In-vivo studies on the motoric activity of the receptacular complex in females of the black field cricket (Orthoptera: Gryllidae)

Motoric activity of the receptacular complex situated in the caudal part of the female abdomen was studied in detail for the black field cricket, Teleogryllus commodus (Walker, 1869). By application of the previously introduced window method the number of peristaltic organ contractions per minute was counted, whereby four experimental series (virgins, mated females, ovipositing females, post-oviposition animals) were defined, with the number of examined crickets amounting to 20, respectively. According to the results obtained from experimental work, highest activity of the receptacular complex can be attested for females standing in the oviposition phase (26.35 ± 4.99 contractions per minute), whereas post-oviposition females are characterized by lowest activity (13.95 ± 3.90 contractions per minute). Except for virgins, where the number of peristaltic contractions increases with age, no significant correlation between motoric activity of the receptacular complex and adult age could be found. It is argued that in-vivo motoric activity of the receptaculum seminis and the ductus receptaculi is associated with the female fecundity cycle reaching its peak at the 10th day of the adult life stage.

Diplogasteroides luxuriosae n. sp. associated with Acalolepta luxuriosa (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) from Japan

Diplogasteroides luxuriosae n. sp. is described from a species of longhorn beetle, Acalolepta luxuriosa (Cerambycidae), associated with a broad-leaved tree, Aralia elata (Araliaceae), from the Ibaraki and Kyoto Prefectures of Japan. Besides its generic (or intrageneric species group-specific) characteristics, the new species is characterised and distinguished from its close relatives by its apomorphic characteristics, i.e., broad spicule with a trapezoidal shape, gubernaculum with pointed anterior, and posterior ends with two gland-like cells dorsally overlapping the vas deferens of males and large and wide receptaculum seminis of females. The new species is molecularly similar to two recently described Diplogasteroides spp., D. andrassyi and D. asiaticus. However, D. luxuriosae n. sp. is molecularly distinguished from these two species by the 6-7 bp difference in near-full-length small subunit (18S) and 10-14 bp differences in D2-D3 expansion segments of large subunit (28S) ribosomal RNA genes.

Teratodiplogaster variegatae n. sp. (Nematoda: Diplogastridae) isolated from the syconia of Ficus variegata Blume on Ishigaki Island, Okinawa, Japan

Teratodiplogaster variegatae n. sp. is described and illustrated from Ficus variegata on Ishigaki Island, Okinawa, Japan. Teratodiplogaster variegatae n. sp. is characterised by its scoop-like lip, the presence of large sac-like receptaculum seminis in the female gonads, and eight pairs of male genital papillae with an arrangement of (P1, P2, P3, vs, C, (P4, P5d), (P6, P7), P8d, Ph). It is distinguished from its close relatives T. fignewmani and T. martini by its stomatal morphology, spicule and gubernaculum morphology, structure of female reproductive organs, and the characteristic star-shaped appendage on the tail tip of males and females. Molecular phylogenetic analyses based upon near-full-length SSU and D2-D3 expansion segments of LSU corroborate a monophyletic origin of the genus Teratodiplogaster.

Study of Caryophyllidean (Capingentidae: Pseudobatrachus) tapeworms of fresh water fishes of Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh, India: Part-III

Presently eight species are reported from the World in the genus, Pseudobatrachus, Pathak and Srivastav, 2005 i.e. P. chandrai Pathak and Srivastav, 2005; P. moolchandrai Srivastav et al, 2006; P. chandlaensis Sahu, 2007; P. madhyapradeshensis, Khare, 2008; P. chhatrasali Sahu et al, 2009; P. Sengarii Singh, 2009; P. kenensis Srivastav et al, 2010 and P. ramchandrai, Srivastav and Aditya, 2010. The present form is the ninth one from the Indian subcontinent as well as from the whole world and differs on the basis of various morphometric character viz. size of worm, size and shape of scolex, presence of bothridea and grooved rostellum, size of neck, size and number of testes, size of cirrus pouch, presence of internal seminal vesicle, size of ovary and shape of ovarian lobes, size of vitellaria and their distribution, presence of receptaculum seminis, size of uterus, size and type of eggs and their hosts. The caryophyllidean is unique among cestoidea in having monopleuroide body plane, i.e. without internal or external proglottidization and with a single set of reproductive organ. Thus it is provisionally accommodated as P. ramsagarensis n. sp.

