Description of a new species of the Charaea coomani group (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae) from Vietnam with a key to species

The genus Charaea Baly is distributed in the eastern Palaearctic, Himalayas, China and adjacent countries of the Oriental Region. Currently, 59 species of the genus Charaea have been recorded. The species of Charaea is characterised with a robust tubular aedeagus that terminates with a more or less distinct apical process with the Charaea coomani group having an internal sac with long sharp lateral sclerites. Up to now, 13 species of this group have been described in the Oriental Region, four of which are found in Vietnam. Charaea dinhcuongisp. nov. is described as a new species, based on specimens collected from Phu Quoc Island in southern Vietnam. Colour photographs of habitus and body details and DNA barcode sequences are presented. An identification key is provided for all Vietnamese species from the Charaea coomani group.

Regulation of neuronal progenitor delamination by dynein-driven post-Golgi apical transport

Radial glial (RG) cells are the neural stem cells of the developing neocortex. Apical RG (aRG) cells can delaminate to generate basal RG (bRG) cells, a cell type associated with human brain expansion. Here, we report that this delamination is regulated by the post-Golgi secretory pathway. Using in situ subcellular live imaging, we show that post-Golgi transport of RAB6+ vesicles occurs toward the minus ends of microtubules and depends on dynein. We demonstrate that the apical determinant Crumbs3 (CRB3) is also transported by dynein. Double knockout of RAB6A/A' and RAB6B impairs apical localization of CRB3, and induces a retraction of aRG cell apical process, leading to delamination and ectopic division. These defects are phenocopied by knock-out of the dynein activator LIS1. Overall, our results identify a RAB6-dynein-LIS1 complex for Golgi to apical surface transport in aRG cells, and highlights the role of this pathway in the maintenance of neuroepithelial integrity.

CAMSAPs organize an acentrosomal microtubule network from basal varicosities in radial glial cells

Neurons of the neocortex are generated by stem cells called radial glial cells. These polarized cells extend a short apical process toward the ventricular surface and a long basal fiber that acts as a scaffold for neuronal migration. How the microtubule cytoskeleton is organized in these cells to support long-range transport is unknown. Using subcellular live imaging within brain tissue, we show that microtubules in the apical process uniformly emanate for the pericentrosomal region, while microtubules in the basal fiber display a mixed polarity, reminiscent of the mammalian dendrite. We identify acentrosomal microtubule organizing centers localized in varicosities of the basal fiber. CAMSAP family members accumulate in these varicosities, where they control microtubule growth. Double knockdown of CAMSAP1 and 2 leads to a destabilization of the entire basal process. Finally, using live imaging of human fetal cortex, we reveal that this organization is conserved in basal radial glial cells, a related progenitor cell population associated with human brain size expansion.

Definition of the Gonioctena subgeminata species group (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Chrysomelinae), with descriptions of two new species from China and Vietnam

This paper defines and reviews the Gonioctena subgeminata species group of the subgenus Asiphytodecta Chen, 1935. The group contains the following five species, including two new to science: G. subgeminata (Chen, 1934), G. tonkinensis (Chen, 1934), G. oudai Cho & Borowiec, 2016, G. allardisp. nov., and G. mantilleriisp. nov. The species group restricted to China and Vietnam is characterized by a labrum without a tooth-like projection, elytral punctures arranged in discernible rows, and a setose aedeagus with a broad apical process. Gonioctena tonkinensis is newly reported as an ovoviviparous species. Habitus photographs, illustrations of diagnostic characters of each species, and a key to the species are provided.

Rotundabaloghia (Circobaloghia) nagyi sp. nov., a New Uropodina Mite Species from a Bamboo Thicket (Acari: Mesostigmata)

A new species (Rotundabaloghia (Circobaloghia)nagyi sp. nov.) of the rotundabaloghid mites is described based on females and male collected in bamboo leaf litter in Cameroon. The new species differs from the other Afrotropical rotundabaloghid mites in following character combination: female genital shield with long apical process, the setae v7 and v8 long and pilose, v6 long and smooth, v2 short and needle-like, female genital, dorsal and ventral shields are ornamented by irregular pits, sternal setae short and needle-like. This character combination is unknown within the African rotundabaloghids.

Paramathes evdomo, a new species from Sichuan, southwestern China (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Noctuinae)

