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The bee Svastra sabinensis : nesting biology, mature oocyte, postdefecating larva, and association with Triepeolus penicilliferus (Apidae, Apinae, Eucerini and Nomadinae, Epeolini). (American Museum novitates, no. 3850)
Get PDF12 pages : illustrations (some color) ; 26 cm.Information on the nesting biology of the large, ground-nesting, communal eucerine Svastra (Epimelissodes) sabinensis sabinensis (Cockerell) from Arizona is added to a previous account (Rozen, 1983). Details of nest size, location, depth, and structure are reported. Mature oocytes dissected from females are illustrated and described. Further information on its cocoon is presented and interpreted with respect to how it functions. The postdefecating larva is described and compared with that of S. o. obliqua (Say), the only other Svastra larva described to date. The association of this bee with Triepeolus penicilliferus (Brues) is further confirmed with the recovery of an immature larva of this cleptoparasite from one of the nest cells
New Lebanese amber bethylid wasp.
No full text14 pages : illustrations (some color) ; 26 cm.A new genus and species of bethylid wasps is described and figured from a female preserved in early Cretaceous (Barremian) amber from Lebanon. Holopsenella primotica, new genus and species, is distinguished from other bethylids and segregated into a new subfamily, Holopsenellinae, along with Cretabythus sibiricus Evans in late Cretaceous (Santonian) Taimyrian amber. Holopsenellines are perhaps basal within the family, representing a stem group to other Bethylidae, and, if so, those features shared with the coeval Lancepyrinae suggest a basal position for that lineage as well. In addition, Lancepyris alavaensis Ortega-Blanco and Engel in early Cretaceous (Albian) amber from northern Spain is considered generically distinct from the type species of the genus, L. opertus Azevedo and Azar in Lebanese amber, and is transferred to the new genus, Zophepyris, resulting in the new combination, Zophepyris alavaensis (Ortega-Blanco and Engel). The genus Archaepyris Evans, currently considered as incertae sedis within the family, is transferred to Lancepyrinae mostly because it shares the same groundplan traits with Lancepyris
Didelphid marsupial genus Marmosops.
No full text70 pages : illustrations (some color), maps ; 26 cm.In this report, the first installment of a comprehensive revision of the didelphid marsupial genus Marmosops, we revise the species of the subgenus Sciophanes. Based on morphological character variation among almost 300 examined specimens--which we interpret in the context of a previously published analysis of molecular sequence data--this revision recognizes 12 valid species in three monophyletic species groups: the Parvidens Group (including M. pakaraimae, M. parvidens, and M. pinheiroi), the Fuscatus Group (M. carri, M. fuscatus, M. handleyi, and M. invictus), and the Bishopi Group (M. bishopi, M. juninensis, M. ojastii, and two new species). For each species we summarize information about type material, ecogeographic distribution, and diagnostic morphological characters. Despite our diligent search for relevant material in North and South American museums, the absence of any specimens of Sciophanes from vast Amazonian and Andean landscapes with seemingly suitable habitat suggests that significant range extensions and/or new species will result from future inventory fieldwork
High resolution images for 'Systematic revision of the North American syntropine vaejovid scorpion genera Maaykuyak, Syntropis, and Vizcaino, with description of the adults of Syntropis williamsi. (Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History, 405)'
No full textHigh resolution images for 'Systematic revision of the North American syntropine vaejovid scorpion genera Maaykuyak, Syntropis, and Vizcaino, with description of the adults of Syntropis williamsi. (Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History, 405)' - http://hdl.handle.net/2246/666
Larvae and nesting of Osmiini.
No full text46 pages : illustrations (some color) ; 26 cm.The purpose of this study is to describe the mature larvae of all taxa of the tribe Osmiini (Megachilidae) whose postdefecating larvae have been collected and are available. The hope is that data uncovered will eventually lead to a better understanding of the interrelationships of included taxa and of their anatomies, behaviors, and ecologies (i.e., their natural histories). The species included are representatives of the following taxa: Ashmeadiella, Atoposmia, Chelostoma, Heriades, Hoplitis, and Osmia (Hoplosmia). We also include recently described larval representatives of Haetosmia and Ochreriades. Because of its large size and diversity, the genus Osmia alone (with the exception of the subgenus Hoplosmia) is allocated to a separate future investigation. Larvae of the tribe share many features with one another and also with other members of the Megachilidae. Anatomical structures of larval Osmiini whereby they can be differentiated from other megachilids were not identified. However, most (though not all) members of the tribe fall into one of three main subgroups on the basis of: (1) body form, (2) presence or absence of middorsal, intersegmental tubercles on basal abdominal segments 1-5, and (3) the depth of intersegmental constrictions. In the process of gathering specimens the authors uncovered new information concerning nesting biology with respect to nest location and structure and to cocoon structure and function. These data were derived from the authors' own field studies as well as from specimens and field data collected through the years by others
Solitary bee Epicharis albofasciata.
