Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Discoveries of the week #42

Examination of the syntypes of Metriocnemus volitans Goetghebuer, 1940 revealed that these specimens belong to the genus Chaetocladius and are not con-specific with Gymnometriocnemus volitans (Goetghebuer, 1940) sensu Brundin (1956) and Sæther (1983). A literature search showed that Gymnometriocnemus kamimegavirgus Sasa & Hirabayashi, 1993 fits well with the species figured and diagnosed by Brundin (1956) as well as with specimens of this species from Norway. We present arguments for Chaetocladius volitans (Goetghebuer) comb. n. and for the use of G. kamimegavirgus for G. volitans sensu Brundin. In addition, we provide DNA barcode data that indicate the presence of at least seven Gymnometriocnemus species in Norway of which six are collected as male adults. Two of these, Gymnometriocnemus (Gymnometriocnemus) pallidus sp. n. and Gymnometriocnemus (Raphidocladius) autumnalis sp. n. are regarded as new to science and diagnosed based on adult male morphology and DNA barcodes. The species Gymnometriocnemus (Gymnometriocnemus) marionensis Sæther, 1969 is re-established and a key to all Holarctic species is provided.

Non-biting midges of the family Chironomidae are notoriously difficult to identify and experts predict a high level of cryptic diversity within this group. These two new species are described from Norway. One has been named after its pale body colour compared to other Holarctic members of the genus, the other's name refes to the time of the year when the type material was collected.

Malalcahuello ocaresi gen. n. & sp. n., from Chile, is described and compared with Campyloxenus pyrothorax Fairmaire & Germain, 1860.

This is probably one of the shortest abstracts I ever came across, short, sharp and to the point. This newly described click beetle represents a new genus and a new species. The genus name refers to the type locality of the beetle, Malalcahuello, in southern Chile. The species is named in honor of Sergio Ocares Figueroa, an excellent insect collector from Chile.
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Eostrobilops humicolus Páll-Gergely & Hunyadi, sp. n. is described from Guangxi Province, China. It is characterized by the combination of a small shell (diameter: 2.3–2.4 mm), strongly ribbed dorsal surface, an infraparietal lamella not reaching the callus, and long basal folds. The new species is found approximately 500 and 800 km from the two nearest species E. infrequens (northern Vietnam), and E. diodontina (Hunan, China), respectively. A checklist of extant Eostrobilops Pilsbry, 1927 and Enteroplax Gude, 1899 species is provided. Enteroplax yaeyamensis Habe & Chinen, 1974, Enteroplax kanjiokuboi Minato & Tada, 1992 and Enteroplax taiwanica Minato & Tada, 1992 are moved to the genus Eostrobilops because of the lack of an elevated parietal callus and a peripheral thread. A map showing all Eostrobilops records is provided.

A new species of  terrestrial pulmonate gastropod. The species name means "soil-dwelling", in reference to the fact that this species was found in soil samples.
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Four new Epicephala species that feed on the seeds of Glochidion sphaerogynum (Phyllanthaceae) from Yinggeling Mountain Nature Reserves in Hainan Province of China are described: E. domina sp. n., E. impolliniferens sp. n., E. angustisaccula sp. n. and E. camurella sp. n. The latter two species are also associated with Glochidion wrightii. Photographs of adults and genital structures are provided.

Four new leafminers from China, although these species rather feed on the seeds within the fruits of Glochidion sphaerogynum a plant of the family Phyllanthaceae.
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Coccoloba floresii
Coccoloba floresii is here described as a new species from Mexico. Morphological characters of the leaf, inflorescence, and fruit show discontinuities among populations of C. floresii and its relatives, C. barbadensis and C. cozumelensis. In addition, C. floresii is exclusive of the tropical dry forests of Central Depression and Plateau of Chiapas (Mexico) at high elevations. 

A new species of the most species rich genus in the smartweed - buckwheat family. The name of the species honors the Mexican botanist José Salvador Flores Guido.
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Bambusicola loculata
A new ascomycete species, Bambusicola loculata, inhabiting decaying bamboo, is introduced based on morpho-molecular studies. Bambusicola loculata is characterized by immersed, dark, stromatic and loculate ascostromata, bitunicate, cylindrical-clavate asci and 1-septate, hyaline, narrowly fusiform ascospores, surrounded by an inconspicuous mucilaginous sheath. Maximum likelihood and Bayesian analyses of combined LSU, SSU, RPB2 and TEF1 gene sequence data as well as morphological characters show that our new taxon belongs to Bambusicola, Bambusicolaceae. The new species is compared with other morphologically and phylogenetically similar species.

A new species of sac fungi. I come across species descriptions of fungi not very often. More than reason enough to show this new one. Although there is no ITS barcode, the study authors have done extensive genetic work (4 different markers) to confirm the species' placement.
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