Two new species and new records of Otocepheidae (Acari, Oribatida) from Yunnan, Southwest China

This work includes taxonomic data on four species of oribatid mites of the family Otocepheidae from Yunnan, China. Two new species of the genera Basiceramerus and Eurostocepheus are described, respectively. Basiceramerus ovatussp. nov. differs from B. bangladeshensis Corpuz-Raros & Gruèzo, 2008 by the wavy marginalis passing the base of the adanal setae, prodorsal condyles well separated from median ones, a ventral ridge present, and the anal plate foveolate; it differs from B. igorotus Corpuz-Raros & Gruèzo, 2011 from Vietnam by the wavy marginalis passing the base of the adanal setae, a connected tutorium and lamelliform expansion, a ventral ridge present, a smooth genital plate, and seta an2 located close to the median margin of the anal opening; it differs from B. igorotus from the Philippines by the lamellar setae inserted behind the tip of the lamella, separated prodorsal condyles, lyrifissure im posterior to gla, genital plate smooth, anal plate foveolate, and the wavy marginalis passing the base of the adanal setae. Eurostocepheus (Eurostocepheus) sinutussp. nov. differs from other known species of this genus by having a ventral groove between the genital aperture and the ventral ridge, eight pairs of notogastral setae, and distinctly shorter and thinner notogastral setae p1, p2, p3, h3. Eurostocepheus (Eurostocepheus) aquilinus Aoki, 1965 and E. (E.) mahunkai Mondal & Kundu, 1999 are reported for the first time from China.

A new species of the genus Parapentacentrus Shiraki, 1930 from Yunnan, China (Orthoptera: Gryllidae: Itarinae)

The genus Parapentacentrus Shiraki, 1930 includes two species with long wings. In this paper, we report one new species, P. brevipennis He sp. nov., from Jinping, Yunnan, China. The new species have short forewings and hindwings, and have differences in the shape of supra-anal plate and male genitalia. DNA Barcode (COI gene) of this new species are provided. The type specimens are deposited in Museum of Biology, East China Normal University (ECNU).

A new species of Oligodon H. Boie in Fitzinger, 1826 (Squamata: Colubridae) from Hainan Island, China

A new species of the kukri snake genus Oligodon H. Boie in Fitzinger, 1826 is described based on two specimens collected from Shangxi Nature Reserve, Hainan Island, China. Oligodon bivirgatus sp. nov. can be distinguished from its congeners by a unique combination of having 15/15/15 dorsal scale rows, eight maxillary teeth, divided nasal, 3 temporals (1+2), 7 supralabials and 7 infralabials; divided anal plate; reddish-brown dorsum with two distinct dark stripes, and reddish ventral surface (in life) with irregular dark blotches on edge cream. This is the first new Oligodon species described from a type-locality in Hainan Island of China.

Two new species of the genus Dasongius (Myriapoda, Pauropoda, Pauropodidae) from China

Two new species of the family Pauropodidae: Dasongius liupanensis sp. n. and D. spatulatus sp. n. are described from China. Both of them have non-furcate setae on the collum segment, long setae p and q on the antennae, 6+6 setae on tergite II, furcate setae on the coxa, cylindrical setae on the trochanter of leg 9, and two appendages on the anal plate; these features are distinct from other congeners. The new species can be distinguished by the shape of the tergum of the pygidium, shape of the anal plate, as well as the shape of setae a1, a2, st and b1 on the pygidium. In addition, all species of the genus Dasongius are compared in detail.

Two new species of Episymploce Bey-Bienko, 1950 (Blattodea, Ectobiidae, Blattellinae) from China

Two new species of Episymploce Bey-Bienko from China are described. Nine individuals of E. sichuanensissp. nov. were collected from Sichuan Province and four individuals of E. maxima, sp. nov. were collected from Guangxi Province. Morphology, especially the wings, specialized abdominal tergum and genitalia of adults, are described and illustrated in detail. Episymploce sichuanensissp. nov. is similar to E. kunmingi (Bey-Bienko, 1969), but can be easily distinguished by the reduced wings, bifurcated two processes at the hind margin of the supra-anal plate, and the unspecialized first abdominal tergum (T1). Episymploce maximasp. nov. is similar to E. taiheizana Asahina, 1979 but is distinguished by its large size, the lateromedial margins of the subgenital plate without processes, and the unspecialized T1. A key to the recorded Episymploce species from China is provided in this paper.