Teratodiplogaster martini n. sp. and Parasitodiplogaster doliostoma n. sp. (Nematoda: Diplogastridae) from the syconia of Ficus species from Africa

Teratodiplogaster martini n. sp. and Parasitodiplogaster doliostoma n. sp. are described and illustrated from voucher specimens from Ficus sp. and Ficus sur Forsskål, respectively, from Martin et al. (1973). Teratodiplogaster martini n. sp. is characterised by its scoop-like lip, long and slender body, presence of a receptaculum seminis and crustaformeria-like organ in female gonads, and eight pairs of male genital papillae with an arrangement of ⟨P1, P2, P3, C, P4d, P5, (P6, P7), P8d, Ph⟩, and is distinguished from its only congener, T. fignewmani, based upon its stomatal morphology, spicule and gubernaculum morphology, and composition and structure of the female reproductive organs. Parasitodiplogaster doliostoma n. sp. is characterised by its large barrel-shaped stoma comprised of a degenerate cheilostom, well developed gymnostom occupying most of the stoma, and short stegostom with two small triangular teeth, male tail possessing nine pairs of genital papillae with an arrangement of ⟨P1, P2 (P3, C), P4d, P5, (P6, P7, Ph, P8), P9d⟩ and spike-like projection at the distal tip, and conical and smoothly tapering female tail. These characters help to distinguish typologically this new species from all 13 nominal species in the genus. The emended genus definition of Parasitodiplogaster and morphological characters of the Koerneria/Parasitodiplogaster/Teratodiplogaster clade are also discussed.

Two new sacoglossan sea slug species (Opisthobranchia, Gastropoda): Ercolania annelyleorum sp. nov. (Limapontioidea) and Elysia asbecki sp. nov. (Plakobranchoidea), with notes on anatomy, histology and biology

Two new sacoglossan species, belonging to the genus Ercolania Trinchese, 1872 (Ercolania annelyleorum sp. nov.) and the genus Elysia Risso, 1818 (Elysia asbecki sp. nov.) are described from Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Anatomy of both species was reconstructed by analyzing histological serial sections. Radula morphology was investigated by using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Sequence analyses (NeighborNet; sequence divergence) and tree reconstructions showed for both species their distinction from con-generic species, but also two distinct mitochondrial lines in the new Ercolania species. Adults as well as freshly hatched juveniles of E. annelyleorum sp. nov. have been found in clusters of the ulvophycean alga Boodlea sp., which are sucked out by piercing the cell walls with their radular teeth. This new species differs from other, similar transparent, Ercolania species by its pattern of the green branches of the digestive gland and the presence of two distinct red patches, one in the anterior and the other in the posterior third of the dorsal body part. This coloration and furthermore the combination of following characters distinguishes the new species from all other described Ercolania species so far: rhinophores, elliptic in cross section, with one distinct branch of digestive gland running half way up; cerata not inflated; smooth cutting edge of sabot-shaped tooth; two-lobed prostate gland and presence of two allosperm receptacles with no re-opening of the receptaculum seminis to the outside. According to sequence divergence data of CO1, two mitochondrial lines seem to be present in the new species, which are clearly distinct from all other included Ercolania species. Elysia asbecki sp. nov. differs from other Elysia species by its whitish coloration with orange and dark brown dots and a distinct lighter spot in the neck region of the head. The rhinophores exhibit a black and yellow ribbon at the tip. The species has distinct reddish patches at the anterior base of the parapodia (at the conjunction with the head), one along the middle part of the parapodial edge on both sides and very distinct lateral patches at the end of the foot. CO1 sequences clearly distinguish this species from all closely related Elysia species. The food source of Elysia asbecki sp. nov. could not be verified yet. Measurements of photosynthetic activity within these two new species indicate that E. annelyleorum sp. nov. digests chloroplasts immediately after sequestration, whereas Elysia asbecki sp. nov. shows high maximum quantum yield values, similar to E. timida (Risso, 1818) and E. crispata (Mørch, 1863), both known as long term retention forms.

Hypselodoris jacksoni, a new species from the south-western Pacific Ocean (Nudibranchia: Chromodorididae), with a discussion on intraspecific variation in mantle glands in Chromodoris willani Rudman, 1982

A new species of Hypselodoris (Chromodorididae) is described from the subtropical and temperate south-western Pacific Ocean (eastern Australia, Lord Howe Island, Norfolk Island). The colouration of Hypselodoris jacksoni sp. nov. is distinctive, though highly variable intraspecifically. Hypselodoris jacksoni belongs to the Indo-Pacific Hypselodoris clade (for which the key synapomorphy is a minute receptaculum seminis) and, based on comparisons of internal and external morphology, appears to belong to a subclade characterised by an elevated branchial sheath, probably most closely related to H. krakotoa Gosliner & Johnson, 1999, H. reidi Gosliner & Johnson, 1999 and H. regina Ev. & Er. Marcus, 1970. Intraspecific variation in the arrangement of mantle glands in H. jacksoni prompted a preand post-fixation comparison of mantle glands in another chromodorid, Chromodoris willani Rudman, 1982. These results indicate these structures can vary significantly within a population (and thus species), and it is likely that too much emphasis has been placed on mantle glands for separating species in the recent literature.