polyphagous; their feces mainly consist of un-digested moss fragments; high humidity is essential for the survival of eggs and larvae and expedites the hatching. In addition, a modified fan-driven Berlese funnel is designed for faster extraction of moss inhabiting flea beetles. This device could also be used for collecting other ground-dwelling arthropods. Its working diagram is illustrated and described.


1992 ◽  
Vol 124 (3) ◽  
pp. 491-499 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bradley J. Sinclair

AbstractThe adult, pupa, and final-instar larva of Trichothaumalea elakalensis sp.nov. (Diptera: Thaumaleidae) are described and illustrated. This is the first record of this genus from eastern North America and first description of the immature stages. In addition, reinterpretation of the homologies of the male terminalia and preliminary observations on the male reproductive system of Thaumaleidae are presented and the phylogenetic implications upon the monophyly of the Chironomoidea are discussed.


Zootaxa ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 4382 (3) ◽  
pp. 553
Author(s):  
GIZELLE AMORA ◽  
NEUSA HAMADA ◽  
LUIZ. C. PINHO

Stenochironomus munteanpurin sp. n. is described and illustrated in all life stages, except eggs, from Brazil. The male is very similar to Stenochironomus quadrinotatus Borkent, 1984 due to same overall pattern of pigmentation. The new species can be distinguished from the other related species principally in immature stages: larva with labral lamella arranged in two groups with one or two conical-shaped teeth, spicules of pecten epipharyngis arranged in a row, unequal and irregularly distributed sizes, SI bifurcated, SII pinnate, SIII pinnate setae and, larval exuviae is compacted; pupa with shagreens being in all TI, less number of hooklets in TII, TVII without shagreens and presence of shagreen in conjunctive III/IV and IV/V. Adult male is very similar to the one of S. quadrinotatus but can be distinguished by combination of the TIX with more than 25 setae medially and phallapodeme curved anteriorly. The new species were collected in the following Brazilian states: Rio de Janeiro, Santa Catarina, Bahia and Acre. 


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