First record of the family Colinauropodidae (Myriapoda, Pauropoda) in China, with the description of three new species

The pauropod family Colinauropodidae Scheller, 1985 is recorded from China for the first time. Three new species of the genus Colinauropus Remy, 1956 are described: Colinauropus chinensissp. nov. and C. chongzhouisp. nov. from Jiangsu Province, and C. foliosussp. nov. from Sichuan Province. They can be easily separated from similar species by the number and the shape of sclerotized plates on the tergites, setae on the body and the anal plate. A key for all species of the genus is provided.

Review of the genus Phyllotrella Gorochov, with descriptions of three new species from China (Orthoptera: Gryllidae: Podoscirtinae: Podoscirtini)

Three new species of Phyllotrella Gorochov, 1988 are described: P. hainanensis sp. nov. (China: Hainan), P. transversa sp. nov. (China: Guangdong, Guangxi) and P. fumingi sp. nov. (China: Guangdong), which are illustrated with the habitus, metanotal gland, phallus and anal plate of the male. P. planidorsalis Gorochov, 1988 is excluded from Chinese fauna. A distribution map and a key of all species of Phyllotrella are provided.

A new stiletto snake (Lamprophiidae, Atractaspidinae, Atractaspis) from Liberia and Guinea, West Africa

We describe a new stiletto snake,Atractaspis, from western Liberia and southeastern Guinea. The new species shares with morphologically similar western AfricanAtractaspisspecies,A.reticulataandA.corpulenta, the fusion of the 2ndinfralabial with the inframaxillary. FromA.corpulentathe new species differs by a more slender body (276–288 ventrals and 19 or 20 dorsal scale rows versus 178–208 ventrals with 23–29 dorsal scale rows), a divided anal plate and divided subcaudal scales (both non-divided inA.corpulenta). The new species differs from mostA.reticulataby having 19 or 20 dorsal scale rows at midbody (versus 21–23, rarely 19), and a lower ventral count (276–288 versus 304–370). The new species thus has a relatively longer tail: snout-vent-length / tail-length in the female holotype (15.7) and paratype (21.5) versus a mean of 23.6 in seven femaleA.reticulata. The newAtractaspislikely is endemic to the western part of the Upper Guinea forest zone and thus adds to the uniqueness of this diverse and threatened biogeographic region.

Two new species of the family Nippobodidae (Acari, Oribatida), including a description of the leg-folding process

Nippobodespanemorfissp. n.andLeobodestrypasissp. n.are described by means of optical and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and compared to other congeners. The leg-folding process is described and illustrated.Nippobodespanemorfissp. n.is characterised by interlocking, double hook-shaped, posterior prodorsal condyle and anterior zone humeral apophysis; posterior prodorsal depression present. Tutorium a large lamina defining a pocket-shaped structure; bothridial opening ovoid, situated at the bottom of a U-shaped structure; deep, rounded-ovoid anterior notogastral depression present; ten pairs of notogastral setae;csetae looped, dentate, sharply tipped. Marginal setaeh3,p3on large promontories, followed by deep V-shaped incision; notogaster completely surrounded by circumgastric depression; lateral genital zone with locking structure constituted by longitudinal cuticular elevation, with promontories and a parallel furrow involved in the leg-folding process; genital plate smaller than anal plate.Leobodestrypasissp. n.is characterised by: the presence of posterior prodorsal depression and anterior notogastral depression; bridge-shaped anterior prodorsal condyles; heart-shaped frontal prodorsal orifice; ten pairs of notogastral setae; posterior prodorsal condyle and humeral condyle interlocked, forming double hook-like structure; circumgastric furrow surrounding entire notogaster; setaelp, h2, h1situated on shallow medial furrow; notogastral setaelm,lp,h1,h2medially aligned;p1, p2, p3, h3marginally situated. Legs I-IV, tutorium, pedotectum I, and pedotectum II involved in leg folding which is inferred to be a protection mechanism.

A new species of the genus Comidoblemmus Storozhenko & Paik (Orthoptera: Gryllidae) from Xizang, China

A new species is described from China, Comidoblemmus yigongensis sp. nov. (Xizang: Bomi), which is illustrated with habitus, head and supra anal plate of both sexes and genitalia of male. A key for identification of all species of the genus Comidoblemmus is presented.