No full text8 pages : illustrations (some color) ; 26 cm.This paper describes the extensive nesting site and the nesting behavior of a large population of the solitary, ground-nesting bee Epicharis (Epicharoides) albofasciata Smith, found in Trinidad in association with its cleptoparasite Mesoplia (Mesoplia) rufipes (Perty). In addition to describing nests and their cells, it provides information about provisioning, egg deposition, and larval eclosion
Cretaceous orthorrhaphan flies in amber.
No full text131 pages : illustrations (some color) ; 26 cm.A remarkable diversity of new nonempidoid orthorrhaphan flies from the mid-Cretaceous of Myanmar (late Albian-early Cenomanian, ca. 99 Ma) is presented, including 28 species (all but one new) in 22 genera (13 new), and at least 12 families. Two families are new; three genera are unplaced in Tabanomorpha and one unplaced within Brachycera. Comparisons are presented between the amber taxa and extensive lithified taxa from the Jurassic and Cretaceous of eastern Laurasia. In Stratiomyomorpha: A new species of Zhangsolvidae has color patterns and body shape that apparently mimic Vespidae or other stinging aculeate wasps. Diverse new Xylomyidae and Stratiomyidae are described, the latter with male terminalia preserved in detail. In Tabanomorpha: The genus Athericites Mostovski et al. is synonymized with Palaepangonius Ren, and a new species of Galloatherix Nel is described in which the female proboscis is much longer than that of the male. All three genera were attributed to Athericidae, but the amber species reveal they are more basal tabanomorphs. Described are a new genus of stem-group Tabanoidea and a new species of Cratotabanus Martins-Neto and Kucero-Santos (Tabanidae), previously known from the Cretaceous of Brazil and New Jersey. In Nemestrinoidea: Three species of Hirmoneura Meigen are the first Nemestrinidae known from amber; one species has long cerci typical of Recent species of the genus. A new species of the Mesozoic family Rhagionemestriidae reveals this family is closely related to Acroceridae, not Xylophagidae as previously proposed. In Archisargoidea: A new species of Tethepomyiidae is described, the family known only in Cretaceous amber from New Jersey, Spain, and Myanmar. In Asiloidea: Three new species and genera of Bombyliidae are described, two of them with abdominal setal "baskets" distinctive to females of higher bombyliids. A fourth new asiloid genus is a probable stem-group bombyliid. The recently described Pseudorhagio Zhang et al., is transferred from Tabanomorpha to Bombyliidae. The male of a new species of Burmapsilocephala Gaimari and Mostovski (Apsilocephalidae) has terminalia very similar to that of Evocoa (Evocoidae: Recent, Chile), corroborating close relationship of the two families. In Families incertae sedis: A new species of Hilarimorphites Grimaldi and Cumming (Apystomyiidae) is described, the family known only in New Jersey and Burmese amber and the Recent fauna of California, and a sister group to either Cyclorrhapha or Eremoneura. Mysteromyiidae and Eucaudomyiidae, new families, are described, based on highly modified species with vestigial mouthparts, reduced venation, and unique specializations. Discussion is presented on some morphological features in fossil and Recent Brachycera that have apparent phylogenetic significance but are rarely discussed. This study adds further data to the phenotypic diversity, geological history, and biogeography of a major radiation
Anatomy, taxonomy, and relationships of lithornithids.