Paramathes Boursin, 1954 is a Noctuinae genus closely related to Xestia Hübner and distributed in high mountain regions of West and Central China. Paramathes and the Xestia—complex (the Palaearctic and Oriental species have never been revised) show a lot of synapomorhies, which indicate the close relationship, particularly in the male genitalia: lanceolate or spatulate uncus, the presence of apical process and pseudopollex on the valvae, carinal thorn or bulb. However, these characters are not present all in most of the Xestia; e. g. most of them have long, narrow uncus, no apical process on the valvae, absent carinal thorn or bulb; or are without being combined these. In the females, the differences are more conspicuous; the postero - bilateral lobes of the strongly sclerotized antrum are very large in Paramathes (these are not present in most of the Xestia, or much smaller), the corpus bursae short and ample, the appendix bursae prominent. The autapomorhies of the Paramathes are the Eugnorisma—like forewing pattern, the slightly dentate, ribbon shaped sclerotization extending from the carina onto the basal section of the vesica in the males, while those are in the females the very large postero - bilateral lobes of the strongly sclerotized antrum and the presence of the four signa in the corpus bursae. A revision of Paramathes was recently published by Varga et al. (2015), who included in the genus five species, such as P. tibetica Boursin, 1954, P. perigrapha (Püngeler, 1900), P. amphigrapha Boursin, 1954, P. pulchrisigna Boursin, 1954, P. xestioides Varga, Ronkay, Ronkay, Gyulai, 2015 and one subspecies P. perigrapha simonyisandori Varga, Ronkay, Ronkay, Gyulai, 2015. Paramathes daochengi was described a year later by Saldaitis & Gyulai (2016). During a lepidopterological expedition to the northwestern part of China’s Sichuan Province in June of 2019, a short series of Paramathes specimens (Figs 1, 2) similar to Paramathes daochengi Saldaitis & Gyulai, 2016 (Fig. 3) was collected. However, after examining their genitalia by second author, it was concluded by the authors, that they belong to an undescribed species which is described below.

A phenetic analysis of Philippine Rubus species (Rosaceae) by morphology

The taxonomy of the Philippine Rubus species was studied through a phenetic analysis of the morphological data from preserved specimens. After recording the character states, the data were analyzed using cluster analysis and PCA, and the resulting analysis allowed the delimitation of morphologically similar Rubus species. Specimens of the Rubus genus collected in the country were separated into two clusters distinguished by leaf structure. Specimens of the same species are often found in multiple sub-clusters, which suggests the high degree of variation within a species. PCA of morphological data from Rubus species show that leaf and floral characters, which include the maximum number of lobes, pedicel pubescence, outside pubescence of the hypanthium, apex of the simple leaf blade, and the apical process of the sepals, explain the variation in Rubus species in the Philippines.

A dendritic-like microtubule network is organized from swellings of the basal fiber in neural progenitors

Neurons of the neocortex are generated by neural progenitors called radial glial cells. These polarized cells extend a short apical process towards the ventricular surface and a long basal fiber that acts as a scaffold for neuronal migration. How the microtubule cytoskeleton is organized in these cells to support long-range transport in unknown. Using subcellular live imaging within brain tissue, we show that microtubules in the apical process uniformly emanate for the pericentrosomal region, while microtubules in the basal fiber display a mixed polarity, reminiscent of the mammalian dendrite. We identify acentrosomal microtubule organizing centers localized in swellings of the basal fiber. We characterize their distribution and demonstrate that they accumulate the minus end stabilizing factor CAMSAP3 and TGN-related membranes, from which the majority of microtubules grow. Finally, using live imaging of human fetal cortex, we show that this organization is conserved in basal radial glial (bRG) cells, a highly abundant progenitor cell population associated with human brain size expansion.

Taxonomic study of the genus Promalactis Meyrick, 1908 (Lepidoptera: Oecophoridae) VIII. The densimacularis species group, with descriptions of four new species

The densimacularis species group of the genus Promalactis Meyrick, 1908 is proposed based on the forewing patterns. These species are diagnostic by the forewing having three black patches on the costal margin, the gnathos usually with a membranous apical process in the male genitalia, and the ductus bursae with denticles or spines in the female genitalia. Four new species are described: P. costispinata sp. nov., P. trimaculata sp. nov., P. simingshana sp. nov. and P. yongjiana sp. nov. All the 14 described species of the densimacularis-group are listed. Photographs of adults and genitalia of the new species are provided.

A new species of Clinodiplosis (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) causing galls on Banisteriopsis membranifolia (Malpighiaceae), an endemic plant in Brazil

Clinodiplosisquartelensis sp. nov. (holotype male in MNRJ: Brazil, Minas Gerais State), a new gall midge species causing leaf galls on Banisteriopsismembranifolia (A. Juss.) B. Gates (Malpighiaceae), an endemic liana in Brazil, is described based on larva, pupa, adult male and female and its gall is characterized. Galls were collected in Quartel de São João, state of Minas Gerais, Southeastern Brazil. Larvae were removed from the galls and pupae and adults were obtained by rearing. Pupation takes place in the gall. The most important morphological characters were illustrated. The new species is compared with other Neotropical species of Clinodiplosis and belongs to the group with simple tarsal claws, curved beyond tarsus midlength. Clinodiplosisquartelensis sp. nov. shares the male cercus secondarily lobed, the 12th female flagellomere with setulose apical process, the deeply bilobed male hypoproct with convergent lobes, pupa lacking dorsal spines on abdominal segments, and larva with four pairs of setose terminal papillae with C.bellum from that might be distinguished by size of palpus, wing venation, level of sclerotization of eighth abdominal segment in the adults, as well as, by the pupal cephalic dorsal plate and larval spatula.