No full text91 pages : illustrations (some color), map ; 26 cm.Fossil remains of Paleogene Palaeognathae are poorly documented and are exceedingly rare. One group of palaeognaths, the lithornithids, is well represented in the Paleogene of North America. Nevertheless, few specimens of the same species are known from each of those Paleogene geologic units. Here, we report five new partial skeletons of lithornithids from the Fossil Butte Member of the Green River Formation (early Eocene) of Wyoming. One spectacularly preserved specimen is identified as the holotype of a new species, Calciavis grandei, gen. et sp. nov., and fully described. Preserved soft tissues (e.g., feathers, pes scales) surround the nearly articulated and complete skeleton. A second well-preserved but disarticulated skeleton is referred to this new taxon. We conclude that there are only two lithornithid taxa in the Green River Formation after careful comparisons with the other known taxon from the same geological unit, Pseudocrypturus cercanaxius. Morphological data generated from the new taxon and other Green River Formation lithornithid specimens were integrated into a osteology-only phylogenetic data set containing stem avians as outgroups and extinct and extant members of Palaeognathae (Tinamidae, ratites) and Neognathaes (Anseriformes, Galliformes, Neoaves), unnamed lithornithid specimens, and the following named lithornithid taxa: Lithornis plebius, Lithornis promiscuus, Lithornis celetius, Paracathartes howardae. We find a monophyletic Lithornithidae (containing Calciavis grandei, Pseudocrypturus cercanaxius, Lithornis plebius, Lithornis promiscuus, Lithornis celetius, Paracathartes howardae) as the sister taxon of Tinamidae at the base of Palaeognathae and also recover a monophyletic Ratitae in the morphology-only analysis. A Lithornithidae-Tinamidae relationship, which could imply a broad Northern Hemisphere distribution in the Paleogene for this total group retracted to the present day Neotropical distribution after the Eocene, is weakly supported in our analysis and is also supported by other lines of evidence such as eggshell morphology. Relationships among flightless palaeognaths and assessment of character homology in this group remain problematic. Indeed, when the morphological analyses were constrained to enforce topologies recovered from all recent analyses of molecular sequence data and retroelement insertions, Lithornithidae is no longer recovered with Tinamidae, which is nested within the now paraphyletic ratites, but remains at the base of Palaeognathae. Thus, regardless of the position of Tinamidae, Lithornithidae is recovered at the base of the clade. However, evidence that many, if not all, of these "ratite" lineages independently evolved similar morphologies related to large size and flight loss suggests that the proposed position of the Lithornithidae remains tentative. Significant morphological variation within Lithornithidae should be captured in inclusive future analyses through use of species terminals
Larval diversity in the bee genus Megachile (Hymenoptera, Apoidea, Megachilidae). (American Museum novitates, no. 3863)
No full text16 pages : illustrations ; 26 cm.Mature larvae of five species representing each of the three principal groups within the genus Megachile sensu lato (i.e., including Creightonella and Chalicodoma, which are often recognized at generic rank) are described and are revealed to be quite similar to one another. On the basis of their descriptions a larval description of the genus is formulated. This, in turn, is compared with and found quite similar to a previously published Preliminary description of mature larvae of the Megachilini based on study of larval representatives of the three genera in the tribe: Megachile, all species of which are pollen-collecting, and Coelioxys and Radoszkowskiana, both of which are cleptoparasitic, usually with Megachile hosts
New taxa of Cremnorrhinina.
No full text279 pages : illustrations (some color), maps ; 26 cm.The tribe Cremnorrhinini, subtribe Cremnorrhinina, is recognized for the first time as occurring in Australia. Existing collections allow for the description of the following 19 new genera within which 82 new species of the group are placed: Adunatiphylus, Asterophylus, Austroplagiognathus, Bifidostylus, Dicyphylus, Eremotylus, Grandivesica, Gyrophallus, Halophylus, Lepidophylus, Maculiphylus, Monospiniphallus, Myoporophylus, Myrtophylus, Omnivoriphylus, Proteophylus, Pulvillophylus, Spinivesica, and Telophylus. Documentation is provided in the form of a subtribal diagnosis, key to genera, diagnoses and descriptions of all genera and species, color habitus images of males (and females where available) of all species, distributional maps, illustrations of male genitalic structures, images of the endosoma of all species and female genitalic structures in representative species, and scanning electron micrographs of representative morphology within the group based on a sample of nine genera. Host-plant information is provided for most species, along with representative images of hosts and habitats. Available data show that a preponderance of species are associated with the genus Eremophila (Scrophulariaceae), but with additional lineages associated with the plant groups Asteraceae, Chenopodiaceae (Amaranthaceae), Myrtaceae, and Proteaceae, among others in much smaller numbers